The Chosen One of the Lingtong Race

"So many of the powerful members of the Lingtong Race who are above the Stellar level keep their eyes closed most of the time. Is that to suppress the will contained in their divine abilities and build up energy?"

Elder Luo stroked his beard and smiled at Jiang Yao's question. "That's right. That is indeed the reason. However, it doesn't mean you must close your eyes to suppress the will contained in a divine ability, or open them to release one.

"You can see that I keep my eyes open all the time.

"Opening and closing your eyes are reflexive actions. Suppressing the ancient will within an Innate Secret Technique and releasing a divine ability are difficult in themselves. Linking those two commands to your body's reflexes makes controlling an Innate Secret Technique a little easier."

The old man pointed at Prose. "Prose has his eyes closed right now. Closing them helps strengthen his resolve to suppress the ancient will. If he opened his eyes, he could still keep suppressing it, but his resolve would waver slightly, making it easier for him to lose control of his Bloodline Divine Ability.

"Of course, if your will is strong enough and your resolve firm enough, you don't have to be bound by whether your eyes are open or closed. You can suppress the ancient will whenever you want, or release your divine ability whenever you want.

"It's also because of the unusual nature of our race's Bloodline Divine Abilities that many outsiders who don't understand them well call our Innate Secret Techniques 'Eye Beasts.'

"That isn't exactly wrong, because every Innate Secret Technique contains the will of the beast from which it originated. So the Bloodline Divine Abilities of my Lingtong Race are more like living creatures than inanimate things! Each ability contains an ancient will, and outwardly takes the form of some kind of demonic beast or ferocious beast."

Jiang Yao immediately remembered the willpower test two years ago. After Kuman opened his eyes, he seemed to glimpse, for a fleeting moment, a blurry figure that looked like a cross between a tiger and a leopard, with three tails.

That must have been what the original owner of the divine ability he had used looked like.

As he spoke, Elder Luo used mental power to conjure one bizarre beast after another in the air. Some were birds, others were beasts; some looked adorable, while others were terrifying.

"Since my Lingtong Race left our secret realm and settled in this universe, generation after generation of our people have searched for tens of thousands of eras. So far, we have discovered 106 Bloodline Divine Abilities at the source of our bloodline. These abilities come from 106 kinds of ferocious or demonic beasts.

"These 106 abilities are divided into three grades: upper, middle, and lower!

"They aren't ranked according to their strength, but according to their potential.

"Lower-grade abilities can grow to the Universe level, and there are 64 of them. Middle-grade abilities can grow to the Domain Lord level, and there are 34. Upper-grade abilities can grow to the World Lord level, and there are only eight.

"In other words, if you awaken an upper-grade ability, it can continue to help you even after you reach the World Lord level, serving as a powerful asset."

After briefly explaining, Elder Luo dismissed the images of the 98 middle- and lower-grade Bloodline Divine Abilities, leaving only the eight upper-grade ones.

The old man looked at Jiang Yao. "With your talent, there's no need to consider the middle- and lower-grade Bloodline Divine Abilities. As I said, our Bloodline Divine Abilities aren't inanimate things, so which one you awaken is actually a matter of mutual selection.

"It depends on the strength you display when breaking through the bloodline barrier—in other words, your Mental Power Amplitude. The stronger you appear, the more strongly you'll attract the Bloodline Divine Ability. If your strength isn't sufficient, then even if you want to awaken an upper-grade ability, it won't be possible.

"But you possess a Domain. With your Domain boosting your Mental Power Amplitude, you naturally have the right to choose."

At this, Elder Luo sighed and glanced at Prose. "Prose awakened a middle-grade ability back then, which is a bit of a shame.

"But Kuman awakened an upper-grade ability. It's also the only illusion technique among the eight, originating from a Phantom Spirit Beast, and its power is tremendous.

"As for you, Jiang Yao, your Origin Energy is fire-aligned. As it happens, one of the eight upper-grade abilities is fire-aligned, and it comes from the Burning Hero Beast."

An otherworldly beast that looked like a rhinoceros was enlarged before Jiang Yao. Flames covered its body. It was the Burning Hero Beast Elder Luo had mentioned, and the outward manifestation of that fire-aligned divine ability.

Elder Luo's gaze passed over Prose, who was watching the eight upper-grade abilities with a faintly dejected look, then settled on Jiang Yao. His words were full of hope. "This Innate Secret Technique is called 'Domain of Burning Hero.' When used, it turns the surrounding area into a realm of fire. It can be considered a weakened version of a Domain!

"Combined with your Domain, the Domain of Burning Hero will give you enough strength to fight opponents above your level!

"To give you an example, if you have a First-Layer Domain, then with this ability, you can defeat a Stellar-level opponent with a Second-Layer Domain. Once you reach the Second Layer, you'll be able to stand against opponents at the Third Layer!"

The old man looked proud. "That is exactly what makes our Lingtong Race's Innate Secret Techniques so powerful. Combined with a Domain, they can often let us overcome stronger opponents! That's why, in past Peak Genius Tournaments, the Jiuyuan Holy Land of our Lingtong Race has usually performed the best among the Kasolo Empire's six Sacred Lands!

"Of course, when I say we can overcome stronger opponents, I mean opponents whose Life Gene Level is similar to ours. If we run into someone with a higher bloodline, an Innate Secret Technique of their own, or some other advantage, that's another matter.

"All you have to do is let your consciousness ride the Boat of Guidance to the source of your bloodline, then visualize the outward manifestation of the Domain of Burning Hero. The ability will be drawn to you and, through your bloodline inheritance, emerge from your eyes. Then you'll have awakened it!"

It was clear how much Elder Luo cared for Jiang Yao. He had already chosen the best path for him, but Jiang Yao could only apologize and firmly decline.

The Messenger, who looked like a little pig, flapped his wings and said repeatedly, "Don't listen to that old man's lecture. Going to all that trouble to awaken some Burning Hero Beast ability is a complete waste of time. Listen to me: visualize the image I gave you, then hurry up and find somewhere quiet and secluded to receive the inheritance!"

From the moment the Messenger had told Jiang Yao to use the Xu Yuan Opening technique to open up his eyes, Jiang Yao had known that the Taihuan Token Envoy had a plan for his future cultivation.

Faced with a choice between the cultivation method from the Taihuan Token Envoy and the Lingtong Race's divine abilities, he had no hesitation about trusting his golden finger.

For that matter, the Xu Yuan Opening technique alone was absolutely more precious than the entire Lingtong Race.

Jiang Yao had already thought up an excuse. "Elder, I'd like to go to the source of my bloodline and search for a more suitable divine ability myself."

Elder Luo showed no displeasure. There was just a trace of amusement in his eyes, like a weathered old man watching a stubborn young person struggle against the inevitable.

All geniuses were like that.

The 106 abilities were merely the number that Lingtong Race geniuses throughout the generations had found and awakened at the source of their bloodline. No one knew how many beastly Innate Secret Techniques their ancestors, who had lived in the secret realm in ancient times, had extracted over the long years and hidden in their bloodline.

The source of the Lingtong Race's bloodline would close permanently once someone passed the age of three hundred or awakened a Bloodline Divine Ability.

That was why, throughout the generations, those who had been able to search for and awaken a divine ability at the source of their bloodline had generally been at the Stellar level.

Exploring the source of the bloodline with the strength of a Stellar-level warrior was practically impossible. So there were probably Bloodline Divine Abilities that had never been found and awakened.

Of course, there wouldn't be many abilities that could remain hidden in the source of the bloodline without being discovered. Most of them were probably upper-grade abilities. The ancient will contained in them was not only powerful but extremely cunning, allowing them to stay hidden.

Many top geniuses either couldn't find an ability among the eight upper-grade ones that matched their attributes, or weren't content to inherit an ability their predecessors had already discovered. They wanted to take their chances at the source of the bloodline. Perhaps they would find and awaken an even more powerful ability that had remained hidden all this time.

Most geniuses had a certain conceit—or confidence—that they were "the chosen ones."

"That works too. Many divine abilities were extracted from demonic beasts, whose wills are far more cunning than those of ferocious beasts. It's possible that a powerful ability originating from a demonic beast has been hidden away all this time. The Burning Hero Beast is a demonic beast, and the Domain of Burning Hero was only discovered by a genius a little over two hundred eras ago. With your talent, you might really attract a powerful ability no one has ever found before."

Elder Luo encouraged Jiang Yao with a smile, then glanced at Kuman, making the blond young man look a little embarrassed.

Kuman had done the same thing back then, saying almost exactly what Jiang Yao had just said. Naturally, he'd found nothing and obediently chosen the Phantom Spirit Beast ability that the Patriarch had selected for him long ago.

In most cases, "I'm the chosen one" was just an illusion.

Jiang Yao had no idea what Elder Luo was thinking. To him, awakening the Lingtong Race's Innate Secret Technique was just a formality. The real event was the cultivation method the Taihuan Token Envoy would teach him, one he could practice at the Stellar level.

Jiang Yao sank his mind into his sea of consciousness, but he didn't go to the source of his bloodline to search for some unknown powerful ability. Instead, through the Taihuan Token, he carefully studied the image of a beast that the Messenger had conjured in the space inside the token.

It was an otherworldly beast that looked like a cross between a crane and an eagle. Its body was red-patterned and blue, its beak white, and its neck long and slender. At first glance, it seemed to exude an immortal aura.

Yet the moment Jiang Yao saw its image, he felt his thoughts and will freeze for an instant. A feverish sensation rose from his soul, and he felt an instinctive urge to submit at its feet.

It was only an image, yet a single glance had caused such a disturbance in his will!

It took him a long while to recover before he asked in surprise, "What is this?"

"Heh." The Messenger smiled. "It's a kind of Desolate Beast from my Tianhuang Ancient Continent. In the Universal Language of your world, its name would be 'Bizhang.'"

"Bizhang?"

"Don't waste time. I'll explain the details when you receive the cultivation inheritance. First, fool the old man. Use your will to carve out the image of Bizhang, then boost it with the power of your Void Space. Make it look as if you've found a never-before-awakened divine ability at the source of your bloodline."

Jiang Yao didn't hesitate. More than a year ago, he'd practically vomited from engraving Yan Script characters. This was his strong suit.

But when he actually tried to visualize and depict the so-called Desolate Beast named Bizhang in his soul, he ran into enormous difficulties.

As Jiang Yao tried to visualize Bizhang's image, his entire sea of consciousness shook incessantly. The commotion was even greater than when he'd broken through to the Stellar level.

Jiang Yao could feel that if his will and soul hadn't been fundamentally improved and transformed by cultivating Xu Yuan Opening, he would never have been able to visualize Bizhang!

This was terrifying! What kind of existence could be so difficult to visualize?

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Yao finally managed to visualize Bizhang's image. Then his soul entered the Void Space and infused it with power.

In an instant, Jiang Yao seemed to sense an incredibly great being through some mysterious connection. His whole body even trembled!

Setting aside his curiosity about this so-called Desolate Beast, Jiang Yao decided to see the act through. He didn't open his eyes, but instead came to "consciousness" with them closed.

Through his mental power, he sensed Elder Luo watching him with a smile. "A day has passed. Did you find anything at the source of your bloodline?"

Jiang Yao honestly nodded. "I really did find an Innate Secret Technique at the source of my bloodline that doesn't seem to be among those 106 abilities."

Seeing that the boy had clearly woken from his meditation but showed no sign of opening his eyes, the smile on Elder Luo's face gradually disappeared.

"You... you..." Elder Luo stammered. The most recent time that anyone in the Lingtong Race, including the Main Sect, had awakened a new Bloodline Divine Ability that had never been discovered before was more than two hundred eras ago.

"You found a hidden divine ability deep in the source of the bloodline that no one has ever discovered before?!"

As he spoke, Elder Luo reflexively glanced at Prose and Kuman, as if checking whether they had heard the same thing he had.

Kuman, once the greatest genius of the Yanhe Lingtong Race, was "staring" fixedly at Jiang Yao, lost in thought.

Prose was much more composed. He shrugged, as if to say, "Why are you looking at me? How should I know what kind of trouble this little monster has gotten into now?"

As far as Prose was concerned, even if this little monster claimed the next day that he'd already broken through to the Universe level, he could accept it.

His worldview had long since collapsed after being battered again and again.

Jiang Yao continued to let the facts speak for themselves. Just as when he'd first seen Kuman open his eyes and release an illusion during the willpower test, he slowly opened his eyes.

Well, he had to admit, the gesture was pretty impressive.

When Kuman had opened his eyes and released his Innate Secret Technique in front of a group of first-stage Planetary-level kids two years ago, he'd probably been showing off more than anything else, right?

As Jiang Yao opened his eyes, it was as if a wild will he had kept sealed inside them finally broke free. In each pupil appeared a golden bird with a crane's head, an eagle's beak, a long neck, and slender legs.

It spread its wings as if ready to soar, as if it were about to fly out of his pupils.

With a single glance, without lifting a hand or taking a step, it unleashed a savage will that seemed capable of piercing heaven and earth, enveloping the entire island.

A feverish sensation welled up in everyone's heart.

Not only Prose, but even Elder Luo froze for an instant at the sight of the golden bird. Only when his will recovered was he able to regain control of his body.

Jiang Yao put on a strained, pained expression and "painfully" closed his eyes, suppressing the vicious bird back into them.

After all, this supposedly "powerful new ability" he'd discovered was nothing more than an image of Bizhang he'd visualized and boosted with the power of his Void Space.

It was best not to overdo it. A little mystery was ideal. Besides, he'd only just awakened the ability; he would surely need time to nurture it and get used to it before he could control it.

The instant Jiang Yao closed his eyes, the presence that had seemed capable of piercing heaven and earth vanished without a trace, as if it had been an illusion.

But none of the three present would forget what they had just felt.

Elder Luo was no longer preoccupied with Jiang Yao having "discovered" a new Bloodline Divine Ability that had never been awakened before. Instead, one thought filled his mind: Was that giant bird really a divine ability hidden in the bloodline of the Lingtong Race?

In theory, an ability that could be planted in their bloodline and passed down to their descendants couldn't come from a being with a Life Gene Level too far above that of the Lingtong Race. Otherwise, it couldn't be inherited at all.

Moreover, it was theoretically impossible to extract Innate Secret Techniques from a species with such a high Life Gene Level. And besides, such a species would be full of powerful beings and lifeforms. Anyone who tried to target them would have to be out of their mind.

Although the ability Jiang Yao had just displayed didn't contain much power and was still at the Stellar level, its essence was so powerful it was almost inconceivable.

It had felt as if the very Life Gene Level of the creature were looking down on them, radiating intimidation.

Elder Luo strongly doubted that their ancestors could have extracted the bloodline essence of such an existence and refined it into a divine ability, much less planted it in their own bloodline.

Even now, when he tried to recall the giant bird's appearance, it was so blurry he couldn't make out its features. What kind of Life Gene Level did that beast have? Had the legendary Starry Sky Behemoths ever possessed such an elevated life essence?

What had the Lingtong Race done to deserve this?

To have extracted the Innate Secret Technique of such a being and planted it in their bloodline—how powerful must their ancestors have been? How had they ended up in such a sorry state now?

That boy Jiang Yao really was the chosen one of the Lingtong Race. No, Elder Luo would even believe it if someone told him Jiang Yao was the reincarnation of one of their ancestors.