Early the next morning, Veylin received a wooden box bearing the Dawn Family crest.
Without delay, he locked his door and took out a simple set of alchemical equipment.
First, he placed the Tranquility Flower petals in a mortar and slowly ground them with a stone pestle. Purple juice seeped out as he worked, filling the air with a faint, delicate fragrance.
Next, he poured purified water, Tranquility Flower juice, and Scorpion Tail Venom into a beaker, one after another.
"Sss..." A faint corrosive hiss sounded.
Veylin watched intently. He even forgot that this potion would determine his fate, observing the alchemical reaction purely as a researcher and rapidly recording his findings in his notebook.
Once the bubbling subsided a little, he slowly poured in five grams of primordial blood crystal powder.
The instant the first grain of powder touched the mixture, all bubbling and repulsion ceased.
The cloudy liquid began to clear, finally becoming a pool of translucent silver fluid that radiated an indescribable aura of life.
[Bloodline Purification Potion preparation complete.]
He drank the silver liquid in one gulp.
An icy torrent slid down his throat into his stomach, then turned into countless tiny streams of warmth that surged through every part of his body.
Before Veylin could examine the changes in his body, a new notification appeared on the system panel.
[Host's bloodline, "Song of the Forest," detected at over 30% purity. Conditions for activating "Bloodline Talent" met.] [New formula unlocked... Activation potion: primary ingredient: 5 grams of primordial blood crystal powder. Secondary ingredients:...] [Preparation method:...]
Bloodline Gift? What the hell was that?
The annual awakening ceremony was underway at the Holy Radiance Cathedral.
At the center of the dome, a skylight fashioned from an enormous crystal gazed down like the eye of a god upon the Bloodheart Stone at the center of the ceremonial dais below.
On the dais, city-state officials and dignitaries in temple priests' robes wore solemn expressions.
Standing at the very back of the crowd, Veylin glanced at Leonard.
Leonard had changed into a brand-new formal suit that day. His family crest, embroidered in silver thread, gleamed on his chest, and his expression was one of absolute confidence.
Not far away, Diana Chenxi stood quietly.
She wore a dark blue lord's formal uniform with pauldrons, its lines accentuating the firm curves honed by years of training. Beneath her tightly cinched belt, her legs conveyed astonishing strength even through the fabric covering them.
Veylin looked away, his heart perfectly calm.
To everyone around him, this was a gamble for divine favor.
To him, it was merely a necessary procedure for announcing his experimental results.
He was no longer the failure who prayed for a miracle.
He was a fire-stealer, a Prometheus about to kindle the flame of reason in a benighted world.
"Next, Leonard Klein!"
The priest's ringing voice echoed through the cathedral.
Basking in everyone's attention, Leonard pressed his hand against the Bloodheart Stone.
Hum!
The blood-red patterns on the Bloodheart Stone suddenly blazed with light, and a phantom forest flashed behind him before vanishing.
"Bloodline successfully activated!"
A hint of excitement colored the consul's voice.
The crowd erupted!
Activating one's bloodline at sixteen was already a remarkable achievement in Greenvein City.
Beside Count Lyman, Viscount Barton remarked sourly, "My lord, the son certainly takes after his remarkable father. Unlike that boy of mine-he only activated his bloodline at nineteen, and he spends every day shirking his duties. The worry is making my hair fall out."
Count Lyman was indeed very pleased. Everyone knew that the younger someone activated their bloodline, the greater their potential for growth.
Leonard withdrew his hand and swept his gaze across the crowd. When he spotted Diana Chenxi, he gave her what he thought was a charming smile, looking for all the world like a peacock spreading its tail.
"Next, Veylin Klein!"
The announcement of that name drew a wave of whispers and stifled snickers.
Veylin walked toward the dais as though he had heard nothing.
As they passed each other, Leonard sneered, "Were two failures not enough? Or are you hoping all that knowledge from your moldy old books will make this stone sing your praises?"
Veylin did not even turn his head. He walked straight to the Bloodheart Stone.
The instant his palm touched its surface, something extraordinary happened!
A gentle emerald light suddenly burst from Veylin's palm!
A phantom forest appeared behind Veylin as well, but unlike Leonard's, an emerald scroll emblem slowly unfurled at the center of the surrounding trees!
Ripples spread from it like waves across water. Beside the dais, a decorative pot of silverleaf chrysanthemums slowly straightened before everyone's eyes, and a petal trembled open!
The entire cathedral fell deathly silent.
The elderly priest presiding over the ceremony trembled at the lips, his cloudy eyes filled with shock.
"Gods... this... this is a Bloodline Gift!"
An official beside him hurriedly rummaged through a dust-covered book.
"...It's 'Springlaw Messenger'! His Bloodline Gift is 'Springlaw Messenger'!"
Boom!
The deathly silent cathedral instantly erupted into a thunderous uproar of gasps and chatter.
The nobles rose from their seats, unable to conceal the shock in their eyes.
A Bloodline Gift! An ability usually acquired only after reaching a certain level of strength—and he had gained one immediately upon activating his bloodline? He had to be either a genius or the heir to a supreme bloodline!
Viscount Barton's mouth fell wide open in astonishment. Then he thought of his own disappointing son, and an inexplicable fury rushed to his head.
The smile on Count Lyman's face stiffened, then swiftly became even warmer and heartier, though a sharp glint flashed deep in his eyes.
In the crowd, Lilia covered her mouth as tears of joy spilled from her eyes.
At the far end of the guest seats, Diana completely forgot to maintain the decorum expected of a countess.
Her lake-blue eyes widened as she stared blankly at the figure shrouded in emerald light, a storm of emotion surging through her heart.
Veylin slowly withdrew his hand, and all that vibrant green light receded into his body.
He turned to look at Leonard, whose face was as white as paper.
"It seems, my dear cousin," Veylin said, his voice quiet yet clearly audible to everyone, "the gap between us is a little wider than I originally expected."
"A scroll emblem... the flower... it bloomed?" Leonard trembled violently, the flames of jealousy burning away every last shred of reason.
He pointed at Veylin and shrieked hysterically, "Fake... it's all an illusion! You're a worthless failure! How... how could you possibly reach the realm of 'Bloodline Gifts'!?"
This had overturned his entire world!
The elderly priest presiding over the ceremony now wore a livid expression.
"Boy of the Klein family, the Holy Radiance Cathedral does not welcome reckless slander against miracles. The gift of bloodlines comes from the gods. Are you questioning their authority?"
Those words weighed upon Leonard's back like an invisible mountain.
"I... I'm not..." His lips trembled as he tried to defend himself, only to realize that the gazes around him had changed.
The nobles who had looked upon him with envy and offered him compliments moments earlier now regarded him with contempt, scrutiny, and even gloating mockery.
Their stares were like countless poisoned needles piercing his heart, riddling everything he had taken pride in-his talent, his family background, the praise he received-with holes.
He staggered back a step, lost his footing, and fell in a humiliated heap onto the cold, hard stone floor.
When the ceremony ended, the crowd slowly dispersed, still shaken, yet tacitly left an empty space around Veylin.
Supported by others, Leonard passed him in a daze, not even daring to meet his eyes.
Just then, a set of steady footsteps came to a halt before Veylin.
Count Lyman wore a genial smile, as though the young man who had just been helped away were not his own son.
"Nephew, congratulations on awakening your bloodline. But this is only the beginning of your life as a transcendent. I think we have a great deal to discuss."
The count extended his right hand, and the emerald ring on his middle finger flared with brilliant light.