The core area of Shinobi World Star Domain, formerly the Immortal Venerable Hall, is now the Ten Family Holy City, built between the Yan Emperor Mountain Range. This city, shrouded in an eternal barrier personally laid down by the Heavenly Saint Tsubasa, has brick and stone buildings all forged by the Saint Venerable Tsubasa using Senjutsu. Faint golden light flows through the gaps, and even the air is filled with visible Immortal Power particles. Taking a breath of it can warm the dantian of an ordinary ninja.
The holy city was more solemn than usual today. The streets were devoid of their usual hustle and bustle, replaced by the presence of the Celestial Ten Family members dressed in uniform moon-white robes. With steady steps and solemn expressions, they slowly converged on the Tsubasa Holy Temple in the center of the holy city. The collars of their robes were embroidered with winged Ten Family totems, while the cuffs were adorned with azure vine patterns representing the Saint Family. The two totems intertwined, symbolizing the continuation of the Ten Family's bloodline.
"Everyone, pay attention! Today is the grand ceremony to commemorate the Saint Venerable Tsubasa. Anyone who dares to be disrespectful will be punished!" A middle-aged man in a golden-patterned sacrificial robe shouted in a deep voice. He was Ten'i, the third-generation elder of the Tian Ten Family. His aura as a peak Immortal King Level spread out, immediately silencing the whispering young clansmen around him.
"Elder Wei, please don't be so harsh. The children have never seen such a scene before." A gentle-looking woman beside her said softly. She was Tenjū, one of the most outstanding members of the fourth generation of the clan. Her cultivation as Immortal King gave her voice a calming power.
Ten'i snorted, but his gaze softened slightly. "It's not that I'm harsh, but Grandfather Saint Venerable sacrificed so much for the Shinobi World and for our Ten Family back then. This ritual is the highest-level rule of the Ten Family, and it cannot be taken lightly. Look, even all the clansmen above the Golden Core Immortal Venerable in the universe have rushed back from various star regions. Each of them has traveled across light-years just to kowtow to Grandfather Saint Venerable and offer him a cup of wine."
Following Ten'i's gaze, countless giant starships were slowly descending in the starry sky surrounding the Holy City. Each starship was imprinted with the Ten Family's totem. The clansmen who stepped down from the starships were all at least Golden Core Immortal Venerable in cultivation. Their auras were either fierce, mellow, or strange, converging to form a powerful pressure. However, they deliberately restrained themselves as they approached the Holy City, for fear of disturbing the heroic spirits in the Holy Temple.
According to the ritual rules of the Ten Family, the worship of the Saint Venerable Tsubasa requires a three-tiered procession: the innermost tier consists of direct blood relatives within the first three generations of the Ten Family, namely the core clansmen led by Senju Tenpuku and Senju Ga, who will enter the main hall of the Tsubasa Holy Temple; the middle tier consists of clansmen from the fourth generation onwards, ranging from Golden Core Immortal Venerable to Immortal King Level, who will line up in the temple square; the outermost tier consists of clansmen below the Golden Core level, who will pay homage from afar on the star platform outside the Holy City. Everyone must wear ritual robes, is not allowed to wear any offensive magical artifacts, and must speak and act with respect and solemnity. Violators will be disqualified from participating in the ritual and expelled from the Holy City for a hundred years.
"I heard that the patriarch and the matriarch will personally preside over this sacrificial ceremony?" A young fifth-generation clansman asked in a low voice. He had only recently broken through to the Golden Core and this was his first time participating in such a grand sacrificial ceremony.
"Of course!" An elderly man with white hair stroked his beard, his eyes filled with reverence. "The Saint Venerable Tsubasa was the eldest son of our Ancestor and Great-Grandmother, and the supreme savior of our Shinobi World. Back then, the Saint Venerable fought against the Insect Race Insect God Mother Empress and the God of Ōtsutsuki. Although he ultimately perished, he brought a thousand years of peace to the Shinobi World. Such an unparalleled hero deserves to be commemorated with the highest level of ceremony."
As they spoke, a melodious bell rang out from the direction of the temple. Nine deep, resonant chimes echoed throughout the entire holy city and the surrounding star field. This was the signal for the start of the ceremony. All the clansmen immediately ceased their conversation and bowed respectfully in the direction of the Tsubasa Holy Temple.
Inside the main hall of the Tsubasa Holy Temple, the atmosphere was so solemn it was almost stagnant.
In the center of the main hall stood a towering white jade statue, three zhang tall. The man in the statue had a handsome face and resolute eyes, wore golden armor, and had a pair of enormous wings spread out behind him. It was the statue of the Saint Venerable Tsubasa. On the offering table in front of the statue, various rare offerings were laid out: thousand-year-old snow lotus, ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi Inner Core, the inner core of a star beast, and mind-calming grass picked from the Insect Race mother planet. Each item was a priceless treasure, yet at this moment it appeared extremely solemn.
In front of the offering table was a row of prayer cushions covered with black brocade. On the two cushions at the top sat a middle-aged couple.
The man wore a dark gold robe with dragon patterns, his face bearing a seven-tenths resemblance to Saint Venerable Tsubasa, though his brows showed signs of age and hardship. He was none other than Senju Tenpuku, the current head of the Ten Family and Saint Venerable Tsubasa's father. The woman wore a turquoise dress, her temperament gentle and her beauty exquisite; even the passage of time could not diminish her elegance. She was Saint Venerable Tsubasa's biological mother, Senju Ga Shou Hua. At this moment, Senju Ga tightly clutched a white jade pendant in her hand, engraved with Tsubasa's name. Her eyes were slightly red, but she stubbornly held back her tears.
Senju Tenpuku tightly held his wife's right hand with his left, the warmth of their palms conveying mutual comfort. He gazed at the statue of his son before him, his eyes filled with complex emotions—pride, longing, and a barely concealed pain. " A-Tsubasa, your father and mother have come to see you again," he murmured to himself. "Over the years, the Ten Family has grown stronger, and the Shinobi World has become more peaceful. Your wishes from back then have all been fulfilled."
On either side of Senju Tenpuku and Senju Ga sat six women in purple brocade robes. They were the six aunts of the Saint Venerable Tsubasa Tianyi: First Aunt Dō Senju, Second Aunt Gi Senju, Third Aunt Nanshin Senju, Fourth Aunt Thousand Hands Kaidō Senju, Fifth Aunt Ame Senju, and Sixth Aunt In Senju. All six aunts were outstanding members of the Senju Clan. After marrying into the Senju Clan, their husbands all died in battle. They took up arms and fought alongside Tsubasa's grandfather Senju Yasuhei, to conquer the world, later making great contributions to the development of the Ten Family. At this moment, their expressions were solemn, their gazes towards the statues filled with regret and sorrow.
"Back when A-Tsubasa was just a little boy, he would follow us around Tenten calling us 'Auntie.' In the blink of an eye, a thousand years have passed." Aunt Dō Senju said softly, her voice slightly choked with emotion. She is the current Grand Elder of the Ten Family family. She watched Tsubasa grow up and loved her nephew like her own son.
"Yes," sighed Aunt Gi Senju, " A-Tsubasa was exceptionally talented from a young age. When he awakened the Sage Body bloodline, the entire Konoha was in an uproar. We knew then that this child would be extraordinary. We just never expected that he would surpass us."
"He did it for the Shinobi World, for everyone," said Nanshin Senju, the third wife's aunt, in a deep voice. "As a Holy Venerable, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Shinobi World; we should be proud of him."
Opposite the six aunts sat seven women in gauze dresses. They were the seven wives of the Saint Venerable Tsubasa: the eldest wife, Tian Muyan; the second wife, Tian Uguisu; the third wife, Tian Yueqing Tian Flying Swallow; the fourth wife, Tian Yueqing; the fifth wife, Tian Mai; the sixth wife Tian Yukihime; and the seventh wife, Tian Zhiyun. The seven women had different appearances, but all of them had elegant demeanor. At this moment, their eyes were filled with tears, especially the eldest wife, Tian Yueqing, who, as the mother of the current Saint Venerable Tian Yu, looked at the statue, her clothes already soaked with tears.
"My husband, the children have all grown into strong individuals capable of standing on their own, and they have not let you down," Tian Yueqing murmured softly, her voice gentle yet filled with endless longing. "Rest assured, we will take good care of our parents, protect the Ten Family, and safeguard everything you gave your life for."
Tian Uguisu, the second wife, reached out and held Tian Yueqing's hand, gently comforting her, "Eldest sister, don't be too sad. Your husband wouldn't want to see us like this." Tian Uguisu's voice was also a little hoarse. Her son, Tenchu, was now at the Peak Quasi-Saint and had become the backbone of the Ten Family, which gave her some comfort.
Beside the seven wives sat a young couple, Tenmei, the younger brother of Saint Venerable Tsubasa, and his wife Kurama Satsuki. Tenmei's appearance bore a resemblance to Tsubasa, but his personality was more reserved and strong. He looked at the statue, his eyes filled with admiration and longing. "Brother, I will definitely protect the Ten Family and not let you down." Kurama Satsuki gently held her husband's hand and nodded silently. She came from the Kurama Clan and possessed powerful Genjutsu talents. After marrying Tenmei, she also became an important force in the Ten Family. Their eldest son, Tengaku, stood in the line of three generations of clan members, looking at the statue with a firm gaze. He was now also a powerful Immortal King Realm.
Below these elders was a row of prayer cushions, where the Second generation of the Ten Family, led by the Holy Venerable Tian Yu, sat.
Holy Venerable Tian Yu sat in the very center. She was the eldest daughter of Saint Venerable Tsubasa, inheriting the bloodline of her father and mother and awakening the Insect Race's Reproduction abilities. Now she was the most powerful Saint Level expert in the Shinobi World, and like her father, she was revered as a Saint Venerable. She wore a turquoise Saint robe, and her face bore some resemblance to her mother, Tian Yueqing, but her temperament was even more aloof and majestic.
At this moment, Tian Yu gazed at her father's statue, her eyes filled with longing and filial piety. She had been with Tsubasa since she was still Katsuyu Sage, and after being reincarnated as Tsubasa's eldest daughter, she was the most beloved by her Tsubasa. Her father taught her how to use her power, how to protect her people, and how to shoulder responsibilities. The scene of her father's fall was still vivid in her mind, and every time she thought of it, her heart ached as if it were being cut by a knife.
"Father," Tian Yu murmured in her heart, "Your daughter can protect the Ten Family and the Guardian Ninja world now, so please rest assured. I miss you so much." Just then, she suddenly felt her spiritual bloodline tremble slightly, and a familiar and warm aura wafted over, as if her father's spiritual bond was responding to her.
Tian Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively closed her eyes, carefully sensing the aura. It was faint, yet incredibly clear, just like the feeling she had when her father used Summoning Technique to communicate with her back when he was still in the Shinobi World. Was it an illusion? Or was her father's spirit truly responding to her? Had her father been resurrected somewhere in the universe?