Chapter 12: The Bloodline Assessment
In the next instant, the middle-aged man gradually extended his arms, gazing up at the sky, and shouted, "Mighty wind! Bestow your blessings upon your people, allow them to grasp the true essence of the wind!"
As the man fervently chanted, his body expanded, and greenish-gray fur sprouted from his skin. His upper body garments instantly tore apart, unveiling powerful muscles, while a radiant green light emanated from him.
Fourth order? Or maybe the fifth order?
That was Tang San's initial impression. This middle-aged man was the human with the highest cultivation he had encountered so far in this world. The atmosphere around them grew more and more saturated with wind elemental energy, and this dense wind energy enveloped all of the ten candidates.
"Seems like Wang Yanfeng's control over the wind element has improved significantly!" said the Wind Wolf Lord, turning to the High Priest.
The High Priest responded calmly, "Naturally, as a slave, he can only rise to the fourth order, at best. However, humans do have some talent in terms of control. He has simply become more skilled. As for you, my Lord, instead of spending so much time with those she-wolves, you should concentrate on training and enhancing your strength. Otherwise, you'll be ridiculed again at our clan's grand ceremony in a few years."
The Wind Wolf Lord's expression stiffened.
"I understand," he replied icily.
As Wang Yanfeng’s wind energy enveloped them, Tang San and the other nine individuals were encased in a subtle green glow.
Tang San squinted his eyes and silently connected with the wind element. He sensed that it affected his Wind Blade, which he duplicated using his inner energy. He carefully activated the power of his Wind Wolf bloodline, merging it with his own, resulting in a shift in his aura.
Suddenly, he noticed that the dense wind element surrounding him was being absorbed after his bloodline had transformed. The energy of the Wind Blade appeared to be accumulating.
Being astute and experienced, he swiftly grasped a crucial insight. In the past, he had struggled to enhance his Wind Blade and Leopard Flash due to the constraints of his bloodline and the absence of compatible and concentrated elemental support. Amidst this potent wind element, the Wind Blade showed a distinct response. This implied that, given the appropriate conditions, he could enhance his Wind Blade.
"Roarrr——". At that moment, among the ten individuals, the young man who had exhibited the most pronounced beastly transformation earlier had his attire ripped, with fur sprouting from his body. He visibly expanded in physical size, and a faint green light flickered in his eyes.
Wang Yanfeng's eyes sparkled, and he gestured with a wave of his hand, conjuring a whirlwind that promptly enveloped the young man's body and moved him to the side. This signified that he had successfully passed the evaluation.
Tang San refrained from revealing himself too quickly. He recognized that such a dense wind element didn't occur naturally, and he was aware that, given his present cultivation level, he couldn't create it himself. With that in mind, he took the chance to absorb as much as he could. He felt that it might prove advantageous in breaking through his limitations.
To his astonishment, the second individual to show a reaction was the girl standing beside him.
Ling Muxue exclaimed softly as her body underwent a slight expansion. Her transformation was less dramatic than the young man's; she only developed fur on her neck. However, the green light in her eyes grew notably brighter. A faint green aura enveloped her body, and she even levitated slightly.
Wang Yanfeng waved his hand once more, employing the wind element to guide Ling Muxue toward him and gently lowering her to the side. He remarked, "Although the bloodline isn't particularly potent, its compatibility with the wind element is excellent."
Next, two boys, approximately fifteen or sixteen years old, also had intense reactions.
Wang Yanfeng appeared noticeably anxious, and the concentration of the wind element he was harnessing intensified. Nonetheless, Tang San could discern sweat forming on Wang Yanfeng's forehead. Maintaining such a high concentration of the wind element exacted a substantial toll on his energy.
It was clear that Wang Yanfeng was squeezing out his last drops of energy in hope that a few more people would successfully pass the bloodline assessment.
"That should be enough. If it's not, then so be it. Let us not delay the grand ceremony," the Wind Wolf Lord declared coldly.
Wang Yanfeng implored, "My lord, grant me one more minute. I believe there might be others."
Tang San realized he couldn't delay any further. He closed his eyes and slowly raised his hand in front of him.
When he reopened his eyes, a green light shone within, and the dense wind element surrounding him briefly condensed. Then, a wind blade approximately three inches in length formed within his palm. Though the wind blade wasn't large, it moved very nimbly.
The following moment, Tang San appeared to lose control of the wind blade, and it shot into the air with a sonic boom.
"Wind Blade? This..." Wang Yanfeng was taken aback, but then swiftly gestured with his hand, pulling Tang San out of the assessment area.
"Hmm?" The High Priest was primly seated on her chair, overseeing the ceremony, but she furrowed her brow at the sight and glanced in Tang San's direction.
At that moment, Wang Yanfeng ceased his control over the wind element. He panted heavily, evidently having reached his limit.
"The physical change isn't major, but he clearly had a strong connection to the wind element. I believe that he awakened the bloodline ability of our Wind Wolf Clan, the Wind Blade," Wang Yanfeng explained. He was catching his breath and speaking directly to the High Priest. "The limited physical change might be due to age, somewhat like what I went through in the past."
"Hmm…" The High Priest responded with nothing but indifference. She briefly glanced at Tang San, then turned her attention elsewhere. To her, a child like him held little significance.
Ten individuals participated in the assessment, with five exhibiting a reaction and therefore passing. The remaining five appeared suddenly disoriented and bewildered.
The Wind Wolf Lord gestured with his hand, prompting several robust wolf demons to swiftly advance. They seized the five who hadn't passed the assessment and forcibly escorted them to the side.
At this juncture, the High Priest rose from her seat and proceeded step by step toward the altar.
"Let the sacrificial ceremony commence," she announced solemnly.
"Yes!" responded the Wind Wolf Lord. He bowed respectfully to the High Priest, trailing behind her as they made their way to the altar.
Wang Yanfeng did not accompany them but remained alongside the five who had successfully passed the assessment. His breathing had somewhat steadied, and he lowered his head, fixing his gaze on Tang San.
Tang San's expression appeared somewhat vacant and bewildered. With his wealth of experience in disguise spanning three lifetimes, his façade was flawless.
The High Priest ascended the platform while the Wind Wolf Lord positioned himself beside her. He raised his head toward the sky and let out a prolonged howl.
As he howled, all the wolf demons in attendance joined in, lifting their voices toward the heavens. In an instant, the entire Wind Wolf Town echoed with wolf howls, creating the illusion that a horde of beasts was mounting an assault.
The howling gradually tapered off as the High Priest lifted her staff. In contrast with her elderly appearance, her emerald-green eyes gleamed with fierce intensity.
"Today is the day we pay homage to our ancestors. Among the sacred clans, our Wolf Clan is deemed a formidable clan. The mighty Wolf Ancestor gave us our bloodline, enabling us to procreate and prosper. Let us bring forth the most exquisite blood offerings to honor the Wolf Ancestor and fortify the legacy of our Wind Wolf lineage," she uttered.
While speaking, she abruptly turned her head and fixed her gaze upon the five human slaves who had fallen short in the assessment and were now standing against the altar.
"You have traces of our clan's bloodline, yet you cannot awaken our clan's power," she declared with disdain. "Your impure blood presumes to obscure the essence of our Wind Wolf lineage. Only bloodshed can purify this disgrace. Kill them!"
The wolf demons appeared ready for this command. The moment the High Priest issued the order, the wolf demons killed the slaves, and the sacrifice was completed.
This event unfolded so abruptly that it even took Tang San by surprise, and as he processed what he was watching, he immediately felt his blood rushing to his head. His muscles tensed up, and his fists clenched involuntarily.
The next moment, his vision dimmed, and a figure materialized noiselessly before him.
The person obstructing his line of sight was none other than Wang Yanfeng.
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