Outside the Divine Stele plaza, the air was thick with anticipation.
Hundreds of disciples stood in layered circles around the ancient square, with their gazes fixed forward. No one spoke loudly. Even breathing seemed restrained, as if any disturbance might offend the will sleeping within the stele itself.
At the very front, twenty or so disciples sat cross-legged in a semicircle before the Divine Stele. Their eyes were closed, as their conscious is still in Divine Stele.
Spiritual light flickered around their bodies as they attempted to resonate with the ancient monument.
Above the platform, Sect Master Zhi seated upon the phoenix-patterned throne and watched silently. Her expression was calm on the surface, yet those closest to her could sense the faint tension in her eyes.
This year's bloodline ceremony mattered far more than usual.
Among the participants… was Lin Yang.
Buzz—
Suddenly, the Divine Stele trembled.
A ripple of red-gold light spread outward. One of the seated female disciples shuddered violently. Her eyes snapped open as flames erupted around her body—not destructive, but majestic.
Above her head, a phantom Fire Phoenix slowly took form. Its wings spread wide and its cry echoing through the square like a divine hymn.
Her aura surged explosively, as breaking through three small realms in one go, before her cultivation stabilized. Her presence become divine like carrying unmistakable phoenix authority.
Sect Master Zhi's eyes brightened.
"Phoenix resonance…"
The female disciple trembled, then bowed deeply toward the stele with some tears of excitement streaming down her face.
"I-it awakened…!"
Instantly, the plaza erupted. Many disciples come to congratulate her.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister! You have awake Divine Blood."
"Its rare Vermillion Phoenix Bloodline!"
"No wonder, her talent was always terrifying!"
Even some elders nodded in approval. She will be one of true member of their Heavenly Phoenix Sect.
The phantom phoenix slowly dissipated, leaving behind a cultivator reborn.
Soon after, more disciples reacted. Some of them awakened a Ice Phoenix, some crimson flame phoenix and so on. And gradually, the crowd's attention shifted on one last remaining person.
Lin Yang.
This made some of disciples gossip in themself.
"He still hasn't reacted?"
"With a Heavenly Physique, this shouldn't be possible…"
Just then they are discussing, a dragon roar heard in the sky.
The sky above the plaza darkened with blood clouds were gathering. The stele's red-golden light deepened, turning into a dark crimson glow that pulsed like a beating heart.
BOOM—
A terrifying pressure burst outward, forcing many disciples to stagger back. The ground beneath Lin Yang cracked as a colossal blood red Dragon phantom erupted behind him.
Its scales were crimson-black. Its eyes burned with tyrannical will. Its dragon roar shook heaven and earth.
"Ancient… Blood Dragon?!"
"This bloodline… is filled with ancient aura."
Some elderly people cry out with shocked. Even Sect Master Zhi's pupils contracted sharply.
Within Lin Yang's body, his blood boiled as ancient dragon blood mixed in his bone marrow. The Golden Core in his dantian spun violently as dragon-patterned runes carved themselves upon it.
His cultivation increase from First stage, then second and third so on, like a flood breaking a dam. Finally the pressure finally stabilized with Ninth Stage of the Golden Core Realm.
Silence.
Utter silence.
Then— an explosion of sound.
"He jumped eight stages at once?!"
"This is madness!"
"Ancient Blood Dragon Bloodline… no wonder!"
Lin Yang slowly exhaled and suppressing the raging dragon blood within him.
Inwardly, his thoughts were clear. So this is the limit… Even with a divine bloodline awakening, it can only push me this far.
He look at all around twenty disciple that also awaken their bloodline. Suddenly his eyes light up with the scene in front of him.
'No wonder all male cultivator come to here...'
Most woman are beautiful, but after they awake phoenix blood in their body, their physique and aura become more refined. It would no less than any fairy from heaven. That he like most...
Just then Sect Master Zhi rose to her feet. Her voice carried effortlessly across the square.
"So Bloodline Reception Ceremony ends here. Those who have awaken their bloodline, i hope you will become powerful experts in future."
"You all have awakened the Divine Bloodline. Your path will no longer follow ordinary cultivation." Her gaze was sharp, decisive. "You are permitted to enter the Seventh Floor of the Heavenly Phoenix Library and choose techniques compatible with your bloodline."
A wave of excitement swept through the crowd. The seventh floor of library has collection of many rare Earth and Heaven rank cultivation technique.
That's like this even finish here. Lin Yang also did not stop here, and went towards Heavenly Phoenix Library. He had not much time after becoming Saint, as most of his time past in cultivation and indoor training. So he need to learn some fighting skills.
Heavenly Phoenix Sect is quiet big, so there is some distance between these places. Even with his flying speed, it would take ten minutes to reach the Heavenly Phoenix Library.
The ancient structure towered like a sword upon mountain. There are total nine floors, each floor radiated heavier pressure than the last. First six floors are either low ranking techniques, or some Earth and Heaven ranking Techniques without any resonance with Divine Blood.
He look around him, there are still many disciples on first some floors. As he go higher floors, there are fewer disciples on floor. By the time Lin Yang stepped onto the seventh floor, the air itself felt alive.
Ancient jade shelves floated in midair. Scrolls sealed with dragon, phoenix, and divine beast marks hovered silently, as if waiting to judge their reader.
Golden light illuminated the hall, casting long shadows.
Lin Yang look these different scrolls and pick one of them.
"Phoenix Feather Illusion Step-High level Earth Rank skill."
He put it on its previous position. He knew that techniques mainly divide in lower to higher- Yellow, black, earth, heaven, saint, king, emperor. With further divide in low, middle and high level.
As Saint rank and above techniques can only practiced by Saint realm expert.
He want some high level Earth rank and Heaven rank techniques, as movement, attack and defence all around his fighting.
"Scarlet Phoenix Burning Wing"
"Heaven-Shattering Dragon Claw"
"Dragon Emperor Suppression Seal"
It took him half hour to sorted out three skills that perfectly match to his conditions. These are Heaven-Shattering Dragon Claw, True Dragon Ascension Step, Primordial Dragon Body Refining.