Star Odyssey

Chapter 1541: Progenitor Long's Blessing

The Ancestral Dragon Altar was located at the very center of Dragon Mountain, and it took up the highest point of the entire mountain. Even if one searched the entire Higher Realm, this was still one of the highest points in the entire Realm. The four ruling powers balanced each other, and so each of them had a location with a similar altitude. This meant that Lu Yin was about to step onto the peak of the Higher Realm. The only thing that would remain above him would be the Dominion Realm.

Countless people surrounded the Ancestral Dragon Altar in all directions. No matter how powerful the people gathered here were, at this moment, all of them could only look up at Lu Yin; even the Semi-Progenitors were not excluded. It was impossible for anyone to look down at him.

On the other hand, Lu Yin was looking down upon everyone.

"Worship the ancestors. Ascend the altar-"

Lu Yin was wearing the beautiful and unique ceremonial clothes that the White Dragon Clan had prepared for him. His face had a look of surprise, as in front of him was a massive statue of the Ancestor Python. The statue looked as though it had merged with the Mother Tree, and it radiated a small pressure. Lu Yin still remembered the first time he had seen the Ancestor Python and just how heart-pounding the sight had been. He could not imagine how a human could ever possibly fight against such a creature. The entire White Dragon Clan believed in the Ancestor Python because the Ancestor Python had given them strength.

Down below the Ancestral Dragon Altar, Nong Lie nervously watched Lu Yin. Even though the members of the Nong family were taught and trained to be humble from childhood, Lu Yin's current view was something that countless people in the Perennial World dreamed of seeing, and Nong Lie could not suppress his desire either.

As Lu Yin took his first step, the light that Dragon Mountain radiated increased by another level, and the light spread beyond the Higher Realm and projected what was happening atop Dragon Mountain to the Middle Realm.

Down in the Middle Realm, untold numbers of people looked up to see Dragon Mountain and Lu Yin worshiping the clan's ancestors. They enviously watched on as Lu Yin walked towards the Ancestral Dragon Altar, one step at a time.

In Humility's Gate's Huaiyuan Gate, Wang Dashuai's mouth fell open. Bro, Bro, have you reached the peak of life?

At the Smokecloud Sect, Semi-Progenitor Yun Wang had a complicated expression. Now that such a talented youth was rising up within the White Dragon Clan, the clan really had not been harmed by losing a Junior Progenitor.

At Blue Moon, in the home of a branch family of the Xia family, the family patriarch, Xia Ru, held his wife's slender waist as he gazed up with envy. He had gone to the Island of Hope with the intention of currying favor with Junior Progenitor Xia Shenfei, but he had failed. At this moment, he was looking at Lu Yin and seeing someone on the same level as Xia Shenfei.

To the side, Zhu Xian was feeling just as much envy. He occasionally looked over to meet Madam Xia's eyes, and he also looked at Xia Ru with eyes full of contempt and ridicule.

The matriarch of the Shangling family, Shangling Wan, was stunned. She had never dreamed that the Gate Master of Huaiyuan Gate would someday rise to such a level, but his name was becoming far more important than ever before.

On Dragon Mountain, below the Ancestral Dragon Altar, Xia Taili gritted her teeth. This scene reminded her of Lu Yin's attitude and behavior when he had forced her to protect him up in the Dominion Realm. This person was a true bastard.

Some distance away, Wang Si remained calm. Although the White Dragon Clan had given birth to this descendant, his existence would not have any impact on the situation for the time being. Once the Junior Progenitors were saved and Long Tian united with this Long Qi, the future of the White Dragon Clan could already be seen. She looked over towards Shenwu's Sky. On top of that, there were rumors that Shenwu's Sky intended to forge a marriage alliance with the White Dragon Clan, which would unite the two forces. What would happen to her Wang family?

Wang Yun was standing behind Wang Si. She had met Lu Yin when he had been sent to the Yinshan District. At this particular moment, Wang Yun frowned as she stared at Lu Yin. He was looking more and more and more familiar to her. She had felt this same feeling of déjà vu when she had first seen him at Yinshan Gate. Where had she seen him before?

Out of everyone present, the most shocked person was the Celestial Frost Sect's Elder Shi. He stared blankly at Lu Yin, as the youth looked nearly identical to that person. When Elder Shi had first seen Lu Yin, the elder had nearly mistaken Lu Yin for that person.

As Lu Yin walked step by step towards the peak of Dragon Mountain, Elder Shi's fists clenched tightly, as Lu Yin reminded him of that person more and more. Unfortunately, Long Qi was not that person.

After the news that Long Qi was going to be accepted as the disciple of a Progenitor was released, more and more of the Perennial World's top powerhouses had seen Lu Yin's face, and many of them had felt that he looked very similar to another person. However, Long Qi was a member of the White Dragon Clan whose blood had already been tested several times. Those tests had removed any doubt that anyone might have held.

However, as the light from Dragon Mountain was reflected down to the Middle Realm, countless people saw Lu Yin's appearance for the first time. How many of them were shocked by Lu Yin's appearance? However, Lu Yin was ignorant to all this. The closer he moved to the statue of the Ancestor Python, the more pressure that Lu Yin felt. For countless years, the White Dragon Clan had worshiped the Ancestor Python, not for the creature itself, but rather for their beliefs.

Could faith be another form of power? This thought inadvertently popped into Lu Yin's mind.

There were infinite mysteries within the human body. The corporeal body housed an ephemeral spirit. In that case, where did beliefs such as persistence, stubbornness, and courage come from? Faith could empower people to doing anything. Who could truly say that it was not power? Who would dare claim that faith could not be used?

At this moment, it was as though Lu Yin saw the White Dragon Clan's ancestor, the very person who had accepted the Ancestor Python's blood and its inheritance to create the White Dragon Clan: the original ancestor.

Ni Huang appeared as Lu Yin stood atop the Ancestral Dragon Altar. This was Lu Yin's first time actually seeing the White Dragon Clan's grand elder.

Ni Huang's voice sounded as though it rang out from ancient years, but he did not look that old. However, his appearance was a bit different from the rest of the members of the White Dragon Clan. He was stronger, much stronger than an old man should be, and he was nearly three meters tall, which complemented his curly hair and domineering aura.

"Please, the clan's family tree," Ni Huang said. A bamboo scroll appeared from the void. There was no beginning to be seen, but Ni Huang held the end of the scroll. He then looked at Lu Yin. "Worship the ancestors."

Lu Yin then began the tedious ritual of worshiping the clan's ancestors. Fortunately, he had learned the ritual from Long Xi, so he missed nothing. He pictured the statue of the Ancestor Python as if it were Mister Mu, and it allowed him to show greater devotion.

Ni Huang's eyes showed his satisfaction, as he could feel Lu Yin's "sincerity."

The grand elder was not alone, as everyone could sense Lu Yin's devotion.

Elder Shi's eyes grew bitter as he watched Lu Yin worship the statue of the Ancestor Python. He was struck by an indescribable sorrow when he saw someone with such a similar appearance to that person worshiping the Ancestor Python of the White Dragon Clan. This was a gross insult to him.

It took around the time for half an incense stick to burn for Lu Yin to fully complete the ritual, and Xia Taili started to become impatient. However, everyone who had gathered beneath Dragon Mountain solemnly watched the ceremony with true admiration.

Not everyone held the qualifications to perform this ritual.

Long Zhang was going insane with jealousy while Long Jue felt like he had run out of options. The elder from the branch family wanted to stab Lu Yin, but he was forced to suppress his emotions. From this point in time onwards, Long Qi's status would be completely different. He would no longer be connected to the clan's main family because of his marriage with Princess Long Xi, but rather because of his own strength. His promotion was even being overseen by Grand Elder Ni Huang, the ancestor who guarded Dragon Mountain. Lu Yin's position in the family was in the top ten now.

.

"Blood." Grand Elder Ni Huang's voice was heard.

Lu Yin's expression grew stern; this was the most challenging part of the entire ceremony. He cut his finger and dripped out some blood. Then, he waited anxiously.

The blood floated through the sky before dripping onto the statue of the Ancestor Python as everyone watched.

They all saw that, the moment the blood merged with the statue, it suddenly roared as though it were alive. After that, the illusory form of the Ancestor Python surged into the void, climbing high into the sky as it radiated an indescribable pressure. The beast circled Dragon Mountain and then shot upwards towards the Dominion Realm.

Everyone on Dragon Mountain was shocked. Even the people from the Celestial Frost Sect, Shenwu's Sky, the Wang family, and all the other organizations were completely stunned.

When the descendants of the White Dragon Clan worshiped their ancestors, the purer their blood was, the more real the image of the Ancestor Python would appear to be. Long Qi had just brought about an image of the Ancestor Python that almost looked true. This meant that he had a completely pure bloodline.

Ni Huang grew excited. Down below, Long Ke's eyes narrowed. He was actually not very happy at the moment because Lu Yin was no longer a part of his family. Long Ke was one of the only individuals present who was aware that the grand elder had made arrangements before this ceremony for Long Qi to wed Xia Taili, the little princess of Shenwu's Sky.

Lu Yin's level of value to the clan far surpassed that of regular descendants now. He had even been raised to be declared a member of the clan's main family, giving him a status that even surpassed Long Xi's and made him equal to Long Tian.

Long Ke saw Lu Yin in a different light from before. At this moment, the clan patriarch merely hoped for Long Tian to be rescued as soon as possible so that his main family would not be completely surpassed. If not, after receiving the grand elder's support and gaining a Progenitor as a master, it was very possible that Long Qi could lead the Dalian Mountain branch family to supersede or even replace the main family.

Eventually, a hint of hostility entered the patriarch's eyes. He regretted giving the Ancestor Python's blood to this child.

Ni Huang watched Lu Yin with a great deal of satisfaction. "Long Qi, from now on, your name will be entered into the main family's family tree, but unfortunately, you are the sole member of the Dalian Mountain branch family. Thus, you, Long Qi, will become a branch all on your own."

Long Xi had dealt with the Dalian Mountain branch family long ago. That branch family had plotted to let Lu Yin impersonate their branch family's Long Qi, and in order to prevent the Celestial Frost Sect from discovering the truth that there was no one to marry her, Long Xi had taken action. Lu Yin had not asked about the matter before, so he was only now learning that the Dalian Mountain branch family no longer existed.

This also eliminated some of Lu Yin's concerns.

Also, Grand Elder Ni Huang's words were very clear, as well as their implication: Lu Yin was no longer considered the main family's son-in-law. Even though he had been in the process of marrying Long Xi and had already visited the Lower Realm to pay his respects to the Ancestor Python with Long Xi, their marriage was not considered valid since they had not worshiped the ancestors together at Dragon Mountain. Lu Yin had regained his freedom at this moment.

He could not stop himself from glancing over at Long Ke, and Lu Yin saw the hostility in the patriarch's eyes, leaving Lu Yin quite helpless. He did not want to abandon Long Xi, but had rather been forced to do so by his circumstances.

Grand Elder Ni Huang wrote Long Qi's name into the main family's family tree. This was the moment that Lu Yin's alias of Long Qi made a true leap upwards, officially becoming a core member of one of the four ruling powers. With this change, he almost held the same status as Long Tian within the White Dragon Clan.

"Please, receive Progenitor Long's blessing." Elder Ni Huang bent down low.

Every single person within the White Dragon Clan bowed low and paid their respects.

The Celestial Frost Sect and the other guests looked at each other before helplessly bending over as well, bowing. They were bowing to pay their respects to a powerhouse on the level of a Progenitor.

"We greet Progenitor Long."

"We greet Progenitor Long."

…

Lu Yin bowed low. Was Progenitor Long really going to show himself?

Progenitor Long did not actually show himself, but the sky did split open, and a pillar of tribulation crystal appeared on the ground.

Lu Yin stared at the massive pillar that had appeared before him; what was this?

Xia Taili sneakily lifted her head to look at the pillar of tribulation crystal. Her eyes grew fervent as she became envious of this crystal pillar; how could the White Dragon Clan still have such a large pillar of tribulation crystal?

Nong Lie, Wang Yun, and everyone else also saw it, and the envy practically spilled from their eyes. That pillar of tribulation crystal was absolutely massive! It was fully capable of allowing a person to open their middle meridian point! Long Qi had already stolen a crystal pillar from Long Xian's son and opened his lower meridian point. Thus, with this crystal, Long Qi would also be able to open his middle meridian point. He would only be one step away from having all three meridian points open!

Opening the middle meridian point would make a person practically equal to a Junior Progenitor in strength and cultivation. Long Qi was essentially becoming another Junior Progenitor.

Even Grand Elder Ni Huang and Patriarch Long Ke had not known that Progenitor Long had possessed another pillar of tribulation crystals.

"Long Qi, with the care and affection that our ancestor has shown you, offer your deep gratitude," Grand Elder Ni Huang quietly reminded Lu Yin.

Lu Yin finally reacted and expressed his thanks, "Thank you for blessing this one."

Progenitor Long's appearance was not nearly as impressive as when the Progenitor of Combat had revealed himself during ZENITH. There was no pressure at all, but this incident made Lu Yin's heart pound even harder than the previous incident, as this powerhouse felt truly unfathomable.

"Senior Mu Xie, how long do you intend to watch on for?" An ancient and deafening voice filled the sky, leaving everyone in awe. It was Progenitor Long's voice.

Lu Yin's fingers trembled and he stared up at the sky. Was Commander Mu Xie going to appear?