Chen Xuan panicked. A terrifying thought crossed his mind. What if a powerful cultivator hid their soul inside the ancient scroll? He could lose his body to someone else.
He instinctively mobilized his soul power to form a shield. He tried to protect his Sea of Consciousness.
The blank scroll unfurled inside his mind. Its surface rippled exactly like clear water.
The mysterious runes began to move. They detached from the parchment one by one. They swirled through the empty space like a bright celestial river.
The golden text easily bypassed his soul shield. The runes sank deep into his sea of consciousness and disappeared without any trace.
This forceful entry triggered a sharp and explosive pain in his soul. He felt his spirit ripping apart before stitching itself back together.
"Argh!"
A painful groan escaped his lips. Unable to bear the sheer agony, his vision went completely black. He collapsed heavily onto the cold stone floor.
The glowing runes continued to pour out. They sank into his Sea of Consciousness for a few more breaths before stopping entirely.
A sudden change emerged in the scroll. Faint ink strokes bled onto the blank parchment to form a black and white painting.
A land stretched across the paper. A dry and shallow basin sat right in the center. A dead tree towered beside it.
Its thick and curled trunk closely resembled a sleeping dragon. But it did not have any leaves or branches.
A long time passed.
Chen Xuan finally opened his eyes to see the dark starry sky. A deep frown crossed his face. Surviving that ordeal was completely unexpected, so he immediately inspected his Sea of Consciousness.
He saw the new ink painting floating there quietly. Right as he observed the artifact, a strange piece of knowledge suddenly unlocked inside his head.
"Celestial Lineage Painting," Chen Xuan murmured. He slowly absorbed the newly acquired information.
This was a treasure used to build a supreme family. Its entire purpose was to create a powerful bloodline.
He needed to marry women with great fortune. Having children with them would strengthen his future bloodline even further.
Yet he did not understand how the treasure would help him achieve this goal. Its true origin remained a complete mystery.
Why did a seemingly useless painting suddenly activate today? He could not find any answers.
He was simply too exhausted to think about it anymore.
"What is this fate," Chen Xuan murmured in a tired voice.
Just a few hours ago, he swore to leave the Chen clan. He resolved to create his own family.
Now he possessed an artifact designed for that exact purpose. Moreover, it came from person who wanted him to marry the most.
Should I thank the heavens or curse them, he thought bitterly.
He looked up at the starry sky again.
His recent breakthrough had failed. His marriage engagement was broken. The woman who raised him was murdered.
He received this treasure only after he had lost everything.
"Yeah... I really don't like this," he whispered into the empty air. Resting his forearm over his forehead, he closed his eyes.
...
With the sun rising over the horizon, warm morning light washed over the silent courtyard. Chen Xuan put the wooden box into his storage ring with a calm expression.
He prepared everything to leave the clan forever. He visited his parents' tomb in the early morning to pay his respect.
Then, he went to meet the Fourth Elder.
The old man was already waiting inside the quiet hall.
"Fourth Elder," Chen Xuan began. He bowed with gratitude. "Thank you for everything what you have done for me in all these years."
"No need to thank me. I only did what an elder should do. Unfortunately, the clan is becoming..."
His words trailed off into silence. Shaking his head, the elder looked disappointed.
"You seem better than before. You have to carry the hopes of your loved ones," the old man said after seeing his expression.
"Yes, I have decided on my goals. Elder, I want to tell you that I can't call myself a member of this clan anymore. I have decided to leave the clan."
The elder widened his eyes. He quickly tried to stop him. "Chen Xuan, do not act rashly. You don't know what you are doing."
Chen Xuan looked up, and his gaze was calm and determined. "I have already decided this. In the future, I want to establish my own family."
Chen Xuan let out a deep breath. "This place is not safe for me or my loved ones. Please don't try to stop me, Elder."
After hearing Chen xuan's words, old man realised it well.
The Chen clan under the new patriarch is different from what it used to be. Someone might harm the him in the future during my absence.
It is better for him to leave the clan, the elder sighed in his heart.
He took out a jade box and three spiritual talismans from his storage ring. He handed them over.
"Take these with you," the elder said softly.
Chen Xuan stared at the gifts with a confused frown. The three talismans were genuine third-rank treasures.
While he could technically purchase them outside, it would drain a massive amount of his spiritual stones. The talismans sold in public markets also lacked this superior quality. He eventually nodded and accepted them.
He shifted his attention to the jade box and opened it.
His calm expression changed drastically. A single pure white pill rested inside. It was about the size of half a finger. This pill was not new to him.
He had previously exchanged many sect mission credits to acquire one but failed to break through.
"Elder, I cannot take this. You—" Chen Xuan started to say.
But the old man cut him off quickly.
"Consider this repayment for what I owe your late father. You will need strength if you want to protect your loved ones."
Chen Xuan looked into the old man's eyes deeply before accepting it. "When my clan is built, I will invite the Elder to join me."
The old man stood in shock. He stared at the calm and confident gaze of the youth. He could still sense the sadness within him. However, it had forged into pure determination.
"Haha, good. I will not mind helping you if I really see potential," the old man said with a little laugh.
He did not take the bold words seriously, but he liked the boy's determination.
"Are you going back to the sect?" the Fourth Elder asked.
"I am not sure for now," Chen Xuan answered. He stepped toward the door before pausing.
"Elder, I will trouble you to send a letter to the Liu Clan about the engagement. I won't be able to visit them."
"Okay. I will inform them," the old man nodded.
Chen Xuan nodded one last time. He turned around and left the hall.
The main hall grew quiet after Chen Xuan departed.
The Fourth Elder rubbed his tired eyes. After some contemplation, he sent a spiritual message to summon his son.
Soon, a green-robed man walked into the hall. He greeted the old man.
"Greetings, Father."
The old man swept his spiritual sense over his son to check his strength. "Chen Lin, how is your cultivation progressing?"
"It is going well, Father. I am currently focusing on strengthening my foundations."
"Good. You must remember that stronger foundations form a better Core. You should take your time with this process."
"I understand, Father."
The old man noticed his son's progress was lacking. "I want you to resign from your clan duties to focus entirely on your practice. I will secure a Core Formation pill for you in the coming years."
"Thank you, Father," the son replied. His voice finally sounded happy.
He had already surrendered his hopes for the Core Formation realm in the near future.
The demand for Core Formation pills was high, and the supply was strictly limited.
The Clan refused to hand them out unless an individual showed a perfect chance of breaking through.
The sudden promise of a future pill left the him feeling ready to train hard.
"You may go now," the old man dismissed him.
Chen Lin bowed again and left the hall.