Chapter 18: Awakening Ceremony (2)
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They reached his room, which was right beside his mom's. It was a bit smaller but tastefully decorated chamber tucked away from the grander quarters of the estate. A set of clean clothes—a dark blue tunic with white embroidery—was already laid out on the bed.
After a quick shower, Percy approached the folded garments. Huo Yuner's expression shifted slightly to something a bit more serious.
"Today is… an important day, Yuhao." She said softly, brushing her fingers over the edge of the collar as she helped him into the robe. "Your Martial Soul Awakening."
Percy's fingers paused at his belt. "Right." He muttered.
Huo Yun'er turned him gently to face her, brushing the last of his hair into place. She looked at him with quiet pride as well as worry too, especially when she noticed the slight look in his blue eyes. Her child usually didn't show much expression, unless he was doing something with her, but as his mother, she could tell something was on his mind.
"Why the long face, sweety?" She asked, lightly tapping his nose.
Percy hesitated, then sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands. For the past few weeks, he's heard many of the servants talking about the ceremony, and many were talking about whether or not he would awaken the Duke's bloodline. Now truthfully, he couldn't care whether he had his father's martial soul or not. What really bothered him was the result of the ceremony.
He was incredibly smart, and thanks to that, he could guess what might happen if he awakened a martial soul that didn't live up to the standard of the white tiger clan and what it would mean for him and his mother. He couldn't help but feel something bad might happen after today.
Knowing that he couldn't hide anything from her, he sighed and opted for the truth. "I…" He began, his voice lower than before. "I'm worried, Mom…about what my Martial Soul will be."
Huo Yuner blinked, surprised. She didn't know that this was bothering her child so much. He was usually pretty unfazed with things ever since he was born, never crying once except for the time she held him in her arms. She understood that he was different from the other children, being far more polite and driven to learn.
He looked up at her, a difficult expression on his face. "The Duchess… the whole clan… they already look down on me. If my Martial Soul ends up being weak—or worthless—then they'll just have more reason to call me trash. And you... You'll suffer for it too." He gritted his teeth.
Huo Yun'er didn't respond right away. Instead, she sat beside him and brought him close for a hug. "Yuhao. Do you think I care what those people say?" She asked, her voice firm yet tender.
Her son said nothing, so she continued.
"I don't care if your Martial Soul is the White Tiger, a blade, or even a broken cup." She made him look at her as she patted his head. "You are my son, Yuhao. My pride, my joy, my stubborn little warrior. And no matter what kind of spirit you awaken, I will love you the same."
Percy's throat tightened, and he felt his eyes getting wet. He was this close to crying when she said, "Just carry your heart and be happy. That's enough for me."
Then, with a soft smile, she leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
Percy stilled as a flush quickly spread across his face but didn't move from the hug. He was always shy when it came to moments like this. 'I'm over twenty years old, damn it.' He groaned but continued hugging her.
Huo Yun'er giggled at his shyness. "C'mon, let go." She said, but her son wouldn't budge.
"Can we stay like this a bit...please, Mom?" He replied cutely.
Feeling her heart warm up, Huo Yun'er smiled lovingly as she stroked his head. "Of course, sweety."
The moment passed quietly, but it etched itself deep into Percy's heart. He loved his mom the same way he did in his previous life. She was kind and warm and made him feel safe. And as someone who went through so much, he found comfort being a child again.
Even if his Martial Soul was weak—even if it amounted to nothing more than a useless object—he would still have her love, and somehow that was enough.
"Come," his mom said gently, standing and taking his hand in hers. "The ceremony will begin soon. We mustn't keep everyone waiting." Yuhao nodded and went with her.
...
The awakening chamber was housed within the northern wing of the estate—a sacred place reserved for descendants of the White Tiger bloodline. Though Yuhao technically shared the same blood as the Duke, he knew full well that few here acknowledged it.
Still, custom dictated that all children born within the household, legitimate or not, would have their martial souls awakened within this chamber under the watchful eye of the clan's spirit master.
The path to the chamber was lined with guards. Most didn't bow. One of them, a tall man with a thin scar running down the side of his cheek, made sure he didn't make a move but muttered something under his breath as Percy passed.
"Good luck, Young Master…" He gave a small smile. He was one of the few who've seen him train early in the morning and the amount of hard work he displayed, so the man had a great deal of admiration for him.
Percy heard it. Huo Yun'er did too. and they both nodded, making sure not to bring attention to the nice guard as they went on their merry way.
They arrived before a grand pair of bronze doors engraved with Soul Masters and Spirit Beasts in combat. Two more guards opened them in silence, revealing the circular chamber within.
Polished jade tiles covered the floor. Rows of people they didn't know but knew were of high status attended. Despite being an illegitimate child, he was still the son of the White Tiger Duke. Among the crowd was the Duchess herself with crossed arms and a disapproving frown marring her face.
In the center stood a middle-aged man in greenish-blue and brown robes, stroking his short beard thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed slightly as they landed on Percy.
"Is this the boy?" He asked with mild disinterest.
"Yes," Huo Yun'er replied respectfully, bowing. "His name is Huo Yuhao. Please take care of him, Elder Li."
His mother only ever called him using her name instead of his father's whenever they were around the Duchess or people the Duchess knew. It was her way of protecting him and making sure the Duchess would feel appeased.
"Hello elder." Percy greeted with a bow of his own with no authenticity in it whatsoever, but he learned to be careful around these people.
The man glanced at a servant holding a scroll, who nodded and then nodded back. "Very well. Stand in the center and close your eyes." Percy stepped forward without hesitation.
The platform was cool beneath his bare feet. The moment he reached the center. The spirit master began chanting under his breath as a bright light emitted from his palm. Runes below him appeared, surrounding the platform slowly, bathing the room in a gentle golden glow.
Percy closed his eyes, ignoring He tried the judgmental stares of the nobles. Instead, he immersed himself in this feeling. He felt something pull at his soul as the glow intensified. A small pain spread in his body, but it didn't bother him. His breathing remained neutral as the spiritual power invaded his body, and he felt the energy go to his eyes and brain, and he could feel it becoming more heightened.
Then—
A jolt.
Aside from the heightened flare of visual prowess, he sensed something else happening to him. It was familiar. For a moment he sensed a flicker of his original power. At the same time, images flickered in his mind. A silver trident… A sea of silver… Millions of silver hexagons.
And then... it disappeared as it came.
Percy exhaled a noticeably cold breath. He opened his now silver eyes. 'Fascinating.' He thought in amazement at what his eyes were seeing.
At a short range he could see everything with unbelievable detail. He could make out things as small as dust particles as if they were right in front of him, and everything slowed down as if he still had Kronos powers, but he knew that wasn't the case. His mind was merely processing the information quicker than normal, making everything seem as if time slowed. Not only that, but he could feel another energy in his body. It was incomparably small compared to his former power, though.
He looked at the people observing him. Their mouths were agape. Even his stepmother was bewildered. He saw his mom holding her hand above her mouth in surprise. "Yuhao...your eyes and hair." She pointed, getting him to check his hair.
His eyes widened as he moved the top of his to find out much like his eyes, they too were silver. 'So I wasn't imagining it.' He thought as a thoughtful look spread across his face along with a hint of a smile.
But the moment didn't last long, as almost immediately the Duchess called out to the elder. "Elder Li, what are the boys' Spirit Power and Martial Soul? Is it White Tiger?" She questioned with a furious look.
If he awakened the same martial soul as her husband, then she would have no choice but to inform her husband, ensuring he would get granted the support and backing of the White Tiger Clan, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen. He was a possible threat to her children's future.
Elder Li coughed in his hand before saying, "The boy possesses a Beast Type Martial Soul of the eyes, but it is not the White Tiger. Furthermore, his Spirit Power is only one." She said, and his mother gasped in shock.
When a person awakens their Martial Soul, they would fall into the category of Soul Scholar, the beginning stage of all Soul Masters. The stronger Soul Power a person had when first awakening their Martial indicated how talented and fast their cultivation would be compared to someone with lower Soul Power. Their Soul Power would start anywhere from level one to level ten, with ten indicating that they were a genius Soul Master and would have a bright future ahead of them.
The fact that Percy's Soul Power was only level 1 indicated the poorest of talents. His cultivation would be extremely slow.
The room became silent. Small murmurs of laughter were heard from the visiting nobles, but the loudest sound came from the Duchess herself. She merely laughed darkly. "AHAHAha!" She laughed and laughed and even let out her soul power.
Seven glowing rings appeared around her body, two yellow, two purple, and three black, bringing with them a looming pressure. Percy stared in silence as he narrowed his eyes, but he couldn't do anything. He couldn't beat this lady, much less stand up to this pressure she was emanating. It was like seeing a giant black cat staring down at him playfully. 'You wanted this to happen, didn't you!' He glared daggers at her.
She never hid her disdain for him. This was probably a dream come true to her. 'You bitch.' He thought but kept his mouth shut. If he disrespected her openly in front of everyone, she might just kill him for his intolerance.
"Yuhao!" His mother quickly ran to him and held him in her arms. Her son clenched his fist, but what many didn't know was that inside his fist a small silver liquid appeared. Spirit Eyes wasn't the only thing he awakened that day.
This was the point where their lives changed, and when a former silver flame of anger and rage would surface once again in the world of Soul Land...2.
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(Silver Water is back baby. There's a lot I'm planning to do with this fic and there's only going to be more surprises. I'll leave you all guessing.)