Setting: Black Moon Clan Estate, Umbral City.
The night was late. The cold, crescent moon cast a faint, ethereal light upon the courtyard where Van Nam stood in silent contemplation after the banquet. He let out a soft sigh, pushing aside the lively images from moments before and returning to his inherent tranquility. It was time to begin cultivating.
Van Nam returned to his room, shut the door firmly, and sat cross-legged on his bed. Closing his eyes, he began to circulate the clan's inherited cultivation manual, the Black Moon Secret Codex. This manual was created by Ancestor Hei Tian specifically for those with Dark Origin Spirits, but regrettably, for many generations, no descendant of the Hei Clan had been blessed with one, forcing them to use it merely as their primary cultivation technique.
He took a deep breath, sensing the thin Origin Power in the air and slowly guiding it into his body. Streams of energy, carrying the breath of the Evernight, crept through his meridians, finally converging in his dantian where the Dark Fang Origin Spirit hovered.
"Origin Apprentice, Origin Disciple, Origin Master, Grand Origin Master, Origin Sect..." Van Nam silently recited the cultivation realms his father, Hei Jing, had painstakingly taught him.
Origin Apprentice (Levels 1-10): The most nascent stage, focused mainly on tempering the body, opening the meridians, and absorbing Origin Power from the environment to prepare for the awakening of an Origin Spirit. Most youths in Umbral City began their cultivation at this stage before their awakening.
Origin Disciple (Levels 11-20): After awakening an Origin Spirit, one officially stepped onto the path of cultivation. At this realm, an Origin Master¹ focused on condensing Origin Power and training basic combat skills corresponding to their spirit's element. The speed of cultivation depended heavily on the quality of the Origin Spirit and its compatibility with the cultivation manual.
Origin Master (Levels 21-30): The Origin Power within the body became more abundant. An Origin Master could utilize intermediate-level combat skills, with both power and range significantly enhanced. They began to gain ranged combat capabilities, marking a turning point in their strength.
Grand Origin Master (Levels 31-40): A breakthrough realm. Grand Origin Masters could use advanced combat skills, their combat prowess soaring far beyond that of an Origin Master. To break through from Origin Master to Grand Origin Master, one needed to temper their body to a certain degree and possess a deep comprehension of their Origin Spirit. Many Origin Masters remained stuck at the peak of the Origin Master realm (Level 30) for years, or even their entire lives, unable to meet these stringent requirements. This was a major bottleneck that clearly distinguished geniuses from ordinary people.
Origin Sect (Levels 41-50): The realm of true powerhouses, capable of condensing Origin Power into an Origin Armament—a weapon of pure energy with terrifying might. At this level, a cultivator could stand as a regional power, becoming an eminent figure in a major clan or a formidable force.
"Father is currently a peak-level Origin Master, just one step away from becoming a Grand Origin Master," Van Nam thought to himself. "And my ancestor, Hei Tian, was a legendary Origin Sect expert. What a pity..."
He sighed, recalling the stories of the illustrious founder who had established the Black Moon Clan and was also the only one in the clan's history to have reached the Origin Sect realm.
Currently, besides his father, the Black Moon Clan only had three elders who had reached the Origin Master realm; the rest were Origin Disciples. Among them, Elder Hei Yao, who presided over the awakening ceremony, was at Level 25, while Hei Feng, the one with unfathomable ambition, was at Level 27. Compared to the Lei and Hei² clans, the Black Moon Clan's strength was only marginally different.
It was rumored that Lei Zhen, the Thunderflame Clan Head, was already a Level 29 Origin Master, just a hair's breadth from the Grand Origin Master realm. As for Hei Yan, the head of the Black Iron Clan, although his level was slightly lower at 28, his combat strength with the Black Iron Heavy Sword Qi Spirit was not to be underestimated. The remaining five smaller clans, though not as powerful, all had clan heads who were also Origin Masters.
"It seems the road to revitalizing the clan is still very long," Van Nam told himself.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. "That's right! The Primal Dark Origin Spirit, the Shadow Pact!"
He quickly closed his eyes and immersed himself in his inner world. The Primal Dark Origin Spirit, that mysterious dark sphere, was slowly rotating in his dantian. It emanated a dark energy that was both wicked and powerful, completely different from the Dark Origin Power of the Dark Fang.
Van Nam carefully guided a wisp of the Power of the Primal Dark Origin and fused it with the stream of Origin Power circulating in his meridians. Instantly, he felt the speed of his Origin Power absorption increase dramatically. Streams of energy, as if invigorated, flooded crazily into his body, blending with the Power of the Primal Dark Origin to form a new, more potent, and purer dark energy.
"Is this the power of the Primal Dark Origin Spirit?" Van Nam was astounded. "Truly unbelievable!"
He continued to cultivate, lost in the exhilarating sensation of his strength constantly growing. He knew this was only the beginning. The Primal Dark Origin Spirit held countless secrets, and he, with the Shadow Pact, would uncover them all, one by one.
While Van Nam was engrossed in his cultivation, a secret conversation was taking place in a magnificent estate in the center of Umbral City—the City Lord's Mansion.
"Father, you summoned me?" a handsome youth of about seventeen or eighteen, with sharp eyes, asked the middle-aged man seated in the host's chair.
The middle-aged man, with a resolute face that radiated authority, was Ouyang Zhen, the City Lord of Umbral City and an Origin Sect expert who had only recently broken through. The youth was his second son, Ouyang Feng, who was also a disciple of the Astral Martial Academy and had already reached Level 16 of the Origin Disciple realm.
"Feng'er, what are your thoughts on today's awakening ceremony?" Ouyang Zhen asked in a deep voice.
"Van Nam's Dark Fang was indeed impressive," Ouyang Feng replied, "but I think Lei Ming's Thunder Leopard and Hei Tie Gang's Black Iron Heavy Sword are by no means inferior. They will be formidable rivals in the upcoming Astral Martial Academy selection trial."
"You underestimate Van Nam," Ouyang Zhen shook his head. "The pure Dark aura from that Dark Fang is not something an ordinary Qi Spirit can possess. I suspect the Black Moon Clan is hiding something."
"Father, you mean..." Ouyang Feng was surprised.
"The Black Moon Clan has been in decline for a long time. For such a promising sapling with pure origin power to suddenly appear is bound to raise suspicion," Ouyang Zhen narrowed his eyes. "Furthermore, I've received news that this time, the Territory Lord himself will personally come to the Astral Martial Academy to preside over the selection trial."
"The Territory Lord?" Ouyang Feng was stunned. "Could it be..."
"Yes," Ouyang Zhen nodded. "The Territory Lord has been in seclusion for many years. For him to suddenly emerge and personally oversee a disciple selection trial, there must be a reason. I fear the Blackwind Territory is about to face a major upheaval."
Ouyang Feng fell silent, a sense of unease rising in his heart. He knew that the Ouyang Clan, as the lords of Umbral City, would inevitably be swept into the vortex of these changes.
"Feng'er," Ouyang Zhen suddenly spoke, "how are things between you and Hei Van Thanh of the Hei Clan?"
"Sister Van Thanh and I are just ordinary friends," Ouyang Feng replied, a little embarrassed. "Besides, she is already Elder Ling Feng's disciple. Her future is certainly bright, beyond my reach."
Ouyang Zhen gave a faint smile. "You're mistaken. Hei Van Thanh may be talented, but the Black Moon Clan is not what it used to be. Our clan, on the other hand, is on the rise. Your future is far more promising. Moreover..."
Ouyang Zhen paused, his gaze turning profound. "If you can win Hei Van Thanh's heart, not only can you gain the support of the Hei Clan, but you might also..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Ouyang Feng understood his father's meaning. He clenched his fists, a flame of ambition igniting within him.
"I understand, Father," Ouyang Feng nodded. "I will not disappoint you."
The night was deep, but Umbral City was not yet asleep. Beneath a peaceful veneer, conspiracies and schemes were silently brewing, heralding a future full of storms.
(End of Chapter 3)