The night continued on without surprises, and soon it was time for the awakening ritual. The Si family led their guests deep beneath the manor into a stone chamber that housed a lone, ominous statue. It was in the image of a cloaked figure whose features were unrecognizable. Clasped in its hands was an ivory human skull radiating a pale light, giving the already spine-chilling atmosphere a deeper sense of dread.
As Lijun approached, the skull reacted, releasing a torrent of crimson liquid into a stone vessel at its feet. The metallic scent of copper and iron filled the air.
Everyone knew which goddess the Si family worshiped, but seeing such a grizzly scene made many finally question the family's sanity.
Lijun waited until the vessel was full, then met the six eyes of the statue.
"My Goddess, I come to receive your blessings," she whispered. "I seek to walk the path to shed my mortal skin. Please, grant this daughter a chance at immortality."
A few moments passed. Many expected silence, as it had been many generations since the Goddess had spoken. Only those in the Si family with great potential received the honor of hearing her voice.
However, just as Lijun began to lift her head, a seductive, commanding voice broke the silence sending a shock through the chamber.
"My, my... what a unique child. Such potential."
The shadows bled together, and a woman of impossible beauty appeared atop the pool of blood. Her presence seemed to drain the color from the rest of the world.
"But then, what else is to be expected from the bloodline I have curated?" Arachne leaned forward, her six eyes narrowing as she peered into Lijun's soul. "My child, your future holds many things. The question is... are you worthy of them?"
Lijun stared back. "I know not of the future, Goddess, but I believe I am worthy of whatever fate has in store."
Arachne reclined in the air, a flicker of protective rage crossing her face as she sensed her little egg was already being tied to this mortal. She could not harm the girl without risking the egg's future, she could sense that this mortals soul and her little darlings had already connected melding together in a way that it impossible to separate without harming them both.
'To think my darling has already met her fated one before even being born..' she thought internally as her eyes bore into the child before her.
"Very well." She uttered barely holding back the discomfort she felt inside.
"You have my blessings.. Go out and achieve great things child."
With that, Arachne vanished as quickly as a dream.
As her divine presence fled the room, Lijun felt a burning sensation rip through her chest. It felt as if something was pressing hot iron against her skin. Agonizing and quick.
As the pain faded a mark in the shape of a spider appeared in its place just above her breast. The marking was pure black in color with a red-hourglass shape marking the spiders abdomen.
Father Si and Mother Si stood stunned in disbelief and excitement, their daughter had actually gained the goddess blessings!
Such a thing hadn't occurred since before even Father Si was born even his father had probably not witnessed such a thing.
As everyone watched on with bated breath Si Lijuns body had begun to react again, her body giving out a dark glow, following wich was a suffocating sense of dread and bloodlust that saturated the room.
Floating just above her head five orbs of different colors manifested each giving off a different type of sicking pressure before each quickly flew into the center of her chest merging with her body.
"Four rare affinities.. and her constitution.." Father si muttered slowly as he digested the events that had just unfolded.
"Her constitution will not be revealed!" Father Si spoke out with a grim tone that left no room for refusal. As much as he would have loved to hide her affinities as well unfortunately others with a similar cultivation level to himself had appeared and if he could sense what they where, it goes without saying they could as well.
However that constitution was something only his family should know about. Therefore if he chose not to reveal it there wasn't much of anything the rest could do.
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The awakening was a staggering success. Lijun had awakened four rare affinities: [Death], [Darkness], [Blood], and [Poison]. While her affinities were public, her Constitution remained a family secret.
"Sister Lijun! Congratulations!" Fu Huijin was the first to approach as they returned to the main hall. "A rare awakening indeed! Tell me, what Constitution did you unlock?"
"Brother Huijin, I would prefer to keep such matters private," Lijun replied. She tried to soften her tone, but her doll-like face made the words hit like ice.
Firstly even she didn't know the name of her constitution. Her father had not told her yet. And secondly she of course wouldn't tell this little leach before her. She only had to pretend to be nice because of her father's words.
Huijin waved it off. "Of course! Too many ears. Anyway, why don't you see the gift my grandfather has prepared? I am sure you will like it."
At a nod from his son, Lord Fu waved his hand. An ornate ring on his finger glowed, and a beast egg the size of a grown man appeared in the center of the room. It was milky brown, sat atop a gathering of webbing, and was etched with countless interlocking runes.
"It is ready to hatch," Huijin boasted. "My grandfather suppressed the beast inside to keep it in a slumber. All you must do to bond is give it a drop of your blood, and the array will do the rest."
Lijun frowned. She knew a blood connection was common, but as someone who had just awakened a Blood affinity, giving away even a drop was a heavy thing. Yet, the egg felt as if it were calling to her.
"Mn. Very well."
Lijun stepped forward and drew a small dagger. Without hesitation, she made a deep gash along her palm. Huijin's eye twitched. I said a drop! What is wrong with this woman?
Ignoring the blood, Lijun pressed her hand against the shell. The runes emitted a soft crimson light before sinking into the egg and disappearing. A second later, the egg began to tremble. Large cracks spiderwebbed across the surface.
"It's already waking?" Huijin yelled internally.
"That should have taken moments, not seconds!"
But the creature inside was no longer sleeping. It had tasted the blood of the chosen, and it was ready to see the sun.