Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 923 - 922 - Testing Descendants

The month seemed to fly by as all the children, grandchildren, and the smattering of great grandchildren that qualified converged on the main clan structures. It was only at that point that everyone realized the physical impossibility of fitting all those people into a single room at once.

The first generation was 9 blood relatives with several adopted siblings or cousins of that generation.

The grandchildren jumped up quite a bit, Sora alone had added 12 of her own! The total being close to 45.

The great grandchildren crossed over 100 but some were still mortals!

Even so, the first test was for all of them if they wanted to do it. Out of that latest generation only 73 chose to participate.

All the rest were required to do so.

As no different instructions were given, they made their way to the main Clan Hall and found the doors wide open. Hei and Zao led them in and bowed to Hope and Lanbao reliefs as they passed them.

The throne for their father was empty as they moved all the way to the back and let the rest follow them in. They mostly had small talk catching up on their latest events.

"Have you and Kyren finally become one, brother of mine?" Zao smirked as he spoke to Hei. His brother's obsidian eyes narrowed but knew Zao was happy for him.

"Rasker's defenses needed to be fortified and also some future proofing for the waterfall area. The 3 ascension pools are now under harsh administration as well." Hei had not forgotten the most recent attack.

Hylan and Rylie would have died if not for the charms protecting them. His Father's creations had stunned many that knew what had happened and peace had descended in the months since that conflict.

They began to talk about how Sora had dumped the first clan branch on Miles but both knew she would not be tied down. If not for the mandate of the current testing, they doubted she would have returned to the Clan for some time.

It was only as they realized no one asked them to move back that they looked around and noticed people were still coming in but they were easily fitting in the room!

They quickly spread their auras but were shocked when they could not!

How could something restrict their auras without any notice?!

"What is Father up to?" Zao looked around and saw Syrilla cultivating in a corner but when he tried to get her attention he realized he could not get to her at all!

He and Hei could easily shake hands but that was all! The many others around them may as well have been on another world! They could see them but they could do nothing else.

[Calm yourselves.] Lind's voice entered their heads.

They saw the air shimmer before he seemed to appear on the throne. It was only then they realized he had always been there!

He smiled at them warmly.

"You are the first 2 to realize what is happening. Well done." He then glanced sharply as Isolde was looking around with concern before he nodded. "That makes 3."

He then stood up and patted them both on the shoulder.

"The testing has already started in part. I will make an announcement shortly but for the moment this is a simple awareness test." It was only then they realized no one else was reacting to his presence! Only they could see him!

"What is going on, Dad?" Hei was intensely curious but Lind only smiled at them before he vanished from in front of their eyes!

"He just did the thing he loathed in special realms or Inheritances, didn't he?" Zao could recall the stories their father told them about how things were withheld or hidden from him that would have helped him progress faster in his trials.

Many cultivators had faced it in mortal realms but the Heaven Realm lands were far less due to the war previously.

Now that the Celestial Fields were the focus for all powers, even the Fiends, the Heaven Realm lands were actually expanding their focus back to cultivation but it was still a precarious situation near the Fiends.

"He enjoyed it too, brother." Hei nodded as they chose to focus on trying to pierce their surroundings but to no avail. It was only then they realized their father had not once spoken to anyone else!

Only after some time did the doors close and both brothers realized that the total 127 participants must have entered but neither brother felt a single one near them despite seeing them all!

The hall could easily hold half that number but should have felt a little tight with that many inside at once.

[Welcome to you all. While not a test, some of you have gotten good marks for noticing the layered issue all of you have. For each entrance at the door, a new layer was created for the individual or group that passed through. In all, there are about 80 layers.]

Their father's voice spoke in their minds but they saw all were now enlightened. Of all they could see, their direct siblings did well, but the rest only then realized what was happening.

Some frowned but no objections seemed evident.

[The first test will be very simple. Walk through the arches until you cannot.]

The space behind the throne changed as a massive silver arch appeared. Hei and Zao could see more beyond but no end of them! They glanced at each other and simply nodded as they started.

The arch barely caused a feeling of pressure but they saw more. Each arch had a simple shape of a single point and an arm width of thickness.

They crossed 8 arches before real pressure began to press on their flesh. There was no distinction marking the arches but it did not take long before both understood what they were facing.

Each arch was a major cultivation step! Body Tempering, Soul Realm, World Realm to the Iron Tier then Gold, Diamond Tier followed for an arch each. The Sky Realm was one arch all on its own.

The Heaven Realm took 3 arches and then 2 more after that.

The pressure increased immensely as one progressed until they could not go any farther.

Both Hei and Zao stopped hard at the 10th arch while the 11th loomed. It should be the Shard Tier but despite being in it, they could not cross it!

Sweat covered their bodies and they simply knelt on the ground but not at the same place. Zao was behind Hei!

Both struggled until Sora sauntered by but barely! Syrilla and Isolde also passed them but only by a half step!

All were shocked as Sally made the most progress as Miles stopped by Hei and Zao.

They were able to look back and see their other siblings were back by the 9th arch or just beyond it.

"I see, it is not as simple as our cultivation but how profound our foundation is." Zao spoke up and the others nodded.

They also grew suspicious. Given the rules regarding Shard Tiers, why would they be tested with the rest?

Their Father was up to something!

Some time passed but finally a wave of Qi washed over them.

[Well done! You have all worked hard! However, the next step is not so kind! Proceed to the Trials of Knowledge.]

The pressure vanished and the group advanced to find a maze awaiting them. Despite the massive structure, Hei and Zao felt a pull on their bloodlines!

They followed it as they left their siblings behind. The pair parted and found rooms with a dragon and roc over them respectively!

Zao entered his after nodding to Hei and was shocked at what he saw.

He found a totem that seemed almost alive! It was a massive roc in flight. He also saw an alchemist's furnace and 6 orbs of elemental power! How had his Father done all this?!

Zao started with his bloodline and realized how little he had grasped despite becoming a Shard Tier! His blood surged with new knowledge as the totem glowed with power! He lost himself in the feeling and felt his body improving in strength just being there.

What was the test? He did not understand it. Only after some impurities left his body did he move on to the orbs. All 6 natural elements were there but it was as simple as his bloodline.

He used his Arts, techniques, and some of the cultivation path to grasp the elements better than before! It was an amazing feeling! Why had their Father never done this before?!

It was only when he got to the alchemy furnace that he understood. Zao knew teaching had limits. The master could not color the path of their student too much or it would ruin them. A cultivator could only truly walk their own path and not the path of another.

He found some recipes he had never tried before but they were far above his skill at peak mid grade 7. The herbs, Qi stones, and beast ingredients were the best he had ever encountered.

Zao tried his best but finally hit a wall. The pill was destroyed before he got even close to trying to complete it! It was burnt ash when he was done.

"Clever Father, you improve us and teach us how far we have to go!" Zao understood. The maze was actually a vast complex to allow people to find their ideal space. Once there, they would face their origin, the elements, and their speciality.

None could do it all perfectly but by testing those 3, their Father could evaluate the quality of their comprehension!

Zao had done well on his bloodline and elements but his alchemy was still stuck!

He tried once more but it had the same result.

"This is as far as I can go, Father." The words triggered the roc symbol over the door and he found himself in a large space with many others.

Most looked frustrated while a few were like him and enlightened.

The testing was only starting by his estimation.