The Awakening Unfolds

As Lu Yan moved forward, her clear eyes reflected a determined spirit. She approached the Awakening Stone with measured steps, her long black hair tied back in a simple braid. The room fell silent. The stone began to glow with a bright yellow light, and the silhouette of a graceful white wolf with ice-blue eyes appeared above her. Seven yellow stars illuminated the stone's surface, and Yuan Bo announced, "Yellow Grade, Level 7, Ice Wolf bloodline."

The audience murmured in appreciation, the Lu Family members exchanging relieved smiles. Lu Yan bowed gracefully and returned to her family's side, her expression serene.

The ceremony continued with the next three Lu Family participants. Yuan Bo called their names one by one:

"Lu Ming, Yellow Grade, Level 4, Iron Claw Tiger bloodline." "Lu Feng, Yellow Grade, Level 5, Silver Winged Eagle bloodline." "Lu Rong, Yellow Grade, Level 5, Bronze Horned Rhino bloodline."

Each of them stepped forward, touched the Awakening Stone, and awakened their respective bloodlines. The process was smooth and uneventful, serving as a transition to the final awakening of the Lu Family.

The last participant from the Lu Family was a girl named Lu Mei, the daughter of Patriarch Lu Han. She had an ethereal beauty, with long, flowing hair and a calm demeanor that exuded grace without arrogance. As she approached the Awakening Stone, the room seemed to hold its breath.

Lu Mei placed her hand on the stone, and it immediately began to glow with an intense yellow light. The silhouette of a majestic snow leopard appeared above her, its fur glistening with an icy sheen. Nine yellow stars illuminated the stone, and Yuan Bo announced, "Yellow Grade, Level 9, Snow Leopard bloodline."

The audience reacted with awe and admiration. The Lu Family members were visibly relieved and proud, their respect for Lu Mei evident in their expressions. The Wang Family, however, observed with a mix of indifference and mild contempt. One young participant from the Wang Family, dressed in lavish clothes and exuding an air of arrogance, watched the Lu Family's successes with disdain.

The ceremony continued with several local participants, not from the three major families. They approached the Awakening Stone one by one, each awakening bloodlines below Yellow Grade, Level 5. The process was quick, and the atmosphere remained tense as the focus shifted back to the Wang Family.

Yuan Bo called out the names of the Wang Family participants:

"Wang Lei, Yellow Grade, Level 3, Shadow Panther bloodline." "Wang Ping, Yellow Grade, Level 4, Flame Serpent bloodline." "Wang Jun, Yellow Grade, Level 6, Thunder Wolf bloodline."

Each of them stepped forward, awakened their respective bloodlines, and returned to their family's side. The Wang Family members appeared disappointed, their hopes pinned on the last participant, Wang Sheng, the son of Patriarch Wang Jian.

Wang Sheng, the arrogant young man, stepped forward with an air of superiority. His lavish clothes and haughty demeanor made him stand out among the participants. As he placed his hand on the Awakening Stone, it glowed with an intense yellow light. The silhouette of a venomous scorpion appeared above him, its tail arched and ready to strike. Nine yellow stars illuminated the stone, and Yuan Bo announced, "Yellow Grade, Level 9, Poison Scorpion bloodline."

The Wang Family's reaction was one of pride and vindication. Patriarch Wang Jian's expression was smug as he glanced at the other families. Li Wei, one of Li Chen's cousins, whispered to his sister, "Typical. A poisonous bloodline for a poisonous family."

Now it was time for the Li Family's awakenings. Yuan Bo called out the names of Li Shan and Li Hua first.

Li Shan stepped forward, a determined look on his face. He placed his hand on the stone, and it glowed with a yellow light. The silhouette of a golden lion appeared above him, and five yellow stars illuminated the stone. "Yellow Grade, Level 5, Golden Lion bloodline," announced Yuan Bo.

Li Hua followed, her expression calm and focused. As she placed her hand on the stone, it glowed with a bright yellow light, revealing the silhouette of a silver falcon. Six yellow stars appeared on the stone. "Yellow Grade, Level 6, Silver Falcon bloodline," Yuan Bo announced.

Next were the twin siblings, Li Wei and Li Mei. Li Wei stepped forward first, his eyes filled with determination. He placed his hand on the stone, which glowed with an intense yellow light. The silhouette of a fiery griffin appeared above him, its wings blazing with flames. Eight yellow stars illuminated the stone. "Yellow Grade, Level 8, Fire Griffin bloodline," announced Yuan Bo.

Li Mei followed, her expression mirroring her brother's determination. She placed her hand on the stone, which glowed with a bright yellow light, revealing the silhouette of an elegant water serpent. Eight yellow stars appeared on the stone. "Yellow Grade, Level 8, Water Serpent bloodline," Yuan Bo announced.

The audience watched with bated breath, their reactions a mix of admiration and envy. The Li Family's awakenings had been impressive, with an average higher than that of the other families.

It was time for the last awakening of the event: Li Chen's awakening.

"Li Chen," Yuan Bo called out. Li Chen took a deep breath and stepped forward, his heart pounding with anticipation. He approached the Awakening Stone, the weight of his family's expectations heavy on his shoulders.

As he placed his hand on the stone, he felt a surge of power awakening within him. The energy flowed through his blood, merging into his bones, muscles, and organs. His body felt like it was being transformed, becoming dozens of times stronger than before. Excitement coursed through him because he knew from the family records that even the Yellow Grade, Level 9 bloodline only initially strengthened the body 2-3 times.

Suddenly, he felt another surge of power awakening, even more potent than the first. This new power seemed to cover up the fluctuations of the first awakening, merging with his eyes and body, making him feel as if his strength was being amplified even further. His body was now strengthened at least twenty times in total.

His eyes transformed, and the crowd gasped as they saw the distinctive red eyes with a single, swirling pattern like a whirlpool. Yuan Bo, clearly surprised, announced, "Xuan Grade, Level 1, Special bloodline."

City Lord Zhao Long stepped forward, his expression one of awe. "Special bloodlines are unique and powerful, falling into a category that cannot be easily classified as either Demon or Nature bloodlines. They are rare and often come with extraordinary abilities that set them apart from the more common types."

The audience was stunned. This had all happened in the blink of an eye. They had only seen Li Chen's eyes transform and the Awakening Stone emit a green light with one star. A commotion erupted as the significance of a Xuan Grade, Level 1 bloodline sank in. One of the elders in the City Hall explained, "Even though it's just one level higher than Yellow, Level 9, it represents a massive advantage. It's like starting a race from the middle instead of the starting line."

The Li Family was ecstatic. The First Elder mentioned that this was the first Xuan Level awakening in the city in ages. The reactions from the other two families were mixed, ranging from shock to envy. The Lu Family members exchanged envious glances, their expressions tinged with jealousy at the rare and powerful bloodline that Li Chen had awakened. Meanwhile, the Wang Family was visibly shaken. Patriarch Wang Jian's face contorted with a mix of shock and rage, a dangerous glint of killing intent flashing in his eyes. Wang Sheng, usually so arrogant, now looked at Li Chen with a mix of fear and hatred, revealing his true nature.

Li Chen, however, was filled with both surprise and doubt. Only the second bloodline had been seen on the Awakening Stone, yet he could clearly feel the power of two bloodlines within him. He recalled from the family library that there were rare occurrences of individuals awakening two bloodlines, known as twin bloodline awakening. His thoughts turned to the dream he had before the ceremony, the vivid images of a powerful figure with red eyes, swirling with power. Could it be connected to what he was experiencing now?

He was also puzzled because the tenfold body strengthening he experienced was typically associated with Heaven Level bloodlines, yet his awakening was Xuan Level. Questions swirled in his mind, mingling with the excitement and confusion of the day's events.

As the ceremony began to wind down, Li Chen's father, Li Huo, approached him with a proud smile. "Congratulations, my son," he said, embracing Li Chen. Li Chen's cousins surrounded him, offering their congratulations and sharing in his triumph.

Standing among his family, Li Chen felt a mix of pride and determination. He had awakened something extraordinary, and the image of the red eyes with a swirling pattern from his dreams came to his mind, adding to the mystery of his newfound power. His journey was only just beginning.