As Draven heard the first ancestor's question, his eyes twitched in frustration.
'How am I supposed to know? Aren't you old fossils all-knowing? Why are you asking me?' Draven thought internally, but he kept his composure and replied,
"He just started his talent evaluation. When he touched the Sky Crystal, the aura changed and became repulsive."
As the ancestors asked their questions, Valdis was in shock the moment he touched the Sky Crystal; he felt energy enter his body through his palm. The energy was calm and welcoming, but as soon as it mixed with his blood, it suddenly turned aggressive and repulsive, prompting the energy to push his palm off its surface.
The moment his hands left the surface, its aura reverted to normal.
At that moment, his senses picked up the commotion happening behind him. He immediately turned around, and the first thing he saw were three shadowy figures near his father.
The figures instantly sensed his gaze and turned toward him. The noise faded away.
The first to break the silence was Grand Elder Mircalla. She instantly appeared in front of Valdis. He instinctively took a step back, and she looked at him with a sweet smile as she said,
"Hello, little one. You can call me Aunt Mircalla..." Before she finished, a voice rang out,
"Aunt Mircalla? You're older than me, and I'm his grandfather. He should be calling you Grandma Mircalla instead," the voice belonged to Grand Elder Arkan, who wore a mocking smile. Mircalla's words caught in her throat.
She turned to him, her eyes looked like they could spew flames. Power radiated from her body in waves.
Valdis felt like a tiny boat in a tumultuous ocean. Her aura shifted from friendly to deadly. This was the aura of someone who had fought in countless battles and killed many.
Just as she was about to scold Arkan, a raspy female voice spoke.
"You children enjoy playing around even at your ages. What do you think you're teaching the younger generation?"
The voice wasn't loud, but it silenced everything in the room, becoming the only thing heard.
Mircalla's dangerous aura vanished like a puff of smoke, and her friendly aura returned, but she didn't continue talking to Valdis but disappeared and returned to her previous position.
"Now, little one, could you please explain what happened?" This time, the voice was directed at him, and although he couldn't see the faces behind the shadowy figures clearly, he felt their gaze on him.
Valdis quickly explained what had just transpired. After he finished, the second ancestor spoke.
"Put your hand on the Sky Crystal. I want to see for myself."
The second ancestor was the most knowledgeable of the three, so her suggestion was accepted.
Valdis followed the request, placing his hand on the monolith again. He felt the same energy entering his body through his palms.
Just like last time, as the energy made contact with his blood, it turned repulsive. The Sky Crystal darkened with a blue flame at its center. A tremor shook the crystal as its aura became oppressive for an instant, then reverted to normal.
"I never thought I'd see one of these in my lifetime, fascinating," the second ancestor said absentmindedly.
"Stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point already," the third ancestor said in irritation.
"My apologies, but I was just shocked to see one of these. I've only heard about them in the family's ancient scrolls. The last time they appeared was during the golden era," the second ancestor explained.
Everyone was stunned.
The golden era was a time when races fought fiercely for dominance. This was a long time ago.
Finally, the first ancestor spoke upon hearing this.
"A physique that last appeared during the golden era? You don't mean..."
"Yes, this child possesses one of the three divine physiques—the Heaven Refine Physique," he said, with obvious joy in his voice.
Everyone else in the room was confused.
Three Divine Physiques?
Heaven Refining Physique?
What were they talking about?
The third ancestor suddenly spat, drawing everyone's attention.
"Divine physiques? Last I heard, they were renamed 'forbidden.'"
"Why rename them? The original name implies this physique is special in ways others aren't," Grand Elder Mircalla said.
The response didn't come from the second ancestor but from the first.
"It was called Divine because of the incredible talent and advantages it conferred. Reaching the peak of power was just a matter of time, but it was later renamed because of the dangers those benefits were traded for."
"If this physique really grants such immense talent, why would it be called forbidden later? I've seen people trade years of their lives and commit all sorts of evil for a small power boost. No one in my opinion would turn down such a deal," Malrick asked.
Isolde, standing beside him, nodded in agreement. Such a deal would never be rejected by anyone sane.
The third ancestor saw her reaction and laughed, then said:
"Sure, it grants talents envied by gods, but you need to be alive to enjoy those benefits. Only a living person can reach the peak of power. Anyone cursed with such a physique is doomed to die eventually, no matter how talented they are."
"What do you mean?" Elanor asked with a mixture of anger and hidden worry; her aura grew restless.
Suddenly, two exquisitely carved black short swords appeared beside her, one on each side, radiating deadly intent.
Before she lost control entirely, a hand grabbed her shoulder, and a powerful aura suppressed her and her swords.
He turned to the swords and said,
"Void, Ember, return now," his tone authoritative.
The swords retracted their killing intent, turning into beams of light that entered Elanor.
Draven then faced the third ancestor.
"I apologize for my wife's rudeness, but you should know that the person you're referring to is her child, my son, so her reaction is understandable. Please watch your words," he said, each word cold.
The first ancestor sighed and said:
"Everyone, calm down. We are family, and we shouldn't fight among ourselves over petty issues." After things settled, he continued:
"Although you are not wrong about the Divine physique being treated as a curse in recent years due to its high mortality rate. You should also know that humans, elves, and vampires are known as the top races on Eldoria due to these physiques."
Everyone looked at him curiously, silently urging him to continue.
"When I was a boy, the patriarch of the Ebonhart House was one of three who possessed divine physiques, specifically the Heaven Devouring Physique. He was the reason vampires were victorious in the Great Cataclysm. The humans had the Heaven Refining Physique, and the elves had the Heaven Soul Physique.
"During that time, these physiques were labeled divine and separated from the current top hundred, in a category of their own.
Three other holders of divine physiques led to the rise of the dwarf kingdom, Thargrond in the west and the Verdant Fang Dominion ruled by beastkin in the south. The humans were lucky to have another holder of the divine physique, which is also the reason humans are the most dominant race.
Each of these figures reached the peak of power before ascending. Since then, the highest anyone with these physiques has reached is the Law Manifestation Realm."
"What caused their deaths?" Isolde finally spoke, questioning why all the original holders peaked before ascending, and later generations only reached the Law Manifestation Realm before dying.
"The answer is simple. Holders of divine physiques must survive a heavenly tribulation with each breakthrough across a major realm. Their tribulation begins at the core formation realm, like the rest of us, but it is ten times worse than ours," the third ancestor said
The room fell silent at this revelation. No wonder they were called forbidden later on. Anyone who didn't have enough willpower to endure such hardship will eventually die at the hands of the heavens.