Bhima Shi stretched as if he had just woken from a nap.
"Finally… my turn."
He climbed the steps calmly, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robe, completely ignoring the tense gazes of the elders.
When he reached the altar, he examined the ebony dagger with curiosity.
"Well then… let's see if this old stone really works."
Long Yun stopped.
Xuan Ling frowned slightly.
Even several elders ceased their murmuring.
An old man wearing a star-blue cultivation robe — the Elder of the Shi Clan — narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"Bhima Shi. Conduct yourself properly. This is a sacred ceremony."
Bhima turned his head toward him with a lazy smile.
"Relax, old man. Don't get so worked up."
The elder's brows immediately furrowed.
"Insolent! Do not forget that I am an Elder of the Shi Clan. You owe me respect. Stand properly."
Bhima merely shrugged.
Then he picked up the ebony dagger and sliced open his palm.
A drop of crimson blood fell onto the black stone of the altar.
For a heartbeat…
nothing happened.
Then the altar trembled.
A violent crimson light suddenly burst from the inverted runes, wild and ferocious, as if an ocean of scarlet flames had awakened beneath the ancient stone.
BOOM.
The formation barrier vibrated under the pressure.
Above the altar, a massive silhouette appeared.
A colossal aura, dozens of meters tall, materialized in the sky. Two gigantic arms formed from red energy slowly extended outward, while behind it floated fragments of ancient sacred ruins, like the remnants of a temple torn from the heavens.
A scorching wind swept across the entire plaza.
"Incredible…" someone whispered in the crowd.
Bhima looked up at the gigantic apparition above him.
A grin spread across his lips.
"Woah…"
In the stands, the villagers were frozen in shock.
"W-what is that?!"
"That aura… it's almost crushing the formation!"
The young disciples of the Shi Clan jumped to their feet.
"Look! It's Bhima!"
"What power! That's our genius!"
Even among the heirs of the other clans, several expressions changed.
Xuan Ling narrowed his eyes, clearly surprised.
Feng Yue frowned slightly.
Mo Chen clenched his fists.
Yan Rui remained silent, but his gaze grew far more serious.
At the top of the stands, several elders abruptly straightened.
The Elder of the Mo Clan inhaled deeply.
"This bloodline manifestation…"
Another elder murmured in disbelief.
"A spiritual vision of this level… from someone so young?"
Even the Elder of the Long Clan could not hide his surprise.
Only Wang Shixiong remained perfectly still.
His gray eyes observed the altar with icy intensity.
The officiant's eyes widened.
"A Bloodline Vision…"
His voice trembled.
"Ancestral Bloodline: Heir of the Scarlet Asura!"
As for Bhima Shi…
he stared at the colossal aura above him like a child discovering a new toy.
"Not bad…"
The vision of the Scarlet Asura slowly faded into the sky.
The sacred ruins crumbled into fragments of crimson light before disappearing like embers carried away by the wind.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Even the air seemed frozen.
Then the formation barrier stopped vibrating.
The murmurs of the crowd exploded immediately.
"An Ancestral Bloodline…"
"That boy from the Shi Clan is a monster…"
"With such an inheritance, he could become one of the pillars of the village…"
The disciples of the Shi Clan were jubilant.
"I told you!"
"Bhima is the strongest of our generation!"
At the top of the stands, the elders exchanged heavy glances.
The Elder of the Mo Clan narrowed his eyes.
"An Asura… interesting."
The Elder of the Feng Clan slowly nodded.
"This generation… seems far more dangerous than the previous one."
Even the Elder of the Long Clan remained silent for a moment before speaking coldly.
"Hmph. Just an Ancestral Bloodline."
Yet no one failed to notice the dark glint in his eyes.
At the foot of the altar, Bhima Shi calmly descended the steps, as if nothing extraordinary had just happened.
He passed the other heirs with a satisfied smile.
"Not bad for an old stone after all."
Xuan Ling met his gaze.
"Don't get arrogant too quickly."
His voice was calm, but his eyes burned with cold determination.
"The awakening has only begun."
Feng Yue simply stared at the altar, her fingers tightening inside the sleeves of her robe.
Mo Chen continued looking at the spot where the Asura vision had vanished.
Hai Lan sighed softly.
"You people are really noisy…"
Yan Rui said nothing.
His eyes remained fixed on the altar like those of a hunter observing his prey.
At the top of the altar, the officiant finally regained his composure.
He inhaled deeply before raising his hand again.
"Next!"
The murmurs gradually faded.
The entire plaza now held its breath.
The geniuses of the Hidden Village would step forward one by one.
And everyone wanted to see…
just how far this generation could truly rise.