Chapter 8
Time slipped away like a fish through her fingers. The moment she opened her eyes, another three days had passed.
“Students, I imagine many of you have been waiting for this exciting day. Before we begin, I have a lot to say to you.” On the high platform stood a tall young man in a tailcoat, his hands clasped behind his back and his expression solemn.
On the enormous sports field, all 1,500 seniors were arranged in neat formations, divided into twenty classes. The sight was spectacular!
“Students, do you know why we become Warriors?”
The young man’s voice was solemn, like a general addressing his troops on the battlefield.
“I hope that whether you rise to high office or remain as lowly as dust, you never forget our most important mission as Warriors: to explore humanity’s development and defend our homeland. Don’t forget that beyond your peaceful cities, countless powerful demons are watching us like hungry tigers!”
“Remember this! Our peaceful lives were forged from the flesh and blood of countless predecessors! Look up to them! Become them!”
The young principal spoke at great length. At last, he came to the part everyone was waiting to hear.
“All right. The Awakening begins today. I hope every one of you will become a pillar of the Dragon Nation in the future!”
As soon as the young principal finished speaking, the students on the field could barely contain their excitement.
Who wouldn’t want to unleash their bloodline power and command flames to burn away all evil? Who wouldn’t want to wield absolute zero and forge a territory of their own? Who wouldn’t want to sprout wings and soar through the skies—or become a giant suit of armor to repel invading demons?
In countless stories, videos, and movies, there were so many heroes worthy of their admiration—heroes they longed to become. Today was the first step on their journey as Warriors. Outside, they could stand proudly against the might of demons; at home, they could rise to high office...
The Awakening was taking place in all twenty classes at once.
Su Jiu looked at the number card in her hand. Number 51—she would be the last person in her class to undergo the bloodline awakening.
Their homeroom teacher, Lu Nan, who was also their graduation advisor, stood at the front of the class. The Awakening would take place in full view of everyone. All the students had to do was walk forward when their names were called.
Then they would place both hands on the Awakening Stone in front of their homeroom teacher, focus quietly, and seek out the strongest bloodline within them.
“Su Jiu, you got in through the back door. What if your Awakening fails? I heard that people who’ve only just passed fifty percent Blood Condensation can fail pretty easily. A good-for-nothing like you shouldn’t waste the energy of an expensive Awakening Stone.”
A familiar voice rang out from the neighboring line. It belonged to Lu Ke, who had kicked through Su Jiu’s bed board not long ago.
Lu Ke already disliked Su Jiu, and this was the perfect chance to mock her during the Awakening. The others might be afraid of being humiliated by Su Jiu’s A-rank Ice Chi bloodline,
but Lu Ke wasn’t. She was certain she’d inherit her father’s A-rank bloodline and surpass Su Jiu’s Ice Chi in both strength and attributes.
Besides, she was a genius with an eighty-one percent Blood Condensation level. What was Su Jiu, if not a good-for-nothing?
Su Jiu ignored her. She took a strawberry-flavored lollipop from her pocket and started eating it as if nothing had happened, though her brows remained knitted.
“Su Jiu, what’s wrong? Don’t dare answer Sister Lu? Tsk, your hand’s shaking so badly. Are you scared? That makes sense. Without your family’s protection, someone like you will probably end up living at the very bottom of society.”
Another girl standing a short distance away suddenly spoke up. This seemed to be the first time she’d dared to talk to Su Jiu like that.
Su Jiu said nothing. In her previous life, as a late-night pianist in the Rift, she would’ve played a whole song on these people’s family trees. But she wasn’t in the mood today.
For some reason, she couldn’t stop feeling cold. Her hands and feet were trembling on their own.
She wondered if everyone felt this way...
It was getting colder and colder, a chill that seemed to reach her soul. And the two ridges along her back hurt so much...
Ever since breakfast, her body had been trembling as if she’d eaten popping candy. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking, no matter what she did.
She felt like today was practically her personal day of suffering. Her back and waist ached, and her hands were shaking like she had Parkinson’s.
Good grief, this was brutal. Could it be over already?
Su Jiu desperately wanted to go back to the dorm and collapse. She was biting down so hard she nearly snapped the lollipop stick, keeping her head down so no one would see her miserable state.
Who knew how long passed.
“Lu Ke!” Homeroom teacher Lu Nan suddenly called.
“Look, that’s Lu Ke. She’s so cool, and she’s always among the top twenty in the grade. You hardly ever see her in class. I heard she often trains at her father’s private training ground.”
“Yeah, I saw her this morning. I really like her. I wonder what bloodline she’ll awaken. A beautiful girl like her must have some noble bloodline, right?”
As soon as Lu Ke stepped forward, a few boys in the class began to whisper about her. Boys from other classes also kept glancing her way.
Lu Ke acted as if she didn’t care, but she secretly enjoyed being talked about. It felt great to have losers admire her.
She walked up to their homeroom teacher with a modest, confident smile, giving off an air of elegance and humility.
“Lu Ke, your father is from the Lu clan of the Divine Ape family, isn’t he?” Lu Nan asked with a smile. He had seen that place for himself back when he was still in the military.
Ten territories, nine Battle Generals, and one Battle King. Truly terrifying.
“That’s right.”
“What’s your Blood Condensation level?” Lu Nan continued, following the usual procedure.
“Eighty-one percent.”
As soon as Lu Ke said it, gasps erupted around them.
“Eighty-one percent? Once I reached seventy, every extra point became so hard to gain. How did she get it so high?”
“If she’s at eighty-one percent and awakens a good bloodline, she might even have a shot at one of the lowest spots among the Five Greats!”
A confident smile appeared on Lu Ke’s face. Her eyes swept over the awestruck faces around her before finally landing on Su Jiu, who had her head bowed. When she saw that Su Jiu wasn’t looking, she lost interest and looked away.
“Good. You should awaken some kind of Divine Ape bloodline, which will give you an advantage over many others. But don’t forget to keep working hard. Your initial bloodline can’t determine everything.” Lu Nan nodded approvingly and continued.
Lu Ke nodded, but inwardly scoffed. Sure, bloodline wasn’t everything—but without an initial bloodline or family backing, you’d be stuck at the bottom of society forever!
Besides, her eighty-one percent Blood Condensation proved that she’d worked harder than many people.
With her homeroom teacher’s permission, Lu Ke slowly placed both hands on the floating Awakening Stone.
The Awakening Stone was a thick, astrolabe-shaped disk with a clear palm-shaped indentation. Lu Ke looked calm, but she was just as nervous as anyone else as she placed her hands on it...
With her bloodline, she would likely awaken the A-rank Blazing Fire Divine Ape bloodline her father possessed. But something special could happen—she might return to her bloodline’s ancient form and awaken the S-rank Titan Divine Ape. If that happened, the Lu family’s main branch might finally take her seriously.
She gently set her hands on it...
The Awakening Stone suddenly glowed with starlight. Lines of light connected into star-like patterns, crawling across Lu Ke’s right hand like strange veins.
Everyone was curious about what bloodline Lu Ke would awaken with her eighty-one percent Blood Condensation. They all craned their necks to watch.
Lu Ke stood motionless, as if enlightenment were being poured straight into her. Her head tilted slightly upward...
Whoosh—
Suddenly, nameless black flames curled around the Awakening Stone.
The flames grew stronger and stronger, until they burned the wooden table beneath the Awakening Stone. They burned a black hole into the specially made table, and a flaming giant ape over three meters tall suddenly appeared behind Lu Ke as a phantom.
Waves of scorching heat battered the students around them.
“This aura is from at least an A-rank fire bloodline! And it’s incredibly concentrated. It could even rival a faint S-rank bloodline.”
As the phantom faded, Lu Nan murmured to himself. Still, he wasn’t particularly surprised.
“Just as expected—the Blazing Fire Divine Ape.”
Lu Ke had heard the commotion. She opened her eyes, delighted. She wasn’t disappointed that her bloodline hadn’t returned to its ancient form. She could feel that she was now a Warrior, and her powerful bloodline had made her at least twice as strong as before in every way.
She could now throw a punch with at least 1,500 catties of force.
Now, dealing with trash like Su Jiu would be as easy as crushing an ant... If not for their parents’ generation, she wouldn’t have bothered comparing herself with Su Jiu at all. The world had changed, and Su Jiu’s bloodline would be lucky to give her a 1.2-fold boost.
“An A-rank bloodline, and a very strong aura. Keep training, and I believe you have a chance to contend for a place among the Five Greats!” Lu Nan’s eyes were full of approval.