Chapter 4: The Soul Ceremony and Ning Rong’s Awakening

As the days passed, the time had come for my soul ceremony, which coincided with my second birthday. The clan members gathered, not necessarily for me but because the ceremony included other children. Despite being adopted in name, many clan members regarded me as a servant to Ning Rong, just as my mother had served Ning Lian. They allowed me to participate only because of my intelligence, which suggested I might have high talent or even a rare physique. Typically, those not of the clan bloodline wouldn't receive such a grand ceremony, but this year was an exception, as two other children would also undergo their soul ceremonies—a rare event usually occurring once every two or three years for a single child.

As I stepped into the grand hall, my heart raced with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The air was thick with anticipation, the buzz of conversation filling the room as clan members from far and wide gathered to witness the rare and prestigious soul ceremony.

The hall itself was a sight to behold, adorned with elaborate tapestries and shimmering banners that fluttered in the gentle breeze. Tables groaned under the weight of lavish feasts, while colorful lanterns cast a warm glow over the proceedings.

But amidst the splendor of the decorations, my eyes were drawn to two figures standing at the center of the room—Ning Sia and Ning Dong, the other children chosen to undergo the soul ceremony alongside me. They stood side by side, their faces flushed with excitement as they awaited their turn to step into the spotlight. Meanwhile, I, with my average face and striking red eyes, couldn't help but feel like the odd one out.

As I made my way through the crowd, I caught sight of Ning Rong, her silver hair cascading down her shoulders. She flashed me a mischievous grin, her pink eyes twinkling with amusement.

"So, little one," she teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "ready to take your place as the clan's resident servant?"

I rolled my eyes, shooting back with a grin of my own. Despite the well-known fact that I was taken in because my parents, who had served Ning Lian, died, it still felt awkward whenever this little imp reminded me. "Please, Ning Rong, we both know I'm only here because they mistook me for someone with actual talent."

Ning Rong let out a peal of laughter, her melodic voice echoing across the hall. "Ah, but don't worry," she said, her tone teasing, "I'll put in a good word for you with Mother. Maybe she'll let you scrub the floors instead of fetching tea for once." Her remark made me cringe slightly; Ning Lian was a cultivator at the Foundation Building stage, and there was no way she hadn’t heard that.

This little devil was in for it now. Sigh.

Before I could come up with a witty retort, Ning Rong's expression softened, her pink eyes clouding with guilt as she realized her mistake right after. "Hey, listen," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. You know I didn't mean it, right?"

I nodded, understanding the truth behind her words.

Before I could respond, however, our mother Ning Lian's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. "Ning Rong, how dare you speak to your brother like that?" she scolded, her eyes flashing with anger.

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Ning Rong recoiled. "I-I'm sorry, Mother," she stammered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I didn't mean to—".

After all she was only a child who was only 4 years old.

As Ning Rong stood there, frozen she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt wash over her. What had she done? How could she have spoken so carelessly to me, especially on a day as important as my soul ceremony?

The weight of her words hung heavy on her conscience .

"I'm sorry, Ning Feng," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the murmurs of the crowd. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean any of it."

But even as the words left her lips, she knew they offered little comfort. Her apology was inadequate in the face of the words she had spoken. How could she make amends for her thoughtless actions?

As she struggled to come to terms with her guilt, Ning Dong's voice cut through the air, his words laced with sarcasm. "You didn't say anything wrong, Ning Rong," he said.

Instead of easing her conscience, his words only stoked the flames of her anger. How could he say something like that? It was unforgivable. How dare he? The guilt churned within her, threatening to consume her from the inside out.

But before she could finish her thoughts, a strange sensation washed over her—a tingling warmth that spread from the tips of her fingers to the depths of her soul. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she felt a strange pressure building behind them, threatening to consume her from within.

Then, in a flash of light, her eyes changed—deep pink orbs with slitted pupils, reminiscent of a serpent's gaze. The room fell silent as everyone turned to stare, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.

I could only watch in astonishment as my sister's transformation unfolded before my eyes, her once-familiar features now distorted by the strange power that coursed through her veins.

Just as the tension reached its peak, a sudden surge of pain ripped through her mind, tearing at her thoughts with merciless force. She cried out in agony, clutching at her head as waves of darkness threatened to engulf her.

But amidst the chaos, she felt something else—a strange pressure building behind her right eye, growing more intense with each passing moment. As she reached up to touch it, her fingers came away slick with blood, staining her skin with crimson hue.

The room spun around her as she stumbled backward, her vision swimming with tears and confusion. "What is happening to me? And why is Ning Dong lying unconscious on the ground before me?" she thought, bewildered.

......

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. What happened before my eyes was truly bizarre. Ning Dong suddenly collapsed after Ning Rong glared at him when he mocked me. From the few books I had read, I deduced it might be a soul attack. It's usually very hard to learn without a special physique, and the way her eyes changed suggested she had a powerful soul physique.

Her eyes led me to suspect that the reason she had this physique had something to do with a strange crystal or gem Ning Jian had taken from the Naga. I doubted they even realized I knew their little secret. She must have a powerful physique as it awakened before the age of five. Only someone with a powerful physique can utilize Qi to damage others before they even start cultivating; even those with regular physiques can't perform such a feat.

I had been reading many books that Ning Rong had been secretly bringing me from the library. I focused more on how Qi worked and how it interacted with the world, along with topics like formations, runes, and alchemy. But most of my time was spent understanding how spiritual roots and Qi meridians worked inside a human body, how Qi helped form meridians, and how they formed Dao seals.

Surprisingly, this clan had pitiful knowledge about how Qi interacted with the human body compared to other subjects. To sense my own body, I needed soul sense, which I was supposed to awaken today. All I needed to do was sit and meditate, focus on my soul sea, and it would automatically activate—or at least, that's what they said.

What shocked me was that after the incident, only Ning Rong's right eye was bleeding, and the glow had faded away from it but not from her left eye. This suggested she might possess another ability. This theory wasn't based on any solid knowledge but mostly on my understanding of clichés. It was a scary thought, and I realized I needed to talk with her before this was revealed.