Master Hector sighed in his mind, giving a nod to Master Kondle to continue.

“Gena Tilia.”

...

The awakening ceremony continued. Most young clansmen ended up being mortals. Those who awakened a third fissure were mostly bronze, followed by silver, with only a few managing to awaken.

Jinto gulped.

Each time a name was called, it got closer to his. This was the moment where he would see the doors of opportunities that lay before him. He wished for smooth sailing in his journey. If not many opportunities arose, he would need to work extremely hard.

It was already good that Gent awakened a Diamond fissure. Just thinking about it gave him a headache. It wasn’t just personal matters he was worried about, as he had some grievances with Gent, but also the possibility of his family declining. Especially now with ties to the grandson of a high elder. With just that status alone, it could slightly suppress the entire Fang family.

After the last person called out sat down, Master Kondle called out to the next.

This youth had green robes around his body. On his waist, he wore a white belt that complemented his robe. The neatly adorned robe was neither modest nor extravagant. His medium black spiky hair sat at his shoulders. His brown eyes looked forward deeply.

Before he took a step, this youth took a deep breath.

He went towards Master Kondle, lifting his robes slightly to reveal his lower torso. On it, Master Kondle wrote an intricate circle with his quill.

“This should be the Heaven’s Spring Fissure Array,” Jinto thought as he looked at his lower torso. “With this, the array in my torso is connected to the Heaven’s Spring that is kept secretly within the clan.”

While thinking, Master Kondle gave him four mana stones and instructed him to go towards the wooden platform and complete the steps he had seen the other youngsters do.

Holding the mana stones, Jinto couldn’t help but think, “The clan's funds truly are deep!”

Throughout his life, Jinto had never personally held four mana stones—at most, two. Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but calculate how much the clan spent per awakening.

“If there are about a hundred and fifty children, that’s six hundred mana stones!”

Six hundred mana stones were enough for a humble, comfortable life. But the clan could spend such an amount in the blink of an eye. Seeing how the clan treated such an amount as insignificant left Jinto baffled.

When he reached the wooden platform, he began to place the four mana stones into the corners of the array where smaller circles protruded.

While placing the stones, Jinto thought, “Similarly to the array written on me, this should be a sub-array that is connected to Heaven's Spring. Inside the spring, the foundational array lies.”

“In order to awaken a fissure, two steps must be completed: a strong enough body and the absorption of mana. These sub-arrays help with the latter condition. Firstly, the array on the wooden platform should absorb the mana from the mana stones, then release it. Then the array on my torso should be like a guide that absorbs the incoming mana, forming a fissure inside my body.” Jinto guessed.

In truth, he was half wrong. The array on the wooden platform was a simple array with the purpose of absorbing and releasing mana. Whilst the array in his lower torso connected to Heaven's Spring.

Only with the connection to Heaven can one unlock their fissure. A simple guiding array that directed the mana to the body would not work in creating a fissure.

In the legends, it is stated that without Heaven’s permission, a fissure is nothing but null.

As recorded in The Heavenly Testament, the first human ancestor, Sirius, begged Heaven to grant him strength. With strength magic tormenting him and no way to defeat the strong, he could only beg for thirty days and thirty nights. Until he saw a premonition that guided him to a sacred spring, granting him a fissure.

Jinto finished placing the stones in their respective places. Then he sat cross-legged in the center of the array.

“This is it.”

The array started to shine in golden-white light. His black spiky hair shot upwards as his robes fluttered violently. His body was covered in white-gold brilliance.

“This feeling is indescribable,” Jinto's mind raced as he felt the incoming mana pouring into his torso.

“The feeling is quite vague yet warm, formless yet structured. I can feel the warmth rushing into my body.”

The sensation of absorbing mana was akin to a hug from a loved one. It was truly an indescribable, comforting feeling.

“This is magical!”

Quickly, the mana stones dimmed greatly and turned into dust. The bright brilliance coming from the array stopped as soon as the mana stones shattered.

In the center, Jinto’s hair returned to his shoulders, and his robes settled neatly on his body.

“Son…” At this moment, Teren couldn’t help but feel proud. His son had really grown up too fast before his eyes. Now he had become a magician. As a parent, he couldn’t help but feel a little dejected as he watched his baby bird attempt to leave the nest.

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Jinto opened his eyes, light shining in them. He felt rejuvenated, as if he had woken up from a good sleep.

As instructed, he went off to the giant orb.

His face unreadable, he moved step by step until he stood in front of the orb.

“Now I just need to concentrate.” Jinto closed his eyes and focused on his torso, pouring out the mana his newly awakened fissure produced.

The orb lit up in a yellow light, and from within, roots began to form.

One root emerged.

Another root.

And finally, a third root appeared.

Jinto let go of the orb. At once, the orb’s light started to dwindle.

A mixture of emotions ran through Jinto. He could only smile awkwardly in his mind.

Earlier, when he awakened his fissure, he had already examined it, realizing what rank he held.

Although he had planned for more than just this, Heaven disposes. Something is better than nothing.

So what if it wasn’t a Diamond or Amethyst? I’ll reach my goals no matter the price! Jinto swore in his heart.

“Jinto Fang, Gold Fissure.”

Jinto closed his eyes and took a deep breath before going back to take his seat.

“Congratulations, brother, it seems young master Jinto doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Kalser said while nodding approvingly.

Following up, Ralliere said, “Congratulations, brother.”

“Wow! Big brother is amazing. When I grow up, I wanna be a magician too,” the little girl said.

“Haha.” Teren laughed heartily. Throughout the ceremony, he had expected his son to have a golden fissure. Since childhood, he had shown enough aptitude to be worthy of it, garnering Teren’s attention.

“This is a blessing towards the Fang household,” Teren said happily.

The mood from before was gone, replaced by this wave of good news. Why wouldn’t it be?

The Fang household had gained a newly golden fissure. This was excellent news. Their family reputation would improve slightly, and other opportunities could present themselves. It also made the fighting power of the family much stronger.

A silver fissure could only hold so much mana, whilst a gold fissure held much more mana, with the absorption of mana stones being much faster. This made them more durable in fights. Not only would casting spells not drain their mana reserves quickly, but they would also replenish them much faster.

Silver fissures held 20–40% mana, whilst gold fissures held 40–60% mana. A lower-tier silver fissure magician would be twice as weak as a gold fissure magician in terms of mana capacity. Their obvious advantage could be seen in this aspect.

“Congratulations, Jinto, a gold fissure—what a man,” Paul said, nodding approvingly while giving a thumbs up.

“Man this, man that,” Melissa rolled her eyes. Paul tried to say something but was interrupted as Melissa smirked. “A gold fissure is nothing to scoff at,” she added.

Jinto approached the Melissa-Paul duo with a smile forming on his face. “Thank you, guys. To be honest, this is still too jarring,” Jinto sighed as he sat back down.

“Don’t start acting too high and mighty now, Jinto, or we will have to peg you down,” Paul teased.

“You dare not give me face?” Jinto teased back, changing the topic. “Soon it’ll be your turn,” he said, turning to look at Melissa, who replied with a simple nod.

The next name was called out.

“Melissa Fang.”

Melissa stood up, and the youths saw her. She had straight jet-black hair that cascaded to her buttocks. At each side of her hair were two thin French braids that accompanied the rest down. Her simple yellow robes fell to her ankles.

She stepped forward.

She placed the stones on the array.

Once she was done, she poured her mana into the orb, revealing two roots.

“Melissa Fang, silver fissure,” Master Kondle announced as he wrote it down.

Melissa couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

After some other names were called, Olsen Atmos's name was called out.

His extravagant green robes stood out. His well-kept short hair gave an air of elegance.

Once his results were revealed, it shocked the young clansmen.

“As expected of young master Olsen.”

“Us insignificant characters can only look up to such people in admiration,” a youth sighed.

“Good, good, Cielo. It seems you have a capable descendant in your hands.”

“Thank you, patriarch,” Cielo said, laughing heartily.

His grandson got nothing other than a Diamond fissure! A 3rd-circle magician was nothing short of guaranteed.

“It seems this ceremony is not too bad after all,” Nero spoke, looking at the arena with deep eyes.

Olsen, hearing these people talking to him in such a manner, left him satisfied. His grandfather had already prematurely guessed the status of his fissure. Throughout the ceremony, one could say he was the most composed.

After some time, Paul’s name was called out.

Revealing two roots indicating a silver fissure.

With his head a little down, Paul said quietly, “Oh man, just a silver fissure.”

“Don’t feel too bad. In a battle, mana capacity is just one of the factors, as long as it is an enemy of the same circle,” Jinto said, patting Paul’s shoulder to comfort him.

“Either way, in close combat, I only know five people who would come close to you.”

Paul’s eyes regained some shine. “You’re right, Jinto. So what if I have a silver fissure? As long as I have this body, people will be cowards before me,” Paul laughed heartily.

Nearing the end of the ceremony, a certain youth walked up. His green robes looked a bit scuffed, and his gaze was blurry.

Once he reached the wooden platform and placed the stones in place, he sat cross-legged in the middle. The array activated, breaking into brilliance. As soon as the array activated, it deactivated in an instant.

“Oh, this lad,” Sarina’s eyes shone.

Nero’s heart started to palpitate as his gaze turned greedy.

Cielo and Rosen’s eyes were stupefied, as were the rest of the elders.

The rate of absorption of mana stones was the fastest out of all the youths present. In their minds, they were already thinking of the results but weren’t able to express them externally.

The man next to the wooden platform was shocked. The array light disappeared as soon as it lit up.

If his mouth could physically touch the floor, it would’ve already been going underground!

The youth opened his eyes. “Oh, that’s it? That was pretty quick.”

He got up and headed for the orb.

Pouring his mana, roots emerged.

One root.

Two roots.

Three roots.

Four roots.

Five roots!

From the audience, a collective gasp could be heard. All were surprised by the sudden emergence of five roots.

“Oh Heavens, it seems we truly are blessed!” Nero said with a contagious smile, his eyes shining with a light never seen before.