Xiaoping was beginning to feel exhausted with the conversation as Feng Mian went on and on about the things that she had heard about him and how she had always wanted to be his friend but she was scared because of the look he always held on his face. He shook his head and started looking for an escape route but most of what he saw was the other students giving him and Feng Mian uncertain glances, as if any second he was going to attack her when he was the one that was feeling attacked.

The sound of someone yelling out names made him and everyone look to the door as he watched people from the Emperors Palace make their way into the temple. He let out a sigh of relief and excused himself before heading to where he could see his mother making her way through the crowd. Within a few seconds he was by her side taking her hand into his, she glanced at him and then both of them looked ahead as they finally made it to the front of the crowd.

They looked on as the younger Princes and Princesses made their way into the temple all decked out in gold with their caretakers by their side. As soon as the children spotted the Priestess they ran to her and with Xiao's help she was able to stoop down to greet them. They talked to her in a fast uncaring matter that children normally had and she smiled and nodded along to them, eventually the older Princes and Princesses also made their way into the temple and she stood up to greet them before the caretakers for the younger ones collected them.

Everyone stepped to the side when the last announcement was called, everyone that was not in the royal family or high members of the temple got on their knees and lowered their heads. While Xiao and the royal children bowed their heads lightly and the Priestess tilted her head in greeting. The Emperor and Empress entered the temple hand in hand with bright smiles on their faces, they looked over everyone and then the Emperor commanded them to rise and so they did.

Xiao held his mother's hand as she walked forward and instead of shaking the Emperor and Empresses hand like everyone expected her to she pulled them both into a big hug. Everyone waited for her to be reprimanded by the Emperor but instead the man just let out a loud laugh "well if it isn't my baby sister, you look as beautiful as ever and my very handsome nephew, with the way you're looking I shall have to plan your wedding soon."

The Empress and Priestess laughed "Oh big brother, how I've missed you, it's just that neither of us can find the time to visit each other things are always at out place of dwelling." he nodded and she smiled.

"I am sorry for missing your birthday little one but I brought you some extra gifts to make it up, some come from the elven continent, some from the dwarfs and the others from the river people, you will love them." she nodded in thanks.

"Oh sister in law every time I see you you're lighting up a room and I see that I have a few more nieces and nephews, will you never stop?" she asked dramatically and the three laughed loudly making everyone cast them strange looks. When they stopped the Priestess gestured behind her "well we can do all our catching up tomorrow before you leave. Because tonight those not belong to us but our children that will go on to be men and women."

The Emperor and Empress nodded in agreement before all three of them turned to head through the crowd that had parted, only in the temple was the Priestess allowed to walk in front of the Emperor and Empress. So she and Xiao walked ahead hand in hand leading those behind them to a large area where a large fountain stood. Everyone lined off and allowed the Priestess to step forward alone, Xiao having to release her hand and stand next to his cousins.

The maidens of the Temple were all lined off around the pool leaving the center front free for the Priestess, the woman in question went and took her position and turned to face the crowd. "Welcome all to our Grand Temple on this very auspicious day." The Priestess didn't need to yell because her voice boomed through the room for all to hear. "Today is the day that some of our children, our future go on to become men and women. These same children will soon lead our people into a very bright and successful future because today, they receive their blessings from both us and those that stand above us."

Everyone in the crowd clapped and the Priestess stretched her hands out and a shimmering gold scroll appeared in it "And these are the children." One by one she started calling names "Guiying of the house of Li, Wang Shu of the house of Zhao, Jiahao of the house of WU, Jingyi of the house of Yang." She went on and on calling each name until she was on the last three "Feng Mian of the house of Xu, Xiulan of the house of Xian and finally Xiaoping of the house of Tianzhu."

When she was finished all the children had been lined of in the order their names had been called in with Xiao standing at the back of the line. Everyone watched on as someone placed a white pearl robe on the Priestess and she turned her back to the crowd, when she faced the water it seemed to shimmer and then she stretched out her scroll free hands and rose them up slowly causing an orb of water to raise into the air above the fountain.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It became transparent and the Priestess lowered her head clasping her hand and quickly whispered something. A bright glow spread through the room and she opened her eyes. The orb split into two and then became long wide cylinders that floated over the pool. The Priestess turned around and smiled at the crowd before she faced the first student "Step forward child and receive your blessing." Guiying move forward and she held his face before placing a kiss on his head.

The cylinders glowed and slowly words appeared on them, the Priestess looked up and smiled "It seems you my child have been highly favored by the water gods. You have been blessed by Hǎishén god of the sea, Héshén the river God, Léishén the Thunder God, Shuǐshén the water God and Yǔshén the Rain God. Take these blessings and go forth for you are no longer a child." The boy let off a bright glow and bowed to the Priestess before rejoining his family who congratulated him.

Next person to step forward was Wang Shu who was an panda beast man, the Priestess placed a kiss on his head and he blushed making everyone laugh "You receive your blessings from Mùshén the wood God, Tàiyángshén the great Sun Goddess, Shuǐshén the water God." he bowed to her and glowed as he did before bouncing over to his mother who pulled him into a tight hug.

The list went on and on each person being happy with the blessings that they got and then it was Feng Mian's turn and she seemed to glide up to the Priestess who placed a kiss on her head. "You my child receive your blessings from Shí'èryuèzhīmǔ the Goddess of twelve moons, Bǎoshēngdàdì the Great Deity who Protects Life, Chénghuángshén the Boundary God, Guānyīn She who Hears the Cries of the World, the goddess of mercy. Māzǔ the queen of Heaven, Yàoshén the Medicine God, and finally Sānxīng the three stars, Fúxīng Prosperity Star, god of happiness, Lùxīng Firmness Star, god of firmness and success in life and examinations and Shòuxing Longevity Star, who stands for a healthy and long life."

Everyone was staring on in amazement as she shined brighter than any of the students that came before her and the Priestess hugged her "it seems you my child are destined to be a Priestess, I do hope to see you here soon." Feng Mian hugged her back before skipping off to her father and mother who pulled her into them with wide smiles on their faces.

Next to step forward was Xiulan who kept her face straight as she collected the Priestess's kiss and then turned to watch at the blessings she would get "You have received blessings from one of the three stars Shòuxing the Longevity Star, who stands for a healthy and long life, Jiutian Xuannü, goddess of war, sexuality, and longevity, Guan Yu, god of Loyalty, righteousness, and valor, Yang Jian, Three Eyed Warrior and Jinzha, Marshal of the Center Altar, Wenchang Wang, the god of literature and scholarship."

The Priestess stepped back and saluted Xiulan as she glowed "It seems our continent has just been blessed with the presence of a new future general, I hope you serve and protect this land with dignity and honor." Xiulan bowed and then turned and marched over to her father and brothers who all stood wearing their armors. They saluted her before she jumped into their arms for a tight hug as they laughed.

Lastly was Xiaoping and he stepped up when the Priestess smiled at him "Now it's your turn my son." She leaned down and placed a kiss on his head and they both turned to look at the cylinders but nothing happened. Xiao looked at his mother who watched him with wide eyes before she faced the pool and clasped her hands whispering something to herself. She opened her eyes and he could see a tear fall from her eyes as she turned to look at him.

"Mom what is going on he asked as he stepped forward."

The Priestess pulled him into a hug and placed her head on his shoulders "I am so so sorry Xiaoping, but they refuse to give you any blessings and there is nothing I can do."

Xiao pulled back from his mother and stared at her forgetting all the people in the room as is mind went on a rampage telling him why the gods wouldn't bless him was because he wasn't his mother's son. The people were no longer forgotten as the sound of whispers exploded in the room and Xiao turned to look at them. He could see all the adults watching on and some of the students were laughing at what had just happened to him.

The whispers got louder and louder and suddenly Xiao felt very alone in the room even with his mothers hand clasping around his own. The Priestess looked at the Emperor and the man scowled "Silence!" everyone in the room stopped speaking and lowered their heads "You should all be ashamed of yourselves, a child did not receive blessings on the day he was set to and instead of feeling sad for him you start laughing and making jokes of it, if it was one of your children you would not act that way, in fact you would be cursing the God."

"And again he is the child of our beloved Priestess and you dare to mock him, he is my nephew and you dare be disrespectful to him, I should have you all dragged out of here and whipped. In fact get out, return to your homes at once and I am not to hear a word or whisper of what happened here or god so help me you will all be in trouble!"

With that the doors to the Temple opened and everyone that was not apart of the royal family left in a rush, when they were gone the doors were shut and the Emperor nodded to the Priestess, who smiled at him in thanks before she turned her gaze to Xiao just as he collapsed.