Reborn Tyrant: Immortal Cultivation and Vengeanc

Chapter 2: Revelation Day

　　At dawn, a faint light sneaked into the room through the cracks in the curtains. Outside, early risers were already exchanging greetings.Whisper dressed himself and stood before an embedded crystal mirror on the wall, taking in his reflection for the first time. He looked far more youthful than he had anticipated, bearing a resemblance to Dreamer around the brows and eyes."Is our destination the monastery?" Whisper's gaze shifted to the silent Dreamer beside him.Dreamer merely bit her lip slightly, seemingly not hearing her brother's words as she walked straight out of the house.The two siblings advanced along the stone-paved path, and along the way, they encountered countless peers from the tribe, either walking together or following their families, all converging towards the same direction.It was evident that these people were heading to participate in this year's Revelation Day."Look, there's Dreamer! She's the top scholar in our class. I wonder if she'll seize the opportunity today during Revelation Day and become a true cultivator!" someone whispered.These words immediately drew agreeing gazes from the crowd, indicating that Dreamer was somewhat well-known within the tribe."Huh? Who's the man behind her? They seem to be together?" A voice of confusion emerged from the crowd.This remark piqued everyone's curiosity, and they turned their heads to look at the tall, upright young man behind Dreamer."Is that... Whisper?" a voice tentatively asked."Who?" came a response, accompanied by bewilderment."You don't know? That's Dreamer's brother, the idiot Whisper!" explained an informed person with a mocking tone.Upon hearing the word "idiot," the surrounding youths instantly understood and began jesting and teasing."Oh, you could've just said 'idiot' outright!""Speaking of which, what's the idiot doing out here today? Could it be that he's also going to attend Revelation Day?""Hahaha, he can't even tell left from right! If he has any cultivation aptitude, I'd eat a bowl of dog poop in public!" This statement sent the onlookers into fits of laughter. The laughter and taunts of the crowd reached Whisper's ears, but they stirred no waves in his heart. Instead, he felt a strange urge to laugh along, yet found himself only pitying these ignorant people.As morning mist quietly dissipated, a gentle wash of golden sunlight spilled down from the distant, undulating mountain peaks.In front of the solemn monastery, a vast square had gathered over a hundred teenagers aged fourteen and above.Behind the square, extending along both sides of the broad avenues were dense crowds of tribe members, attentively watching the unfolding events."Another Revelation Day has arrived, and seeing all of you full of vitality fills me with joy!" A tall, silver-haired elder named Li Mirage smiled warmly from the elevated platform.Elder Li Mirage was in charge of managing the academy within the tribe and also served as the host for today's Revelation Day.His greeting ignited the enthusiasm of the crowd below, provoking cheers and excitement.However, more eyes were drawn to the enormous stone monument beside him.This towering stone tablet stood at over two meters high, enveloped by a faint glow that radiated an ancient and awe-inspiring aura."Is that the Revelation Tablet? It's so magnificent; it will determine the destiny of us all!" someone exclaimed in the crowd."A prayer for our ancestors' protection and the grace of the Seven Divinities! Please grant me your favor! Even a humble D-grade talent would be enough to lift me out of mediocrity and soar towards greatness!" whispered a young man, tightly clenching his fists."Please, I must have a talent bestowed upon me! Otherwise, I'll spend the rest of my life tending cows in these fields!"Upon catching sight of the Revelation Tablet, the young people lowered their heads, silently making wishes.In this harsh world, those unable to become cultivators were doomed to live ordinary lives, forever trodden underfoot by others."The Revelation Tablet, at the instant of contact, channels spiritual energy from heaven and earth into one's body. This energy courses through the meridians, triggering an awakening process within the individual. The longer the energy circulates within, the more exceptional their innate aptitude is considered to be," Whisper too gazed upon the stone tablet, his heart already enlightened about its workings.Each young person fixed their gaze on the Revelation Tablet, their eyes brimming with a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation, rubbing their palms together in readiness."You all understand the significance of this day," Elder Mirage's voice boomed, deep and solemn. "Regardless of your past performances, in this sacred moment, each of you has the opportunity to showcase your abilities before everyone!"The crowd erupted in fervor!"May the blessings of the Seven Gods descend upon us, and our ancestors' protection guide us!" Under Elder Mirage's lead, the assembly pressed their hands over their hearts, offering a simple prayer."The Divine Revelation Ceremony officially commences!"An assistant took the list, cleared his throat, and then loudly announced the name of the first participant:"Li Summit!""Here!" An adolescent stepped forward, his breath suddenly hastened.Facing the Revelation Tablet, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and decisively touched it with a trembling yet resolute right hand.Buzz!A sudden burst of radiance erupted from the stone tablet, coursing along the youth's arm and pouring directly into his body. In an instant, half of his form was bathed in a holy glow, revealing the meridians beneath his skin.One second... two seconds... three seconds...Crack!Abruptly, a faint sound echoed as the light that entered him encountered an invisible barrier, circling only halfway through his body before reluctantly returning to the tablet."What... what happened..." Li Summit's eyes widened in disbelief, filled with despair.Elder Li Mirage observed this scene and sighed, "Li Summit, your awakening was not successful. Please step down for now."Upon hearing these words, Li Summit's face turned ashen, as if he had lost his spirit. He looked dejected and lifeless, ultimately retreating back to his original spot with a heavy heart.Lacking cultivation aptitude meant a lifetime destined for mediocrity, plummeting his status within the tribe to the lowest rank, leaving no chance for him to rise above the rest.Many onlookers cast sympathetic glances at him, while most shifted their attention to the next young person who would approach the Revelation Tablet."Just two seconds?" To the astonishment of all, the second youth to touch the stone tablet was also declared ineligible for cultivation, causing an uproar.Following this, three more individuals stepped up to try their luck, yet the stone tablet proved as harsh a testing ground as ever, with no one managing to endure its test for more than five seconds!This meant that these people had failed to awaken any innate aptitude.On the second floor of the monastery, several elders watched these developments closely, their expressions subtly changing as the atmosphere grew increasingly grim."How could this be? Are we destined to leave empty-handed again this year?" An elder murmured anxiously."Is our Li tribe truly on the path to decline?""Great Seven Gods, have mercy upon us! If this continues, how shall we stand against the growing strength of the other two tribes?" Another elder prayed in a tone verging on desperation.With five consecutive youths failing the stone tablet's test, the mood among the higher-ups became exceedingly heavy, their faces darkening to the extreme."Li Martial!" The assistant called out the sixth name."Yes!" A thunderous response echoed back.A young man dressed in coarse cloth emerged, broad-shouldered and muscular, exuding a fierce and robust aura that belied his maturity.He strode confidently onto the high platform, his gaze resolute and unyielding. Without hesitation, he decisively touched the Revelation Tablet.Buzz!In an instant, spiritual energy surged forth, like ethereal mist flowing gently within Li Martial's body."Hmm!" Li Martial let out a muffled groan, but his eyes remained steadfast.Five seconds passed, then ten, and in the blink of an eye, it reached twenty seconds...The spiritual energy coursed through him, like stars illuminating the night sky. At that moment, Li Martial resembled a precision instrument come alive, radiating a brilliant glow from head to toe.At the twenty-second mark, his body began to tremble violently, unable to withstand the mounting pressure within. Like touching live wires, his hand was forced to withdraw from the stone tablet.Yet, this performance was already astonishing enough!"Excellent!" The young onlookers were left gaping, with Li Martial's close friend cheering him on especially.Prior to this, people had even begun to doubt if there was a malfunction with the stone tablet, given that not a single one of the first five candidates had passed.It now seemed clear that those initial five simply lacked the necessary aptitude to pass the test.Mirage Elder's face lit up with joy as he announced, "Li Martial, successfully awakened! B-Rank Talent!"The talent evaluation system ranked from top to bottom as follows: A-Rank, B-Rank, C-Rank, and D-Rank.In the minds of ordinary people, obtaining a D-Rank Talent would already be cause for immense celebration, signifying their ability to rise above the common folk and become cultivators, filled with boundless potential.The tribe held cultivators in high regard; within just four to five years, they could be trained to reach the late stages of the First Order, becoming a crucial force within the tribe.Those with C-Rank Talents were almost assuredly destined to advance to the Second Order of cultivation, enjoying prestigious status and considerable influence within the tribe.As for the fortunate ones with B-Rank Talents, they would inevitably become the center of attention for the entire tribe. They would receive a significant倾斜 of resources, and after seven or eight years of meticulous nurturing, most would have the prospect of advancing to Third Order cultivators, and potentially ascending to the ranks of the elders, becoming part of the core of power.And above B-Rank, the exceedingly rare A-Rank Talents were practically a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. In smaller tribes, they might appear only once in a hundred years.The emergence of such a genius would be nothing short of a divine blessing for the entire tribe, signaling the potential arrival of a Fourth Order cultivator capable of safeguarding the tribe for over a century!Li Martial's outstanding performance brought delight to the elders, many of whom secretly breathed a sigh of relief.This year's Revelation Day had at least produced one B-Rank Talent!"Haha, the boy takes after me!" A burly elder declared triumphantly from the second floor of the monastery.It was evident that he shared a familial bond with Li Martial, who was his grandson.An hour later, most of the young hopefuls had undergone testing by the Revelation Tablet, among them several outstanding individuals with C-Rank and D-Rank Talents.However, more still failed to exhibit any discernible aptitude, leaving the stage with disappointment."Our ancestral bloodline seems to be growing increasingly diluted," the tribal chief said with furrowed brows, filled with worry."For nearly a century now, we haven't produced even a single Fifth Order cultivator. Our bloodline's power is steadily weakening, and it's feared that our future generations will become weaker and weaker..."In this world, a tribe's rise and fall are closely tied to the number of its strong warriors. If each generation proves weaker than the last, they would fail to control the resources within their territory, always under threat of annexation by neighboring powers."Li Victor!" The assistant called out the next participant's name at that moment.Upon hearing this name, all the elders on the second floor turned their gazes toward the tribal chief simultaneously.Although Li Victor was not of the Li bloodline, he shared intricate ties with the chief.Once an orphan in the area governed by the Li tribe, Li Victor had been taken in as a foster son due to the chief's compassion.Slim in build but with determined eyes, Li Victor strode confidently towards the high platform.As he touched the stone tablet and spiritual energy entered his body, he closed his eyes slightly,Twenty... three seconds!"Another B-Rank Talent!" Elder Li Mirage exclaimed with delight, making the announcement.The young people in the square immediately burst into excitement, looking at Li Victor with envy."Just a B-Rank Talent, yet so celebrated?" Whisper observed, shaking his head internally.From the crowd's reactions and this year's crop of cultivators, he could roughly gauge the depth and strength of this tribe—"Too weak!"It was then that the assistant called out his name."Next up, Li Whisper!"