26: Chapter 26 The Young Man's Rise

A phenomenon!

Although the range was small, covering only the sky above the bamboo forest, that pure, extreme Origin aura still shocked the entire Ling Family.

"What is going on?!" Ling Zhentian, who was discussing matters in the study, stood up abruptly and looked toward the direction of the back mountain outside the window. "That is... the place Hao'er said he would use today?"

"Such a pure aura..." Grand Elder Ling Shanhe's eyes flashed with brilliance. "It is not Spiritual Qi, nor is it True Qi... What is this?"

"Origin power." Ling Zhentian muttered. "Hao'er said that he walks the path of Origin cultivation..."

He suddenly thought of something, and his expression changed. "Could he be... condensing the Origin Seed for multiple people at once? How reckless! How much consumption would that require?!"

Before his words had even faded, he had already transformed into a streak of light and rushed out of the study.

At the same time, figures rose into the air from all over the Ling Family and flew toward the back mountain.

Meanwhile, in the clearing of the bamboo forest, the phenomenon continued.

The Origin patterns on the ten children became brighter and brighter, intertwining and resonating with each other to form a huge golden vortex at the center of the Formation.

The vortex rotated slowly, devouring and converting the faint energy in the surrounding air—not just Spiritual Qi, but also the essence of the sun and moon, the energy of the earth's veins, and even the vitality of plants and trees—and injecting it into the bodies of the ten people.

Their cultivation was skyrocketing at a speed visible to the naked eye!

From nothing to something.

From Mortal to formally stepping onto the path of cultivation!

Ling Hao stood at the center of the Formation, his face gradually turning pale.

Condensing the Origin Seed for ten people at once and simultaneously guiding them to complete the process of drawing the Origin into their bodies, even with the assistance of the Origin Resonance Array, consumed far more than he had estimated.

At this moment, the Origin of War within him had dimmed by fifty percent.

But he could not stop.

Once the Formation was activated, it had to continue until all the recipients completed their first circulation cycle, otherwise, all previous efforts would be wasted, and everyone would suffer a backlash.

He drove the remaining Origin power to maintain the operation of the Formation.

Time passed, second by second.

Half an incense stick of time later—

"Hum—!!!" Ten golden beams of light shot up from the tops of the ten children's heads simultaneously, piercing through the Formation's light barrier and straight into the sky!

The golden clouds in the sky were stirred by the beams of light, turning into a huge vortex. In the center of the vortex, golden raindrops fell faintly—that was the "Origin Rain" that materialized after the Origin power reached a certain level of concentration!

A drop of Origin Rain landed on Ling Shi's forehead.

"Boom!"

His whole body shook violently, the earth-attribute Origin Seed in his Dantian spun crazily, and its volume expanded again! And his cultivation also broke through the first small hurdle in this instant—Body Refining Layer 1!

Immediately after, Ling Yu, Body Refining Layer 1!

Ling Feng, Body Refining Layer 1!

All ten people stepped into Body Refining Layer 1!

Although it was just a tiny, insignificant step on the path of cultivation, for these children who were born without Spiritual Roots and destined to be Mortals—this was an earth-shaking step.

This was a step to defy Heaven and change their fate.

"It is done..." Ling Hao looked at the ten small faces before him, shrouded in golden light yet unable to hide their excitement, and a smile finally curled at the corners of his mouth.

The Formation's light barrier shattered with a bang.

The twelve Formation Flags exploded simultaneously.

Ling Hao's body swayed, and he fell backward.

"Young Lord!" Ling You rushed out from the shadows and caught him.

Almost at the same time, dozens of figures landed in the clearing.

Ling Zhentian, Grand Elder Ling Shanhe, Ling Xiao, as well as the various Elders and core disciples of the Ling Family, all arrived.

They looked at the scene before them, all stunned.

The ten children sat cross-legged, their bodies emitting a faint Origin light; although weak, it was undeniably real.

And Ling Hao, supported by Ling You, was pale, but his eyes flashed with an unprecedented brilliance.

"Hao'er!" Ling Zhentian rushed to his son's side. "How are you?"

"I'm fine..." Ling Hao waved his hand weakly, his gaze looking at the ten children. "Father, did you see that?"

Ling Zhentian looked in the direction of his gaze. The ten children slowly opened their eyes.

Their eyes were completely different from before—no longer filled with inferiority or cowardice; in their place was a sharpness like a newborn calf, and a confidence in controlling power.

Ling Shi was the first to stand up, walked to Ling Hao, and knelt on one knee. "Ling Shi of the Youth Battalion, kowtows to thank the Young Lord for your grace!"

"Ling Yu of the Youth Battalion, kowtows to thank the Young Lord for your grace!"

"Ling Feng of the Youth Battalion..."

All ten people knelt on the ground. Their voices were young but firm and powerful.

Ling Zhentian watched this scene, his throat feeling somewhat choked up.

He remembered ten years ago, at the Spirit Measurement Ceremony when Ling Hao was six years old, when he was judged to have no Spiritual Root, those eyes that went from expectation to despair.

He remembered these ten years, the days and nights his son spent silently reading and enduring cold looks.

He remembered three days ago at the mine, his son's madness as he used a Mortal body to clash head-on with a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

And now... his son had not only walked out on that Heaven-Defying path himself, but had also personally lit the lamp ahead for other children who shared the same fate.

"Good... good..." Ling Zhentian said the word "good" twice, patted Ling Hao's shoulder heavily, "You have done very well."

Ling Hao smiled.

Although weak and exhausted, this smile was the most relieved and joyful one he had felt in sixteen years.

He raised his head and looked at the sky.

The golden clouds were slowly dissipating, and the sunlight was shining down on the bamboo forest again.

"This is only the beginning."

He said softly, as if speaking to himself, and also as if declaring to everyone.

"Three months from now, I want these ten people to all step into Body Refining Layer 3."

Ling Hao's gaze swept over every Ling Family Elder and disciple present, finally landing on his father's face.

"I want the Ling Family to never again have the saying of 'Spiritual Rootless trash'."

"I want no one in this Qingyun City to ever dare to look down on my Ling Family in the slightest."

As his words fell, the bamboo forest fell silent.

There was only the rustling of the wind blowing through the bamboo leaves, and the suppressed, trembling, excited breathing of the ten children.

And a greater storm was quietly brewing beneath this calm appearance.

[System Notification]

[Task Completed: Established the first Origin cultivation Legacy (Youth Battalion)]

[Task Reward: "Disintegration Dao Pattern" Advanced Chapter, Battle Spirit Body Enhancement Opportunity x1, Origin Points 2000]

[New Task Published: Within 3 months, explore the first ancient battlefield relic (Qingyun Mountain Range · Valley of Buried Weapons)]

[Task Reward: Issued according to exploration progress]

[Host Current Status]

[Battle Spirit Body (Early Stage), Physical Body strength comparable to Early Stage Foundation Establishment Body Cultivator]

[Mastered Abilities: Disintegration Dao Pattern (Basic, Complete Version) 10 times daily, "Origin Foundation Establishment Method", Eye of Origin]

[Origin Points 3000 Points]

Ling Hao closed his eyes, allowing Ling You to support him as he sat down slowly.

Although weak, his heart had never been so firm.

The Youth Battalion was established.

The Heaven-Defying path now had companions.

Every step that followed would be more difficult, and also more—exciting.

"Nangong Family..." He muttered in his heart. "Just wait."

"Wait until I take my youths and trample your high and mighty Immortal path."

"Wait until I tell this world—"

To have no Spiritual Root is also to be honored. A Mortal body can defy Heaven.