284: Chapter 284 stunned Xu Ruyu; this was the real Taihu Cauldron.

"Senior, rest assured."

Xu Ruyu promised solemnly: "The Taihu Clan has treated me with sincerity; Sister Qingli, the Clan Chief, the Supreme Dharma Master, and others have shown me the grace of protection, and all the clansmen treat me with respect."

"If I achieve something in the future, this Junior will never forget the kindness of today and will certainly do my best to protect the Taihu Clan."

"Good, good." The voice of the ancestors mark revealed a sense of gratification, "I believe in you."

After finishing, its hazy figure slowly raised a hand, palm facing upward.

A silver-white point of light, brilliant to the extreme, emerged from its palm, then slowly flew out of the crystal wall and hovered in front of Xu Ruyu.

The point of light rapidly expanded and transformed, and in an instant, it turned into a small, three-legged tripod, only the size of a palm, with a dark golden body flowing with seven-colored radiance.

This small tripod had an ancient and peculiar design, with three legs and a round belly, and two hollowed-out handles. On the body of the tripod, countless ancient runes and starry sky patterns, tiny to the extreme, were densely engraved. Those patterns seemed to be slowly flowing and evolving on their own, emitting a supreme aura that suppressed the heavens and governed all spirits!

The moment he saw this small tripod, Xu Ruyu's pupils suddenly contracted!

This tripod... he recognized it!

Although the size, color, and aura were vastly different, that unique design, that feeling of familiarity as if connected by blood...

It clearly originated from the same source as the imitated "taihu tripod" that Lady Qingli had offered up to protect him when she confronted Xiao Nianyin at the Ningyin Hall of the Hehuan Sect!

However, the ancient, sacred, and vast aura of the small tripod before his eyes far exceeded that of the one held by Lady Qingli by ten million times!

It was as if that imitation was merely a projection of a trace of the aura of this true divine object before him!

"This... what is this?!" Xu Ruyu's voice was dry.

"This is the true 'taihu tripod' of our clan."

The voice of the ancestors mark carried immense solemnity: "It is neither metal nor jade, and it was not crafted in the Acquired realm.

It is formed from the core fragment of the Legacy sacred object of our clan's ancestor, the 'Starry Sky Spirit Fox' branch. It drifted into this world with our clan, carrying a portion of our clan's Origin Luck, the ancestor's will, and the starry sky mark.

It is the true symbol of power and source of strength for our Taihu Clan."

The true taihu tripod! The core fragment of the Legacy sacred object! Xu Ruyu gasped.

The weight of this gift was too heavy! So heavy that he almost dared not accept it!

"Senior, this item is too precious; it is your clan's supreme sacred object. What virtue or ability does this Junior have..."

"This tripod cannot be wielded by just anyone." The ancestors mark interrupted him, "It has its own spirituality and chooses its master to serve.

Ordinary clansmen, even if their cultivation is heaven-defying, will suffer a backlash if they try to use it forcibly without its approval.

The imitated tripod in the hands of that little girl Qingli merely borrows a trace of this tripod's aura, combined with the secret arts of the clan to refine it; the power borrowed is not even one percent of the original."

"And you..." The voice of the ancestors mark carried a strange fluctuation, "When you stepped into the Tianyin Mountains and triggered various strange phenomena, this tripod already resonated with you.

Especially during the Heart-Nature trial, when you were willing to die for an ancient clansman I did not know, this tripod vibrated incessantly, autonomously drawing upon the clan's Luck and faintly connecting it with your own Luck.

At the top of the Heaven-Climbing Ladder, when the immortal light descended, it completely ignited its approval."

"Therefore, it is not I who am gifting the tripod to you." The ancestors mark said slowly, "Rather, it is this tripod that has chosen you.

I am merely complying with its will to complete this final handover."

Xu Ruyu gazed blankly at the dark golden small tripod hovering before him, feeling the vast, sacred, and yet slightly intimate aura it emitted, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The starry sky patterns on the tripod seemed to faintly echo the concept of contemplating the Universe and absorbing the energy of heaven and earth in his "True Explanation of Taixu Source Energy".

"What does holding this tripod mean?" Xu Ruyu asked in a deep voice.

"It means," the ancestors mark imprinted into Xu Ruyu's Divine Soul, word by word and with absolute clarity, "that you have been recognized by our clan's Legacy sacred object and designated by this remnant of my ancestors mark as the true 'Tripod Bearer' of our Taihu Clan!"

"Holding this tripod, you can ignore cultivation restrictions to a certain extent and mobilize the power of the Taihu Clan's Luck accumulated over eternity to strengthen yourself and protect a region."

"Holding this tripod, you can, in times of crisis, communicate with the marks of the heroic spirits of the past Taihu Clan ancestors sleeping within the tripod, borrowing their Divine Soul power, combat experience, and even unleashing their unique Divine Abilities!"

"Holding this tripod is like my personal presence! Within the Taihu Clan, all who recognize the aura of this tripod must obey your orders!

Your will, to a certain extent, can represent the will of the entire Taihu Clan! Even the Clan Chief and the Supreme Dharma Master must respect the reasonable orders you issue with the tripod!"

Xu Ruyu was completely stunned! How could this be just a Magic Treasure? This was clearly the supreme authority of the Taihu Clan! It was the supreme token representing the recognition and trust of the entire clan!

Possessing this tripod was equivalent to possessing partial control over the ancient Taihu Clan! It meant having the qualification to invoke its profound heritage!

In this perilous Cultivation World, this was simply an incredibly powerful talisman and trump card!

It also meant that from this moment on, his fate and the fate of the Taihu Clan were truly tightly bound together; they would prosper together and suffer together!

"Senior... this responsibility is too heavy." Xu Ruyu smiled bitterly.

"With great power comes great responsibility." The ancestors mark said calmly, "Since you possess world-shocking talent, an unyielding will, and a pure heart, you naturally have the potential and burden to carry this tripod and protect our clan.

Moreover, this tripod choosing its master is also the direction of the clan's Luck. Perhaps the future of our clan truly needs to rely on this unique 'Dao' of yours."

Its figure became increasingly faint, and its voice gradually became ethereal: "Little friend, accept it. Treat our clan well. The road ahead is filled with thorns; I hope you... take care."

As the voice fell, the hazy figure within the crystal wall, like a candle in the wind, flickered one last time, and with a smile of relief and expectation, it completely dissipated without a trace.