Kaiser stepped into the Ancestral Halls.
The place felt old, not in a decorative way but in a way that suggested time had been resting here for centuries.
The pillars stretched so high that the ceiling disappeared into darkness, making it impossible to tell where the hall ended.
As soon as he entered, he felt them.
Faint but unmistakable gazes pressed onto him, each one coming from an existence far stronger than anything he had ever faced.
With his weak dual cultivation, he felt like someone trying to shield himself from a storm with nothing but a thin sheet.
Before the pressure could overwhelm him, three familiar auras rose around him.
One came from behind, steady and reassuring.
Two came from the front, firm enough to stand between him and the gazes.
He let out a quiet breath.
It seems it still means something that I call them father and mother.
Holding onto that thought, Kaiser walked forward.
He kept his head raised, though he could guess why he had been summoned.
He never imagined the Ancestors would take notice of his cultivation.
There were many in the clan who grew faster and shone brighter than him.
Yet he had been called here.
A calm voice echoed through the hall.
“Child, come forward.”
The moment he heard it, he felt a shift inside.
Something was off.
This was not a place where someone like him should be involved.
The Ancestors gathered here to discuss matters that affected the entire clan.
For them to call him directly could only mean one thing.
There was something about him that they needed to see.
Kaiser did not hesitate.
The moment he saw the Orbs burning quietly in the darkness like distant suns, he walked toward them.
Their light cast long shadows across the ancient hall, and he stopped only when he reached the center of the circle formed by the Colored Orbs.
Surrounded by figures whose mere presence hinted at strength capable of moving mountains or parting seas, he forced himself to remain calm.
He closed his eyes briefly, drawing in a steady breath.
A faint ripple moved through the air.
He felt it almost immediately, a gentle but unmistakable wave of introspection passing through his body.
It was as if something was carefully examining him from the inside out.
The Divine Sense swept over him with precision, leaving no part of him untouched.
When it ended, the hall grew still.
Even the Ancestors behind the Golden Orbs, beings who rarely showed emotion, seemed to react.
Something in that silent moment told Kaiser that what they sensed was unexpected.
“The child…
has no Innate Physique.”
A second voice followed, slower and far more cautious.
“It’s just that he has a perfect foundation at each step, that it imitates Innate Physiques.”
The temperature in the hall seemed to drop instantly.
A faint chill seeped into the air, subtle yet unmistakable.
Even Kaiser, who had been trying his best to remain composed, felt his chest tighten.
This was not good.
‘What the heck?
Innate Physique?
What is going on?’
The revelation was no small matter, and every Ancestor present understood what it meant.
The Golden Orbs shifted slightly, their light bending as though an unseen presence adjusted its focus.
A moment later, Kaiser sensed a gaze land on him.
It was not the gaze of a human, nor something he could clearly define.
For the briefest instant, he glimpsed a golden eye, vast and unfathomable, the kind of presence that made him instinctively look away.
Yet within that impossible gaze, he felt something he had not expected.
A faint trace of… appreciation?
Or perhaps it was something else entirely, something he lacked the qualifications to understand.
A calm voice flowed out from the depths of the Golden Orbs.
“The child is of the legitimate Dawn lineage.”
The Sword Sovereign and the Celestial Phoenix remained composed on the surface, yet both of them exhaled inwardly.
They had always known Kaiser was their descendant, but it still did not explain how he had supposedly awakened Innate Physiques that had no business in Dawn Bloodline.
Hearing the confirmation from the Ancestor itself eased a concern they had been unable to voice.
At the very least, Kaiser’s bloodline was not in question.
But that only solved one problem.
“How…
How is that possible?” The voice came from the Crimson Orbs, carrying genuine confusion.
The Golden Orbs flickered faintly in response, though no immediate explanation followed.
A moment later, the Golden Orb spoke again.
“The child will stay.
The rest of you may leave.”
Kaiser felt the pressure tighten around his chest.
Even standing in this hall was already difficult for him, yet he forced himself to steady his breath. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Before the moment passed, he stepped forward slightly.
“Han is my aid, Ancestor.
I request permission for him to remain.”
The Golden Orbs flickered once more.
Across the hall, Han’s expression stiffened, clearly shocked that Kaiser dared to speak at all, much less make a request of this level.
Even the Sword Sovereign lifted an eyebrow, surprised by both Kaiser’s nerve and the Ancestor’s reaction.
A heartbeat later, the answer came.
“Permission granted.”
Han lowered his head immediately in acknowledgment, though Kaiser could sense the nervous tension rolling off him.
Once everyone else had left, the hall grew quiet.
The vast space felt even emptier now, the silence settling like a heavy curtain.
The Orbs scattered across the hall flickered at the same time.
Even without words, the Ancestors understood the weight behind this moment.
When the Golden Orb grew serious, it meant the matter was far from ordinary.
The Golden Orb spoke.
“Kaiser has cultivated each step of the cultivation with perfection, laying a perfect foundation for his future.”
A wave of shock rippled through the hall.
The expressions of the Ancestors shifted instantly.
“Impossible.”
“How could that even happen?”
“Are you claiming that this child has the potential to acheive Dao Foundation?”
“But he was declared talentless.”
Voices echoed one after another, each carrying disbelief that only grew heavier.
Even the Sword Sovereign and the Celestial Phoenix could not keep their composure; their faces changed repeatedly, unable to reconcile what they were hearing.
They exchanged silent glances.
‘Is this one of your plans?’
‘Do you think I have that ability?’
‘Then how?’
‘I… truly do not know…
Han’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression turning more serious.
Inwardly, he gave a small nod.
‘Just as I guessed.’
Meanwhile, Kaiser stood in the center, utterly lost.
‘Dao Foundation?’