Patriarch Selection Commences

Opening his eyes Yu Yan sensed the change almost instantly. The world before his eyes seemed vastly different than before. He could hear the soft breathing of the Stealth-Blood Wolf more clearly, and the colors were more distinct. Even better, a saintly atmosphere pervaded his surroundings and his mind felt at ease.

According to his calculations, the selection process for the Yu Clan Patriarch started today. His twenty soldiers were gathered in the courtyard when he emerged from his room and left the Pocket world.

"Lu Sheng," he called as he stepped into the open field.

"Yes, Master," Lu Sheng responded, his expression stoic and his tone firm.

"Keep your ranks and follow me to the Clan Hall," he ordered, feeling proud of himself. Commanding his own people was a dream of his when he was back on Earth, but all he could get were security guards.

Wearing a simple neat robe, he took confident and calculated steps towards the Yu Clan Hall. His physique was starting to show its effects. As he walked, those who saw him were first stunned before they began muttering to each other.

"Who is that?"

"He's coming from the Clan Courtyards, maybe he is one of the Clan Elder's illegitimate child. After all, we know all the Elders's children, right?"

"Maybe he is a hidden genius of the clan?"

"Are you stupid, didn't you attend his wedding the other day? That's Yu Yan!"

"What? Yu Yan? How can he be like this?"

"Doesn't it make sense? Before they noticed he was a fool, he caught the attention of the Patriarch and became a Legacy, now that he has recovered the reason normally will reveal itself"

"That's true. Which of the Legacies don't have their own talent."

"Yu Wei is a genius scholar, Yu Hao is a sword genius and Yu Chen is a talented Disciple of the Clear Heart Sect"

"Then Yu Yan is a Sage from the Nine heavens"

"Bootlicker," the last comment, earned a few disdainful grunts as Yu Yan passed by.

The Yu Clan Hall had long been converted into an open space with seats surrounding it like a stadium. In the middle was a platform on which the First Elder sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, waiting for the auspicious time to start the ceremony.

Naturally, as a clan with some connection to the Imperial Family, the Patriarch selection attracted many dignitaries from the Empire and also other clans and Sects.

Within the Clear Heart Sect's representative Booth, a young girl stood firm, her clear gaze staring through the glass down at the stage. Wearing a white robe with a sword on her waist, her beautiful blue eyes glistened as she looked around curiously. There was no expression on her face only determination. Her skin was clear like jade and the visible part of her legs revealed smooth white skin. She could be considered a Kingdom toppling beauty, in no way inferior to Mei Hua Lin. Only she lacked the seductiveness that Mei Hua's mole inadvertently gave her.

Beside her stood Mei Hua Lin in a red robe, her eyes searching the entrance with anticipation and longing.

"Sister Lin, your heart still wavers over such earthly things" Yu Chen teased.

Mei Hua glanced at Chen and shook her head.

"My heart is clear because I know what I want. And Yu Yan is my husband now; if I don't care about him, then my heart will be cold, not clear," she replied.

Yu Chen's eyes widened and she wore a pondering expression.

"No wonder Sister Lin's cultivation is greater than mine" she eventually praised sincerely.

The doctrine of the Clear Heart Sect was not like many understood it to be. Because the girls of the Sect were always cold, people thought the sect doctrine was to have no mortal attachment and to be unshaken by earthly things. But this wasn't true. The Sect's motto was; To seek the Dao with Clarity.

Everyone had their own interpretation of it. This was why those disciples who thought it meant to detach themselves hardly ever advanced far in their cultivation. Because they were denying themselves their true feelings, thus, their heart was not clear.

It was obvious that Mei Hua's understanding of 'Clarity' was far ahead of her peers.

"Does Sister Lin think I have a chance?" Yu Chen asked again looking down at the stage with anticipation.

"Don't you want to be Sect Leader after your master? Why do you care about a small Yu Clan?" Mei Hua asked curiously. She could not understand why Yu Chen even bothered.

Yu Chen's expression soon dropped, and she glanced at the place where the Yu Clan Elders sat. Her gaze sneakily glanced at the Ninth Elder.

"If I cannot take home with me to immortality, of what benefit is a long life or great power?" she muttered in a low voice.

Behind her, the Elder of the Clear Heart Sect, who escorted her to keep her safe, had a complicated expression.

Although the Clear Heart Sect had taken in Chen and nurtured her, this girl's attachment to her clan was still very strong. She saw the clan as home and not the sect even though she was a direct disciple and successor of the Sect Leader.

She knew the Yu Clan's Patriarch's selection secret and felt pity for her. Shaking her head, she maintained her silence and kept watching.

***

As the sun started to fall from its highest point, Yu Yan finally entered with his soldiers behind him.

They marched forward in strict formation attracting the gaze of everyone around. Their eyes first landed on Yu Yan, and for a moment, everyone was stunned, even the Clear Heart Sect Elder and the few dignitaries from the Empire.

Yu Yan's bearing was extraordinary, although he wasn't as handsome as Yu Wei, he was not as immature. His physique was robust within the robes, neither muscular nor skinny but fitting his robe just right. His gaze was soft and enlightened as he looked around serenely without any excitement or curiosity.

The eyes of the Clear Heart Sect Elder widened and she started to tremble and mutter in excitement.

"A sage! A sage." She was so excited that he almost jumped down there to make Yu Yan join the Clear Heart Sect.

But her expression soon fell and her eyes dimmed.

"Too bad he is male." She felt dejected and sat back down, her heart full of pity.

Yu Chen and Mei Hua glanced at each other feeling confused at the Elder's reaction. Mei Hua didn't think much of it, she quickly jumped out of the booth and floated down towards Yu Yan. Although the peek of Foundation Establishment could not fly yet, she was still able to control her fall.

When she landed beside him, they both looked into each other's eyes and smiled warmly.

"My eyes! My eyes" some started to exclaim and look away.

Many girls of the Yu Clan stared with red faces, their hearts beating wildly as they fantasized about a perfect couple. Instantly, Yu Yan and Mei Hua made all the girls in the venue, their fans, and the boys feel bitter. Why couldn't it be them?

"Sister Lin looks really happy with him" Yu Chen muttered to herself, her eyes dreamy as she stared at the scene.

Mei Hua always seemed to wear her thoughts on her sleeve, but Yu Chen knew that many things were disturbing her heart. Her smile never reached her eyes until now.

"The Yu Clan Patriarch Selection Ceremony will begin now. All Legacies make your way to the center platform." An announcement suddenly came from the middle of the field, booming into everyone's ears in a stern display of strength and control.

The eyes of a few dignitaries squinted as they felt apprehensive, taking cautious glances at each other.

Obviously, this move from the First Elder was a display of strength.

Yu Yan and Mei Hua Lin parted ways and he headed for the center stage. Yu Chen, Yu Hao, and Yu Wei also appeared, each of them landing before the First Elder in their own styles.

Yu Hao had a wineskin on his waist and a slim sword the width of two fingers on his back; he stood straight in a blue robe, and around him was a very sharp atmosphere so that no one could look straightforward at him for long without feeling their eyes hurting. This has nothing to do with his realm of cultivation but his realm with the sword.

Yu Chen, on the other hand, seemed very pure; her expression was clear, and her eyes beautiful as she stared ahead peacefully. Around her was a serene atmosphere that made everyone who saw her feel comfortable.

Yu Wei was the simplest of them all. With a scholarly bearing and wearing the sly smile of an official, he seemed very out of place with everyone, and so automatically, the Yu Clan members paid no attention to him.

Lastly was Yu Yan, standing as if merged into the heavens and earth. He seemed almost like a heavenly being who had gone through enlightenment. His every gesture seemingly carrying a deep meaning. Like Yu Chen and Yu Hao, this also had nothing to do with his cultivation.

"The Yu Clan has very promising seeds this time"

"Yes, especially that sword cultivator; what realm of Sword enlightenment do you think he has reached? One with the Sword?"

"If he was one with the sword, wouldn't he be the strongest here?"

"You notice the sword cultivator but isn't the girl the most powerful person there?"

"Yes, in status and cultivation level the others just cannot compare. And her Clear Heart seems to have just broken through to the Serenity stage"

"What about the fool?"

"There's nothing special about him, he just benefited from a defective soul. His soul is unblemished like a baby now, unless he cultivates in a cultivation method like the Clear Heart method, his soul will get sullied soon"

The dignitaries of the Empire and visitors from other clans discussed among themselves.

"The Patriarch selection will begin now." The First Elder opened his eyes and slowly stood up. All his cultivation ripples retracted and he seemed just like an old man. For some reason, this only made the powerful people around more wary.

"This time selection will follow the same rules as all those before it. You will be tested by the Clear Heart Sect's treasure for the first stage. Within the effect of the Treasure, no thought or intention can be hidden. I will ask some questions and your answer will be audible to everyone in the audience. If you have some secret worth hiding, you have the option to quit now or privately tell me about it before we start."

Yu Yan was instantly stunned by the rules. Wouldn't his system instantly get exposed?!