Leaving The Zhao Clan

" I've heard of rumors of hybrid martial spirits but they have yet to be confirmed. If I'm right, your daughter has a Hybrid flaming fox martial spirit. No martial spirit below rare can become a hybrid, and the flaming fox martial spirit itself was already rare so that makes it a rank higher than ordinary rare martial spirits. This means our clan has a high ranking rare martial spirit in our midst." He continued after they had calmed.

Another round of jubilations ensued with the first elder even shedding a tear of joy over his family's fortune and the overall clan well-being. The crowd were fervently thanking the gods for the clan's luck and the elders too had rarely seen smiles on their faces, a testament of the general happiness of the ceremony.

" Now all that's left is the clan head's son to also get a rare martial spirit!" Some man shouted with a hearty laugh. Every eye turned to face Zhao Weng, who was currently sweating bullets cursing all 18 generations of the man who spoke. The two before him all got common martial spirits, nothing noteworthy, and it was finally his turn.

He ascended the stairs slowly, feeling like a ton was added on his back at each step. He looked at the smiling Zhao Ling anxiously, and she responded similar to him earlier, with a thumbs up and a reassuring smile. He breathed deeply before strengthening his resolve and stepping up, 'here goes nothing' he thought to himself.

He submerged in the pool with a small splash and closed his eyes. The correct method was soul searching and that was what he did, but all he saw was black emptiness. A vast nothingness before him, his soul floating, desperately, searching for any straws of hope to clutch on.his stupefaction grew as he understood what this meant; no martial spirit!

"But how....why ..." He had never been so distraught in his life. "No! I can't give up, I won't give up I am the son of...." " It's of no use! You are just expanding your soul energy on a meaningless venture! You do not have a martial spirit!" These cold, disdainful words were like a flood tide against his weakly kindled flame of hope.

He opened his eyes to find the elder looking down on him, literally and figuratively, with clear and blatant disgust. Everyone knows that when one has no martial spirit all that is emitted is pure white smoke without any astral projection being displayed. It's the first warning one receives on the martial path, a grand sign of disgrace. Now witnessing this similar sign happening to the one who greatness was expected from left a strange feeling in everyone's hearts.

Silence was deafening that even the slightest cough reverberated through the structure. Zhao Weng emerged from the pond not daring to lift his eyes out of shame. He descended the steps, cupped his hands, took to his knees and waddled to his father's feet. Kowtowing countlessly, he said, " Father, I have failed you and the entire clan, please, forgive me." "Forgive?! After you've sullied not only mine but the entire clan's name?! You should be asking for a quick death or a revocation of your title instead!" His father, the clan elder Zhao Ming, snapped.

Zhao Weng stopped kowtowing and slowly stood up, blood covering his forehead and his face darkened. " It is not I who chose my fate! I took just found out I am not fated for martial greatness and I have resigned to my fate; so why can't you, my father, accept that about your son!" "You still dare call yourself my son!! I'd rather have not bore a child if I knew he would become such. After all the resources and time I spent on you this is the way you repay me? What a waste!!" He added with a hateful look and turned his back to Zhao Weng. Every word like an arrow through his heart, Zhao Weng was now thoroughly enraged, " I now see your true nature, Zhao Ming. " He spoke coldly as gasps rang out through the crowd and even the elders frowned in anger.

' he dares call the clan head by his name?! How insolent!' that was among the thoughts ringing in everyone's mind. 'is this how ones without martial spirits act?'. The clan head was so disbelieving that he turned back to look at the wretched being his "son" had become. "You wanted a child for prestige alone, not because you loved the child. I, Zhao Weng, who lacks a martial spirit, is better than you, Zhao Ming, who lacks a heart!" Zhao Weng concluded with a shout.

" Such insolence will not be tolerated! You shall refer to me as Clan Head only!" He shouted in rage. "Clan Head?" Zhao Weng laughed mockingly. "You are no longer my clan head, I'm leaving this disdainful clan!" He shouted angrily. Shouts of rage and death threats rang out. Zhao Ming laughed ragefully, " Good! Very good! Let's see how long you survive Profound Forest. You are here by exiled from the Zhao Clan! No need for our "disdainful" clan's materials, you can leave as is."

" So be it! You will all regret this! I swear this upon the gods" he said pointing at the heavens. He turned heading outside the structure, heading for the forest bordering the clan, The Profound Forest. The clan sneered hatefully and thrower curses at the fallen son of the clan head. The ceremony continued but it was severely lackluster with nothing out of the ordinary happening anymore. The people started leaving. Amidst all this a girl is seen leaning on a pillar crying.

"Zhao Weng, why'd you have to do this?" Tears couldn't stop flowing down Zhao Ling's eyes. After some time she stopped, looking on with determination. "No, this is not over yet.

At the edge of the forest, " So this is Profound forest huh? Not so bad" Zhao Weng Laughs ruefully