Chapter 2: Third Child (1)

Twelve years had passed since the triplets were born, and the Guo Clan couldn't be happier. They were a relatively average clan with a slight edge in growing magical herbs. As suppliers to the Alchemist Association, their connections were the main reason no one bothered them, not their might. Over the years, the clan had accumulated practitioner weapons, armors, and treasures, but none of their descendants in the past eight centuries were born with exceptional talent.

However, these triplets brought much joy to the clan. It was common knowledge that consuming magical beast meat enabled the body to handle large amounts of spiritual energy. The triplets were only satisfied when they drank the milk of magical beasts, much to their mother's dismay. When they could eat solid foods, their meals contained small portions of magical beast meat, with the amount increasing each year.

The only problem was that two of the triplets behaved abnormally. The only child who acted normally was the middle triplet: Guo Lin. He was everything Guo Feng and the patriarch, Guo Jing, had hoped for. With long brown hair and jade-green eyes, Guo Lin was incredibly strong for his age, able to lift over a hundred pounds with one arm. He was also very interested in martial arts, often imitating what he saw his father and older cousins doing. He was polite, kind, and smart. If raised well, he would not become arrogant and could bring glory to the clan, possibly being one of the first to join a sect or academy.

If Guo Lin was the pride of his parents, his sister, Guo Mei, was his jealous rival. She prided herself on being the best, learning to walk, talk, and write before her brothers. She was incredibly cute and exceptionally fast—by the age of seven, she could outrun most ordinary adults. She constantly sparred with Guo Lin whenever he bested her at something she valued. Her mother sometimes showed favoritism, not wanting Guo Mei to feel left out. Though she didn’t hate her brother, Guo Mei was envious of the attention he received.

Then there was the third child: Guo Yang, the most abnormal of the triplets. Even as a baby, he required a brazier to stay warm, as if he were cold-blooded, always needing heat or heavy clothes. Guo Yang had black hair and sand-colored eyes. As soon as he could walk, he spent much of his time basking in the sun. At first, the family thought he was sickly, but they soon learned he simply hated being cold. He protested whenever the maids dressed him in light clothes or forgot to bring his brazier.

Guo Yang was also incredibly smart. Once he learned to read, he spent most of his time in the library by his brazier. He was uncomfortable talking to or being around others, and his eyes often narrowed as if he suspected people of trying to take advantage of him. He also had an intense hatred for birds, frequently throwing rocks at them. Whenever he hit one, he clapped his hands with glee. After several incidents, no one in the Guo Clan dared bring avian magical beasts near the patriarch's home, where Guo Yang spent most of his time.

While the rest of the family was divided between favoring Guo Mei or Guo Lin, the patriarch, Guo Jing, showed a bias toward Guo Yang. Guo Yang often visited the patriarch’s house and spent time with his snake magical beast. Guo Jing was surprised the boy wasn’t afraid of the snake and even seemed to communicate with it, despite the fact that the beast hadn’t reached the cultivation level where it could speak a human language. In many ways, Guo Jing felt like he was Guo Yang’s only relative, as the boy was comfortable around him.

Another reason for the patriarch’s fondness was Guo Yang's immunity to poisons, which allowed him to help care for the more dangerous herbs in exchange for more magical beast meat and milk. The Guo Clan began growing more poisonous herbs, amazed that Guo Yang was unaffected by the toxins.

What truly set Guo Yang apart was the neidan in his body—a marble-like core similar to an alchemical furnace. As he consumed magical beast meat and milk, the spiritual energy refined within the neidan, enhancing his body. Although no one saw him practicing martial arts, the spiritual energy in his body was far superior to that of his siblings. His neidan was the color of jade, with the image of a snake's skeleton so black it seemed to absorb light. Its presence was the reason he was immune to poison.

"Guo Yang? Guo Yang?" Guo Feng called as his wife made breakfast. Only his older children sat at the table. "Guo Lin, where’s your brother?"

"At Grandpa’s house. He left before dawn again. He wore light clothes, so he took his personal brazier with him," Guo Lin answered, stabbing a scrambled egg.

"Is he not my and Ji Ting’s son? Why does he never eat breakfast with us?" Guo Feng sighed, sitting down with his other children and wife. "I should be more strict with the boy. He has potential to be a great practitioner, but he hasn’t learned any martial arts. The spirit awakening test is today, and yet he runs off to my father’s house. Maybe I should hire a magical beast tamer to teach him how to tame snakes. He could make a good business selling them and their eggs."

"Calm down, dear. He’ll surely change once the spirit awakening test is done," Ji Ting soothed. "No doubt, Father-in-law will bring him. We need to get ready and take Guo Mei and Guo Lin, or we’ll be late."

"You two, finish your food and get dressed," Guo Feng grumbled. Guo Mei and Guo Lin said nothing, sensing their father’s frustration.

"Now remember, Yang’er, behave and don’t try to harm any avian magical beasts as we head to the ritual grounds of our God Lotus City," Guo Jing warned as they rode on his giant snake magical beast, over fifty feet long and six feet thick. He glanced at the boy, who nodded while whispering to the snake, which hissed in response. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes, Grandpa Patriarch," Guo Yang replied. "I’ll only glare at them."

"I swear, why do you hate birds so much?" Guo Jing asked.

"They are evil, vicious creatures. They’re dangerous," Guo Yang answered. Guo Jing sighed as civilians avoided the path of the massive black-and-orange-patterned snake. Ordinary folk were terrified of the patriarch’s magical beast, and no one wanted to anger the Guo Clan, who supplied the Alchemist Association despite their lack of power compared to other clans.

"Hello, Patriarch." "Hello, Father," Guo Feng and the other clan members greeted as Guo Jing and Guo Yang arrived.

"Guo Yang, why didn’t you eat breakfast with us?" Guo Feng asked, looking at his son, who stood beside the patriarch, holding a brazier.

"I don’t like crowds, and you said you’d come early," Guo Yang replied, adjusting his robe.

"Aiyah, leave him be. There are eyes watching," Ji Ting murmured as the Guo Clan gathered with other clans, all bringing their twelve-year-old children for the spirit awakening ritual. The event always took place three days before New Year's Eve, a tradition since the founding of the city. Many commoners and clan members envied the more powerful families whose children typically survived the ritual.

"Welcome to the ritual grounds!" a man in a crimson tuxedo greeted with a smile. "Many people of all colors and ethnicities live in our great God Lotus City. Today, you’ve brought your children for one purpose: to awaken the spiritual energy within their bodies! Some will live, many may die. Such is the risk of becoming a practitioner."

"We're going to die?" Guo Mei gasped, looking at her mother in shock as other children echoed her fear.

"If your children are lucky, they may even gain attribute affinities," the man continued, ignoring the cries of frightened children.

"Maybe I’ll finally discover the third spirit energy my neidan has been absorbing," Guo Yang thought.

"What did that man mean by death?" Guo Mei asked, trembling.