Chapter 491: The Evolution Ritual
Chapter 491: The Evolution Ritual
Just as Li Qian and the Celestial Feather Ancestor were conversing, a stream of light suddenly appeared, cutting through the sky and arriving in front of them in an instant.
"Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, Great-Great-Grandpa..." The stream of light dissipated upon touching the ground, revealing the presence of five individuals. They all spoke up, addressing the Celestial Feather Ancestor with reverence.
Li Qian followed the sound and noticed that the group had an interesting composition.
There was an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, seemingly of a similar age to the Celestial Feather Ancestor. There was also a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties, and a young man who appeared to be in his thirties or forties. Most of the age gaps were visible, and among them, the youngest was none other than Wu You.
At this moment, Wu You stood beside an elderly woman, looking timid and shy, a rare sight as she displayed a girlish demeanor, unlike her usual bold and carefree attitude.
After a brief conversation, the Celestial Feather Ancestor turned his attention to Li Qian.
"The reason for summoning Wu You here should be clear to you all. Li Qian has already formed a contract with her, and he has also discovered the evolution method. Now, we are ready to proceed with the test." The Celestial Feather Ancestor briefly explained the situation.
To be honest, even he was a bit surprised to see so many people here.
He had assumed that at most, one or two people would accompany Wu You, but he never expected four individuals to show up.
However, recalling his previous evaluation of Wu You, he could understand why they would place such importance on this matter.
Upon hearing the Celestial Feather Ancestor's words, the group showed expressions of astonishment.
Through Wu Xinlan, who was Wu You's great-grandmother, they learned about the contract formation.
They also learned about the timing of the contract formation. It was precisely because they knew the timing that they found it unbelievable.
The contract had only been formed recently, during the Lunar New Year, and most of the information had likely been accumulated in the Ancestral Shrine in the past few days. It was incredible that they had developed an evolutionary prototype in such a short time.
If it weren't for the fact that the Celestial Feather Ancestor himself had said this, they might have suspected someone was trying to deceive them.
Even Wu You herself found the situation hard to believe.
"So, um, do we need to leave now?" Wu You's great-grandmother was the first to react, smiling as she spoke, choosing to believe.
In her opinion, it didn't matter if it failed; it was just a trial.
Hearing this, Li Qian smiled and took a step forward, looking at Wu You's great-grandmother, "There's no need. The evolution of the Winged Clan is different from that of Extraordinary Beings, and each case is unique. There's no point in keeping it a secret."
Li Qian spoke openly, without any intention of hiding anything. The Winged Clan elders listened, nodding in agreement and feeling a sense of trust towards him.
Without further ado, Li Qian wasted no time and got straight to the point, "Well, let's not delay any longer. Let's begin right away."
"I'd like to ask the elders to help me conceal this. During the evolution test, there might be a noticeable glow." Li Qian spoke confidently.
The elderly woman, Wu You's great-grandmother, immediately responded, "Li Qian, you can proceed with the experiment without worry. We have our own methods to hide the commotion."
Hearing the elderly woman's words, Li Qian no longer had any concerns. He gestured to Wu You, who instantly understood his intention and walked over.
Wu You asked, "You've figured it out in such a short time? With so many elders watching, don't overestimate yourself!"
Although her words were not polite, Li Qian could tell that Wu You was looking out for his best interests.
He gave her a reassuring look, "Don't worry, it's all under control. There won't be any problems."
Li Qian pointed to the open space in front of them, and Wu You, no longer hesitant, quickly walked over.
The Winged Clan woman stood there, having no choice but to believe, as it was too late to back out.
After Wu You took her position, Li Qian smiled and walked over. He extended his hand, holding the two evolution materials, the Wind Hyacinth and the Heaven Tempered Gold.
Taking the materials, he turned to the Celestial Feather Ancestor, "Celestial Feather Ancestor, I need your assistance. Please begin the evolution ritual."
"The ritual involves a mystical dance and incantation. When a Winged Clan member with four wings evolves, it matches the ritual you're referring to." The Celestial Feather Ancestor nodded, understanding which ritual Li Qian meant.
He was slightly surprised, as the Winged Clan had only one evolution ritual, but due to varying evolution difficulties, numerous variations had emerged.
The ritual Li Qian mentioned was the closest to the original, and thus, the most complex and intricate one.
In the Winged Clan, only three individuals could preside over this ritual, and he was one of them.
The Celestial Feather Ancestor nodded and spread his hands, and in an instant, a ebony staff appeared in his hand.
The Celestial Feather Ancestor began to dance and chant, his movements resembling the array dance Li Qian had performed earlier.
After a while, the Celestial Feather Ancestor suddenly became silent, his lips moving without sound.
The chanting was strange, causing one's heart to palpitate in response. Li Qian's face turned red, and his eyes became bloodshot.
Fortunately, as the chanting grew louder, like a surging tsunami, it suddenly ceased, disappearing into nothingness.
"Did the Celestial Feather Ancestor block my hearing?" Li Qian was puzzled and turned to look, noticing the Ancestor's lips still moving. He instantly understood what was happening.
Li Qian scanned the area and noticed that all the Winged Clan members, including Wu You, showed no signs of being affected. He realized that the destructive power of the chanting was likely only effective against outsiders.
Li Qian refocused his attention, observing Wu You's transformation according to the knowledge he had gained during the task.
As the evolution ritual progressed, Wu You's evolution began.
Indeed, as described, a faint evolutionary glow began to emanate from Wu You's body.
The elder Winged Beings, especially Wu You's Great-Grandmother, were relieved to see this scene, their faces filled with contentment.
The appearance of the Evolutionary Glow at least proved that there were no issues with the initial Evolution Ceremony.
It was right on the mark.
Li Qian, following the knowledge that poured into him after completing the task, remained vigilant and focused, intently staring at the process.
A
The Wind Hyacinth, a fruit of the extraordinary resource Windflower Grass, resembled a dandelion and contained the essence of the Windflower Grass.
The entire Wind Hyacinth floated gently, drifting towards Wu You's position. In reality, only Li Qian knew that he had merely released the Wind Hyacinth from its restraints.
In truth, this extraordinary evolutionary resource was attracted to Wu You herself.
Li Qian watched as the Wind Hyacinth floated gracefully, eventually settling on Wu You and transforming into countless tiny light points resembling fireflies.
As he observed these tiny light points merging into Wu You's body, Li Qian couldn't help but exclaim, "You're so beautiful, and everything is going smoothly."
With the integration of the Wind Hyacinth, it was evident that the Evolutionary Glow surrounding Wu You became more intense.
Li Qian maintained his vigilance, still staring intently, and time passed by—about five minutes or so.
Just as the elder Winged Beings were starting to feel a bit anxious, Li Qian once again sensed the energy within Wu You's body, estimated the time remaining for the Celestial Feather Ancestor's Evolution Ceremony, and took out the Heaven Tempered Gold.
The Heaven Tempered Gold was different from the Wind Hyacinth; extraordinary resources with a golden attribute were never easy to absorb.
Moreover, Wu You herself had not yet exhibited any golden attribute talents.
In sync with the Celestial Feather Ancestor's incantations, as the Evolution Ceremony neared its end, Li Qian abruptly threw out the Heaven Tempered Gold.
The Heaven Tempered Gold hovered above Wu You's head, suspended in place, and began to emit a faint golden glow.
Without hesitation, Li Qian took action. He sat cross-legged, extending his psychic energy to connect with Wu You's.
Their psychic energies intertwined like a Yin-Yang Taiji Fish, eroding the Heaven Tempered Gold suspended above Wu You's head.
As the psychic energy Taiji Fish eroded, golden light shards fell from the Heaven Tempered Gold, eventually merging into Wu You's body.
"Are they trying to erode the Heaven Tempered Gold?" asked a Winged Being in his forties, his voice filled with concern.
The Celestial Feather Ancestor concluded the Evolution Ceremony and, after a glance, nodded, "Yes, they are using their psychic energy to erode the Heaven Tempered Gold."
"The Heaven Tempered Gold is incredibly sturdy. How long will it take for them to erode it with just their psychic energy?" The middle-aged Winged Being frowned.
As he prepared to take action, he was stopped by the white-haired elder beside him, "Dongshu, what are you doing?"
"Aunt Lan, I'm anxious to help them!" The middle-aged Winged Being, named Dongshu, pointed at Li Qian and Wu You.
The elder, Wu You's Great-Grandmother, Wu Xinlan, immediately shook her head, "Don't act rashly unless Li Qian asks for help."
"Evolution is a serious matter. Interference from others might do more harm than good." Wu Xinlan expressed her concerns.
You Dongshu, upon hearing this, immediately restrained his actions and observed quietly. He valued Wu You, a junior member of the clan, just as much as Wu Xinlan, the Great-Grandmother. After hearing her words, he dared not act impulsively.
At this moment, the Celestial Feather Ancestor spoke up, "We should only observe. This hurdle can only be overcome by them; no one else can help."
Moreover, there was something he didn't say: both Li Qian and Wu You were outstanding members of their respective clans. If they couldn't complete the evolution, no one else stood a chance.
So he believed that they would surely overcome this challenge.
As time passed, it became evident that the Heaven Tempered Gold suspended above Wu You's head was shedding light shards, and its size was shrinking. Moreover, the shrinking speed was accelerating.
"At this rate, it won't be long before Little You absorbs all the Heaven Tempered Gold!" exclaimed an elder Winged Being, appearing to be around the same age as the Celestial Feather Ancestor, with a smile.
"I've always wondered if Little You's evolution, involving the Heaven Tempered Gold, meant that she might..." A small old man in his fifties, and began to stroke it gently.
His words silenced the entire room.
The small old man had touched on a sensitive topic, something everyone had thought about but dared not believe.
So, in unspoken agreement, no one had openly brought it up, but now, they couldn't hold back any longer.
You Dongshu continued the conversation, "I think it's very likely!"
The Celestial Feather Ancestor, seeing the elders' minds buzzing with curiosity, coughed lightly, "Don't jump to conclusions. Even if Little You is evolving in the direction of our Winged Clan's Primordial Ancestor, it won't happen overnight."
"Even if she completes this evolution, it's just a small step towards that direction. The road ahead is long."
Finally, he emphasized, "Remember, this matter is of great importance. I hope you all keep it to yourselves."
The elder Winged Beings nodded in agreement, whispering among themselves, just as the Heaven Tempered Gold suspended above Wu You's head was finally eroded by the combined efforts of Li Qian and Wu You.
When the last golden light shard merged into Wu You's body, a fierce Evolutionary Glow shot into the sky.
Vibrating!
The fierce Evolutionary Glow rose about ten meters before being intercepted and contained by a semi-transparent light barrier.
Undoubtedly, this was the barrier formation set up by Wu Xinlan earlier.
(End of Chapter)
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