'My physical power now rivals an average First Stage of Body Refinement cultivator. This one session of cleansing did wonders for me, but I feel like I still haven't reached the true limit before becoming an actual cultivator.'
Wade mused as he entered the clan grounds, the guards gave him a cold shoulder, disregarding his existence completely.
'Looks like I was really kicked out.'
His expression darkened as the imposing and cold image of his grandfather surfaced in his mind.
'I don't know what he is pursuing now, but for him to disregard me so easily, he should have some backup heirs for the clan since my elder brother went to Skyfall Sect.'
'An illegitimate child? Another grandson perhaps?'
He passed by the Evaluation Stone and took a glance.
'Maybe I should try my luck…'
Wade was about to step onto the platform to test his talent but he fortunately didn't act impulsively.
'I must be being watched, I can't risk it.'
"Hey! What are you doing here!"
A feminine voice came from behind.
Wade turned to see a gorgeous woman in her early twenties. She had a flowery long sword tied to her silky white robe, but despite her beauty, there was an unmistakable aura of a deadly blade.
Her light brown eyes shone with malice as she reached for her sword.
"Veronica, don't."
An aged voice came from afar as a hunched old woman stared at Wade from the distance.
'These inter-clan factions are starting to piss me off.'
Wade snorted and turned to leave but suddenly had to duck down as a gust of wind passed overhead.
'Shit! That old hag is trying to give my skull a haircut!'
"That's not very kind of you Aunty Zoe."
He coldly glared at her and continued on his journey to the core of the clan, to meet his grandfather.
"I hope Patriarch executes him on the spot."
The young woman hissed.
The old woman remained silent, yet her gaze contained an icy cold venom.
———
"I request an audience with the Patriarch."
Wade stood in front of an imposing pavilion, two elders stood at the sides, giving him a cold shoulder.
"Granted."
One of the elders spoke and opened the door, to reveal the pitch darkness within.
Wade's chest tightened as he could feel the heavy atmosphere.
He took calm steps and reached the center of the room. Standing there, he could feel a dangerous gaze on him. His instincts begged him to flee the place, yet Wade stood firm on his feet, facing the golden throne in front of him.
"You have disappointed me."
A booming voice shook the pavilion. Even the elders outside felt their bones rattle from the sheer power of the vocal cords alone.
Wade was the focus of that said power. His body shook incessantly, refusing to stabilize.
"Greetings, Grandfather."
He cupped his fists and bowed slightly despite the pain he felt from the motion alone.
"Sixteen years…"
"Sixteen years I had been nurturing a waste."
A pair of dark eyes lit up on the throne, letting some light into the hall. However, Wade could only feel chills travel up his feet and spread onto his body.
This was akin to being stark naked in an arctic cold and his grandfather made sure that his every nerve felt the pain.
"Tell me, how are you going to redeem your failure?"
The emotionless voice boomed once again.
'He is testing me.'
Wade came to this conclusion. He already knew his grandfather and how cruel he could be to his own blood.
'You want to see whether I still have the burning will to fight. Then, let me stand to the last breath, till I die from your very hands.'
Wade stared straight at those shining eyes. A titanic pressure befell on his mind as he struggled to maintain his consciousness.
"My failure is mine…and I will be the one to resolve it."
He spoke each word with firm intent, pouring out whatever strength he could muster in front of this powerful being.
"Your failure is yours…"
"You will resolve it…"
"Ha…Hahahaha!!!"
His grandfather's shadowy figure on the throne shook as his laughter echoed in the hall. Yet, the next moment, Wade felt the weight of the world crash down on him.
"What? Do you really think that you amount to anything with that non-existent talent?! You better stay as a mortal."
Gerald Ren coldly gazed at his grandson, his eyes shone with scrutiny and contempt.
"There is still a way, Grandfather."
"...the Blood Temple."
The moment Wade uttered those words the entire room became absent of all light. Wade lost all types of sensations and felt akin to floating in an infinite void.
"Hahaha, of course."
A sinister and ridicule-filled voice was the only thing he could hear.
'Why did he react like this? Does he have some kind of grudge with them?'
But before he could go anything further with his guess, the void disappeared and he found himself in the dark hall again.
The golden throne was now lit with light. Showcasing a man who didn't look older than forty. He had short black hair and dark eyes as well as a well-groomed beard.
Wade resembled him quite a bit, but the family between them practically didn't exist.
"Do you understand what you are saying?"
Gerald put a strong emphasis on this question, wanting to confirm Wade's intentions.
"Absolutely."
Wade answered firmly, unwavering in the face of his overbearing grandfather.
"Looks like you aren't a total goner."
Gerald chuckled but his tone instantly turned heavy. Suddenly, the entire clan grounds started to violently shake, frightening thousands of members.
"Wade Ren, you are to be stricken out of family records. You will inherit nothing, neither the clan's honor nor possessions."
Gerald's voice boomed across the skies, traveling far and wide, onto the common folk streets.
Hundreds of people gasped in shock, some ridiculed while others remained indifferent. Those at the bottom couldn't care who ruled the clan or who was the heir but those in inter-clan factions celebrated this occasion. There was one less obstacle blocking them.
"Now you are a nobody, but an inhuman monster that joined Blood Temple."
Gerald grinned, this secret was shared only between two of them.