Chapter 309: A Slap in the Face
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Just as the names were erased from the Ming Family registry, and the members stepped out of the ancestral hall, the Divine Statue of Life enshrined within the hall suddenly radiated an awe-inspiring brilliance.
The elders of the Ming Family trembled violently, their lips quivering as they dropped to their knees.
“It is the aura of the God of Life Xian Ting! The very deity we worship!”
“He has not fallen! Our divine protector still watches over us!” The appearance of divine power in the world always triggered a response from the Divine Statue of Life.
Tears welled in the eyes of the Ming Family members gathered inside the ancestral hall. It was as though they had grasped onto their last hope.
Those who had just stepped out of the hall turned to stare at Second Elder Ming Ting.
“The God of Life Xian Ting has not bestowed divine power upon us for many years. One could assume his strength has waned, and he is no longer able to shelter the Ming Family.” No sooner had these words fallen than the sky above suddenly darkened, and a vast ethereal shadow appeared out of thin air.
The shadow loomed over the heavens, and streaks of radiant light outlined the shape of a colossal, sky-reaching tree.
It stood high above all beings, emitting a gentle luminescence.
“Heavens! Look! Look above!” A voice, filled with both fear and awe, echoed through the gathering.
One after another, members of the Ming Family felt their knees weaken, and they collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by the sight.
The Family Head, Ming Cheng, stumbled out of the hall, followed by countless clan members. They pushed past the stunned Second Elder Ming Ting and his followers without a second thought.
“It… it is the True Form of the God of Life Xian Ting!” Even Ming Cheng, a man of vast experience, could not help but kneel in reverence.
Who in the world had summoned the True Form of the God of Life Xian Ting?
For a millennium, the Ming Family had practiced the Summoning of the Gods, yet never had they glimpsed the Tree of Life.
But now…
The Divine Tree stood tall and unyielding, piercing the clouds, stretching beyond sight.
This sacred and unparalleled manifestation left every single Ming Family member quivering in reverence, pressing their foreheads to the ground in absolute worship.
“The God of Life Xian Ting has not forsaken us! Xian Ting High God has not abandoned his faithful!”
“Please, Xian Ting High God, bestow your divine power upon your believers!”
“Please, Xian Ting High God, grant us your blessing!” Ming Cheng, kneeling in devotion, cried out with tear-filled eyes, his voice filled with unshaken faith.
Meanwhile, Second Elder Ming Ting stood rigid, his face darkening. The Tree of Life’s ethereal form carried an immeasurable pressure, weighing heavily on his heart.
At the same time, Lu Chao Chao squinted at the divine tree above the clouds, her expression puzzled.
“Strange… why can I hear the voice of the Celestial Attendants of Xian Ting?”
“They seek divine power?” She scratched her head.
She knew that Celestial Attendants survived by receiving power from the Gods. However, she had never bestowed divine power before…
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she could wield the power of Xian Ting! It came so easily, as if it were an innate part of her…
“Divine power… hmm, here, take a bit.” She flicked her finger, sending a faint glow outward.
She had no experience in giving divine power, so she wasn’t sure how much to provide.
The amount she sent? About the size of a fingernail.
Her small face flushed with slight embarrassment. “Did I give too little? I hope I don’t disgrace Xian Ting.”
Meanwhile, Ming Cheng and the faithful Ming Family members continued kneeling in reverence.
The Second Elder Ming Ting, seeing no divine power descend for quite some time, let out a sigh of relief. “Give it up, Ming Cheng. The God of Life Xian Ting has abandoned the Ming Family. Look at those behind you—old, weak, and useless. What can they possibly achieve?”
“The true talents of the Ming Family have already followed me to establish a new lineage. Ming Cheng, you have lost.” He burst into laughter.
But the moment his words faded…
A soft, yet overwhelming light cascaded down from the Tree of Life, enveloping every loyal Ming Family member.
Divine power poured down like an unstoppable flood, rushing into them all.
No one had expected such an unfathomable gift of divine strength!
In mere moments, the air around the ancestral hall thickened with pure divine energy.
“Am I dreaming?” Ming Cheng was dazed, unable to process what was happening.
Even his late father had never witnessed such an astonishing divine blessing!
Realizing what was happening, he immediately sat in a meditative posture, absorbing the divine power into himself.
Behind Second Elder Ming Ting, his followers stared at the divine light with wide, longing eyes.
They eagerly awaited the divine energy to descend upon them.
Yet…
The power, as if sentient, deliberately bypassed them, cutting them off completely.
The defectors of the Ming Family?
“Once expelled from the Ming Family Registry, you are severed from the God of Life Xian Ting. Do not waste your efforts trying to absorb divine energy,” Ming Cheng declared coldly.
The sheer force of divine power was something he had never experienced before.
Why was Xian Ting High God so generous?!
The Second Elder could clearly feel the almost tangible divine energy around him, yet he could only watch helplessly as his eldest brother, right before his very eyes, ascended in strength.
Even the once-mediocre members of the Ming Family, whom he had always scorned, underwent spiritual cleansing, their potential soaring.
“Ugh…” The defectors behind him ground their teeth in envy, their eyes gleaming with regret.
Some even stomped their feet in frustration.
“Why didn’t the God of Life Xian Ting bestow power earlier?! This delay has cost us everything! If only the deity had manifested before we left!” Their voices wavered on the verge of tears.
“For decades—centuries, even—never has such overwhelming divine power been granted!”
Breath heavy, Ming Ting knew there was no turning back now.
The Ming Family was rising once more.
“Outsiders shall leave immediately!” Ming Cheng’s eyes flashed with an icy glint, his overwhelming presence making hearts shudder.
He had broken through!
“Ming Cheng… it was all Second Elder Ming Ting’s manipulation! I was misled! Please, give me another chance! I swear loyalty to the Ming Family and to the God of Life Xian Ting!” One of the defectors fell to his knees, pleading desperately.
With a flick of his sleeve, Ming Cheng sent the man sprawling onto the ground.
“The Ming Family has no place for traitors!”
“Begone!”
“From this moment forward, you are no longer part of the Ming Family! You turned your back on us and the God of Life Xian Ting—now go and seek your so-called brighter future elsewhere!” Though his heart ached, Ming Cheng cut decisively, refusing to show mercy.
“Leave! You disgraceful fools!” Second Elder Ming Ting scoffed at the kneeling defectors.
“It wasn’t even you who summoned the deity! What are you so proud of?!” His face contorted in rage before storming off with his followers.
As they departed, an eerie silence settled over the Ming Family Ancestral Hall.
“Who in the world summoned the True Form of the God of Life Xian Ting?” murmured a stunned elder.
With sharp eyes, Ming Cheng raised his hand for silence.
“The Tree of Life manifested from Northern Zhao. The summoner must be there.”
“Send a letter to Ming Lang. Tell him to keep an eye out.”
“This person… is the hope of the Ming Family.”
Huh, I figured the life god hadn’t been summoned because he was in that one kid.
What’s his name… Li Siqi, the one with night blindness.