As Steward Fei's voice faded, the children from the various families consciously fell into a line and stepped forward one by one to examine the "Dao Alliance Secret Scripture".
As a disciple of the Yang family, Yang Qingyuan naturally chose to follow right behind Yang Yitan.
Although he had no idea how this so-called familial order was determined, it didn't really matter; following Yang Yitan was always the right choice.
At first, things went exactly as some of the clan heads on the platform had predicted. Child after child tried, but not a single one of them was able to make out anything at all.
However, when it came to the turn of Wangquan Hegemony and his tight-knit group of friends, the expected "surprise" finally appeared.
"Eyes. There are flames in the eyes."
When Yang Yitan uttered those words, Yang Yifang and the other heads of the Dao Alliance clans on the platform instantly widened their eyes.
"You... you can see it?"
Steward Fei was likewise struck with disbelief.
You must understand, this was the first little one in nearly a hundred years who had managed to discern something from this "Dao Alliance Secret Scripture"!
"Yes, those flames are boiling within the eyes, and those eyes seem capable of piercing through everything."
As soon as Yang Yitan finished speaking, before Yang Yifang even had time to rejoice, the children standing beside Yang Yitan stepped forward one after another and chimed in:
"I saw it too, but it's a bit different! I saw a golden light flash past, so fast, so fast!"
"I saw a mass of Qi, blocking all other Qi on the outside."
...
Standing behind them, Yang Qingyuan quietly watched these children take turns describing what they saw, a wave of profound emotion washing over him.
Geniuses capable of seeing the messages left behind by the Third Young Master were a rare sight indeed, yet this particular session of the Blue Sky Assembly had produced a whole group of them.
If this entire band of Masked figures hadn't perished outside the Circle, then under their leadership, how glorious would the One Qi Dao Alliance have become a few decades down the line?
By the time Wangquan Hegemony and Dongfang Huizhu had successively described their own visions, everyone present had long been left utterly speechless by the scene before them.
"Hahahaha! Who would have thought that at this Blue Sky Assembly, there would be so many children capable of seeing the visions!"
"Heaven bless our Dao Alliance! Truly, Heaven bless our Dao Alliance!"
"Once these children all grow up in the future, the Dao Alliance will surely experience a great revival!"
...
The atmosphere off the stage had long since boiled over completely.
Even if those up on the platform didn't see their own children among the ones who perceived the visions, most of them felt a sincere sense of joy.
For ever since the Four Sovereign Monarchs of Yokai had risen to power one after another, the situation of yokai growing strong while the Dao Alliance grew weak had persisted for a very, very long time.
Throughout these dark years, no one knew how humankind had managed to barely hold on until today relying solely on a single Wangquan Sword.
The heartache inherent in this was perhaps something only those predecessors and sages who had bled and fought unceasingly over the years for humanity's tomorrow could truly articulate.
Nowadays, even though humanity had gained a second trump card alongside the Wangquan Sword—the fire of absolute extermination, the Purity-Sun True Flame—the declining state of the Dao Alliance still had not seen any effective improvement.
Every single day, countless ordinary humans still ended up falling prey as food for yokai.
Were it not for this, the major clans would never have held such a high level of tolerance toward the Xiao family.
Because in this era, yokai were a taboo that must never be touched!
Even knowing full well that the Xiao family might be deliberately settling personal scores, as long as a matter was entangled with yokai, not a single clan dared to offer any resistance!
Humanity had been suppressed for far, far too long, and today, at this Blue Sky Assembly, the humans of the One Qi Dao Alliance finally saw hope for the future!
And this cluster of hope lay precisely within these children who could perceive things from the "Dao Alliance Secret Scripture"!
On the platform, Yang Yifang's expression had gradually transformed from initial shock into a wide, ear-to-ear grin.
"Congratulations, Brother Yang. The Yang family has worthy successors."
"Congratulations to you too, Brother Li! Doesn't your Li family also abound with exceptional talent? All three children from your generation can actually see things in the Dao Alliance Secret Scripture. You'll have to treat us to drinks later, Brother Li."
"Hahaha, easily done, easily done."
...
Watching the various clan heads praising and flattering one another in such a harmonious atmosphere, Xiao Wancheng could not help letting out a cold snort.
With neither of his two sons capable of discerning a single thing, didn't that mean the Xiao family's current generation completely lacked any prodigies blessed with natural talent?
Though he had been mentally prepared for this long ago, seeing other people's children excel one after another while his own sons were all...
Every time he thought of this, a surge of stifled rage welled up inside Xiao Wancheng.
To make matters worse, Yang Yifang deliberately stepped forward at that moment, seized Xiao Wancheng's hand, and gave it a hearty pat with a hearty laugh.
"It really turned out as Clan Head Xiao predicted. At this Blue Sky Assembly, these children have truly given us quite a pleasant surprise."
Looking at Yang Yifang's smug and triumphant demeanor, Xiao Wancheng felt an itch of hatred deep in his heart.
Yet no matter how displeased he felt inside, he still had to force a smile onto his face.
"Congratulations, Elder Clan Head Yang. The Yang family has worthy successors, and the future is truly promising."
"Mutual congratulations, mutual congratulations. I must thank Clan Head Xiao for the reminder; otherwise, being as old as I am, my heart might really not have been able to take it all in at once..."
Xiao Wancheng clenched his fists tightly, a strained smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
"Elder Clan Head Yang shouldn't be in such a hurry to celebrate. Doesn't the Yang family still have one child who hasn't been tested yet? Perhaps this Yang Qingyuan will turn out to be yet another surprise, who knows?"
Yang Yifang froze slightly, his gaze hurriedly shifting toward Yang Qingyuan down below.
Sure enough, after Wangquan Hegemony and the others finished their tests, Yang Qingyuan stepped forward under the watchful eyes of the crowd and walked right up to Steward Fei.
Gazing at the young scion of the Yang family whom he had briefly crossed paths with a few months prior, Steward Fei could not help a flicker of anticipation flashing through his eyes.
Back at the Yang family's wedding banquet, in Steward Fei's view, Yang Qingyuan's performance had been not a whit inferior to that of his own young master and the Yang family's young master; calling him both courageous and resourceful would be no exaggeration at all.
Though today had already brought him more than enough surprises, who could ever have too much of a good thing?
With that thought, Steward Fei slowly handed the Dao Alliance Secret Scripture in his hands toward Yang Qingyuan.
"Go ahead, child. Concentrate your mind and carefully observe this stone."
Yang Qingyuan nodded, then cast his gaze toward the stone before him.
Yet to his utter astonishment, no matter how hard he stared, the Dao Alliance Secret Scripture in Steward Fei's hands remained stubbornly unchanged, showing not the slightest shift or variation.
Unlike Wangquan Hegemony and his companions, he saw none of the messages left behind by the Third Young Master.
Damn it, could it be that he really was just profoundly mediocre, a complete good-for-nothing?
Just as Yang Qingyuan was sinking into a wave of helplessness over his utterly unremarkable talent, the voice of Xiao Tiansheng rang out from behind him right on cue.