This sudden scene silenced the grand hall instantly; almost everyone found it unbelievable. The long-awaited awakening ceremony, could it actually end this way?
"Young Master!"
Seeing this, the young girl at the entrance of the hall immediately rushed over and embraced Ling Chen, checking that he was still breathing, which somewhat calmed her heart.
At this point, Ling Tianfeng also rushed over.
"Family Head, please save the Young Master!"
The girl's tears flowed as she desperately clung to Ling Tianfeng's robe, pleading bitterly.
"Let me take a look!"
Ling Tianfeng spoke.
"Okay."
The girl quickly released her hands.
Ling Tianfeng grabbed Ling Chen's right wrist, extended a finger, and placed it there, channeling a stream of bright red Spiritual Power into his body to investigate.
"Indeed, he hasn't broken through the Mystic Gate?"
After a while, Ling Tianfeng opened his eyes, his face filled with disappointment. With his cultivation at the Spirit Sea Realm, he could naturally detect the presence of the Mystic Gate.
"How is he?"
The girl looked anxiously at Ling Tianfeng.
Ling Tianfeng sighed and said, "He has no cultivation talent."
Hearing this, the girl was stunned, then she yelled at Ling Tianfeng, "I was asking how his body is!"
Listening to the girl's shouting, everyone was stunned, including Ling Tianfeng who also paused. However, he then stood up and walked toward the distance, a cold voice ringing out:
"If he's mere trash, what difference does it make whether he's dead or alive?"
Hearing these chilling, disheartening words, the girl froze, then in disbelief she said, "He has the same Ling surname as you all!"
Ling Tianfeng didn't turn his head back, his steps unpausing as he spoke again: "My Ling family has no place for trash."
With that, Ling Tianfeng disappeared into the depths of the hall.
"Damn, what a waste of our time!"
"Yeah, such a useless person!"
"It's unbelievable, this guy, not having a bit of cultivation talent? Really, like a hero father but a useless son!"
"What hero father; where has Ling Tianxing gone these past years? He doesn't even care about our Ling family anymore, otherwise, why would our Ling family have fallen to this state?"
…
A series of heartless voices filled the grand hall, clearly reaching the girl's ears.
In just a matter of moments, almost everyone had left the hall, leaving only Ling Chen and the girl.
"Hey, hurry up and get this trash out, so as not to contaminate our sacred Awakening Hall! Our Ling family actually produced such trash, we've truly lost all face!"
Just then, a middle-aged man came over, chastising coldly.
The girl looked up, glared at the middle-aged man, then picked up Ling Chen and walked out of the Awakening Hall.
"Look, look at that waste!"
"Yeah, to faint during an awakening, that's unheard of!"
"Fainted? I'd rather he just die! Damn it, to think he has no talent at all, I admired him for so many years!"
"Yeah, I'm starting to wonder if I was blind!"
…
Back and forth, the attitudes of the people had completely changed, which made the girl feel as if her heart was being pricked by needles. Were the people of the Ling family always so heartless?
Returning to their dwelling, the girl carefully placed Ling Chen on the bed before going to the Spiritual Medicine Hall to seek a doctor; however, they wouldn't even see her, simply kicking her out.
No matter how bitterly she pleaded, it was useless. Ling Chen, with no cultivation talent, wasn't worth any more of the Ling family's efforts.
With no other option, the girl returned and stayed by Ling Chen's side.
"Young Master, you must wake up!"
The girl prayed in her heart.
Now, Ling Chen could only rely on himself. Being merely a maid within the Ling family, she had limited influence; all she could do was care for him attentively and pray.
Until the night fell, Ling Chen still hadn't awakened; the girl stayed by his side, not moving an inch. With Ling Chen lying unconscious, she had no appetite to eat.
"Hmm?"
The girl blinked in surprise as wind started blowing in the room. Frowning slightly, she got up, went to the window, and fully opened the window that was left slightly ajar.
Perhaps, letting in some air could help the Young Master wake up!
The girl thought so.
With the window open, the air in the room began to circulate instantly, increasing the wind. However, what the young girl failed to notice was that this wind was blowing toward Ling Chen.
Time slowly passed, and the young girl grew tired, so she lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
When the young girl woke up for the eighth time, she happened to see Ling Chen staring at her, and she immediately exclaimed with joy: "Young Master, you're awake!"
"Mhm."
Ling Chen nodded. Seeing the redness around the girl's eyes, he was deeply moved; clearly, during his unconsciousness, this little girl had dared not to leave.
"Young Master, are you alright?"
The girl asked somewhat hesitantly.
"It's fine. So what if I can't become a cultivator? Maybe I have the talent to become a Divine Thought Master!"
Ling Chen said with a feigned light-hearted laugh.
He had also sorted out the events of yesterday.
In the path of cultivation, there are not only cultivators who cultivate Spiritual Power, but also Divine Thought Masters who cultivate Divine Soul Telekinesis.
Although he was unable to cultivate Spiritual Power, it did not necessarily mean he couldn't cultivate Divine Soul Telekinesis!
Spiritual Power is something almost everyone can cultivate, but Divine Soul Telekinesis requires a higher aptitude, one in ten thousand.
He said this merely to prevent the girl in front of him from worrying. As a man, he could not let a young girl bear the burden.
Seeing this, the girl still looked somewhat surprised.
At this moment, Ling Chen spoke again: "Xiao Wu, I'm hungry."
Hearing this, the girl quickly nodded and said: "Young Master, please wait a moment, I'll prepare it right now."
Saying this, she rushed out with a joyful face.
Since the Young Master began to think about eating, there probably wasn't a big problem.
When the girl had left, the smile on Ling Chen's face instantly disappeared.
"Father, I'm sorry."
Ling Chen took out a blue jade pendant, speaking in a low voice filled with self-blame. He looked just like a child who had done something wrong.
In reality, what fault did he have? His talent for cultivation was not something he could control.
He was well aware of how powerful the person who captured his father was.
He had witnessed that scene years ago, and he would never forget the face of that person, nor the words that person spoke.
"Weakness, is your original sin!"
These were the words said nonchalantly by that person when his father questioned him.
Three years ago, he saw that person again.
It was after the new king of the Great Xia Dynasty was enthroned, and the City Lord Mansion had the new king's portraits posted all over the city for the Great Xia Citizens to appreciate the divine countenance of the new king.
Indeed, the person who captured his father was the current reigning monarch of the Great Xia Dynasty, known as King You, Xia Jiuyou!
To rescue his father from the hands of a monarch was an incredibly daunting task. Unless he could awaken a special constitution, hoping to save his father was nothing but a fool's dream.
"How could I possibly not be able to cultivate? My cultivation speed in the Physical Body Realm was fast, and I had a strong affinity with the Spiritual Energy in the Body Tempering Spirit Liquid. If I couldn't cultivate, I definitely shouldn't be able to absorb the Spiritual Energy in the Body Tempering Spirit Liquid either. Yet, not only can I cultivate, but my speed is also top-notch!"
Ling Chen thought deeply.
It was truly baffling; able to cultivate in the Physical Body Realm but unable to unlock the Mystic Gate shows no talent for cultivation.
There had to be some reason for this.
At this point, giving up was not going to help. What was most important was to understand the reasons for his own condition and see if he could undergo another awakening.
Ling Chen always knew his father, Ling Tianxing, was alive, but he had never let anyone else know, not even the Family Head of the Ling Family.
He understood that even if the Family Head knew, he likely couldn't help much. After all, the opponent was too powerful, being a monarch!
At the same time, he couldn't afford to leak any of the information he knew. If King You, Xia Jiuyou, found out about this, who knew if he would decide to eradicate him completely?
Thus, over the past ten years, Ling Chen's mind had become extremely strong, able to remain calm in any situation.
After much thought, Ling Chen still couldn't figure out any reasons.
"It seems I have to prepare on two fronts. One is to find out the reason for the awakening failure, and the other, to seek Master Gu to test my Divine Soul aptitude."
Ling Chen made his decision.
Even if he truly couldn't cultivate Spiritual Power, if he could become a Divine Thought Master, he might still have a chance to save his father.
The rarity of Divine Thought Masters was almost on par with those possessing a Spiritual Body!
Moreover, when Divine Thought Masters cultivated to profound levels, they were capable of contending with cultivators, and could even be more favored than those with a Spiritual Body.
Because professions like the Path of Artifact Refining, Spiritual Arrays, and Elixirs could only potentially be achieved by Divine Thought Masters.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a loud sound came from outside.