Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Admit that we are the weak.

Nicholas had no idea that the Forebearer had been following him all along.

"Ethan sighed deeply, having watched and questioned himself: Was Nicholas truly a coward?

Everyone has their own convictions, just like Nathan insisted on having the family's descendants stand tall, fighting the Druids despite the generations of effort that built their homeland.

Nicholas chose to compromise, to accept humiliation. Ethan believed that no one would choose to bow down if there were better options available.

"In the end, it all comes down to power."

Ethan leaned against the wall, standing shoulder to shoulder with Nicholas, looking over the thousands of lights in Gratitude Village. He believed that the descendants of the family would understand Nicholas's reasons just as he did.

"So, my children, admit it," he said, his eyes bright as stars and as promising as the soon-to-rise sun, whispering into the night, "Admit that we are the weak. But one day, we will stand before the Druids, alongside Nicholas, and face Luke in a different way."

"Face... all of this."

Ethan jumped down from the wall and returned to sit cross-legged under the Primordial Blood Tree.

He focused intently, sensing the laws of the natural energy around him.

As the energy of Developing Skill gathered to form a Pinnacle Apprentice, he awaited the day he would break through to become a Competent Force, ready to rebuild and fight for his family once more.

As time passed, the Blackwood clan secluded themselves, cultivating psychic powers.

Ethan's view was limited to the Blackwood grounds. He occasionally walked around, checking the family's information on a semi-transparent panel as usual.

Now and then, Druids visited the Blackwood grounds, brought by Nicholas.

He handled it well; even in cooperation with the Druids, the Blackwood's pride was intact. Facing ordinary Druids, he had his ways.

Ethan also saw Luke's true form visiting Blackwood.

He resisted the urge to return to reality and kill the old man with the help of his clan.

They needed Luke alive.

A year quickly passed.

[Blackwood Year 131]

[Your descendant Nicholas, with the Druids, went to persuade the Sky Sect to surrender. Your descendant Marcus learned of this in advance. With the Grand Elder Warren Daoist missing and unable to resist, he had to take most of the disciples and leave the Sky Temple. Some elders and disciples who chose to resist to the end detonated the sect.]

Seeing this message, Ethan also looked at his Core of Power.

Inside the Core of Power, the form of a Pinnacle Apprentice was taking shape, soon to become a Competent Force!

This great battle saw the entire Cloudview County in turmoil, yet Blackwood remained unscathed.

This year, the clan seemed to have forgotten everything before.

Within the family, they continued cultivating psychic powers, doing everything possible to increase their skills. S~eaʀᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

A semi-transparent screen caught Ethan's attention.

[The family's guardian beast, the Thunderfire Raging Python, is undergoing a transformation. It requests that you allow the clan to take it to another place to await the heavenly tribulation!]

"Thunderfire Raging Python? It's transforming?" Ethan's face lit up with joy. Since the Thunderfire Raging Python had devoured a demon king on the verge of transformation, it had grown tentacles, and its next step was to transform into a dragon-like creature—a significant phase for mythical beasts.

With joy, Ethan instructed his people to protect the beast.

Soon, the Blackwood people and the Thunderfire Raging Python arrived at the Forebearer's shrine.

The clan members looked excitedly at the Thunderfire Raging Python, though their eyes still held worry.

"Guardian beast, where do you plan to undergo your tribulation?"

Nathan looked solemn, his years of cultivating psychic powers had taught him the terror of the Competent Force's heavenly tribulation. Many psychics, even those who had reached the Pinnacle Apprentice stage, dared not break their core to face it, as few below that level survived the tribulation.

The Thunderfire Raging Python spoke gravely, "Let's head to the Thunderfire Demon Cave. Although the power of thunder and fire there is somewhat weak, it can still offer me some assistance and increase my chances of survival."

As it spoke, it chuckled, "If I don't make it back alive, please find a stronger guardian beast for the master."

The Blackwood clan remained silent for a long time.

Suddenly, Olivia suggested, "Don't go to the Thunderfire Demon Cave. I know of a place called 'Chilling Gorge.' The power of the icy rocks there can counteract some of the heavenly tribulation's force."

"This..."

The Thunderfire Raging Python seemed to understand something, its eyes narrowing, "Chilling Gorge must be the place you've chosen for your own tribulation, right? I can't..."

Before it could finish, Olivia smiled, "It's okay. Your contributions to the family are well known. When the time comes for my tribulation, I have my ways. I won't let it fall, and it wouldn't dare!"

Despite its doubts, the Thunderfire Raging Python, reassured by Olivia's confident demeanor, led the Blackwood clan members away.

This journey included Amelia, Gary, and a few other clan members. With them present and the location being remote, it was sufficient.

Before departing, Nathan gifted it a top-tier ability weapon from the family's treasury to help it withstand the lightning tribulation.

Ethan seemed to understand Olivia's words, as if he alone could see the thunder still lingering above Olivia's head, and beneath it, countless souls... The thunder would strike down, first annihilating these innumerable souls.

Days of cultivating psychic powers always flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, two years had passed.

Ethan had grasped a part of the wood attribute laws, which were also the intrinsic power of the Primordial Blood Tree. He then delved inch by inch into the ground next to the Rootless Soul Soil, finding it easier than ever to comprehend the laws of the earth attribute.

During his spare moments, he also kept an eye on his descendants' progress. Since everyone was diligently cultivating psychic powers, there were few other distractions, with most activities related to their cultivation.

[Blackwood Year 133]

[Your descendant Edward is in seclusion, refining his earth pill with sword formations and the ground-level technique 'Azure Cloud Unfalling'.]

[Nathan has made a breakthrough to the peak of Developing Skill after accumulating experience over time!]

[George, having become more skilled in the Competent Force phase after the last great battle, with the help of many elders, has gradually advanced to the mid-stage of Developing Skill.]

While the descendants were hard at work cultivating psychic powers, two pieces of information stood out.

[Your descendant Jeffrey, diligently practicing 'Dual Cultivation Techniques', is expecting a daughter with his partner...]

[Joseph, after intense cultivation, has finally at the age of 41, fallen to the mid-stage of Emerging Ability...]

Jeffrey, well, that guy. After coming back, he completely indulged in beauty... No, he has always been indulged in beauty. Recently, he has fathered four children with his partners, and two more are pregnant.

It seems he's quietly expanding the family, then planning to astonish everyone.

As for Joseph?

Ethan slightly lifted his head, this odd fellow, 41 years old but not showing signs of aging, was asleep on the Primordial Blood Tree.

This guy is different from the others!

[Your descendant Joseph, having gained insight into the heavenly technique 'Dream Return of the Ancient God' from 'ancient god blood'. Only those with ancient god blood can use it, the great technique of the ancient god dream, falling from the peak of Emerging Ability to a mortal, the great technique can be achieved!]

Ethan was envious.

"Work hard, my children. Someday we'll capture an ancient god and extract its blood, then we can practice this technique!"