Weapon seller in the world of magic

Three days had passed since the coliseum froze under the breath of Absolute Zero and Mark's winning moment.

As the winner of the tournament, he received three Supreme Tier Spirit Pills, which, in theory, could give him a direct push to the next minor stage of the realm.

However, Mark, who didn't have any Qi, had no use for those pills. He passed all of them to Lan Xia privately, earning her appreciation.

On the dawn of the third day, the Ancient Lan Clan Grounds stirred with ceremonial resonance.

The Sky Chimes of the ancestral pagoda rang 13 times, which is an ancient signal of a great declaration. It was a sound heard only thrice in the last five centuries.

In the Sacred Courtyard of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, the elders of the clan were all dressed in embroidered ceremonial robes of pale blue and silver. A path was cleared down the center, a carpet of woven ice silk rolled out toward the Jade Dragon Steps, where the Clan Leader and the Grand Elders stood awaiting. Only the elders who bear the surname Lan were gathered in ceremonial robes. Some of these have positions in the Sect, but at the moment, the Sect has nothing to do with this.

From all parts of the world, and beyond the world, from other worlds, leaders of noble clans or their representatives gathered in the courtyard to witness the anointing of a prince.

The air shimmered with spiritual energy.

Floating above the courtyard was the Lan Clan Ancestral Totem, a spectral carving of the Blizzard Pegasus, its eyes glowing faintly as though bearing witness to the moment.

An enormous announcement scroll, glowing with divine ink, hovered in the sky, flanked by four Celestial Formation Masters who kept it suspended with sacred Qi scripts that danced like fireflies.

And then, the procession began.

From the west gate of the pavilion, Mark, now dressed in a formal ceremonial robe of sky white with frost-blue thread forming pegasus wings, walked forward with slow, deliberate steps.

Two elders flanked him, acting as witnesses of the bloodline and the Sect's acknowledgment of his dual inheritance.

Behind him walked Shang Jiao, adorned in a softer jade-embroidered robe, bearing the crest of the Lan Clan on her shoulder. Her steps were humble, but her spine unbending.

Lan Xia stood among the other elders, though she wasn't one.

Elder Yuxuan stood behind the Clan Leader, no longer aggressive, but silent in acceptance.

The crowd murmured as Mark approached the stairs, where a divine jade table stood holding three items:

A white jade tablet, carved with the Lan Clan ancestral seal.

A bloodstone chalice, half-filled with spiritual springwater.

A lantern of frostfire, burning silently and eternally.

Grand Elder Lan Ming stepped forward, his voice echoing through the entire sect:

"By decree of the Sect Leader, the elders, and the approval of the ancestral will, we hereby recognize Lan Zhen, son of Lan Jingyi, grandson of Lan Gengxin, as the rightful blood of the Lan Clan, who earned his qualifications to become the heir to the throne. As per ancient law, he shall be bestowed the title of Prince, equal to Lady Lan Xia and Elder Yuxuan in rank and honor."

He turned to Mark.

"Place your hand upon the jade."

Mark stepped forward and pressed his palm onto the tablet.

A pulse rang out.

Wuuummmm—!

The tablet glowed white, then silver, then flashed into a golden light. An imprint of a blizzard pegasus appeared on his palm before it disappeared.

*Ding! You received a passive skill, Blessings of the Lan.

*Blessings of the Lan: All your stats are increased by 5%.*

Then came the ritual of name binding.

Qianxu held out the chalice. "Drink of the Lan Spring and swear by your name."

Mark accepted, sipped once, and said clearly, following the rehearsed speech, "I, Lan Zhen, I vow to honor the legacy of my clan, protect its people, and preserve its name."

The fire in the lantern flared brightly, turning azure for a moment, acknowledging the vow.

Then, the Clan Leader Lan Yujin finally stepped forward, holding a scroll of ancestral silk and speaking with divine authority: "From this day onward, let it be written in the sacred scrolls of the Lan Clan:

Lan Zhen, titled as this generation's 3rd Prince of the Lan Clan, is of true blood and acknowledged as one of the future pillars of our lineage."

Applause rippled through the square.

Elders nodded with respectful smiles.

Even those who had doubted him now lowered their heads in deference, although not exactly in sincerity.

The ceremony had ended quite smoothly. Snow still drifted lightly in the courtyard, the frostfire lanterns flickered gently, and the ancestral jade tablet had been returned to its pedestal within the Hall of Heritage.

As everything is over, the Clan leader orders the dismissal of the crowd. He, of course, reminded everyone to attend the Grand Banquet for sure.

But, just as the crowd was about to disperse, as the celebratory drums were sounded, the skies suddenly trembled.

A sudden whirl of frost and sacred wind swept across the sect grounds.

The light snowfall reversed in direction, drifting upward into the air, as if time had bent for a moment.

Sudden chaos filled the courtyard. The Elders were instantly alerted by a possible ambush. Or perhaps an intrusion from a powerful cultivator?

But then…

From the distant horizon, a blinding beam of arctic light shot across the sky, parting the clouds and reaching the Lan Clan grounds.

The snow-glazed form of an enormous divine beast soared down from the skies.

Its mane was a flowing aurora of pale blue and white gold, eyes like twin moons, body sleek and ageless, a being of both grace and unimaginable power. Each flap of its wings sent pulses of glacial energy rippling through the spiritual realm.

"The Blizzard Pegasus?" The Clan leader whispered in shock. He instantly left his stage and flew to the grass, raising his head to look at the most beautiful creature in the entire universe.

The Grand Elders, the Elders, the guests, Lan Xia, Shang Jiao, every single person standing there couldn't help but look at the creature in a daze.

It descended slowly, without haste, its hooves never touching the earth, but frost bloomed under its shadow.

The clan members, servants, and the elders fell to their knees instinctively as it reached their eye level.

Even Grand Elders bowed.

Sect Leader Lan Yujin, for the first time in perhaps a century, lowered his head and folded his arms respectfully across his chest.

Only Mark was standing straight, staring directly at the creature as if he wasn't interested in bowing.

The Blizzard Pegasus then spoke, not with sound, but through divine consciousness that filled every mind present. "Five millennia of Heaven have passed since I last appeared. I watched in silence. I waited. And now, my inheritor… she has finally returned home."

The divine beast turned its gaze, not toward Mark, but to Shang Jiao.

Every spectator understood who the divine creature was talking about. After all, it used the pronoun, she.

The crowd's breath caught in their throats.

Shang Jiao, stunned, stepped back. Her body trembled from an overwhelming resonance within her blood.