Dawn slowly rose over the ancestral grounds of the Mu Clan.
A thin veil of mist drifted across the ancient stone paths, giving the entire clan estate a solemn and sacred atmosphere. The early sunlight had not yet fully broken through the clouds, leaving the world bathed in a dim golden glow.
In front of the towering Heavenly Name Hall, a vast white-stone plaza stretched outward like an open sea.
Hundreds of Mu Clan members had already gathered there since early morning.
The plaza was surrounded by enormous stone pillars carved with ancient runes. Those runes glimmered faintly in the mist, as though they were quietly breathing along with heaven and earth.
Today was not an ordinary day.
It was the Day of Inscribing Names.
Once every year, the younger generation of the clan who had reached the required age would step forward and attempt to carve their names into heaven and earth through the ancient monument known as the Heavenly Name Stele.
For many of them, this single moment would determine their entire future.
If their name was acknowledged by heaven and earth, the path of cultivation would open before them.
But if they failed…
Then heaven and earth itself would ignore their existence.
For cultivators, such a result was almost equivalent to having their fate sealed.
At the highest steps before the great hall, several elders of the Mu Clan sat quietly in their seats. Their expressions were calm and dignified, yet their eyes revealed a hint of expectation.
After all, the future of the clan depended on the younger generation.
At the center of the plaza stood a massive stone monument.
The Heavenly Name Stele.
It towered nearly ten meters high, its surface dark and ancient, covered with countless mysterious runes.
Legend said that the stele had existed since ancient times, long before the Mu Clan itself was founded.
It was capable of sensing the power of one's name and recording the existence of those who stepped onto the path of the Dao of Names.
Once a cultivator's name was engraved upon the stele, heaven and earth would recognize that person's existence.
Their name would become a part of the great order of the world.
A gentle breeze swept across the plaza.
One of the elders slowly stood up.
His voice was deep and steady, yet it carried clearly to every corner of the plaza.
"The inscription ceremony…"
He paused briefly.
"…begins."
The moment those words fell, the entire plaza became silent.
The young disciples standing below all straightened their posture unconsciously.
Some clenched their fists.
Others took deep breaths to calm their nerves.
For them, this moment could change everything.
Soon, the first disciple stepped forward.
He was a young man wearing blue robes, his face filled with nervous determination.
Under the watchful gazes of the elders and the clan members, he walked toward the Heavenly Name Stele.
The plaza was so quiet that even the sound of his footsteps could be heard.
When he finally reached the monument, he slowly raised his hand.
Then he placed it on the cold surface of the stele.
For a brief moment—
Nothing happened.
But soon, a faint ripple spread across the surface of the ancient stone.
A weak wave of name power quietly flowed outward.
Several breaths later, two glowing characters slowly appeared upon the stele.
Mu Lin.
The moment the name appeared, a few elders nodded slightly.
"Bright Name, Hidden Pattern," one of them said calmly.
"Acceptable."
The young man let out a long sigh of relief.
A smile appeared on his face as he quickly bowed toward the elders before stepping down from the platform.
Although his name had not caused a great reaction, it had still been acknowledged by heaven and earth.
For him, that was already enough.
The ceremony continued.
One after another, the young disciples stepped forward.
Some caused the ancient runes on the stele to shine brightly, drawing praise from the elders.
Others produced only faint inscriptions.
But regardless of the strength of the reaction, their names were still recorded.
Heaven and earth had accepted them.
As time passed, the line of disciples gradually shortened.
Eventually, many people's gazes began drifting toward the final figure standing quietly at the end of the line.
It was a young man dressed in simple black robes.
His figure was tall and slender, and his long dark hair fell naturally behind his shoulders.
Compared to the nervous expressions of the other disciples earlier, his face was unusually calm.
Too calm.
So calm that it did not seem like he was about to face the most important moment of his life.
Many people looked at him.
But their expressions were complicated.
Some showed regret.
Some curiosity.
And some… expectation.
Because the young man standing there was not an ordinary clan disciple.
He was the Eldest Young Master of the Mu Clan.
Mu Xuan.
The eldest son of the clan leader.
And the nominal heir of the entire Mu Clan.
However, despite his status, the emotions in the crowd were strangely mixed.
No one spoke openly.
But everyone knew the same truth.
For sixteen years…
Mu Xuan had never displayed any talent in the Dao of Names.
Not even the slightest sign.
Some people had even begun to doubt whether he possessed the qualifications to step onto the cultivation path at all.
High above the plaza, the clan leader Mu Zhengcang sat quietly in his seat.
His expression was calm as he looked down at the scene below.
His gaze was as still as the surface of a silent lake.
No one could tell what he was thinking.
At that moment, one of the elders spoke.
"Next."
Mu Xuan stepped forward.
As he walked across the plaza, the atmosphere became noticeably quieter.
Even the whispers among the crowd disappeared.
When he reached the Heavenly Name Stele, he stopped a few steps away.
Then he slowly raised his head.
His eyes examined the ancient monument in front of him.
The massive surface of the stele was filled with countless glowing runes.
Names from generations of cultivators flowed across it like an endless river of history.
For a brief moment, a thought crossed Mu Xuan's mind.
Does heaven and earth truly remember every one of these names?
The thought appeared only briefly before disappearing.
The elder beside him spoke calmly.
"Place your hand on the stele."
Mu Xuan did not answer.
He simply stepped forward.
Then he extended his hand and placed it against the cold stone surface.
The moment his palm touched the Heavenly Name Stele—
A terrifying surge of name power descended from the sky.
Boom!
The air above the plaza suddenly trembled.
Every elder immediately lifted their head.
The Heavenly Name Stele had begun to glow.
But the light was unstable.
The ancient runes covering the stele started trembling violently.
An elder frowned.
"What is happening?"
Before anyone could react—
The light suddenly vanished.
The entire plaza fell into absolute silence.
The Heavenly Name Stele returned to its original state.
No light.
No runes.
No characters appeared.
Mu Xuan still stood there.
His hand remained on the stele.
But…
His name did not appear.
An elder spoke slowly.
"…Is it not finished yet?"
Mu Xuan waited quietly.
Several breaths passed.
Nothing happened.
Heaven and earth…
remained silent.
A strange tension spread through the plaza.
Many clan members began exchanging confused glances.
Because such a situation had never happened before.
A young disciple whispered softly,
"No name appeared…?"
Another elder frowned.
"Perhaps the name power is too weak—"
But before he could finish his sentence—
The Heavenly Name Stele suddenly trembled.
The ancient runes across its surface seemed to awaken.
For a brief moment…
A faint character began forming.
But in the next instant—
The character vanished.
As if something had erased it.
The entire plaza froze.
An elder suddenly stood up.
"The name… was erased?!"
No.
It was not erased.
It was as if heaven and earth had intended to record his name.
But then—
Refused.
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
Mu Xuan slowly withdrew his hand from the stele.
The monument fell completely silent.
On its surface…
There was no name.
No trace.
Nothing.
After a long moment, one elder finally spoke.
His voice was slightly hoarse.
"…Heaven and earth did not record his name."
The plaza fell into complete silence.
Some disciples lowered their heads.
Some elders sighed quietly.
But no one dared say anything more.
Because the person standing before the stele…
Was still the Eldest Young Master of the Mu Clan.
Mu Xuan stood there for a moment.
Then he turned around.
And walked down the plaza.
No one stopped him.
No one spoke.
Only the morning wind drifted across the vast square.
But at that same moment—
Deep within the hidden chambers of the Mu Clan.
An old man with snow-white hair suddenly opened his eyes.
His gaze was deep like an endless abyss.
Slowly, he looked toward the direction of the plaza.
Then he spoke in a low voice.
"…It is not that heaven and earth refused to record it."
He paused.
A rare trace of shock appeared in his ancient eyes.
"It is that heaven and earth… dare not record it."