Chapter 106: The Birth of the Family Ranks
The Birth of the Family Ranks
"I remember now!"
"The Celestial Fate Pavilion... the Azure River Sword Sect... and the Boundless Sword Palace all tried recruiting him!"
"But he rejected every single invitation!"
"He actually stayed with the Salvatore Family!"
"Heaven truly favors our family!"
Countless disciples looked toward Damien with expressions bordering on disbelief.
Over the past year...
Damien had spent almost every waking moment cultivating in seclusion.
Apart from quietly consuming Cloud Spiritual Elixirs and searching for opportunities related to the Eternal Tribulation Sword...
He rarely showed himself.
Most clansmen only remembered him as an unusually gifted youngster.
None had imagined his cultivation had already reached such terrifying heights.
Even Nux’s crimson eyes widened slightly.
Austin blinked in surprise.
Both of them knew Damien well.
In their memories...
He was always locked inside his room or standing alone on some lonely cliff with a sword in hand.
Quiet.
Reserved.
Obsessed with cultivation.
Neither of them had expected him to silently surpass almost everyone in the younger generation.
Damien calmly walked through the crowd.
Each step was steady.
Every disciple instinctively made way for him.
Stopping beneath Victor, he respectfully cupped his fists.
"Patriarch."
Victor looked down at the young swordsman.
"From this day onward..."
"You shall hold the Second Rank of the Salvatore Family."
"I bestow upon you the title..."
"Sword General."
A faint ripple spread through the crowd.
"Sword General..."
"What an imposing title..."
Victor continued.
"Sword General Peak shall become your personal residence."
"You may enter Sovereign Peak whenever you wish to seek my guidance."
"You may freely select any three treasures from the Contribution Pavilion."
"And..."
"I bestow upon you an Astral Manifestation Realm mount."
"A Divine White Pegasus."
A pillar of brilliant white light descended from the heavens.
A majestic Divine White Pegasus emerged gracefully from the radiance before lowering its proud head toward Damien.
Damien accepted the gift with a respectful bow.
"Damien Salvatore thanks the Patriarch."
His voice remained calm.
Yet beneath that calm exterior...
His thoughts stirred.
Only Second Rank...
So there’s someone within the family whose talent surpasses even mine?
A faint smile appeared.
"This Salvatore Family truly hides dragons among men."
The curiosity spreading through the crowd became even stronger.
If Damien...
A fourteen-year-old Astral Manifestation Realm genius who had mastered Sword Intent...
Was only ranked second...
Then who...
Exactly...
Held the First Rank?
High above everyone else, Victor stood quietly in the sky.
A knowing smile tugged gently at the corners of his lips.
During his year of secluded cultivation...
He had discovered an unexpected little monster hidden within the family.
Had his spiritual perception not detected the slightest irregularity...
Even he might have overlooked him.
Victor slowly raised his gaze toward the distant sky.
He didn’t call anyone’s name.
Instead, his calm voice echoed across the heavens.
"You shall become the First Rank of the Salvatore Family."
"I bestow upon you the title..."
"Everlasting Puppet."
"Your residence shall be known as Everlasting Peak."
"You may freely enter Sovereign Peak whenever you wish."
The announcement ended.
Victor said nothing more.
His golden eyes merely drifted briefly toward an ordinary-looking young man standing quietly among the crowd.
No one noticed the subtle glance.
Confused murmurs immediately spread.
"Everlasting Puppet?"
"Who is that?"
"Our family has another supreme genius?"
"The Patriarch has been hiding someone all this time?"
"What kind of person deserves such a title?"
Nearby, a cheerful young girl nudged the young man standing beside her before grinning mischievously.
"Brother Leandro..."
"The First Rank’s title sounds almost exactly like your name."
Leandro Salvatore scratched the back of his head and smiled innocently.
"I can’t compare to someone like that..."
The girl crossed her arms and pouted.
"Hmph!"
"All you ever do is carve wooden puppets."
"You don’t even fight back when people bully you."
Leandro simply laughed awkwardly, allowing her to continue scolding him.
However...
Behind those seemingly dull green eyes...
A sharp glimmer flashed for the briefest instant.
As expected...
I couldn’t hide from the Patriarch.
He didn’t expose me...
Which means he wants me to visit him privately.
Should I go myself...
Or send a more lifelike puppet?
His expression almost cracked.
No... no...
The Patriarch has already given me countless cultivation resources.
But what if it’s a trap?
Although... if someone like him truly wanted me dead...
He nearly sighed aloud.
Certain death...
Absolutely certain death...
What should I do...?
High above the gathering, Victor watched Leandro with an amused smile.
The long-awaited Red-grade genius still hadn’t appeared.
Instead...
He had unexpectedly discovered someone walking the path of cautious survival.
Victor had no intention of exposing his secrets.
If Leandro truly possessed the wisdom Victor believed he did...
He would understand the silent invitation.
Victor slowly looked across the countless members of the Salvatore Family once more.
"As you have all witnessed..."
"From today onward..."
"The Salvatore Family shall be governed solely by strength."
"The old branch system is abolished."
"The stronger you become..."
"The greater your rewards."
"The more powerful you are..."
"The more cultivation resources you shall receive."
He paused just long enough for every word to sink into their hearts.
"Furthermore..."
"Beginning today..."
"Every clansman’s monthly resources shall increase threefold."
A wave of astonished whispers swept through the crowd.
Victor continued.
"The Family Rank consists of one hundred positions."
"Ranks fifty-one through one hundred shall receive five times the standard resources."
"Ranks twenty-one through fifty shall receive ten times the standard resources."
"Ranks eleven through twenty shall receive fifteen times the standard resources."
His voice suddenly became even more imposing.
"As for the top ten..."
"They shall receive titles."
"They shall each govern their own mountain peak."
"They may freely seek guidance at Sovereign Peak."
"And..."
"Their cultivation resources shall be multiplied by..."
Victor’s voice thundered across the heavens.
"FIFTY TIMES!"
The entire Salvatore Family erupted into deafening cheers.
Those weren’t empty promises.
Those were real benefits.
Resources that could change lives.
Even ordinary clansmen would now receive three times more cultivation resources than before.
As for those who could enter the Family Rank...
The rewards were simply unimaginable.
In that instant...
A blazing fire ignited in countless hearts.
Main family.
Branch family.
Collateral bloodline.
None of it mattered anymore.
Only one dream remained.
To become a member of the Salvatore Family Rank.