Chapter 48: Within the Cycle of Reincarnation

When Qin Chengming arrived at the entrance of the ancestral hall, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Quite a few people stood at the doorway, and at the very front was a young man he had never seen before, who looked not yet twenty. Even the Grand Elder Qin, whom he had met the other day, was standing behind this youth.

Having spent so many years in the cultivation world, Qin Chengming had long since ceased to judge people’s ages by their appearance. Even though he could no longer extend his spiritual sense, he could discern from the youth’s gaze and bearing that he must hold great weight within the family, and that his seniority was certainly not low.

But at present, he was still just a child; children his age could never make such judgments.

Therefore, Qin Chengming respectfully bowed to Grand Elder Qin. “Grand Elder! Elders and seniors, greetings. I apologize for my tardiness and beg your forgiveness!”

Grand Elder Qin glanced at the young man before he turned and offered Qin Chengming a supportive hand. “Rise! You are not late. Come, pay your respects to the Ancestor.” As he spoke, he gestured toward the young man.

Feigning surprise, Qin Chengming knelt properly on the ground and called out respectfully, “Chengming pays his respects to the Ancestor.” He then knocked his head three times in a formal kowtow.

Looking up, he caught the Ancestor’s lips twitching as he raised a hand in a perfunctory gesture. “Rise. You are far too earnest, child. I heard you wish to change your name?”

“Yes, Ancestor! The name ‘Jiang Chengming’ was not given to me by any blood relative, but was a casual insult from a petty man. I do not wish such a name to be inscribed in the Qin family’s genealogy. Since I have the chance, I hope Ancestor will grant my request.”

The Ancestor nodded, muttering under his breath, “Very well. I was going to change it carelessly, but given your sincerity and those three kowtows, I suppose I should put a little thought into it.”

Though he spoke softly, Qin Chengming was kneeling close by and had excellent ears. Hearing this, he was startled—was the Ancestor really so offhanded? Had he almost ended up with another arbitrary name? But looking at the Ancestor’s nonchalant manner, he wondered what sort of name would result from his “careful consideration”...

Before everyone’s eyes, the Ancestor pulled a square book from his sleeve. By the naked eye, it was perfectly cubical—equal in length, width, and height—no matter the angle, it was a perfect square. Qin Chengming, in all his years, had never seen such a thick book.

The Ancestor muttered some words, then suddenly tossed the book into the air. Qin Chengming thought he was about to unleash some great technique, but the book simply landed on the ground with a heavy thud, making its thickness beyond doubt.

“Hm… it didn’t open. Let’s try again.” This time, the Ancestor’s voice was also low, barely audible in the hubbub of conversation, but Qin Chengming, being close, caught every word.

Hearing this, his eye twitched involuntarily. Noting the Grand Elder’s expression of utter resignation—hearing the same words—he felt a little better.

So this was the Ancestor’s idea of being “careful”—choosing a name by tossing a book? But formality outweighed personal wishes; as a junior, what could he say?

Whether the Ancestor’s hands were slippery from not washing them that morning or for some other reason, it took eight or nine tosses before the book finally landed open on the floor. At last, success—the Ancestor’s smile was suddenly as warm and genuine as could be.

Beaming, he pressed a hand to the open page and picked up the book. Clearing his throat, he said, “Your generation’s character is ‘Hua’. How about you be called…” The Ancestor’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the characters on the page: flower, herb, fragrance, blossom, lush… None of these, when paired with ‘Hua’, sounded remotely like a boy’s name.

The Ancestor looked again at Qin Chengming; though thin and slight, he certainly didn’t look like a girl. The Ancestor glanced once more, then turned to the Grand Elder and whispered, “You’re sure this is a boy?”

The Grand Elder’s eye twitched fiercely. What was the Ancestor doing this time? Wasn’t it obvious at a glance whether the child was a boy or a girl? Still, he nodded emphatically. “Absolutely certain, he’s a boy.”

Did they not realize he could hear them? If they wanted to whisper, couldn’t they have him step aside? Besides, how did he look like a girl? Even bedecked in the most ornate clothes today, he still exuded a boy’s handsomeness—nothing effeminate about him! Yet though he fumed inwardly, he dared not retort.

With the answer confirmed, the Ancestor turned back to the book incredulously. After hurriedly running his finger over the page, he finally stopped at a character. Relief suffused his features.

He glanced once more at Qin Chengming and asked, “Are you certain you want me to give you a new name?” In truth, now he really wasn’t sure. With the Ancestor’s whimsical manner, who knew what name he might end up with? But could he say so?

Qin Chengming nodded firmly. “I’m certain!” He didn’t dare utter a single extra word. Whatever name the Ancestor gave him, at least it would carry a trace of blessing from an elder.

The Ancestor smiled. “Then from today forward, you shall be called Hua Ying. Qin Huaying, courtesy name Fuxiu.”

As the Ancestor’s words fell, Qin Chengming—no, he was now Qin Huaying—felt not only himself breathe a sigh of relief, but heard several others do the same. From this day, his last tie to the Eighth Realm’s Qin family was severed. From this moment, he truly belonged to himself alone.

Qin Huaying, courtesy name Fuxiu, a descendant of the second branch of the Sword City Qin clan!

With his new name confirmed, Qin Huaying was finally able to turn his attention to the ancestral rites.

The ceremony began at the moment the sun fully crested the horizon. As drums and music resounded, the family head pushed open the ancestral hall’s great doors, and the clan members, dressed in splendid attire, entered in order of seniority.

By generational rank, Qin Huaying should have stood at the very back by the door—a sign of the younger generation inheriting the family line. But since his name needed to be entered into the genealogical record to be counted as a true member of the Qin clan, he was called to the front.

Though he had been here for some time, this was his first time meeting the patriarch in person—the very father of his dashing uncle.

With a solemn face, the patriarch recited a long ancestral invocation, then brought out the genealogy. The venerated Ancestor himself took up the brush and inscribed Qin Huaying’s name into the family record.

Only after being entered into the genealogy did he gain the right to participate in the subsequent sacrifices.

Once the record was updated, the patriarch personally placed it in the box upon the altar. All the clan members bowed in grand ceremony. Qin Huaying returned to his proper place and followed the others in offering obeisance.

Then the patriarch began to recite the “Register of Merits and Faults”—not for the living clan to hear, but for the ears of the ancestors who had long since passed from this world.