Everyone wondered what Dao the unruly patriarch's son would unlock. The clan had doted on him from birth, being a member of the first lineage and the son of the current patriarch. If he got a useful Dao, he would receive a substantial amount of resource allocation from the clan.

"It's your turn now James, come here and put your hand on the pedestal." said the First Viscount.

Inside the pedestal lay a Mercurial Stone, the core of the Fel Awakening ceremony. Mercurial Stones were a rare stone capable of assisting devils in connecting with Dao.

In actuality, they were the heart of fel veins. Nobles would never make this knowledge public. The Devil Emperor and Devil King powers hoarded them. Empires distributed them to noble devils, with exemplary service, to keep the commoners in check.

I put my hand on the pedestal just like the devils before me. I had prepared my entire life for this moment. I had visualized many times how I would attempt to break through to become a Devil Esquire. I attempted to feel for a Dao just like my mother taught me.

Time slowly trickled by as fel trickled through his veins. I continued to circulate with the Mercurial Stone as my mother instructed me with much difficulty. The fel energies were slow to budge. I still hadn't felt a single Dao! It seemed the fel was not even compatible with me. I struggled desperately to absorb it into my veins.

I felt all eyes were on me as I was failing miserably at the fel awakening ceremony. All my hopes and efforts would go to waste, as he became a laughingstock to the clan. Just as I was about to give up I finally felt the fel energies move faster.

If before they were thin mists barely answering his call now they were a raging river. The fel energies flooded his entire circulatory system! So much power!

I had never felt such energies before! A greyish-white light emitted from my body as he floated in the air, my body emersed in the greyish-white light. I felt a tight connection to this greyish-white Dao; I felt it was perfect for me. An even stronger grey light began emitted from my eyes as I grasped onto the Dao.

The powerful energies flooded out of the stone for what seemed like an endless time, but it was only a moment in actuality. I felt I could get even closer to this grey Dao if I allowed the fel to concentrate fully into my eyes.

I flooded the raging fel into my eyes, feeling closer and closer to that grey Dao. I wasn't taught to do the ceremony like this, but it somehow felt right. After passing the last hurdle absorbing the energies I could hold on no longer! Too much power!

A strong greyish-white light was emitting from the floating James' eyes as he was looking to the ceiling embracing the fel.

I soon knew what Dao I had unlocked, it was Soul Dao. My heart dropped. All this power I felt from this grey-ish white Dao and its only Soul Dao. Soul Dao is useless to devils, this poor young master will be trash!

I noticed my vision overflowing with information as his eyes flooded with the fel. I absorbed the last of the energies I could bear before I slipped into unconsciousness.

~~~

Gasps filled the air.

"Quickly an apothecary see to his wounds!" said First Viscount Vollmus

"I can't believe the patriarch's son unlocked such a trash  Dao after taking in so much fel," said First Baron Thargrad.

"What a wastrel. So many resources used but only unlocking trash," said First Knight Allmar.

"What a trash Dao. It would waste all those resources prepared for him. I vote we redistribute them to Mikael." repeated First Knight Allmar, Mikael's father. It was a perfect time to fish for benefits for his son.

~~~

The Hudson devil clan united against outsiders. There still were internal struggles. As was the life of devils. Resources freely distributed were scarce. Everyone wanted the Hudson clan to grow stronger, but there was an enormous difference in who was growing in strength within a powerful Hudson clan.

The Devil Ancestor allowed and encouraged infighting for benefits as long as it did not break the rules of the clan. He wanted his descendants to be ready to face the cruelty of the Abyss. If they couldn't even fight for benefits inside the family, how could they hope to fight for benefits from other powers?

Why were the Elders were so disappointed at James unlocking Soul Dao? Souls seem mystical and exceptional, right? For races like humans, elves, and dwarfs, that may be true. Soul would be a great and unique Dao for them to practice.

You must remember though, our story is about a clan of devils! Elves lived in the forest and had a natural connection with Nature Daos. Mermaids lived in the sea and had a natural connection with Sea Daos.

Well Devils lived in the Abyss and had a natural connection with Soul Daos! Every devil dealt with tempting mortal souls, to have the Dao of Souls unlocked as a devil would be like having a Dao of Swimming as a fish.

It was utterly useless to a devil! They naturally understood souls well. The clan had no practical usage to have a devil that could deal with souls a wee bit better!

~~~

A strong mountainous oppressive presence descended upon the hall. All members of the Hudson Clan were at full alert, feeling this presence. It was powerful, strong, and demanded respect. The aura of a devilry practitioner stronger than anyone in the hall.

The doors of the hall flung open. In the middle of the doorway stood a strong, burly devil. His aura was rippling through the hall, everyone had their eyes on him as he walked in. Everyone in the hall knew this familiar face. They all quieted down, relaxed slightly, and knelt towards the mountainous devil.

"I see Devil Ancestor." said everyone in the hall obediently. All the devils had to show their due respect to the Devil Ancestor whenever he came around.

"Good good good, it looks like you all are filial still remembering how to greet your Devil Ancestor after so many years." said the burly devil with a smile.

The 'Devil Ancestor' loved to have the glory and respect as a Devil Ancestor. Since they were a young noble clan, his stature was not really befitting of a Devil Ancestor. Most Devil Ancestors were old, detached from their clans, or deceased. However, he was still a young devil brimming with vigor.

In noble clans of higher status he wouldn't even have the face to be an elder. However, this was his Hudson clan, and they gave him his due respect. Everyone obediently followed the frivolousness of their 'Devil Ancestor'.

"Why does he make us call him 'Devil Ancestor', it's not like we aren't all within three generations of him? Grandfather is too eccentric." said the Fourth Baron Kerzamoth as he put his head in his hand and sighed.

First Viscount Vollmus laughed inwardly hearing this.

"I'm his son and I still have to refer to him respectfully as 'Devil Ancestor', he said it's to promote an air of mystery around the Hudson clan." said First Viscount Vollmus hoping to give his father a bit of face.

"Little Kerzamoth I still remember when you wet the bed and you want to make a quip about having to call me Devil Ancestor you unfilial brat." said the burly devil loudly.

The hall filled with laughter. To think the high and mighty Baron Kerzamoth used to wet the bed. After such a long ceremony the "Devil Ancestor" definitely improved everyone's mood with his presence.

Baron Kerzamoth wished he could hide his head under the nearest rock! Why would you say that in the middle of the clan ceremony, grandfather!

"Tisk Tisk Tisk, to think one of my descendants would encounter difficulties unlocking a simple Soul Dao affinity." said the burly man solemnly.

"I'll take him back to my abode and treat him to ensure he has no lasting injuries." said the burly man as he looked with care over the unconscious James.

"I found spies outside, so I'm locking down the awakening hall. [Mountain Shadow] will search everyone to ensure no recording devices were present. All descendants present will have to swear a devil oath to never speak of the events that transpired today." The burly devil said with conviction.

Though he lightened the atmosphere with a joke, the Devil Ancestor was quick to cut into the issue at hand quickly.

They searched everyone, had their devil heart oaths taken, and gradually exited the hall.

Eventually the only ones left were the unconscious James, the burly devil, and members of [Mountain Shadow].

"It's finally time... for my Hudson Devil Estate to rise!" whispered the burly devil with glee as he grabbed the Mercurial Stone that swiftly crumbled in his hand and replaced it with another one that looked identical.

"James unlocked an inborn ability with his Dao awakening. The Abyss wants to see my Hudson clan rise! Whatever ability he unlocked should amaze me considering all the fel he absorbed from that Mercurial Stone."

"None of my descendants should be privy to what happened, inborn abilities are rare."

"Even with a simple Soul Dao, James' path in devilry will be remarkable. I can't wait to see his progress. His prospects are possibly beyond my own, with such a powerful talent. I must keep this little gem hidden."

"Haha, it's great he got Soul Dao widely considered as trash across low born noble clans. No one will bat an eye at James."

"I only have a little understanding of how inborn abilities work from the information left behind in my Blacksmith Inheritance; it said the person fated to unlock an inborn ability unlocked one when connecting with Daos."

"We'll let everyone think James is trash, that's the best as to protect him. I will train him under the guise of his 'recovery from qi-deviation'. If word got out my Hudson clan had such a talented seedling, our peaceful days would quickly end."

"[Mountain Shadow] dismissed, handle this spy situation accordingly. I want my Hudson Devil Estate cleaned up!" said the Devil Ancestor.

"Jail all suspected internal spies and traitors immediately and get me a detailed report of their other crimes."

"I can't believe some third-generation descendants would be that stupid to take kickbacks from other powers to spy on their own flesh and blood while instigating internal strife. All this nice meat here on our Estate to devour why eat such tainted soup from outside powers."

"Do they foolishly believe if the Hudson Devil Estate falls from their foolish actions that devils would welcome them to another noble devil clan instead of swiftly executing them for a job well done?"

"They probably think our clan is too big to fail and that their kickbacks are helping, but they are only digging at the very roots of our clan's foundation with such reckless actions."

"Flowers that grow up in greenhouses don't know the terror of the wind and the rain." said the burly devil with a hint of melancholy as he disappeared with the unconscious youth in his arms.