22.Prime Student
"Yuan Long, this shall be my name. You and I are brother and sister going on a journey to enter a sect of Immortals. Yuan Xiurong, do you know what your father planned for you?"
Yuan Xiurong shook her head to Hal Estize who claimed the name Yuan Long. Holding a piece of paper was the will of Shi Feng, and reading through the paper made Hal think of the consequences of him being an Estize.
The name Estize is a very prestigious name in the continent of his birth, but right here in the Desolate Soul Continent, there are a lot of people who hold a grudge against the Estize.
This is a continent where the people the Estize hunted go into hiding. They bury themselves under many layers of dirt in order to cover their tracks and to not be seen, but once they know of an Estize existing in this continent appears, then they would not hesitate to show their heads and make their moves…but that is merely based on his interpretation of what is happening.
Although in his head, revenge is a sweet thing he also know that it isn't worth it. He had risked his life in order to avenge the death of his sisters but the only reward he got was his death.
Hal knows the clans will not move. These clans are already on their last legs, only scraping by trying to rebuild the foundation they once had.
They are trying to survive and Hal doubts they will actually show their fangs against a what-if descendant that appears in this very continent. The surname he bore may even come in handy in certain areas. But that didn't matter.
The true reason why he wants to change his name is so that he'll be able to live through life without having to worry about the surname that he bores.
The Estize is a double-edged blade after all. It might grant him the goodwill of some, but it may also become the reason of his fall. Opportunity is without risk; but at the moment where his strength is too weak, that risk is simply not worth it.
With the pros and cons laid out to him, he found it best to hide change his name.
'Telling my real name is easy, fending off tenacious people is hard.'
Yuan Xiurong stared at Hal's serious expression. She had regained her emotions and her thoughts, but she is still unfamiliar with showing them.
Her eyes were puffy from all the crying. She can now speak but found it hard to approach Hal…no, it should be Yuan Long now.
Yuan Long turned to look at Yuan Xiurong and gently placed his hand on her head, "You are eight years old, correct?"
Yuan Xiurong nodded her head.
"According to the will, I died around two years ago, I am now eight years of age…but considering you stayed as a soul for ten years prior, you should be older than I. Well, I'm taller than you are so let's just go with that, okay?"
Yuan Xiurong once again nodded her head without speaking. She looked at the young boy before her and became apprehensive. She did not know how to approach him but Yuan Long simply took her hand and walked away after bowing to Shi Feng's grave one last time.
'I'll complete your last request, Benefactor Shi Feng.'
The journey resumed; the goal of Shi Feng had been reached but the destination of the young ones is yet to be met.
Starting from now on, the journey shall continue with the two. They both possess the cultivation strength of Perfected Core Formation Stage, in the world of Mortals they are already so strong.
But in the eyes of the cultivation world, they are lower than ants. The journey was started by the Father and Daughter, but it shall be finished by the Young Master and the Girl.
Yuan Long tried interacting with Yuan Xiurong, only to fail to start a conversation. From seconds to minutes then to hours, their feet never stopped moving.
Only when they need to eat or sleep will they stop. But even then, they try to take as much time as they could.
Their journey was not met with any beast, the treasures Shi Feng left protected them from any harm. Even from the grave, Shi Feng was protecting his daughter. Yuan Long also did his part in supporting Yuan Xiurong.
Unlike him, Yuan Xiurong's constitution was weak, thus it is his duty to assist her when she needs to be helped. When she can no longer walk, he will carry her on his back. And to reciprocate his goodwill, Yuan Xiurong will tend to his wounds when one surface from his far skin.
With the passage of time, three months soon passed. In a particular mountain where the mountain's greeneries is as lush as ever despite the season of fall already spread across the continent was a mountain crevice.
The crevice was big and long, one cannot see the end of it and once you enter it only the skies could be seen but the not the peak of the mountain itself. This crevice is known as Hell's Gate, the entrance to the Soul Transformation Academy.
Today was the third day of the examination, but despite being so, the line is still as long as a hundred-year-old serpent. The academy only opens its doors every ten years, and the number of applicants was around the thousands and all of these aspiring youths must be tested in order to know who has the talent and who doesn't.
Everyone present was at the Perfected Core Formation Stage, however, not all are the same. Only a few are worthy to be nurtured and the way to weed out the weak from the strong is through measuring their strength, wit, and soul latency.
The first test consists of a strength based examination. It is unfair to others to start this way, but to become a strong Soul-Beast Cultivator is to have a passing physique. The body is the vessel of the soul, a strong soul must have a strong vessel.
If the soul is too strong and the vessel is too weak then the ending will only end in the vessel being destroyed thereby killing the cultivator.
To test the body of the students, the academy brought out what is known as a Testing Pillar. The Testing Pillar is simply a pillar that needs to be hit by anything.
A sword, a spear, an ax, or even by an arrow. All is fair, nothing is allowed. To pass the examination, one would need to show at least 150 kilograms of strength.
To take note of, a Perfected Core Formation Stage cultivator can execute around 150 kilograms of force. Those who cannot perform the minimum will be disqualified to take the other exams.
"Maintain the line, you will be able to get the chance to participate in the exams, do not push nor shout, make a ruckus and your life shall be forfeited!"
The voices of the students echoed as the sound of the pillar getting struck blended with their calls.
Then, coming from the very back of the line was the loud shouts of the other students.
"Hey! Don't cut the line, whoever you are do you think you'll be able to just bypass the rules?"
Three students gathered around two youths as they stopped their advance. The youths' bare feet were bleeding. But they held no pained expression. They simply continued their steps without halting. They did not stop walking just like they had done before.
Ignoring the students' call like they cannot hear them, one of the students grabbed the boy by the shoulders. He stopped and so did the girl.
The students saw the kid raise his head; his eyes had little light to it signifying his fatigue. The students are on the path of Immortality, they see Mortal life as fleeting but they don't simply act arrogantly towards these Mortals.
They may be prideful of their position, but not letting that pride in one's head is training in itself.
"Whoever you are, you cannot bypass the line. One must follow the rules in order to take the exams. Go to the back of the line!" But despite the fact that they did not look down upon the two, these students still had to uphold the rules of the sect.
One of the students spoke towards the young boy.
However, instead of following his words, the young boy instead rummaged through his clothes and showed the students a red medallion.
The students froze as they saw him taking such an important item out. Exchanging eyes with the young boy and before having their gaze return to the medallion. It was simply unbelievable.
"Take us to the front of the line."
"Yes, honorary Elder."
The students became respectful towards the two. Their words stupefied the others present and the aspiring youths all stared at the backs of the two youths with envy.
Though their clothes were dirty, the fact that they are being escorted by the students with the utmost respect is much more enviable than any gold.
Reaching the front of the line, the students still all stared at the two youths. One of the students left the side of the young boy and girl. Leaving to inform the proctor of the examination about the issue before long a middle-aged man then appeared before the two youths.
The middle-aged man wore an amber-colored robe, he stared at the young boy holding the medallion and reached out his hands.
"May I have the chance to inspect the medallion?"
The boy did not hesitate to hand over the medallion. The middle-aged man will not dare to steal it with so many people around anyway.
"This is a true Heavenly Order. Bi Meng asks honorary elder what it is that you ask of the Academy?" Bi Meng lowered his head towards the youths as he returned the medallion.
The youth opened his mouth to speak, "I wish to meet with the Dean of the academy."