Chapter 10: Lucian the Perplexed

[Mr. Lucian, please take off your shirt and step inside the Lith Measurement vault, and make yourself comfortable.]

"Okay."

Lucian did not really question or hesitate to take off his shirt. There was a large futuristic vertical casket right in front of him — well, that is what Lucian would describe it as because that is what it looked like.

Still, he did not hesitate to just rest his back inside the lith measurement vault; not minding at all that it was somewhat cold on his skin.

"What the fuck, he's so skinny." Harvey, who was watching the situation behind the glass on the other side of the testing hall, could not help but just blink a couple of times as he stared at Lucian's emaciated body, "He… looks like a corpse inside a coffin."

"..." The other examinee, Emilia, only opened one of her eyes to glance at Lucian; just shaking her head and sighing before getting back to her meditation. Of course, Harvey did not fail to notice that and quickly pointed at her.

"What was that!? Did you just look down on the old man because he's skinny!?" Harvey smirked, "When you're almost as skinny as him, pft. You think you're sexy, bro?"

"Can you please stop…?" Emilia could not help but look at Harvey, "I don't even know you."

"I'm Harvey."

"I don't fucking care. Ugh, seriously," Emilia shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Y—Agh!"

"Harvey, I told you not to disturb any other examinees," the proctor once again hit Harvey on the head, "Can you just shut your mouth for a second? Someone's currently taking the test."

"What does it matter anyway? He's probably just the lowest Spirit Infant or something."

"You're also a Spirit Infant."

"Well, Spirit Infant level 2 — don't forget that, Boss," Harvey wagged his finger, "So… what's the reading saying?"

"..." The proctor stared at his tablet for a few seconds which contained the results from the lith measurement vault. And after waiting for the result for a few seconds, he just let out a sigh and shook his head, "Spirit Infant… and barely even level 1."

"What the—he's basically just a normie, then?" Harvey crossed his arms, "Ack, I'm going home. I thought I was going to see something cool—no, wait. I'll stay for Emi's test."

"Please do not call me Emi. We are not close, and I don't even know you," Emilia's closed eyes once again twitched, "And if it was not already obvious to you that the old man is extremely lacking in lith, then I do not think you can say anything about him because you are also weak."

"Pft. Please, don't compare me to the normie."

"The two of you do know he can hear you, right?" The proctor quickly reprimanded the two, "That is why I told you to keep quiet."

"Shit… he heard us?" Harvey winced, "This is all your fault, Emi. Stop badmouthing the old man."

"I… I did no such thing!" And for the first time, Emilia seemed flustered as she stopped meditating, "I… I'm not racist! I don't discriminate!"

"...Relax, bro. It was a joke."

"I am not your—you know what, I don't care. And if he can hear us, he knows that I didn't say anything bad."

And it was true, Lucian really could hear all of their words — but he did not bother with it at all. He was just here to get registered as a cultivator so he could sell the reward he received and continue his research; anything else is irrelevant.

The only thing Lucian really did was just rest there, slightly looking at his arms and body. They might think he was skinny, but Lucian was actually quite perplexed as this was the first time in a week he was actually bothering to look at his body.

He looked skinny for them, but this was the best his body looked in 3 years — and with what the proctor said about him being in the Spirit Infant rank…

…Does that mean he was a Cultivator now?

No, Lucian knows he wasn't — whatever the lith measurement machine was detecting, it wasn't Lucian… perhaps it was the remnants of Foreman Yang's lithum inside his body.

But of course, Lucian could really only guess since he was not that familiar with the ways of the Cultivators, and it did not really matter.

[Okay, Mr. Lucian. You can step out now.]

"Okay," Lucian whispered as he got out of the lith measurement vault and wore his baggy clothes back.

[Do you wish to proceed with the Combat proficiency test? It is not required and you already have your credentials to receive your Cultivator License. And considering the level of your lith, I do not advise you to take it.]

"..." Lucian stared at the floor for a few seconds before turning to look at the large glass window where the proctor and the others were, "It is not part of the test, Proctor?"

[It is, but it is not required.]

"Then I will take the Combat proficiency test," Lucian shook his head before he started whispering to himself, "I need to complete it… I need to complete it."

[Are… you sure?]

"Yes," Lucian nodded several times as he started walking to the center of the testing hall where Harvey fought the giant tiger.

[...Your funeral. But you don't have to worry, the hall master will be there to save you just in case something life-threatening happens.]

"Okay," Lucian then glanced at the man in a mask who had just been quietly standing at the side of the hall from the start.

[Okay. Hall master, be on standby. Releasing the monster in 3… 2… 1!]

And with those words, a bright circular light suddenly emerged from the floor. There were several letters and numbers floating from the light that Lucian could not help but just memorize; whispering them from his lips…

…and the hall master noticed this as he finally glanced at Lucian.

And soon, the very same giant tiger emerged from the light.

"Blood tiger…" Lucian whispered out, "...Known for its abnormal reflexes which is 3x more than its mortal counterpart. It is…"

"What the fuck is he doing!?" And as the tiger started to rush straight toward Lucian, Harvey, and even Emilia could not help but grit their teeth, "Boss!?"

[Hall master!]

The proctor quickly called for the hall master to intervene, but the hall master did not move from his position at all and just watched as the tiger was now only a meter away from completely mauling Lucian.

"Limited movement…" Lucian was the same as the hall master, he did not really move in his position and just stared at the giant tiger, "...most likely form of attack is—"

[Hall master!] The proctor once again screamed through the speakers, but the hall master did not move at all. The only thing the proctor and the others could do was watch as the tiger leaped toward Lucian with its claws ready and sharpened.

"Shit!" Harvey gritted his teeth. He did not, however, look away as he watched as Lucian was ripped to shreds—well, or at least that was what he was expecting.

Lucian quickly crouched down as he knew it was aiming for his neck. Lucian's eyes, just watching the giant lion hover above his head, or more specifically, staring at the tiger's belly; his mind, working without end at extreme rates as it has always been.

Lucian knew he had grown stronger, a lot stronger than before after consuming Foreman Yang's lithum. But to what extent, he has not really tried to test since he was not interested in such things — but it should be, however, enough to paralyze the giant lion temporarily once hit on a weak spot.

And so, Lucian stretched two of his fingers and just jabbed straight through the tiger's softest spot, which also happens to make it its weakest point due to it being a vein directly connecting the monster's meridians.

It should paralyze it for a second or two, or so that was what Lucian thought — and that thought quickly disappeared…

…when his entire arm just went through the monster's flesh.

"!!!"

There are only a few moments where Lucian expressed emotion outside his home, and this was definitely one of them.

"What the…" And of course, he was not the only one shocked, Harvey and everyone who was with him had their eyes wide open as they saw that,

"...What the fuck!?"