Gifts of Prestige

The entertainment at the birthday party proceeded seamlessly, with everyone fully immersed in the joyful and peaceful atmosphere.

Meanwhile, on another platform, Alber was still engrossed in the mountain of gifts he had received. Hundreds of people, both adults and children his age, had given luxurious and valuable presents, contributing to the towering piles.

As the minutes ticked by, the number of people coming forward to present their gifts dwindled. This was evidenced by the towering piles of presents, some even unwrapped, which highlighted how serious and committed some people were about their offerings.

However, as the evening progressed, it became the turn of the nobles and those of high status to present their gifts. They seized the moment to showcase their superiority and make a lasting impression. Their gifts were not only a symbol of their wealth but also a strategic move to strengthen alliances and curry favor with Lionel Sky and his son.

At this moment, many eyes turned towards Theo, who was walking towards the platform.

"Oh, isn't that Vincent Cazorla's son? If I'm not mistaken, his name is Theo. I heard he's quite talented."

"Yes, he's 18 years old and has already reached the Spirit realm. He definitely has a bright future, especially coming from such a wealthy family."

"Well, his father is a soul stone mining tycoon. What do you think Theo will give Alber?"

Various murmurs echoed as everyone's attention was focused on Theo, now standing on the platform.

Lionel Sky, who was accompanying his son, noticed him and immediately welcomed him with a smile.

"Oh, young master Theo. It's been a while since we last met. I see you've grown stronger," he praised with a smile.

Theo returned the smile, though his expression was somewhat flat. His mood had been ruined by Victor and Bob, and he no longer felt enthusiastic.

"Thank you, Mr. Lionel. Today is a special day for you, and of course for your son. On this important occasion, I, as a guest, also want to make this day even more special, especially for young master Alber," he said, smiling as he looked at Alber.

Alber, still innocent, smiled back at Theo.

Lionel nodded, though he couldn't suppress his inner cynicism towards Theo. Many old foxes and even younger ones had tried to get close to his son Alber, hoping to influence him for their own gain.

His impression of Theo in this regard had not changed. That's why he preferred to accompany Alber rather than engage in conversation with the guests. That could wait until later.

"So, young master Theo, you must have prepared a gift for my son. I don't know what it is, but you've gone to the trouble, and I certainly appreciate it regardless," he said with a smile.

Theo nodded and then, with a snap of his fingers, a dim white light appeared, and a small box materialized in his hand.

The box emanated a powerful and pure energy, which many could feel even from a distance.

Those who recognized it were immediately shocked.

"No way, that energy, that feeling... It's a profound-level soul stone!" someone exclaimed.

These words surprised many.

In this world, the way to increase one's strength was by absorbing what was called a soul stone. It was a stone that contained mana and soul power. The method wasn't much different from ordinary cultivation, and the absorption technique was discovered by Eastern people. The Qin dynasty, Murim, and the Japanese Empire, which was then used globally by all kingdoms.

Generally, there were three levels of soul stones: low, medium, and high. However, there was one special and very rare level, called the profound level, with the highest purity and extremely difficult to obtain.

"Sheesh, a profound-level soul stone as a birthday gift... The Cazorla family is wealthier than they seem."

"Yes, they don't show much on the surface, but it seems they are hiding something."

Various discussions about Theo were unavoidable. Numerous praises were directed at him. This wasn't surprising since a profound-level soul stone was indeed very rare.

Even Lionel's expression turned serious as he swallowed, eyeing the gift. He certainly knew how valuable a profound-level soul stone was.

He then looked at Theo, speaking earnestly. "Young master Theo, are you sure you want to give that gift? Even wrapped as a present, I'm sure everyone knows what it is."

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Lionel. I've thought it through, and it's a fitting gift for Alber, right, buddy?" Theo said, smiling as he patted Alber's hair.

Alber smiled, "What's in the gift?" he asked curiously.

Theo knelt to be at eye level with Alber, "Do you know about soul stones and their levels?" he asked, smiling.

"Of course I know, it's common knowledge," Alber said proudly. "There are three levels: low, medium, and high. But the teacher also mentioned another very rare level, though we haven't covered it yet."

Theo nodded, "You know well. Yes, there is one level above high, called the profound-level soul stone, and it's in here," he said with a smile, handing the gift to Alber.

Hearing this, Alber's eyes lit up with admiration and surprise. "Is it true? This is a soul stone higher than the high level?!" he asked excitedly.

"Of course, it's yours now. Make sure you train hard, okay?" Theo said, smiling.

"Definitely, thank you!" Alber said enthusiastically.

Seeing his son getting close to Theo made Lionel uncomfortable. He cleared his throat lightly to break the atmosphere.

"Ahem, I think that's enough, young master Theo. I'm sure there are still some people who want to give their gifts to Alber," he said.

"Oh, of course, Mr. Lionel," Theo said, rising to his feet, smiling. "I hope Alber can use the gift well."

Lionel and Alber responded with nods, and with that, Theo walked down from the platform.

Various looks and words of admiration and curiosity were directed at him, to which Theo responded with a smile.

Despite his mood being ruined by Victor and Bob, the feeling of being praised and regarded with respect and admiration was always the best for him.

His gaze unintentionally met with Victor and Bob, making him smile triumphantly.

But his smile quickly faded when he saw Victor and Bob smirking mockingly back at him.

Anger and frustration welled up inside him, but he hid it behind his poker face. Being the center of attention, he had to act maturely.

Meanwhile, not far away, Victor and Bob stood side by side. They had expected everyone's shocked reactions. After all, a profound-level soul stone was indeed very rare.

"Heh, he loves praise, huh? He looks very proud of that gift. I bet his father will scold him," Bob sneered.

Victor just smiled. He already knew Lionel's characteristics and nature, so he wasn't worried about anything.

"Let's proceed," he said calmly, gesturing for them to take their turn.