Midas

Licht continued walking the town till he felt something that was very odd and peculiar. He followed his senses till he ended up in an alleyway.

He looked around in the alleyway till he saw a boy that was covered in tattered rags and was looking terribly pale and quite emancipated. Licht walked up to the boy and touched his face then he muttered " Emperor's potential, this little guy really is a diamond in the rough"

He walked away, then a few minutes later, he was back with a bun and water in his hands which he then gave to the starving boy.

The boy downed it like a ferocious beast then a few moments later, he kowtowed towards Licht "Thank you very much, kind sir. I know I would never be able to repay you". Licht chuckled and asked the boy "Little guy, what's your name?"

"Midas sir, I'm called Midas" He answered

"Okay Midas, would you like to follow me and learn? Like a master of sorts. You would never hunger or thirst again and you would attain power beyond your wildest imaginations. "Inquired Licht

Midas was shocked but he stayed in his kowtowing position and said" I would serve you to my last breath, sir"

"Sir makes me sound old, I'm only a couple millennia old. Call me Master, it has a nicer ring to it" Chuckled Licht then he started walking away" Come" he said.

Midas was confused when Licht said he was a couple millennia old but he was broken from his daze when Licht told him to come, he slowly scampered over due to the weakness of his body.

They strolled together back to the clothing store where Licht got some clothes for Midas, they went to the inn then Midas washed his body due to staying on the streets for too long.

After Midas got out of the shower, He looked different. The gunk and grime that was stuck in his hair and on his skin were washed out. Standing at 1.75 meters, he was tall for a malnourished 15 years old. His hair was black, and shoulder length, and his eyes were the color of his hair. His skin was tanned and he had scars all over his body, there was a scar that ran from behind his ear to his left shoulder blade and a tiny scar above his right eye. He was not bad looking at all, his face was stoic and hardened due to so many years spent on the streets.

He wore some of the clothes Licht bought for him then they went to get lunch. It was odd seeing two men, eating like beasts in the diner. Faces showed shocked expressions, and people kept wondering if these guys had been starving for several days. Both Midas and Licht did not mind the stares directed at them. They finished their meal and then went back to their room to wait for the carriage to arrive.

While waiting for the auction, Licht asked Midas why he was all alone on the streets. He replied," I never knew my parents, my earliest memory was hunger, then having to watch two people die before me due to fighting over half a rotten bun. Since then, it has just been getting worse and worse." Midas looked at Licht innocently.

Licht shook his head and smiled," He's too old to start cultivating but with that Emperor's potential it's possible, the best thing for me is to cultivate him properly and utilize his emperor's potential. Nurturing and watching someone else grow would be a whole lot of fun, haha could I be unknowingly getting a hobby? Maybe I'd find more people to cultivate and aggravate that old geezer with so many cannon-fodder and allies" Licht pondered and laughed within.

Midas just watched his master's facial expression move from thoughtful to amused, to jolly, to mischievous, and then Licht's gaze fell back on Midas with a strange light in his eyes. Midas shivered a bit after seeing that glint in Licht's eyes.

Licht moved in closer and told Midas "You're a special little guy, you have something called the Emperor's potential"

"Emperor's potential? What's that, Master?"Midas asked quite confused.

"There are several cultivation levels in the case of ether, some people will be stuck in one level throughout their entire life, while some would have minor difficulties but breakthrough them. A person with the emperor's potential would cultivate faster than even the most talented person, but their walls to the next level will be a lot higher and harder, but when they break it, they become a whole lot stronger. So having Emperor's potential is seen as a curse more than a blessing."

"Master, why are you saying I'm special then? I'm just going to end up as a liability for you in the future" Midas replied with clenched fists

"Well, that is because with me, it's the biggest blessing you would ever have," Licht said with a puffed-up chest with his leg on a stool.

Midas chuckled then knelt down "I would try my best to cultivate to the peak under your guidance, Master"

Midas then asked "Master, why is it called Emperor's potential? Has anyone ever cultivated to the peak and reached the mysterious world realm?"

"I do not know why it is called Emperor potential, maybe because you'd have the attribute to stand above your peers and rule like an emperor and yes, someone has cultivated to the world realm, but that was a long time ago"

"Who was that person, Master?"

"It was me" Licht turned to look at Midas with that glint in his eyes.