Power classification

"For categories of powers." Sou Long began another bout of explanation.

There is a basic tier of power: beast and element users and all kinds of practitioners must start from the foundation. This basic is the building stage of Qi. This time practitioners laid the foundation of their strength, and they start from a young age. In this stage, the martial artist conditions his body using various means—they sharpen the mind and senses. Next was the intermediate stage. We see this stage in all establishments, families, and Sects. In fact, the foundation period was the period to focus on blood and mind. The blood becomes more tyrannical. However, not all martial artists could make their blood domineering enough. That was why growth naturally slows downs here and finally stops. The last one is the advanced stage. This stage is the period to temper the soul and re-train the blood. The soul is changed to divine jointly with the blood; it becomes more tyrannical. However, to successfully change the bloodline and natal soul to divine, people need divine help: gifting. But either the almighty creator did it directly, or other holy beings gave artifacts to a half immortal. Of course, Sou Long did not share this part with Zeal. He was still far too young to understand this part.

"Wow! So many lessons. My mind is blurred."

Even though the child's mind is blurred, his eyes were still sharp, and his mouth whetted with enthusiasm.

"Except the previous things I've said, there are different categories of powers usage: the art, the law." Sou Long continued.

The art accounted for the basic tier and intermediate layer. However, Human-immortals could use semi-law. Regardless, heavenly beings use laws because of their identity and their plane of existence. Heaven was their origin of powers and techniques. Only with this plane could they execute their powers. The Monarch divided the law into Heavenly, holy, and unchangeable law. The last one could only bestow not attained. In fact, the Monarch divided the heavenly realm into nine realms, but of course, right now, there is yet the ninth realm. Also, the Monarch graded the powers of the Heavenly being according to their domains. The higher the sphere, the higher the strength. A being in the sixth realm must be more powerful than a being that resided in the fourth realm by plane of existence. However, Sou Long did not bother to explain these things to the smiling oblivious Zeal. He would clarify them gradually in the coming years. There was no rush.

At this time, the unrelenting sun was beaming down her light with greater intensity of hatred. The sun had already drenched Zeal with heat, but Sou Long was unaffected. Zeal took notice of these changes. In fact, if that Old Man were to be affected, he would have doubted if he was capable. At this moment, a city wall appeared in front of the duo. Designed on the rusty old metal plaque was 'Lyon city' written very bodily. They entered the city gate before the few guard who did nothing but a primary search. Soon, the duo arrived in a secluded villa.

"We are here." Sou Long sighed as he passed through the gate of the villa. Zeal followed and did not dare to delay, but when he saw the lonely deserted surrounding—all he could do was change his expression. "Master Sou, this is where you stay?"

"Do you have a problem here?" Sou Long asked back instead.

Zeal laughed in self-derision: "Not at all."

"Then it's settled. Go have some rest; you will need it."

The duo entered the simple house by the far end of the villa. In the sitting room, they tacitly moved to their different rooms. Inside the room, Karl Zeal watched the place with deeper meaning. It was different from his usual room and would take a while to get used to, but he didn't come here to sleep in his mom's arms. But he still felt empty. The room had a simple Chinese style décor. There weren't much of fancy things except the basic stuff. Zeal sighed. 'This old man was a bit old-fashioned.' He hung his thought. Zeal pulled out his simple bag and placed it on the average-sized bed—the bed was entirely arranged and prepared. In fact, Zeal wondered if he readied this room before time for him because it was incredibly fresh. However, it didn't look like anyone had been inside before he came. Zeal divested himself of his robe, exposing his white skin. His chest was as flat as a sea. Honestly, Zeal was a child, and no one expected much anyway. However, on his neck was a simple necklace with red stone. It was much like an heirloom. But even now, Zeal couldn't hide his right hand: he fully bandaged the hand from his deltoid to his wrist. After arrangement, Zeal jumped on the bed to rest up for the long journey and prepare for the gruesome training, which he didn't know.

The decisive evening quickly came around. The day sure moved faster when no one expected it. At this moment, a footstep audibly came outside Zeal's room. After a while, the sound of the opening door echoed. Sou Long appeared out of his room and went straight to Zeal's room opposite. As he walked, his unique plaited stands on both sides of his face swayed on each other, making a slight noise; it was hardly audible. He directly opened Zeal's door.

"How long must you sleep? Don't feel that you came here for such enjoyment." Sou Long said with a majestic voice. Sou Long had never been a person to joke around. To him, he had limited time and wouldn't waste it on a brainless brat.

"Coming!" Zeal spoke with a clear child voice

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke a gain. "Come now; we'll begin." He walked away.

Zeal stood from his bed; he arranged the covering neatly. He quickly donned his cyan hanfu suit, making him incredibly calm. Even for a child, such demeanor was unreachable, but Zeal had never behaved like a child of his age. Even now, his deep blue eyes seemed determined to face any difficulty. After donning his robe, Zeal snuggled to himself as he looked at the mirror. He used his little white hands to arrange his long black hair; it fell below his waist. In fact, Zeal was like a copycat of his mother, Elizabeth. If anyone saw Elizabeth when she was five years they might not be able to differentiate both of them. Unfortunately, no one saw her during that period. Regardless, Zeal looked nothing different from a girl even though he was a boy. This justification was probably the reason why people effortlessly picked on him. At the same time, even though his cyan robe was neat and kept, it was not hard to distinguish it from a high-end quality. In other words, what Zeal wore on his body was the lowest quality. After all, they were not all that rich, and Elizabeth refused help from Sandy Maurita. She tried her best to fulfill the desire of Zeal to the extend of depriving herself. She also didn't want to owe others, so she never asked for help carelessly.

After arranging himself, Zeal moved to the sitting room to meet with his master. Sou Long sat in the living room indifferently with a steaming cup of tea in front of him. Zeal pranced toward him and cupped his hand with a bow.

"Sorry for the delay. Little Zeal sees Master Sou." Zeal officially greeted his master.

"Mhm!" Sou Long nodded with a hum without turning to Zeal. He gracefully picked up the cup of tea, shook it slightly, and drank gracefully. Zeal watched as he put the steaming tea in his mouth and felt goosebumps—he reacted as though the hot tea burnt his mouth.

"What's the matter, brat. Won't you sit?" Sou Long said surly as he gestured with his chin and eyes for Zeal to sit on the opposite sofa.

Zeal walked over from Sou Long's chair to the opposite chair. Although Zeal had wondered why Sou Long's attitude changed 180° every time, he refused to let it bother him. This Old Man was dignified and bad-tempered. But being who he was, Zeal understood that this behavior might only be a way to scare him. Zeal actually wanted his relationship with this terrible Old Man to be second to only his mother. He sat with a humble and receptive attitude, ready to absorb the Old Man's wisdom.

"My training is like a challenge. Fail it, and you die, but pass it, and you'll progress to the next stage." Sou Long's announcement lowered the temperature of the room to some degree. The thing that came out of the mouth of the Old Man was more like a death sentence. Was he trying to kill Zeal? Inadvertently, Karl Zeal drenched himself with his sweat—it was simply horrifying. The first thing he heard as the training was about to begin was a death pronouncement. His leg began to shake—he's as good as dead.