Chapter 3

Lord Ling was sitting in the dining room, alone and without company. He sat. contemplating and waiting. His house was truly blessed, to have his daughter inheriting the flame of the dragon. Yet as it turned out that that gift had turned to a fearsome danger, when the amount of energy that swirled within her far surpassed anything his predecessors had ever dealt with, the power of such magic was too much for one person to contain. In that, he truly feared that his daughter will die due to the monstrous power within her. Yet somehow all of that was changed by the arrival of a child. A boy that was intelligent, hardworking and was most of all loyal.

In his short period in this place, he managed to make a place for himself. He worked hard for simple treatments, even saved the life of his daughter twice from overloading. His results stunned Shen and he himself found them admirable. Though he just started with the basic forms of martial training, he managed to hone in numerous days, an even breakthrough in two days… However, what he truly feared was that thing within him, that monster of a creature that managed to slay one of ‘Them’ in a single strick, something not even the strongest in this country can do with ease…

That boy was both a gift and a curse, for as if his potential was ever revealed many would seek him, many would desire him and many would want him dead just so that no other would have him…

Perhaps, just perhaps he might actually be the one to succeed the Conqueror, it was a flimsy thought that the lord instantly rebuked, the Conqueror was a person of immense power, able to withstand the calamity that prevailed this world before, he was even thought to be a god that descended upon this land, defeating the Singularity of Jehad in single combat…

It was foretold that he will resurrect within their lifetime and with the looming threat, any and every powerhouse struggled to refine their pawns seeking to be the first to slay this abomination to gain honor, prestige and most of all to inherit the title of the Conqueror…

The boy entered the room and the Lord had a grim look on his face. He looked at him and spoke

“Basara… my boy, I want to speak with you about something”

“Yes my Lord”

The lord Sighed and said

“Once you enter Visania, you will face many difficulties, among them, are numerous challenges that will prove your mettle. For the current you, though you are advancing at a frightening rate, I don’t think that you will be able to take on these challenges, so what I want you to do is hide…”

“Hide? My Lord, I don’t understand what you are trying to say but, Hide?”

“Let me finish. You are weak, right now, and compared to the many different people that will be in visania I don’t even think you will stand the chance against them, the system in that school is severely different from normal ones, let me explain. There are various classes within the school, ranging from the bottom of the classes, The F class, all the way to the top The S class, based on merit and influence one may climb or fall down. The class’s teachings and potency change with how powerful an individual is. So if you seek knowledge you need to seek out the higher echelons. With my daughter being the heir of the house Ling, she is given straight access to the A class.”

So even the daughter of the House Ling doesn’t have access to the S class…

“This is indeed a great honor. But you will not be attending the same courses as her and will not have access to the same level of knowledge as her. which is what your objective is. Due to your status as a servant you will have to suffice yourself with the basic knowledge of the F class, which is mostly composed of servants.” He said then took a breath

Well I didn’t think it will be like this, but still I don’t think that F class is that bad, they will probably have access to more material than I could find anywhere. For one such as me, it is more than I could hope for

He then continued “However, why I asked you to hide is simple. There is a way to climb the ladder of classes, a simple and effective way. You will need to challenge those of higher echelons and take their position for yourself.”

Indeed that does seem like a good way to have access to more knowledge, but if my guess is correct…

“A servant will not be tolerated to reach higher classes…” I said in a low voice…

“Yes, Basara it is indeed what you just said. That school is reserved for the elite, you, however, will be looked down upon and not tolerated, if there is a servant within the higher classes then you can challenge them and your right to access that class is guaranteed, but if you somehow manage to defeat a noble and take their positions then you will be attacked. Mercilessly so, the world where those people live in is much different than what I have shown you here… they are monsters… and for that, I will offer you a choice… if you are willing to take it.”

“What is that choice?”

“I offer that you officially take the name Ling as your own, I will be willing to adopt you into my family, thus you will have the same privileges as the rest of the nobles…”

“I refuse!” I said instantly and before the lord could even finish

“What why?” he said surprised at my refusal

“No matter what you think I did for you sir, I do not deserve this, adopting someone like me will be the fall of your family, the Ling family has been and remained a prestigious house, you have been given the blessing of the dragon and were selected by the king himself, adding me to your family will come with the price of renouncing such privileges.”

“Why would you say so, Basara”

“Simple, this country runs on pure blood, those of the purest lineage and the oldest origin will be shuffled to the side once their blood has been corrupted by an outsider, I know it is dumb and it is stupid, but these are the traditions that this country rose upon, and I don’t think that I have the right to challenge them as I am. I will, however, promise that I will never back down, I will climb that ladder and rise above.”

Pureblood, another word for power, those that do not possess power are looked down upon. Linking my impure blood to the Ling house will be their doom if I was to ever be one of this house I need to gain strength enough to make my pitiful self noticeable for the ones above, to become strong is to own your own blood. To become strong gives you the right to be one with pure blood, then and only then will one such as me be allowed into their circle…

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“You are even knowledgeable about the traditions of this place… I must admit you really are full of surprises. However, a problem remains… for the last four years, there have been no servants attending the A class… you will find it hard to rise above the B class if you seek to reach the highest…”

Well, this will be a problem… if there are no servants in the higher classes that means that if I want to go up, I will be needing to challenge the Nobles… something I don’t think I can handle…

“However, you need to know that you have the backing of my family, I will ask you to never seek to challenge a noble, but if you were challenged… Never refuse no matter who it is. We seek not trouble, but we will not let ourselves be tested, this is our way of life Basara. Embrace it.’ he said with a clenched right fist that showed his resolve.

“I will, my Lord I will,” I said then he gestured to me to leave him

I left the king that my road to knowledge will be filled with challenge, I am not against it, but it seems that it will be interesting, to say the least.

My stomach growled at me for ignoring it today, I felt famished. So I went toward the kitchen and found no one there. Looking around I saw that there were still leftovers form today’s lunch and I ate ravenously and to my heart’s content. I even felt that my stomach swelled a little that the Limiter was forced to expand for the extra room.

Walking back to my room I slept like a baby. Today was exhausting even if most of what I did was just sitting around and assimilate.

Waking up early in the morning I began assimilating, there was no need for me to take a morning shower as I will just get dirty again after doing this so I might as well do both at the same time.

I broke through the first level yesterday and reaching the third level will let me use Nocturne’s technique, then I will begin learning how to strengthen. I have much to learn and many things to know, and not much time to do all, I think a wise person said the statement ‘Too many books, so little time’ this was exactly my case, I have too much stuff on my plate I can’t keep track of everything.

Sigh

Once I began assimilating I noticed the difference between my method and Nocturne’s. He was able to absorb absurd amounts of that golden energy that he called Qi and fuse it to the flesh at a frightening rate, it seems that he was experienced in doing this… while I, on the other hand, am barely able to allocate a fraction of what he did, at this rate breaking through the second level will at least take two more days.

And so I sat, waiting, gathering, and harnessing the energy.

Once I felt that I was close enough to halfway point I opened my eyes and went to the showers once again. After finishing I went back to the kitchen took my breakfast and went back to the courtyard where I resumed assimilation. This continued for two days with nothing apparently happening. Once I managed to breakthrough for the second time I felt much relieved. There is not much time left for the start of the school year, and once that time has come I will need to be as strong as possible.

‘Basara, you seem to have managed to break through and now you are at the third level. However, do you see the difference and vastness of the sea you will need to cross before you breakthrough again?’ Nocturne asked

‘What do you mean?’ I asked.

‘Look within yourself, focus your vision on your inner self, see like you did to that girl before then you will understand’ he said

I closed my eyes and used monochrome vision, then I waited.

After a brief moment, I saw what he meant, there was a small globe of energy that was swirling within me, far smaller than what I had seen on Lady Akari.

‘Reach for it’ he said.

And I did, getting my vision closer to it, I was instantly engulfed by that gentle light and my world changed.

My vision opened up on a black void where only a yellow glowing orb was shining. Behind it stood a figure, far too big and far too imposing. It was Nocturne, he stood behind the orb both hands around it his skull face was reflecting some of its light making him look terrifying.

‘This is your inner sea. It is a translation of your current ability, the strength within you and your power. This sea is a representation of your strength’

I then saw small specs of light that looked like dust flowing toward it

‘Those specs that you see are the result of your Cultivation, those small glowing specs enlargen this sea and make you stronger. However, one cannot gather as much as he can, there is always a limit, and those limits once broke you breakthrough to another realm of power.’

‘So that is what happens when I breakthrough’ I said

‘Yes, your next breakthrough will require you to enlarge this sea a hundred time more.’

‘A hundred time?!!’ I asked in surprise, I mean this thing was huge it was a mostly three-meter diameter, a hundred time gathering this energy that is a lot.

‘Indeed, the next level will require you to enlarge this sea a thousand times more, every level will make itself harder and harder, but you have time and me as a mentor, reaching the final levels will not be as difficult for you as it is for everyone else.’

‘Damn, this sure does sound like hard work’ I said still unable to fully grasp the enormity of the task.

‘Now this,’ he said as he summoned a black swirling ball, it was quite ominous and quite frightening.

‘This is the sea of your magic ability’he held both orbs one in each hand, however, the difference in size was apparent, it seems that the black ball of energy was about one-tenth the size of the other’

‘the golden one represents your strength, the black one represent your magic, what you seek is a path that you can manage both at once, thus.’ He said as he pushed both the globes into each other. They both transformed into a huge ball. It looked like a black sun that would consume all.

‘This is the path that you will be reaching for, However, the condition that you need to breakthrough again have multiplied by tenfold.’

‘That is absurd! No way will anyone be able to reach even the fifth level like this.’

‘Like I said, I will be your mentor, this is indeed a hard task but I achieved the final breakthrough in my life with this, and so will you.’

‘How old were you when before you died Nocturne?’

‘I never died, Basara, I am only imprisoned, this form you see is the result of a mistake, but worry not, I will make sure nothing like this happens to you. As for your answer, it took me three hundred years to break the fifteenth realm.’

‘Weren’t there only ten?’ I asked as I really remembered master Shen only mentioning ten

‘Ten is the limit of what a human can do, once you reach it, you transcend. And become… something else…’ he said.

I didn’t even want to know what that something else… because truly, if it could survive three centuries then it is obviously something inhuman. I took another look at nocturne’s physic and confirmed it… definitely not human.

‘Once you awaken you will feel a grand difference in your body condition. Do not worry and do not fret, you will see things differently and feel things differently, but make sure that no matter what never use magic without my permission.’

Then I awoke.

As I was sitting around. I expected that my body would feel drenched with sweat, but no.

It was almost on fire, so hot yet at the same time, not painful it was refreshing.

I could feel my own pulse all around my body, my vision blurred a moment then turned sharper than I could have ever felt, I was able to see details with great efficiency.

I could feel a pulse of power emitting from my body, so strong that if I forced myself a little I would break the Limiter.

‘You seem to have noticed the change’

‘What is this?’

‘This is what happens when your inner Qi and Mana harmonize, they fused together and are now empowering your body. This state is only available to those that have broken through the seventh realm of cultivation and have extraordinary magic ability. You, however, cannot use this power efficiently yet. If you try to force it, then your muscles will tear from strain and your mind will explode from the recoil of magic. You need to slowly build your mind and body for it to contain the power that you now hold.’

Master Shen then approached and as he got closer he instantly flinched.

“Don’t tell me!”

“I broke through again Master Shen, I think I will be needing A stronger Limiter, this one is about to break…’

Master Shen could only look dumbfounded as he was unable to grasp what was happening.

I should go easy on him, too many shocks are not good for one’s mental health…