He continued down the slums towards the other students’ homes. One by one he delivered the news.

Among those families, he saw many different emotions played out, and his heart grew heavier and heavier with each stop he made.

There were those that are in grief in their loss. A few are even gleeful after hearing the news because of the crystals he gave, to which he shook his head and left immediately.

But many shows fear on their faces from losing a son or daughter that could support the family.

After handing out all eleven bags of crystallised essences, he headed back towards the dorm. Many of the families he visited have been offered the same job that he offered Xuan Xian.

As the student president, he will need to take care of the many purchases of training resources for the academy.

This way, his job could become autonomous, moreover, each time such a task is assigned, the empire will pay for the items handsomely. Any leftovers are usually pocketed by the runner. Therefore, most student presidents will assign such tasks to their own men, in order to strengthen their own power.

The training resources needed for nearly three hundred practitioners are huge indeed, and there will be plenty of jobs around, but instead of giving it to gain more supporters, Kairos has decided to assign all the tasks to the families with a recent loss.

Of course, with his experience of living in the poorer sectors of the empire, he knows how filthy people’s character can become in order to live better. There is no doubt that some people will definitely take advantage of his kindness. Therefore he will only offer the tasks to the ones he felt are trustworthy.

It is true that he will not directly gain anything for assigning the jobs to those people, but it is exactly things like this that sets Kairos apart from the other leaders. His strong leadership charisma, his calm attitude in perilous times, his quick-wit, decisiveness, and impressive combat talent, are definitely admirable, but it is this generous, affable and wholehearted manner of his that caused so many people to adore and follow after him.

Of course, he isn’t perfect either. Besides his naïve and trusting nature, if compared with his peers, he is also not the most excellent in many areas. Among those he has met, the most intelligent is probably George, followed by Luciette. Regarding combat ability, he is leagues behind Jones. Regarding backing, he is at the lowest level and just about anyone will have more of a background than him.

However….

Why would George’s teammates, Snow and leaf sisters, Small and Smaller twins, so readily sworn fealty to him if they had not heard for themselves and seen with their own eyes that Kairos treat people like people?

No doubt, he was intelligent, but he wasn’t cold and unfeeling. Regardless of the things they had faced, he had dedicated his entirety to protect their shared belief.

His words, and more so his actions, had stirred the hearts of those that fought alongside with him. Even the seniors who watched the crystal recordings of his battles felt their blood burn with fervour as they gain deep respect towards Kairos.

Most believed him to be a high noble through his actions, and thus they misunderstood him as being humble when he dressed up like a commoner.

A low born covered in mud and dirt having a princely manner? Ridiculous.

Which of those crude people with low-intellect could have the bearing one us nobles?

Those of the gentry did not think it possible.

When anyone had a sudden rise to fame and fortune, it couldn’t be helped that there will be those jealous of him, but in Kairos’ case, few decided to act upon their envy, and for good reasons.

Kairos had not just offered jobs to families but honoured those that fell by his side. He split up his own spoils, and moreover, he generously gave away one of his trump cards, the Starfire array, that in the process he had saved many.

When he did all these, he had also unknowingly made a name for himself.

Perhaps most leaders would have thought of the benefits of keeping the crystallised essences gathered from the ten days siege, and no one would have judged them negatively. But for a leader to choose to save that pricey sum of loot for the families that lost their child only set the others to think, “If I were the one that fell, would any other leader ensure my family would be able to live well?

It is exactly because of these decisions he made that won the people’s heart, but at the same time, it became a deterrent because any who offends Kairos would incur their wrath.

Like always, after he finished doing all these for those strangers he did not know, he wordlessly left the housing area. As he walks back towards the dorm, he crossed the market street, and with a heavy heart he turned his head and looked at the other side of town.

The three that had fallen during the Orc War Chief’s raid lived there. Because they are members of Snowdrifts, Kairos did not want to only give them a bag of crystallised essences. Furthermore, the three of them had given their lives for him.

“Those of my team do not deserve only paltry sum. I need to gather as much business as possible during the trade fair,” he said with eyes blazing.

While he is generous, he is not the kind to do such things without thought. Although he does not know for certain if the trade fair would be a success, nevertheless Kairos is confident in it and have plans for the families of those three to benefit. The best way to ensure a steady income would be to set up his own business. What better way to do that than display his swords in an auction?

At this moment, while he is in his daze running through his arrangements in his mind, a young girl ran up to him. Just like before, with horrible motor skills that could make a penguin seem like a swan, the girl skidded and crashed straight into him.

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Because of a moment of deep thought, he did not notice her, and he couldn’t dodge her ‘attack’.

“Ow, a steel wall? Dude… ow... what did you eat while growing up? You’re totally a steel wall!” the girl complained while rubbing her nose.

Kairos wordlessly took a step back after being rammed by the girl, and he looked at her with interest.

She is the same girl that Jones was so interested in.

“Hey, steel wall! Why, are you mute? Ooohh, the sky cow isn’t here with you?

Oh well, no matter! You’re the one I’m looking for anyway. The principal asked me to invite you to his office~

‘kay my task is done now, bye bye!

Remember to eat proper food and healthily grow up into a steel mountain, okay?”

His expression darkened.

“Steel mountain…”

Kairos face twitched as he saw her run away.

The entire conversation lasted only a minute, with only one active participant, and one inactive listener. Scratching his head, Kairos decided to go to the principal office after all.

As he changed directions towards the school, Jones’ figure suddenly materialised before him, seemingly appearing out of thin air. Even his Soul Perception did not pick up the presence of the boy until he is right in front.

“Whoa, Jones. Your cultivation made quite some progress!” Kairos noticed while he felt the other party emitting a powerful Origin Energy.

“That’s not important!! Why is she here? Why did she bump into you? What did she say, dude??”

“Whoa…calm down man.”

“Right! I need to be steady. Chicks dig steady guys,” Jones slapped himself while mumbling and Kairos simply shook his head in dismay.

“Brother, you have gone off the deep end!”

With his eyebrows knitted together trying not to laugh, he explained, “She told me that the principal invited me to the office. I’m about to head there now.”

“Oh? Then I’m coming too!”

“Huh? I don’t know if I can bring you along…”

“I’m going!”

“Why?”

“’Cus she asked you, so I’m going too!”

“I… don’t really see your logic?”

“I’m going. Let’s go now!”

“O...okay…,” it was at this point that Kairos gave up asking him.

Moments later, with Jones half-dragging Kairos along, they reached the principal’s office.

“Am I the one meeting the principal or you?”

With a single rap on the door, the principal immediately let the pair in, like he had been expecting them.

“Kairos!” The pudgy principal said excitedly with a smile until he saw Jones who came in behind him.

“and… Jones? I don’t recall summoning you here.”

“Hi, Principal. I was out together with Kairos. Thought I’d crash.”

“Fine. Take a seat you two.”

Jones immediately helped himself with a chair and Kairos who was rolling his eyes did the same.

“Why have you invited me here Principal Gai?”

“I’d like to discuss with you on your recent submission for your trade fair booth,” the principal did not bother for small talk and immediately pulled out a sword that Kairos refined and placed it in front of the two boys.

“Look”

The principal released a Ki stronger than his rank into the weapon, and after a short second, the sword glowed powerfully then violently imploded into flaming debris.

The weapon shards from the implosion scattered but only flew harmlessly into a spherical barrier that was cast beforehand.

“Do you understand what you just saw?”

As one, the two boys shook their heads.

“Hmm? Surprising… you are the one that refined this weapon isn’t it, Kairos?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Then that’s odd. Do you mind telling me where did you learn your refinement skill?”

“I read it from an incomplete old manual. “

Of course, Kairos knew that the truth behind how he refined the weapons is too dangerous to be revealed, and he had to play it safe. Even though he does not really know if anyone else had such an experience during selfless cultivation that could gain formation arrays from the stars but common-sense dictates that it is something that’s simply too abnormal.

Although, by saying things this way, he also avoided lying, since technically he had learned the method through his half-filled Origin Manuscript. Somehow, felt essential for him to speak only the truth.

If he tries otherwise, he would feel a searing pain in his soul.

Hearing his answer, the principal merely nodded, convinced by what he heard.

“That explains it. I guess I need to explain refinement to you after all.

When a weapon was inscribed, it will be able to release powerful elemental effects when the user infuses a little bit of their Ki into the sword. Somewhat like an amplifier.

However, depending on the grade of the weapon and the potency of the runes used for the inscription, there are considerable differences in the result.

To keep it simple, a high-level rune is able to release a much more powerful elemental attack while a high-level weapon is able to endure a higher amount of energy from the user.

Let’s say that a low-ranking rune is inscribed on a high-ranking weapon, the results will be the creation of a feeble elemental weapon.

Can you guess what happens if a high-ranking rune is inscribed on a low ranking weapon?”

“Hmm... it implodes like what just happened?”

“Exactly. If you send too much energy into an uninscribed weapon, it will merely explode into shards. But if you overload an inscribed weapon, the powerful amplification effect from the rune on it will cause a devastating blast that could injure everyone in the surrounding including the user.

This weapon you refined is of the fire element. Therefore, it was a fire implosion that occurred.”

“But… why didn’t the weapons implode when my team were using it?”

“That’s easy, you guys simply didn’t have enough energy to send in.”

“Then what if someone sends in a large amount of energy into a weapon with a low-level rune?”

“Then the weapon will simply generate a low amount of elemental power. Thanks to the rune, the rest of the energy will dissipate. Do you see now why I have called you here?”

“You think that my rune is very high level?”

“More than just that. This is a runic inscription that does not currently exist in the country.

When you submitted it, we could only send it to the trade federate to verify its authenticity, but the results came back merely stating it is a proper inscription without any information on the rune’s strength and origin.”

“What level do you think my runes are at, Principal Gai?”

“At least Titan rank, Heaven grade. Probably even higher.

I’ll be honest with you, since your performance in the training grounds, I have kept my eyes on you. Kairos, I would like to invite you to my faction under the Fifth Prince.

You have seen how I quickly made you a commander, if you join our faction, you will be able to enjoy much more benefits.

Even the Emperor himself is intrigued with your ability and have bestowed upon you the prestige of a Hundred Aristocrat.

This is because the Emperor is also backing the Fifth Prince right now, so there will be no doubt your talents will be developed to the fullest by joining us.”

Finally, Kairos understood the reason behind the principal’s strange behaviour during the award ceremony. His motive of scolding Calculus in front of all the students was to weaken the Third Prince’s prestige in the face of many noble families’ younger generation. And, the motive behind giving Kairos and his team a lot of praises and openly explaining their contributions is to earn their favour and make it easier to recruit them.

Most young boys are impressable. With a little compliment, they will soar into the sky. At that time, it would be easy for Principal Gai to ensnare his target with a show of benefits.

Kairos and the Snowdrifts are an untapped potential not yet approached by any faction, and the Fifth Prince has the advantage of being the first who made a move.

Moreover, this group of young talents seemed to have pissed off Calculus who is part of the Third Prince’s faction. If they join the Fifth Prince, they will not only be protected but will also receive the much-needed training resources they had been wanting.

It seems like a perfect offer to them.

Kairos gave Jones a look that only the other could understand and then replied, “I don’t think so. I can probably earn a lot by myself with my skills.”

Principal Gai’s face immediately turned dark, but before he can try to convince them again, Jones spoke, “Yep, you need to at least show my brother some sincerity.”

He gestured with his hand to the principal, rubbing imaginary coins between his fingers.

Money.

That is what his ‘sincerity’ obviously means.

The principal smiled suddenly. Of course, these young geniuses are different from others of their age. Without a show of sincerity, saying anything more is pointless.

In fact, this pair of brothers, Kairos and Jones have been poor to the point of having peniaphobia. Just as how Kairos and Jones’ fathers had taught them if someone needs your skill or help or abilities, then they need to pay you appropriately. The more they need you, the more they ought to pay!

The two have thoroughly learnt it, of course.

With a wave of his arm, several pouches appeared in front of the two of them like magic.

Jones shamelessly opened all of them before the Principal, revealing heaps of spirit herbs, spirit stones, demon cores, crystallised essences, medical pills and even thousand years ores.

With a flash, as fast as he could without that magical-arm-wave ability, Jones kept all the pouches.

With his incredible talent and speed that can even turn Orcs into dust, the pouches nearly flew into Kairos’ robes simultaneously.

“Wow, Jones you’ve never seen money before?” Kairos laughed with a tease but did not disagree with his actions.

“Principal Gai. You know that Kairos is right now part of our Third Faction. We do not have any restrictions on our members joining any factions. So your gifts will speak very well of your sincerity.

If there are no better offers, my brother here will undoubtedly agree. Let’s go, Kairos.”

Technically, anyone who is without a clan or a family is part of the third group, the Free Factions. Although they would not get any special privileges, itinerant cultivators could still gain access to a lot of different services like from the Adventurers’ guild or the Trade Federation. Of course, at the same time, one could leave and join any group as he pleased.

Kairos stood up and bowed politely to the Principal and without being dismissed he and Jones simply turned and walked out of the principal’s office.

This might appear rude and offensive to others, but with shining talents like theirs that could be said to be the top geniuses of their year, if they do not put on some airs, others may not even understand their worth.

Therefore, before Kairos joins a faction, he needs to first see the faction showing them their utmost sincerity.

As the saying in Saint Empire easily gained wealth will be squandered, easily gained concubines will be neglected and easily gained geniuses will be wasted after all.