(Can’t I at least stay until he wakes up?)

(The doctor said he’s fine. Don’t overstay your welcome.)

(I don’t mind that you don’t like me but at least have a little compassion to your son.)

(Compassion?)

(You’re hurting me!)

(You think I like having sons with you? The fact that he’s still alive is what you call compassion. OK? Let that sink in to your stupid brain, OK?)

(You’re hurting me!)

(If you don’t send him to your parents after the selection, you’ll understand what it’s like to not give compassion.)

Clay overheard the argument of his parents while pretending to be unconscious. It pains him to witness her mother being forced stay in a marriage where she is not loved. He could endure the highest level of torture but emotional pain is on another level. Clay felt a kiss on his forehead before everything went silent.

He pretended to be asleep as he knew he will probably make it worse if he intervened. As a loser in his past life, what can he possibly do to make them appreciate and love each other. The answer he could find is to let them mind their business and do not do anything that would fuel their hate. Unfortunately he just did because he was careless. He just hopes that everything gets better when he will part with them and live with his grandparents.

Clay tried to recall what happened. A few moments after he was attacked by the cat, he started to feel weak and the skin surrounding his eyes slowly swelled and the burning sensation in his eyes became even more excruciating. He had a bad premonition that someone will investigate so he destroyed the Psuedo Spiritual Vein Model before walking towards the gate to alert his driver. Later, he was brought within the infirmary within the school.

He was awake the entire time and because he did not move due to exhaustion and considering the bulged skin on his eyes, everyone thought he was unconscious. He heard the conversations of everyone who came to the room including an investigator and the doctor who mended his eyes.

Based on what he heard, he was poisoned by a domesticated Lilac Cat which is amusing because the pet can only obtain the poison ability once it officially becomes a Tier I Magic Beast.

Clay was relieved he destroyed the spiritual vein model.

The investigator who was sent out tried to determine what triggered the cats to evolve was bewildered as to why carnivorous cats ate the tomato looking Natu Fruits. Their conclusion is that the Natu Fruits were aged and more potent within the residence given that the VIP residence Clay was staying was vacant for a long time.

And thanks to VIPs need of privacy, the surveillance around the house is limited as they primarily relied on roaming cultivators guarding the area. They can only blame the owner of the cats which is a fellow student.

While Clay was drowned in his thoughts, he heard a knock on his door. While he likes pretending to be asleep, he needed to wake up now and take advantage of the Qi within the school and breakthrough. After all, he has two more days to stay. He does not know how accurate the measuring device the school has to determine someone’s strength so he intended to stay at Low Early Qi Condensation despite that he could easily circulate and advance to Peak Early.

Clay was surprised to see one of his classmates. It was none other than Captain America’s son who passed out by showing off. But what he is curious about is the person accompanying him. He looks like a butler as well but only at Core Formation level unlike his brother’s.

“This classmate, I have come here to apologize for carelessly allowing my pets to roam around. As a token of our apology, I have brought three vials of Qi Enhancement Fluids enough propel your strength to Mid Qi Condensation.”

Clay stared at his classmate in disbelief as a brief case was opened and placed beside him exposing three bluish vials. He was not expecting any of this. Given his zero affinity to cultivation, he was anticipating people would go on with their lives like nothing happened.

He looked at the tubes of magic potions. If it were a body enhancement fluid, he would take it without question. He suddenly had an idea.

“If you truly are sincere, then a spatial ring of the lowest quality would suffice.”

“I hope this classmate can be reasonable. Even with my status, I am still unqualified to own one.” His classmate immediately retorted.

Clay smiled inwardly upon hearing his response.

“I am unfit to become a cultivator and the fluids will be wasted on me. I was recently reading in the general section of the library and some of the entries I wanted to see requires Class II access and I hope your status can help me with it.”

Clay’s classmate looked at his butler and was instructed to leave. When both of them were left alone, the butler released some of his aura intending to intimidate Clay.

“You sure are a little ambitious for a wastrel.”

Clay anticipated the butler’s response. He did not need to be a genius to figure out what the butler is thinking. The first thing he had in mind is that they truly are genuinely apologizing for offending a member of Arshua Clan but seeing the butlers attempt to pressure him, he is now convinced it is for another matter.

Every participant joining the Alliance Selection are all focused on training themselves and the last thing they need is a distraction. He being the twin brother of the most talented person suddenly involved in a minor incident would certainly create a diversion. No matter how shallow the reasoning is, the butler still attempting to clear their name from this baseless accusation.

The fact that they showed up and is willing to negotiate is a proof how sensitive the matter has escalated to. He picked up the brief case and handed it back and said, “This trash can assure this humble one that I will tell everyone that it was me who force your cats to eat the Natu Fruits and causing them to backfire on me.”

“If you truly are sincere, then I will see to it you get what you want after you accomplish your end of the bargain.” The butler pushed back the brief case and turned to leave. Clay saw veins popping out on the butler’s smiling face indicating he was on the verge of losing control.

“I shall thank this elder’s magnanimity. Please don’t forget to inform the investigators to come see me.”

Clay smiled back as he watched him leave. He wished his old powers back and strangle the man and turn this place upside down. If only incorporating beast cores to his body will not transform at the cost of his life, he would have had done it when he was two. He was confident no one is going to make a move on him so he made a ridiculous demand.

Clay waited for his next guest and confessed he was the only person to blame for his naivety.

After another hour, he was discharged and went straight to the library after eating.

(Welcome again student to the library. Your level of access has been temporarily promoted. Would you like to pick up from the unanswered questions you previously asked?)

“Proceed.”

(Mur Brung was originally a human common soldier and joined the circles of researchers 2000 years ago.)

Clay did not listen nor read any further. Not only is the Mur Brung he knows a High Elven but also the time line difference. He suddenly recalled how inferior humans when compared to other races.

“What is considered the most powerful specie of this planet?”

(Class IV Terrestrial High Elven.)

Clay looked at the data displayed on the wall. Aside from the 54 Government Schools, there are 17 Ancient Clans to which his family belonged to. The closest High Elven Ancient Clan is Gitlangan Colony located at a neighboring country northeast.

“Are we on Upper World?”

(Yes, we are.)

“Then why is the Spiritual Qi of this planet seem scarce.”

(It is by design as it is the only way for the planet to preserve its neutrality. Would you like to access the conference that led to the decision?)

“No. Are you able to tell me the source of Spiritual Veins of the planet?”

(There are terraformed planets within a subspace and the location of the entrance is near 13TH and 12TH School. They call it the Abyss. There are other unstable subspace entrances almost close to every cultivation schools.)

“How does one become Ascendant on a Neutral Planet?”

(There are Heaven Qi Crystals and Tier V Herbs allocated to this planet in exchange of the inhabitants participation in information exchange. Details of the exchange is not available on the database.)

“Of the Government Cultivation Schools, are there branches that majors in Dao Studies?)

(There is none.)

Clay looked at the relevant entry posted by the A.I. It is a passage from an autobiography of one of the Ascendants 5000 years ago about one of the Andara Federation Sects which has school dedicated to study the realm of Grand Dao. He was disappointed as the last time a ship from their sect has landed at the federation’s space station near this planet was 1435 years ago.

“What do I need to do to visit other planets?”

“There are random ships stopping by at LX5 space station that are willing to take in passengers with the right amount, however entry to this federation’s space station means you will never be able to set foot again on this planet.”

Clay read the additional information provided. Even Ascendants are only allowed to say goodbye to their loved one once unless they agree to become a planet’s protector which too many cultivators is equivalent stagnating and spend the rest of his life staring at the skies and die.

In essence, neutral planets’ right to freely explore space is denied and cultivator’s only way of becoming stronger is to cut off their ties with this planet and join outside sects.

“Suppose I get to LX5 now, are there any ships willing to take in any passengers?”

He wanted to know how often do these ships show up by asking random dates starting with today’s date.

(A ship from Kyan Han Sword Sect docked on LX5 ten days ago. There is no information for the delay in their departure but statics show a big possibility they will leave with a few loved one of the talented people they recruited together with any willing passengers.)

“You said recruitment.”

(Affirmative. Named sects who docked at LX5 for more than 3 days have statistical probability of 90% of recruiting this planets most talented inhabitants before their departure.)

Clay looked at the graphs displayed by the A.I. He had always wondered why his twin brother would all of a sudden enroll at this school when in fact he could have been nurtured at the Main Arshua Sacred Grounds. He did not put much thought of it as he was only riding along but now that he looks at the bigger picture, the only logical conclusion is that expectators from Kyan Han Sword Sect will be present during the Alliance Selection.

Why else would all of a sudden that the admission age be lowered? He could understand if it was an exception to his brother alone but majority of his classmates are below 8 but what is intriguing is that everyone was accompanied by powerful cultivators pretending to be butlers.

Clay was delighted upon the unexpected discovery. He decided to get a placing and join the sect. By then, he should be able to inquire more about Dao Studies once he gets to a better planet.