Azreth’s head started spinning. The searing pain from the loud voice was too overbearing.

“What sort of question is this?! It…it makes no sense!”

Azreth had a hint of despair in his voice, unable to come up with a solution for this stupid problem.

A few minutes later the buzzing in Azreth’s head stopped. He lets out a sigh of relief as the source of the voice was nowhere to be found.

He started to gather his bearings and get back up on his feet. Still feeling a bit groggy from the event, he trudges slowly through the hallway and into the large room.

As he enters the room he feels a large amount of overbearing pressure around him. It makes it difficult for him to walk any further.

Once again the black smoke, which is emitted out of my body, wades of the pressure. It feels like there is some sort of shield around me, constantly pushing back the excess amount of force.

He walks up to one of the racks which encases thousands of books and tries to pick out a random book.

As soon as he hand touches the book, Azreth receives a shockwave that blows him away a few metres.

“It would seem that most if not all of the books over here are enchanted.”

“I think my lack of cultivation power is acting as a barrier which limits my access to these books. The only reason I managed to get up to the second level was because of the black smoke.”

Azreth wonders about his ancestry and the many ancient secrets kept in this library. It seems like the second level was bigger than the entire mansion itself. Azreth was confused at this phenomenon. He did not know how this would be possible.

Azreth thinks about talking about all that has happened to his parents, but then soon drops this line of thought. He knows this is something his parents have no control over and will worry unnecessarily.

Azreth decides to leave this place for now as his cultivation level is non-existent.

He walks out of the library and then heads straight towards his room. He is dead tired and wants to go to bed as soon as possible.

Time goes on the same for a few months. Most of Azreth’s time is spent in the library, once or twice a week he goes to Lyra’s house to play or in other words listening to her incessant chattering. Meanwhile, Aleara had fallen pregnant and was due in a few months. Azreth was really excited at the arrival of his sibling.

Azreth was currently five years old and he was waiting outside the room with his father. His mother was in labour and it was a really anxious moment for him and his father.

We hear the sound of crying and rush inside to find Aleara snuggling onto a baby. The midwives congratulate my father on the birth of a baby girl. My mother was crying with tears of happiness, my father goes up to her and kisses her forehead. He then proceeds to take my baby sister into his hands; he has a bright smile on his face.

I walk up to the bed and look at my baby sister; she is very cute and currently napping.

A few weeks pass like that in bliss. Azreth now spends most of his time playing and taking care of his sister. He sees that his sister has very unique eyes; they are deep crimson in colour. Her name was decided to be Natasha.

Lyra did come by at our place along with her mother and brother to visit my mother and new born sister.

Azreth knows his current free time is soon to be over as in a few days he will go along with his father to get his meridians checked as well as his elemental affinity. Once he starts walking on the path of cultivation, the amount of time he gets to spend with his family is going to be severely restricted. So currently he is enjoying himself as much as he can.

Soon the day of the test arrives. It’s unfortunate that mother can’t go with me because she has to take care of Natasha as she is too young to go outside.

Raleth opens up a portal towards the Jade Gemstone academy. This academy is where young cultivators and mages from the ages of 5 – 17 hone their skills. This academy is located North West in the city of Khar. It is on the outskirts of the capital overlooking the nine stone mountains.

We arrive at the entrance of the academy and there are plenty of parents with their children waiting for them to be tested.

Lyra manages to spot Azreth in the crowd and then run towards him.

“Oh! Good, my manservant has come all the way for me to the academy”

Azreth rolls his eyes towards that statement.

“Aren’t you six years old…why are you not still enrolled at the academy?”

Lyra slumps at my question looking visibly sad.

“My…my meridians were not completely joined up and hence I was told to try again next year” she says with a sigh.

Behind her was a man presumably her father. My father greets him with a handshake and they start talking to each other.

“Azreth this is Lyra’s father Tarekh Liantheum. He is one of my old friends and one of the best enchanters in the capital.”

“Nice to meet you sir” I give a curtsey bow.

“Nice to meet you to. Lyra you could learn a thing or two from him” Tarekh reprimands Lyra with a gentle voice.

Lyra just snorts at his statement seemingly ignoring her father’s words.

“Did you know that my father is at the middle stage of the mortal realm?” Lyra says with a proud voice.

I am unsure as to how to rebuke her. Previously, when I asked both my mother and father about their cultivation levels they always somehow evaded the question and hence I still don’t know whether my parents have a high or low cultivation.

“Lyra that is nothing to really brag about, Raleth is in the early stages of the Mortal realm but he is one of the best alchemists you will find in the capital. Also, did you know that Azreth’s mother Aleara is much more powerful than me? She is in the late stages of the mortal realm”

Lyra is shocked at the words of her father but Azreth is in an even bigger shock.

He realised that both his parents were powerful mortal realm cultivators and his mother was much more powerful than his father. He also realised that his father was apparently a great alchemist. Azreth’s father never even talked about the work he did.

Azreth looks at his father with a confused expression and Raleth just awkwardly smiles back at him.

Soon all the children start to get tested for their meridians. They all line up in multiple rows. There are thousands of children waiting to be tested. There are many test stalls set up, at least a hundred of them to speed up the process for everyone involved.

It basically involves, first placing your hand upon the qi stone to check your meridians level and then touching the soul stone to check your elemental affinity.

Out of the thousands only a few hundred are selected since this is the top academy in the capital. The rest of them go to other smaller academies or other professional schools.

Azreth and Lyra are patiently waiting in line for their turn. Azreth sees many kids, some with happy but most with dejected looks on their faces.

As he moves to the front of the line he can see the testing process. A young girl places her hand on the qi stone and it glows yellow which is a standard colour. It means that her meridians are joined up and her dantian has started to sprout. She then proceeds to touch the soul stone and it glows with a light yellow colour. It means she has an affinity for the wind element. She seemed happy as she started walking back.

Soon it was Lyra’s turn. She seemed nervous; I just told her to relax and wished her the best of luck. She walked up to the stage stated her full name and age and then proceeded to touch the qi stone.

It started to glow yellow in colour and Lyra lets out a sigh of relief. She then goes on to touch the soul stone and it lights up; half of it with white light and the other half with blue light. Lyra was surprised and really happy.

“A dual affinity in light and water” The administrator lets out an exclaimed expression. He has an expression of approval towards Lyra.

She seemed really happy and stands on the side of the line. She was waiting for my test to be over.

I walk up to the stage and the administrator’s assistant asks me for my name, “Azreth Targ, 5 years old” I reply.

Suddenly the administrator looks at me, scrutinising me from head to toe.

I walk up to the stage placing my hand upon the qi stone. It starts glowing green.

“This…this how is this possible?!” the administrator lets out with a shocked expression.

“Brat, place your hand again on the qi stone” and sure enough it starts glowing green again.

“Kid your meridians are fully joined up and your dantian is fully formed as well. This is the first time in my life I have seen or even heard someone at the age of five with a fully formed dantian.”

My mind was absolutely buzzing with joy, currently I felt like I was the happiest person in the world.

Then I placed my hand on the soul stone and nothing happened.