"My friend Bai Chen, the magical item you brought was so useful for checking the age of each candidate during the trials."
Viscount Vale brought up this interesting topic, turning slightly to face his companion better. His eyes held genuine curiosity.
"What do you call it again?"
"It's nothing magical at all. It's just an 'age-scanner' created by George White from Rusty Clock Academy."
Bai Chen chuckled softly and explained, though his bright eyes grew deeper and more thoughtful when he spoke the name. There was something in his tone that suggested this George White meant more to him than he was saying.
"Age scanner? George White? Is it really him?"
Hearing the name, the Viscount's eyes suddenly turned serious, filled with old memories. He stood very still, lost in thought, his hands gripping the railing tighter than before.
"You know him, Lord Vale?"
Bai Chen raised his red eyebrows and asked with growing interest, noticing the change in his friend's manner.
"Well, this is a long story. Would you like to hear it?"
Viscount Vale's gaze drifted toward the far green mountains topped with white clouds, and he slowly opened his mouth to speak. The afternoon breeze carried the scent of distant pine forests.
In his younger years, he had gone on many adventures with a few close friends. Some were already dead now, claimed by monsters or time itself, while others had returned to their families to live quiet lives. Those had been dangerous but exciting times, full of hope and dreams of glory.
During those days, he had met his fair share of both friends and enemies. He remembered getting trapped inside a secret realm filled with moving walls and terrible creatures that hunted humans for food. This event was burned into his memory because of one important thing that happened there.
The moving walls had separated his group, leaving each member alone in the dark stone passages.
In one of the hidden rooms, he and one of his companions had found something glowing with such bright light that he couldn't make out what it was. But the rich magical energy flowing from it told them clearly that it was a powerful treasure worth risking their lives for. However, they were not alone in that space. Several figures in black hoods had seen them and tried to kill them both to keep the secret buried forever.
Two hands couldn't beat four arms, so naturally they were overpowered and losing badly. Blood ran down his face from cuts, and his arm was growing weak. Just when death seemed certain, a man wrapped in a blue hood appeared like a ghost and saved them both, also taking the treasure with him when he vanished. All they learned was that his name was George White, and then he was gone like smoke.
With great difficulty and many close calls, the Viscount had survived after countless struggles and hardships. But two of his dear companions had left this world forever as a result of that cursed place. Their faces still visited his dreams sometimes.
What made things worse was what waited outside the realm.
Several old and powerful masters were sitting on the ground near the entrance, ready to steal any treasures from those who managed to escape. These vultures had no intention of risking their own lives but were happy to take what others had earned through blood and pain.
Fortunately, one of his family elders had been nearby and saved the survivors from this disaster. Only after asking many questions did he learn that what they had just entered was an ancient inheritance site from a nameless but powerful force that had ruled these lands long ago. Inside, traces of high-quality resources and magical techniques had been hidden for centuries, waiting for the right people to claim them.
The elder didn't tell them exactly what the treasure was, but after his own research, the Viscount discovered something amazing. The thing wrapped in white light was possibly powerful enough to help someone advance from the Early Adept stage all the way to the Inner core - a jump that usually took decades of careful training and rare materials.
That was the kind of treasure that could change a person's entire life.
Then, a few months later, word reached him that the man who had saved them - George White - had advanced into the Weaver Realm after fighting someone in a life and death match. The news had spread like wildfire through every town and city. A breakthrough like that at his age was almost unheard of.
"Sigh... if only I had taken that opportunity back then, maybe..."
The Viscount's voice trailed off, heavy with regret.
Hmm?
Viscount Vale sighed deeply and looked at the now nearly full field below, packed with hopeful young faces.
"My friend, do you want to start now?"
Placing his arms on the smooth railings, he asked Bai Chen beside him.
Bai Chen was also looking down with a firm and calm gaze, already studying the candidates before they could even show their skills. He watched how they moved, how they carried themselves, and the faint glow of their inner energy.
"Let's wait a while longer."
After thinking for a moment, he gave his answer.
"I see." Viscount Vale nodded, looking at the rising sun now at a 45-degree angle in the clear blue sky. The light filtered through the scattered clouds and fell upon the youthful faces of the young men and women gathered below.
Down in the square, the flow of people entering was slowly thinning. After a few more minutes, the guards closed the main gate, leaving only a small space along the sides for people to stand and watch from outside.
"Close the gate!"
A man in silver armor yelled out. Teams of silver-armored knights stepped forward in perfect formation and became a barrier of steel, their weapons held ready.
"What are you doing?!"
"Hey, I still haven't gotten inside!"
"Me too!"
Those unlucky people who hadn't made it through the gate in time anxiously called out, though they were completely ignored by the guards.
"The gate is closed now. Blame it on your bad luck!"
After a while, a middle-aged man in silver armor without a helmet patiently explained to the crowd, though his voice carried no sympathy.
---
Zhang Wei was standing in the now-crowded field with sweat beading on his forehead. The sun was blazing down on them all. Fortunately, it wasn't hot enough to burn, just uncomfortable enough to make everyone wish for shade.
Beside him stood Mei Yan and Ela. Mei Yan was wearing simple leather clothing with a worn cloak over the outer layer. It looked nothing special, but it was clean - probably just recently washed. Her eyes, though, were bright and clear like fresh spring water, full of determination.
She was looking at him with a shy smile on her face, as if she felt ashamed of her simple outfit. She kept pinching at her leather sleeves nervously.
"Hehe... I don't have expensive and beautiful clothing like some of the others. I just borrowed this from my mother. I hope you don't mind."
She said hesitantly, a faint redness spreading across her soft but firm cheeks. Zhang Wei couldn't tell if it was because of the heat or shyness - maybe both.
Looking at her, Zhang Wei paused. He took in her outfit clearly - a brown and black combination with a small tear in the upper corner that had been carefully stitched.
"Don't be ashamed. It's not that bad at all. I mean, look around at everyone else. Most people's clothing isn't too fancy either. Mine included."
He pointed to himself to comfort her. This earned him a genuine smile.
"You're right."
She also noticed that most of the other candidates wore simple training clothes and work garments. Still, she couldn't completely shake the feeling of being out of place.
Just when she wanted to say more, something caught everyone's attention.
A figure in flowing red robes appeared in the air above them, stepping onto a brilliant red lotus flower that floated suspended in the void. The flower petals glowed with inner light, slowly spinning beneath his feet.
It was Bai Chen!
The entire field fell silent. Hundreds of eyes turned upward.
"Everyone!" His voice rang out clearly across the square, carrying easily to every corner without seeming to shout.