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One year had passed. Raine and Gu Yuena were walking through the forest, heading toward a small town. In front of them walked an old man with white hair. His aura felt weak, and he moved with the help of a wooden stick.
Over the past year, Raine had reached the peak of 1-shard Asterioc. The old man spoke,
"Raine, from now on we will live as human beings until our goal is achieved. You will use the name Gu Yehan and act as the big brother of Gu Yuena."
Raine simply nodded and said, "Okay, Beast King."
Although Raine was only six years old, he looked like a ten-year-old boy. His short black hair and black eyes made him look more appealing. Gu Yuena, also six, remained as beautiful and cute as ever with her long silver hair and big purple eyes.
The Beast King, disguised as the old man, continued walking while both of them followed behind. He said,
"Gu Yehan, don't forget—from now on, call me Grandpa Han."
They walked for a while and eventually entered the village. Many people were moving about—some working, some farming their lands. A villager walked up to them and asked,
"Are you all new in the village?"
Old Man Han looked at him with calm eyes, as if seeing through his soul, and replied with the voice of a weak elderly man,
"I just came from Bluelake Village. From now on, we'll live here."
The villager responded,
"Oh, I know that village. It's just a little far from here. If you're looking for a place to stay, I know someone who rents out houses."
He then led them into the village. Raine followed, feeling confused—he was sure the Beast King had never mentioned any Bluelake Village before. Then, suddenly, he heard the Beast King's voice in his head:
> "Don't be surprised. I just read his thoughts and found the name of that village. Once you become strong enough, you'll even be able to change people's memories, manipulate them however you want—but I don't recommend it unless necessary."
The villager showed them a small house and said,
"If you want to rent, it's 10 gold coins a month. If you want to buy, it's 1000 gold coins."
The old man calmly put his hand into his pocket, created a bag filled with 1000 gold coins, and handed it over.
"I'll buy it. Also, when do the academy admissions start?"
The villager took the bag with a wide grin and replied,
"You're very generous, senior. Thank you! In one week, there'll be a ceremony for all children aged six or older. If you pass, you'll be admitted to the capital's Redlotus Academy. But many will attend, and only a few will be selected. You can still get into a normal academy by paying a fee."
The old man nodded.
"Thanks. From now on, this is our home. Please give me the ownership papers."
The villager happily handed over the papers.
Once inside, Old Man Han closed the door, and Gu Yehan (Raine) and Gu Yuena began to explore the house. Compared to the majestic palace in the core forest, it felt filthy—but it was their temporary shelter.
The old man turned to them and said,
"Gu Yehan, Gu Yuena—listen carefully. You must win and enter the Redlotus Academy. If you get admitted and graduate, you'll earn a powerful position in human society. Only then will you gain access to the methods of converting beast cores into energy stones."
Gu Yehan nodded seriously.
Gu Yuena teased with a soft chuckle,
"Old man, you really do fit this Grandpa role well. I'm going to rest now."
She yawned and walked away.
The old man looked at Gu Yehan again and said,
"Now that you've trained under me, you understand that all skills are just basic forms. By channeling your elemental energy, you can transform them into elemental skills. But here, you must not use your Dark element. Use your Wind element instead."
Gu Yehan nodded and asked,
"Grandpa Han, can you tell me about the attributes again?"
The old man smiled.
"Of course. There are four primary attributes: Strength (Attack), Defense, Speed, and Penetration.
There are eight basic elements, and each has dominant attributes:
Fire and Steel: Strength
Wind and Thunder: Speed
Earth and Grass: Defense
Water and Poison: Penetration"
"Now go and meditate for a while."
Gu Yehan also went to rest. Meanwhile, Old Man Han sat on a chair, closed his eyes, and effortlessly read the thoughts of all the villagers. With a flick of energy, he created identification papers for himself and the children.
Gu Yehan, seeing this from a distance, couldn't help but think,
Just how powerful is the Beast King? Is he at the Asterioc level? Or Lunar? Or maybe even above Lunar…
---
At the Redlotus Palace, in the guardian chamber of Yueyin—the protector of the planet and humanity—Master Yueyin sat in her usual white robe, her face covered by a white veil.
In front of her stood Tang Wulin, who had just reached the peak of 1-shard Asterioc. She said calmly,
"Wulin, in just one week, the ceremony will be held to select students for Redlotus Academy. You should attend and get admitted. Only by experiencing life yourself will you truly understand everything."
Tang Wulin nodded and bowed.
"Thank you, Master Yueyin. I will try my best not to disappoint you."
He then left the palace and returned home, where his big sister Celetia had already prepared food.
While eating, he said cheerfully,
"Big sister Celetia, I'm going to join Redlotus Academy—just like you! Now you can also come to the academy, right?"
Celetia paused for a moment.
"Really?"
Tang Wulin nodded eagerly.
Celetia was also a student at Redlotus Academy, but she only visited for exams. Most of the time, she stayed at home to cook and take care of Tang Wulin. Though she was adopted by Tang Wulin's father, he never saw her as anything less than his real sister.
His father, Tang Yuan, was always at the border defending humanity. Their mother had passed away long ago, so Celetia had raised Wulin like her own.
This was also why Tang Wulin wanted to grow strong—so he could stand beside his father to protect humanity, and let Celetia finally live her own life.
Celetia lightly smacked Wulin on the head and said with a smile,
"Don't worry, Wulin. Your big sister will always take care of you."
Wulin frowned but continued eating. Her words made him feel warm inside. After all, she had always taken care of him.
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