The walls of Azure Wind City rose above the horizon like a mountain range.
Even from several kilometers away, Kael could see the enormous watchtowers standing above the gates.
Flags bearing a silver-winged eagle fluttered in the morning wind.
Thousands of people traveled along the road toward the city.
Merchants pushed carts filled with goods.
Adventurers carried weapons across their backs.
Cultivators moved through the crowds with an unmistakable confidence.
Kael slowed down.
"So this is Azure Wind City."
Lyra walked beside him.
"You've never been here?"
"No."
"Then stay close."
Kael glanced at her.
"Are you worried about me?"
"I'm worried you'll accidentally offend someone important."
"I wouldn't do that."
Lyra raised an eyebrow.
"You challenged a group of bandits yesterday."
"They attacked us."
"And you told their leader to leave."
"Was that wrong?"
"No."
She paused.
"Just unusual."
Kael smiled.
"Then you'll have to get used to unusual."
Lyra shook her head.
They reached the city gate before noon.
Two guards stood on either side of the entrance.
One of them raised his hand.
"Entry token."
Lyra produced a silver badge.
The guard immediately stepped aside.
"Princess."
Kael looked at her.
"Princess?"
Lyra closed her eyes.
She had clearly hoped he wouldn't notice.
The guard looked confused.
"You didn't tell him?"
Lyra sighed.
"We haven't known each other long."
Kael looked at her.
"So you're actually a princess."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Would you have treated me differently?"
Kael thought about it.
"No."
"Exactly."
Kael smiled.
"Fair enough."
They entered the city.
Azure Wind City was unlike anything Kael had imagined.
Buildings several stories tall lined the streets.
Magical lamps floated above the roads.
Cultivators rode strange beasts through the streets.
A group of young disciples flew past on swords.
Kael stopped walking.
"You can fly?"
Lyra looked at him.
"At higher cultivation levels."
"How high?"
"Usually Core Formation."
Kael looked up at the sky.
"So I have a long way to go."
"Very long."
Kael smiled.
"Good."
Lyra looked at him.
"Good?"
"I'd hate to reach the top too quickly."
The Azure Wind Academy occupied the northern part of the city.
Its gates were enormous.
A silver dragon was carved into the stone above them.
Hundreds of young people gathered outside.
Some were accompanied by wealthy families.
Others stood alone.
Kael noticed the difference immediately.
The children of noble families wore expensive cultivation robes.
Commoners wore simple clothes.
Some people openly looked down on them.
A loud voice suddenly came from the crowd.
"Move aside!"
A group of young men approached.
The one in front wore dark blue robes embroidered with a golden wolf.
People immediately moved away.
Lyra's expression changed.
"Who is he?"
Kael asked.
"Darius Vane."
"Important?"
"Very."
"How strong?"
"Body Tempering Stage 6."
Kael looked at him.
The system activated.
**[Target Analysis]**
**Name:** Darius Vane
**Age:** 19
**Cultivation:** Body Tempering Stage 6
**Bloodline:** Iron Wolf
**Talent:** High
**Threat Level:** Moderate
**Weakness:** Overconfidence
Kael almost laughed.
"Your system says my weakness is overconfidence."
Darius stopped.
"What did you say?"
Kael realized he had spoken aloud.
"Nothing."
Darius looked at Lyra.
"Princess Lyra."
She didn't respond.
Darius smiled.
"Returning from your travels?"
"Yes."
His eyes moved toward Kael.
"And who is this?"
"My companion."
Darius frowned.
"Your companion?"
Kael stepped forward.
"Problem?"
Darius looked at him from head to toe.
Then laughed.
"He's a Mortal?"
Kael remained silent.
Darius's companions laughed as well.
"You brought a mortal to the academy?"
Lyra's expression hardened.
"He has been accepted for the entrance examination."
Darius's smile disappeared.
"Accepted?"
Kael smiled.
"Apparently."
Darius stepped closer.
"Do you know how difficult it is to enter Azure Wind Academy?"
"No."
"Then perhaps you should return home."
Kael shrugged.
"I'll decide that after the examination."
Darius stared at him.
Then smiled.
"Fine."
He walked past Kael.
But as he passed, he whispered:
"Don't embarrass yourself."
Kael watched him leave.
Lyra sighed.
"You should learn when to ignore people."
"I did ignore him."
"You answered him."
"That's different."
Lyra almost laughed.
The entrance examination began shortly afterward.
Candidates entered the first testing hall.
An enormous black stone stood in the center.
An examiner stood beside it.
"First test."
"Physical strength."
"Place your hand on the stone."
Candidates stepped forward one after another.
The stone displayed their strength.
"Body Tempering Stage 3."
"Accepted."
"Body Tempering Stage 4."
"Accepted."
"Body Tempering Stage 2."
"Rejected."
Soon, it was Kael's turn.
He approached the stone.
The examiner looked at him.
"Name?"
"Kael Ardyn."
"Age?"
"Eighteen."
"Place your hand on the stone."
Kael did so.
Nothing happened.
The examiner frowned.
"Again."
Kael pressed harder.
Still nothing.
Someone laughed.
"He's a Mortal."
"Why did he even come?"
The examiner shook his head.
"Next."
Kael didn't move.
"Try again."
The examiner sighed.
"There's no point."
Kael looked at the stone.
The system suddenly appeared.
**[Unknown artifact detected.]**
**[Analysis available.]**
**Artifact:** Spirit Measurement Stone
**Function:** Measures spiritual energy and cultivation.
**Warning:** Artifact incompatible with Voidheart.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
He suddenly understood.
The stone wasn't failing.
It simply couldn't measure him.
He placed his hand against it again.
This time, he allowed a tiny amount of Void energy to escape.
The stone glowed.
Then—
**CRACK.**
A black line appeared across its surface.
The entire examination hall fell silent.
Another crack appeared.
Then another.
**BOOM!**
The stone shattered.
Everyone stared.
The examiner's mouth opened slightly.
Kael looked down at his hand.
The system appeared.
**[Spirit measurement failed.]**
**[Reason: Host's spiritual structure exceeds artifact compatibility.]**
**[Hidden talent remains sealed.]**
A powerful elder standing at the back of the hall suddenly opened his eyes.
He stared directly at Kael.
For a moment, Kael felt an enormous pressure descend upon him.
His knees almost buckled.
The system flashed.
**[Mental suppression detected.]**
**[Sovereign Will activated.]**
The pressure disappeared.
Kael slowly raised his head.
The elder's expression changed.
"Interesting."
Darius, standing among the candidates, clenched his fists.
"Who is this guy?"
Lyra watched Kael silently.
She had seen powerful cultivators before.
But she had never seen anyone make an academy artifact shatter simply by touching it.
The examiner cleared his throat.
"Kael Ardyn."
Kael looked at him.
"Yes?"
The examiner looked at the broken stone.
Then at Kael.
"You will proceed to the second test."
The crowd erupted.
Kael smiled.
"Of course."
But deep beneath the academy, something ancient had awakened.
A sealed formation began to tremble.
A voice whispered through the darkness.
**"That soul..."**
The voice paused.
Then came a second whisper.
**"It cannot be."**
Above the academy, Kael suddenly felt the Starfall Pendant become warm.
He lo
oked toward the ceiling.
For a brief moment, he saw a vision.
A golden palace.
Seven thrones.
And seven figures looking toward him.
One of them stood.
His voice echoed through the vision.
**"Find him before he remembers."**
The vision disappeared.
Kael's expression became cold.
Someone was searching for him.
And now he knew one thing for certain.
Azure Wind City wasn't merely the place where his journey would begin.
It was the place where the secrets of his past had already begun searching for him.
**To be continued...**