The meeting came to an end at the Bell Clan Branch. Yuhan and Headmaster Zhang left the tall pagoda tower and entered the traditional Chinese town. Yuhan looked at the passing people with complicated thoughts.
"Don't bother talking to them." Zhang said indifferently, as if he could read her thoughts. She glanced at him with some doubt.
"They are merely holographic, including the town. It is merely to give off a sense of peace." He looked back at her with a gentle smile.
"Why?" She asked in her normal, cold voice.
"Most of our people don't live like that anymore. Ethnicity, race, and bloodlines don't matter as much as it used to millions of years ago."
He said with a sigh, "The different races and ethnic groups of humanity have intermingled for so long that it's extremely rare to find a pure-blood of any race. I mentioned this a long time ago, but you're only 20% Chinese, with the rest mixed blood. Me and your mother are only 10% higher with the Bell Clan barely having any. It's rare to find clans nowadays that still stick with their ethnicity and bloodlines."
"Are you upset about it?" She asked bluntly.
"In my youthful times, maybe." He chuckled faintly as wisdom flashed in his eyes.
"I have lived so long that I realized bloodline purity is just a term that has no meaning. Getting a pure Chinese bloodline is just a waste of time and energy, and has no use. Like the United Federation and the ancient humans have said for so long, talent is not based on bloodline, ethnicity, or race. Instead, talent is based on ability and the courage to put in effort."
Yuhan looked into the distance and contemplated with racing thoughts.
"I know it sounds weird and something out of a utopia novel, but it's the truth. All of it does not matter anymore and it hasn't mattered for over a million years. Even if you were Italian, Mexican, Russian, American, or any other race, I would not care. Even if you had values different from Chinese, I would not care."
He reached over and rubbed her head, messing up her hair.
"Aside from the fact that you're my daughter, all I care about is that you have a choice in your future. Even if your talent is horrible, I will not care. Outside of that, I expect talent from Clan members!"
Yuhan lowered her head as her cold gaze somewhat softened. A warm feeling traveled into her heart, and she couldn't help but enjoy the nice feeling.
Her past father was brutal and always made sure she cultivated for the sake of the clan. With a dead mother, there was never a time to have good relationship with anyone. It was only fighting and craving heavenly treasures and keeping up with expectations.
Her currently father is the current headmaster, and usually doesn't have much time with her. Nonetheless, he always takes her out on his free time and helps her when he can. For the first time, she felt like never returning to her clan, and staying here forever.
"Thank you." She said softly.
Zhang smiled and patted her shoulder.
"Alright! Let's end this philosophical and emotional stuff. You just need to worry about your studies at your age. Do you still want to join that Mech Academy?" He casually asked.
"Yeah." She nodded, adjusting her hair back to normal.
"I've met lots of people who've gone this route, and that route is not nice. Aside from basic training, you have to go through six years in the space navy branch with an excellent track record, before having a chance at operating a mech."
"I hate to break this to you, but almost all mech soldiers are half robot when they come out, literally and figuratively. In the space navy, they'll put you through extreme conditioning, human enhancements, and cybernetic enhancements. In Mech Academy, you go through a deeper process of all those three, and you're "
Some concern appeared in his eyes.
"You'll be required to serve for 50 years minimum. The people who come out have difficulty coming back to social life. While I would prefer you not to go, I'll support you if that's your decision." A deep sigh came from him.
"I still have three months left, so maybe my decision will change."
Yuhan calmed her emotions down once more and resumed her cold voice,
"So what's next?"
"I've already reserved a 5-star hotel nearby since it's late. We'll head out tomorrow in the afternoon." His face and voice turned indifferent as he looked behind him.
The clan elder that had been following them finally caught up. He approached while floating in the air using a flight module before landing on the ground.
"S-sorry headmaster, I had to settle some business back there."
"No issue," said Zhang indifferently.
The branch elder could not come along to escort them back since he was busy. The three left the hyper-realistic town that was only a 3D hologram before entering the forests. They stepped on a teleporter pad before vanishing.
They appeared on another teleporter pad before they left the high-rise building. The passing vehicles in the air and people on the ground or in the air still went on without their presence.
Just as they were about to enter the parked, hovering vehicles on the side, Yuhan stopped.
A faint ripple from divine sense was picked up. She immediately decoded the information within before absorbing it into her soul to use as a tracker. Complicated thoughts ran across her mind.
"What's the matter Yuhan?" Her father looked back at her with doubt, wondering why she suddenly stopped.
"Can we change plans?"
"Plans? You don't wanna go to the hotel?"
"There's someone I'd like to meet."