The two Sixth Realm cultivators looked at Estrella with hidden, surprised gazes. They could feel that the child was already at the peak of the Initial Foundation Phase Realm. An 18-year-old at this level was not that rare, but what impressed them was how solid Estrella's foundation was.
Yasenia asked Gu Chen and Ayanduin with a smile. "I see that you are looking quite attentively at her. What do you think, seniors?"
Ayanduin commented. "As I said to her, I bet that you are proud of her accomplishments. She is proficient and talented in cultivation."
Estrella smiled, somewhat awkward. "Seniors…"
Gu Chen smiled. "Don't be so formal; just call me Uncle Gu."
Ayanduin nodded. "Right, right. You are just a cute girl; call me Uncle Ayanduin as well."
Estrella nodded and commented. "Uncle Gu, Uncle Ayanduin, there is no need for flattery." She smiled and said, her expression earned. "I can take criticism! There is no need to lie and call me talented."
Gu Chen and Ayanduin looked at Estrella, confused. Gu Chen asked aloud. "What do you mean, child?"
Estrella scratched her cheek. "I am the least talented among all my sisters. I know that I lack a lot, so there is no need to flatter me and make me feel better."
Both men paused and were surprised. Looking at Yasenia, Gu Chen asked. "Is this child really the least talented?"
Yasenia looked at Estrella and pulled her toward herself, giving her a big kiss. "Silly girl, they are being honest. Why would a Sixth Realm expert need to be careful around me? They can probably flick me out of existence!"
Estrella blinked, confused. "Huh?"
Gu Chen laughed, amused. "You are a really interesting child. Do you consider yourself untalented? Estrella, if you are untalented, then the rest of the world might as well stop cultivating! Hahaha."
Yasenia nodded. "Right? I am always telling her, but she never listens! Even when Tatyana tells her, she just smiles! Tsk, tsk."
Estrella stuttered. "But, uncles, I am attributeless. I can't practice Spiritual Cultivation…"
Gu Chen and Ayanduin blinked. Ayanduin asked, looking at Yasenia. "Oh? You can't practice Spiritual Cultivation if you don't have an innate attribute?"
Yasenia shook her head. "Spiritual Cultivation Techniques are based on the balance of Soul and Body. One needs an attribute to absorb the energy around them through Spiritual Cultivation breathing techniques. Without an attribute, you absorb everything and can't filter pure energy, making cultivation basically impossible. Or, better said, so slow that cultivating it is just a waste of time."
Ayanduin hummed. "So, it is not impossible, but so hard to do that doing so will not really bear fruits."
Yasenia smiled. "The more attributes you are attuned to, the slower the cultivation speed. Of course, someone with multiple attributes might be somewhat stronger in the same realm due to their versatility. However, an attributeless person is someone who practices all attributes without affinity."
Tatyana decided to explain a bit extra. "Add to the fact that most spiritual techniques use some kind of attribute, and then you would understand the disadvantage. Instead, Estrella is much better off practicing a pure Body Cultivation path." Tatyana added with a smile. "Well, once she unlocks her Beast Path and Soul Path, things might change."
Estrella knew all of this, so she nodded. "Right."
Gu Chen blinked and looked at Estrella again. "Beast Path…? Oh? You are not a Beast Human. You are actually a beast!"
Estrella smiled, a bit embarrassed. "Well, I am a beast that can't transform."
Yasenia snorted. "I also couldn't transform at your age, so don't you dare look down on yourself for that!"
Ayanduin chuckled. "Your family is really a pile of… mysteries."
The dragoness smiled widely. "Right? My babies are so awesome that it is a mystery!"
After hearing the twisted meaning, everyone deadpanned and looked at the happy dragoness. One of Gu Chen's wives spoke softly. "Little Estrella, your eyes are really pretty, and you are a beautiful and talented person. However, don't let that go to your head. Continue your hard work if you want to stay ahead of your talented sisters."
Tatyana grabbed Estrella's hand and smiled. "Listen to her, Estrella. Once you completely mature and go through your first tribulation, you will be able to go out and see the world. At that time, you will find out about your own strengths and weaknesses. However, never let lack of effort become one of them."
Estrella took this to heart and remembered it deeply.
Before they continued, they heard Selena speak. "Little Miss Dianna, Little Miss Katarina, and Little Miss Skye are here!"
The rooms opened, and the three children entered. Katarina and Dianna were both in their human forms and when they entered, Gu Chen and Ayanduin's expressions visibly shifted.
Gu Chen thought to himself. 'No wonder that child Estrella has such low self-esteem with them as her little sisters.'
Dianna and Katarina had grown in strength a lot, reaching the advanced levels of the Evolved Core Beast Realm. Meanwhile, while Skye was in the same realm compared to Estrella, her foundation was even sturdier than Estrella's, showing that she had been there long before her big sister.
Skye looked at Estrella and smiled widely. "Big Sis! Happy Birthday!"
Dianna and Katarina followed, congratulating Estrella with big smiles.
"Happy, happy birthday! Big Sis Estrella!"
"Happy Birthday, Big Sis."
Ayanduin smiled faintly. "They get along well."
Yasenia laughed softly. "Why shouldn't they? They all love each other lots."
Skye approached and gave Estrella a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Estrella laughed and answered their congratulations. "Thank you, little sisters!"
After that, the children moved to their respective mothers, and then waited for the others to arrive. In the meantime, Sky, Dianna, and Katarina learned about Gu Chen and Ayanduin, and they began bombarding them with questions.
Gu Chen, who was quite fond of kids, answered all their questions with a big smile. He couldn't help but feel happy.
Dawn and Aurelia arrived a bit later, but all were in time for the start of the birthday.
Food started rolling in, placed down by all the maids, and the massive table where they were gathered was filled with all kinds of delicious dishes. Yasenia stood up as the host and gave a short speech. "Today is the eighteenth birthday of my child, Estrella. She has worked hard and grown a lot during this time, and now, she will officially become an adult, like her elder sister Kaleina did."
Kaleina was sitting by Yasenia's side, together with Flame.
"Estrella, dear. Remember that regardless of what path you take in the future, you will always be my precious baby and part of the Dravory family. So, if you are ever lost, confide in us. I promise that I'll do my best to help you each and every time you do so."
The child, now having crossed that line, couldn't help but smile happily and nod. "Thank you, Mommy."
This nickname, reserved for their dragon mother, would never change regardless of how old they became.
Yasenia leaned down and gave her a hug. "Happy birthday, love."
Then, Yasenia looked around and smirked. "Now, time for the presents for my baby! I hope no one was a miser because I am expecting some expensive treasures!"
The attendees were close to the Dravory family, like Coraline, Linghui Mingyu, the purple-scaled lamia Luscia, Ghana, Tengliu, and many others.
Being mostly friends, Tengliu exclaimed when Yasenia said those words. "Shameless!"
However, the dragoness raised her eyebrow proudly. "I am shameless and greedy. What can you do about it? Now, pay up!"
The children looked at their mother with an amused gaze. They knew their mother's love for expensive things, and they, as dragon descendants, had inherited a part of that interest. Therefore, they felt that Yasenia was not doing anything wrong.
Andrea commented. "Although it is not time for the other children yet, since I am done, I wanted to give all of you a little present."
She waved her hand, summoning the weapons on top of the table.
Once the weapons were summoned, Money and Ayanduin both couldn't help but gasp. Ayanduin asked. "Where did you get these weapons? They are masterfully forged with methods I've never seen before!"
Andrea laughed softly. "Well, I made them all by myself."
Estrella saw the scythe, and she quickly got it. "Wow! I love it. Thank you, Mama Andrea!"
Yasenia smiled and looked at Andrea. "They are a bit special, aren't they?"
Andrea nodded and told the children. "These are growth weapons. While they currently are Spirit-Ranked treasures, when you, children, reach higher realms, you can slowly unlock more of their strength. These weapons can grow a lot, so they should last for a long time."
The people around couldn't help but be impressed. The dragoness grinned. "The bar is high~, I wonder if you can overcome it!"
Coraline sighed and waved her hand, summoning her present. "You really don't change, Yasenia. Here, a [Sun Ore Lobster Mineral]. They are very rare ores that sometimes appear from fallen high-level lobsters' shells. They are usually low-level Heaven Ranked, and this one is middle-level Heaven Rank. I hope you can eventually find a use for it, Estrella."
Ebirah clapped. "That's really nice."
Estrella also nodded a few times and tried grabbing it, only to not budge it. "Heavy…"
Yasenia laughed faintly. "Store it in your Spatial Ring, love. When you are older, try to find a blacksmith to create something you fancy with it."
After Coraline, others also gave their own presents. In other years, the presents were small things, like a healing pill or similar things. Of course, this was not a birthday but a once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony. It was a special birthday, so the presents were aplenty and extraordinary.
Finally, Ayanduin's and Gu Chen's turn came, and when looked at by the greedy dragon family, he threw his hands up. "Okay, okay, don't look at me like that. I'll give her something interesting, okay?"
Yasenia grinned. "Great~."
Gu Chen hummed and then waved his hand, summoning a talisman. "That's a talisman that can summon my soul for a moment. As long as you are facing mortal cultivators, I will be able to repel or kill anyone that's bothering you. I only have one, but it seems that I'll need to prepare seven more, hahaha."
Estrella took the talisman with a wide smile. "Thank you, Uncle Gu Chen!"
Ayanduin took out a pill jar instead. "This is a [Meridian and Muscle Cleansing Pill]. It is powerful, and if you are ever affected by any poison that's afflicting your meridians or body, you can take it and be good as new."
Kali looked at it and hummed. "That's quite a powerful one." Then, she smiled. "Sadly, that doesn't work against soul poisons, eh?"
Ayanduin rolled his eyes. "I have a dozen of them, so when the other children's turn comes, I'll make sure to give each of them one. Kaleina, Flame, take one since I missed yours."
Kaleina and Flame bowed. "Thank you, Uncle Ayanduin!"
Yasenia nodded, satisfied. "Now that the treasures are done, give her a bit of money, eh? Money is what guides the world, after all!"
Everyone looked at the dragoness with a deadpan. However, after a few looks, they decided to relent and give Estrella a bit of money.