While all this was going on, the 567 participants were given a chance to enter the Inner district if they could comprehend the five element-neutral techniques within 10 hours.
Everyone was ecstatic until they realized the techniques were self-harming and executing them wrongly would result in becoming a cripple.
Not to the extent of being unable to cultivate forever as what would be the meaning of the test then? But it would surely take weeks to months for it to heal perfectly.
In the end, only 4 reached the mark while others simply harmed themselves or some failed due to the time limit.
The four were Henry and Tiffy Russell from the Imperial Family, Lia Igost from the Tenk Clan(Raon's fiancé), and lastly Arialyn Tesra.
Usually, only 1 or 2 enter the Inner District at this stage and the rest climb through the ranks slowly alongside the previous Outer District members.
To say it was record-breaking wouldn't be wrong but that wouldn't be correct either as the best has been 10 entering the Inner District from Lia's father's generation.
Everyone easily accepted the Russell siblings and even Lia was to some point acceptable given her background but Arialyn...
It was obvious why there was discontent and several people were blaming her for cheating and stuff because it was a well-known fact she had Red grade talent while the other three had Purple.
"She definitely cheated..."
"How can a Red grade do what, I, a purple grade couldn't..."
"Yeah, something's wrong..."
Several such voices were raised much to annoy Morl who was in a good mood as he glanced at the 564 Outer District members alongside several guardians and failed participants.
"Shut up. If you have to say anything, then prove it. Everyone was allowed to spectate the 567 participants, so did no one notice if she was cheating?" said Elder Morl.
"Even if she did, bypassing the formations and even fooling all of us here alongside the guards just outside every room is praiseworthy, and is also her strength"
"Just because you participants are incompetent, you dare say she cheated? And why didn't I hear the same thing for the other three?"
As he continued to point out these things, everyone turned quiet as the four were just standing far away from this mess.
Less than a few moments later, all the 567 participants were with their guardians discussing things and about finally entering the Academy and bidding goodbyes.
The same was done for the 1.233 reserve members as the 1st year of the academy is the same for everyone but nothing could be said about the reserve ones for now.
In the first year, no one is allowed to leave the academy and are taught closely together before they are left to fend on their own for the next few years when they can leave the Academy grounds to do whatever they want.
The Academy forbids those to use their status for any shady things like dissolving war from other nations or preventing power struggles as it would lead to inexperience amongst cultivators.
If any of them are caught doing that, the academy itself would send their Elders to deal with the one tarnishing their reputation.
Back to the farewells, the few Elders whose relatives were part of the Academy came to fetch their new faction members.
Surprisingly, the Tesra Family Elder who used to be an Inner District Elder but was demoted to become an Outer District Elder came to fetch the 3 from the main bloodline who looked with hatred at Arialyn, Ziya, Elric, Nerlo and Raon.
Without any nonsense, they were about to be taken away to be sent to their abodes when someone appeared right in front of the Elder.
The Elder was already in a bad mood as Raon and Arialyn got accepted and now someone who was just a guardian was blocking his way.
Fortunately, he wasn't an idiot and the second he couldn't sense the cultivation of the one who stopped him, he froze but noticing the 5 recruits, he immediately relaxed.
"Ethan, Let me borrow Raon and Arialyn" the one who stood in their way spoke in an ordering tone.
"O-of course. Raon, Arialyn follow Elder Ashtel while the rest are coming with me" said Ethan before he used his energy to grab the rest and flew into the distance.
The three from the bloodline were perplexed but Ziya was aloof as she always was and Nerlo ignored the enraged Elric.
According to Elric, he had never felt that humiliated before and Ziya just couldn't care about anything other than improving herself after becoming aware of her shortcomings.
Nerlo joined the three from the main bloodline and filled them in on the details as they immediately remembered how wise it was to not speak back then...
"It's been a while kids" said Elder Ashtel with a smile to which the two just nodded as Aria was nervous to have to socialize and Raon was afraid to be found out.
'Why did you hold back?' a feminine cold voice echoed inside Raon's mind and he immediately looked at the beautiful girl in the lead of the 5.
Before he could answer though, Ashtel said something that shocked the four behind the girl.
"Young Miss Lia, do you wish for me to arrange for Raon to be around your place as he is your fiancé?" said Ashtel.
"No. Arrange Aria to be near me. If he wants to be around then he needs to catch up." said the girl as she walked away.
'Stop holding back because I won't keep waiting, Rio' the same voice echoed inside Raon's mind as he almost got lost hearing that name once again.
The others thought that she was still cold and detached as that is what her voice suggested but the only two people aware of the truth to some extent like Kroste and Ashtel thought differently.
The four who followed her from their subordinate clans were bound with soul contracts to work as Lia's guards to prevent any harm from befalling her.
"Well, you heard the Young Miss. So pardon me kids" said Ashtel as he arranged for Arialyn to be near Lia in the Inner District while the four were closest to their houses in the Outer District.
Raon? He was standing dumbly remembering the past when he was 6 and met her and Ashtel for the first time...
======
A little girl donning a beautiful white and red dress that enhanced her blonde hair and eyes could be seen sitting in front of a man while an older man stood next to her.
"Kroste. We are here to meet Young Miss Lia's fiancé so you better tell me where he is now and don't lie as we can find him ourselves too" said the older man in a gruff voice to the younger man who sat looking straight into the little girl's eyes.
"Sigh... I wasn't going to lie to you, I want to live after all. But are you sure about this? Many better-talented boys around her age would suit her future status" said Kroste as he changed his sight to the older man who silently looked back.
"Alright. This is where he is..." Kroste relented in the end as let alone him, even the Tesra Family didn't want to buy a fight with Tenk Clan and sent them here.
It took less than 10 minutes to reach the place mentioned where they saw the kid with a matching description getting bullied and beaten till his skin had turned blue at several points.
It wasn't anything surprising for either of the two who flew here using Ashtel's strength as they were well aware of the kind of world they were living in.
One might think that such a young girl would show kindness or something but she didn't even change her expression as the two landed a few meters away without alerting anyone.
Before Ashtel could say anything, Lia had walked in his direction releasing her aura that was enough to intimidate the servants who could barely be called cultivators.
They ran away after giving one last kick, punch, spit, or whatever. Raon's thoughts were the complete opposite of a typical situation though.
'Ah, which retard is here this time? Isn't it too early? Whatever, as long as they are done with it and lea....' Before his thoughts could come to an end, he felt a soft touch on his head sending shivers across his body.
He ever so slowly moved his head to take a peek at the new assailant but only found a girl a little taller than him with blond hair and eyes donning a red and white dress.
'Who's she? I don't know her, but probably some mother gave birth and hid the child. Ah, fuck it' thought Raon as he simply accepted his fate until a gentle energy swept his entire body healing him of all his wounds.
'This...What is going on?...' as he was doubting everything, a bad premonition struck him.
'No way! Not that right? Will I live today?' as he thought about the dreadful time when one of his half-siblings beat the shit out of him only to heal him and repeat the process.
He took a peak again and was surprised to see the girl's hair turning silver-frost from blond and her eyes too flashed a frosty silver pupil.
Surprisingly, both felt their hearts beat unrhythmically making them feel their heart beating explicitly.
'What is this...? Why can I feel my heartbeat?...' thought the two but it stopped as soon as the girl's healing ended and her hair and eyes went back to normal blonde.
'Maybe I felt wrong...?' Both passed it as a misconception as they were too young to fall in love or feel fear towards each other.
"Ahem... If you are healed. Let's talk" interrupted Ashtel as he wanted to finish it as fast as possible.
The two also didn't bother that much but Raon wanted to know who they were and Lia wore the same expressionless face.
"You are Raon Tesra, son of Kroste Tesra and Elena Kross. You might not know but your mother was the only child from her father's side and we had promised a marriage into her clan"
"You were too young when your mother passed away and seeing your condition, no one probably told you but this here is your arranged fiancé"
"You might believe it cruel or forced or whatever but know that your mother agreed to it and you both are bound by a soul contract to not harm each other in any way and be loyal to each other"
======
Before Raon could remember the next events, he was woken up from his stupor as he found himself in his residence and someone knocking on his door.
After taking his uniform and Academy badge, he immediately changed and went back to one of his memories that he thought to be worth remembering.
Unfortunately, it also reminded him of how much Ashtel hated him and still does but he can't do much because of Lia.
Well, she is the reason someone who is as strong as the Tesra Family Ancestors is going around protecting her since her first visit to the outside world.
He is just an Elder of their family and already stronger than a lot of Tier-2 Empires' Emperors and he can wipe out any unranked Empires without caring about any repercussions.