The next day, as the first rays of sunlight touched the walls of the Karsov Mansion, a group of knights could be seen approaching, led by the head of the Karsov family, Marcus. At the mansion's gate, Celia, Neil, and the household staff stood waiting.
As soon as Marcus saw Celia, he smiled and said, with a faint trace of nervousness in his voice, "My dear, how are you? You seem to be growing more beautiful with each passing day." Celia looked at him with a calm tone, but it was like thunder in Marcus's ears: "Ah, my dear, we have a long day ahead to talk."
To escape the situation, Marcus shifted his gaze to Neil and said, "Young Neil, how are you? You've grown into a fine young man." Neil responded with a faint smile, trying to help his father: "How are you, Father?" After a few more pleasantries, everyone entered the mansion.
Neil then went to continue his daily training, which included practicing the Immortal Body technique, swordsmanship, and engaging with magical elements. According to his knowledge, a mage at the fourth level begins to attract the magical elements unique to them and tries to merge them when breaking through to the Earth Mage realm, forming a Mana Core, which marks a qualitative change, extending the person's life span to approximately 150 years. Beyond that is the Heavenly Mage realm, where one's lifespan can reach up to 300 years.
As the sun began to set, a maid entered the mansion's garden and said, "Young master, it's time for dinner. The Lady and the Lord are waiting for you." Neil stood up from his cultivation position and said, "Alright, I'm coming," and then made his way to the dining room.
In the dining room, Celia and Marcus were already seated at the table while some servants were setting the food. Neil entered and sat down, waiting for the meal to be fully served. After a moment, Neil and his parents began to eat. During the meal, Celia looked at Marcus, who then said, "Hey, young Neil, you're turning seven soon, right?"
Hearing the question, Neil's eyes sparkled due to the upcoming reward, but he quickly replied, "Yes, in just under a month." After hearing this, Marcus said, "Children usually start attending the academy at this age, whether to become great mages or knights." He then continued, "You were supposed to go to the Star Academy in the capital, but since you're so talented, I can't send you there. So, your mother and I have decided to send you to the Palace of High Heaven."
Upon hearing the name "Palace of High Heaven," Neil's eyes gleamed, and he said, "Isn't the Palace of High Heaven the strongest in the Southern Continent?" The Star Empire was one of the mid-tier empires in the Southern Continent, led by a few Earth-level knights and mages. However, the Palace of High Heaven was the strongest in the continent, like a lion in the jungle, with the Palace Lord being someone who had reached the peak of the legendary world.
Thinking about this, Neil was astonished at how his family could get him into the Palace of High Heaven so easily. His father was merely a general in a mid-tier empire and only a level 9 knight.
Before Neil could delve deeper into his thoughts, Marcus said, "Yes, it is. In fact, there was an elder from the Palace of High Heaven who owed our family a debt because my father helped him once. It shouldn't be a problem to get you into the Palace."
Hearing this, Neil understood but still had some lingering doubts. However, he didn't dwell on them and went to sleep.
In vast plains, there was a mountain that touched the clouds. In the central building, there was a person sitting on a throne made of jewels, appearing to be in his sixties. In front of him stood someone who seemed almost ghost-like. The ghostly figure said, "This is a message from my lord, the head of the Karsov family." After saying this, the figure disappeared.