At the Sky Palace, upon seeing the mysterious figure, the old man was struck with intense shock and began to think to himself, "How did this stranger manage to enter the palace without anyone noticing?" But he didn't ponder for long, as the figure quickly said what he came to say and then vanished.
After hearing the figure's words, the old man felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck him, bringing to mind something terrifying from his past. He whispered to himself, "The Karsov family..." As soon as he uttered the name, he trembled and quickly grabbed the letter.
Upon opening the letter, he read: "I am Marcus Karsov, Lord of the Karsov family. I will be sending my son to learn at your Sky Palace." After seeing the content of the letter, the old man's expression softened a little, and he muttered, "Good, this isn't the final message, and they don't want to get rid of me just yet."
Moments later, he summoned one of the palace elders and instructed him to keep him informed about this year's acceptance news. The elder was shocked, as the Lord of the Palace had never shown interest in the outer palace's acceptance before, but he obeyed the command immediately, making it his top priority, for who could dare oppose a knight from the legendary world?
The next day, at the Karsov Palace, Neil was in his room, busy arranging his clothes and preparing his belongings for his journey to the Sky Palace. Due to the long distance and Neil's relatively limited strength, he had to be fully prepared, knowing that the entrance exam would start in a month, and the journey itself would take around half a month or more.
Neil left his room and went to meet his father, Marcus. When he reached him, he asked, "Father, I'll be going alone, right?" Marcus replied in a serious tone, "Yes, this journey is your first, and it is an unspoken family rule."
Neil understood this rule, as his older siblings had followed it before him. Although he didn't fully grasp the wisdom behind it, he felt relieved, as he had wanted to undertake this experience on his own. He knew that this first journey would shape his future.
After bidding farewell to his family, Neil embarked on his first journey, knowing that this trip would be more than just an entrance exam to the Sky Palace. He knew it would be the beginning of forging his power and honing his skills. Despite his young age, he carried within him an indomitable will and a determination to return to the continent with strength that would make his name echo like thunder.
With every step he took on his way to the Sky Palace, Neil felt that the future held many challenges for him, but it was also filled with great opportunities. He knew that this journey would change his life forever, and he would return stronger, ready to face whatever awaited him.