Ray paused for a moment, his gaze shifting towards the speaker. Upon recognizing Elijah, his lips twitched ever so slightly. This child, in his eyes, was exceptionally promising, never complaining about the grueling training he imposed on them. Moreover, he had an extraordinary resilience. His temperament, however, was somewhat peculiar. Though he appeared amiable on the surface, his heart was as prickly as a hedgehog, making it difficult for anyone to penetrate his inner sanctum, harboring an innate wariness towards everyone.
These quirks were tolerable, but the one thing that gave him a headache was...
Elijah's tongue. It wasn't venomous, but occasionally, a single remark could strike right at your vulnerability with pinpoint accuracy.
"Alright, take a quick rest," Ray said, swiftly and adeptly changing the subject.
But after waiting for eighteen long years, how could anyone truly calm down at the brink of the assessment? Even Elijah cast his gaze out the window, his eyes tinged with a hint of anticipation.
Finally...
The announcement came over the loudspeaker, calling all senior students to gather in the Awakening Room. Three sophisticated devices were meticulously placed in three separate rooms. A few teachers stood beside the instruments.
Students lined up in three long queues outside the door, waiting for their turn for the awakening test. The principal stood on a high platform not far away, watching the scene unfold with a touch of nostalgia: "Every time I see these children awaken, I'm deeply moved. In the blink of an eye, it's already the fifth generation. Back in the day, when we were battling at the Demon-Subduing Pass..."
"Principal, you are also of the fifth generation," a middle-aged woman with glasses, her business suit impeccably wrinkle-free, corrected him with utmost precision.
The unexpected reminder caused the principal, who was in the midst of expressing his feelings, to stiffen momentarily, but he quickly resumed his nonchalant demeanor. However, he seemed to have lost interest in continuing the conversation.
...
"Class Six, Oliver. Four-Patterned Egg."
A somewhat frail-looking youth stood beside the device, a shadowy figure emerging behind him. It was a black egg with four golden patterns glowing faintly on its surface. The boy was clearly excited! In this small city with a sparse population, talents were naturally scarce. To have a four-patterned egg was no small feat. At the very least... if played right, joining the Guard Department as a guard, catching the occasional vice offenders, one could live a comfortable life.
After the spiritual energy resurgence, beasts were greatly empowered, but the human race also awakened to special abilities. At the onset of awakening, an egg would appear behind one, and the patterns on this egg determined one's aptitude, ranging from one to nine patterns. This stage was known as the Internship. One had no real powers, but their physical fitness would be somewhat enhanced. By absorbing the energy of demonic beast crystals, the egg would hatch in about a few months.
What hatched from the egg would determine one's future developmental path. For instance, a tiger would follow the strength system, a longsword the strong attack system, and a sunflower the healing system. The possibilities were endless. There was nothing one couldn't imagine that the egg couldn't hatch.
One by one, the students systematically underwent testing in front of the device, some crying, some laughing. Clearly...
Most people were not very satisfied with their results.
"I think I can awaken a Nine-Patterned Egg," said a student with a pockmarked face, filled with anticipation and excitement in front of Elijah.
"Then, when it hatches into a phoenix, one of the four divine beasts, riding it to roam the skies, would be absolutely awesome," he continued.
"Yeah, yeah, I feel like I can hatch one of the four divine beasts too. Then we can form a Divine Beast Demon-Hunting Team!" the two clearly fell into a reverie.
However...
Elijah kindly offered a piece of trivia: "Among the four divine beasts, there's one called Black Tortoise. Commonly known as a soft-shelled turtle..."
...
The two, lost in their daydream, stiffened.
"And if you hatch a phoenix, riding on its back to fly, wouldn't the bird get roasted...?"
"Divine Turtle No-Bird Team?"
Elijah seemed to be seriously pondering this question.
A second blow.
The two instantly lost their interest in talking.
Soon, it was their turn for the aptitude test.
They strode forward with vigor, not forgetting to look back at Wang Ye with disdain.
As if at this moment, they had already awakened to the Nine-Patterned Egg, becoming the world's top existence.
...
"Bob, Two-Patterned Egg."
"Jack, Two-Patterned Egg."
Beside the instrument, the teacher's cold voice brought them back to reality.
They turned around dejectedly, no longer harboring fantasies about life.
Finally...
"Elijah!"
Hearing his name, Wang Ye let out a slight breath, controlling his emotional fluctuations, and walked towards the Awakening Room.
Until a sound...
'Beep—Beep!'
The security gate flashed a red light, so jarring in the empty square.
"Elijah, did you bring any metal items?"
Ray, seeing this, frowned and approached from a distance, asking Elijah.
"I did."
Elijah nodded casually, "Always carry some weapons for self-defense when going out."
Weapons... for self-defense?
The students behind him exchanged puzzled glances.
In the human cities, life was relatively safe; at least ordinary people didn't need to carry weapons when going out.
Either nothing happened, or if something did, carrying a weapon would be futile.
"Take them out. The awakening instrument is very valuable, and metal items will affect the test results."
Ray looked deeply at his student and explained.
Elijah nodded, then...
Daggers strapped to both arms and calves.
Steel spikes in the outer pocket.
Fine needles hidden in the outer layer of the coat, ready to be shot out with a flick.
One by one, Elijah placed the items on the table beside him.
Around him was a silence that spoke volumes.
Was this still a human?
After a series of actions, Elijah re-entered.
'Beep—Beep!'
The sound rang out again.
The somewhat dazed gazes of the crowd once again fell on Elijah.
Everyone was a student, and even in this era, they might have experienced more, but at the age of seventeen or eighteen, how many people would carry so many weapons when going out?
"Is there anything else?"
Ray asked, frowning.
Elijah pondered for two seconds, "Maybe... it's my steely resolve?"
Everyone: ???
Ray fell silent for a moment, looked at Elijah, and said weakly, "Keep taking them out!"
"Okay."
Elijah nodded, hesitated a bit, and finally took off his coat, fiddled with something on his back under his shirt, and removed a small crossbow.
It was strapped to his back, with a switch connected to a thin string, the other end of which ran down his arm, right within Elijah's reach.
That is to say, if Elijah suddenly bent his head and pulled the string...
Even Ray, a veteran who had fought in the Shanhaiguan for several years, unconsciously took a closer look at Elijah.
It must have taken a few years of service to accumulate so many tricks.
Fortunately, this time, the instrument did not continue to make a sound.
Elijah walked in amidst the shocked gazes of everyone, his face contorted with discomfort.
For no other reason...
A third of his aces had been exposed.