Here's the translation:
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Upon arriving at the gates, Lucius paid the entrance fee. In return, the guard handed him a bronze emblem with the word "Foreigner" engraved on it.
Lucius was puzzled by the word, but he didn't want to cause more trouble before entering the city. He was about to move forward when he noticed the guard was looking at him.
After evaluating Lucius, the guard said, "If you're here for the Power Tournament, you'll need to register at the Martial Institute and take some tests. Just follow this street straight ahead." His monotone voice made it clear he repeated this many times a day.
Passing through the gates, Lucius was greeted by an immense city, full of majestic buildings and impressive mansions. The hustle and bustle was overwhelming. People walked in all directions, full of energy. Merchants shouted at the top of their lungs, trying to attract customers. In the city center, a colossal castle stretched up into the clouds, dominating the horizon.
That's where that voice came from, Lucius thought, recalling Zao Lian.
Following the guard's directions, Lucius made his way toward the Martial Institute.
The street indicated by the guard was filled with merchants.
As he observed the products at the stalls, Lucius's eyes lit up.
They really put effort into this, he thought.
The path was full of treasures for martial artists. Among them were: pills, weapons, combat techniques, all displayed in luxurious booths.
Resisting the urge to buy everything, he forced himself to look ahead. With the few coins he had, it was a dream to acquire any of these treasures. Even the cheapest item cost a hundred silver coins.
Speeding up, he finally reached the Martial Institute — a grand building exuding an aura of power and prestige.
Shaking off thoughts of the treasures, Lucius crossed the door.
As soon as Lucius stepped through the door, a clerk approached with a smile and asked, "Young man, are you here for the Power Tournament?" His gaze evaluated Lucius as though he owed him money.
Ignoring the clerk's stare, Lucius replied, "Yes," and handed over the bronze emblem.
How does he know it's for the Power Tournament? Lucius couldn't help but think.
After a quick glance at the emblem, the clerk said in a direct and clear tone, "Two hundred bronze coins or two silver." Despite his purple suit and neatly trimmed goatee, he looked miserly, as though he would count every coin handed to him.
Grabbing the coin pouch his master had left him, Lucius handed two silver coins to the clerk and waited.
After checking that the coins were genuine, the clerk explained that Lucius would need to undergo some tests and that his emblem would be returned after completion.
After all, the emblem would be updated with new information after the tests.
Suddenly, a voice, sounding like a rooster being strangled, echoed from the end of the corridor:
"Wait! Who is your master, boy?" A man in a black suit with an upturned nose approached, displaying a sinister smile.
Looking at Lucius, the old man thought, "This boy must have lost his mind! Only a fool would dare humiliate a member of the Li family! But this opens a chance for me." With a smile, the old man waited for a response. He only wanted to confirm whether Lucius had any support before acting.
Realizing that nothing good would come from that question, Lucius replied without any courtesy:
"It's none of your business."
Turning to the clerk, he firmly added:
"Let's go, I'm in a hurry."
His voice sounded like an order, and the clerk, almost unconsciously, began guiding him through the hall. Lucius was furious with the old man's disgusting smile.
In his mind, Lucius thought:
Treating me like an easy target. Tsk… I won't forget you.
It was only when they arrived at the testing hall that the clerk realized what he had done.
Pale and trembling with fear, he muttered:
"What did you make me do? I'm finished! Old Tian Yi is going to kill me, or at least take half my life."
While the clerk panicked, Lucius barely paid attention. He was captivated by the testing hall — a vast space with white marble walls and floor, and a huge crystal ball at the center.
Meanwhile, outside, the old man in the black suit realized what had happened, his eyes trembling as his smile faded.
With his face full of throbbing veins, the old man roared: "Damn brat. Death is an easy way out, but you'll never find it!" His words, full of venom, froze everyone who heard them.
But Lucius, his true target, heard nothing. With the door closed, all sounds were sealed.
Looking at the closed door, the old man grew even more enraged. Until the tests were over, no one could open the door. It was a strict law imposed by the Institute's leader to protect the privacy of the clients.
With no option, he sat down and closed his eyes, trying to calm his emotions. Although he had supporters, he still didn't dare break the rules with so many witnesses present.
Only when the old man closed his eyes did the people breathe a sigh of relief.
After all, that old man had a terrifying reputation and powerful connections with several sponsors. No one dared to offend him. They could only think that the young man's life would lead to a dark future.
Inside the testing room, Lucius couldn't tear his eyes away from the crystal ball in front of him. There was something in it that attracted him deeply, as if his body longed for it.
Walking up to it, he reached out and pressed against the crystal.
Suddenly, the crystal ball glowed with an overwhelming intensity, flooding the room with blinding light. In the next moment, everything around him vanished, swallowed by absolute darkness.
Amid the darkness, some points of light began to appear, like raindrops in a large field.
Then he saw it.
An imposing figure in a lotus position. Its figure wasn't complete, only parts of it were visible. But its aura was overwhelming. With every breath it took, the vision cracked. One crack at a time.
"You don't remember anymore...!" A sad and tired voice sounded, as though coming through time and space. "Hahaha... Stupid me," the man spat, tears streaming down his face.
"A one-way path. Hahaha... but I like it. It's time to settle the score."
Suddenly, the figure turned directly toward Lucius, their eyes meeting.
Lucius felt as if a bolt of lightning coursed through his body. His pores opened, and a flood of information appeared in his mind. It was more accurate to say it was unlocked by the lightning.
"You have to get stronger. There's not much time left." Toward the end, the voice faded. The vision was already full of cracks, and it shattered, revealing the testing room.
Lucius's hand was still pressing the crystal.
The clerk was still complaining, not paying any attention to Lucius.
Looking at the crystal, Lucius was confused about the next step.
Is that it? And the test?
Finally, looking at Lucius, the clerk approached and placed the emblem into the opening of the crystal. Lucius hadn't even noticed this opening and felt his face burn. Luckily, the clerk seemed to be in a hurry.
"Control your breathing; it's about to begin," said the clerk, his vigilant eyes fixed on the door.
Following the clerk's instructions, Lucius controlled his breathing to make it rhythmic.
A few seconds later, the crystal emitted a screen in front of Lucius, displaying a series of questions.
Looking at the clerk, Lucius realized he couldn't see the screen.
Turning his attention back to the questions, he realized they were about his origins, age, and future prospects.
But how should he answer? Was thinking about the answer enough, or should he say it aloud?
Lucius didn't want to reveal too much about himself, especially to this clerk — practically a pair of extra eyes for the old man.
Tired of thinking of a solution, Lucius was about to call the clerk when the screen changed, and new information appeared.
'Lucius, orphan, 16 years old, Champion of the Power Tournament.'
"Shit..."
The crystal ball made a sound, as if printing something, and soon, Lucius's emblem was ejected.
Taking the emblem in his hand, Lucius stared at the information on it, his face full of shock.
Did it read my mind? Or was it through some other means? If not, how could it know all of this? Lucius thought.
On his emblem was a single phrase on the front, "Competitor number 5997," with "Lucius" engraved on the back.
Taking his eyes off the emblem, Lucius recalled his vision.
Who was he? Who was he talking about?
Sifting through the new information in his mind, there was nothing about him. Except for the parts related to alchemy, everything else was fragmented or incomplete.
As he continued to search, Lucius finally found something that made his eyes shine.
'Path of the Void: Nine Rings of Power.'
Only the first volume was clear. The rest was cloudy.
Lucius thought, before focusing on the information. It was as if there were a book in his mind, full of information, but once he read the content, he realized he already knew it, he just had forgotten.