(A/N: GIVE ME YOUR POWERSTONESSSSSSSSS!)
...
{3rd Pov}
It had been approximately one full year since Astreo first awakened his magical abilities.
He had successfully advanced both his Summon Element and Undead Element to Intermediate Level 3, solidifying his foundation in both the elements.
Furthermore, he had elevated the Novice Tiers of these two elements all the way to Level 8, thereby awakening the same Innate Talent of Higher Recovery Rate within them, just as he had previously achieved with his Psychic Element and Space Element.
This consistency in talent awakening reinforced his growing belief that every element he mastered at Tier 8 would eventually yield a similar enhancement.
In addition to this, Astreo had also made impressive progress with his original elements.
Both his Intermediate Psychic Element and Intermediate Space Element had been elevated to Tier 5, significantly increasing his overall combat effectiveness and magical depth.
These breakthroughs were not easy to achieve, especially considering that each successive tier demanded exponentially more energy, spiritual focus, and elemental harmony to stabilize.
At the same time, Astreo had also managed to elevate his Spiritual Attainment to Level 6, an accomplishment that reflected not only the refinement of his soul and mind but also the synchronization between his spiritual power and his elemental control.
With each advancement, his consciousness became sharper, his spiritual sea expanded, and the flow of magic within his body became increasingly fluid and harmonious.
Even with his system-provided cultivation enhancements — which multiplied his magic cultivation speed by 500 times — it still required a considerable amount of time, focus, and dedication to reach this point.
The complexity of managing multiple elements at such high levels meant that Astreo had to spend countless hours refining his control, reinforcing his spiritual sea, and stabilizing his nebulae to prevent any form of imbalance.
Of course, if Astreo had wanted to, he could have simply relied on his nearly infinite supply of resources and system assistance to rush directly into the Advanced Mage Tier within a matter of mere weeks.
His system had more than enough capability to support such rapid growth, and under normal circumstances, any other mage in his position would have chosen that route without hesitation.
However, Astreo was not like ordinary mages.
His goal was not just to reach higher ranks faster — it was to perfect every stage, to become so overwhelmingly powerful within each realm that no one of equal level could even challenge him.
He was determined to be invincible within his own realm, mastering every aspect of magic before moving on to the next stage.
That was what it truly meant to follow the path of becoming the "Greatest Mage that has ever lived."
And now, after a full year of meticulous cultivation, refinement, and mastery, Astreo finally felt that he had achieved that state.
Within his current realm, he was unparalleled — his strength, control, and spiritual capacity stood far above any other Intermediate-tier mage.
Every spell he cast carried devastating precision and efficiency, every element under his control obeyed his will flawlessly, and every ounce of his spiritual energy responded like an extension of his own body.
For Astreo, this was not the end — it was merely the foundation for the next stage of greatness.
With his Level 6 Spiritual Attainment, Astreo had now reached a level of spiritual prowess comparable to that of Ding Yumian, the Psychic Calamity Bearer.
Realizing this fact, Astreo couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
The thought of calamity bearers always carried a complicated mixture of admiration and pity for him.
In this world, beings known as Calamity Bearers were not treated as blessings or prodigies but rather as dangerous anomalies — individuals who were marked for elimination simply because of the terrifying potential they possessed.
These individuals, once they reached the Forbidden Tier, could grow to an extent far beyond what normal mages could ever achieve.
At the very least, a calamity bearer would attain the strength equivalent to a Low Emperor in the element in which they were the bearer.
This alone was enough to make them stand among the most powerful beings alive.
However, if such a figure were to emerge among humanity, their very existence would inevitably threaten the established order of power.
After all, this world operated on a simple and brutal principle — "Might makes right."
The ones who held overwhelming strength ruled unchallenged, while those below them had no choice but to obey.
For centuries, powerful organizations, ancient families, and high-ranking mage associations had dominated the world, ensuring that they remained at the top of the hierarchy.
But if someone like a calamity bearer — a being capable of surpassing all of them — were to rise to prominence, the balance would be destroyed.
Those in power would be forced to acknowledge and possibly even submit to such an individual.
Competing with a calamity bearer for influence, authority, or resources would be nearly impossible.
Even worse for them, if they ever attempted to remove such a person, the result would be catastrophic.
A fully matured Calamity Bearer, especially one who had completely stabilized their power, was capable of annihilating entire armies from small to medium-sized nations single-handedly.
Some could even challenge or completely destroy a large and powerful country, taking down every single one of its Forbidden Mages in direct confrontation.
To bring down such a being, it would require the cooperation of multiple powerful mages — perhaps even several peak-tier experts working together in unison — and even then, success would not be guaranteed.
Because of that, the ruling powers of humanity came to the same conclusion: the best solution was to eliminate calamity bearers before they could fully mature.
They justified this preemptive action under the false claim that calamity bearers were unstable factors, individuals who could not properly control their immense power due to the limitations of the human body and the fragility of their magical cultivation foundation.
By presenting them as ticking time bombs, the authorities could convince the public that destroying them was necessary for the safety of the world.
In reality, this was nothing more than a calculated manipulation designed to maintain the existing hierarchy.
The elites who were already in control wanted to ensure that "those at the top remain at the top."
They feared losing their dominance to someone whose natural growth would eventually surpass them all.
So, they twisted the narrative, painting calamity bearers not as gifted individuals or future protectors of humanity but as walking disasters that had to be purged.
This manipulation ran so deep that even the terminology used — the very phrase "Calamity Bearer" — served as a form of psychological conditioning.
The word "calamity" itself implied destruction and disaster, ensuring that the common people would instinctively fear and despise those who carried such a title.
Astreo found the entire situation deeply ironic and somewhat infuriating.
In truth, calamity bearers were not monsters; they were simply too powerful for the fragile structure of human society to accept.
The people feared what they could not control — and so, they destroyed it before it could outgrow them.
In truth, this world was far darker than what most people wished to believe.
Beneath its polished surface of honor, glory, and righteousness lay corruption, hypocrisy, and manipulation at every level.
Even those who proudly carried the title of "Heroes" were not the noble saviors or messiahs that the public imagined them to be.
In reality, most of them acted more like executioners, upholding the twisted justice of a decaying system rather than genuine protectors of humanity.
Take for instance Dean Xiao, the well-known Forbidden Mage of Pearl University.
Outwardly, he was celebrated as a wise leader, a guardian of the city, and a mentor to countless students.
Yet even he succumbed to the cruel logic of this world.
When Ding Yumian, the bearer of the Psychic Calamity, began to lose control over her immense power, Dean Xiao made the decision to kill her — not out of malice, but because he viewed her as a potential threat to the safety of the city.
What made it even more tragic was the manner in which he carried it out. Instead of confronting her openly or offering a real chance to stabilize her power, he chose to manipulate her emotions, exploiting the bond of trust and friendship that existed between them.
And when the moment came, he killed her mercilessly, claiming afterward that it had been an act of mercy — that he had done it to "save her" from herself.
This was the true face of the mage society — a structure built on lies, fear, and power struggles, wrapped in a façade of righteousness.
The so-called laws and moral codes that mages upheld were designed not to protect the weak but to preserve the dominance of the strong.
Anyone who threatened that balance, whether intentionally or not, was labeled as dangerous, unstable, or evil — and then promptly eliminated under the guise of justice.
It was no wonder that individuals like Salan, also known as Ye Chang, the mother of Ye Xinxia, had eventually lost faith in this hypocritical world.
Driven to despair and anger by the corruption she witnessed within the very organizations that claimed to safeguard humanity, she eventually turned against them.
In her rebellion, she became one of the Cardinals of the Black Vatican, an organization condemned by the world as evil — while true, it was one of the few forces willing to oppose the deceit and tyranny of the so-called righteous powers.
Astreo could only sigh as he reflected on all of this.
The more he understood about this world, the more he realized that morality here was not defined by good or evil but by who had the power to enforce their version of truth.
To survive, one had to either become powerful enough to ignore the rules or clever enough to bend them without being crushed.
He turned his attention inward again, feeling the growing surge of energy within his spiritual sea.
He was already on the verge of breaking through in all of his elemental paths, and soon he would advance to the next stage of his magical journey.
The thought filled him with determination, yet at the same time, there was a trace of hesitation in his heart.
Because after his breakthrough, there was something else he needed to address — something that had been quietly weighing on his mind for a long time.
It was not about cultivation, power, or combat. It was something more personal, something deeply human.
Adoption.
Living in the orphanage had been good and peaceful so far.
The caretakers were kind enough, the children were friendly, and Grandma Yu, who managed the place, treated him with genuine warmth and care.
For a while, Astreo felt that it wasn't such a bad place to grow up in.
However, he knew that this peaceful life would not last much longer. Once he officially entered primary school, things would inevitably change.
School attendance meant strict schedules, daily attendance checks, and a rigid system that left little to no room for flexibility.
The moment he became a registered student, his freedom would be severely restricted.
He couldn't just disappear whenever he wanted to cultivate or train.
His daily activities would be constantly monitored by teachers and administrators, and skipping classes would immediately raise suspicion.
Even if Grandma Yu were to support him, the most she could do would be to offer verbal excuses.
It would be impossible to fully hide the fact that he needed large amounts of private time to cultivate magic — something that required his physical presence in secluded environments for extended periods.
Astreo understood the system of this country well enough.
If the government ever discovered that a child from an orphanage wasn't attending school regularly, it would immediately trigger an investigation.
In such a scenario, the authorities would likely classify him as a "non-performing asset" — someone considered lazy or unproductive — and might even cut off the orphanage's government funding for him.
The national policy was harsh and pragmatic, built upon the belief that "those who don't work hard have no place in society."
To them, removing support from an uncooperative orphan was not cruelty but efficiency.
This realization frustrated Astreo, but he was too logical to get emotional about it.
Complaining wouldn't solve anything.
He needed a solution, and he already had one in mind.
If he could manage to get adopted, the entire problem would disappear instantly.
An adoption would give him a legal guardian, someone who could take care of his official matters, manage his paperwork, and handle any questions regarding his schooling or absence.
With an adoptive parent's protection, he would gain freedom from the orphanage's regulations and from the government's constant monitoring of state-supported children.
However, there was a major obstacle.
He couldn't just let any random person adopt him.
He needed someone he could trust completely, someone who would not panic or act suspicious if they discovered that he could already cultivate powerful magic at the age of six.
A normal adult, no matter how kind, would either fear him, expose him, or try to exploit him for personal gain once they realized what he truly was capable of.
That was when Astreo came up with an unconventional but perfectly logical plan.
Instead of trying to find a suitable guardian, he would create one himself.
'What I need,' he thought, 'is not a guardian — it's a subordinate.'
His plan was simple yet brilliant.
He would first find someone he deemed worthy, someone loyal and reliable, and then make that person his subordinate.
After establishing control and loyalty through his psychic and spiritual means, he would let that subordinate legally adopt him.
This way, he could maintain his freedom while having an official guardian who would follow his orders without question.
Once the adoption was complete, he could freely cultivate magic under the cover of home-schooling, using his subordinate's identity to handle all formalities.
Even if anyone came asking questions, his guardian would provide convincing explanations and shield him from unnecessary attention.
Astreo's eyes gleamed as he finalized the idea in his mind.
This method would allow him to continue his cultivation without interruption while also giving him complete control over his surroundings.
There would be no risks of betrayal, no unwanted surveillance, and no need to rely on the fragile goodwill of others.
Thus, after two more weeks — during which Astreo successfully broke through to the Advanced Tier in all four of his elemental paths — he finally began his search for a suitable subordinate.
He had already made up his mind about the type of person he wanted to train and mold.
Someone loyal, intelligent, and useful — someone who could serve him faithfully while maintaining a believable façade as his adoptive guardian in the outside world.
Astreo was no longer just planning his cultivation path — he was now planning his life strategy.
The most important criterion for Astreo's plan was simple — the person he chose had to be in trouble.
That was the first and most essential requirement.
After that, he preferred if the individual happened to be female, and if possible, someone who possessed a hidden magical talent that had not yet been awakened or discovered.
His reasoning behind this was straightforward and practical.
A person in distress, when helped at their lowest point, would naturally feel deep gratitude toward their savior.
Gratitude often created loyalty, and loyalty made management easier.
Although Astreo fully intended to use a Spiritual Contract to guarantee absolute obedience from whoever became his subordinate, he still wanted their loyalty to come from genuine trust and gratitude whenever possible.
The spiritual binding would serve as a failsafe, not the foundation of the relationship.
In his ideal scenario, the person would be a woman, preferably young but mature enough to understand the value of being saved and guided.
His reasoning wasn't about romance or appearance; it was about practicality.
From his observation and experience — both in this life and from his knowledge of stories and psychology — women tended to be more emotionally driven.
They responded more strongly to kindness and were more likely to feel indebted when rescued from hardship.
In short, helping a woman in need would create a stronger emotional connection and a higher probability of long-term loyalty.
(A/N: We know how this ends SMIRKS)
Astreo sighed slightly as a thought crossed his mind.
'Besides,' he thought, 'I'm not exactly eager to test the loyalty of Chinese men after reading so many cultivation novels.'
He couldn't help but recall all those web novels filled with scheming protagonists and backstabbing so-called "brothers."
With how often male characters betrayed their benefactors the moment they got a chance, Astreo had absolutely no interest in repeating that kind of story in real life.
'Sorry, China,' he thought sarcastically, 'but when your most famous main characters are like Tang San, how the hell am I supposed to trust anyone like that?'
He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.
'Honestly, Mo Fan might actually be one of the few decent main characters you've got. Can you believe that? At least he wouldn't destroy you and your nine generations just because you gave him a funny look or a sarcastic comment.'
That last thought actually made him grin.
It was ridiculous, but it reflected exactly how cynical he had become after absorbing so many examples of treachery and betrayal from both fiction and reality.
After clearing his head, Astreo decided it was time to act.
'Alright then, System,' he said in his mind, his voice calm but determined. 'Search for suitable candidates within Bo City who meet the following requirements: they must possess hidden innate talent, must currently be non-mages, and most importantly, they must be in some kind of trouble or distress that makes them vulnerable to outside help.'
He wanted to start his search in reverse order of his preferences. First, he would find someone who fit the had latent magical potential, then check for 'being in trouble category' afterward.
It wasn't just strategy — it was also a matter of luck and intuition.
Astreo wanted to see if fate itself might guide him to someone truly exceptional.
As the system interface began to process his request, numerous streams of data and potential candidates flashed before his eyes.
Astreo leaned back slightly, folding his arms with a faint smirk on his face.
He wasn't just looking for a subordinate.
He was looking for someone to train, shape, and ultimately command — someone who would help him build the foundation of his future power and influence in this unpredictable world.
This was the first step toward building his own network of loyal followers, and Astreo was determined to make sure the very first person he chose would be worthy of standing beside him.
[Master, six people have been found in Bo City who meet your requirements!]
Hearing the system's report, Astreo was genuinely surprised.
His eyes widened for a moment as he processed the number.
He had expected one, maybe two people at most — certainly not six.
For a brief second, he thought the system might mistaken his command, but then, as he calmly went through the logic behind it, understanding dawned on him.
The reason was actually quite simple once he thought about it.
Even if a person possessed innate talent in a particular magical element, that potential was completely useless unless they actually awakened that specific element.
It sounded absurd at first — the idea that someone could have an extraordinary natural affinity for an element yet never be able to use it — but it was one of the harsh truths of this world's magic system.
Most people, even the talented ones, could only awaken two or three elements in their entire lifetime.
Only a very small minority ever reached the Super Tier, and even those rare individuals generally awakened four elements at best.
Out of the eighteen known elements, that meant the majority of a person's potential often remained completely untapped.
So, even if someone happened to be born with tremendous innate talent in a particular element — say, Chaos, Shadow, or Space — if fate never allowed them to awaken that element, then that talent was as good as nonexistent.
It was like having a locked treasure chest without ever obtaining the key.
And the real kicker?
There was no known method anywhere on Earth that could scan or analyze a person's soul to determine which element they had a hidden affinity for.
The magical community had researched countless theories and created hundreds of awakening tools, yet none of them could accurately detect innate elemental compatibility.
No one except Astreo's system.
That was what made his situation so unique — only his system possessed the analytical capability to read a person's hidden potential, their dormant elements, and their unawakened magical affinities.
With it, Astreo could find people that the rest of the world would simply overlook, people who might otherwise live and die as nobodies despite having the potential of legends.
After absorbing this realization, Astreo got down to work.
He began refining the search results.
The system had found six candidates, but he couldn't just take anyone.
He needed people he could train, guide, and trust for the long term.
The first thing he did was eliminate the ones who were too old or too young.
Older individuals were generally more stable, both physically and mentally. Difficult to be used or raise loyalty within them.
Their potential had already started declining, and, frankly, they didn't have enough years left to justify the massive investment of time and resources he planned to pour into them.
As for very young children — they might have potential, yes, but they lacked mental maturity, discipline, and could easily become liabilities.
Astreo wasn't running a charity; he was building a foundation for the future.
The early stages demanded stability, loyalty, and growth potential, not unnecessary risks.
Older people could be recruited later — once he had established a core of subordinates who could manage such tasks in his stead.
For now, he wanted those who could grow alongside him, not lag behind.
After making the first cut, only three names remained on the list.
But he wasn't done yet.
Astreo ran another filter, narrowing it down further to identify individuals who were currently in trouble, people whose lives had reached a point of desperation or hardship.
Those were the ones most likely to accept his help wholeheartedly and, in turn, bind themselves to him without hesitation.
When the filtering process was completed, the system displayed the results.
Only two names remained.
Astreo leaned back slightly, crossing his arms as he studied the glowing holographic projection in front of him.
"Two, huh?" he murmured with a small smirk. "Not bad. I was expecting worse."
Even with just two candidates, Astreo considered it a solid victory.
Finding even one person with hidden innate talent and the right circumstances was rare, so two was practically a blessing.
With that, he straightened up and focused his attention on the profiles.
"Alright," he said to himself, eyes sharp with anticipation. "Let's see who these people are."
And with that, Astreo began to carefully go through the detailed information on the two selected individuals, fully intent on deciding which one would become his first subordinate — the first person to stand beside him in his rise to power.
The first candidate on the list possessed an innate talent in the Shadow Element, the faster recovery rate in that element as her innate ability.
She was a twenty-one-year-old woman working as a car sales representative in one of Bo City's local dealerships.
Her life was far from easy.
Though she was single and had fairly average looks that didn't attract much attention, her situation at work was miserable.
Her boss had been harassing her constantly, both verbally and physically, under the guise of "mentorship."
So far, she had been lucky enough to avoid the worst-case scenario, surviving through quick thinking and cautious behavior.
But the line she was walking was razor-thin — and Astreo knew very well that if things continued this way, it was only a matter of time before she became a convenient outlet for her boss's lust and frustration.
Her innate Shadow talent gave her potential, but her circumstances made her vulnerable — exactly the type of person Astreo could help and, in return, bind to his side with absolute loyalty.
Still, despite her useful ability, Astreo didn't feel completely drawn to her case yet.
The second candidate, however, was different — both in background and in talent.
She possessed an Innate Spirit Element Strength in the Lightning Element, a rare and powerful combination that caught Astreo's attention immediately.
Unlike the first woman, her circumstances were less about harassment and more about complete societal abandonment.
She was nineteen years old, currently living in a rented apartment, barely managing to survive while being crushed under a mountain of debt.
Her parents had thrown her out of their home after she failed to secure admission into a prestigious magic high school, branding her as a disappointment and a liar.
But when Astreo personally scanned her life record through his system, he discovered the actual truth behind her so-called "failure."
In reality, she had passed the entrance examination — not by a huge margin, but enough to qualify fairly.
However, due to corruption and favoritism, several influential families had bribed their way in, allowing their children to take her rightful spot.
In the end, she was cheated out of her future by the system that was supposed to reward effort and merit.
Her parents, despite being aware of the corruption refused to believe her explanations.
They labeled her a disgrace and kicked her out with nothing but a few clothes and forced to be in the crushing weight of debt.
Since she couldn't even awaken her element, she had no means to defend herself, and her situation only worsened.
To make matters even more tragic, her parents couldn't even marry her off for benefits — not because they suddenly grew a conscience, but because of her appearance. S
he was overweight, and in their superficial view, that made her useless in both societal and financial terms.
Ironically, this very trait — the thing her parents despised — turned out to be her saving grace.
Because of it, the loan sharks she owed money to didn't find her appealing enough to violate and rape her.
They saw her only as a walking debt, not a woman to exploit — a small mercy in an otherwise miserable life.
Astreo went through every piece of data carefully, and after several minutes of evaluation, he made his decision.
Between the two candidates, he chose the second woman — the one with the Lightning Element and Spirit Innate Strength.
Her talent was simply too good to ignore, and her life circumstances made her the perfect candidate for him to save, train, and eventually turn into a loyal subordinate.
Besides, Astreo's focus at the moment wasn't to gather many people — he just needed one reliable subordinate to start with.
Someone who could become both a useful asset and a loyal companion.
The first woman, while talented in her own right, could wait.
'If the Shadow Element woman can hold out until I decide to deal with her situation, then good,' Astreo thought to himself with indifference.
'If not… well, too bad.'
His tone wasn't cruel, just practical.
He couldn't save everyone.
He had to prioritize.
And right now, his focus was firmly set on the Lightning girl — the one who had lost everything but still had the potential to rise again under his guidance.
Astreo needed to choose the perfect timing to make his move.
So, he waited patiently, monitoring the situation through his system's sensors until evening approached.
When night finally settled over Bo City, the moment arrived.
The loan sharks — the same scum who had been harassing the girl for weeks — came once again to disturb and threaten her.
Their loud, coarse voices echoed from the narrow street in front of her small rented house.
Astreo, who was inside his room at the orphanage, stood up calmly, entered the toilet, and locked the door tightly from inside.
Once he confirmed the space was sealed and no one was nearby, he activated his Space Element magic.
In an instant, space rippled around him, and his body vanished completely.
A moment later, he reappeared in a dimly lit alley near the girl's neighborhood.
Without hesitation, he used Spatial Float, one of his enhanced Novice Tier spells, to lift himself several meters into the air.
Hovering silently above the rooftops, he surveyed the area from above, his eyes cold and analytical.
At the same time, he released subtle Psychic waves — perfectly controlled and dispersed — to distort perception around him, ensuring that no one below could sense or notice his presence.
From this vantage point, he watched as the fat girl — his potential subordinate — cowered inside her rented room, while outside, the loan sharks began banging violently on the door.
"Bitch! When are you going to pay back the one million Yuan you owe us?!" one of the men shouted, his voice filled with malice and arrogance.
For a brief moment, Astreo was genuinely speechless.
"One million Yuan?" he muttered under his breath. "Not even these idiots' entire combined net worth adds up to that much. They're clearly trying to extort her."
From inside the house came a trembling voice, full of fear and desperation.
"I didn't borrow one million! It was only ten thousand Yuan, and I've already repaid it!"
Her plea went ignored.
The thugs grinned wickedly, exchanged looks, and then smashed open the door with a loud crash.
The wooden frame splintered instantly, and a group of four rough-looking men stormed into the small, poorly lit room.
Their leader, a burly man with an ugly scar running down his cheek, stepped forward first.
Without hesitation, he kicked the girl's leg, causing her to fall to the floor with a cry of pain.
"Listen here, bitch!" he snarled, glaring down at her.
"One million Yuan is the interest! You better pay up soon, or we'll make sure your body gets dumped in a ditch where no one will find it!"
The girl trembled uncontrollably, her tears falling as she tried to crawl backward.
Her voice broke as she whispered, "Please… I don't have that kind of money…"
The thug smirked cruelly.
"And don't even think about going to the police! You know the Mu Family, right? I work for them!" he said with mock pride, puffing out his chest.
Astreo narrowed his eyes slightly and immediately scanned the man's memories using his Psychic abilities.
The results confirmed what the thug had just bragged about — he really was one of the Mu Family's bodyguards, someone who abused his employer's name to intimidate others.
Meanwhile, the girl's entire body was trembling with fear.
Her mind was filled with regret and helplessness.
She kept thinking about how everything had gone wrong — and how she had ended up in such a miserable situation.
She regretted taking that loan, even though at the time, it had seemed like her only option.
It wasn't even her fault that she failed to enter Magic High School.
She had actually passed the entrance exam, but people from the Mu Family and several other influential groups had used their connections to bribe their way in, taking her rightful spot.
Her parents didn't believe her.
Instead, they saw her as a burden — useless, overweight, and now, in their eyes, a liar who tried to cover up her failure.
They kicked her out without hesitation, not caring that she had nowhere to go.
If she had been slimmer or more attractive, they might have tried to marry her off for some benefit, but since she didn't fit their idea of "valuable," they discarded her like trash.
Now, their younger daughter was attending that very same Magic High School, basking in parental approval, while this girl had been completely erased from their lives.
Astreo observed all of this silently, his expression unreadable.
The scene below continued to unfold as the scar-faced leader raised his hand, preparing to strike her again — probably to frighten her further into submission.
But before he could take another step, a voice suddenly echoed in the girl's mind.
It was calm, deep, and carried an unexplainable weight that instantly silenced her thoughts.
"Do you want power?"
The girl froze, her eyes widening in confusion.
She looked around wildly, but there was no one there — only the thugs leering at her.
The voice, however, had clearly spoken inside her mind, and it didn't sound human.
Unbeknownst to her, it was Astreo, speaking directly through her consciousness using Psychic Transmission, his words reaching the very depths of her spirit.
Above, hidden among the night sky and space distortions, Astreo watched closely, his expression calm but intent.
This was the moment he had been waiting for — the turning point where despair met opportunity.
Lei Yao at first thought she was hallucinating.
Her body was shaking from fear, her heart pounding in her chest.
One moment, she had been in her cramped rented room, grabbed roughly by the thugs, and the next, everything was gone.
The dirty floor, the broken door, the men with their sneers — all of it vanished.
She blinked rapidly, her surroundings completely changed.
She was now standing in what looked like some kind of ancient dungeon-like chamber, its walls carved from black stone that seemed older than time itself.
Yet, the ceiling above her was not a ceiling at all — instead, she saw a vast expanse of stars, glimmering like diamonds suspended in endless darkness.
It looked as though she was standing beneath the night sky itself, yet she felt an oppressive energy pressing down on her, unlike anything she had ever experienced.
Her breathing grew rapid.
"W-Where am I?" she muttered in panic, her voice echoing faintly through the chamber.
Her hands trembled as she spun around, trying to understand what had just happened.
Then she heard it again — that same deep, commanding voice.
"Do you want power?"
She froze.
Her eyes darted around wildly.
"W-Who are you?!" she shouted, her voice cracking slightly.
And then she saw it.
Before her, in the middle of the chamber, a colossal humanoid figure began to manifest out of swirling motes of starlight.
It grew larger and larger, its form defined by constellations and shimmering cosmic energy until it towered above her like some ancient deity.
"Me?" the figure said, its tone dripping with arrogance and authority, each word reverberating through the chamber like a thunderclap.
"I am the Star Emperor! And I present you an offer! Submit to me, and I shall grant you power — the power to change your pitiful destiny!"
(A/N: Typical Chinese Hidden Boss)
Lei Yao's entire body trembled as she stared at the enormous, majestic figure.
Its presence was overwhelming, a mixture of awe, fear, and something primal that made her instinctively want to kneel.
She felt like an insect before a titan.
Her knees buckled almost on their own, and she quickly dropped to the ground, bowing low until her forehead touched the cold stone floor.
"I give my respect to Your Holy Majesty!" she said, her voice quivering but loud enough to be heard.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she silently thanked her old history classes, the ones she had taken as optional subjects back in school.
Without them, she would have had no idea how to act in a situation like this — no knowledge of how to show proper reverence before a being that might be divine.
The colossal figure's glowing eyes bore into her.
"Tell me, do you want power?!" it demanded again, its voice like a star collapsing into itself.
Lei Yao lifted her head slightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Memories of everything that had happened to her flashed through her mind — being cheated out of her future, betrayed by her parents, buried in debt, mocked for her appearance.
The rage, humiliation, and despair inside her heart boiled over, and she trembled, clenching her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms.
"Yes!" she cried out, her voice cracking with desperation.
"Yes, I want power! I want power to go against the injustice that has been shown to me! I want power to punish those who have wronged me! I want power to crush the people who destroyed my life!"
The Star Emperor tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable, but his voice remained as commanding as before.
"Very well. Then I shall give you a choice. Submit to me — not just as a follower, but as an Eternal Servant bound to my will — and in return, I will grant you the opportunity to become one of the strongest mages in this world."
Lei Yao's breath hitched, her chest rising and falling as she processed his words.
This wasn't a small offer; it was a life-altering one.
She didn't even know why she had been chosen.
As if sensing her thoughts, the Star Emperor spoke again, his tone calm but firm.
"As for why I am giving such an opportunity to someone as weak and insignificant as you… you will understand in due time."
Her body trembled even harder.
A part of her mind immediately warned her — this could be a trap, she could simply be a pawn for some greater scheme.
She thought of countless scenarios, imagining herself as nothing more than a disposable tool, used and discarded.
But then she remembered her current situation — the debt, the humiliation, the powerlessness.
The life she was living wasn't life at all; it was survival, nothing more.
Her jaw tightened, and she gritted her teeth. Whatever the risks, she had no other path left.
Dignity? What is dignity, really?!
Only the rich, the powerful, and those who control the fates of others even get to talk about dignity.
People like her — ordinary, powerless, and abandoned by everyone who should have cared — had no dignity at all.
Lei Yao's parents, the very people she had thought loved and protected her, had abandoned her completely, treating her as nothing more than a burden on their lives.
They didn't even try to understand her side of the story or seek justice for her against the injustice she had suffered.
They didn't believe her, they didn't defend her, and in their eyes, she had become a liability, someone to be cast aside.
She understood the harsh truth now.
Seeking justice against a powerful entity like the Mu Family wasn't just dangerous — it was essentially a death wish.
Anyone who tried to fight against them risked their life and the lives of those connected to them.
But even knowing that, she could never forgive the fact that her own family had abandoned her so easily.
Later, she learned the full extent of why they did it.
Her very attempt to seek justice on her own had provoked the Mu Family.
The powerful clan had visited her family, presenting them with two options: either disown her and remain safe, or bear the full wrath of the Mu Family.
To make their choice easier, they even offered her parents 50,000 Yuan as a bribe to formally renounce her.
In the end, her parents chose self-preservation over love or loyalty.
They disowned her, claiming she was a liar and had brought shame to the family.
And just like that, she was left with nothing — no support, no protection, and no resources to survive.
To keep herself alive, she was forced to borrow a loan, taking what little money she could get just to secure a rented house and the basic necessities of life: food, water, clothing.
Even after she found a job, she was constantly struggling. And when she started repaying her loan, the interest began to accumulate mercilessly.
A debt of 5,000 Yuan quickly became 10,000 Yuan, and every day she was forced to scrape and pinch pennies to survive.
Every single day was a battle for survival.
She bought the cheapest food available, the bare minimum clothing, anything to keep herself alive.
The unhealthy diet and constant stress began to take a visible toll on her body.
Her once simply "fat" figure had now become bloated and unattractive, and her face was marred with pimples and fatigue.
In the eyes of others, she had gone from being a slightly overweight young woman to someone who could barely escape ridicule or disgust.
Even at work, her life continued to be miserable.
Customers recoiled when she approached the counter, her colleagues constantly mocked her behind her back, and her boss — cruel and unfair — loaded her with extra work, gave her less pay, and yelled at her relentlessly.
Every day was a new layer of suffering, a reminder that the world seemed to be actively against her.
Her life was already hell in every sense of the word.
Every step, every breath, every action was a struggle just to survive and maintain her dignity — if it could even be called that anymore.
So what if she became a slave to someone else?
What did it matter, compared to the endless torment and injustice she had already endured?
If someone offered her power, the strength to change her fate, to fight back against the people who had wronged her, then she would take it without hesitation.
As far as Lei Yao was concerned, her suffering had already stripped her of everything — so if submission meant power, freedom from weakness, and the ability to finally punish those who had ruined her life, then she would accept it.
Completely. Absolutely. Without question.
Astreo grinned as she accepted his demands, a satisfaction flashing in his eyes at her immediate submission.
Without wasting a moment, he manifested a magical contract, a binding document of immense power, designed to be unbreakable even by Low Emperor-level powerhouses.
Its text was blunt and explicit, leaving no room for misunderstanding: upon signing it, her body, her soul, and her very life would belong entirely to him.
There was no loophole, no hidden clause — it was absolute.
Lei Yao hesitated for only a heartbeat, the enormity of the moment sinking in, before her trembling hand reached out and signed the contract.
The ink on the paper glowed faintly as if acknowledging her submission.
The next instant, the world around her shimmered and twisted, and she found herself back inside her small rented house.
Yet something was different this time — every single thug who had terrorized her moments before was now standing completely motionless, frozen in place as if time itself had stopped for them.
"W-Was that a dream?" she whispered aloud, a mixture of disappointment and confusion in her voice.
Her heart was still racing, but a sinking feeling began to settle in her chest.
Then, a voice echoed in her mind, deep and commanding, carrying a weight that made her flinch involuntarily.
"It was not!"
Her eyes widened as she realized it was the voice of the Star Emperor himself.
Panic and reverence surged through her at once.
"Lord Emperor, forgive me!" she cried out instinctively, falling to her knees and bowing low, forehead pressed against the floor in an automatic display of respect and fear.
'Listen to me, my servant. Look in front of you,' the voice commanded, echoing directly in her mind, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Trembling, Lei Yao lifted her gaze, and her eyes fell upon two objects lying on the floor in front of her: a glowing orb and a pendant.
"This…!" she hissed, her voice catching in her throat. While she didn't recognize the pendant, she immediately recognized the orb.
Her heart raced — it was an awakening stone.
The Star Emperor's voice continued, calm yet commanding, resonating in her very soul:
'This is a special Awakening Stone. Once used, you will be able to awaken two powerful elements. The pendant is a Sacred Grade Stardust Magic Tool, designed to boost your magic cultivation speed to unimaginable levels!'
The words hit her like a bolt of lightning, and she was utterly shocked beyond measure.
An awakening stone capable of awakening two powerful elements?
She had never even heard of such a thing. In her mind, it was immediately clear that this was no ordinary treasure — it was a priceless, world-altering artifact.
And the figure of the Star Emperor himself seemed to grow even larger in her mind, a being of infinite power who could gift such treasures.
And the Sacred Grade Stardust Magic Tool — she didn't fully understand the scale of its power, but she knew it was far beyond the reach of most families, even the wealthiest and most influential.
Anyone who possessed such a tool could accelerate their magical cultivation beyond what ordinary humans could imagine.
Her mind raced, emotions a chaotic mix of fear, awe, gratitude, and disbelief.
This was no longer just an opportunity — it was a complete transformation of her life, a chance to rise above the misery, injustice, and helplessness she had endured for so long.
She could feel the weight of her decision, and yet a spark of excitement and determination flared within her.
The Star Emperor had given her a gift of destiny, and now it was up to her to take it and change her life forever.
'Also, look at those thieves in front of you.'
Upon hearing the command, Lei Yao instinctively glanced at the thugs who were still standing completely motionless, frozen like statues.
For a brief moment, she did notice their immobility, but in her current state of shock and awe, her mind was unable to fully process the reality of the situation.
The magnitude of what had just occurred was too much for her to comprehend at once.
'I have made them your slaves. Your immediate goal is to develop your Lightning Element to Tier 3 first, but you must remain low-key while doing so. These thieves are now fully loyal to you. Use them to handle menial tasks and errands that you do not wish to do yourself,' the Star Emperor's voice echoed directly in her heart, resonating with absolute authority.
The thugs, as if on cue, instantly dropped to their knees, their heads bowed in obedience. In unison, they said in unison:
"We greet you, Boss!"
Lei Yao's eyes widened in shock.
She had not expected such an immediate reaction.
The sheer magnitude of the Emperor's power, capable of binding even grown, hardened criminals as her loyal servants, sent a shiver down her spine.
A surge of immense gratitude filled her heart toward the Star Emperor, mingled with a dawning sense of awe and responsibility.
"L-Lord Emperor…" she began, her voice trembling and breaking under the weight of fear and reverence.
'Talk in your mind!' the commanding voice interrupted her sharply, echoing in her consciousness with undeniable authority.
"Forgive me!" she cried aloud in reflex, her hands clutching at her chest, overwhelmed by both fear and the enormity of the situation.
Astreo, observing her reaction, facepalmed himself mentally, silently sighing at her instinctive reaction.
'Anyway, first awaken your magic and follow my orders. I will eventually check up on you and assign you tasks once you reach Novice Tier 3 in your Lightning Element,' the Emperor continued calmly, yet the weight of his words left no room for disobedience.
Lei Yao nodded cautiously, her trembling hand hovering over the awakening stone placed before her.
She could feel the strange energy radiating from it, pulsing in sync with her own heartbeat.
Drawing a deep breath, she placed her hand on the stone and closed her eyes.
Her mind automatically recalled the knowledge she had learned from her textbooks, the theoretical steps required for awakening magic.
Though she had never performed it before, the Emperor's instructions and her studies converged perfectly.
In the blink of an eye, her consciousness was pulled into the Void, the ethereal space of her Spiritual Sea.
It was a place of infinite darkness and swirling energy, a realm where one could perceive and manipulate the raw flow of magical power.
There, within the vast emptiness of her Spiritual Sea, Lei Yao awakened her first two magical elements: Lightning Element and Summoning Element.
Violet and White Stardusts, each accompanied by seven shining stars, materialized within Lei Yao's Spiritual Sea, representing her newly awakened Lightning Element and Summoning Element.
The radiant, pulsating light of the stars reflected the raw magical energy she now possessed, filling the ethereal void with brilliance and power.
Tears streamed down her face as she gazed at the magical constructs.
She was crying not from fear, but from a profound mixture of relief, awe, and gratitude.
Only she truly understood how helpless and powerless her life had been just moments ago.
And now, she had not only awakened one of the strongest elements at the Novice Tier, but also a powerful Advanced Element that would serve as her trump card in the battles and challenges to come.
Meanwhile, Astreo, observing everything from a distance, nodded in satisfaction.
Once he was certain the process was complete and her awakening successful, he teleported away, returning to his previous location in the toilet.
What Lei Yao had just witnessed — the towering Star Emperor, the commands, the radiant aura — was actually a hallucination carefully crafted by Astreo using his Psychic Magic.
However, the aura she had perceived and the power she had felt were very real, because they were manifestations of a Psychic Construct, anchored by Astreo's magical energy.
Astreo was pleased with her genuine gratitude and awe.
For now, he only needed her to develop into a competent mage, gaining strength and experience so that she could formally adopt him the following year, before he began his primary school.
In fact, Astreo had intentionally given her a double awakening, granting both Lightning and Summoning Elements at once.
This was not a gift he bestowed lightly.
He had decided that such a treatment would be reserved only for his most trusted servants, and it would be offered at most once or twice in a servant's lifetime — first when they joined him, and a second time when they were on the verge of ascending to the Forbidden Curse Tier.
He also understood the potential dangers of greed.
Only servants who were loyal, hardworking, and trustworthy would ever be allowed to receive such extraordinary treatment.
Those who were selfish or reckless would never be entrusted with so much power.
Astreo had also carefully chosen her first elements.
Lightning made perfect sense because of her innate talent — to ignore it would have been foolish.
Summoning Element, on the other hand, was her trump card.
With someone like Astreo, who had essentially unlimited resources, she could acquire extraordinarily powerful summons to complement her primary combat abilities.
Initially, Astreo had considered giving her Space Element as well, but he realized it would take far too long for her to master.
In the short term, with Lightning as her primary damage source, investing time in Space Element would have been inefficient and potentially dangerous.
He didn't want her to risk death or have his investment wasted, so providing her with Summoning Element was clearly the optimal strategy.
Now, all Astreo could do was wait and observe her progress, monitoring her growth and readiness for future challenges. He contemplated his next steps, thinking carefully.
'Now, which elements should I awaken for myself now that I have reached Advanced Tier?'
Another problem presented itself in his mind, a familiar headache that always came with planning and strategy.
Sighing, he rubbed his temples mentally. More decisions, more complications — but this was the path of someone who sought true mastery.
To be continued...
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