During the three hours, Corvus, though he already knew how to control his spirit qi, listened attentively to what the spirit servant taught. He was right to do so, because by using herself as an example, she allowed Corvus to gain a deeper understanding of how spiritual qi was wielded.
Clearly, what he had managed to do earlier was only the simplest method, and it was not something that could be done while in action. It was best suited for refilling spiritual qi or breaking through a realm, something he noticed she had not explicitly explained.
By the end of the three hours, almost all of the sixty awakened had managed to grasp how to wield their spiritual qi.
Finally, they were all led down from the platform until they reached the fog wall, where they were made to wait. Corvus could not help but wonder why they had assembled them so close to the fog wall, the gate to the Spirit Realm. He noticed the three overseers standing a few meters away from the spirit gate, their expressions tense for reasons unknown.
But the he saw a middle-aged man with short black hair and a black beard, dressed in a pure black tunic similar to that of the clan members, except for an emblem drawn on his right chest, an emblem of a mountain surrounded by an halo.
Though Corvus had no idea who this person was, he could easily guess from the reaction of the spirit servants who all immediately bowed their heads.
This made him certain that the man was the head of the clan's servants, not just from the way the spirit servants and overseers bowed, but also from the way he carried himself.
Though he was not as pompous or prideful as the clan members, his towering figure and muscular frame made him stand about two heads taller than corvus, and corvus knew he himself was tall.
Cyprus. That was his name. Even from where Corvus stood, his head now bowed, he could feel a cold, heavy pressure emanating from the man as he approached.
Corvus turned his eyes to the other spirit servants, including the overseers, and he was not surprised to find respect and fear plastered across their faces, especially on the three overseers. He could not help but wonder.
'So they can look this timid in front of the head servant ,what was it? Power?'
Even as the thought crossed his mind, he already knew the answer.
Cyprus stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing over them.
"Not bad," he said, turning his stern eyes toward the old overseer. "Quite better than the last generation, don't you think, Mudrid?"
Realizing the remark was directed at him, Overseer Mudrid stepped forward and forced a smile.
"Yes. It is our fortune. We will have more hands to serve the clan."
Cyprus nodded, his gaze shifting to the still-bowing newly spirit cultivators.
"Raise your heads," he commanded.
Prompted by his words, the young awakened raised their heads, confusion clear on their faces, while some had already begun to realize who he was.
"Those who awakened a solid core, step forward," he said, turning slightly toward Overseer Mudrid.
"Yes," Overseer Mudrid nodded, before directing a stern gaze at Overseer Fei.
Overseer Fei immediately stepped forward and called out,
"Blake, "
"Aaron,"
"Luna."
She paused briefly, her gaze shifting to two specific boys, before continuing,
"Corvus and Leon. Step forward."
Corvus heard his name and stepped out without hesitation, moving to the front of the gathered youths. Murmurs spread among the others, many wondering why they had been singled out.
As soon as he stepped forward, Blake, Aaron, Luna, and finally Leon who hesitated before following.
Cyprus observed them for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his lips. He pointed at Luna.
"You," he said, causing her to flinch. "You must be Ansho 's daughter, yes?"
"Yes," she answered timidly.
"Good. I am sure your family would be proud," he said, before turning to the boys beside her, taking note of each of their facial features that reminded him of other spirit servants beneath his command
"Oh? You must be Fat Bo's son," he remarked, looking at Blake.
Blake immediately nodded, finding it difficult to speak. To him, the head servant was a role model, one his father had always spoken of with reverence.
Crypus moved on to Aaron and directed his gaze toward a middle-aged woman standing among the other spirit servants, before nodding slowly
The middle-aged woman stared at Aaron with pride as the other spirit servants around her praised her for her fortune. After all, her son had inherited his late father's core, not hers, which had been cracked.
Cyprus moved on again, only to pause and squint his eyes at the boy standing before him.
"And who might you be?" he asked.
"Leon sir," Leon answered, his eyes not daring to meet the gaze of the head servant.
"Leon… ?" Han Yu repeated, before turning to Overseer Modrid, who had already stepped forward to explain.
"He was unexpected, probably fortune," Overseer Madrid said, bracing himself for a scolding.
But cyprus merely stared at Leon for a while before moving on.
'Haa… who do we have here?' Cyprus thought. 'He already looks so identical.'
Facing the last boy, he asked, more out of formality than anything else, "And who are you?"
"I'm Corvus,"Corvus replied with no expression at all
"Hm yes corvus, I knew your father,a good man. I do hope you'll live up to his standards," he said while staring directly into Corvus's deep, dark eyes.
Corvus simply nodded, choosing not to reply. Cyprus seemed fine with that as he turned to the overseers.
"You all did good and you will be rewarded."
Then he turned back to the gathered young servants and pointed toward the fog wall.
"The clan has chosen to grant you all the chance to pick your own spirit, granted that you can bind with it from the clan's Spirit Realm." He paused, seeing the excitement on their faces.
"But be warned ,do not be greedy and try to tame a reluctant or lost spirit that clearly rejects you. For all you have is four hours in the realm, and you'll be forced out afterwards. So be wise, and hopefully, you might be lucky."
As he spoke those last lines, his gaze rested only on the five young servants with solid cores. Clearly, to him, they were more important.
"Follow me," he called, moving toward the fog wall where he knelt down, prompting everyone else to kneel as well.
"Grand Elder, I have orders from the Patriarch to allow the young servants to pick their spirits from the Desolate Mountain in the Spirit Realm," Cyprus said respectfully, his head bowed.
Only silence followed. A long silence, long enough for Cyprus to sigh before bringing out a plaque with a seal engraved upon it.
"This is the Patriarch's seal of authority."
"Tsk. He actually gave you this," an old voice complained from within the fog wall. "I will really need to have a word with him. Three hours, and that is it."
"Three hours?" Cyprus exclaimed. "But by…"
"I do not care. Three hours or nothing."
"Yes, three hours. Thank you, Grand Elder," Cyprus said, gritting his teeth but keeping his tone grateful. He knew better than to show disrespect, not to an elder of the clan, and certainly not to a Grand Elder. All of which were peak Rank Four Spirit Cultivators. Even as the Patriarch's personal servant and the clan's head servant, he was not foolish.
"Good," the voice replied.
The fog wall split apart, revealing the Spirit Realm within.