"Next!"
When Julian heard the call, he stepped forward quickly. The evaluation of his Hallowed Realm was the most important moment of his life. It determined exactly how much support he would receive from the Blue Star Academy.
Currently, his strength was still modest. He was at Mortal Rank 7. During the ignition of his Realm the night before, the rush of pure mana had washed over him, helping him break through a single rank. In a world of monsters and legends, Rank 7 was just the beginning.
Julian walked into the registration hall. A woman sat behind a desk, buried under a mountain of paperwork.
"Name?" she asked, not looking up.
"Julian Thorne."
She slid a parchment across the desk. "Fill this out. It will be recorded in the Aether-Net."
Julian glanced at the form, then looked back at the woman with a polite smile. "Senior, if my Realm has a unique Trait... does the process change?"
The woman stopped writing. She looked up, her eyes narrowing with interest. "A Trait? If you've unlocked a Trait, take that form and go straight to Room Three on the left. Don't waste time here."
"Thank you, Senior," Julian nodded and headed for the door.
The woman, Lucia, watched him go. Most students who opened a Realm these days found nothing special. Another one with a Trait? she thought. Probably just a low-grade one like 'Faster Grass Growth,' but still... it's worth noting. She circled Julian's name on her list before calling the next student.
Room Three was nearly empty, containing only a single chair and a strange, crystalline lens hovering from the ceiling.
"Please be seated," a cold, mechanical voice echoed. "The Aether-Spirit will now scan your Sanctum. Your results will be encrypted and stored within the Kingdom's network. Do not resist the mental probe."
Julian sat down, staring curiously at the lens. The Aether-Net was the pinnacle of human technology—a massive, artificial intelligence recovered from a high-level Stargate years ago. It ran the Kingdom's logistics, recorded every citizen's power, and even predicted monster tides.
A beam of pale light hit the mark on Julian's forehead.
"Scan complete."
"Hallowed Realm: Rank 9. Initial Expansion: High."
"Trait Detected: Heart of the Myriad Lotus."
"Trait Grade: Mid-Tier (High Potential)."
"Comprehensive Evaluation: Elite Grade. Assigned to: High Dragon Class."
"That was fast," Julian muttered. The Aether-Net was as efficient as the rumors said.
"Student Julian Thorne, your ID card is ready," the voice continued. "Welcome to the High Dragon Class. May the Aether-Net record a glorious future for you."
Julian picked up his new copper-and-gold ID card. Being in the High Dragon Class came with massive perks: ten Essence
Refinement Pills every month, access to high-level combat manuals, and a choice of a Relic for his Realm.
He headed straight to the Academy's Vault of Wonders. An old man with a wine gourd hanging from his belt greeted him.
"Ten Essence Refinement Pills, one High-Tier Mana Technique, and one Realm Relic," the old man grunted, handing Julian a small jade bottle. "Pick your technique and your relic from this ledger. Choose wisely; the Academy doesn't give second chances."
Julian opened the book. It was filled with famous styles: The Titan's Breath, The Azure Sword Dance, and The Way of the Sun.
He didn't hesitate. He chose the Solar Flare Meditation. In his past life's myths, this was a legendary technique for building a foundation as hot and indestructible as the sun.
Then, he turned to the section on Realm Relics:
The Sun-Gathering Manor: A small palace that pulls ambient mana toward it, speeding up cultivation.
The Moon-Well: A mystical well that produces "Moonlight Water," used for healing and purifying poison.
The Bolt-Tower: A defensive structure that automatically fires scorching arrows at intruders.
Julian stared at the list. The Manor would help him grow stronger, but the Moon-Well would give his Realm its first "specialty" product.
"Senior," Julian asked, looking up at the old man. "Is there any way I can choose two relics for my Realm?"