Two days passed and Damien was getting familiarized with the Xeton Imperial City. He had already made the green tablet recognize Valentina as an owner so that she could also enter the villa even without him.
He was surprised at how perfect and organized the whole city seemed. It was as if one wouldn't feel like going back home once they set foot inside the city and instead buy a home and settle here.
However, today was the day the entrance assessment was being held by the Xeton Ethereal Foundation to take in a fresh batch of disciples.
He told Valentina to go separately to take the assessment as he would be going as 'Damien' and not as Alchemist Azrael. He gave Valentina the azure token, which would guarantee her entry to almost everywhere. People also wouldn't dare to mess with her.
The azure token works on the same principle as the green tablet of the villa. He let the token recognize Valentina as its owner so that it will always emit bright azure light in her presence.
He also told her to pretend that they don't know each other if they met up which made Valentina frown as she didn't want to do that. But she didn't say anything as there was no other choice.
If someone was carrying around a dull azure token, it would instantly be recognized as a stolen one. Even then, not even the deranged ones would try to steal an azure token as it would obviously only belong to the big shots.
Valentina didn't like the idea of going separately, but she compromised, thinking that she shouldn't make things harder for Damien and at the same time impress him by showing that she could also do things by herself.
Damien knew that Valentina was strong enough to take care of herself from deranged people, and the powerhouses wouldn't obviously dare to do anything to her no matter what.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})The duo set off for the Xeton Ethereal Foundation, going their separate ways. Valentina felt uncomfortable as she walked the streets alone without feeling the presence of Damien.
She felt as if there was a void beside her. She also couldn't sense the familiar and comforting scent of his intoxicating blood, making her expression look dull as she continued walking with an unfocused gaze, not even bothering about the innumerous people who were drawn to her beauty.
Lust brewed in many young masters of various families. Still, they controlled themselves from doing anything stupid as they saw the shimmering azure token hanging around her neck.
They could only bite their nails and relish her beauty with their eyes from afar to not provoke someone whose backing could destroy their families.
But they secretly sent their informants to find out more about this exotic and mysterious beauty who was so beautiful to the point they could barely believe their eyes.
Her exquisite rosy pink hair stood out as it elegantly rested on her blood-red dress. The people wondered which family she was belonging to and noticed the azure blue token on her neck; they knew just like her looks, she wasn't simple.
Meanwhile, Damien had reached the central plaza near the Xeton Ethereal Foundation, where the assessment was being held.
He was amazed at the thick crowd of people and how huge the central plaza was to accommodate all these people. But he was not surprised as today was the last day they were recruiting students.
Most of them were young ethereal practitioners who were here to take the assessment, while some of them seemed to be disciples of the Xeton Ethereal Foundation who were here to watch the commotion and look out for promising geniuses or check out young beauties.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Damien had already given his name and joined the assessment just like any other ordinary practitioner.
The candidates were split into more than a hundred groups to take the assessment and an instructor would supervise each group.
Damien was placed in the 101st group, and he tried to look for Valentina but didn't find her, and thought that she might have come early and joined a different group.
The assessment only had two parts. The first one was just a simple Ethereal Energy Assessment, while the second one was the main and final assessment - Team Combat Assessment.
But the second assessment was not direct team combat, but according to rumors Damien heard, it was a Capture the flag sort of thing.
Damien's group moved to a different area, and it seemed that they were being proctored by an elderly man with a dignified demeanor.
The man stood in front of an Ethereal Assessment Stone, swept his eyes through the crowd in a glance, and spoke in a solemn tone, "The first part of the assessment will be the assessment of your Ethereal Energy, in other words, your Ethereal Cultivation. I will instruct you on the passing criteria as some of you might not be aware of them. For those aged 15, the minimum criteria to be eligible for the second part of the assessment is Nascent Ethereal Realm Level Ten.
'Wew, I am saved.' Damien didn't expect that they would set such a high bar for fifteen-year-old practitioners. A normally talented 15-year-old practitioner would usually breakthrough to the Nascent Ethereal Realm Level Ten only when they are at least eighteen years old unless they are a genius or got adequate resources.
The elderly man continued, "For those aged 16 and 17, they should at least be at the Spirit Ethereal Realm Level One or above. Those not fulfilling the criteria or not in the age group of 15 to 17 can please leave. Don't stay back thinking that the Ethereal Assessment Stone would make mistakes. For centuries we have been using the same stone and never had it made a single mistake. Not even using a treasure or any other artifact can change the results. So to not waste our or your own time, those not eligible can pull out."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})He had been invigilating the yearly assessment for dozens of years. He knew that even though he repeated the same instructions every year, many people from each group would get eliminated after the first part of the assessment itself as there were many unwilling and unresigned young practitioners who didn't want to back out just because they didn't fit the criteria.
Joining the Xeton Ethereal Foundation was every young practitioner's dream and goal in the continent.
Even just being a disciple in name would bring them immense reputation and fame. Even if their performance was barely satisfactory after graduating, they would at least be guaranteed a good position to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.
Even though the instructions were extremely clear and strict, some candidates would stay back thinking that the Ethereal Assessment Stone would malfunction or fail as they didn't want to feel like they came for nothing.
Still, more than half of them would be eliminated from the first part of the assessment itself, and that was exactly why they kept such an assessment.
But even after giving out the instructions, not even a single person had exited. The elderly man didn't mind it as he knew other than just wasting some time, those who are supposed to be eliminated would get eliminated anyway.
He walked towards the Ethereal Assessment Stone and swung his hand as he said, "Now that everything is clear, we will start the first part of the assessment. As I call your name, you can come up and pass your ethereal energy to the Ethereal Assessment Stone."
Damien could hear excited whispers of the candidates near him,
"Hey, it's starting. Thank god, I am above the required criteria. What about you, brother? Do you think you could make it?"
"Hmph, of course, I can. I had worked my ass off for the past few years to breakthrough to the Spirit Ethereal Realm Level One. This assessment is going to be a breeze for me."
The elderly man took out a list of names and spoke, "1st Candidate: Halie Lea!"
