Queen Primordium and Shang walked back to Lucin, who had been waiting anxiously for the result.
"He is to be treated as a King Contender," Queen Primordium told Lucin.
Lucin smiled and nodded. "Understood, my Queen."
"Shang," Queen Primordium said. "Lucin will explain everything to you. As a new member of the Contender Department, your official position is named Cloud."
"As a Cloud, you have authority over Sparks and Boltlings. Your authority is equal to Bolts, and you must obey the orders of Thunders."
Shang nodded. "Understood."
"Lucin will explain everything in detail to you later. I hope you won't run out of longevity before you comprehend Void Casting."
When Lucin heard that, he looked with shock at Shang.
Lucin hadn't known what Shang's next plans would be, and when he heard that Shang wanted to comprehend Void Casting next, he knew how insanely difficult it would prove to be.
Under any other circumstance, Lucin would advise Shang not to practice Void Casting since it would be far too difficult for him to comprehend.
However, Shang wasn't a normal member of the Contender Department, but someone with a fivefold Spirit Sense.
The difference in talent and effort required to get a fivefold Spirit Sense was far higher than getting a fourfold Spirit Sense.
Lucin himself "only" had a fourfold Spirit Sense. This meant that he knew a lot about becoming more powerful, but there was still a difference between someone on his level and someone on Shang's level.
After many years of raising King Contenders, Lucin knew that the best way for someone with a fivefold Spirit Sense to grow stronger was to let them do whatever they wanted and support them in their decisions.
Trying to constrict them with conventional methods would only ruin their talent.
"I won't fail," Shang said evenly.
After everything that had happened today, Shang had grown even more confident in his ability to comprehend his own form of Void Casting.
While a mind wasn't that important for becoming stronger as a warrior, it still allowed someone to comprehend things faster. This meant that Shang's mind growing more powerful would also speed up his training.
At the moment, Shang's biggest problem was his longevity.
Shang was already around 720 years old, and he only had around 280 years left.
While Shang could still retain a youthful appearance for now, that would stop when he reached the age of about 900. At that point, his body would slowly grow weaker, and his mind would start to become more lethargic.
"Then, I wish you good luck," Queen Primordium said.
Lucin and Shang bowed politely, and Queen Primordium went back into her room.
After Queen Primordium left, Lucin released a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that everything worked out."
"Are you?" Shang asked.
"I am," Lucin answered. "One of my favorite things is to watch one of my students reach incredible levels of power. I have already come to terms with my fate. In a bit more than 10,000 years, I will die of natural causes."
"The only thing I can take solace in is that my legacy will live on with my students."
Lucin started to smirk. "Did you know that the Starlight Queen was once one of my students?"
"No," Shang answered emotionlessly.
Lucin chuckled a bit. "She became a Mage King a bit more than 7,000 years ago. About 12,000 years ago, I was just a Bolt that was supposed to help the Clouds with their training, and the Starlight Queen was assigned to me when she was just an Archmage."
"She also had a fivefold Spirit Sense back then, and I taught her until she was just a bit less powerful than me."
Lucin chuckled some more. "And then, she shot past me and overtook me in power. I barely had her as my student for 3,500 years."
"Is she the newest Mage King in the Lightning Manor?" Shang asked.
Lucin nodded. "Correct. She still has over 80,000 years in front of her. Her life as a Mage King has just begun, essentially."
"Give her some time, and she will enter the top ten."
"Oh, sorry, I got sidetracked," Lucin said with a loud laugh. "I think we should actually get moving and get you acquainted with your new home."
Shang wordlessly nodded.
Lucin and Shang turned around and walked towards the exit of the Lightning Manor.
The Lightning Manor building only housed the most powerful members of the Lightning Manor Empire.
Shang had only been taken here due to special circumstances, and he knew that he wouldn't see the Lightning Manor again for a long time.
After the two of them walked out, Shang jumped back on the small Transportation Plate Lucin had summoned, and the two of them flew away from the Lightning Manor again.
As they shot through the Lightning Sea, Shang thought about how his life was about to change.
Two Mage Kings and one Mage Emperor had taken note of Shang, and they had not realized that he was the Child of Calamity.
This meant that Shang's identity was not in danger of being revealed.
Even more, he had received the full support of the Lightning Manor after unveiling his true power.
Today, Shang had become a true chosen of a true Empire.
Shang's way forward was supposed to be brightly lit with achievements and progress.
However, for some reason…
Shang felt like things wouldn't go as smoothly.
Something was telling him that something wasn't as it should be.
Shang focused on Lucin, who had transformed into a lightning bolt.
Right now, Shang couldn't see Lucin's expression, and that worried him.
Was Lucin truly who he made himself out to be?
All of this went way too smoothly.
Things couldn't possibly be this easy, right?
Shang's hands began to shake a bit.
He could feel that something horrible was about to happen.
"So," Lucin said after a while of silence.
"What kind of Affinity do you have?"
Shang couldn't be sure, but just for a moment, he thought that Lucin's voice sounded crafty and sinister.
