Armipotent

Chapter 2238: Interlude - Dean (1)

Feng Yun swallowed his pride and bowed his head toward the unknown man with a weird eye. He knew the man was the Emperor of the Tang Empire; in a way, he was someone who replaced his grandfather’s position.

”Spare the formal greeting. I have brought a few kids, and they should be around the same level as someone at the Golden Core Realm.”

Tang Shaoyang stopped Feng Zhan from doing the formal greeting. He had brought a few kids along with Viona’s son, who was technically his stepson, Dean. The young boy who confronted him once during their first meeting.

”He is my son, Dean. He should be enough to test your kids.”

Feng Zhan looked at the boy with blond hair and dark complexion. It had golden-green slit eyes, the characteristic of a dragon’s eyes, proving this boy truly the Emperor’s son.

Of course, Dean didn’t directly inherit Tang Shaoyang’s bloodline. He took a Dragon Bloodline given by Tang Shaoyang, a different type of dragon. Not that they knew what kind of dragon it was, since they just had the blood essence to awaken the bloodline.

”May I use Detection on young master, Your Majesty?”

It was not that he didn’t trust Tang Shaoyang, but he wanted to ensure it was a fair match. He estimated that Epic Rank was equal to the Golden Core. Upon receiving the permission, Feng Zhan used Detection on the boy.

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Name: Dean Rivera Rosikh

Affiliation: Tang Empire

Rank: -

Level: 1000

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Feng Zhan was surprised that the boy was not even an Epic Rank, but it was just about time for the boy to reach Epic Rank. The young master just needed to take the trial.

The other kids behind His Majesty were also level 999. They were certainly brought here to test the Feng Family’s scions.

”They were the best batch in their class and were ready to take the Trial of Epic. I figure they should be equal to the Golden Core Realm. Don’t underestimate them, though, because they have awakened their bloodline, a good one.”

*** ***

Dean listened to the conversation, noting that there was additional information aside from the fact that his opponent was a Golden Core Realm. Not that he knew anything about it, but he heard the rumor about cultivation because the Emperor encouraged them to take the cultivator class.

That was right, they could awaken Cultivator Class once they learned a foundation cultivation technique and one martial technique. It had been tested and proven to be correct about having a second source of energy.

Many were interested as they moved to the Sacred Realm to awaken their class. The Thousand Vows Pavilion had now become an independent military force of the Tang Empire. They were equal to Tarrior, TEID, TEIS, and the Adventurer Guild.

When the Emperor introduced him as his son, there was an awkwardness around him. He kept his poker face despite his feelings. His relationship with his stepfather was quite complicated in a way, but not in a bad way.

Initially, it was hard to accept that his mother remarried someone else, especially without consulting him first. The Rosikh Family had lost their land and status, but he was still the head of the Rosikh Family.

He resented his mother for that until a harsh reality hit him. That was when he started to join the academy, a path he must take if he wanted to revive his household. That was when he realized that he was nothing but an ordinary person like the others.

He was average at best in the academy. His first experience fighting undead, which was the most common monster in this world, was terrible, worse than average. That left him quite traumatized in the following fight. His evaluation score was low, not a top priority to be nurtured by the academy.

The academy was not looking for someone talented or someone with a background. They were looking for people with courage, dedication, and the will to get stronger. Failing to get a high score in their first experience against the undead didn’t lower their evaluation, but how they coped with the following battle mattered.

The academy was judging the student’s attitude, not talent. Someone who showed a great attitude and bravery would get extra care, special guidance from Swordsmaster like Zaneos, learning directly under Archmage Zowen, and even be rewarded with a good bloodline. Talent was not needed when they had a System, and almost everything could be acquired.

Dean had an awful first year; his practical combat experience was at the bottom rink. There was not much theory, but they had a discipline class that hammered down their tendency to be reckless. There was an optional class for general rules and regulations, for class, rank, and trial. It was more like a guide for them when they took the trial.

He had a bad start in the academy until his mother decided to be open about her relationship with him and his sister. He was surprised that his stepfather was the Emperor. But then everything started to make sense, how they could live comfortably despite being formerly foreign citizens from another world.

It was hard for him to accept the man as his father’s replacement, even if his stepfather was an Emperor. His sister handled it better than he did and quickly warmed up to their stepfather. Fortunately, the Emperor didn’t take offense at his cold attitude.

His sister now often played with his stepfather’s daughters and the little dragon. Not long after the introduction, his life in the academy started to change as well.

This was when his academy’s life started to change. He was presented with a rare and strong bloodline. Bloodline of Ancient Monster, Beast, Drake King, and even Dragon.

For someone who had lived in the Tang Empire for a few years, Dean also took pride in the Empire’s dragon signature symbol. He didn’t hesitate to choose the dragon bloodline even though it was said to be an unknown dragon. It could be a weak dragon, but a weak dragon was still a dragon.

His academy’s life changed the moment he awakened the dragon bloodline. He regained his confidence, and his evaluation score soared. It was not without an obstacle. The other students were jealous of him for undeserved privilege, resented and isolated him because of it.

Dean was angry and tried to ignore them until he could no longer ignore them. He fought them, the people who ridiculed her, even calling him a leech. They never crossed the line because his mother was the Emperor’s wife, but it still irritated him until he snapped and fought them.

He fought against nine students, and they all ended up in the Divine Tower. No one died, but their wounds were serious enough for them to be brought to the Divine Tower immediately.

That was when things started to change between him and his stepfather. It was more him than his stepfather who changed. His stepfather is always the same—always busy, but he would pay him a visit once in a while—most of the time, his stepfather spent his time with his daughters, including his sister.

That was when he realized that his sister started to smile again, laughing, and returned to her old self, a chatterbox. Ever since the rebels executed their father, his sister had grown quiet, eerily quiet and gloomy. There was no longer a cheery morning greeting from her; her smile faded into his memory until his stepfather appeared.

His sister quickly accepted his stepfather, befriended his stepfather’s daughters, and she got to smile again. Her cheery morning greeting had become a charm to him as he appreciated it even more now. He no longer sees her as a noisy sister, but a sister he must protect, especially her smile. All of this thanks to his stepfather, although there was still an awkwardness between them.

His sister easily used Didi just like his stepsister, but it was still hard for Dean to utter the word ” father. He was grateful that his stepfather didn’t press the issue and didn’t mind him, giving him space instead of forcing him.

Early this morning, his stepfather called him and made a request. It was to test the young cultivator from the Sacred Realm.

He quickly agreed to the request. Not just because his stepfather requested it, but because he was interested in cultivating as well. Especially because it was the Emperor’s recommendation to take the Cultivator Class.