The Soul Core Test was always held at the nearest temple, twenty kilometers away from the Pei Clan Estate. Elders and renowned teachers from the Astraea Preparatory Academy would attend to assess their future students. Occasionally, important figures from the main Astraea Academy would also be present if they happened to be in the vicinity.
The Soul Core Test determined whether a child possessed a Soul Core at the age of seven. Without one, they could only live as ordinary humans.
Children who awakened a Soul Core would then enroll in the Astraea Preparatory Academy. There, they would learn about the different cultivation paths and receive basic training in each of them.
It was where children prepared for the path they would eventually choose. More importantly, it allowed them to discover which path truly suited them.
The Pei Clan had always produced descendants whose affinities leaned toward the Martial Path. Only a handful pursued a different path.
Lord Pei naturally hoped these children would become warriors, but if they chose another path, he would not object.
After all, he already had one child whose path was different.
Looking at the four children inside the carriage, he couldn't help but feel sentimental.
They had been tiny babies not long ago.
Now, they were about to begin a new chapter of their lives.
He couldn't help but sigh.
"Father, I'll become a proud and strong warrior!" Tianrui declared enthusiastically.
Now that he was about to undergo the Soul Core Test, he was brimming with excitement and had almost forgotten that his mother hadn't even bothered to check on him today.
Lord Pei chuckled and ruffled his hair.
"I know you will."
While the two talked about the Soul Core Test, the others were busy with their own things.
The twins were examining the gifts Lily had given them after she taught them how to bind the artifacts through blood.
They fiddled with their rings curiously.
Suddenly, each ring released a thin silver needle.
The needles shot toward Lord Pei and Tianrui.
Lord Pei swiftly dodged while pushing Tianrui's head down.
"Sorry, Father!" Pei Tianlin said.
"Sorry, Sixth Brother!" Pei Tianjin added.
Their eyes immediately widened in amazement as the needles slowly melted away, releasing a faint purple aura.
Lily clapped.
"Wow, they're poisoned."
Her little toys were really good.
"..."
Tianrui shivered.
"..."
Lord Pei was speechless.
Had those needles struck them, the poison alone would have caused a disaster.
He turned toward Lily.
"They're yours, aren't they? Why are you giving dangerous artifacts to your brothers?"
"Those are gifts," Lily corrected. "They'll be able to use them properly after enough practice. Don't worry."
Was that the point?
Giving such dangerous artifacts to children who had yet to receive proper training...
Then again...
Lily was also a child.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lord Pei said, "Put those artifacts away, and don't use them carelessly. If I hear that you've injured someone, all of you will be punished."
"Yes, Father!"
The twins happily hid their rings.
As long as their father didn't confiscate the artifacts, they were more than willing to obey.
Meanwhile, Pei Tianze curiously examined the bracelet Lily had given him. He turned it over in his hand, wondering how it worked without having to touch anything else.
"You press this," Lily said, tapping the crimson gem embedded at its center.
Nothing happened.
Pei Tianze looked at her.
"Now think of something you want to grab from far away."
Pei Tianze turned his gaze toward the carriage window.
A small rock lay on the roadside.
He subconsciously raised his hand toward it.
Moments later, the rock floated through the open window and landed gently in his palm.
"Cool!" the twins exclaimed, clapping excitedly.
"Right?" Lily nodded in agreement.
With Fifth Brother's lazy personality, that kind of magical artifact suited him perfectly.
True enough, Pei Tianze was completely satisfied.
When they arrived, many people from both their own clan and the other great clans were already seated in the audience.
To the right sat the Lu Clan.
To the left sat the Bai Clan.
And at the center sat the Pei Clan.
Lord Pei led the way, followed by Lily. Her brothers walked behind her.
They slowly approached the altar where, to Lily's knowledge, the High Priest of the temple was waiting. She couldn't see him, however, because her father's broad figure blocked her view.
Her gaze shifted to the left.
Bai Yichen was waving at her enthusiastically with a wide grin.
Then she looked to the right.
Lu Jingxuan stood there with his usual cold expression.
Lily immediately turned back to Yichen and waved in return, raising her fist.
Bai Yichen's cheerful grin was much nicer to look at than Jingxuan's piercing gaze.
When they reached the altar, Lord Pei stepped aside, allowing the children to stand before the High Priest.
The High Priest greeted them with a gentle smile. His eyes were kind, and his entire being carried a saintly aura, as though he were bathed in light.
Behind him stood a young woman around eighteen years old.
Her fingers were tightly clasped together as she looked at the children with tears streaming down her face. She sniffled repeatedly, seemingly unconcerned with how disheveled she looked.
"..."
The Pei siblings glanced at her before shifting their attention back to the High Priest.
Their Fourth Sister's face looked like a complete mess.
"Today, we witness the beginning of these children's second life."
It's my third, Lily thought.
The High Priest continued his prayers.
Afterward, he called Pei Tianze to enter the chamber behind him.
Tianze was the first to enter.
Several minutes later, the announcement regarding his Soul Core echoed throughout the temple.
He calmly walked out and stood beside his father.
Next was Pei Tianrui.
The same process repeated, except Tianrui happily skipped back to stand beside his fifth brother.
When Lily stepped forward, the High Priest quietly whispered,
"Young Heir of the Pei Clan... I hope you will also enter the temple, just like your sister."
Lily shivered.
Without another word, she hurried inside as though fleeing from something.
That was scary.
"The Young Heir of the Pei Clan?"
The room was shrouded in darkness until the torches lining the walls suddenly burst into flame.
Five elders sat before her.
Three men.
Two women.
Each examined her with sharp, discerning eyes.
Lily obediently stood with her back straight and her eyes wide, observing them in return.
One elderly woman looked sassy, while the other looked strict.
The three elderly men looked like sages.
So these are the elders of the academy?
They look interesting.
Too bad I won't be attending the academy.
"She is indeed Chenyuan's heir," the elderly woman with crimson-painted nails remarked. "Though she doesn't resemble him."
Lily silently agreed.
Especially her crimson hair.
She hardly looked like someone native to the Tianyuan Empire.
"Let's begin the test."
"Young Heir, please place both your hands on the crystal before you."
Lily stepped forward and did as instructed.
The crystal looked rather ordinary. It resembled the decorative jewels in her room.
Speaking of my room...
Where did that lizard go?
She hadn't seen it for the past few days after being occupied with Concubine Qin's lectures.
A minute passed.
Nothing happened.
Another minute passed.
Still nothing.
"..."
The elders quietly waited for the crystal to react.
The eldest elder frowned and stood.
"Is something wrong with the crystal?"
He carefully inspected it.
Nothing was wrong.
The Soul Crystal infused spiritual essence into a child's body.
If the child possessed a Soul Core, it would awaken, causing the crystal to shine.
Normally...
It took less than a minute.
Yet ten minutes had already passed.
Unless...
His pupils contracted.
He slowly turned toward Lily.
"The Young Heir of the Pei Clan... doesn't have a Soul Core?"
Lily blinked back at him.
The elders gasped.
"Impossible! A direct descendant of the Pei Clan cannot possibly lack a Soul Core."
"That may be so," another elder replied. "But a Soul Core is not predetermined. It is fate."
"Elder Mei is right."
If the successor of one of the Three Great Clans truly lacked a Soul Core...
Every gaze landed on Lily.
She could almost feel their pity.
"How about trying once more, Young Heir Pei?" suggested the strict-looking elder.
Lily hesitated.
She already...
Felt full.
Still, seeing the worry on their faces, she obediently placed both hands on the crystal once more.
Several more minutes passed.
The crystal remained silent.
The eldest elder let out a weary sigh.
"Young Heir of the Pei Clan... I know this will be difficult to accept, but... you are not destined to cultivate."
"Ah?"
Lily tilted her head.
"The world has not come to an end," another elder comforted gently. "Even without cultivation, life is still worth living."
Although he spoke those words...
Even he knew how devastating such news would be for the future head of the Pei Clan.
None of them knew how to comfort a seven-year-old child burdened with such expectations.
Lily looked back at the crystal before raising a hand.
"May I ask a question?"
"Of course," the eldest elder replied kindly.
"How did you conclude that I don't have a Soul Core?"
The elders exchanged confused looks.
"The Soul Crystal infuses spiritual essence into your body," one elder explained patiently. "If you possess a Soul Core, it will awaken."
Lily's eyes widened.
"It awakens it?"
"Yes."
"..."
Oh.
She had assumed the crystal merely confirmed whether someone possessed a Soul Core.
She hadn't realized...
It actually awakened one.
No wonder she felt so full.
She had unknowingly absorbed spiritual essence for ten whole minutes.
"Young Heir Pei..." another elder sighed. "Unfortunately, we must announce that you do not possess a Soul Core."
Lily nodded.
"Oh, okay."
She turned and walked outside.
"What took you so long?" Lord Pei asked.
"Oh, they said I don't have—"
Before she could finish...
The High Priest unfolded the scroll handed to him by the elders.
"The Young Heir of the Pei Clan... possesses no Soul Core."
The entire hall erupted.
"Impossible!"
Lord Pei.
Lu Jingxuan.
Bai Yichen.
Even the High Priest.
The four voices rang out almost at the same time.
"..."
The crowd stared blankly.
They understood Lord Pei's reaction.
But why had the other three reacted the same way?
"Why is it impossible?" Lord Lu asked his son.
Lu Jingxuan frowned but said nothing.
Instead, he walked straight toward Lily.
Bai Yichen clicked his tongue.
"I couldn't even beat Lily. And you're telling me she doesn't have a Soul Core?"
He immediately jumped down as well.
Lord Bai watched the two heirs with amusement.
It was good to see the younger generation supporting one another.
Meanwhile...
The High Priest continued staring at Lily.
His gaze had grown far more intense than before.
Lily ignored him.
Instead, she looked at her father.
His brows were tightly knitted.
His expression had never looked so conflicted.
For the first time...
Lord Pei didn't know what to think.
His instincts told him it was impossible.
Lily was different.
She had always been different.
Something had to be wrong.
Yet...
The elders of Astraea Preparatory Academy would never make such a mistake.
Unless...
What if...
He frowned
"Father."
Lord Pei looked down.
Lily met his gaze. She had been observing his reaction.
"Am I a disappointment?"
The question shattered every thought in his mind.
Suddenly...
None of the possibilities mattered anymore.
Whether the elders were right.
Whether the crystal had malfunctioned.
Whether something had gone wrong.
None of it mattered.
Standing before him...
Wasn't the future head of the Pei Clan.
She was simply...
His daughter.
Lord Pei slowly knelt before her.
"No," he answered firmly, "Whether you have a Soul Core or not... you're still my daughter."
"But I won't be able to become Clan Head anymore. I won't be able to do what you wanted me to."
Lord Pei froze.
Only then did he realize...
Over the years, he had become so focused on raising Lily as the future head of the Pei Clan that he had forgotten something important.
Lily rarely cried.
Rarely complained.
She carried herself with a maturity far beyond her age.
Without realizing it...
He had begun treating her as his successor first...
And his daughter second.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Nothing changes. You are still my heir," he smiled, "Power alone doesn't make a Clan Head. A clear mind does."
He reached out, intending to hug her.
Lily swiftly stepped aside.
"I am touched," she said calmly, "But not enough to let you hug me."
Lord Pei slowly lowered his arms.
"..."
His emotions had just been shattered.
Lily blinked.
Maybe it was time to stop the drama.
The atmosphere had become far too gloomy.
And...
She looked at her father.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Then she turned around, looking for someone.
When her eyes landed on the High Priest, she was about to walk over to him. However, the intensity of his gaze made her immediately look elsewhere.
The elderly woman who looked the sassiest was the next person she saw.
Lily walked over to her and raised her arm.
"You can test me now."
"What?"
"Test me now."
The elderly woman raised an eyebrow.
She could more or less guess what the girl wanted.
Although she believed nothing would change, another test wouldn't hurt.
She gently clasped Lily's hand with both of hers and began chanting.
Soon, their surroundings brightened.
A gentle gale swept across the altar as a beam of light slowly emerged from Lily's body.
Elder Rein's eyes snapped open.
She stared at Lily in disbelief.
Lily, on the other hand, remained calm.
"I do have a Soul Core."
She finally released all the spiritual essence she had absorbed from the Soul Crystal.
Her body instantly felt much lighter.
"How...?" The Soul Crystal obviously hadn't awakened her Soul Core. Unless... "You awakened it yourself?"
"..."
Lily remained silent.
The Soul Core awakened on its own.
Would they even believe her if she told them?
"Then why didn't you tell us beforehand?"
"I wanted to do the test."
During her first life, she had believed that a Soul Core could only be revealed once a child turned seven.
So, when it awakened on its own, she hadn't told anyone.
Not even her father.
Only after turning seven and informing him did she realize that seven was simply the customary age to undergo the Soul Core Test—not the age at which one was allowed to tell others about possessing a Soul Core.
Since she already had one, her father never allowed her to undergo the test.
Then, Unfortunately...
She died before reaching the age to participate in the Soul Path Trial.
During her second life...
She died as a toddler.
So this time...
Since she was finally seven again...
She simply wanted to experience the ceremony like everyone else.
She hadn't expected the Soul Crystal to awaken a Soul Core rather than merely confirm its existence.
What a shame.
Still...
She finally experienced it.
She was satisfied.