Rainor was waiting outside the Temple of Creation after finishing his work in the city while Winay was still inside receiving his blessing.

  After some time—

  Winay stepped out of the temple.

  Rainor’s eyes were already on him.

  But what truly caught his attention was not Winay.

  It was the person walking beside him.

  A 1st Generation Disciple.

  Ardo.

  Leader of the Exto Branch — the most respected and supportive branch among the temple’s four divisions.

  And Ardo was escorting Winay personally.

  With visible respect.

  Rainor narrowed his eyes slightly.

  What is going on here…?

  What did this kid do to make that arrogant Ardo escort him personally like this? Am I seeing things?

  Winay walked up to him.

  “What are you thinking about, Professor?”

  Rainor didn’t answer immediately.

  “You tell me first,” he said. “What happened inside the temple? I even heard some new cultivators talking about someone being escorted to the Priest Hall for receiving a blessing.”

  Winay nodded calmly.

  “Actually, when I placed my hand on the Designer’s Stone Wall in the first hall, there was no reaction. So the disciples took me to the second hall. I received the blessing there.”

  Rainor gave a knowing nod.

  “I see… I was wondering why Ardo escorted you out personally.”

  “So you received a Herald-level blessing. That explains their respect. The temple strictly follows the hierarchy of blessings.”

  Winay hesitated slightly.

  “Professor… I think my blessing level might be higher than Herald.”

  “At least… that’s what the High Priest told me.”

  Rainor stopped walking.

  “What?”

  “You received the highest level?”

  Inside his mind—

  This kid…

  A Unique-grade soul itself is already rare beyond measure.

  And now a blessing higher than Herald? Is his luck truly that high? Or is his understanding of the world fundamentally different from others?

  Winay smiled faintly.

  “I guess I just got lucky.”

  Rainor laughed.

  “Yes… let’s think of it that way.”

  Then he blinked.

  “Wait. Did you just say High Priest?”

  “Are you referring to High Priest Nova?”

  “Yes,” Winay replied casually. “That’s what everyone called him. Why are you so shocked?”

  Rainor sighed.

  “What else should I do? You keep giving me shocking news one after another.”

  “Do you truly not know who he is?”

  Winay tilted his head slightly.

  “You mean the High Priest? Honestly… they all looked normal. It felt like a gathering of elders in a temple.”

  Rainor stared at him for a few seconds.

  “You might be the first person in this continent to call them normal.”

  “High Priest Nova is one of the most respected figures in the Temple of Creation. Not just inside the temple — even outside. Do not be deceived by his appearance.”

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  “He is far more than what he appears to be. And not just him — all the priests are the same.”

  Winay nodded slowly.

  “Okay… I understand.”

  Rainor continued walking.

  “Inside the temple, all devotees of the Goddess act like children — even the High Priest himself.”

  “But outside the temple… they are not people to be taken lightly.”

  “Thanks for telling me, Professor.”

  Rainor smiled slightly.

  “Alright. Before your ‘luck’ runs out, let’s go to the Southern Radiant Archive. We’ll register your awakening details and collect your badge. After that, you can enter the treasury.”

  Winay’s eyes showed a small spark of excitement.

  “Yes, Professor. Let’s go.”

  They walked through multiple streets filled with markets and stalls.

  The outer sections were lively and chaotic.

  The inner sections were disciplined and orderly.

  Eventually, they arrived before a massive structure.

  The Southern Radiant Archive.

  Winay looked up at the building.

  “This place is massive…”

  Rainor nodded.

  “Of course. This is the most famous and largest branch of the Council on the Indus Continent. The visitor count here easily exceeds double that of other archives.”

  They entered and approached the reception desk.

  Rainor spoke first.

  “Hello. We are here to register this boy’s awakened soul details and collect his Awakener badge.”

  The receptionist responded in a professional tone.

  “Understood. I will ask a few questions. Please answer clearly.”

  “What is your name?”

  “Winay Hecksopian.”

  “Your awakened soul?”

  “Void Soul.”

  She paused.

  “Your awakened skill—”

  She stopped mid-sentence.

  “Wait. What did you just say?”

  “Void Soul?”

  “Why don’t you also say your innate skill is ‘Cancel’ and that you are from the School of Infinite?”

  Winay blinked.

  “Yes, that’s correct. How did you know my details?”

  The receptionist frowned.

  “Sir, if you are here to create a scene, please leave. You must provide accurate details. You cannot fake someone’s identity.”

  Winay frowned slightly.

  “But I’m telling the truth.”

  She turned to Rainor.

  “And you, old man covering your head with a hood — you’re dressed like a respectable person. Can’t you guide him properly?”

  Rainor raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh? You’re talking to me?”

  He slowly removed his hood.

  The moment his face was revealed—

  The receptionist froze.

  “Wait… he looks like someone from Infinite Academy…”

  Her eyes widened.

  “You are…!”

  She immediately stood and bowed deeply.

  “Sir! Please forgive my insolence! I was foolish enough not to recognize the Lunar Sage standing before me! I am actually a huge admirer of your achievements, Sir! Please forgive me!”

  Winay remained calm, but inside—

  So Professor Rainor is the Lunar Sage… also called the White Sage?

  Rainor laughed gently.

  “You were simply doing your job. There is nothing to forgive.”

  She straightened nervously.

  “Thank you for your understanding, Sir.”

  She looked at Winay.

  “So you are Winay Hecksopian. I apologize for doubting you earlier.”

  “It’s fine,” Winay replied calmly.

  “Everything is already prepared,” she continued. “Since you participated in the combat trials at the School of Infinite, you do not need to undergo verification again.”

  “How long will it take to prepare the badge?” Winay asked.

  “It is already prepared,” she said. “Your badge was issued long ago after receiving the application from the School of Infinite.”

  She handed him a sleek card bearing the official insignia.

  Winay looked at it.

  So this is the Awakener badge… just a card with a symbolic imprint.

  “Thank you.”

  “And you have a token for entering the treasury, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Please follow me.”

  They crossed seven security gates before reaching a set of massive jewel-embedded doors.

  “This is the treasury,” the receptionist said. “Please enter using your token.”

  Winay turned to Rainor.

  “Professor, shall we go?”

  Rainor shook his head.

  “The token only grants access to cultivators at the Communication Realm. You must enter alone.”

  Winay nodded.

  “Understood.”

  The massive doors slowly opened.

  He stepped inside.

  Rows upon rows of artifacts filled the chamber.

  Each row radiated strong aura.

  At minimum — S Rank.

  This is insane…

  Since the council promised a soul-compatible artifact, I should find something void-aligned here.

  He remembered Rainor’s words.

  Each row is categorized.

  Winay began exploring.

  Offensive artifacts first.

  25 minutes passed.

  “These offensive artifacts… none are compatible.”

  He moved to defensive artifacts.

  15 minutes passed.

  “No luck here either.”

  Support and miscellaneous artifacts.

  Another 15 minutes.

  Still nothing.

  He stopped in the middle of the treasury.

  What is going on?

  This is a First-Grade Open Locker Treasury.

  How can there be nothing compatible with my Void Soul?

  He glanced at the time.

  I only have one hour inside.

  He exhaled.

  “Fine. One last attempt.”

  “What if I release my soul energy and spread it across the treasury?”

  “Since my soul energy has the cancel property, even if it triggers defensive mechanisms, I can neutralize the reaction.”

  He closed his eyes slightly.

  Void-aligned soul energy spread silently across the chamber.

  In an instant, he grasped the entire room.

  And—

  Nothing.

  No resonance.

  No compatibility.

  He opened his eyes.

  “Well… looks like that’s it.”

  “Since I originally intended to enter the Designer’s Ruins, let’s go back.”

  He turned to leave—

  Then paused.

  “Huh?”

  “What is that…?”

  From a distant corner, he sensed something subtle.

  Not resonance.

  Not attraction.

  Deflection.

  He walked toward the corner.

  It was a section where defective or D-rank artifacts were placed.

  Scraps.

  Rejected items.

  He picked up a small metallic pendant-like object.

  It looked ordinary.

  Yet—

  “All other artifacts here allow my soul energy to pass.”

  “But this one is deflecting it.”

  “And… why does it resemble my pendant?”

  “It looks similar in size… though slightly different.”

  He examined it carefully.

  “Should I take this?”

  “It’s stored here like scrap. Would this even count as receiving an artifact?”

  He walked out of the treasury holding it.

  Rainor looked at him.

  “Did you find something?”

  Winay raised the object.

  “Does this count as choosing an artifact?”

  The receptionist glanced at it and laughed lightly.

  “That? That’s scrap metal. It’s only suitable as a decorative pendant. It’s not counted as an official artifact. It was scheduled for removal anyway.”

  Rainor smiled slightly.

  “In that case, Winay, you still have your chance to enter the Designer’s Ruins.”

  Winay nodded.

  “Yes. I’m looking forward to that.”

  Then—

  BHUMMMMMM…

  A massive sound echoed from somewhere far beyond the city.

  The ground trembled faintly.

  Winay’s eyes sharpened.

  “What was that, Professor?”

  “It sounded huge… like something massive just happened.”