The next day was a very hectic one in the magistrate's household. In spite of their wishes to the contrary, the results of the test could not be kept hidden. Three elders of the Steelborn clan had come over. One of them was a third-tier array master sent over to confirm the results of the test. After putting Valerian through the ceremony twice more he too came up with the same results. The three elders then locked themselves in the study with his grandparents and engaged themselves in discussion.

Realising that he would receive no training or teaching for yet another day Valerian picked up a book on geography and sat in the hallway outside the study for some self-study. The planet Verre contained three continents. The continent he lived on was known as the World's Heart. To the east and separated by the world's thinnest ocean was the Breathland continent whilst the southern Na'ar continent sat separate and distant. The reason the World's Heart was known as such was that it was the centremost of the three continents. There were also the two polar caps.

World's Heart was undoubtedly the largest continent of all and was split between three major empires. The greatest of these and perhaps the most powerful in all of Verre was the New Haven Empire in which he lived. The other two powers were the Crystal Spur Empire and LongCrest Federation. Each empire was divided into numerous smaller kingdoms or states. These kingdoms had their own rulers even though they were under the rule of the various major powers.

Besides paying tribute, obeying imperial edicts and fulfilling the imperial objectives, the 24 kingdoms mostly managed themselves. There were imperial offices and command posts but on a whole, the management of a state was left to the king or appointed official. So long as a king remained loyal, obedient, paid taxes and tributes and did not overly harm his people he could have a nice, long albeit slightly restrained rule.

The imperial force was not one to be questioned. It was genuinely powerful. It managed the largest and most dominant power in the continent. Forty per cent of the entire Newhaven Empire was directly managed by the imperial force. The remaining sixty per cent was what made up the 24 countries and beast lands.

Nonetheless, the situations in the countries were not bad. While they were a few steps down from the actual imperial land they enjoyed a large variety of benefits from the empire. The Kingdom that Valerian belonged to was the Bathar Kingdom. Bathar was recognised as the seventh most powerful kingdom under the Newhaven Empire.

Kingdoms were ranked according to population, wealth, size, military, resource endowment, infrastructure and the calibre of their cultivators. Thus the fact that Bathar occupied the seventh rank slot was not a small achievement. The competition between the various states was a major driving force for development and probably one of the reasons that the empire had held its position as the greatest for so long.

Valerian's head shot up, his mind breaking away from the book. The door to the study had opened and he could hear the voices within coming closer. Quickly he straightened his appearance and pretended to be absorbed in his book. Even as a child, he knew that he had to make a good impression on the elders. Aside from the clan leader and the patriarch the elders held the most influence in all clan affairs. Having even one of them on his side would improve his own standing.

The three elders and his grandparents exited the study and saw him sitting quietly in the hallway. Seeing him so engrossed in the study made them nod to themselves but seeing him swiftly put the book away, stand up and greet them impressed them even more.

The elders of the Steelborn clan were not of the typical, elderly upper management types.

To be an elder in the clan, one had to be at least a hundred years old and possess strength of at least the second tier. Each elder wore embroidered steel grey cloaks, as was the custom for clan elders, and massive steel armour in the exact same style as his uncle Richard's.

Over their left breast was carved the clan's signature StormHawk on the outcrop insignia. In World's heart, the left breast usually carried badges showing loyalties or allegiances whilst the right showed status or position.

"Valerian come here!" the elder in the middle called.

Quickly he moved over wondering what they needed him for.

"Good child. I need you to do something for me, is that alright?" he inquired.

Valerian answered measuredly, "If there is anything you need honoured elder, ask. Taxing or not, I will fulfil it so long as I am able."

The elder's grey eyebrows raised slightly at his manner of speech. From the corner of his eye, he looked at the magistrate immediately pinning him to be the source of this. Obviously, the boy had picked up his formal and exaggerated mannerisms. He chose not to comment on it though and instead raised an arm and pointed the palm outward saying.

"It is nothing so difficult my child. I just need you to punch my palm as hard as you can".

Valerian's face immediately changed and his body became tense. Due to his longstanding practice of always appearing outwardly calm, it was not obvious but the experienced eyes of the elders easily saw through him. They had expected something like this. His actions had only served to confirm it. Now all they had to do was measure the degree.

Valerian was very apprehensive but when he looked at the elder he could tell he was being serious. He wanted to refuse but ended up asking, "Are you sure?"

The elder nodded with a smile. "Just punch this old palm of mine. No need to be shy. This old man can handle it".

This made Valerian even more determined to refuse. He knew that the old man was baiting him but he was not going to be goaded into hitting him. However, before he could open his mouth to do so his grandmother's voice rang out.

"Don't worry Valerian. Hit him. Elder Foreson is a King level cultivator. You cannot possibly harm him. Just give him all you've got".

Valerian looked the old man over his fears abating somewhat. Elder Foreson was an extremely well-built man. He was as tall as his grandfather but more robust and muscular. His aura was vastly different too. Even the magistrate's recognisably authoritative aura paled in strength and force when compared to his. His hair while as grey did not sit on a body as frail as the magistrate's, rather his very form implied strength and power. Inwardly Valerian cursed his own foolishness.

The Steelborns were the most powerful clan in DaleGuard. Any elder of the clan was definitely a powerhouse. He couldn't hurt him if he tried his hardest. He was now convinced that the man knew what he was doing and that he knew. It couldn't possibly matter if he revealed his secret now. So he backed up two steps and raised his fist.

"Okay. I'm going to attack Elder Foreson", he reminded. It couldn't hurt to be a bit cautious.

"Good!" the elder said. "Remember! Put in everything you have".