The next few weeks were unkind to the magistrate's household. It was as if someone draped a damp blanket over everything, smothering their happiness. Valan walked with his head down, Richard looked furious all the time, and as for the other members of the household, they did their best to stay out of their way. It was as if a curse of gloom had been cast over their home. Valerian could even swear that the daylight was duller and the food was increasingly bland ever since he got injured.

The reason for this of course could be traced to the aftermath of that meeting in the clan infirmary. Once he recovered he was subjected to a barrage of tests just to confirm Healer Brian's hypotheses. Then he was given a stack of five qi cultivation manuals. The complete works possessed by the clan. Unfortunately, his body utterly rejected them as well.

Following this, a secret meeting was conducted and a declaration was announced to the household. He was to desist with his tellurian training. All the assurances and promises that the clan had made concerning his education in the tellurian path had been revoked. There was no point they said if it was just going to be wasted. He was advised to focus wholly on his arcane studies since in that at least he still remained a peerless talent, for now.

It was distressing to note that there were many who argued against even this decision. Not because they did not think that the clan had not exhausted every avenue available to it but because they felt continuing to support him was a further waste of resources. To them, it was painfully obvious that his arcane studies would halt at the energy-gathering stage where he would be woefully unable to accumulate energy just like his useless grandfather.

Thing is, Valerian had long since predicted that response. He saw it coming from a mile away after watching how the elders reacted in the infirmary. He was still surprised and hurt though. To think that his clan would totally give up on him and ask him to do same was definitely an eye-opener.

The most painful part was watching what it did to his family, most especially his grandfather. The meetings, discussions and talks held concerning his future were conducted without even consulting him. There was even talk of having him removed from his care and taken to be raised by the clan. As if his grandfather's presence was somehow infectious. Two more fights broke out. And he had it on good authority that his uncle Richard broke an elder's nose and both his arms.

It didn't help matters nor did it stop the gossiping. Even in their own household Valerian could clearly hear and sense the servants and guards discussing the matter and looking at him with looks of pity and schadenfreude. Just yesterday his grandmother nearly fed a servant to the hounds after overhearing him say something derogatory about his grandfather.

Valerian blamed himself. Yes, he did. He had given people the opportunity to so readily disrespect his grandfather and his family. This was an issue that few knew and even fewer dared speak of but his blunder had caused his and his grandfather's names to become the subject of conversation. Just imagine. If the issue was so publicly discussed in their household and the clan then how widespread was it in the city itself? Remember his grandfather was a public official.

A strange slow-burning fury had been ignited in his heart and Valerian did not know how to quench it. It was an entirely foreign feeling. He could not recall ever getting angry before. Annoyed, yes, irritated yes, exasperated, definitely but this maddening fury was new. He wanted to crush something, scream, curse just to displace it somehow. But he didn't.

He kept his lessons at the forefront of his mind. The lessons his grandfather had taught him. Everywhere he went he fixed a small nonchalant smile on his face, remained impeccable and above reproach, his comportment and manners elegant and his speech eloquent. Publicly he acted as he had always done as if the events of the last month or so had never happened. It caused some people to look at him like he was retarded, like he was a stupid little boy who did not realise what was going on around him but he paid them no mind.

Privately though, he marked down their names and faces. He took note of their derision and how they had deflated his grandfather and turned what was formerly a joyous happenstance of his family into a subject of mockery and he turned that into a source of motivation. So what if he could not train his qi? He was still an arcane disciple with dual innate attributes and forty-one times the average essence level. He was gifted with superior intellect, extraordinary senses and great strength.

If he couldn't turn these into greatness then he probably deserved to be called the true grandson of a wastrel or whatever people were calling him now. As for those who called him 'the great disappointment' and speculated about whether his arcane cultivation would end up like his grandfather's, well, he would just have to disappoint them.

He allowed them to stoke the flames of his determination and directed all that heat into his training. It was true what his grandfather said. Power was everything. He hadn't fully understood it then and he still may not fully do so. Nonetheless, he recognised that before even those who knew of his grandfather's condition did not readily speak of it. Even Elder Grant and the other one once spoke of it behind his back. Why? Because though he had no power, his father did.

They were cowered by the clan patriarch, the true ruler of DaleGuard and the fact that his worth had risen with the discovery that his grandson was a heaven-warping talent. That was why they acted meek in front of him and guarded his manor with little complaint. Now they could let their disdain out for all to see. The only reason they stopped in the infirmary was because the Great Elder, a figure more powerful than them spoke out.

Foreson and the other elder did not speak then but Valerian knew full well that they held similar views. They were just smart enough not to blurt them out but who knew how things would have gone if the Great Elder had not intervened. They were powerful and thus had nothing to fear in front of a powerless man like his grandfather.

He would not be the same. No disrespect to his grandfather but the man was just plain incapable of doing anything about the problem. He would be different. He will not allow a scenario to spring up where he stood helpless in front of people while they insulted him. This was why despite wasting two entire weeks in the infirmary it only took two days after getting home to attain the perfect arcane vessel.

The perfect arcane vessel! Something that no other person in the history of the clan could brag about. His entire form was now capable of channelling and absorbing energy. He didn't know it but under mage sight he looked like he was a solid being of arcane energy. Unlike others who would only have their energy channels illuminated his whole body radiated light and energy. All he knew was that now he had some good news for his family. Something that might lessen the gloom.

So that morning he got off his mat with a more hopeful smile knowing that he had just finished the first step on his arcane path. Then he put on his armour and began his exercises.