The President nodded slowly, but there was something in his eyes a flicker of worry, perhaps that suggested he was not entirely satisfied. He had wanted to explain. He had wanted to tell David everything about his father's reasons, about his mother's situation, about the tangled web of secrets that had shaped David's life from the moment he was born. But he could see that David was not ready to hear it. The walls were up. The defenses were in place. And pushing too hard would only drive him further away.“My friend,” the President thought,” You are going to face a difficult situation explaining all of this to your son in the future. I hope you're prepared for it.”He set the thought aside. There would be time for family matters later. Right now, there were more pressing concerns."Very well," the President said. "Let us talk about something else. Your time in the Chronos Abyss. The commander's report was brief. I'd like to hear it from you directly."David relaxed slightly. This was

The meeting with the President had lasted well into the evening.David emerged from the private chambers with his mind still spinning. The God King had asked questions that cut to the heart of things not just about the Abyss, but about David's intentions, his loyalties, his vision for the future. David had answered as honestly as he could, holding back only the deepest secrets of his bloodline. The President had listened without judgment, his ancient eyes missing nothing. When the conversation ended, he simply nodded and said, "We will speak again. There is much to discuss."No promises, there were no demands. Just an acknowledgment that the conversation was not over.Now, as David walked through the corridors of the central palace, the weight of that meeting still pressed against his shoulders. The President was not what he had expected. He was not a tyrant or a manipulator. He was something far more dangerous, a leader who genuinely believed in what he was doing. A leader who woul

David leaned back in his chair, his massive frame creaking the furniture. The human race was investing everything in the future. The competitions, the training programs, the reward system all of it was designed to produce the strongest possible warriors. And when the ascension reached its peak, those warriors would be needed.“It's impressive,” he thought. “The President has turned the entire human race into a machine for producing talent. And the machine is working.”But there was a dark side to it, too. The pressure to succeed and the weight of expectations will create the fear of failure. For every genius who rose through the ranks, there were thousands who fell by the wayside. The competitions were not just a celebration of talent. They were crucible and a filter. And those who failed were left behind."Is it worth it?" David asked quietly. "The cost? The pressure? The young cultivators who break under the strain?"Kael's expression grew somber. "I don't know. But the alternative

The conversation flowed easily after that.Liam talked about the competitions, the training, the endless political maneuvering of the noble houses. Emma chimed in with stories about her own progress she had broken through to Immortal General as well, though she admitted she was still catching up to Liam. Sophia listened mostly in silence, her sharp eyes taking in everything, but she spoke up when the conversation turned to cultivation."The competitions have been intense," she said. "The Council has set up simulation battles virtual arenas where we fight against projections of past geniuses. Some of us spend hours there every day, trying to improve our techniques.""Simulation battles," David repeated. "Against projections of past geniuses?""Historical warriors. Cultivators who won the competitions in previous eras. The Council has records of their fighting styles, and they've recreated them in virtual space." Sophia's expression grew animated. "It's incredible. You can fight agains

David spoke without pause, his voice carrying the weight of a hundred thousand years of understanding. He explained the nature of Space in terms that were simultaneously profound and accessible. He drew diagrams in the air with threads of light. He demonstrated techniques with subtle gestures that bent reality around his fingers. And all the while, the Law Domain around him grew stronger.Liam felt his comprehension of Space deepening with every passing moment. The bottleneck that had been holding him back for years was dissolving like ice in warm water. He could feel the barrier to Immortal general trembling, weakening. If he could just hold onto this understanding, he might break through within a few years instead of decades.Emma felt it too. Her own comprehension of Space, which had always been superficial, was suddenly blossoming into something profound. She could see the threads now but still the way ahead for space law was far for her, the connections that bound the universe to