"With a control like that, he should be at the tenth transformation. He can transcend the first mortal coil at any time."
Skylar began to chuckle depreciatingly. "I hope to transcend the first mortal coil, so I want to participate in the examination. But he can already transcend the first mortal coil, and yet he will participate in the same exam with me."
He laughed and shook his head. "No wonder descendants of the cultivation usually get into sects while the rest of us that manage to transcend the first mortal coil can only work for their families or the ten thousand beast hunting center."
He lamented again, "No wonder Master Red Mane can teach the basic mana breathing technique for free while I need it to earn money in order to stand the chance of transcending the first mortal coil."
Master Owl Claw sighed and consoled him, "All is not lost. If you work hard, you still have hope of entering the sects."
Skylar shook his head. "How slim is my chance of reaching the third mortal coil? How many people have failed and died in the process?"
Master Owl Claw didn't reply. What he said about Skylar still having a chance to enter the sects is true.
In fact, regardless of his background, he will be accepted as a guest in a sect as long as he overcomes the deadly transcension from the second mortal coil to the third mortal coil.
It will be the lowest level of guest, but it will still put him on par with the ancestor of the Dyson family. He too will have a chance to create a family like the Dyson family that has lasted more than five hundred years.
These are all possible, but the chances of them happening are slim at best. He will need supreme luck.
Eventually, Master Owl Claw teased him by saying, "You can always adopt a talented child and raise him or her up with hopes that they will be able to help you achieve your goal."
When Skylar heard that, he smiled. Then he saw the teasing look on his master's face and laughed.
The two of them shared a laugh about their situation.
Master Owl Claw had implied that he too had been in a worse situation than this. He too thought his end was in sight. But he found a way out of it through Skylar.
This reminded Skylar that the hopes of his master relied on him. So he couldn't wallow in self-pity and give up yet. He had to repay the grace that his master had bestowed on him.
What Master Owl Claw said is also a solution to his problem. If he reaches the peak of the second transformation one day and can't go further, he too can acquire a talented child to raise who will then help him achieve his dream of transcending the second mortal coil.
Master Owl Claw spoke after laughing. "So don't give up just because you lack the advantages of the Dyson family. Jake is only better than you because he has a better background. That isn't something he worked for. That is something that his predecessors worked for."
"Now it is your turn to work for it. Even if you can't achieve it, raise someone in your place to achieve it for you. I worked for you to reach this level, and you will work for someone else to have it easy in reaching the third transformation. Little by little, a great lineage is built."
"Raise your head high because you are currently working hard to achieve what the ancestor of the Dyson family went through. As long as you try your best with what you have, you have nothing to be ashamed of."
"At the very least, with you, the Owl Claw Dojo will be upgraded to a first class dojo. That has to count for something. From there, it can grow into something bigger. All it requires is dedication and hard work."
Skylar nodded in understanding.
As he listened to his master speak, his mood improved. He was consoled, and he gained a new fighting spirit.
Now he has lost the pain of his loss. The only pain he feels is the pain of his broken arm.
While this was going on, Lady Vena was also in her carriage returning home.
She just watched Arthur's fight. What she saw made her decide to put an end to her stalking.
She said to Brooks, "No matter what I think of the Dyson family, I always appreciate it when I see one of them who is pure and straightforward."
Brooks nodded in agreement. He wanted to say, "It is not strange that darkness is attracted to the light."
But instead he said, "You're right. That Jake is a breath of fresh air."
Lady Vena hummed. "He took after his mother, you know. His father is an obnoxious and uncultured brute. It is why I didn't pick him to seduce. If I had picked him, Jake would be Arthur's older brother."
She snorted and said, "Imagine that. Even I didn't want anything to do with him. You can imagine just how bad his mouth and behavior are. Only a woman who smiles and can never get angry can deal with that kind of toxic mouth."
Brooks chuckled and said, "But Jake isn't completely unscathed. He still has some of the traits of his father."
Lady Vena thought about how Jake had exposed his father's bad mouth and how unliked he was in the family and how being the leader of the alliance of the dojo is a thankless job without restraint.
She smiled and said, "You're right. He too doesn't have much of a filter. But his smiling face makes him look better when he does it as opposed to the perpetually frowning face of his father."
"I tell you, it is as if that man is always eating sour grapes. He has never looked happy a day in his life."
They chatted for a while.
Eventually, Brooks couldn't hold back anymore. He coughed as he decided to address the elephant in the room.