The sandstorm raged as two figures trudged forward alone.
"Gubo and Master An Liya are in charge of the education department at the Biological Specimen Academy. These are extraordinary times, so Corleon the Pioneer has officially granted both masters academician certificates."
On the way to the Biological Specimen Academy, Reilo heard this unexpected news from Saleon.
"Master An Liya of Alien Spirit Communication?"
Reilo wasn't surprised that Gubo was in charge of the academy's education department.
He just hadn't expected it.
His mentor's old rival at the Grand Natural Sciences Academy had risen to the same heights again, beginning a new round of competition.
Seeing Reilo's confusion, Saleon explained, "By our private assessment, Master An Liya's achievements may already have surpassed Master Gubo's. Fifteen years ago, she discovered the Immortal Cancer Cell, which could divide without limit. It granted her all sorts of incredible, unimaginable abilities. In just over a decade, she's used it to touch the power of law. She's the master at the academy most likely to become a Pioneer!"
Even Reilo couldn't help staring in astonishment at the news.
The female scholar who had lost to his mentor in their rivalry at the Grand Natural Sciences Academy had actually overtaken him in the very field she'd pursued?
And...
Immortal cells?
Of course, Reilo wasn't naive enough to believe that so-called immortal cells could truly make someone immortal.
A life's length depended on more than the number of times the body's cells could divide and reproduce. Most important were the soul's memories and the limits of what an original single cell could contain.
Before they knew it, two months had passed.
Saleon was terribly frail. His body repeatedly rejected its own functions along the way, and he teetered between life and death several times. Only with Reilo's