.
.
.
---
The path was incredibly well made. And as if he had stepped inside a wooden manor, the walls, ground, and ceiling were made of wooden planks.
Everywhere he looked decorations and paintings could be seen hung on the walls. And when he looked back, he saw how the previous path was gone, being replaced with a corridor that led to who knew where.
"Seems like the only way is forward."
Following the path to its end led to a large hall with several doors and a large staircase leading to another floor. Like some sort of grand Palace.
"This place is more intricate than I imagined…" Nulan said as she looked around in shock
"... We're in the right place. This is the actual vault. We should be fine from this point onwards. The first floor is where menial rooms are located, with the vault itself being at the end of the hall behind the staircase."
"The second floor is where the rooms are located, and there's also a third and underground floor."
"There's also a garden if we go back from where we came, its also the entrance to this place."
"This… It's like we found an entire Sect!"
"You're right. I imagine this is the hard work of hundreds of years of accumulation. Either that, or this vault was originally meant to be looked after a certain group of people. Such a thing isn't uncommon as some Clans out there were once part of larger Sects but once they fell or were disbanded, they remained behind with a part of their assets, growing in power if not rising as a Sect themselves."
"There was likely a family in charge of this vault… But the diary didn't explain what happened."
/Step…/
"Master?"
"Let's inspect this entire place first before dropping our guards. We'll check the vault last."
"Yes!"
…
/Later that night…/
/Crunk!.../
"Hupp… It doesn't seem like these doors will budge with physical strength alone." Wuizi said as he tried to open the vault's doors
"Maybe there's a condition? Like how you did before?"
"Most likely… For now, let's proceed with the plan. Choose a room on the second floor and rest. We'll beguin training tomorrow in the herb garden were Qi is the densest."
"Training? I don't think we have the time to dive into a new technique, Master…"
"We won't. I'll be tutering you in your Cultivation Techniques."
"What?!"
"I didn't want to be forceful, but the circumstances don't give us a lot of room to breath. So I'll be tutering you from now on."
"While I won't ask about your circumstances, I'm already aware of who you probably are… Your Cultivation Techniques aren't exactly indistinguishable."
"It's time for me to act like someone my position and help you achieve enlightenment. Giving tips every day won't do."
"I…"
"Take a moment to rest while you can and think about it. We'll be seeing each other tomorrow during sunrise. Don't be late."
"If you find it hard to follow the time, just look at the light coming from the ceiling. While the glass and the sky is likely fake from a formation, they're still telling the time accurately."
"See you tomorrow."
"... Master…"
'Just… What's going on?...'
…
"Phew… I'm finally here. I'm quite baffled, really."
"The vault of an ancient Sect, this is far more then a tombstone. Just what was this research you were trying to accomplish?"
"There isn't much on the second floor, the rooms are mostly empty and the third floor is a warehouse full of old items. There's probably rare materials and resources there, maybe even something more valuable but I'll have to inspect it later."
"The underground floor is a testing/training area of sorts. I can feel strong energies flowing from deeper underground, likely where the formation core is located. Maybe even an Earth vein to power this entire place."
"The garden is full of rare and old herbs growing naturally over the decades and centuries. With the abundant Qi in the air there are several plants with several hundred years of internal Cultivation."
"This place is heaven. I'm definitely coming back here after the competition is over. If I remain in this place with my disciple, we should be able to reach the Fetal Soul Stage within a few years, maybe before I even become 25…"
'Of course, not counting the power of the Rune of Disassembly. If there are any secret techniques here, I may be able to push them to a whole new Level!'
"Maybe I can even complete the research they've been trying to do… But that's for later."
"I have everything I need right here. Maybe it's time for me to tap into Refining and Alchemy… It shouldn't take long for me to reach an adequate level of mastery… Maybe the rune can work on potion recipes as well…"
'That would actually be quite nice… I'm having some ideas…'
"Ha… There's so much to do… But I wonder if I was hasty just now… I kind of forced it with her."
'Right now, my enlightenment is beyond hers, as long as I can pass on what I learned to her, she'll understand and reach an even higher understanding which will then reflect on me. We can keep doing this process until one of us reaches a wall of comprehension or we reach High Enlightenment.'
"High Enlightenment is enough to make even the Council members of the Sect tremble in shock. Because it signifies one has completely understood the intent of the technique. It may be simple to achieve with simpler and more crude arts, but for the techniques she has learned…"
"Yeah, there's no point in remaining in the Sect when I have this place. I need to memorize as many techniques from the Sect as I can and then transfer here with my disciple. Maybe find one or two more to fill in the spots and liven up the place."
"With a few disciples like that, in a few years we would reach the pinnacle of this land and stand at the apex of the Sect! From then on there would be a need to hide and I would be able to train and select disciples without much trouble."
"My dream is within reach… But I can't drop my guard yet."
Wuizi sat down in his own, dusty bed, crossing his legs as he went into a meditative stance.
He could clean the bed later, for now, he needed to calm himself down.
…
/The next day…/
"... Master… I'm here."
In the herbal garden, Nulan arrived with a timid expression.
The garden was quite large, bigger than Ritual Peak itself. More thannough space for them to run and roll.
"Sit down. I know you have questions, so I'll beguin with a simple explanation."
"..."
/Sit…/
"You're likely asking yourself how I came to know. But you're a smart girl, you probably realized the reason, right?"
"Yes… As a scholar, it wouldn't be hard to come across documents explaining my Clan's characteristics… Our movements are fairly distinctive, and the combination of black hair and blue eyes cements the idea."
"Correct. But that wouldn't explain what I said after. Because no matter if I know who you are, I'm not exactly in a position to tutor you… However, I would like you to trust me."
"My goal here is to guide you down your path. Not one I chose for you, but one you chose to tread down yourself. My sole desire is to see you satisfied with the steps you take while also making sure you don't set yourself on fire or step on a nail."
"Nulan, I have the qualifications to teach you. If you trust me, I'll trust you with my teachings. If not, we can continue as we were before."
"... I trust you master. You stepped up for me and gave me a place to stay… Originally, I only intended to use you to have my pursuers off my back as I took some time to rest… But I came to enjoy being your disciple, being a member of Ritual Peak."
"Rather then vengeance or anything of the sort, I'd rather remain here with you and Cultivate… It's been entertaining so far." She said with a smile as she tilted her head slightly
"That's why, master, please… Take my bow… I'd like you to become my official Master, not merely due to formalities but as one connected through fate!"
"Please! Take me as your disciple!"
"... Alright. From the moment you stepped in the peak, you've already been my disciple… But now, you're more then that."
"You're family. Welcome… No refunds." He said with a light smile as he acknowledged her lightly
She smiled even more, raising her head and faintly closing her eyes…
"I won't need it!"
[Nulan Xuexi's affinity has massively increased]
[The Rune of Return grows stronger, increasing the potency of the Law of Return]
[Nulan Xuexi's profile has been updated]
[Nulan Xuexi - 18
Cultivation Stage - Heavenly Core 1st Revolution
>Affinity: 100
>Mood: Determined-10, Excited-6, Hopeful-8,
>Traits:
Hardworking; Calm; Focused; Heart of Ice;
>Constitution:
Eyes of Stone (Sealed); Blood of the Pale Beetles (Sealed)
>Cultivation Techniques:
Sutra of the Grand Moon - Intermediate Enlightenment
Three Season Skipping Blade - Intermediate Enlightenment
Jade Eye Tempering Art - Intermediate Enlightenment
38 Maneuvers of the Dancing Lion - Intermediate Enlightenment
>Talents:
High Swordsmanship Talent
High Cultivation Talent
High Combat Talent
Intermediate Alchemy Talent
Intermediate Refining Talent
Pinnacle Bewitching Talent
>Impression:
Nulan sees you as a trustworthy partner who can guide her to greater heights.
>Inner Desires:
Due to her trauma, Nulan seeks acknowledgment and comfort, but due to her personality, she doesn't accept either easily. She wishes to find a place where she can be accepted for who she is and strive to be someone she can be proud of. All the while being pushed forward by those she cares about.
Fred from most of her concerns, Nulan has begun seeking and exploring emotions she hadn't experienced before…
Nulan has accepted you as her Master. From this point onwards, she'll take your opinion first before anyone else.
…
>Description:
Eldest daughter of the Pale Lion Clan. She lived a sheltered life full of expectations and harsh requirements. She has recently fled home after a disagreement with her parents, unwilling to accept their control over her any longer.
She went as far away from them as she could, stopping at the Fingers of Heaven Sect upon noticing their recruitment, believing this would be the most opportune time to change her fate and prove everyone wrong.
In truth, she only wished to be acknowledged by them.
She has recently found peace with herself after hearing supportive words from someone she previously thought to be nothing but a puppet, taking her first steps in living life for herself and no one else.
As the one who supported her most and the sole man her age she has ever opened herself to, Nulan has begun brewing strong emotions for you.
…
Development Route (+)
]
[Your Disciple's affinity has reached its maximum value!]
[By the Law of Return, you received the Pinnacle Bewitching Talent]
"!"
'A Talent! This is incredible!... But why her Bewitching one? It's the one I need the least…'
[Congratulations on unlocking the Development Route! From now on you can tinker the Rune imprinted onto a disciple so it better fits them! Increasing the effects you believe better fit them]
'This… Looks like I'll have to take a look at it later, for now… I must respond to my disciple.'
"Here, this is my first lesson. I've greatly observed your training and these are the points I managed to grasp regarding your technique."
"If you permit me to, I can better guide you by taking a proper glance at your Cultivation techniques but I fully understand if you aren't comfortable with that. I can take a vow if you want…"
"No need master. I… I've decided to trust you. Whenever you want I can explain the techniques to you."
"I'd appreciate it. Can we start now? We don't have time to waste."
'She isn't a naive girl but she's desperate… At least was before. She trusted me far too quickly once I showed her the compassion she was desperately looking for.'
'If I hadn't appeared before her, then it would've been someone else, maybe even someone with wrong intentions and then things would take a turn for the worse…'
'I'm glad Nulan is understanding but I shouldn't take this as the norm for the next few disciples. Although I hope they come from the Sect. That would make things far easier.'
"I'll begin with the 38 Maneuvers of the Dancing Lion, it's our Clan's most noticeable technique. It's also quite long as well so this may take a while…"
"Take your time."
She smiled, getting up from the ground.
"Although its called the Maneuvers of the Dancing Lion, the technique can be used in a variety of ways, from offensive to defensive. My interpretation mainly uses them for combat, so I prefer to perform while holding a sword."
"The first chapter talks about…"
And so, Nulan began to dance as she recited the manual.
With a smile on her face, this was the first time in her life she was allowed to proudly show her skills without fear of being judged or questioned. But even so, she tried her hardest, maybe more than ever before…
Because the person she was dancing to was the only one who truly seemed to appreciate her.
…
/Time passed…/
It took several hours to learn all of Nulan's Cultivation techniques and its innuendos, but as soon as he learned them, Wuizi was enlightened. Being hit with a "I finally understand" moment.
While the memories were incomplete, this moment of realization helped him progress in his understanding of the techniques greatly, albeit still far from reach High Enlightenment in any.
Upon learning its details, he chose not to hand down his notes to her, saying they needed to be revised, and indeed they did.
However, he still trained with her for several hours before going back to his room and spending the entire night passing what he learned to empty scrolls so he could use his rune on them.
With a Cultivator's memory and body, this process went by extremely quickly, and he managed to use the Rune on the scrolls.
The end result… Was so ridiculously eye opening Wuizi was sent into a trance from merely reading a few pages worth of information, being forced to stop after this process happened a few times in fear of going into Cultivation deviation.
He understood even more why his Rune was so dangerous, because this time he actually understood the techniques and concepts at a high level, allowing him to momentarily grasp the changes, which overwhelmed him.
He spent the remainder of the night going over what he learned, simplifying and compiling what he learned while cross referencing it to the memories of the ancestors before passing it down to Nulan on the next day.
As she read the text and heard his explanations, it didn't take long for her to reach a trance just like he did before when he heard her talk. Soon enough, she reached a new enlightenment on the technique, which caused the Rune of Return to activate and rebound Wuizi with more memories. But this time, not solely from the main ancestor but others as well.
Wuizi believed that by receiving the actual manual and using the Rune of Disassembly on it, he may have caused the Rune of Return to give him information in a different manner for he was already trespassing into a realm beyond the original creator's vision and goals.
He had begun to experience the hundreds of years of study and evolution of the many ancestors that led to the current iteration of the technique!
And maybe even… Thanks to the Rune of Disassembly… The memories of those that had yet to come!
This process was repeated numerous times as the days passed, and it didn't take long for him to understand that he should tone down on it, for too much knowledge could overwhelm not only his but Nulan's mind as well, leading to Heart Demons, Cultivation Deviation, or worse, some kind of permanent mental/physical deformation.
So he stuck to a simple schedule. In the morning, he would make breakfast for them both before going to the Garden to impart her bits and pieces of what he knew to help her in her training. She would also enter a discussion with him so both could achieve higher mastery.
This was often called "Dao Exchange" by the Cultivators of ancient times, albeit it is an old fashioned term by modern standards.
After their "Dao Exchange", they would spar lightly and train their bodies before eating lunch, which would then start the second portion of the day.
At this time, he would impart her common and scholarly knowledge to expand her worldview before sparring with her once more as this would serve as a way to both demonstrate and also train his form.
Just because his enlightenment was high did not mean his mastery in combat was equal. Practicing the technique was just as important as meditating on it.
This wasn't like in the novels where one would reach enlightenment and immediately be able to effortlessly use their techniques. It was possible, but not in his case as he grew far too fast in such a short timeframe.
At night, they would each return to their rooms and medidate, either without assistance or with assistance. Albeit starting from their tenth day together, Wuizi began helping her meditate thanks to his higher competency of the Sutra of the Grand Moon.
Once she grew tired from meditating, he would go back to his room and sleep. Because he knew that if he wanted to learn anything, the best way was to rather teach his disciple the subject then to sit down and study it himself.
It was rather odd since Wuizi barely studied or meditated on his own during this time, focusing solely on imparting things to Nulan, but it worked quite well.
In the meantime, he also explored the palace as he thought of a way to enter the Vault, but the more time that passed, the greater his worries became.
'Maybe the method to enter the vault was passed through word of mouth, or worse, lost…' He would think from time to time every night
Alas, his focus remained on training Nolan.
Five days after their training began, Nolan reached the pinnacle of the 1st Revolution. Three days later, she broke through.
From there, it took her thirteen more days to reach the pinnacle of the 2nd Revolution.
It was thanks to the many enlightenments and resources she was able to practice so quickly and without side effects as usually, taking too many medicinal items can lead to severe issues. However, whenever she had an enlightenment, the turbid and stale medicinal Qi in her veins would disperse into her body, opening space for more medicine to be taken.
It was only six days later she managed to break through to the 3rd Revolution, three days before the competition.
In one month, she had successfully broken through two whole realms! It was a ridiculous speed the likes no one had ever seen before!
And this was reflected on Wuizi as within the first week, he broke through and reached the 3rd Revolution.
Once Nulan broke through, the energy of her breakthrough was enough to push him to the pinnacle of the 3rd Revolution and as she reached the pinnacle of the 2nd Revolution, he broke through once more to the 4th Revolution.
Finally, as she broke through to the 3rd Revolution, it catapulted his cultivation to the pinnacle of the 4th Revolution.
While her speed was impressive, his was even more unbelievable.
With the many enlightenments he received, it was no wonder he kept up with her. Whatever she could do, he could as well and better.
That said, during this time, he also explored the Development option, learning a few more things about the Rune of Return.
He first discovered that it was possible to inspect the effects the rune had on someone, and it was this way he came to know exactly how much he received from her:
[Nulan Xuexi (Base Value +200%)
(150 + 300)% Cultivation Speed
(150 + 300)% Comprehension Ability
Law of Return: (Base Value + 200%)
300%
]
He didn't know when this became a feature, or if it was there from the beginning, but it was possible to see exactly how the Rune affected the disciples.
And the results were shocking.
The effects of the Rune being strengthened affected not only all aspects already applied to the individual, but also increased the total multiplied return.
So, what was supposed to be a 150% increased to Cultivation Speed eventually became 300% and then 450%... However, this was considered first.
The total return was 300% of whatever the disciple did due to all enhancements totalizing +200%, so in the end, 450% became a whopping 1350%.
This meant that Wuizi was receiving 13.5 times the effects of Nulan's Cultivation Speed and anything related to that.
However, this didn't mean everything she did ended up multiplied by that. It may seem as if Comprehension Ability may affect how much he'd receive, but that only affects how well she can understand and comprehend things.
In the end, for most aspects of her training, Wuizi 'only' received a 3x boost.
Because of this, two days before the start of the competition, Wuizi successfully consolidated his cultivation and broke through the 5th Revolution!
As for the Development Option, it was rather simple:
[Development Route:
>Mark of the Dedicated Ascetic: Immediately multiplies current Cultivation Speed rating by five times, however, every Cultivation session must always last a day cycle.
If the session does not last a day cycle, there's a minimal chance of immediately triggering a Cultivation deviation event.
-Increases Cultivation Talent by one Grade
-Reduces all other Talents by two Grades
-Reduces the Comprehension Ability rating by 50%, counted after all boosts.
…
>Mark of the Battlefield Beast: While in combat, all related Talents and Manuals are boosted by one Grade.
Emerging victorious in combat has a small chance of granting Inspiration. The greater the hurdle, the greater the Inspiration and the chance of it occurring.
Losing in combat has a medium chance of forming a Heart Demon.
Increases Cultivation Speed by up to 300% upon emerging victorious while reducing it by the same value upon defeat.
Healing factor is augmented during combat by 250%; Emerging victorious has a small chance to heal all injuries.
All effects persist in proportion to the hurdle faced by the user, to a minimum of a day, both positive and negative.
-Increases Comprehension Ability in proportion to how hurt the user is, up to 1000%
-Not fighting for extended periods of time has a chance of ridding the user with nightmares, increasing the chance of Cultivation Deviation and the formation of Heart Demons.
…
>Mark of the Sword Saint: Grants the user a constitution suitable for Sword Cultivation at the cost of their lifespan.
Lifespan is reduced by 85%, in case of total lifespan reaching 0, the user is given five years to live and increase their lifespan.
-User may bond with a sword of choice once every solar cycle, increasing the effects of their cultivation as a whole. Bonding with another sword changes the bonded blade.
Cultivation Speed is proportional to the quality of the user's bounded blade up to 2000%
Comprehension Ability is proportional to the quality of the user's bounded blade up to 2000%
-Increases Swordsmanship Talent by one Grade.
-Removes all other Weapon Talents.
…
>Mark of the Greater Rune: Readjusts all of its current values to the following assortment, ignoring already applied effects.
300% Cultivation Speed.
300% Comprehension Ability.
Law of Return: 500%
]
While each option was quite interesting, Wuizi did not feel himself entitled to push Nulan this much, so in the end, he chose the last Mark, improving the overall efficacy of the Rune, albeit reducing her Cultivation Speed somewhat, albeit not by much.
This also made him wonder about why were those choices given to him, or rather, her. It seems one's Talents, preferences, and dreams may take a role in which Development options would appear.
Now… This wasn't everything he did during the month.
Aside from the issues with food, which were quickly solved by hunting in the mountains. There was also the matter about Nulan's growing affinity.
Although previously believed to have been maxed, Nulan's affinity did continue to increase, albeit no effect's were shown in her Profile. Not the case for how she acted in reality.
As her Affinity increased, it became evident she slowly grew more comfortable and reliant on him, growing closer and closer with every exchange.
In the end, this was how her profile looked once Wuizi decided it was time to return:
[Nulan Xuexi - 18
Cultivation Stage - Heavenly Core 3rd Revolution
>Affinity: 136
>Mood: Determined-10, Excited-9, Hopeful-9, Shy-1,
>Traits:
Hardworking; Calm; Focused; Heart of Ice;
>Constitution:
Eyes of Stone (Sealed); Blood of the Pale Beetles (Sealed)
>Cultivation Techniques:
Sutra of the Grand Moon - Intermediate Enlightenment
Three Season Skipping Blade - High Enlightenment
Jade Eye Tempering Art - Intermediate Enlightenment
38 Maneuvers of the Dancing Lion - High Enlightenment
>Talents:
High Swordsmanship Talent
High Cultivation Talent
High Combat Talent
Intermediate Alchemy Talent
Intermediate Refining Talent
Pinnacle Bewitching Talent
>Impression:
You are Nulan's Master and most trustworthy aid. You have grown to take a spot in her heart. The only person to ever treat her as one.
>Inner Desires:
…
Nulan wishes to experience ordinary emotions. The very thought of why this is the case makes her unable to sleep at night.
…
>Description:
Nulan has begun to notice you may be more to her than just a Master…
…
Development Route -> Mark of the Greater Rune
]
After an entire month of constant back and forth in her studies and training, Nulan successfully attained High Enlightenment on both Three Season Skipping Blade and the 38 Maneuvers of the Dancing Lion. However, Wuizi knew this wasn't the end.
The memories of the ancestors was still incomplete, and above all, he knew he could push the techniques further, not with the assistance of his Rune but on his own.
In the first place, it was known that there were higher stages of Enlightenment one could achieve, those being Perfect Enlightenment and Transcending Mastery, signifying that one has achieved a realm beyond that of its creator in every aspect, stepping into realm they either never envisioned or sought to achieve.
Of course, it was only convention, but it made him wonder how the Rune would adapt those concepts into the profile.
He believed it would be possible to achieve Perfect Enlightenment in due time, but Transcending Mastery may be difficult. In fact, High Enlightenment was already pushing it.
These techniques were made by the ancestors of her clan, ancient cultivators of immense power and wysdom beyond the realms he was used to. Trying to equate if not surpass their mastery with such a low Cultivation was nothing short of madness.
It may be possible thanks to the Runes but just as he forced himself to not use it in certain scenarios, he was fearful he may be pushing things too far, too quickly.
He knew it'd be best for the both of them if they focused on other areas rather then trying to understand and master concepts far beyond their level.
And that was it for their time in the Vault. Although he was unable to achieve any progress in opening it or even awakening Nulan's bloodline, what they achieved in this short period of time was already mindblowing.
Satisfied with his progress, Wuizi called Nulan, and soon after, both departed from the Southern mountains, returning to the Sect with heightened zeal and a mission:
To claim victory in the competition!
…
/Fwoosh!/
"I'll miss this place. I liked the garden and the flowers, although the bed was quite stiff… A shame to leave it all behind." Nulan said as she looked back at the distant mountains
"We'll come back soon enough. And next time we do so, we'll properly refurbish the place. There's just far too many resources back there for us to leave behind."
"We rushed through too many things to properly settle down. Once the competition ends, we'll take out time to learn more about the place and turn it into our property."
"Really? I thought it was already ours… I mean, yours…"
"First, everything that's mine is technically yours so it is ours. And second, we're mere guests there. Not the owners."
"Until I can figure out how to control the ancient formations and hidden mechanisms within the Vault. It'll remain as nothing but a place we can rest inside. We haven't even opened the vault for once."
"There's also the matter of other possible descendants. I'd like not to clash with them in the off chance they exist, but if it comes down to it we may have to fight them for it."
"It's unlikely though… The place seemed abandoned for quite a few years, Master. There was dust everywhere and no signs of anyone moving around."
"I'd like it if things remained like that."
"... That aside… Was it okay not to impart me anything of the Sect? Wouldn't I stand out?"
"You'll stand out regardless of what I teach you."
"You've quickly broken through from the 8th Revolution to the 3rd. They believe you were at the pinnacle but this level of speed is still rarely seen."
"If I taught you the arts of the Sect to a point where you could compete with others, than some may ask become suspicious of your Cultivation Speed."
"Of course, everyone has the same starting point aside from some disciples who were born in the sect and are just in the competition for the sake of formalities, they'll be formidable opponents so be prepared."
"You are amidst the disciples who came from another organization, none would believe you reached that level of Cultivation without backing, so the best way to remove suspicion from you is to prove they were right."
"If you show them a high mastery of foreign Techniques, they won't bat an eye, but if you suddenly pull a high mastery over the Sect's techniques they wouldn't be able to contain themselves."
"But then, my identity would be revealed."
"Only partially but I'm afraid this is inevitable. The Techniques of the Pale Lion Clan are somewhat unique compared to those often seen around. I don't expect many to recognize it but just like me, someone is bound to. And once that happens, rumors will begin to spread."
"However, I'd rather have them believe in rumors then having them know the truth. Once the competition ends, we'll have all the time in the world to sit down and begin mastering the Sect's techniques and your own, forming a solid array of techniques."
"I see, people would know I'm from the Pale Lion Clan but not who I am… Still, if news reach the Clan or someone associated with them, we could end up attracting their attention… No, they definitely will come."
"I'm not very knowledgeable of the inner workings of your Clan but I'd expect they would come after you given your circumstances. Nonetheless, we shouldn't have much to worry about."
"I'm with you master, but… I can't help it, you know? I've made many mistakes…"
"You did what you felt was right for you, that's all that matters. Your intentions were noble, even if not for another. We must live with our choices, be them right or wrong what has passed cannot be undone."
"Do you resent what you did?"
"... No, but this isn't the issue."
"Then what's bugging you so much? If you worry about retaliation, then act accordingly, that's all."
"... They may send Cultivators after me… To pick me up."
"Is it something we can solve through conversation?"
"If that was possible, I wouldn't have left home."
"... Can they forcibly take you back? If your Cultivation rise a little more the Sect would be willing to protect you, and to some degree, if a family saw that their kin was better off away, then they may choose for it to remain as such."
"Yes, they would take me back by force and the Sect wouldn't risk it… The Clan Leader… Father… Wouldn't even need to make the move himself."
"And they wouldn't leave me be. There's something they want me to accomplish back home… Oh, I'm the daughter of the Pale Lion Clan Patriarch."
"I know."
Nulan frowned as she tilted her head to face him.
"How? I only ever said I was a member of the Clan."
"... Do you want the cool answer, the boring answer, or the… Forget it."
"Hm??? What was that at the end?~..."
"My mistake. I'll give you the cool answer."
"No~ I wan't the last answer…"
"... Very well."
Wuizi chuckled, but while he smiled outside, he sighed inside…
"There's no way a woman with deep blue eyes, such elegant footwork and swordsmanship can be anyone but the daughter of the Clan Leader." He said with a smirk as he put his hands behind his back
"... Cheeky. You just said that because you know who I am." She replied with a light smile as she turned around
[Nulan Xuexi's affinity has massively increased]
"..."
'You're way too obvious… Sigh.'
"T-Tell me the truth. How did you figure it out? Or were you toying with me?"
"I didn't lie. Your eyes are far too pure. Its evident that the bloodline of the Pale Lion Clan is strong in you. At the same time, every single one of your Techniques are solely meant for the ruling bloodline of the Clan. It isn't hard to rule out possibilities from there."
"Oh! That's true… But even so, there are at least a hundred living members of the main bloodline!"
"But of those hundred, half of them is either old or mature, there aren't many your age are there? Maybe a handful… So instead of a hundred options, its more like ten."
"Given your age and the few members I know of, your father included, you're just about the age for being his direct bloodline."
"Hm… But I have an aunt."
"Ha! Then… Let's say I guessed right… Ouch! Why are you pinching me? It's dangerous, stop it! I have to maneuver the Artifact!"
"That's for being cheeky with me."
"It was just a joke… Hey! Don't pinch my ass! How dare you touch your master!"
"Humph, if you turn around we're going to fall so you better look forward."
"Tche! Just wait till we reach the city…"
/Chuckle…/
Carelessly laughing in the sky, they made their way across the wilderness back to civilization.
…
"... here's the promised amount. We've sold all five manuals for a total of ten Grade 4 Spirit Stones."
"That's quite a lot, far more then I originally expected."
"Indeed. But that's because of their quality. After many weeks of inspections and appraisal, three of the five techniques came as Lower Heaven Gold Manuals, while the other two were evaluated to be on the High ends of Azure Silver."
"Interesting. I'll accept it…"
"Thank you for making bussiness with us! Before you go, take this."
Hogwi took a small golden card from his sleeves.
"This is my personal identification card. As long as you're within the Turtle's Throve range of influence, you can use it to briefly communicate with me, usually to request for my services."
"As long as you aren't too far, I'll make my way to you custumer. There shouldn't be much of an issue if you're within the Finger's of Heaven Sect, but if you go too far into the wilderness, unless you're within another Sect's territory, it would be hard to stablish communication unless you paid an extra price to boost the signal."
"I understand, I'll make use of it soon enough."
'With this, I can have the shop come to me rather then the other way around.'
'I'll likely be trapped within the Sect for a while so if I want Nulan's Cultivation Speed to remain rapid, I'll need the proper resources to improve the environment, might as well have him deliver those for me and appraise the Cultivation Manuals I'll write in the meantime.'
'The best way to train and improve my knowledge is by reading the improved texts from the Rune, although I need to proceed with caution. Some of those texts may end up causing Cultivation Deviation.'
"Is there anything else we can assist you with?"
"Hm… I likely don't have the budge but I would still like to inquire. For how much is a small Compact Storage item going for in the current market?"optionupdated
"That would depend on a myriad of factors… Shape and size, both internally and externally, stability, strength, extra options, appearance, distance from the production to the seller…"
"It would be easier to limit things based on what you need."
"Let's say I have a budget of around ten times what I just made, what can you get me?"
"Honestly… Quite a bit. One hundred Grade 4 Spirit Stones is quite the purchasing power… Probably any sort of medium size storage item with an internal size structure of at least a small room like the one we're in right now."
"Medium size?"
"Pocket, Small, Medium, Large, Custom."
"Pocket is usually so small it can be attached to other objects like small gems, Small usually refers to the traditional Storage rings or items that can be carried without much issue, medium refers to small boxes or palm size items, large is anything from that side to what can be reasonably carried by a person. And Custom is usually made by demand by larger Sects for example."
"Currently, I believe we had an auction where a palm side storage box with the internal size around double this room was sold for 187 Grade 4 Spirit Stones."
"As you know, it takes a stable and potent Fetal Soul Cultivator to make one of those items together with rare resources, time, proficiency, and a little more. Otherwise, you'd need a Grade 5 Refiner specialized on the subject. So it's obvious the price would skyrocket."
"I understand. I don't plan on acquiring one but it's good to know."
"Of cours sir. If there isn't anything else, I'll provide you the trade documents which you can then stamp them at the reception."
"If possible, I'd like for half of the Spirit Stones to be converted in ordinary currency for me to use. Aside from that, I'm done here. Thank you for your assistance Mr. Hogwi."
"No, sir, the pleasure was mine."
…
/FUOOOMM!!/
With a powerful echo, the massive floating ship at the docks of South Gate ascended to the clouds, departing soon after.
"We barely had the time to rest and enjoy our stay…"
"... We'll come back soon enough. For now, I'd rather return to the sect before something occurs. Don't forget, just a month ago we were being pursued. I have no idea what became of that man but I don't want to find out."
'I'm too lazy to fight. It's been like this ever since I became a Cultivator. I chose to focus on mental and spiritual Enlightenment rather then on combat training. Unless the enemy is below my Cultivation Stage, I'll just avoid the fight alltogether.'
"Oh… I forgot about that…"
She grew a little warry, but Wuizi laughed drily as he sat down at the edge of the boat.
"There's not much of a point in being warry now, if he wanted to make a move he'd had done so already. Acting now that we're on boat would be a risky move."
"My bet is that he either gave up waiting for us or we sneaked through his surveillance. My bet is on the latter."
"... The problem is why would anyone come after us? We haven't done anythin impressive so far…" Nulan said with a sigh as she sat next to him
"Your guess is a good as mine… Keep your guard up and wait. We'll be back soon enough."
"After tomorrow the competition will beguin. Let's take this time to revise some things."
"Alright."
…
/FUOOOMM!!/
"Urrg… My shoulder's hurt. For a transport vessel, they could have a few seats couldn't they?"
"Those aren't exactly meant to transport people. They're mostly filled with materials that are daily transported in and outside the Sect. But I agree, setting up a few benches wouldn't take too much work."
'It's a good idea to suggest if there's a meeting between the Peak Masters. I should be qualified to participate now that my Cultivation has reached this stage.'
"Now then… Shall we return to Ritual Peak? Or is there something you want to do? There's still a day and a half left."
"... No. I know that the city will be full to the brim… Walking around a crowd isn't my style. Let's return to the Peak, Master."
"Your call… We'll stop by a restaurant on the way. I'm quite famished… Is there anything you're craving?"
"Hm… I'd like some pasta or anything of the like. I'm tired of eating meat and wild plants… Those nutritional pills were terrible too."
"Then I know a good place."
…
/Chatter…/
"Hey… Look at the beauty over there. Which peak is she from?"
"I don't know man… I just know I have to join it."
"But who's that man next to her? He doesn't look anything special…"
/Chatter!.../
"... Master… Is appearance really that important?"
"Why the question? Jealous?"
"... Sigh, forget about it."
"It's always been like that. Men see pretty girls, men talk about. Some try to go a bit further… Doesn't always works though."
"Speaking of that, did you know that five hundred years ago it was fashion for women to wrap red silk around their foreheads? It was due to a famous cultivator who cut her hair be slightly too high, making her foreheads look quite large, so she hid her face for a while and other girls began copying her."
"..."
"I don't know much about the recent trends though. What do you think?"
"What I think? I think they're just attention beggars." She said with a snear as she stuffed some food down her throat
"That's quite harsh. You can't blame a person for being pretty or trying to look tidy."
"... Do you think she's pretty?"
*... I knew it. You're jealous. Would it make you feel better if I said you're prettier?*
"!"
Nulan suddenly grew embarrassed.
*Don't talk with me with telepathy all of a sudden like this!*
*Come on. I can't call a man pretty in front of everybody.*
*But I'm… Right. I apolog… Why am I apologizing?!*
"Heh… If I said she wasn't pretty I would be calling everyone stupid… That girl is quite famous."
"Famous? Who is she?"
"She's the daughter of one of the Council Supremes. She's called the Sky-Piercing flower of the Sect, one of the Three Flowers and Seven Treasures."
"Three flowers and Seven Treasures?"
"Seven Treasures is the Title given to the 7 most prominent talents of the current generation. That being disciples around the ages of 16 and 30."
"Of those seven, three are girls, thus the Title. Of the seven, five are children of high ranking Cultivators of the Sect and two came from equally prominent families outside the Sect. You know, Clans like yours."
"Aside from them there is also the 53 Pristine Gems referring to the top 53 talents underneath the 7 Treasures. The Title came from the legendary artifact of the founder that contains 53 Gems of immeasurable value. While the 7 Treasures was an adaption from his two supreme treasures that were passed down to his disciples."
"The other five treasures were added over time as more talents began to rise and a need for more slots was needed… Originally, the Title went for the most talented men and women respectively. And in many cases, they would be matched as a couple."
"Pretty cool, no?"
/Slurp!/
Wuizi slurped his noodles without a care in the world after he finished speaking.
"... How strong are they?"
"Who?"
"Everyone."
"Hm… Hard to say. But probably somewhere around the 1st Revolution of the Heavenly Core Stage… But the Seven Treasures… About one or two Revolutions higher."
"The difference between these talents will likely only grow stronger over the years, especially with the Sect Lord's policies. Although I doubt any of them has the talent to breakthrough Fetal Soul before their 30s… Still, with so many disciples and resources being poured, we may see some unexpected results."
"While the Sect recruited over five thousand disciples, if we add how many disciples of that age we actually have, then its probably somewhere around three times that much."
"Most disciples are always born within the gates and exposed to the Sect's rules from an early age, that's why they're famous."
"I don't expect the 7 Treasures to change, but the 53 Pristine Gems will likely go through some severe modifications once the competition ends."
"..."
Nulan looked at the Sky-Piercing flower, saying:
"Her Cultivation is about the same as mine but she doesn't look like much…"
"..."
Wuizi paled…
*While I agree you've done exceptionally well over the last few months, there's no reason to throw dirt at others for no reason at all.*
*I never denied your capabilities, you have the talent to become one of the Seven Treasures. But the reason I said nothing was because I thought you wanted to remain out of sight.*
*... Master. Why are you speaking with me telepathically?*
*Because… There's something I wanted you to understand…*
*When you talk about someone who is beloved or represents a group… Please avoid talking bad about them when in their presence…*
/Step…/
"Gentlemen, I couldn't help but overhear your discussion."
As he said that, someone with a sword hung on their waist approached them with a light smile…
"..."
*Right… Because of this.*
While Wuizi sighed internally, Nulan understood what she did wrong but stood by her words, staring back at the newcomer with a heavy stare.
"Do you need anything?"
"In fact, I do."
/SLASH!/
The smiling man's palm suddenly flashed, and an afterimage cut straight through their table!
""!""
/CLANG!/
/BAM!/
The moment his strike was about to reach Nulan, she raised her right palm, still holding onto her fork, she blocked the man's sword, twisting the blade, the fork imploded due to the energy applied onto it, sending the man backward as Nulan was thrown a few feet back.
"Oh dear…"
Meanwhile, Wuizi remained still with his noodles in hand, watching this chaotic situation unfold as he protected his food with an invisible barrier.
While half of the table was gone, that was Nulan's half, not his…
"Impressive. To block my attack with a fork. I haven't seen you around. What's your name, which Peak do you belong to?" The man asked as he cracked his wrists
"... Is it custom to attack others as they eat and then ask for their name?"
'Tche, attacking others for their words… No, this is the norm. Spoiled kids can't take them… I understand now why Master is usually so silent when in public.'
'He may not say it, but he simply doesn't have the patient to deal with others, although I can tell that's not all there is to it… Master fears something but I can't quite say what.'
"Heh… We don't take kindly to others who can't keep their tongue to themselves."
"What's this mess all about?!"
At this point, everyone in the restaurant had turned their gazes to them, looking at the two individuals standing face to face with their weapons drawn… Well, only one of them.
Nulan never drew her sword. She merely held a small plate knife, one hand in her waist as she waited for her opponent to move again.
That was when three individuals rose from a nearby table, Wuizi knew them all.
"..."
'I shouldn't have come here. This restaurant is very good but its reputation ends up attracting others… I frequented it in the past because Peak Masters eat for free here…'
Two men and a women with a fed up expression, there was no way he couldn't recognize them…
'Of the Seven Treasures, to think three of them would be here at once… No, this is normal. It's only a few days from the competition and this is a famous spot…'
'I have the feeling this isn't going to end well.'
"If you two want to fight, then do it outside. This is no place to draw blades."
The first to speak was a boy with clear white eyes almost as if he was blind. His hair was dark and wavy. He wore a long robe like a monk and had a pair of small axes strapped to his back.
"Just kick them outside, I'm hungry."
Their female companion soon voiced her protest. As soon as she said that, she walked past them all as she went to the table where the Sky-Piercing flower sat, greeting her and her companion in quick succession.
"That girl… You heard her, get out. You've caused far too much trouble for everyone."
"..."
'Guess that's it for now. I can come back another time to have a good meal.'
Wuizi was about to get up when Nulan replied:
"... Why should I leave when I was the one attacked?"
""!""
Everyone was surprised. That boy was quite daring to speak like that. Didn't he know who he was speaking to?
The white eyed man frowned, but still retained his formal speech:
"Who started doesn't matter anymore…"
"Of course it does. First, I will not leave for I did nothing wrong aside from defending myself. That's all there is to it."
"Second of all, who are you to tell others to leave? Are you the owner of this shop?"
/Gasp…/
The onlookers gasped as they watched Nulan's daring display. Wuizi included.
'Ahhh shit… I knew something bad was going to happen.'
Even so, he was unwilling to act.
"... You're right. I have no authority in this place. It was but a mere suggestion… That said, this doesn't stop me from kicking you out myself." He said deeply as he stretched his shoulders
"And why would you do that? Did you not see what happened before?... Or do you agree with his words? Is all just an excuse? You've been oddly hostile to me ever since you 'interrupted'."
Nulan smirked as she mocked the man, causing the onlookers to gasp in surprise once more.
"#!!... I can tolerate once or twice, but such disrespect shall not pass."
"You people are all the same. In the end, it was all an excuse… Who are you anyway?"
"... I shan't share my name with a fool."
"Weird, did you bring a mirror?"
"You…"
/Grasp…/
"How about we solve this outside?"
"... Why should I? You can go out on your own if you wish, I'll go back to my food…"
/CUT!/
The man swung one of his axes with such speed it seemed as if his arms blinked, sending an invisible wave of light across the room which struck Nulan, sending her flying outside through the balcony.
"Humph…"
/Jump!/
The man jumped after Nulan soon after, leaving everyone behind.
/Chatter!/
Some of the onlookers quickly got up, going outside to see the fight.
Things were getting heated.
"... Sigh. I hate this kind of development."
'It was one of the reasons I cooped myself in Ritual Peak after master died… I hated how everyone looked at me.'
'From expectation to disdain and eventually neglect, especially since I'm a Peak Master… People don't like to see me get privileges for existing. I can understand why.'
Wuizi got up from his seat as he finished his meal, but an issue remained…
Who was going to pay for this mess?
"... Sigh."
'I don't care if I have to pay, money is just a number to me with my Runes but I sure wanted this to end just like that… Unfortunately, like every other problem, I imagine this issue will blow out of proportion.'
/Step…/
"Hm?"
As he approached the balcony. Someone suddenly stepped before him:
"You're that bastard's companion!"
"Nah man, you got the wrong guy."
"You take me for a fool?!"
"Look man, what do you want?"
"I don't want much. I guess I just want to vent a little after what happened."
"Vent? I don't quite…"
/PUNCH!/
The man suddenly punched Wuizi in the face!
"..."
Wuizi took the blow, having his face sent to the side as he bled a little from his nose.
He turned back to look at the man, saying:
"It's not wise to involve others in your own conflicts, especially those you don't know."
"Tche… Who do you think you are to lecture me? Just stand still and take another punch!"
"... I'm afraid not."
Wuizi's gaze turned cold as he vanished from view.
/CRACK!/
""!!""
Wuizi reappeared next to the man, his right hand stuck deep in his stomach.
The man went unconscious with a single strike, his eyes white as he coughed blood.
While many had already left, those who remained looked in surprise as they saw the situation unfold.
"This is what you get for being a bother… And stupid."
Wuizi threw the man's body aside as he cleaned his face with some napkins.
/Step…/
"... Another one? Do you have business with me as well?"
Another man stepped before him, it was the man who came with the white eyed boy. One of the Seven Treasures of the Finger's of Heaven Sect.
He was very much like Dalmu. Tall and burly, he seemed to practice some sort of body Cultivation Art as even Dalmu had a weapon of his own, this man on the other hand had none.
"I've never seen you around. That bastard was weak but he was still a high 1st Revolution. Who are you?"
"What an odd question. Do you perhaps seek vengeance for this man? Don't worry, he's just unconscious."
"I don't care about this waste trying to impress a girl."
"Then why stand in my way?"
"Just because. I want to, do you have a problem with that?"
"I do. You see, my companion got into some trouble and I need to make sure he's alright, would you mind stepping out of the way?"
"I do mind. You're going to have to take the stairs."
"Excellent."
Wuizi turned around, making way to the stairs with his hands on his back.
"... Tche. Just a coward."
The burly man turned around as he returned to his table. However, while he snickered to himself, the others on the table weren't as cheerful as him.
"..."
Both the flower and her companion were silent as they watched Wuizi leave, meanwhile, the other lady was utterly umbothered by the situation.
It seemed they could see something the others could not…
...
…
/Outside…/
"My name is Jiu Wuso of the everlasting Huoguam Clan. One of the Seven Treasures of the Fingers of Heaven Sect, I challenge you to a duel!"
"... I accept."
"Are you not going to tell me your name?"
"I have no intention of sharing my name with you."
"Very well. I did not need to hear it!"
He held his axe, looking down at Nulan with a heavy gaze.
"Are you not going to take out your other axe?"
"There's no need for it against you."
"Very well."
Nulan never unsheathed her blade.
"... I won't hold back…"
/Step…/
"End this quickly Guan, and make sure not to hurt him too much."
""!""
A voice echoed from inside the restaurant as a man walked outside.
His hands on his back, he didn't even glance at them for long before turning around and leaving as he walked down the street.
A complete and utter lack of care.
"Understood Master!" Nulan replied as her gaze turned serious
"Master?... That man's your master?... Ha! No wonder you're low Class, having such a young master at your age."
"... When are we starting?"
"... Now."
/FWOOSH!/
"?!?!"
/SMASH!/
Jiu did not have the time to react. Before he realized it, Nulan's fist was on his chest and with it, he lost his breath and consciousness.
Just like the man upstairs… The disciple sure does follow the footsteps of the master.
"... Pathetic." Nulan said as she turned around, running after Wuizi
""...""
Everyone watched in a daze as they processed what they had just witnessed.
""...""
And so did those upstairs in the balcony.
…
"I'm sorry, Master!"
"... What's there to be sorry about? Take this as a lesson, out there people are extremely prideful, they will clash against you for whatever reason they see reasonable, if you gave them one or not."
"People will ruthlessly try to push you out of their way or onto a path they deem viable if it benefits them or their ideals in any way. Today, you spoke your opinion and another did not agree. The reason you were attacked and pressured was because they saw your silence and passiveness as a weakness."
"They are fools for acting like that… For such a simple reason…"
"Yes… Yes they are. But people are like that and will continue to be."
"For now, go to your room and rest a little, think about what happened today. I'll deliver your food to you at night."
"Don't leave your room until tomorrow morning. You're free to stop by the bathroom but I don't want you out of the dormitories."
"... Understood…"
"I'm not punishing you for acting up, don't misunderstand. What you did was correct."
"Then why?..."
"I'm punishing you for losing your calm and speaking back to your opponent. Its fine if its a tactic to make them lose focus, but its inadmissible for a Cultivator to lose sight of what they seek, if even for a moment."
Wuizi walked by her, putting his hand on her shoulder as he did so.
"I'm not asking you to suppress yourself from now on. I ask that next time, you act befitting of yourself. By acting childishly, you're doing a disservice to your own safety."
"... I understand. I'll rethink my actions."
"Good."
Nulan bowed before turning around and leaving for the recently rebuilt dormitories.
"..."
'Time to go back to my room and check the mail. After a whole month away I imagine there's quite a bit of paperwork pilled up… Not that I ever had much to deal with though.'
Wuizi turned around and returned to his office, resuming his duties as master of the Peak.
He went through many oficial documents, mostly words and sanctions of the Sect Lord, but he also read through a few appeals of ordinary disciples wishing to join to the Peak.
It seemed the thought of Nulan asking to join the peak has sparked interested in others, albeit briefly.
Wuizi merely skipped through most before putting them away with a yawn. He wasn't interested in gathering other disciples yet.
For now, he sat down and focused on his meditation, sorting his thoughts before the big day, not leaving his room for anything else aside from his ordinary routine.
On the next day, he spent most of his day with his disciple to see how she fared. They trained and studied together, sparring several times in preparation for the tests tomorrow.
Like that, the day arrived, and with it, a new discovery…
…
[Wuizi Xue - 22
Cultivation Stage - Heavenly Core 5th Revolution
>Traits:
Calm; Heart of the Scholar; Passive Analyst; Suppressed Emotions
>Constitution: N/A
>Cultivation Techniques:
Sutra of the Grand Moon - High Enlightenment
Three Season Skipping Blade - High Enlightenment
Jade Eye Tempering Art - High Enlightenment
38 Maneuvers of the Dancing Lion - High Enlightenment
Internal Core Shapping Art - Minor Enlightenment
…
>Talents:
Very Low Swordsmanship Talent
Low Cultivation Talent
Low Alchemy Talent
Meager Refining Talent
Intermediate Formation Talent
Pinnacle Bewitching Talent
…
>Inner Desires:
Despite everything you say about yourself, deep down, you want to hold a sword and proclaim your defiance of the heavens. Nonetheless, you fear they may actually answer and strike you down…
At the same time, you have a slight desire to seek out love, wishing to wake up with the arms of another, or even, multiple others…
>Description:
A reincarnator born within the body of an ordinary man with little to no Talent to Cultivation, but with a handsome appearance, striving daily to alter his fate and reach transcendence.
He has recently awakened a boon from a past life and now has taken his first confident steps in achieving said goal.
]
As a stroke of luck, Wuizi figured out how to open his own character profile.
Not by looking at a mirror or anything like that, it was by trying to visualize his own body through his mental space. Something only possible once he grew more used to his cultivation as a Heavenly Core Master. A fact that took time given Nulan's speedy Cultivation, always pushing his by proxy.
While he learned everything she did and with it, grew acustumed to it all thanks to the Rune's information transfer, he still felt necessary to redo the process himself and come to terms with the Cultivation he acquired.
There was much to think and wander about still, and now that he could observe his own Character profile, it would be considerably simpler to take note of his process.
That said, he had little time to think about this discovery as soon enough, morning came, and with it, the start of the Sect's Inner Disciple Competition!
…
/Chirp chirp!/
"Umn… Yawn… Morning…"
Wuizi woke up as faint sunlight fell through the cracks in the window.
Stretching his arms, he knew it was time… Or rather…
/Tic tic tic…/
"Haa… I spent the entire night going through some things and now… Hum? Is the time wrong? It can't be noon… Oh shit!!!"
'I'm late! The competition starts as soon as the sun's up!'
'Nulan told me she was going to wake up early and head first so that's why she didn't come to me! I was too used to having her waking earlier and training in the gardens!'
"Shit shit shit… Calm down."
Wuizi calmed down as he got off bed.
"The competition has multiple stages and multiple branches going at the same time. It'll go on for multiple days so there's little to fear."
'But that's not the issue here…'
He quickly took off his clothes before throwing some water on his face and sorting his hair with the help of Qi.
He also washed himself in the blink of an eye by manipulating water around his body to make himself more presentable.
Once his body was in order, he ran to the side to put on his formal clothes he prepared for the event.
'The Sect Master will likely be present in the Competition, although I wonder if I missed him… That would be terrible.'
'Given there are multiple districts and competition branches, he can't be present in all at the same time so let's hope he hasn't passed by ours yet!'
/Fwoosh!/
Once he was cleaned and ready, he checked himself in the mirror one last time before running off into the distance atop his flying sword.
…
/Chatter!/
/Fwoosh… Land!/
"Phew… I'm here."
At the edge of the city in between two large mountains was a long precipice, there, a horizontal tower had been built along its length, being around a kilometer high.
This was the Fallen God's Nail, an ancient artifact of the Sect. It distorted gravity around itself, making it always fall from its tip to its bottom, regardless of its position.
The higher you climb, the stronger the gravity becomes but so does the Qi in the air, making the area suitable for simple Cultivation.
There are also ancient and modern texts written around the inner walls of the tower. They reflect many enlightments and bits of wysdom passed down by the ancestors, and above all, some of them contain full techniques left behind for those qualified to reach them.
This is a way for disciples to get a glimpse of the Sect's higher manuals without needing to rake in contribution of any kind. To give a chance for those not chosen by the Peaks or even those waiting for the right opportunity to rise.
'From the looks of it the test barely started, I'm right on time.'
Wuizi stopped behind a hanging balcony built between the walls of the precipice, it was the sole building in place aside from the wall and gates blocking entrance onto the fissure.
Below it was a series of smaller buildings meant to house those injuries and any spectators.
If you can't proceed in the tower, you can remain and cultivate or choose to gather strength to continue, otherwise, if you cannot resist the pressure and is unable to move, the tower will activate its formations and throw you away through many means.
From there the formations inscribed around the fissure will guide your body to the base of the tower so you can receive medical attention.
Same goes for those who choose to give up.
"..."
'There she is.'
While its impossible to see inside the tower, there was a large billboard with the names of the contextants climbing the tower, albeit it only displayed those in the top 100.
Next to each name was also a Symbol telling everybody which Peak they belonged to if at all.
Nulan's name was 82nd, which was lower then he expected, however, he soon understood why that might've been the case.
Right next to someone's name was the average time they took to climb each floor, and according to Nulan's timer, she took an average of three minutes to climb each floor.
And given she was on the 20th floor, it meant the trial had started around an hour ago, just as he expected.
'It seems she's taking her time with each floor. It's definitely because of what I taught her recently… I hope this doesn't affect her negatively.'
While he tried to remain composed, Wuizi had his own concerns regarding being a teacher and a master… Even with his two lives combined, he didn't consider himself wise at all.
That said, he soon flew to the hanging balcony, stepping inside to meet with several individuals, even more then last time.
A total of twenty elderly people… Not all were elderly, albeit all were still middle aged at the least.
They were all focused on a series of small orbs shinning with light as they reflected images likely from inside the tower.
They sat around a circular table with several dozen seats, but many were still empty. And that wasn't because their masters were away but because those Peaks… Did not exist anylonger.
A relic from other times…
"Hm?... Looks who's here. I thought you wouldn't be coming, again."
"Peak Master Ruji, greetings… This time I have a reason to come you see."
"I know, that boy over there… He sure is talented. Having advanced so much in just two months. I wager you two did quite a lot outside, eh?"
"..."
'It's understandable to be suspicious, not only me but Nulan has also advanced considerably… They can understand her progress but not mine.'
'I haven't had the time to learn any sort of concealment art, but its on my list of priorities. Once this is over, I'll have Nulan learn it as well since I can't have her reach the 6th or even 7th Revolution in a year and expect others to remain silent about it.'
'Worse of all, my progress came from her and if someone asks me to demonstrate my Cultivation, I had little progress with my understanding of the Sect's intrinsic arts, so I wouldn't be able to explain myself… Worse, someone may take my progress as betrayal of the Sect since I only advanced in another Clan's manuals.'
'What a shitty situation.'
All of this went over his mind in a second, leading him to say:
"... We got a little lucky, that's all."
'A remedy, but I only need a month to build a solid foundation. The more time I buy the better.'
"Heh! Guess some fortune has really fallen onto you… That said, what did you teach him? Despite his Cultivation he's taking so long in every floor! He should've been with the other forerunners!"
"..."
Just as he said, most of the top twenty was already well beyond the 40th floor, she was progressing at half their speed.
"It was indeed my fault. Guan was too narrow minded and rash so I've been teaching him to be mindfull of his actions and to observe his surroundings more. I suppose he is biding his time not to spend too much of his energy too quickly."
"I thought so too… He isn't the only one doing that but he surely is the one with the highest Cultivation doing so…"
"Haha…"
Wuizi took a seat next to Ruji, interacting with the orb as he tried to blend in without causing a commotion.
As expected, some of the other Elders acknowledged his presence. As his Cultivation grew to a considerable stage, he was now worthy of their presence, even if he was still below their average strength.
Right now, his Cultivation was already higher then the previous Peak Master. As once again, Ritual Peak was meant to house Martial Scholars and preserve traditions and culture for future generations to study.
His focus on Cultivation was unordinary, and as long as he retained it, gathering scholars and rebuilding the Peak's influence as it was before wouldn't be an issue, however, given the Sect Lord's sanctions and goals, it would most definately not last long.
Strength was the focus now, above all else… And with reason.
If war was on the horizon, instead of focusing on traditions, they should rather focus on maintaining the Sect, otherwise, all of that they kept would be taken or destroyed by others.
"... So? Which ones here are your disciples this time, Master Ruji?"
"Heh, Kid, no need to be so formal. Your old master and I were close, so treat me like you did when you were younger!"
"That… Was quite some time ago…"
"It changes nothing!... Anyhow… Most of my Peak's disciples are elsewhere doing other challenges, they should perform their trials here eventually, but not anytime soon."
"Still, I have five disciples currently undertaking this one with yours. Three of them are within the leaderboard as you can see, the other two should be right behind."
"The 18th, 32nd, and 33rd?... Those are quite high numbers."
"I know, right? For an old man like me who majors in formations, its such a surprise to see disciples do well in this kind of trial."
/Kuom!/
Suddenly, the tower began to quake…
"It's starting." One of the other elders spoke as the tower shook
/Kuom… Buom!/
Golden light shone at its tip, causing a cascading wave of air to explode from its tip to its bottom!
/SHUAAA!/
A powerful current of air brushed past them, and with it, dozens of disciples were spat out from inside the tower!
"One hour has passed… All disciples still stuck inside the first ten floors have been kicked out, and with it, the gravity of the first 100 floors has doubled."
"Doubled? Wait, its higher then expected…"
Wuizi grew worried, he taught Nulan everything he knew and things weren't supposed to be like that.
Every hour, the tower cuts a portion of itself, leading to everyone still within those sections to be kicked out and with it, increasing the gravity of all remaining floors as if they had climbed an extra floor, which may seem little but is quite significant for those struggling to resist the force being applied onto their bodies.
This way, it would put pressure on those ahead and incentivize those falling behind to keep up.
This only applies to the section of the tower everyone is at. If someone reaches the next section, depending on how long it took them to reach it, the gravity at the 101st floor may be lower then at the 100th floor, that was why rushing ahead was important somewhat.
Once the first 100 floors are gone, the process would reset but at the next section, and this would continue until all 200 floors are gone.
"That was meant to be a surprise but I've recently tweaked on the tower's formations with several other masters, we've been working on it for a long time all for this purpose."
"While the rewards have increased significantly for those who can achieve higher floors in this text, so has the difficulty. So rather then increasing the gravity in every floor by a little, we double it every hour… Which is more or less equivalent to climbing ten floors."
Wuizi's expression tensed.
"Wait… This means someone at the 100th floor would feel the pressure of floor 200 if they remain there for ten hours?"
"Yes, albeit a bit less… The rate in which Gravity increases between each floor rises substantially after the 151st floor."
"Even so, isn't this rate a little much? It won't give disciples the time to focus and try again once they're met with a hurdle. If they take too long they'll just be forced outside. Look at how many were thrown away…"
"In normal times, they might've given to continue rising or even resisting for several hours which could push their cultivation even further but now they were cast aside due to how abrupt the change was."
"Wuizi… I agree with your sentiment but it was the Sect Lord's orders… This has been in planning for several years. Besides, the rewards those who were kicked out will receive will be no less then what they would've gotten if they had climbed ten extra floors."
"Of those unjustly throw out, few would've been able to outdo themselves and climb higher, so while it was unfair for them, to most, it was better… At least on paper."
"... Sigh… I can somewhat understand the Sect Lord's intentions, but I can't comprehend his methods yet…"
"You aren't alone child…"
/Clang!/
"Hm?"
"Ohoho! It seems someone has breached a new milestone!"
[60th Floor - Lao Famin - (King Crow Peak) - 1Min, 12 Sec per floor]
"Is that… The First of the Seven Treasures?"
'Urg… I hate this Title.'
"That would be him, yes."
"But where's the King Crow Peak Master? Also, where's the Violet Petal Peak Master?"
"They're managing other competitions. You know how it is, we can't have all of the old folks in one place…"
"That brat… He's quite something. No wonder that old guy kept him hidden for so long."
"Hidden? Well… It's my first time seeing him like this."
"So is mine, aside from when he was very young. I heard the poor sod has been through harsh training from the moment he was born. And worse was it that he grew up to respond to that training and beyond."
"Despite only being nineteen… That boy has already broken through the Sixth Revolution. And they say his might with the sword goes beyond even that."
"... What?"
'Even Nulan with all her talent only arrived at the Sect with the Cultivation of someone in the 8th Revolution of Foundation Establishment… And she's the eldest daughter from a Clan comparable to the Sect as a whole.'
'Although their influence and prestige is a level lower then the Sect's, its still far higher then what the King Crow Peak can muster. And she was still taken as a supreme talent!'
'How is the difference between both so high? It is true that Nulan spent several months running around the place but still…'
"You and everyone else wondered the same thing… But the answer is quite simple."
"He's been training from a very young age while most only start for real when they're 12 to 14… He had close to ten years more time then others."
"What? How can an infant even have the intellect acumen to understand the complex subjects that compose Cultivation?"
"That's between him and the Peak Master, not something an old man like me can say… But when I met the boy for the first time, he did come to me as immeasurably intelligent and aware… I guess that's why I accepted this easier then the others did."
Ruji looked at Wuizi as he scratched his beard, saying:
"To some degree, he reminds me of you when you were younger albeit far more proactive."
"!!!"
'No way… I could be mistaken but what if… What if that kid…'
Wuizi turned to the image of the boy reflected on the orb, his forehead tensing…
'What if this kid is a reincarnator?!'
The fate of the Sect was beginning to move.
…
Each hour that passed, another section of the tower was closed off, throwing off several dozen disciples with each round as gravity doubled throughout the entire tower's lower half.
At first, Wuizi wasn't worried for Nulan. However, with this renewed rules, he was afraid she would end up slogging and stuck once the gravity rose several times over. However, his fears were unfounded.
Upon realizing the ever increasing gravity was far higher then her master had stated, Nulan accelerated, reaching the 60th Floor with half an hour from her previous position, and the 75th floor with another half hour.
Once the tower activated a second time, the gravity doubled once more, causing many to thrown out.
Right now, despite being at the 75th floor, Nulan was facing the gravity of the 90th floor if not higher. However, she kept walking.
At the same time, a few minutes before the gravity doubled, Lao Famin broke through the 100th floor, and within the next hour many others did the same, breaching through without worry.
As expected, with the severe increase in gravity, to those able to step beyond the 100th floor, they came to relax at the 101st floor despite the steep increase in gravity is usually has.
Soon enough, the third hour of the event came to an end, throwing away all of those still trapped in the lower half of the tower.
At that point, Nulan had just breached through the 100th floor, and as expected, she breathed in relief as she took a light weight off her shoulders, however, she did not rest for long as soon enough, she stepped into the 102nd floor.
Many containers were using the 100th floor as a resting area, but Nulan was no fool, she understood that sooner or later the gravity would begin to increase again, and if she lost her chance, she may be unable to climb as high as she would've been able to had gravity remained stable.
She also had an inkling of suspicion. If information about the trial was different from what her master had shared, it meant other rules had likely been affected.
Rather then remaining and suffering, she chose to push upward with the others.
Like that, the fourth and fifth hours passed, and that was when another huge change occurred.
/Crom…/
"What's going on?"
The last few still trapped within the lower half of the tower were all kicked out as the gravity doubled for the fifth time.
Such powerful weight, for someone standing on the 99th floor, would be equivalent to someone standing on the 140th floor and beyond. Which was a height beyond most of the forerunners.
Once all had been expelled, rather then continuing cutting sections every hour, the tower suddenly cut them all at once!
"This… Is quite brutal."
'Rather giving the forerunners the advantage of being able to climb without worry, they cut the time and had everyone suffer.'
'It doesn't matter either way because now the forerunners had the advantage of climbing without interference… This is going to be quite bad.'
'Usually, given the way the tower is built, the trial would always end within twenty hours but now… I'm afraid it may not even last ten.'
"How many left?"
"About two hundred made it to the second half of the floor. I expect half of them to be cut every hour… That said, those at the top will dictate how long this trial will go on for."
"Hm… What's next after this?"
"The comprehension chamber will begin as soon as this trial ends and finally the combat arena will start tomorrow morning."
"This… Not even giving them time to rest, huh…"
"I wager the Lord has plans for later. For now, let's wait and see. That's the best we can do… Besides, you should have little to worry, look at how well your disciple's doing."
While the top twenty were to be expected, Nulan had climbed all the way from the high 80s to the low 30s. Having already reached the 145th Floor by the time the lower half of the tower was cut off.
"..."
'She should be able to reach the next half before the hour ends. Given the steep increase in difficulty after that, she may be able to adapt and not be thrown out.'
'Nulan is a strong and stable Cultivator but this test values stamina and constitution more then anything. If you don't have a strong body, you must do with stable energy control to support your body through the extreme weight. And this includes a higher Cultivation.'
'It may not seem like much given what Cultivator can do, but right now, Nulan must be experiencing the weight of hundreds of herself pressing down her every move.'
'A Heavenly Core Cultivation should be able to resist this weight, but there is a difference between burst and constant output.'
'Even if Nulan can destroy the top half of Ritual Peak with her sword techniques, this doesn't mean she can carry it in her shoulders… Far from it even.'
"What about your disciples? How are they doing?"
"Hm… As expected, the two youngest are supporting each other but they're stuck in the 149th floor, unable to cross into the next section, meanwhile, our star disciple has already reached the 160th floor."
"Still, that's little compared to the top 10 who have all crossed beyond the boundary of the 165th floor."
"..."
Wuizi turned to the exclusive leaderboard of the Peak Masters, and he sighed out loud.
[172th Floor - Lao Famin - (King Crow Peak) - 1Min, 45 Sec per floor]
'His climbing rate has barely slowed down, but its going down over time…'
'Once he crosses the 175th floor, another hurdle will begin, and another at the 190th floor, finally ending with the last spike at the 199th floor.'
'However, no one's been able to step into the 200th floor for the last 300 years. Even the current Sect Master, during his own time as a disciple when he was 16, was only able to reach the 191st floor. And that was because he ended up participating sooner then expected.'
'He was three years younger then the current Lao Famin and he was only at the peak of the 4th Revolution then. Quite the difference.'
'The tower is only supposed to have the pressure of a Peak Fetal Soul Cultivator at its end. Merely the pressure of its aura… Albeit more tangible.'
'Lao Famin may be able to reach its end… That is, under ordinary circumstances… Within a little less then an hour, the gravity will double, and soon after, it'll double again.'
'If he can still finish things within that time, he'll surely be unable once it doubles once or twice again.'
'Same goes for Nulan…'
"You've been quite patient. It's unlike you to spectate for long."
"Well, this time I have a reason for staying. And up until a few years ago, I would rather stay in my room to deal with my work and Cultivate when I had the time then watch others perform."
"There is much to learn from observing others, but you words ring true. Speaking of that, you've never had the chance to experience this trial, have you?"
"No. By the time I became of age, due to my position, I was barred from even trying."
"Such a shame… But perhaps you'll have a chance this time."
"How so? Don't they lock the tower up for maintenance all year?"
"They do, but thing is, I heard the Sect Lord has plans to keep it active so those of merit may challenge the trial. It would take a lot of resources but its possible… Especially if the numbers of challengers each day sticks to a certain level."
"This… Maybe I'll give it a try if they let me."
'With my Cultivation talent, it wouldn't do me any good to challenge the tower. However, being able to take a look at the writings and texts scattered throughout the tower may prove beneficial. Some are extremely ancient, over a thousand years old…'
'It's not enough to be called Ancient Texts, but old enough to be of an already bygone area… Some of them at least.'
'They could give some insight into how the people of that area thought. I wonder what would happen if they went under the Rune's effects…'
'Either way, if I can't get insight, I wouldn't mind trying to give Nulan another shot. Its clear this place is incredible for Cultivation.'
'Due to the high density of Qi and the pressure around them, even if she doesn't try, energy keeps seeping into their bodies rapidly. So they need to either expell it out or internalize it. That's why many keep stopping every now and then.'
'Nulan is the same, however, with her understanding of her Cultivation Art, she can process the Qi far faster then most.'
'If we say Nulan's Cultivation speed compared to the ordinary Cultivator, with the Rune's effects, is about ten to twenty times faster, under the pressure of the Tower, it might've even reached one hundred times if not higher.'
'Of course, Nulan can't sit down and Cultivate for that long, with so much energy around, she'd need time to sit down and process her development every few hours if she were to sit down and commit. However, given this ridiculous speed, I wouldn't even give it a year, not even half a month… With three months, I'm certain Nulan would be able to reach the Pinaccle of the Heavenly Core Realm.'
'Meanwhile, I would likely reach Fetal Soul within two to three months… Quite the interesting prospect but I doubt it'd be possible to even stay for a week inside. There's a reason the tower goes for maintenance for almost a whole year.'
'It's far too expensive to keep it going, but with some tweeks, it may become a decent Cultivation tool for the disciples. No one ever tried to do so due to the fear of breaking it due to its age and the fact some of the techniques employed in its creation have either been lost or are so elusive only some particular masters can perform them.'
'Its clear the Current Sect Lord is trying its hardest to improve the entire Sect as whole, so I don't doubt he'd try something like this…'
Wuizi looked at the tower and closed his eyes. Deep in thought…
Time passed.
...
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Notes