The young cultivator and the old man headed back to the capitol where Tyran would have his soul tested. On the way the boy learned about the history of land. He learned about the time before cultivating was formed, how people would die early of diseases and get run over by the magical beasts scattered across the highest peaks and the lowest valleys. Only after making a deal with the world's gods did humans truly thrive. It was up to young cultivators to repay the debt to the heavens by touching their realm. The old man spoke of the many ways others had passed through heaven’s gate, each one being unique.
Not a lot of stops were made between Markyt and the Capitol, since the old man didn’t want to risk drawing attention to the boy. Many people came to the orb exam and it wouldn’t surprise him if they still remembered the ‘Demon Child’. If they could avoid conflict with the villages, there journey wouldn’t cause a riot.
Eventually they reached the city gates of the Capitol, the sheer height of the walls amazed Tyran. No buildings above one-story were built in his little town, but here they shot up into the sky, floor after floor. He could see people look out from their high towers, staring down at the large crowd as they made their way from one side of the city to the other. Stalls were packed next to each other, the hue of their tents trying to entice people to come over and view their goods. Shouting was common, as people tried to find each other in the sea of merchants, mercenaries, and servants. To Tyran, the city was a mysterious place filled with everything desirable.
Carrying the boy on his back, the old man took many turns in the labyrinth of alleyways until he reached a grand building made out of carved stone. He dropped Tyran onto the ground and they walked in together.
“Welcome back Master Wu” said the man behind the reception desk.
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“It’s good to see you Ning. It's been awhile.” said the old man as he clasped arms with the receptionist.
“Who's your little friend”
“This is Tyran. He's a new recruit and I’m thinking about taking him as my disciple.”
“Do you want to test him now, or should we wait until I notify the emperor?”
“We might as well get it out of the way now. That way we have something to actually tell his majesty.”
“Sounds good. I’ll go prepare the chamber.” said the receptionist as he got up and left through the back.
“What was that about?” asked Tyran.
“You’ll see soon enough.” replied Master Wu with a grin on his face.
They took a seat in the few chairs in the room, waiting for Ning, the receptionist to return. While they waited, Tyran was overwhelmed by the hospitality that these people showed towards him. Not only did he receive tea, they brought him an assortment of food to try. He thanked the waitress for her kindness and she blushed before hurrying back to where she came from.
Tyran was downing his third plate of food when, Ning beckoned them behind the reception desk. They entered a room that was white on all sides. Told to sit in the center, Tyran quickly sat. He closed his eyes and focused his chi on the walls. His spirit monster emerged, dancing across the walls, adding splashes of color to the dull interior. Minutes passed until Tyran became fatigued.
“Amazing” mumbled the old man “I’ve never seen a solar dragon spirit inhabit a human before.”
Ning didn’t respond since he was in a state of shock. Not only had he never met a person with a dragon spirit, he had never heard of any dragon with that essence. With no martial paths developed with this form of Dragon, Tyran would have to form his own. While training the boy would be tough, his future was as bright as the sun. Master Wu would not let go of such untapped talent, and planned to fight to the death to insure that he was trained by him.