A few days after the cleanup was all completed, Cassandra showed up to Jia and I’s dorm room early in the morning and told us that the sect leader wished to see us at his residence. We traded confused looks and went to the mysterious peak we had never had access to. The guards at the bottom of the peak must have been told about our arrival because they let us into the peak without any fuss. As we climbed up to the top, I could feel the accumulation of qi of all of the elements increase as we walked. I surreptitiously began cultivating as we walked and was amazed at how quickly it felt I was increasing the quality of my qi and the amount in my dantian. The number of drops of qi I was creating was prodigious.
We walked up to the top of the peak and by the time we reached the door in front of the patriarch’s chambers I had already achieved a small percentage of the way to the highest level of the foundation establishment realm.
We knocked on the door to the patriarch’s chambers and a deep voice beckoned us inside.
We walked inside and were surprised to find the six elders of the sect and the patriarch sitting at a table in the middle of the room, two chairs on our side of the table. We sat down in the offered chairs, elder Niang giving us both a proud look.
“Disciples Astra and Lian Jia, we’ve brought you both here today to discuss the events of the final day of the outer sect competition.” The patriarch began. We both nodded, unable to mouth a reply.
“Thanks to the information disciple Astra brought to elder Niang we were able to avert the worst possibilities from the attack by the church of the one true Dao. For that we’d like to reward you. Astra is there anything the sect can offer you as a reward? Do you want a high-level treasure from the treasure pavilion? Or maybe a technique from the technique pavilion?” He asked me.
I thought for a moment, unsure of if I should ask for what I truly wanted or just ask for some treasures. I made up my mind and responded.
“I want permission to cultivate up here on this peak.” I told him. The rest of the room was silent, the elders looking at me aghast.
“Why this peak?” The patriarch asked me.
“My cultivation method is special and works best when I can absorb qi of all of the elements at once. This peak is the perfect place for me to cultivate and will skyrocket my cultivation in due time.” I told him, thinking it was a good enough reason.
“Astra, do you know what you’re asking for?” Elder Niang asked me.
I was confused and told her I didn't. She facepalmed and explained.
“The only disciples that can be given permission to cultivate on this peak are the direct disciples of the patriarch. You’re asking to become the patriarch’s core disciple.”
I blanched a little at the revelation but stood my ground. This is what I wanted, and I believed I was talented enough to deserve the position.
The patriarch looked at me with a hard look in his eyes that seemed to soften over time.
“Alright. I’ll agree to take you on as my direct disciple. Not only have you shown your abilities by making it to the finals in the outer sect competition, but you have also shown loyalty to the sect by bringing us the news of the church’s plot, when you had no reason to. I have a good feeling about you as a disciple as well, because if your method for cultivating both the spirit and the body is true, then you may be able to reach heights in cultivation that I can only dream about.” He said. I smiled wide at his words and thanked him.
“Over the next few days you’ll be able to move to this peak with all of your belongings and you’ll begin training with me personally. Of course, you’re still welcome to take on missions just like any other disciple of the sect and with whomever you wish.” He said, reassuring me.
Jia raised her hand and waited for the patriarch to acknowledge her.
“Um, I’m sorry for the impertinence, but why am I here?” she asked, confused at her presence.
“Ah, yes that brings me to the next reason we brought you two here. The finals of the outer sect competition were interrupted and so you two never got to fight. Being apprised of your relationship, I wanted to ask if you two still wish to fight or if you’d rather share the rewards for the two finalists of the competition?” He asked.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
We both looked at each other and said we’d share the rewards. He nodded as if expecting this answer and he told us the treasure pavilion would be notified of our choice and the rewards would be given to us upon going to the pavilion.
“Disciple Lian Jia, the prowess you showed during the competition and your existence as one of the few cultivators who have cultivated both their body and spirit has encouraged us to consider elevating you to be an inner disciple of the flowing petal peak. Would you like to be promoted to the inner sect?” He asked. Jia, unable to answer directly, nodded and he nodded in response.
The elders and patriarch let us go and we walked back down the peak and returned to our dorm in relative silence.
When we got back to our dorm, I laid down on my bed and just stared at the ceiling, not ready to believe what had just happened to us.
“So, I’m a core disciple now and you’re an inner disciple now?” I asked, maybe it was all a dream.
“Yep, we sure are.” Jia said lamely. We both shot out of bed after a moment of hesitation and hugged each other tightly. We were hugging and jumping up and down in our dorm room squealing in excitement for a few seconds before a banging on the dorm wall next door broke us out of our mutual excitement.
We went out for the day, finding both Cassandra and Ji and telling them the good news. They were both very happy for our achievements and reminded us not to forget them when we’re leading the sect together in the future. We all laughed in good cheer. We went to the treasure pavilion and received a fair number of treasures each. The reward for winning the sect competition was awesome!
We tucked in for the night, and before I went to sleep, I reflected on my cultivation journey. It was hard to imagine that less than a year ago I had been an untalented cultivator with little to no prospects for increasing my power. Then through one chance encounter everything had changed. I had met good friends and even better allies, grown strong enough to be considered one of the strongest outer sect disciples, and thwarted a plot to overthrow the power structure of one of the strongest sects on Dou Can. I smiled just thinking about it. I was giddy thinking about it because I knew that my journey on the road of cultivation had only just begun.
Spirit cultivation - Myriad Elemental Halcyonic Scripture:
High stage
Body cultivation: Body Training Realm
Water - Viscera trained
Wind - Viscera trained
Earth - Viscera trained
Metal - Viscera trained
Wood - Viscera trained
Fire - Viscera trained
Dao acknowledgments:
Water - low level acknowledgment
Wind - low level acknowledgment
Earth - low level acknowledgment
Metal - no acknowledgment
Wood - low level acknowledgment
Fire - no acknowledgment
Body - no acknowledgment
Soul - no acknowledgment
Spirit - no acknowledgment
Techniques:
Conjuration technique: A technique that allows the cultivator to create an object or objects using their qi. The objects can be controlled with the users will for a continuous upkeep of qi.
Example: ‘Swords of the Halcyonic Sea’
Movement technique: A movement technique assists the user in increasing movement speed or providing a construct upon which the user can ride to assist in movement.
Example: ‘Soft steps on the halcyonic sea’
Projectile Technique: This type of technique allows the cultivator to create a projectile manifestation of qi in a predetermined type of object. Some cultivators create throwing knives, while others, a throwing javelin. The object type is usually random based on the cultivator.
Example: Not applicable.
Qi Spirit technique: This type of technique is rare to be developed by a cultivator without it being a specific part of their cultivation technique’s path. This manifests a spirit animal from the user’s qi that can be used to fight, scout, mount, or a myriad of other options. At its inception, the animal will be at a stage of growth commensurate to the cultivators cultivation level.. As the cultivator grows, and their cultivation improves, the qi spirit will also grow.
Example: Nine tailed fox of destiny
Restriction technique: The restriction technique allows the cultivator to hamper or halt the movements of a target using a manifestation of their qi. The manifestation is determined by the restriction technique created.
Example: Not applicable
Sealing technique: This type of technique has been lost to time. Almost no one learns them as they are not part of any traditional cultivation techniques. These techniques were more popular and useful when demons freely roamed the land causing havoc. Cultivators would be able to seal the demons into objects or formations and hold them prisoner to use their power or keep them from causing more damage to the world.
Example: Not applicable.
Core technique. Locked.
Soul Technique: Locked.”
Domain technique: Locked.
Sage technique: Locked.
God technique: Locked.