Chapter 003
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‘ ‘ for thoughts.
“ “ for speech.
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Around half a dozen lofty young men and women with arrogant looks were sitting cross legged on the giant lotus leaf. They wore white Daoist robes and were genuine cultivators! Controlling a magic treasure capable of flight meant that these were genuine Qi Condensation disciples! The cultivators stood up and walked down from the lotus leaf. A young man with squinty slit-like eyes and a triangular face looked like their leader. He stood in the front and addressed the crowd.
“We are the representatives from the Jade Pagoda Sect. All those who wish to join our sect and have tokens come forward.” Uncle Mu handed Fang Hao a silver pagoda shaped token, and escorted him till the edge of the seats. One of the cultivators made double-handed incantation gestures, and a silk handkerchief wrapped around Fang Hao’s waist and floated him towards the cultivator. Similar scenes were happening with dozens of children and teenagers.
Fang Hao clasped his hands and handed over the silver pagoda token to the fat meatball shaped cultivator who had floated him down. The chubby cultivator summoned a jade slip and muttered. “Fang Hao, eh? Good to see a fellow fatty. You can call me Senior Apprentice Brother Chen or Senior Fatty Chen. Your token allows you to enter directly as an outer disciple.”
Senior Apprentice Brother Chen flicked his sleeve and a clear crystal ball, which seemed to be made of white jade floated near Fang Hao. “Go on, touch the crystal ball.” Fang Hao did as Senior Fatty Chen suggested, and a dim silver glow emanated from the jade ball. Fang Hao clapped his back. “Not bad, Fatty Hao! Even without the token you qualify as an Outer Disciple. If you work hard, you can become an inner disciple like me in 5 years!”
Then Senior Fatty Chen escorted another fat child who looked like he was 12 years old. As Fang Hao stood towards the side, he noticed that Senior Fatty Chen was using his silk handkerchief to escort all the fat kids in descending order of their weight. ‘It seems like Senior Fatty Chen is very amicable towards fat people and this body, no I, am one of the fattest prospective disciples here, though I am no way as fat as Senior Fatty Chen. Anyways being on good terms with an inner disciple should prove useful in the future.’ thought Fang Hao.
Fang Hao was observing the testing of prospective disciples and inquiring with senior Fatty Chen when he had doubts who was happy to explain to him. Those with silver tokens, regardless of talent were assured to at least be accepted as outer sect disciples. In the talent test, those without tokens who had a bronze glow were accepted as janitorial disciples, the lowest level of disciples in the sect. Those with silver glow were accepted as outer disciples, those with gold glow as inner disciples, and if a legendary talent with a jade green glow appeared…he would be directly selected as a core disciple!
Fang Hao was speculating on what the color of the glows actually measured. ‘Is it age normalized Spirit that the jade crystal ball is measuring? Does starting spirit somehow determine cultivation talent?’ While Fang Hao was speculating and trying to co-relate stats in his status screen with the talent test result. Suddenly there was a commotion near one of the Senior Apprentice Sisters.
A thin skinny girl of around 11 years of age was touching a jade ball and it had a strong golden glow! This meant that she was qualified to be an inner disciple right after joining the sect. Soon it subsided down, but the Senior Apprentice Sister who had a shrew like face had tested the golden talent girl had stopped evaluating others and had taken the skinny girl aside, speaking to her with smiles on her face.
The testing went on for several hours, and a majority of the non-token holders had been either rejected or evaluated to be janitorial disciples. Very few were eligible to be outer disciples and only that one girl was qualified to directly join as an inner disciple. The test was almost finished, and the Jade Pagoda cultivators were about to wrap up. A young boy of around 10 years old in tattered clothes and covered with bruises ran through the seats of the coliseum and jumped into the testing area. He was being chased by what looked like city guards.
The fall was around ten meters high, yet the young urchin rolled on the ground and landed on all fours kowtowing to the cultivators. The city guards frowned but refrained from jumping into the testing area. They were only in the early stages of the mid Qi Gathering Realm, and wouldn’t dare disrespect Official Sect Cultivators. As the lead guard was about to address the cultivators, the kowtowing bruised urchin quickly addressed the slit eyed cultivator. “Honored Senior, I would like to join your Glorious Sect.”
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The Guard Leader clasped his hands to the cultivators and said, “Honored Senior, it is not that we want to interfere in sect affairs, but this little freak is a thief, murderer and arsonist!” The slit eyed cultivator coolly addressed the Guard Captain.
“Petty squabbles of mortals do not concern me. As per rules he is of age and made it here in time and is therefore eligible to attempt the test. Come forward child and touch this floating jade orb.”
The kowtowing bruised urchin got up and said “Many thanks honored senior.” before touching the floating white jade orb in front of the slit eyed cultivator. There was a deep green glow from the jade orb. The slit eyed young man, despite being a lofty Qi Condensation Realm Cultivator, was barely controlling his emotions as he hid his clenched shivering fist in his sleeves while maintain a calm façade. “Welcome to the Jade Pagoda Sect, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask and I, Ge Hong, will answer to the best of my meager abilities. And what is your name and how old are you?” The slit-eyed cultivator said with a kind smile.
The dirty, bruised urchin smiled, clasped his hands and bowed deeply “Many thanks Senior Apprentice Brother Hong! I am called Qin Lee and I am thirteen years old.” Senior Hong was all smiles and was about to speak when the Guard Captain interrupted him. The guard Captain was furious. This little urchin had killed a dozen guards with early Qi gathering cultivation and the slave Overseer, before setting fire to the brothel all with no cultivation!
While his Lord was not too concerned with the property loss, it was a big loss of face, and had ordered him to clean up the mess. He had taken a team of guards with mid Qi Gathering Realm cultivation and finally tracked the freak before the current events aspired. He had almost caught the little bastard and didn’t know the green glow represented. The highest talent he was aware of was the gold glow. So swallowing his anger, he respectfully addressed Cultivator Hong.
“Esteemed Senior this freak is a devious criminal, and not worthy to join the esteemed jade Pagoda Sect. May we arrest this criminal?” The smiling cultivator’s visage flashed with fury as he made single-handed incantation gestures and flicked his sleeves. A meter long serpent made of flame as thick as his wrist flew towards the Guard Captain and before he could react smashed into his face causing a small explosion. All that remained above his neck was a charred stump. The nearby guards had heat blisters on their skin and their expressions were painful.
“You dare to advise me on Sect matters and tarnish the honor of a Sect Disciple? The price for your insolence is Death!” he said coolly. He then addressed his fellow cultivators. “Fellow Apprentice Brothers and Sisters, I will take my leave with brother Lee. Please deliver the other selected prospective disciples as planned. Brother Lee, please grasp my hand, we will be teleporting directly to the sect.” He then extended his hand to Qin Lee who grasped it firmly. Senior Apprentice Brother Hong then withdrew a charm which looked like a clock and crushed it. They were covered in a green glow and disappeared from sight.
Fang Hao released the breath he didn’t know he was holding. Instantly there was background chatter as everyone discussed the turn of events. By now even retards would have realized, that the green glow was extremely significant to the Jade Pagoda Sect. The Qi Condensation Realm cultivators gathered around the giant lotus leaf and chanted under their breath making hand gestures. The giant lotus leaf expanded greatly and now looked large enough for all the hundred or so prospective disciples to sit on cross-legged.
The Jade Pagoda Cultivators herded the prospective disciples on the giant lotus leaf. Fang Hao glanced at Uncle Mu before sitting on the lotus cross legged. Senior Fatty Chen made his way and sat next to him. “Let that be a lesson on not offending those more powerful than you, eh Fatty Hao. Sometimes even groveling politely can bring swift retribution.” Fang Hao heard the bitterness in the usually cheerful Senior Fatty Chen’s voice as the Giant Lotus started flying.
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Note on levels of Cultivation (revealed till now):
Mortal, then Qi gathering, then Qi Condensation.
All the guards that have been mentioned in this chapter as well as Uncle Mu are Qi gathering Realm, which is one Realm lower than Qi Condensation. The Jade Pagoda Disciples, who arrived on the giant lotus leaf, are the only Qi Condensation layer appearances till now.
Please do inform me if I have mixed up the cultivation realms.
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