CHAPTER TEN

The door creaked as it opened, revealing a tiny bedroom with a double bed and a wooden desk. Anmos stepped forward into the room, his eyes locking onto the midnight-haired youth sprawled onto the bottom bed. Their eyes locked onto each other, one onyx the other copper - each observing the other.

"Hey, you're my new roommate?" The black-haired youth leaned up from his lying position, looking at Anmos with growing interest.

"Yeah, that's me." Anmos takes a huge sigh, plopping himself next to the youth.

"Hun, welcome to our lowly Inner Court. What's your name?" He moved over to the side, giving space for Anmos to sit.

"Thanks. I'm Anmos Archer." It was comfortable to say his name now, a sign that he accepted his place as Denom's son.

"Anmos Archer. Got it. I'm Theo, another recently moved in Inner Disciple. Came in just about three days ago."

"Oh, well I guess we're in it together Theo. Does the sect give us a manual, rules, or anything?"

"Yeah, of course. Right there." Theo pointed onto the table, where four books were laying. Two were white. The third was yellow, the fourth was red.

Anmos had been assigned to "572" due to it being pre-prepared with a red manual. The manual was a Qi Condensation manual that set one on the path of fire. Anmos' talent for the elements was scratched on during the talent evaluation. The yellow book showed that Theo's element was lightning.

Anmos' hand wrapped around the white book, which read, "Rules and Regulations." Smiles bloomed on Anmos' face.

"My uncle paid a price to get me a Qi Condensation manual at an early stage. I reached the second stage; poor talent made it take three years." Anmos lied once again. His lie makes an excuse for not wanting the manual or his current cultivation.

"Hun. Then your best bet is Condensation Pills. They can help circumvent your talent issue - problem is they are in high demand."

"Then how do I get them?" Anmos plopped himself onto the bed.

"A lot of ways really. Either from missions, distribution day or trading them in for money. You can read it all in the white book. I'm taking a nap." Theo climbed into the sheets of the bed, surrounding himself in the cozy sheets of warmth.

Anmos got off the bed and sat on the wooden chair. Placing his elbows on the desk, he began his reading expedition.

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"Slap." Anmos gently closed the book, reviewing over the knowledge he learned.

The sect was split into Outer, Inner, and Core courts. The Outer Court were treated the worst; they have to do menial jobs like cleaning and landscaping for little to no reward. They contained the most number of people within the sect.

The Inner Court was a court for growing sect members. They have access to the Pill Workshop, Treasure Pavillion, Battle Arena, and Mission Forest. In all of those places, they can earn rewards like Condensation Pills - which hold condensed Qi. They either live one or two to a house.

Core Disciples live in secluded caves. They gain more resources from the Pill Workshop and hold a higher status within the sect. Precious to the sect and have the highest talent. Fated to become an elder or be able to roam the Azure Province or even the entire Algos Continent.

After understanding the sects different sections, Anmos looked out to the window to observe the sunset. Tough to see over the various rooftops. Splashes of pink and yellow suffused throughout the sky, enveloping the entire world with its flowery radiance.

'I'll cultivate during the night or when he's gone, just in case.' Denom had already told him that when absorbing from the painting it doesn't give off strange residue. But the less risk the better.

After the sunset passed, he climbed up the wooden ladder to the top of the bunk bed. Snugging himself cozily into two blankets; eyes shutting off the world. His mind floated back to the visual painting, silently absorbing from a twinkling star in the sky.

"C'mon Anmos. Your turn in the shower!" A call came from the only other room in the tiny house. Anmos' groggy eyes reluctantly opened, accepting the world once more. Theo was already changed, waiting to go to the Battle Arena.

Battle Arena is a place for sect members to spar and battle. Almost all battles included wages using cultivation pills. The two cultivators must be at the same level, unless in special conditions. It was the place to settle debts and problems as way as the place to make the quickest amount of money.

"Got it." Anmos scooched across the bed, nose inches from the wall. Crawling down the ladder, hopped into the shower, put on his new blue robes - provided by Outer Disciples. Theo seemed to wait patiently, standing outside the number "572" on the door. Anmos stepped out, dawning cultivator robes, and smiled to Theo.

"You look like a new man. Let's head to that Battle Arena." Theo started walking down the road, passing all other identical houses. Anmos followed quietly, observing the scenery around him with amazement. Eventually, they split off into a separate road, passing several other blue-robed cultivators. Most wouldn't say anything, going on to mind their own business.

Anmos and Theo arrived at a large arena with chairs around it - for important spectators. Otherwise, everyone else was surrounding the arena in a crowd. In the middle were two 3rd level Inner Disciplines sparring.

"This way Anmos!" Theo led Anmos through the crowd and to the front to see the fight. Separate from the crowd, there was a line of challengers for the winner. At the front, Anmos watched the two fight, his excitement building.

The two weren't yet at the level of being able to infuse the elements into their physical attacks. Thus each one was a testament to fighting ability and raw strength. Each fist had to be carefully armed, both boxers in a fighting arena. Some of the crowd cheered for one, some for the other. It was an entertainment show with rewards.

Anmos' eyes followed each battle, a fighting desire burning within him. He found himself walking towards the line, Theo leaving to the Mission Forest behind him.

Anmos joined the line of people awaiting a spar.

'This is how I'll earn Condensation Pills!'