"This is incredible. They must be incredibly skilled with their affinities?" Jie asked.

"Well, you have to train them constantly, and some people get bored with just using attacks all the time," Pan Tian said, "At the rate you're going, it won't be that long before you break into the Elementalist rank. I wonder what your affinities will be?"

A red and green flaming missile rocketed high into the sky and exploded into a massive dragon. The dragon roared and spread his hands as the fire that made up his massive body flowed into a globe of the world... then drifted down, falling like snowflakes.

Jie dodged the flecks of fire, but there were so many that despite being slow, she doubted she could evade them all.

"Relax, Jie," Pan Tian said as she spread her arms and Ithilix did the same. Bits of the red and green fire touched their skin and pulsed into them harmlessly. Where the flecks touched the ground, grass and small plants sprouted.

"It's a time of creation now," Pan Tian said, "they mix wood and fire affinities for the fireworks."

"So... healing fireworks?" Jie asked.

"Well... yes," Pan Tian said, "though they're weak for actual healing, the idea is to give some of our energy back to the world. Do you see how the flakes of power drift on the wind? They say that Xiannu will carry them on the wind to wherever the energy is needed most. But... most people think that's just a silly superstition."

They continued on and into a hall with a short queue in front of a row of desks manned by elders. Jie tried to keep her face impassive as she saw Elder Kanev.

They waited in the queue before being called up to a desk manned by an elder with blue skin and tendrils coming off his face in place of a beard.

"Names?" he asked without looking up.

"Second star Expert Pan Tian, third star Expert Ithilix of the Hive, and eighth star Expert Liu Jie for the Crimson Valley Treasure Hunt," Pan Tian said.

The elder frowned and looked up from his forms. "That's only three," he said.

"We only need three," Pan Tian said.

The elder shook his head. "The rules state four," he said.

"We couldn't find a fourth, and we don't need one, anyway. We're strong enough by ourselves. Liu Jie could probably do the whole treasure hunt by herself and win," Pan Tian said.

The elder looked Jie over doubtfully. "Well, gathering allies is a useful skill for cultivators and if you couldn't gather four, then you've failed the very first challenge. I can't let you enter," he said.

"I suppose we could find someone weaker? It's annoying to give them a share but nobody would pass that up," Pan Tian said with a look at Ithilix and Jie as though asking for their approval.

"Wait," said the elder, "is that your spirit tiger?"

"Yes," Jie said.

"Why don't you just take him as your fourth?" he asked.

Jie opened her mouth, about to say that she didn't think he would've counted but then snapped her mouth shut.

"I'll do that then, thank you elder," Jie said.

"What's his name and rank?" asked the elder as he reached into a box containing transparent stones and withdrew four of them, placing them beside his forms.

"His name is Xue," Jie said, "he's at the second star of the Expert rank."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The elder filled in the forms and touched each of the stones to a shimmering metal plaque.

Elder Kanev strode to the tendril-faced elder and leaned over him with one hand on his shoulder.

"We're running low on stones, I'm going to grab a fresh box," Elder Kanev said.

The tendril-faced elder looked confused and surprised for a moment before he smiled. "Thank you," he said.

"Don't mention it," Elder Kanev said as he patted the man's shoulder. His eyes met Jie's and he smiled.

Jie watched him go, feeling suspicious.

The tendril-faced elder returned his attention to Jie and her friends as he handed them each a transparent stone.

"This will record everything you gather and everywhere you go within the valley and the dungeon. Make sure you keep it with you so it can keep track of what you gather and your exploits. The elders will review them for the competition," he said.

"Competition?" Jie asked.

"Ask your friends," the elder said, "Next!"

Jie and her friends left with a bow.

"So, what's this competition?" Jie asked.

"Well, this whole event is supposed to prepare us as cultivators. So, they record what resources and treasures you gather, how you work with your team, and what obstacles you overcome. Then, they judge a winning team based on all of that and hand out additional prizes," Pan Tian said.

"So... we get rewards for picking up stuff?" Jie asked, "Do we just grab as much as we can then?"

"No way," Pan Tian said, "there's far too much to gather everything in the valley and not everything is of equal value. The idea is to train you to identify what to take and what not to take. There are cursed items and traps too. It's all about being able to identify what's worthwhile and what's not. Imagine you're adventuring in the wilds one day, and you just pass by some incredible treasure because you thought it was trash or wasted your time gathering useless things."

"That makes sense," Jie said, "though... I have no idea what's valuable and what's not. Is there a guidebook or something?"

"This one does not believe it's necessary. This one was trained by gatherers of the Hive and is confident in her abilities," Ithilix said.

"I went through similar training with my family too and I bet that Xue has incredible magical beast senses," Pan Tian said, "so see? Teamwork. We're not just dead weight after all."

"I never called you dead weight," Jie said, "did someone say that?"

"No," Pan Tian said, "it's just that you're stronger than we are... I don't want you to feel like we're using you or holding you back or something."

"I wouldn't even know about any of this if you hadn't told me and I have no idea what's valuable and what's not," Jie said.

"You could always use your spirit sense, but I suppose if you're not used to using it in that way, it can be hard to know. And cursed items can be extremely tricky to identify... so perhaps it's just as well we're going together," Pan Tian said.

"It sounds like fun," Jie said, "when does it start?"

"It starts at midnight. The first second of World Creation Day and the new year," Pan Tian said, "everyone's going to count down and then we'll be off."

Jie nodded. "We have something similar back home," she said.

"Great! So, it's not all new to you then?" Pan Tian asked.

"No, it's still all new. We... have different customs. I'm so glad I have your help for this, or I'd probably do really badly," Jie said.

Pan Tian nodded. "Don't worry, we'll make sure you don't get killed by any cursed treasures," she said.

"Wait a minute, killed? I thought this was supposed to be a test for students!" Jie said.

"It is," Pan Tian said, looking puzzled.

"So, it's a test that kills you if you get it wrong?" Jie asked.

"Well... it depends on the treasure and what happens, I suppose. But, yes," Pan Tian said, "how would you learn anything otherwise?"

"How do you learn anything if you die after making a mistake?" Jie asked. Though part of her felt she shouldn't even be surprised by such things anymore...

Pan Tian frowned. "That's a good point. How do they do it where you're from?" she asked.

"Well, we typically have tests that don't kill you," Jie said, "Students getting eviscerated is generally frowned upon."

"Really? How strange..." Pan Tian said, "how do you celebrate World Creation Day if there's no danger?"

"Mostly people just party and have fun. And there's a whole thing about kissing someone I think? And lots of alcohol," Jie said.

"Wow! Your people sound like they know how to party," Pan Tian, "What happened to you to make you such a grouch if they're all so fun-loving?"

"It's... complicated. And, it's not all as fun as it sounds. It's supposed to be a time of celebration, but it's also the time when the most people kill themselves," Jie said.

"What? Why? That's so... bleak," Pan Tian said, "Is World Creation Day not a good thing where you come from?"

"It's supposed to be, but I guess it's not a happy time for everyone," Jie said.

"This one thinks it is better to focus on enjoying oneself than on dark thoughts now," Ithilix said.

"You're probably right," Jie said, "since it's at midnight I should probably--"

"If you say train I swear I'm going to make sure you pick up every cursed item in the valley," Pan Tian said.

"I'll... go for a leisurely walk by myself then," Jie said.

"You never go for leisurely... oh. You're hilarious," Pan Tian said, "Ugh... Fine. You know, one of these days, you'll have to tell me why it's so important you train that you can't even take Creation Eve to relax and celebrate. We're in a festival you know."

"Some day, I'll tell you all about it," Jie said, "I'll see you before midnight?"