Chapter 3: Climbing the Mountain
Four days after registering his new status as an immortal, his family was both surprised and elated that Wilbert obtained a storage ring. Magical items were both rare and expensive. Upon registration, Will received his immortal flying sword and a random skill book.
Flying immortal swords came with their own enchantments that allowed the immortal to make the sword levitate and fly in the air. The sword could also expand to a certain degree. New disciples only received the standard, non-combatant flying swords. That meant the sword was useless in battle unless wielded normally and the maximum flying speed was twenty five miles per hour.
The random skill Will received was a water and thunder attribute skill called Aurora Flash. It was a rare skill, but very few people could learn the skill from the skill book. The employee in the City Administration Building thought that Will suffered a loss until the book turned into light and entered Will's body.
Will learned his 'third' skill and would soon be taught the primary initial skill from the immortal organization once his faction was determined. In truth, Will knew four skills (the Earth Breaker skill kept secret) and had his left arm's special ability. Information of the immortal organization's eight factions was classified for mortals and his father didn't know as William wasn't a member.
"This is where I leave you," William smiled as he and Will stood at the foot of the mountain range with countless white marble steps leading up to the top of the city's specific mountain top. "This is the number one immortal organization within a thousand miles. It is not international, but it is the safest place to be. Good luck. Do not disobey the examiner."
Will waited with seventy nine others who hoped to enter the sect. As Will walked among them, he took it as an opportunity to experiment with his left arm's ability. No one seemed to detect or see black radiating tattoos on his left arm nor the amethyst gem appear embedded on the back of his left hand.
As Will began taking money, he noticed the currency was different. There were copper coins, silver coins, and gold coins. Each item stolen would be absorbed into the amethyst gem as if it were a storage ring with an infinite dimensional space inside. He decided to experiment and tried to steal any abilities in the crowd. Not only did it fail, the person in question felt very uncomfortable and scream as if stepping on broken glass with bare feet.
However, Will learned he could steal a very minimal amount of magical energy from the people around him. Those people would feel dizzy as their body weakened. He realized the true effect as his magical energy went up while theirs went down. He stopped his experiments as people became too curious and began questioning each other.
"I took a lot of stuff," Will whispered in awe as he covered his left hand with his right sleeve and transferred the items in his amethyst gem into the storage ring on his left index finger. Most of the items were currency along with a few snacks. He didn't dare steal anything magical as he didn't know the limits of his left arm.
Just increasing the amount of magical energy in his body was a great benefit. Notably, his left arm seemed to contain more magical energy than the rest of his body. He also felt as if it was actually stronger than his right arm. His left arm also scared him as he could feel something dangerous. He couldn't tell exactly what it was, but Will just knew that his left arm was the reason he could use a dark and light fusion skill.
When he had practiced using the Aurora Flash skill during the four days until today, he learned he could not perform the skill with one hand. He needed both hands to hold his flying sword or resort to archery in order to use the skill. He learned to the earth element with either hand and still struggled to create even one black and purple lightning sphere with either hand.
"The more I use the left hand's thieving ability, the less I understand," Will muttered before the crowd gasped and pointed at the mountain.
All eyes looked above to see three men descend atop a small white cloud. One man was dressed in a decorated, sky blue cloak over white robes while two others wore no cloaks over their brown martial robes. The clothing style was similar to ancient China.
"Greetings to everyone. I am the sect recruiter of the Sword Cloud Sect, the number one immortal organization in the region and the neighboring regions in all directions. You are all people who awakened in time for this year's second the bi-annual recruitment normally held in the fall. Choosing to come here means that you will undergo a recruitment exam compared to the other immortal organizations in the city," the man in the sky blue cloak began as he gazed at the crowd.
"Being recruited is simple, like any other immortal organization at the city behind you. All you must do is follow the steps up the mountain, cross the bridge, and meet the one of the sect's Guardian Beasts that awaits you at the lake on the other side. You have until you cross the bridge to alert any of these outer sect disciples. You will become an outer sect disciple if you wish, or descend down the mountain and try your luck elsewhere," the sect recruiter continued.
"If you cross the bridge, there is no going back. Remember, I am always watching. Me, and many others. If you wish to become an inner sect disciple, cross the bridge and meet the Guardian Beast. If you are approved, you and any others would meet the sect master and the heads of the eight factions. They will decide your future and proclaim you official members of the sect. However, you risk your life as the Guardian Beast will devour you if you are not approved. For a bright future, you must be willing to give up your life if you wish to become an inner sect disciple," the sect recruiter concluded and waved his hand.
As red paper talismans floated before the eighty recruits, one of the members in brown robes spoke. "These talismans will be how you communicate with the sect recruiter. Using it means you give up the right to cross the bridge and must choose between the two earlier choices. If you cross the bridge, an outer sect disciple will collect the talisman and escort you to the lake."
"You have until you cross the bridge to decide. You may now begin your ascent," the other outer sect disciple declared and people at the front raced towards the stairs.
The sect recruiter watched with amusement as the eighty recruits started walking up the white marble stairs. In his eyes, only eight of them were worthy of notice as those eight used their flying swords to skip the stairs altogether.
The recruiter was mildly surprised when two dozen others began to do the same. The twenty either recently awakened or had a little above average talent. One of those twenty was Will. Will concentrated all his focus on his flying sword as he flew over the white marble steps. Halfway up the mountain, Will realized he was running out of magical energy and landed by the stairs.
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As Will leaned against the rocky walls beside the stairs, he used his left arm to absorb magical energy in the air. Everyone who could use a flying sword had either moved to the peak or landed several feet above of him while circling the mountain.
When Will recovered, he got on his flying sword and slowly made his ascent upward again. His flying sword was still shaky, but not enough to threaten his balance as he stood atop it. When Will finally reached the peak of the stairs, he noticed a wooden bridge he hadn't seen while circling the mountain. It was as if it magically appeared. He felt his chest grow warm and saw that the red talisman was shining. It was then that he realized that the talisman allowed him to see it once he reached the top.
"You are the nineteenth to arrive at the bridge. Four have already given up the right to cross. Do you wish to continue?" an outer sect disciple asked as Will landed before the bridge. He looked to be a man in his early thirties, but nowhere near as powerful as the sect recruiter.
"Can I fly across it?" Will asked.
"No. The further down the bridge you go, the greater the magical energy density. Think of it like an increase in gravity. You'd be lucky not to impale yourself with your own sword when getting slammed onto the bridge," the man grinned. "You don't want to be like me, only being able to become an inner sect disciple upon ranking in the top three in the annual outer sect competition. Try to cross the bridge and risk your life to get in the inner sect."
"Thanks for the advice. I'll cross," he answered, putting his sword in its sheath and held it in his left hand as he walked across the bridge.
"Good luck," the disciple called before Will walked into the mist cloaking the bridge.
Will walked for ten minutes before realizing that his steps grew heavier. After another ten minutes, it was getting harder for him to breath. He had passed two people already and saw one girl grudgingly crush her talisman to be rescued from the bridge. After thirty minutes, Will's back was drenched with sweat and he was panting heavily as he finally made it across.
"Congratulations. You are the tenth to cross successfully," a woman smiled as she approached him.
"Tenth? Did I miscount?" he wondered.
"Some quit halfway while some died. We try to clean the mess so people don't find out," the woman smiled eerily. "You have climbed the stairs and crossed the bridge. Now, you must choose to meet the Guardian Beast. Life or death is uncertain. What is your choice?"
"I'll meet the Guardian Beast," Will said without hesitation as he noted how old the outer sect disciples were. It was evident that increasing his spirit rank as an outer sect disciple would be multitudes more difficult. The woman smiled as he handed her his red talisman.
"Should it be your end, your family will be notified and a consolation of ten gold will be delivered to them. I will now escort you to the lake," the woman said and a torch of green flames appeared in her hand before she walked into the mist. "Keep up or you'll get lost in the enchanted mist."
"Right," Will nodded and followed the woman into the mist. It felt like a minute passed before the two arrived on curved white stone bridge with lanterns along its edge. As they reached the other side, the woman gestured to the left where white marble tiles seemed to stop before a large serene lake. To the right, Will could see four other people with relieved expressions.
"Life or death, you made the choice to come here. Approach the lake to be judged by the Guardian Beast!" the sect recruiter ordered as he stood beside those who passed.
Will's heart beat began to race as he walked toward the lake. What did a Guardian Beast look like? Was it a creature of fantasy? Of myth? Legend? All kinds of thoughts raced through his head as he stepped at the edge of the white marble tile floor just before the muddy banks surrounding the lake.
The ground rumbled and the lake rippled as something deep underwater began to move. Will gasped and fell back onto the hard tile floor in shock as a giant left claw covered in cyan scales burst out from the ground. Slowly, the head of a Chinese dragon rose from the lake and Will saw its body stand on four claws like a horse.
Two antler horns were slanted on the back of its head as a long, white horsetail around six feet long created small waves behind its back as it moved with the wind. Two golden, reptilian eyes gazed down at him like a king staring at a subject. Will had never seen a magical creature before and his mind was numbed to shock as its head stopped a few meters from his face.
Will's face paled as the dragon roared. His body began to rise from the ground as a small stream of greenish blue energy left the dragon and entered Will's heart. The dragon's eyes narrowed as a black pearl rose up from the lake and floated before Will. The dragon stared at the pearl before going back under the lake.
"I, I'm alive," Will panted with relief as his feet touched the floor. He scrambled forward as he caught the black pearl. He put the pearl under the sun and admired it.
"You have been chosen and granted a small token of the dragon. Only one other has received a token. Keep it well," the sect recruiter smiled as he gestured beside himself. "We will wait until sunset before failing those still climbing the stairs or crossing the bridge."
A few hours later, a total of fifteen of the eighty recruits were successfully approved by the Guardian Beast. As time passed by Will and the rest of the fifteen were approached by curious magical beasts. Four of the fifteen recruits actually tamed a magical beast as it chose to become their spirit beasts.
Will was not one of those fortunate four to possess a spirit beast so easily. After seeing the Guardian Beast, a childhood dream of owning and riding a dragon into the sky was rekindled. Will vowed he would tame a dragon one day. After all, who could predict the future?
"Fifteen accepted and three of you even tamed magical beasts without using a skill or item. This signifies the high amount of dragon magical energy that was bequeathed to the three of you. You should feel proud. The fall recruitment is the hardest because the magical energy is the harshest as summer passes toward winter. Welcome to the Sword Cloud Sect," the sect recruiter smiled. "It is time to meet the masters. Let's go."
"Yes!" the recruits cheered and followed the sect recruiter away from the lake.