Writer's Note: This is the last chapter of the one-shot. Decided to write the side project my friends (IRL) suggested ater raiding my room. It is called Fallen Divine Online, currently pending the first chapter for approval before the site posts it. Hope you enjoyed the story and the next chapter of The Snake Immortal is planned for tomorrow.
Chapter 6: End of the Trials
About ten minutes after Nathan arrived, six bleeding boys and girls arrived with the brute dazed behind them. His eyes widened in fury as he saw Nathan but was held back by his cronies when they pointed out the five representatives and Howard Tin, the proctor of the trials. He could only glare at Nathan with hate evident in his eyes as he joined the near one hundred who survived.
"Hmm. Not bad. About eighty six of you have survived from I don't care how many from the start of the third trial. Six of you did phenomenally: Qing Lu, Wei Han, Toshio Yashida, Jian Kim, Jisoo Kim, and Nathan Chase. Qing, Wei, Toshio, and Nathan had the most kills and entered the vault of the First Immortal. Three Soul Stones were taken, you know who you are; and Toshio got the Millennium Stone. Lastly, the two cousins of the Kim Clan from South Korea actually slayed one of the three devils and survived. Unfortunately, their three friends perished in the struggle," Howard smiled. "Congratulations. You four have passed remarkably. The rest of you.....passed but may not be accepted by the organization of your choosing. Three of those six are of the surviving six applicants of the sixth layer. One died to a devil and another died....we all saw who did it as he and his friends entered the city last."
"What are you going to do with your stones?" Qing whispered as all the applicants stared at them and two others in the stands across the platform.
"Nathan can have it. My father is at the late Shengran Realm and is in the city. I'll give it to him when we return to the coliseum. I don't want to hold something so valuable that people will kill me for it and it could sell for lots of money and cultivation resources back in Shanghai. If it wasn't for Nathan, I wouldn't be able to get the Millennium Stone which will definitely elevate my clan's status when we sell it," Toshio answered, passing the Soul Stone to Nathan.
"That's mine!" the big boy said but made no moves to draw his two-handed sword which appeared cracked and beyond repair.
"Is it now?" Nathan said as he held the Soul Stone, everyone's eyes staring at it in wonder as he looked at Jian Kim. "I'll give it to the beautiful girl at the sixth layer. She is very beautiful."
"Thank you," a teenage girl with pearl white skin and a beautiful face to match her black hair that fell below her shoulders blushed as she and her cousin walked over.
"Your welcome," Nathan grinned and handed over the Soul Stone to the envy of others, no one able to understand his words as he spoke in Korean. "I did read that South Korea was in the continent Asia, like China. Asian girls are the best. Take it. I have one of my own. How did you guys get here. They speak English where you are from?"
"You know Hangul?" she gasped, her cousin also surprised.
"I....traveled around the Pacific Ocean for years. You pick stuff up as I started in the most racially diverse country even back in the 21st Century: what's left of the United States of America. All the states in the east coast timeline area fell. I can pretty much declare that Europe and Africa, and anything around the Atlantic Ocean, is pretty much destroyed and taken over by devils or magical beasts," Nathan answered, switching back to Chinese. "So which sect are you aiming to join?"
"Sky Sage Temple," Jisoo answered for her as he held out his hand. "You really got a lot of guts. To face those guys who blocked the tunnel and then fighting them again at the top of the tower. You four joining Sky Sage Temple too?"
"Well, I pissed off, stole from, pissed off, and beat up the nephew of the patriarch of the Vermilion Phoenix Palace. The others planned to join that sect from the get go," Nathan answered.
"And our sect welcomes such talent," a man in his early thirties laughed happily as he walked over to them. "My name is Zhou of the Meng Clan. I am a cultivator at the late Shengran Realm and official representative of the Sky Sage Temple for the quarterly recruiting in Tang City and other cities. I'm sure you already know that Tang City has the three most powerful sects in all of China. A lot is expected of us and of you. No one knows when the world ends, right? The sect might be here today and gone tomorrow. In the event the sect falls, it is only your own cultivation that can help you survive. A bird that flies eventually leaves its nest. There might be a day you leave the sect to travel the world. Again, you need strength. The sect can only provide the tools, skills, teaching, and environment. It is up to you to make that effort bear fruit for your own sake."
"That's right. We can't depend on others our whole lives or we will never gain any insights," Toshio nodded. "So, is there a reward for getting the top evaluations?"
"Indeed there is," Zhou nodded. "Our sect has several ranking systems. Let's start with the top. At the very top is the Spirit Guardian: the four-winged tiger known as the Sky Sage Tiger magical beast. Then, there's the patriarch with four division leaders. Then, there are the sect elders who are all at the Shengran Realm and teach the adepts various topics. Certain cultivators at the later stages of the Xiantian Realm are chosen to be core disciples and often lead expeditions into the wilderness outside the city. They are all personal disciples of the sect elders.
Then, there are adepts. Adepts are taught the sect's true practitioner techniques based on their faction and assist in teaching the outer sect disciples. Once you become an adept, are you able to proudly call yourself a Sky Sage as you are a true member. To be an adept or inner sect disciple, you must break past the threshold of the peak of the Tempered Body ninth layer and be a Xiantian cultivator of the initial first stage. There are no short cuts in this. You are also free to visit the central district or venture out the city. Of course, the sect is not responsible for your safety outside the sect."
"Regarding your award, you will be given the opportunity to learn two spirit techniques exclusive to our sect that adepts learn. When you become an adept, you receive one true sect skill without payment. You receive a salary of purple spirit coins and spirit pills once a month. With you placing at the top in this month's recruitment trials, you receive two free spirit spirit techniques unique to the sect besides learning basic spirit techniques the outer sect disciples learn," Zhou answered.
"Damn. You have to be a Xiantian cultivator to be an inner sect disciple? Even core disciples are at the late Xiantian Realm stages. No wonder the sect is regarded as the strongest," Toshio sighed.
"We do get two free skills, the envy of all outer sect disciples who don't get to learn true spirit techniques of the sect," Wei soothed.
"Jian Kim, Jisoo Kim, and Nathan Chase; you three received the highest evaluations. Jian and Jisoo, you two cousins were part of the group that killed a seventh layer devil. Nathan, you slaughtered dozens of Class 2 wolves, defeated the Class 3 magical beast, opened the Vault of the First Immortal, and attained a Soul Stone while cutting of the horn of a devil. The two cousins will receive a Class 5 ceremonial short sword carried by all adepts of the sect: the Sky Sage Sword. You will also receive a storage belt used by adepts. Congratulations," Zhou said as he handed the Korean cousins their short sword and belts that appeared out of thin air and turned to Nathan. "Nathan Chase, your actions have placed you at the top of the third and fourth trial evaluations. You will receive a Class 7 Sky Sage Sword, storage ring with a four-winged tiger insignia that sect elders use, and your own private villa. These villas are only awarded to those who place first in their recruitment trial, or sect disciples who have become sect elders. This is to promote talent and stir the disciples to reach the Shengran Realm to gain their own private area to live and cultivate in peace. You also receive a car for your convenience. Of course, it is useless to own one until you become an adept and gain permission to venture out the sect."
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"Now, I will explain the general layout of the sect. The villas are in the northern most region of the valley. Only those who own a house, the division leaders, and the patriarch are allowed to go there. There are no visitors allowed there either, save for core disciples who visit the sect elders for their personal lessons. The western region is where outsiders visit and where the outer sect disciples live. It is also the gap between the mountain rings exist and where the highway connects the sect to the central district of Tang City. The southern region is where the four divisions are based. You will live in dormitories based on the division you join. The central region is where the sect's resources are. Examples would be the Pill Distribution Hall, the Sage Pagoda where you find manuals for cultivation techniques and methods, the Sage Mission Hal, and many more. Of course, you go there to complete missions and are awarded accordingly. Missions depend on your status and division, if applicable. The eastern region is forbidden as only the four division leaders and the patriarchs live there and where the Sacred Spirit Guardian of our sect resides. Phew, that's a mouthful," Zhou laughed. "You are allowed up to one week to say your goodbyes to the outside world until you become adepts. You can also move in immediately, if you wish."
"I guess I'm the only one," Nathan laughed weakly as he received his short sword, ring, and scarlet talisman indicating who owned a private villa that was imprinted with his spirit energy and Zhou's for authenticity, Nathan imprinting another talisman which would be given to the patriarch as proof of his claim in the event Nathan's talisman was lost or stolen.
"You have no one to say goodbye to?" Jian asked.
"No. I came here, alone, after leaving my mother's ashes in a grave over-looking Tang City. I have no connections to the outside world," he answered.
"What about a father?" Jisoo asked.
"I only know a man who took advantage of my mother while he was drunk and cared not for my birth or punished his wife for killing her. Him, his clan, and his ancestors can all burn for all I care." Nathan said.
"Then there are no distractions. Good. We leave as soon as I pick a few recruits and bicker with the other four representatives for them. Don't worry about the Vermilion Phoenix Palace. They won't bother you anymore," Zhou approved and walked to the other recruiters and the applicants.
"We're off. Thanks a lot for joining us in the third and unexpected fourth trial," Wei said, bumping fists with Nathan.
"Thank you for helping us," Qing smiled.
"I'll be sure to tell my father about you. You'll always be welcome to visit my clan in Shanghai. You better come with me when we become adepts and gain permission to leave the sect valley," Toshio laughed and the five new outer sect disciples waved goodbye and left.
"This isn't over. We belong in different sects and even I cannot kill another sect's disciple without severe punishment. We are eternal rivals now," the brute from before said as he appeared before Nathan, Nathan positioning his Sky Sage Sword at his right hip in case he needed to block an attack with his left hand. "There is a competition between sects sometime later. I don't know when, but you better be there. My name is Liang of the Dian Clan. Remember it."
"Nathan Chase. Don't worry. The trials are over and I also won't hold a grudge. However, I will still win. My cultivation will dwarf yours next time, not just my skills," Nathan replied, the two shook hands and Liang grunted before storming away. Liang was no fool and the existence of the four sects is what allowed Tang City to thrive. He would not be the one to tear that peace apart and ruin all their lives.
"Hmm, nineteen others were recruited, the worst at the second layer. Not bad. Still, that means you all have to work harder to become an adept," Zhou said to the nineteen he brought back while Nathan appeared beside him. "Life in the outer sect is difficult. You must rely on yourself to cultivate. Form friends, do not act alone, or fall and forever be an outer sect disciple. You gain eternal youth in the Siwang Realm, your life and youth extended by a hundred years when you become a Xiantian cultivator, extended another five hundred by reaching the Shengran Realm. However, the talented and hard-working truly do not need such a long lifespan extension. Work hard or die a pitiful death. You are not ranked, so you will enter the sect immediately. Proctor Howard Tin, we are leaving."
"Of course, Brother Zhou. Thank you for coming today," Howard Tin bowed and watched them leave through the teleportation array they used to enter the valley.
"Keep up. Keep up," Zhou said as they appeared in the coliseum and arrived in a white marble building nearby. "Here, you will change into the brown robes of an outer sect disciple. Nathan, as you own a private villa, you bear the right to wear what you want. You need not change."
"Right," Nathan nodded as the nineteen entered the building and appeared in brown robes. A white bus with a four-winged tiger paint job on both sides soon pulled over, a disciple in purple robes bowing before Zhou.
"This is my personal disciple, Dian Bu. He is an adept at the Xiantian eighth stage. Remember him because he will be the future recruiter of the sect and gathers information used to create missions for adepts who wish to hunt outside the city. Brown robes are worn by out sect disciples, black robes are worn by adepts, purple robes are worn by core disciples, white robes are worn by sect elders, white and black robes are worn by the division leader, and white and gold robes are worn by the patriarch. Unless you own the privilege of having a private villa, do not dare wear robes of ranks above your own," Zhou warned.
"Greetings, new outer sect disciples," Dian said and handed the nineteen daggers and a six chamber pistol. "These are your private weapons. Use them to protect yourself from others. We do not use heat weapons in the sect, as they could easily be blocked or dodged. Still, we recognize the danger and need of a gun."
"This is for you," Dian said as he gave Nathan a strange pistol with a long barrel without a load out. "This is a heat weapon invented in the modern era. It is called a plasma gun. Unfortunately, plasma guns are the highest form of military technology mankind managed to invent. We can't make a bigger size and knowledge of flying cars and other plasma technology was lost about four thousand years ago. Core disciples and above, including villa owners, have the right to own and use one. Like master said, it is useless to the powerful but still dangerous. Bind it to yourself and it can appear in and out of your hand as you wish. Others who use plasma guns are the Chinese Army, Divine Dragon Academy,and Blasted Turtle Rock sect. Now you know why they are so inferior to our sect."
"Martial arts is still the best. Thank you," Nathan grinned and bound the pistol, watching it disappear into the form of a tiger head tattoo in his hand.
"Okay, got your weapons adjusted?" Zhou asked and the nineteen others nodded. "Good. The nineteen of you get in the bus. We head to the sect and the beginning of your new lives."
"Mother, I finally entered a sect. I will not die the same pitiful death I died before. I have no love for any countries of this world. I will endure. I will survive. I will become an immortal," Nathan vowed with all his heart as he and the others got on the bus that shortly drove to the west soon after.