After almost a year of travel Naath finally made it to the other side of the forest. As soon as he saw the roads near the forest and actual people he let out a breath of relief. He had finally made it to a place that resembled civilization again! He walked up to one of the roads and tried to get the attention of one of the carriage drivers. However they all ignored him and looked at him like he was a beggar. Then again his clothes were dirty and ragged from his long travels through the forest.
Shaking his head Naath just decided to follow the road to the city, he had walked this far after all, what was another kilometer? After walking for a few minutes though, a passing carriage pulled over and stopped. The door opened and a young man came out and asked.
“Hello friend, It looks like your heading to the city? Would you like a lift? I’m heading to the Raging River sects entrance gate to try and pass the tests to enter.”
Naath stopped and thought for a second gently nodding his head saying.
“Yes I would appreciate a lift, I’m also heading to the sect to try to get in. But what tests are their? My elders conveniently left that information out when they sent me through that damned forest. Oh right I’m Naath by the way, I’m from a village on the other side of the forest, this is my companion beast, Brutus.”
The young man almost jumped out of his skin when he saw the white/silver wolf as if he hadn’t seen him at all before Naath pointed him out.
“Holy crap! Thats a silver moon wind wolf! Do you have any idea how rare those are, even most nobles cant dream of having a tamed silver moon wind wolf! If you were to auction him off you would make-”
“No, he is my companion you wouldn’t sell your son or daughter would you? Hes not for sale and if anyone wants Brutus then can have him over my cold, dead body.”
“Ah, ahem, of course. My name is Baal by the way, I’m from the nearby Dust Wind city. There aren’t any particularly good sects there so I came here for the five bronze star Raging River sect. Right you wanted to know about the entrance tests? They are simple, they just need to measure a few things. Your age, what energy you cultivate, and the sound rating of your last breakthrough. Based on the results you will be an outer disciple, an inner disciple, a core disciple, or even an elders apprentice.”
“Huh? They measure the sound of your last breakthrough? How do they do that?”
“Oh thats easy, they use a basic formation that looks at the density of martial energy in your bones. Based on the density they can roughly determine it on a scale of 1 to 10. The score has to be at least 3 for you to be accepted into the sect. Its not overly hard to do. Each level is roughly twice the previous one starting at a breakthrough sound of 10 feet. You just need a sound area of 40 feet or more and your fine. As for age you just need to be under 40 years old. They really don’t care what energy you cultivate so long as you pass these, they just like to know so they can give you proper cultivation resources.”
“Ah, that was informative, thank you. Should we get going now?”
Baal agreed and the two stepped into the carriage with Brutus right behind them. As they traveled the duo talked more and Brutus seemed on edge being around other humans but kept his calm for Naaths sake. After only a short 15 minutes the trio arrived at the testing site for the sect.
Nobody payed any attention to Naath and Baal stepping out of the carriage but as soon as Brutus stepped out the entire plaza where the tests were help burst into an uproar.
“Whoa! A silver moon wind wolf! Who’s do you think it is?”
“Huh, what do you mean who’s? One of them is dressed like a beggar who just crawled out from the deep jungle, the other looks like a distinguished young master.”
This statement was met with nods all around the crowd now focused on Brutus. Naath laughed as Brutus walked up next to him. He put his hand down and gently ruffles the fur on Brutus’ head saying.
“Look at that Brutus, your famous already! Ahh the plight of a master with a famous beast. Haha.”
Brutus just rolled his eyes at Naath’s antics already greatly used to it. When the crowd saw that Naath was able to pet Brutus so freely and even gently mock the wolf their jaws were almost on the floor. The young man who earlier said that there was no way Naath was the master of Brutus felt his face burning from embarrassment. He felt like he had just been personally slapped by his own statement.
Ignoring the crowds the trio walked to the line for entrance tests Naath and Baal continued talking for a while and soon enough they arrived at the front of the line. Baal walked forward and then paused turning to Naath.
“Here take this wooden title plate its not much but it’s all I have to exchange with you right now to show that were brothers now. See you later Naath.”
Baal threw an awkwardly carved wooden title plate back to Naath who caught it and looked at it for a moment before putting it away in his storage ring and then he produced his own wooden title plate that he had carved in the woods when he got bored. After exchanging the title plates Baal went up onto the small stage set up for entrance tests. Naath chuckled at how it seemed odd to have a stage at first but in a world with no tv or electronics it made sense that people would take their entertainment wherever they could get it.
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Naath was also kind of curious what level of talent Baal had, he had watched other people as well, considering that the sound measurement and everything was public. There were mostly 3s and 4s on the sound measuring device, it seemed like that was the average for most people. He had seen one five though and that led to quite a few murmurs and gasps in the crowd. It seemed like a sound rating of five was considered as quite talented. After thinking this for a moment Naath snapped out of it and looked on to see Baal’s talent result.
Baal stopped in front of the old man sitting on an old wooden chair gave his name, and age. The old man listlessly nodded his head and scribbled something in a little book he had on his lap. Then he waved his hand towards a large stone tablet with 10 gems placed along it going upwards. Each gem represented a level of sound, the lowest being a 1 the highest being a 10. Baal nodded his head and walked over to the stone tablet gently placing his hand on it. After a moment like with everyone else the stones lit up in succession. The first second and third lit up immediately, the fourth took a moment.
When Baal still didn’t remove his hand from the stone the crowd seem to collectively hold their breath wondering if he could really reach five. Soon enough the crowd had their answer and the fifth gem lit up. Yet Baal still kept his hand on the stone pillar and the crowd seemed to go silent and freeze in place. Once could hear a pin drop in the plaza if it were to fall right now, the crowd was intently focused on Baal and his result. After fifteen seconds that seemed to drag on infinitely for the crowd the sixth light finally emitted a faint light.
“Waaaahhhh!!! He did it! He actually lit up six lights!!!”
The crowd erupted into cheers and praises for Baal when they saw his result. Baal on the stage rubbed under his nose and smirked cheekily at the crowd. However everyone went quiet once the old man sitting in the chair spoke up.
“Everyone, please calm down, a rare talent is indeed something to be excited over but don’t forget we recently also found another young man who’s talent was noticed by the elders just by his last breakthrough alone. Normally Baal, I would make you an inner or core disciple, however, we recently had an influx of talented cultivators and you will have to start out as an outer disciple. Due to the recent influx of talents the sect has placed some rather strict requirements for the advancement of disciples to the next rank. To become an inner disciple now requires one to have a cultivation of peak bone hardening.
You can become a core disciple at the fifth stage of blood cleansing, and once you reach peak blood cleansing you have the right to become an elders disciple. I am sorry for the inconvenience here but unfortunately you will have to start as an outer disciple. Please take this title plate and robe confirming your identity.”
“Ah elder it too courteous, I am fine working my way up the ranks. Just so long as I get to be a part of the Raging River sect I’m happy.”
Baal even went so far as to cup his fists and to bow to the old man before taking his new robe and title plate. Then he walked back down the stage, stopped and said.
“Brother Naath, it seems like the requirements this time around are a bit much. Don’t worry the two of us can definitely advance together though! Quickly go up now, allow me to see what level of talent you have.”
Naath shook his head and stepped up onto the stage greeting the elder and saying.
“My name is Naath, I am almost 11 years old as of right now. I unfortunately cannot say what elements I cultivate as it is a bit… astonishing. I come from a remote village so I only have my given name, no surname.”
The elder arched an eyebrow at this and said.
“Young man, I cant allow you to even test your talent without knowing what element you… did you say elements? Plural, sigh another trash from a backwater village who doesn’t know better than to cultivate more a single element. What's more I need to put in a surname too for easy identification, so just give yourself one, I don’t care what.”
“Elder I can tolerate many things, but I wont allow you to disrespect my home! Fine if you wish to force it from me, I have an innate bodily art of devour! My body innately absorbs and consumes all energies! Also fine you want a surname then call me Kongbai Naath!”
(Kongbai means void.)
The elder and the entire crowd did a double take when they heard what Naath said. An innate bodily art that made one able to absorb all energies?! How blessed by heaven was this child?!!!
The elder spoke up.
“Young man, you cannot simply spout nonsense, innate boldly arts are rare and precious. Let alone a devour body, it would be nigh impossible to see a darkness body. If you really can absorb all energies then this old man will directly send some of his sound element energy into your body. If you can devour and absorb it I will believe you, however if you are unable the vibrations will tear your body apart at a cellular level resulting in a painful death in a matter of minutes. Do you dare?”
“Bah stinky old man! Why wouldn’t I dare? Bring it on!”
“Little brat, hasn’t even learned how to spell ‘Death” yet, hmph, so be it.”
With that the old man placed a hand on Naaths arm and sent in a small amount of his sound elemental energy. Naath quickly absorbed and refined it like it was nothing, after all he didn’t really cultivate devour but a destruction law that rendered all things moot. After standing still and being fine for over five minutes the elder finally took a step back in shock and fell back into his chair. He quickly scribbled in some notes taking down Naath’s new surname and his devour body.
Then he actually got on his knees and kowtowed, saying.
“Young master I was wrong, I had eyes yet failed to recognize such a bright talent!”
Right when Naath was going to tell the elder he accepted the apology another voice rang out from the crowd.
“Cheated! He must have cheated! There’s no way he has a devour body! He must have some treasure that can absorb a certain amount of martial energy!”
With this voice the entire crowd followed, obviously not believing Naath had the devour body. After all it was something straight out of myth. Soon due to the outcry the elder sighed and offered a solution.
“Everyone since you are so unsatisfied then how about this. This old man will imbue Naath with energy again, only this time I wont stop until he either breaks through if he isn’t cheating or dies when his treasure explodes if he is.”
Soon the crowd agreed with this suggestion and was demanding Naath be tested more thoroughly.
Naath was covered in cold sweat, glad that he re-cultivated to this stage and managed to make a fourth True Void Membrane in the middle of the sole his right foot. If he hadn’t done either of these two things then he would absolutely not be ready for another breakthrough yet. But because he had done both his body could now seemingly break through every couple weeks. Thought this would obviously get far, far harder as he advanced to later realms. He was also overjoyed because this was like a pie falling from the sky! He was essentially getting a free breakthrough!