Time had passed and the group of new disciples was now together once again.
Sofie looked around and saw Yang Meng standing besides her. They had talked a lot while they followed elder Mei Yue around the other elemental halls to pick up all the new disciples.
Sofie was amazed the moment she saw the other elemental halls. The biggest was the earth hall, which was a giant towering mountain. One of the more unique once was the sand hall, as it just looked like a giant box filled with sand. This earned it the name "Sandbox".
Sofie could not help but laugh to herself, as she thought about the sandbox. Sand Qi was one of the more unique types of qi in the world and was hard to come by and hard to train in.
The scorching sun sect having an elemental hall for it already spoke of how powerful the sect was.
Looking back, Sofie saw a lake with a small entrance going into the water. This was the last hall they visited. The water hall. The hall itself was underwater and in the middle of a giant lake. Definitely being the most beautiful of all the elemental halls, as you could see through the walls of the hall and see all the fish and underwater life of the lake.
"Hello~! I'm asking you something!" Yang Meng chimed in from the side, as he looked annoyed at Sofie being lost in thought once again. One of the things he found out about talking to the energetic little girl, was that she sometimes spaced out completely ignoring her surroundings.
Sofie was slightly surprised while turning around to look at Yang Meng's annoyed face. "S-sorry, I-I was spacing out… W-what did y-you ask?"
"I was asking how you did in cultivation, what stage did you manage to reach?" Yang Meng calmed down and focused, as he calmly asked his question. Not showing any of his former annoyance.
"Cultivation stage…? Ah, I reached the 6 stage of qi gathering, what about you?" Sofie looked slightly confused at first, but soon understood and honestly answered Yang Meng's question without any delay.
Yang Meng looked a little shocked that she had managed to reach the 6 stage of the qi gathering realm and decided to answer her question as well. "I reached the 6 stage of qi gathering as well."
Following the answer, Sofie looked at Yang Meng with a bit of fighting spirit.
To think we both reached the 6 stage of the qi gathering realm! Maybe… We can become rivals! I heard from big sister that one of the reasons she improved so fast in cultivation, was because she had a rival that was almost as talented as her… Does this not mean Yang Meng is a good rival?!
Thinking this to herself, Sofie felt her fighting spirit ignite at the prospect of advancing faster in cultivation. She definitely needed to find some more time to spend with Yang Meng and somehow get him to train together with her.
Yang Meng, had unknowingly been targeted once again by someone… Though this time, he might benefit to some degree. Of course, it will still be painful…
…
The group of new disciples slowly made their way back to the front of the martial hall pagoda under the guidance of Mei Yue.
"Everyone! Now you are going to enter the second floor of the martial hall pagoda! Here you will pick a martial art technique." Mei Yue stopped in front of the martial hall pagoda and told them.
Most of the new disciples were excited. This of course included Sofie, as she remembered back in the fire cave where senior sister Ling Yue had used a martial art technique to take of the fire bat.
Elder Mei Yue saw the excited children and a small smirk formed at the corner of her lips, as she opened her mouth again.
"Does anyone here know the 3 directions martial art techniques are divided into?"
Sofie looked confused together with most of the new disciples.
Yang Meng of course was an exception, as he proudly raised his hand. Mostly out of fear that elder Mei Yue would scold him again.
Elder Mei Yue looked a little disappointed that it was only Yang Meng raising his hand and with a face full of regret she pointed at Yang Meng while letting out a sigh in the process, she really wanted to choose someone else than the annoying little dumpling.
Getting picked, Yang Meng proudly looked up at elder Mei Yue, while his chubby little face lit up with pride as he started talking. "Martial art techniques are divided into 3 main directions. Weapon skills, qi spells and finally domain-oriented techniques. With weapon skills and qi spells being the most common. Domain oriented techniques can only be used at the peak of meridian opening by some talented people. Most of the time only people at the hollow core realm can use domain-oriented techniques."
The prideful and arrogant look on the little chubby boy's face was annoying to an unbearable degree, as elder Mei Yue and the other new disciples had a sudden urge to hit it.
Sofie did not know that almost all the people around her was out to beat up her "rival" and looked towards Yang Meng's chubby face in admiration.
He was indeed knowledgeable! Deserving to be her rival!
Elder Mei Yue pressed down the urge to start beating up the little arrogant boy in front of her and guided the new disciples towards the spiral staircase leading to the second floor of the martial hall pagoda.
…
The second floor of the martial pagoda was huge, like the first floor. The difference this time around was that the floor was split into two. One side had Qi spells, while the other side had weapon skills.
Sofie glanced at one of the weapon skills close to the spiral staircase leading down to the first floor.
[Fist of the great angel, 1'st volume in the art of angel fist combat]
To be honest, Sofie had no clue what an angel was, and she did not want to find out either, as the weapon skill gave her a really bad feeling.
The only thing she found a bit interesting was that fists were considered weapons…
Maybe they just didn't feel like making a new direction called close combat skills or something? Did they like the number 3 and did not want to ruin it with adding another direction?
Sofie tried to think of why fist combat and skill were part of weapon skills, but could not come up with an answer.
"Okay children, I will now explain a little about martial art techniques before you get to go pick one for yourself." Elder Mei Yue started talking the moment she saw all the new disciples had made their way to the second floor.
"Martial art techniques are as you know divided into 3 directions. Other than that, they are also graded depending on how strong they are! The grade a-"
"Mortal grade, Earth grade and Heaven grade!" A voice interrupted elder Mei Yue, as everyone slowly turned around and looked at the idiot who dared to interrupt an elder.
An arrogant little dumpling was sticking his nose high into the air, as he pridefully gazed at the surrounding new disciples. Clearly not noticing the death stare coming from elder Mei Yue.
"Meng brat! Follow me outside for a moment, while we are gone for a little chat the rest of you can start picking a martial art technique. Remember, the higher grade the technique. The harder it is to practice." Saying this, elder Mei Yue made her way towards Yang Meng.
Yang Meng seemed to realize the mistake he made and tried to flee down the spiral staircase. Sadly, for him, he felt someone holding him in an iron grip around his neck, as he was dragged down the stairs and out of the martial hall pagoda by elder Mei Yue.
…
Soon a few pitiful cries echoed across the entire sect grounds, as many wondered whether a pig was being slaughtered somewhere nearby.