"Um… alright, I will tell you the basics" Maya answered after looking at Ace for a while.
"There are a total of 18 layers of an element one can master"
"18?" Ace questioned.
"Yeah, 18"
"So what happens when one master all 18 layers?" Ace questioned.
"Umm… no one has done that in this city, the city only has 12th layer powerhouse…" Maya answered.
"So you mean to say that no one in the city knows about what happens when one master all 18 layers?"
"Well, the sect masters should know, but I am not sure about it myself" Maya replied in an uncertain tone.
"I understand…" Ace replied.
"Oh! Look! We are already here, time sure flies when you talk with someone who you are destined to meet with! I hope we meet again soon. Maybe in the Annual Sect's meet!" Maya exclaimed.
Ace looked at the door in front of him that had the words, Inferno Sword Sect craved on it.
There were many people standing in front of the door, mostly looked in their 20s or 30s.
"Well, I have to go now, take care" Maya stated.
"Take care, and thank you for the help!" Ace answered back with a smile as Ace and Maeve walked towards the door while Maya walked away.
"Dude, look at that woman…"
"She's hot~"
"But why is she carrying a baby?"
"Is she her daughter?"
"I don't think so, she looks too young to be a mother"
"Who is that guy beside her?"
"Well, I don't want to admit, but he's got striking features"
"Is she his girlfriend?"
"Do you think he wants another girlfriend?" A young Maga questioned.
"I don't think you stand a chance, let me try" another Maga answered.
"Humph! He only got looks. If he is here then it must mean he wants to become a disciple, just wait and look how pathetically will he fail"
Other mages and Magas chatted but Ace and Maeve ignored them all as it was already a common occurrence for them.
"Hey, what will you do? Will you show your Soul element?" Ace questioned.
"Hmm? I don't think I need to, I suggest you become the elder while I will just enter as your wife" Maeve replied.
"Okay, this way you can also act as a secret bodyguard for our Gracie" Ace nodded and Maeve smiled.
Although Maeve isn't a Divinity like Ace, underestimating her is a fatal mistake.
She trains Soul Element, and even though her talent was only S rank, she has already beaten many SS rank with her cultivation speed, but that is not the most dangerous thing about her.
The most deadly is her Soul Element itself. It is a little special than others, though Ace and Maeve aren't able to put their fingers on what is special, what matters is that her soul element is stronger than the normal soul element, it is like there is a hidden power inside it.
Also, Maeve feels that the real power is still unhidden, she figured that it will show itself when she attains Divinity. Still, the conclusion is, Maeve is very strong.
Even in Herferd, people who could take her on in a One on One fight aren't more than 10.
Why didn't she help Ace in his fight against Vlade?
Because Ace wanted to crush Vlade on his own. He wanted to avenge his family with his own 2 hands, therefore he requested Maeve to not interfere.
A few minutes later, the doors opened and an elder appeared. He had an arrogant air around him. He looked in his 50's though his real age should be more than that. He had a slightly wrinkled face, his appearance could be called average; he wore simple white robes with an Inferno Sword Sect insignia on it, his robes, completely opposite to the arrogant air around him.
He had a long white-black beard along with white-black hairs, but his hairs weren't naturally while like Ace's, they were white due to old age.
"Welcome to the Inferno Sword Sect, you all can call me Elder Stolz. You all will be fighting each other and only the top 500 shall be selected, the rest of you will have to leave" He directed.
"Mister Stolz" Ace spoke.
"Are you disrespecting me kid? How dare you call me by my name?" Stolz snapped.
"Wait… didn't I call him 'mister'? Isn't that enough respect for a weakling like him?" Ace questioned Maeve silently.
"*Chuckle* You aren't the emperor anymore, you don't have any status, you have to call him elder" Maeve answered with a slight chuckle.
"No way will I ever call a weakling like him elder!" Ace snorted while Maeve shook her head with a small smile.
You can't blame him for being arrogant; he was an emperor after all. There was no way all that prestige and respect he was showered won't have an effect on him. Plus, calling a person who you can crush with a mere thought an elder wasn't that easy.
"Stolz, I am not here to become a disciple, I am here to be an elder of the sect. Take me to your sect master!" Ace ordered in an imposing tone, at the same time, he was surrounded by an Imperial Aura he gained after ruling others for so long, his Aura was fierce and imposing, the one that demanded allegiance.
Ace didn't have a good impression of Stolz, he previously decided to give him a little face by showing some respect, but since the bug doesn't want what he was given, Ace wouldn't give him that little respect either.
The way Ace spoke, showed he was someone who was used to order people around, and after living for so long, Stolz knew that it is always better to not offend people like him, so he immediately changed his tone, and completely ignored the disrespect shown by Ace.
"Becoming an elder is a lot more complicated as the sect can't only make you an elder just on the basis of your strength, it has to take your personality into account" Stolz answer politely, even he didn't know that his smart decision saved his life.
But of course, everyone present there wasn't as smart as the elder. One of the mages, who was here to become a disciple, and was already jealous of Ace due to Maeve, snapped.
"Hmph! You don't have to be so respectful towards him, elder. He is simply courting death if he thinks he can be this arrogant.
I even suggest the beauty beside him to leave his side as the way he is now, he won't live for long. I suggest you find someone stronger than him and if you are worried about that child, just leave her in an orphanage or let him take care of her"
"If you come with me, we can always make a lot more than one… if you know what I mean. Ehehe~" He laughed, looking at Maeve with a lustful gaze.
The man himself had tall built, spiky black colored hair, rough-looking face and he wore comparably luxurious clothes, showing that he was from a well off family. He was a relatively capable mage that uses water element, Flink.
When Maeve heard what he said, she just facepalmed herself, she even felt pitiful for the guy. She then glanced at Ace and saw him standing with a completely calm look like this doesn't bother him at all.
"Hmph! Why are looking at him? Do you think he will say anything? He doesn't have balls to say anything, I already told you, he has nothing but good looks, I suggest you come with me and leave this lo-"
"Stolz, when is this selection competition you were talking about?" Ace questioned, interrupting the mage in between.
"Huh… uhh… it will take place once everyone gets their tokens" Stolz answered unconsciously.
'That person is openly trying to woo his wife and he is just asking about the competition? Was I wrong about him being someone powerful?' Stolz questioned inwardly, thinking that maybe he was too cautious and should also belittle Ace for disrespecting him, but he quickly stopped considering that when he heard Ace's next question.
"So, what if someone kills his opponent during selection? By mistake, of course"
*Gasps*
Many took in cold breaths. Some looked at Flink with pity, while the mage himself was enraged that the man completely ignored him.
"N-no, I mean, you can't kill someone, once the other party admits defeat, you have to stop or else you will be killed by the sect as a punishment" Stolz answered, but somehow, he knew that the mage who spoke won't have a good end.
"So that means unless no one heard the other party surrendering, everything's fine, right?" Ace questioned with a smile.
That smile… that smile was really uncomfortable for everyone present there…
Some even felt their scalp getting numb even though they didn't have anything to do with the situation.
"N-no, I mean technically, yes… bu-"
"Then it is decided, so where do I get the token?" Ace questioned.
"Um… I was about to announce that…
The token will be taken by the registration office once they mark your details, please form 4 lines. Once everyone receives their token, the selection will commence" Stolz announced as he showed the direction of the registration office.
Ace walked towards the direction shown, followed by Maeve and then the other mages.
Everyone maintained a specific distance from Ace and Maeve as they didn't want to involve themselves in others' mess.