The selection continued between Kōri of the Cruz Clan and Gibut of the Shuǐ Clan.
Kōri looked like an ice goddess in the middle of the selection field. While Gibut looked like a water warrior with his water elemental martial spirit already awakened and floating behind him. He was one of the few cultivators of the Shuǐ Clan that do not have the golden hammer as their martial spirit.
"You're unfortunate that I'm your opponent." Kōri softly said while calling out her martial spirit, an ice elemental. "I can freeze you to death."
Gibut didn't wait anymore and used his Flowing River movement technique to quickly move towards her. It was a high-level jade tier technique allowing someone to move like a rushing river.
Ordinary people were unable to see the moving Gibut anymore. But for some reason, Migo was able to follow the traces left by his movement technique and still able to his silhouette.
Kōri waved her hand and several icicles formed in the air and flew swiftly towards Gibut.
Gibut utilized another skill of the Flowing River movement technique and created water reflections of him. It looked like that there were several Gibut moving towards her.
This skill did not create clones of him but only creates tangible reflections of him. These reflections did not have any attack power and were only used to confuse one's opponent.
When he was just a meter away, he saw her drew a diagram in the air.
"Ice Age." She shouted and suddenly everything around her within two meters froze including Gibut. "I already told you that you were unfortunate to have me as your opponent."
She won the round easily. She looked at the leader of the Cruz Clan on the stage who simply gave her a gentle nod.
Gibut was taken away by cultivators of his clan.
"Congratulations to those who won their battles. You have secured yourself a slot to join me in the Royal City." Said the City Lord happily smiling at Gab of the Fu Clan, Gil of the Sato Clan, Tuuli of the Ryhma Group, his disciple Magi, and the Kōri of the Cruz Clan.
"Acqua, Paqui and Gibut are no longer able to continue the selection." He continued and looked at the two remaining young cultivators – Ippo of the Gimo Clan and Wang of the Lin Clan. "So, the last battle will be between the two of you. You may start now."
Both moved to the center of the selection field and release their martial spirits. Everyone saw Ippo's Golem again. Wang has a beast martial spirit, a Condor.
With a wave of his hand, Ippo's Golem threw a punch. Wang jumped to the back of his Condor and flew higher avoiding the attack.
"Wind Blades." The Condor waved its large wings and several wind blades were created. They flew towards Ippo, but he was able to create an earth barrier blocking the attack.
When he jumped out of his earth barrier, he was confused when he did not see Wang and his martial spirit at all.
Suddenly he felt bad premonition and prepared to defend but it was too late because the Condor spirit dived down at top speed towards him and used its claws to attack him.
He was thrown out of the selection field and his Golem spirit vanished. He tried to stand up but unfortunately, he was too injured to do so.
The leader of the Gimo Clan gritted his teeth when he saw the result of the battle. He was hoping that they will have two young cultivators to join the competition in the Royal City.
He was disappointed.
The City Lord stood up from his seat and addressed the crowd. "The last battle has ended, and Wang of the Lin Clan has secured the last slot. Congratulations."
The members of the Lin Clan were celebrating as they have one of their young cultivators join the party who will go in the Royal City the next day.
"With that said, the selection has ended." He continued. "Thank you everyone for your participation. You may go back to your clans and groups now."
When the selection has ended, the crowd dispersed shortly.
Migo went back to the inn and stayed in his room. He was still thinking about the battles he had witnessed. How he wish he can also utilize divine energy and use a martial spirit when fighting.
'For some reason, I was able to sense the traces of energy that they used during the battle allowing me to be able to follow the fight.'
Although his consciousness was stronger than others, he was still unable to clearly see the fight between two cultivators especially if they were using martial techniques or skills. But during the selection, he was able to do so.
He decided to stop thinking about it when suddenly the door of his room was burst opened. Two masked men entered the room. He was able to notice right away that they were cultivators.
"Is it him that the young master wants us to capture?" Asked one of the men to the other.
"I think so." He answered. "Let's go ahead and grab him and not cause too much ruckus."
The other man nodded. He flashed in front of him and punched him on his stomach. He didn't know how to react and fell unconscious.
The other man carried him on his shoulder, and they left in a hurry.
--
Migo woke up and realized that his hands and legs were bound with rope. He sat down and used the wall behind him as support. He looked around and noticed that he was no longer in his room.
The place was dark, and the only light came from the two flaming torches secured in a holder that is attached to the wall.
'It looks like I am in a cave.'
He tried to remember what happened before he lost his consciousness. Two masked men entered his room and were talking about a young master who wants him captured?
'Who was that young master?'
He tried to remember as didn't know anyone that he had offended when suddenly remember the guy from the free market. The young cultivator from the Gimo Clan, one of the largest clans in Crystal City.
'Was it him?'
He was still trying to guess the identity of who abducted him when the two masked men appeared again together with a young man who was also wearing a mask covering his face.
"Is that the man you want us to capture, young master?" One of the masked men asked. Both were wearing black robes and their faces were fully hidden.
"He is the one." The young man answered.
When the young man spoke, his voice sounded familiar. He was sure this time that he was the guy from last night.
"I didn't know you are so petty to even capture an ordinary civilian like me." He taunted him. Now that he was captured by them, he was sure that they will either torture him or kill him.
"It seems that you remember me." The young man removed his mask and showed his face. He was Tochi Gimo. "I already told you last night that no one dares to embarrass me as you do."
He walked towards him and slapped him.
Migo helplessly felt his cheek sting as he fell on the ground headfirst.
"I'll let you know what happens to people who go against me." He continued. "I heard that non-cultivators are unable to absorb the essence of the earth to temper their body. If they do, they will experience extreme pain. Let me go ahead and test that."
He waved his hand and strands of the essence of the earth can be seen floating in front of him.
"We will take it slow." He said. "I don't want you to die on me just because of the pain."
Then he used one of his fingers and touch him on his shoulder. The essence of the earth moved from his finger and entered Migo's body.
The moment that the essence of the earth entered his boy, it felt like his body will explode anytime. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists because of the extreme pain.
The essence of the earth is used to temper a cultivator's body. But if someone is unable to cultivate, it will instead destroy the body.
The young man laughed. "Come on, I want to hear you scream and beg."
The two masked men looked at each other and just shook their heads. They can only watch what was going on.
Tochi transferred more essence of the earth to his body and the pain became many times stronger. This continued for over an hour until he can no longer move any part of his body.
He evilly smiled at him. "I didn't think that you will last for this long."
He looked at the two masked men behind him. "Punch him but don't use your energy. I don't want him to die yet."
The two of the hurriedly followed. They adjusted their physical strength and started violently punching him all over his body.
"This made me feel better after not securing a slot during the election." Tochi said. He didn't really have any plan of moving against him at all.
When he lost and got eliminated in the selection, he got frustrated and want to vent out. That was when he remembered that he encountered a guy at the free market who embarrassed him because of a talisman.
He asked two of his servants to look and capture him and bring him covertly in an unfrequented cave outside the city.
"Young master, I think he is dead." Said one of the masked men. "He is no longer breathing."
Migo laid lifelessly on the ground. His face and body were covered in blood. It was also evident that some of his bones were broken.
"What a trash." Tochi said instead. "You can just leave him to rot here."
He flashed and vanished in front of them. The two masked men looked at the body on the ground for the last time before they left the cave soon.
When his body was left all alone inside the cave, an orb-like item jumped out from his body and started emitting different colored lights.
--
Migo was on the floor of the sacred temple when he woke up. He remembered that he was being beaten up by the two masked men.
'Did I lose consciousness again and now I'm dreaming?'
He asked himself. He stood up and looked around. He was again inside the brightly lit hall with no exit.
'Or Am I dead?'
"Oh yes, you died." He heard the mysterious again. "And in death you find life."
"What do you mean I died?" He asked.
The mysterious voice laughed before answered him. "You died inside the cave. Your body was too broken that you were unable to survive the thrashing of those men."
Migo looked at his body but he didn't see any wounds at all. 'Am I really dead?'
"Your body was left to rot in the cave." The mysterious voice said. "You were abandoned even in death."
He felt so helpless when he heard of what the mysterious said. He was unable to accept his death. He believed that he will still be able to cultivate, become strong, and prove to everyone that he was not a trash.
He remembered Leon and his promise that he will visit him in two or three years. But just less than a month after leaving the Royal City, he died.
"I can't accept this." He said. "I can't die yet."
"Do you still want to live?" Asked the mysterious voice. "But you are a trash. No one really cares about your death."
"No, I am not a trash." He said. "I'm not."
"But you can't cultivate." The mysterious voice added. "You can't even use the essence of the earth to temper your body. That young man just used it to torture you instead."
He clenched his fists. "Pain… I will conquer pain and become strong."
"But no one really cares if you live or die." The mysterious voice stated.
"I care about my life. I care about my death." Migo remarked. "And I still have a promise to fulfill."
"Do you really want to live?" Asked the mysterious voice again.
"I don't want to die." He answered. "Not yet."
He wants to prove to his clan, his grandfather, that he was not a trash. He wants to prove to everyone that he is not weak, that he can be strong. He also wants to fulfill the promise he made.
"Are you sure that you can conquer pain?" The mysterious voice asked.
"I will if I must." He quickly answered. "I will even fight fate if needed."
"Alright." The mysterious voice said. "The Sacred Temple of the Celestial Gods hears your conviction. Let death be the start of a new life. Let the pain not be your enemy but the start of your journey. Let your conviction fight fate to create your own destiny. Let your promise be the weapon to conquer the heavenly worlds."
Suddenly, light orbs of different colors appeared around him. They were the same light orbs he saw before. When he remembered what happened when it entered his body, he shivered.
He clenched his fist tightly and gritted his teeth. "Let the pain not be my enemy but the start of my journey."
One by one, the light orbs rushed towards him and entered his body.
A loud scream echoed inside the hall for a long time.