A priest was a singular class with stronger spiritual energy than even aurators of the same level. Elder Guo had never met any as he never visited any of the four temples within Tabanos, so he didn't know they existed.
In truth, while aurators boasted about their strength thanks to their aura, in some ways they were weaker than singulars. This was because they had to balance their aural energies and enhance each of them simultaneously. Singulars are free to focus and strengthen their one aspect and possibly minor in another meaning their advancements were quicker and more refined. Priests are able to control elemental energy easier due to their powerful souls and larger capacity for spiritual energy. This is also why fusing one's aura with an element is considered something only Vein Plating aurators could do, thanks to their change in body.
As Tara sleeps peacefully, her body adjusts to her newest stage within her rest, and the wall blocking the third portion of memories fades. This truth towards elemental manipulation is one of the first thoughts fused with her mind:
The first four stages were considered the physical Body Altering phases, as they created a body able to harbor a greater and richer amount of spiritual energy. Vein Plating and Marrow Sparking were the steps taken to enhance one's spiritual energy. Then once they could control an element, it would create a cycle: elemental manipulation nourished spiritual energy while spiritual energy offered accuracy toward elemental manipulation.
An amber charm appears on her claw bracelet while a turquoise charm hangs from her fang bracelet. If Alian were present and looked closely, they would see the similarities to Tara's daggers. The Soul Beads within her mind and soul finally begin to gently but greedily absorb Twin Sphere energy as their owner heals.
[Twin Sphere Bracelets Enhanced. Self-Perpetuating + Bound Properties Added.]
Alian returns to oversee the rest of the contenders. When Tara's family approaches them, they say she was resting and would do good to be left alone. The group understood and set their focus towards the second round of testing. Char just barely passes the third level, looking worse than when Frae exited. He glares at the other Hufangs, stuffing a recovery pill into his mouth with only one another from his group having passed.
This pattern continues with most people failing. The weakest ones had never even seen combat with Aural Beasts and gave up the moment they faced the high tier Skin Igniting beasts. During this time Alian receives a message from the priest who would take their place in overseeing. They nod after being summoned by the Academy's Headmaster. They leave through another teleportation diagram and enter just outside the Headmaster's office.
"Combat Instructor Alian reports to Headmaster," They say, bowing as they enter. A young woman with black eyes and beige skin sits behind a large desk. Beside her is a elder man with white hair and silver robes. His form was translucent and incorporeal.
"This disciple greets Tower Master Craions!" Alian immediately bows again. Craions is the spirit that controls the several Eight Swords of Death towers used for testing. "What are you doing here, sir?"
"The girl with Hadwisa, she was able to form her aura," The headmaster speaks slowly, her voice deep and powerful.
"That's not entirely uncommon though?" Alian asks dubiously, "Many to who take the test either hide their true strength or just have natural talent in that regard."
"Yes, that is certainly true with you and little Beiling here," Craions answers with a grunt. His waves his hand and three screens appears before them. As the tower master he had records of every single attempt, including these two. Headmaster Beiling and Alian watch their younger selves fight against the eight Billowing Muscles high tiers, weapons locking and their strong auras blazing. As they look at Tara's screen there is a large difference.
"This girl wasn't like either of you, who have had powerful auras since childhood. Her aural energies were correctly suppressed and yet she was able to summon an aura despite this. Looking closely her true aura is white but there are flashes of amber and turquoise. Now what else do you notice?"
Alian swallows their awe, the fact that she's an animus making them more nervous. "She's defeating them without using her weapons. Surely, she's having some difficulty and you can tell the moments where she almost reconsiders her decision but in the end she defeats them all with just Body Arts. I can clearly see Hufang style but there's something more. Just how far did she get fighting the low tier Vein Plating?"
Beiling has already seen Tara's run through and yet she is still stunned. She had heard the reports of how overpowered Di had been in the ruin affair and what Tabanos's representative had said about the tournament, but Beiling didn't have time for the words of others. Now she has witnessed what a Skin Igniting --no, Tara is a Blood Directing low tier now, for the tower master had confirmed--just how strong would the Hufangs get if others were granted whatever secret they found? They could possibly become the newest noble family in the past two hundred years!
"I did not pass her to the next level. Instead I created a different challenge to see how she fared against a low tier Billowing Muscles with aural skills and basic elemental control," The tower master's words draw Beiling out of her stupor as the three screens turned into one large one. "As for how strong she is with a weapon, I'm certain you both will be interested in this."
The two watch as Tara fights against her final opponent. She only lasts a few minutes but each second is astonishing. From Tara's first deflection of the wind discs, to the summoning of weapons' spirits, to finally rising up and healing her own mental form, all of this renders the two speechless.
"I firmly believe she would have been able to defeat the low tier Vein Plating group with some difficulty. Though I have no weight in your decision, I believe the novice Dark Saber class would be a good fit for her." Craoins declares with honesty. His words almost cause Beiling to almost fall out of her chair.
Not since the creation of the towers had he given a recommendation. And to the novice level of the highest class!
The Eight Swords Martial Academy was divided into ranks. Despite the name of their Academy, each one was represented by a different cardinal weapon: the lowest classes were Fire Ax, Water Spear, Stone Staff, and finally Wind Saber; the upper classes were Iron Ax, Thunder Spear, and Light Staff, with Dark Saber as the strongest. Tara would be the youngest ever admitted to the novice Dark Saber class.
"W-we will certainly take this into account. Is it possible for you to share your recording of her challenge with me as further evidence of your suggestion?" Beiling questions, shock in her voice.
Many teachers would try to argue against having the young Hufang among the Martial Academy's top and most elite class, especially those whose students had been defeated by Hufang Di. Though the tower master carries great sway, seeing is believing. When the usually grumpy tower master smirks, Beiling feels chills run down her spine.
"Are you willing to guide her personally, little Beiling? I fear none among your generation could have such a child as her student. Otherwise, I will not hand over my record, as they are the most precious."
Beiling stalls. She'd never taken a student even before she had been deemed headmaster. Now she is loaded with politics and oversight. Granted there were many who were willing to assist her but she strived alone, as to not show weakness. The tower master knew all this and as a spirit from her family wished for her to receive help.
In Beiling taking Tara as her student, she would have to spread her work among others while Tara receives the best guidance. It was an all around win for the tower master.
"Yes. I will take her as my disciple upon her officially entering the Academy." Beiling vows with gritted teeth. Craions nods and a pearl with the record appears before her.
Beiling holds it as if it were the most valuable item in the world, sending a telepathic message to the heads of eight levels to meet later tonight.
"Oh, yes one more thing. Concerning the girl's cousin," Carions speaks slowly. Both the headmaster and the teacher were rapt with attention. Two recommendations within the same day? Just what had the Hufang's found to make their children so praiseworthy?
***
Nejin sneezes, rubbing a finger under his nose. For some reason he had been exempt from taking the final test, so he had immediately requested to be brought to Tara's room. He sits on guard until the others crowd in after their final exam. Niven easily passed the final test but Bria and Sahi had struggled only to come out on top. They encircle Tara who is sleeping peacefully with concern and worry painting on their face.
Tara eventually awakes the next morning. Everyone, despite aurators not really needing to sleep for a few days, had been wiped out from the trials that they slept soundly through the night. Tara smiles at seeing her family all draped all over one another.
"Tara?" Neijin yawns as he stretches, "How do you feel?"
"I'm great!" Tara pumps a fist in the air vigorously. The Hufangs all rose one by one and headed to the center of Tabanos, before the ancient king's fountain.
Around noon, a representative would read out a list of achievements for aurators that passed their examinations before the public. What their aural strength was, what level they ultimately reached at the tower, and how long it took them to pass the final test: breaking a powerful illusion that tested one's martial will. After this was announced, they would then be told what class they'd enter within the Eightsword Academy.
The reporter, a low tier Vein Plating young man, read them all in order of class ranking. 200 of the 8,000 that participated entered Flame Axe, 100 entered Water Spear, 70 entered Stone Staff (Bria and Sahi among them), and finally 45 entered Wind Saber.
Shepi Char is one of the 70 to enter Stone Staff novice class. He is pretty happy with himself, having noticed young Tara hadn't taken the final exam yesterday! That had been his best test, taking only fifteen minutes to break through the illusion!
His excitement dampens when Niven's name is called. Her entire performance meritted placement in the Wind Saber master class. With a 400 point score of her aural reading, making it to the fourth floor of the tower, and passing her final in ten minutes, it was more than enough to jump beyond his level.
Char's mood sours more when it's announced that Neijin will be a part of the Thunder Spear novice class. This class is historically all noble children but with his scores of his aural reading and display during the tower trial, it's as expected. It then occurs to him that Tara's name hadn't been called!
All that was left were Light Staff and Dark Saber classes, for those of truly monstrous background: royalty and the strongest family among the nobility, the Longs. Char looks over to the large carriage on the back of a Vein Plating Magma Snake. This massive aural beast was the pet of the Longs.
Even more outstanding was the rare low tier Marrow Sparking Drizzle Elephant, which presumably carried members of the royal family.