After Agatha left, Alex slowly closed his eyes.
You're nothing, he thought. You have no idea how insignificant you really are, and you know nothing about my abilities.
After the conversation that night, Agatha didn't seek Alex out again.
**
The Purple sect disciples were arrogant and didn't pay any attention to Alex. But Verity had nothing to do, so she stuck with him, hoping he would talk to her about interesting things. Everything outside of Sword City was new and exciting for her, and Alex told her stories about Earth and the universe that held her spellbound and desperate to hear more.
"Are there really countless stars in the universe?" she asked, resting her chin on her hands, fascinated by Alex's tales. "And also true immortals who can move mountains, overturn seas, and live for millions of years? How do they compare to the warriors from the immortal realm, or to Kaden?"
Alex chuckled. "A true immortal has more power in his little finger than ten thousand Kadens combined," he said. "A single drop of blood from a true immortal can destroy a star."
"Don't be ridiculous!" said a disciple of the Purple sect as he passed by.
His companion sneered at Alex. "Kaden is the number one immortal in the divine realm. He has been invincible for the last three hundred years. No one could beat him. Absolutely no one. Not even a celestial immortal!"
"Stop lying to the girl," the first disciple said. "I can see what you're up to. You're just boasting to impress her. But do you really think Agatha will allow someone like you to marry Verity?"
Verity's face burned with embarrassment, and she clenched her fists.
"Ignore them," Alex said, seemingly unconcerned. "What do two nobodies like them know about the universe?"
After the two Purple sect disciples had left, Verity lowered her head and sighed.
"Alex, they all said that I don't have any talent for cultivation," she said sadly. "I only have a mixed spiritual root, so I'll never be able to advance. To stay in the sect, I'll have to find an elite disciple and marry him. But I want to be like my sister! I want to be strong and proud, and I want to be the equal of the other disciples. But, no matter how hard I try, I don't think I'll be able to do it."
In the divine realm, a person's talent was defined by their spiritual roots. These roots were something people were born with, and they couldn't be altered. They determined how far someone would be able to progress in cultivating power.
The lowest grade of spiritual roots was mixed, followed by low grade, middle grade, high grade, and then top grade.
Having mixed spiritual roots meant that there was no hope of progressing very far in this life.
Verity knew that her talent was mediocre, but she had been ignoring that fact for a long time, not wanting to face it.
Alex snorted. "Verity, you don't have a mixed spirit root," he said, laughing. "You have a phoenix soul. That means you are destined for greatness and will be able to compete with the elite of all races. These people are blind if they can't see that!"
Using his power-enhanced senses, Alex could see beyond Verity's ordinary exterior to see the phoenix in the depths of her soul. As he watched, it spread its wings, and flames spread from within it.
"A phoenix soul?" Verity repeated with a smile.
"The universe is vast, and there are many different souls within it," Alex explained. "The children of powerful people all have strong souls, but the phoenix soul is supreme and looks down on all the others. Those who possess such a soul will progress quite far, and there are many doors open to them."
"Really?" Verity was stunned, and her eyes lit up with hope as she looked at Alex.
From that day on, she became quiet and serious. She stayed by Alex's side every day and listened to him talk about the basics of cultivation, and she started to work hard.
**
The assembly would take place on the banks of the Dark River, and a platform stood right in the center of it. In the past, the divine realm's younger warriors had all competed there, hoping to become the champion of their generation, and thus, the ruler of the divine realm.
"Rumor has it that there are many incredible talents in this generation that are just waiting to emerge," one woman said with a sigh. "Elsa, from the Snow Palace sect, was extremely beautiful and had the power of ice. Horace from the Purple sect had a terrifying suction force. And Marlon from the Crimson sect could summon dragons. Unfortunately, all of them are gone. Otherwise, any one of them would have been a strong contender for the top spot."
"Even without them, there are still countless talented warriors in this realm," her companion said proudly. "Like Maddox of the Mountain sect. I heard that he has already attained an incredible level of power for one so young. And, although Kirsty lost in her bid to become the leader of the Snow Palace sect, she is still a force to be reckoned with. Also, Agatha from the Purple sect has unparalleled strength, so I wouldn't count her out."
"Not to mention that the Crimson sect, the Purple sect, and the Thunder sect all have many other disciples," the first woman said. "They are all of similar strength. And, of course, we can't forget Hendrix Snyder from the High sect."
Everyone Fell silent.
Hendrix was the son of the High sect's leader, and he was said to have been born with a divine ability. He could see through different realms and control time. His power was formidable, and he was unrivaled among the younger generation.
Alex and the others had overheard these conversations as they passed by, and they made Verity feel a bit inferior. She leaned closer to Alex, looking for comfort. When Agatha noticed, she scowled, but she didn't say anything.
The Ascension Assembly would be held in the court, but very few people would be permitted to attend. Most would have to stay at the foot of the mountain and look up at the proceedings. As time passed, more and more warriors arrived from all over the divine realm.
The Ascension Assembly was held once every fifty years, and it was the biggest occasion in a young warrior's life.
Even immortals from Earth would come to watch the battle. The winner would be considered the top warrior of their generation, and they would have the chance to take another step toward becoming a god.
"I heard that there's a water dragon in the Dark River who has been gathering power for a thousand years," Agatha said. "Every fifty years, it will come out of the river to refine its inner core. If anyone could absorb the dragon's core, then it could save them years of training." She sighed. "It's a pity that in the past hundreds of years, only a handful of people have been able to do so. Only Kaden and Lloyd could defeat their peers and seize the water dragon's core."
She gazed at the river in the distance, clearly thinking about the dragon that lived there.
Everyone looked at the Dark River, wondering if they would see such a feat this time.
"Alex," Verity said. "Wouldn't it be awesome if I could be like Lloyd and force the water dragon to give up its core?"
A water dragon that had been building its power for a thousand years was a veritable treasure, and even Alex was tempted.
If I can obtain its inner core, it will help me to advance more quickly, he thought, almost salivating with anticipation. And it should provide some spirit medicines, too.
When Verity's words finally penetrated, he regained his senses and turned to her.
"Lloyd?" he scoffed. "He was nothing. I could have defeated him with one hand tied behind my back. Don't pay any attention to stories about him, Verity."
His voice carried, and everyone turned to stare at him.