Cain and Zhao Long made it back to the sect without a hitch.
The two went their separate ways, but Zhao Long promised to inform Cain of any developments.
Cain spent the next two days resting in his house before getting his sword replaced.
This time he took a saber with a wind spirit. It was also a high-grade weapon and this time it was new and unused. To get such a weapon he had to do some chores for the armory, but he didn't mind.
Currently, he was in the mission hall to see if there was anything to do.
"Everyone! The Elders are holding an Inner Disciple recruitment tournament! It's happening in a week!"
Cain heard the announcement and his his thoughts churned. 'Disciple recruitment? Hmm, that's far better than doing missions. If I get myself a master, I'll also get backing. I can be much more overbearing when I do things! I wonder if that annoying girl also got a master....'
After finding more details about the recruitment, Cain found it satisfactory and entered. For the next week, he trained and got used to his new saber.
The day came around for the tournament, and he made his way to the event arena where the fights would be held.
'Here, there'll be many one-on-one fights. It doesn't matter if I do good or bad; I just have to impress one of the elders... doesn't seem too bad.'
There were more than 20 platforms with more than a hundred outer disciples gathered around.
Cain walked up to a table and checked himself in.
"Name?"
"Cain."
"Stage?"
"Peak of Harnessing."
"Harnessing stage? Here, your number is 1286."
"Thank you." Cain took his number plaque and entered the crowd.
One by one, numbers were called. From what he knew, he would have around two to three fights. There was little time and many participants. The elders were busy people; they were the backbone of the sect along with the 8 Grand Elders; their responsibilities took much of their time.
"Number 367! Number 1286!"
'That's me.' Stepping on stage, across from Cain, another Disciple walked up.
The Disciple held a sword in hand; fire was radiating from its hilt.
'Fire Spirit....'
"Are the participants ready?" The judge asked.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
The judge nodded, "Begin!"
The two opponents immediately rushed each other. From the opponent's fiery sword, flames erupted and launched towards Cain.
Unsheathing his saber, the wind picked up and moved relentlessly as if it were controlled by some higher being. The air moved and rotated, creating a weak vacuum that erased the flames.
Cain's opponent was unfazed. As he stepped, he launched upwards, gliding through the air.
He screamed, "Flames soar!"
Pointing at Cain, the sword broke into fragments, and each of these fragments preceded to head towards Cain, burning like miniature fireballs.
'Peak Grade weapon!'
From below, Cain magnificently twirled his saber as the air around him created a pressurized wall. It wasn't as impressive as the air shield the Unmoved Spirit Sect Disciple used, but it was something.
The flames extinguished upon contact with the wall, but the fragments continued, breaking through and cutting at Cain and his clothes.
Crashing into the stage, the fragments were dyed with Cain's blood, almost as if they were silently laughing at him.
They were all laughing at him.
'Stop it, stop it, stop it!'
Cain's mind became agitated, fury suddenly bubbled and exploded in his mind!
"How dare you!"
'How dare he touch me! How dare he draw my blood!'
The saber in Cain's hand trembled as if some authoritative presence brought down its will on it.
Cain seemed to have projected a small amount of his status as a Gatherer. Although it was less than a drop, it was more than enough.
Cracking all over, the saber seemed to fracture as if it was leaking too much spiritual qi. In an instant, the blade slashed with such force it crumbled and turned to scrap.
The attack held the essence of wind, the element of swiftness and precision.
Crying out, the wind blade reached his opponent before anyone could let out a breath. In a singular moment, two halves plummeted from the sky and dyed the court in crimson.
In the silence, Cain walked over to the corpse, his shoes splashing in the puddle of blood.
He then picked up the Peak Grade Sword, and everyone's eyes were drawn.
His face was cold, but confusion was within Cain's inner thoughts. 'Why did I lash out?'
He was exhausted, not physically but mentally.
'I...I just couldn't believe he harmed me... I-I couldn't let him live. Is this my fault?'
By becoming a Gatherer, Cain gained a higher order in life, it is an evolution of the soul to the smallest degree. Arrogance came with power, and he still hasn't learned to control such arrogance.
"Uh... Number 1286 wins!"
The disciples watching the battle screamed and cheered.
Cain turned his head; with a sigh, he walked off stage.
...
"Hehe, Brother Fang Yuan, what do you think? I told you this Disciple is special! He will be a perfect Disciple for you!"
Above the clouds, Dai Tian was speaking to a fellow elder.
"Hmmm, he has talent in fighting; he seems perfect for the sword, but he used a saber...." The Elder found conflicts between himself and Cain.
Dan Tian still didn't give up, "Brother Fang Yuan, can't you see he picked up his opponent's sword? I also heard from the armory he first took out a secondhand sword with a sword spirit! He is perfect for you!"
The clouds parted, and an old mature woman appeared, followed by a young girl.
Both the young and old elders bowed.
They announced simultaneously, "Grand Elder Moon!"
"Mhm. Where are the other elders?"
Dai Tian stuttered, "T-They aren't here! They instead had their disciples come and pick out good seeds."
Lady Moon scoffed, "They can't even make time.... hah, what is our Immortal Sect coming to." The Grand Elder then lightened the mood, "So, which Disciples do you two have your eye on?"
Dai Tian laughed, "Oh Grand Elder, you know I only wish to have one disciple. Guang Daniels will be my one and only disciple! I swore upon the heavens."
Lady Moon expected such a response; instead, she turned to the young elder.
"Fang Yuan, are you finally looking for your first Disciple? Origin Peak has been barren for the past 3 years since you took up the Peak Master position."
The young elder face reddened in embarrassment, "Haha, indeed. Fellow Elder Dai Tian was showing me a good seed; he just won his fight but killed his opponent...."
Elder Fang Yuan seemed to have complex feelings for the death of a disciple. On one hand, his eyes showed regret, but also a formless indifference.
How contradicting.
"Haha, it's only a single Disciple. Plus, he used a trump card! It was obvious he couldn't control the outcome!" Dai Tian shamelessly protected Cain's image.
Elder Moon turned curious. "Let me see."
Both Elders backed away and let Lady Moon see the events below. Her Disciple followed close behind but gasped when she saw the stage and Cain.
Grand Elder Moon stared for a while. She then turned back to both the Elders behind her.
"This... this is a good seed, but... he seems to have killed many people. There is an ominous aura hidden deep within his being."
"We know; we believe it's some physique. I've already done some preliminary checks before I let him into the sect." Dai Tian was very forthcoming.
Lady Moon continued to gaze at the fighting below.
"Continue to watch; we will show ourselves at the end of the event."
Both Fang Yuan and Dai Tian bowed, "Of course Grand Elder."
...
Cain returned to the crowd with his prize. No one stopped him from taking his opponent's sword.
'Having a peak-grade weapon... does he have backing? Or did he find it?'
Cain lowered his head and hid within the crowd; all the eyes on him quickly lost their target.
'Hey, do you know why I lashed out?'
Cain suddenly felt something awaken deep within him, like someone was coming to look over his shoulder.
(Why should I care? I can tell it has something to do with our status, but it's minor. The real problem lies within you. You have an inferiority complex; I suppose it's similar to how I thirst for blood. It's not something that can be simply fixed.)
The voice laughed before adding, (Did you think you were perfect? You regain rationality, but there are some consequences; a scar is always left behind. My advice is don't care for it too much. You forget there is no need to lash out at some unknowing mortal; that is even more... unbecoming.)
'I...' Cain didn't know how to process it. He was always bad at accepting reality.
(If that's it, I must return.)
The feeling of a pair of eyes behind his back receded, and Cain was once more alone.
'Hah... ah... the problem is me? But... But...'
Cain slowly crept to the back of the crowd; he clutched his head and crouched down.
'I have to accept it. I have to accept it. I have to...'
Using affirmation to help himself, Cain drilled it into his mind that this was who he was, flaws and all. It was a simple exercise his other self told him about before going back into their mindscape.
Who said humans couldn't learn from their mistakes?
By the time he was done, Cain felt much better.
'I still have to work on myself. I'm still not allowing myself to separate from 'him'. Why am I so absorbed with being as good as him? I am myself....'
After a little more reassuring, Cain was frowning.
"I'm a wreck."
Just as he was murmuring to himself, a judge announced, "Number 876! Number 1286! Come to stage 3!"
Cain stood up. 'It's been so long already?'