Viswa was stunned by the sight in front of him.
Inside the building, there is a large hall and there are a lot of stone walls erected in the middle creating an arc.
On each stone wall, there are some words inscribed along with a humanoid figure drawn under those inscribed words.
Viswa was followed by the Aqua-haired boy who also looked at the stone walls with a grin.
At this moment, a middle-aged man walked forward to them and spoke.
"Seems we have the first two candidates for this year's admission test. Congratulations."
Viswa thanked him as he looked at the man. He is wearing Grey Robes. Viswa has already seen them. They are the instructor uniforms.
"You guys can rest for a while before going to the middle of the hall.
The test you have gone through is to simulate your physical body so that your body will react to the spiritual energy.
Now that you are here, that means, your potential in sensing and absorbing spiritual energy is pretty high. You guys have the potential for a great future."
"Thank you. I will try my best." Viswa thanked him politely.
"Let me explain a bit about this place. You must have some questions about it.
Our Black Sand Academy is called Sacred Ground. Even though we are only an Elementary Academy, we have a very long and valuable heritage.
The stone walls in the hall you see in the front are left behind by our ancestors over generations.
The three walls in the middle were drawn by our founding ancestors. The remaining walls were drawn by some of the ancestors in the latter generations.
They all have a cultivation technique on each of them. If you are able to comprehend them even a bit and manage to cultivate them, then you would have a bright future."
Viswa was surprised. From what little he could understand from this world, these cultivation techniques are extremely valuable. To think that they would show them off in just the admission test.
"Even the three techniques from the founding ancestors, even they are recorded here and displayed openly?"
The aqua-haired boy asked with a smile.
The instructor nodded and said.
"Whatever legacy left behind by the founding ancestors is also present here. The problem is no one was able to comprehend those three in decades. And there is no diagram of the meridian network and energy flow required for the cultivation of those stones.
If one wants to cultivate it, one has to figure that out, which is almost impossible.
So, if I were you, I would go for any techniques other than those three. Many people tried to figure them out, but it ended up being a waste of time.
Anyway, after you show comprehension in one of the techniques, instructors will choose you, if you have multiple offers, you can choose the instructors as well.
You can get the introductions for your instructors after the test is over. Meanwhile, you have all the time to spend with those walls.
Don't miss this chance."
With that, the instructor left and stood with the rest of the instructors.
Viswa looked at them and noticed even Sir Warden is standing there. He still had that blank face with a cold look. It seems like he is always way too cool to interact with people.
Viswa walked into the hall without wasting much time.
He is indeed a bit tired, but he isn't exhausted. This is usually the state where he would spend his time molding clay or sculpting stone.
His body might be tired, but his mind is as clear as day.
He walked into the hall and started looking at one wall after another.
Every wall has a detailed scripture.
The first wall to the left has an image of the tornado and a cultivation technique explained in detail, and the human figure with its meridian network indicates the energy flow of the cultivation.
This cultivation technique focuses on being like the wind. The cultivator's body should be fluid, agile, and fast like the wind.
Then there is a wall with a water vortex, there is a flame, etc.
After checking the walls, his gaze landed on the three founding ancestor walls.
Unlike the previous ones, these three are a bit different in color. A very slight difference as there is a hue.
The one on the right has a slight blue hue, the one on the left has a slight black hue, meanwhile the one in the middle also the largest one has a slight brown hue.
And that is not the major difference of course. The hues are just a small difference. The major difference is actually the contents.
As the instructor said, there are no diagrams indicating what elements they take after and there is no diagram of the meridian network and energy flow.
All these walls had a few sentences on each.
As he read them, carefully Viswa felt attracted to the middle one, with the brown hue.
The few sentences seemed to have resonated with him.
"It has the power to incorporate decay and death, serving as either the cradle of life or the resting place of the deceased.
It serves as the origin of all living things, providing the necessary resources for sustenance, while simultaneously consuming all that perishes, perpetuating the cycle anew.
Although it manifests in various shapes and forms, at its core, it remains the same. It is recognized for its endurance, and ability to sustain, and preserve, despite being violated repeatedly.
It is capable of retaining water and confining fire, devouring the deceased, and generating life.
It is the house for many and the grave for more. It can be a path for many and an obstacle for more.
It can be hard, it can be soft. It can be molded into whatever you want.
It is the singular reason for the existence of life, a unified entity that encompasses all. I shall become one with it, and it shall become one with me."
As Viswa read through this, it is almost like some glass barrier has been shattered and he could see the world anew.
The flashes of his life in the past three months passed through his mind.
It can be hard, yes the mountain stones are hard.
It can be soft, yes the clay dug out was extremely soft.
It can be molded, the many sculptures are proof of that.
It is the house of many and graves for more. He saw with his own eyes how many creatures lived and died with it.
It is capable of retaining water and confining fire, devouring the deceased, and generating life. From his water tank to the lake, and the small flaming stove to large fires he made, the corpses he found, and the grasses that shot out from them.
These words are only talking about one thing. Earth.
It is the singular reason for the existence of life as it contains and sustains all things needed for life.
To become one with Earth and to let Earth become one with self, to become the Earth itself.
Viswa was lost in his daze and without even knowing he could feel something warm and ethereal enveloping him as a whole.
It is like a new warm layer of skin has formed all over his body and some warming surging current is flowing inward from every pore.
To the surprise of everyone witnessing, the stone wall gave out a faint yellow light that enveloped Viswa and made him close his eyes.
He involuntarily sat down crosslegged and entered a deep meditative state.
Meanwhile, the instructors who sat down had shocked expressions on their faces.
The instructor who guided Viswa before was the first one to speak.
"Did.. Did he comprehend the ancestral wall?"
"Looks like it." Another one said in a very soft tone.
They could all feel the spiritual energy enveloping Viswa's body as they watched him daze.
At this moment, the aqua-haired boy looked at Viswa and a cold glint flashed in his eyes, before they returned to normal.
He directly went to the blue-colored stone wall and started reading the text on it. He sat cross-legged in front of it as he tried to understand it and connect with it.
Time passed and instructors fell into a frenzy. One of them ran out of the mountain and went back to the academy to inform the news.
Soon, many more people wearing different uniforms arrived at the scene. Some of them had the same grey uniform but with silver borders, some had gold borders and finally one of them had red borders.
There is one old man among all of them who is wearing a completely different uniform altogether which is Blood red in color.
As soon as he came, all the instructors bowed to him in respect as they greeted him.
"Head Master."
The headmaster nodded and looked at Viswa while he touched his beard.
"A kid who comprehended the ancestral stone. It has been a long time since that happened."
He muttered as he looked at Viswa, but after some time he frowned and asked.
"How long has it been since he was in that state."
The instructors were confused by that question. Sir Warden was the first one to react and answered.
"He has been like that for half an hour."
"Then, why is he not circulating any energy."
As soon as that question was asked, everyone came to a realization. They all focused their senses on Viswa as they tried to understand what is happening to him and they noticed that all the energy that was on his body is forcefully entering his skin, trying to penetrate deeper inside.
But in a general case of cultivation, it shouldn't be like that.
A person should be able to circulate energy through their meridian network and slowly increase their capacity while building a spiritual core.
Everyone started discussing in a low voice.
The headmaster also frowned as he looked at Viswa.
It is rare for someone to comprehend the founding ancestor's teachings, but it is a norm that without a circulation method, it is almost impossible to gather energy within their body and cultivate it.
"His comprehension is high, but too bad there is no information about the circulation method or suitable cultivation technique for this. Let him be in that state for now. Even if he doesn't get any gains, we can find a suitable cultivation technique to him and groom him.
With his comprehension level, he should be able to go to new heights no matter what technique he follows."
As he spoke, everyone's eyes became excited. If someone just comprehended one of the techniques on the walls, then the instructor should obviously be someone who is already practicing the technique.
It is not a rule, but it is the norm.
If Viswa really had a cultivation method for the founding ancestral stone, then none of them would have had a chance to groom a potential prodigy.
But now that he is a blank canvas, all of them have a chance at him.
Their discussions halted and everyone started plotting in their heads. A great student under their tutelage means, great accolades, promotions, and more resources. That is all they could think of.
But at this moment, their attention was drawn by something else.
The aqua-haired boy who sat in front of the blue wall started glowing with spiritual energy He is connected with that stone wall.
Everyone was stunned.
"We.. we have another one."
"Yes, not just one, but two people who comprehended ancestral legacies. Black Sand Academy has two geniuses now."
Instructors started making a fuss and it only grew larger with the next action the boy took.
The energy gathered around his body started going into his body fluidly as it circulated in a certain path. Unlike the case with Viswa, the energy is going fluidly before it entered his dantian and rests there.
The instructors widened their eyes in disbelief and included the headmaster.
"He did it. He comprehended the circulation method too. He actually did it. Our legacy is going to raise again. Black Sand Academy is going to rise again."
One of the instructors blurted out in excitement.
The headmaster is also very agitated as he clenched his fists in excitement.
"Don't disturb both of them, even though the first one is not there, he is not that far off. These two are gems that we are going to polish further to make our academy shine."
The time passed slowly as the two kids sat before the stone walls.
Soon, other students started arriving. The first one was Kai and when he looked at the two, people who are already inside, he felt frustrated and almost lost it.
But when he felt the gaze of instructors, he could only swallow it and walk in. Followed by him, the rest of the crew of the Aqua-haired boy entered.
They all started resonating with different stone walls and by night, almost all the stone walls have someone resonating with them and they started cultivating there.
But two things remain unchanged.
The third founder's ancestral wall was not connected to anyone and Viswa still didn't circulate a single time.
The spiritual energy is still all over the outer layer of the body and he is forcefully trying to suck it in through his skin crazily. He is not using the meridian network or the circulation method. He is just using the cells of the body to conduct the spiritual energy which gave a tingling sensation all over his body.
Many instructors felt like he is wasting time and he shouldn't be doing that anymore. But based on Head master's orders they didn't bother disturbing him. They also felt that if he didn't get to do anything with his current comprehension, he should be easily convinced to pick up a new path.
The night passed, a lot of candidates finished their meditation by now. They can feel the spiritual energy and interact with it.
There are only a few people who are still in the meditative state.
The aqua-haired boy and Viswa are part of that small group.
This is the last and final day of the exam.
"I think this is it. If anyone could have made it to the top of the mountain, they would have already made it by now."
One of the instructors said casually.
"Yeah, I think so too. But I heard some of the kids are still trying their best."
"It is good to be stubborn and not give up, but it is going to be a futile attempt. Maybe it is time to end the test."
"Nah, let them try a bit. Let's see how far they can go. Maybe we will get a surprise."
They passed the time while chatting away and soon it is almost sunset of the third day. Just when they all thought, nobody else is going to make it, they saw the silhouette of a young man coming.
A young man with silver hair and a body full of injuries stumbled into the room. He walked deep into the hall after getting instructions from one of the instructors.
His gaze landed on Viswa and then the third founder ancestor stone wall. He stumbled towards it and read the scriptures in his mind.
He was unable to connect immediately. But he didn't want to give up.
He just gritted his teeth and sat crosslegged as he kept his focus on the third wall.
Many instructors shook their heads.
In their eyes, if someone came this late they don't have a chance of connecting with the founder stones. In fact, it is already rare that two people managed to do it, it would be a pipe dream to expect the same from the third.
Time passed and their beliefs only reinforced with it.
Many even wanted to advise him to give up on it, but a couple of hours away from the end of the test, Jiva a black light shot out of the stone wall and entered into Jiva.
Within no time, the energy gathered inside him and started circulating in a certain pattern.
A/N:
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