Present Day.
Finding himself in the tavern for the first time as a commoner, Rand was prepared for any surprises: from the lack of a free room to a nighttime thief. But surprisingly, everything went as smoothly as possible. There was a vacant room, and they gave it to him without any problems. Although, one would think that with the upcoming initiation into the sect, there should be an influx of all sorts of people into the city. And for thieves, this should be the perfect time to work. A large number of visitors with money, and many of them are helpless youths. What else could this be if not a dream for those who ply the knife and axe? But Rand was lucky; apparently, someone else was robbed instead of him. At least this time.
Ordering lunch to his room for a small fee, so as not to needlessly tempt fate by mingling with the riffraff in the common hall, Rand delved into his memories:
"Was there another way? Could he have changed something? No, he simply didn't have the strength. He, who had boasted of his intellect and talent all his life, couldn't do anything at the most crucial moment. After all, no matter how smart and talented you are, no matter how high your position is – it's all just a puff, an illusion. Brilliant plans turn to ashes, talented youths crumble to dust, and emperors... emperors lose their heads. Even though Father was mighty, legends circulated about the depth of his cultivation, and he commanded millions of people, but in the end, even he couldn't stand. Because despite all his power, someone stronger than him emerged, and faced with this irresistible force, he was no better than an ordinary mortal. That's why on that day I decided that I wouldn't repeat the fate of my father and sister. And I will achieve true immortality and invincibility, like the gods in legends. I won't settle for anything less. And my admission here – it's the first step towards that dream.
But it's not worth thinking too much about the future; it's better to focus on the present."
And at that moment, distracting him from his thoughts, there was a knock on the door of his room.
"Your lunch."
With these words, the door easily swung open, as if the lock was there for decoration, and into the room walked a not particularly attractive girl. Without even looking at the boy, she placed the food on the table and was about to hurry off to her own business, when the young lad decided to satisfy his small curiosity and called out to her.
"Miss, may I ask you a question?"
The girl stopped, glanced at the boy, and replied:
"Of course," she answered, with her demeanor indicating that she was in a hurry and didn't want to answer any questions.
"Isn't there a recruitment drive for the Fire Dragon sect happening right now? Where's the influx of guests then? I came from the village and, to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the availability of vacant rooms here," Rand, not very knowledgeable about commoners' affairs, decided to fill in some gaps in his knowledge. Although he had most of Oberin's memories, even he didn't know the answer to such a question.
"Yes, yes, the recruitment for the sect will start soon, but most people can't afford to stay in the city, and if they can, they don't want to. After all, the minimum entrance fee is in silver. Many are currently in neighboring villages, from where they'll see the sign of the start of the selection. The truly wealthy only come on the last day. So, there aren't that many people staying in the city, although you still lucked out with a room. Is that all? Can I go?" the girl rambled on so quickly that Rand barely understood half of her words, and after her last words, she immediately started to leave, not even waiting for an answer to her seemingly rhetorical questions.
Such treatment made Rand's eye twitch with indignation. "It seems like everyone in this city won't let him get a word in. First the guard, now her... He would have... Oh, the things he has to endure from these commoners, pretending to be a good-natured village boy. After enrollment, he'll have to gradually change Oberin's character, and then no one will be able to treat him with such disrespect without consequences. But for now, he'll have to endure."
The next two days passed without incident. Rand hardly left his room, only ordering food to minimize any risks. At the moment, he was just an ordinary mortal teenager, and any conflict, no matter how small the chance of it happening, would be very dangerous. Of course, Rand had ways to protect himself; he couldn't leave his life and fate to chance. But any action beyond the abilities of an ordinary guy could attract unnecessary attention, and he didn't want that.
On the evening of the second day, the sign that his agonizing wait was coming to an end finally appeared. Looking out the window, Rand saw how a pillar of fire rose many kilometers into the sky. It could be seen not only in the city and neighboring villages but also, Rand was sure of it, in the nearby cities.
This huge pillar of flame, disappearing into the heavens, didn't seem like something that could be done by a human or even a mighty cultivator. It looked more like the primordial power of nature or the act of some god. For a mortal who didn't know its purpose or even a weak cultivator, it only evoked fear.
But the local townsfolk didn't pay it much attention; only the newcomers, even the youngest ones, stared at it with wide eyes. Among the older generation, everyone had seen it many times and knew where this mighty flame came from and, most importantly, why. Rand had also seen it before, when he was still very young. Back then, this elemental display had impressed him greatly, but today, it no longer amazed him at all.
For at least the past few thousand years, even before the formation of the current empire, this flame sign had only meant one thing: the recruitment for the Fire Dragon sect would begin very soon. An impressive way to remind the surrounding world of their power.
Waking up early the next morning, Rand had a breakfast of tasteless porridge, which seemed to be what these commoners ate every day, and without further delay, he headed to the main square of the city because that's where the first stage of trials for potential novices took place.
Walking through the almost deserted streets of the city, with each passing minute, Rand encountered more and more people like himself, all heading towards the central square, hoping for a chance to join one of the empire's top sects and change their lives for the better.
For most, it would remain an unfulfilled dream. Every sect had certain standards for the quality of talent among their future practitioners, below which they did not stoop. This was because the majority of people, even if showered with a sea of pills and other cultivation resources, would not be able to achieve anything outstanding on the path to immortality. And if the quantity of resources available to them was limited, such individuals would be even more useless, little better than mortals. It was much wiser to utilize the sect's far from infinite resources on a small number of elite cultivators. After all, even one practitioner who had reached the later stages of cultivation could defeat ten thousand mortal warriors.
In this regard, the Fire Dragon sect was hardly different from most other sects. Perhaps its admission standards were even higher.
Entering the main road of the city, Rand saw a real stream of people heading in one direction. From the paupers in tattered clothing to the nobles in palanquins with their retinue. As he approached the square, Rand even saw several people arriving on spiritual beasts. Since Rand didn't recognize them, they were probably minor nobility who didn't want to pay for admission.
Stepping onto the square, Rand saw how the stream of people, of which he was now a part of, merged into a vast sea. Tens of thousands of people standing in one place with one goal. Right now, they still harbored hope for a bright future in the ranks of the sect, imagining themselves commanding fire and lightning, seeing everyone bowing before them, soaring into the skies. Most of them would be disappointed today. Others, upon whom luck might smile today, would be largely disappointed tomorrow, during the second trial. Only a very few would be able to achieve their goal.
The first thing Rand saw in the square was a huge obsidian-colored obelisk standing in its center, several tens of meters high and a dozen meters wide. People kept their distance from it because no one dared approach it without permission from the group of people standing on the platform elevated above the crowd to the side of the obelisk. Several dozen people dressed in flaming crimson robes were on it.
While waiting for the beginning, Rand involuntarily listened to others' conversations. Some discussed who might become a new member of the sect:
"They say the son of the city's leader will try to join the sect this year. I wonder if we'll see him today. Heard he's a real genius; he learned to speak and read at just two months old."
"Genius, ha. What good are his brains if they're testing cultivation talent? He might turn out to be garbage in that regard."
"He won't even try; he's already joined. His father paid huge amounts for it. Why bother with trials when he might fail? It's easier for the rich."
Someone seemed to be talking to themselves:
"I hope everything works out for me. Judging by my status, I should have talent. But will it be enough for admission?" one person said.
"Sorry, buddy, for butting into your conversation with the paving stones. I don't know what the guy Status told you, but you look like you're about to be blown away by the wind. I don't think you stand a chance. So take my advice and go home," another replied.
Some discussed the latest news from the empire:
"I heard the new emperor wiped out a whole order of traitor knights loyal to the old mad emperor."
"Yeah, I also heard they were sheltering the old emperor's little rat of a son, and now they're torturing him in the palace dungeons for his daddy's secrets. Then they'll execute him."
After these last words, Rand's face hardened, and he tried not to listen further to anyone's conversations because he was afraid he might lose control and attack them all.
After waiting on the square for several dozen more minutes, Rand finally heard the first words from one of the cultivators standing on the platform. And surprisingly, he not only knew this person from reports but had also met him a couple of times in person.
"From this moment on, there must be silence in the square," said Byron, the elder of the Fire Dragon sect. He appeared as a not-too-tall, broad-shouldered elderly man with a head full of silver hair. Although he spoke quietly enough, everyone in the square heard his words, and after them, the already quiet crowd fell into dead silence.
"Today, as you all already know, the annual trials will begin, and those who pass them will become new novices in our great sect. But we do not accept just anyone; only those destined by fate to reach the great heights of cultivation.
Before we begin, I ask all who are younger than ten or older than twenty to leave the square without delay or who do not wish to participate in the trials. In case of disobedience or attempted deceit..." Here, the old man smiled, or rather grinned, "You will deeply regret it. But let's get back to business. To determine the chosen ones among you, you will undergo three trials. To those who do not pass them, I offer my condolences in advance, wish you good luck, and a safe return home," he said the last words in a tone that made it clear he couldn't care less about those who failed the trials.
"The first trial is the simplest. When your number is called, simply approach the obelisk and place your hand on it. Nothing more is required of you in this trial."
And then, one by one, in the continuing silence, people began to approach the obelisk.
"Disciples of the sect use Qi techniques to transmit their words to only one interlocutor," Rand thought. For Qi practitioners, this was not unusual; it was one of the basic techniques known to everyone.
Candidates approached the obelisk one after another, placing their palms on it for several seconds before proceeding to the platform, where they were informed of the result. This whole process took very little time, significantly less than a minute, and candidates approached the obelisk from several directions at once. So Rand wasn't afraid that the trial would drag on for several days, even with the huge crowd. Initially, everyone left the platform with disappointed faces and lowered heads, although hundreds had already been through this procedure.
And only half an hour later, instead of leaving disheartened, the first candidate ascended the platform and stood behind the disciples of the Fire Dragon sect.
In an instant, he caught the gaze of thousands of people still waiting their turn below. Even despite the elder's prohibition, some began to whisper among themselves. One even whispered to someone close to Rand:
"Who is this? Looks like some ragamuffin. How can the young master be less talented than him..."
The young man seemed unremarkable; he didn't stand out with his height or physique. He had dark hair, like most inhabitants of the empire, and a completely ordinary face. But Rand, retaining perfect vision even after losing his cultivation, managed to discern what many did not notice: his eyes occasionally flickered with blue flames.
"He probably possesses the Eyes of Blue Flame, quite a remarkable gift. The sect is very lucky," Rand thought.
Although Rand had to give up years of cultivation to infiltrate the sect, the knowledge gained from years of training under the best teachers in the empire was not so easily forgotten. So he knew a vast number of possible talents and gifts among people and other beings, what they could give their possessor, and how they manifested. In his time, his teachers paid considerable attention to this, as such knowledge could provide a significant advantage, both in battle and in managing people.
While Rand pondered, an expected event occurred. The sect disciples didn't like that people were breaking the silence, and therefore the elder's order, and began to whisper again. One of disciples stepped forward and clapped his hands. After that, all those whispering, several dozen of them, seemed to involuntarily drop to their knees and began to beat their heads against the cobblestone floor until blood flowed. People started to shy away in fear from those kneeling. Some couldn't bear the sight and left the square. This action lasted for several minutes, after which the force that made them beat their heads against the floor released them. Most were even able to stand up on their own; the sect disciple still didn't want to kill potential candidates.
The next few hours passed relatively uneventfully compared to this, with two or three people ascending the platform each hour and standing behind the elder and the disciples of the sect. Rand didn't discern any visibly impressive qualities in them.
And then, after many hours, as the crowd began to slowly disperse, Rand finally heard what only he could hear and what he had been waiting for quite a long time.
"Candidate 10007, approach the obelisk and place your hand on it," echoed the young, melodious voice of one of the disciples in Rand's mind.
Upon hearing these words, Rand and several others went to the obelisk, drawing the attention of the crowd. Even though quite some time had passed, people continued to watch each person approach the obelisk; who knows, maybe the next one would be lucky, and they would soon ascend to the heights of power. Such people were better known by face. Or perhaps people enjoyed gloating over others' misfortunes. But mostly, the crowd had nothing else to look at, and only the sect disciples mostly ignored those walking.
Approaching the enormous monument, which was actually quite a powerful artifact, Rand knew that its main functions included determining talent for cultivation, the presence of various gifts, animal legacies, the age of the person who touched it, and much more.
But through the prince's transformation, it shouldn't be able to see through, as its rank was too low for such to happen.
In the empire, there were many such artifacts, owned by sects and the imperial family. Although, of course, they were not exactly the same, and some functions might differ.
Rand touched what looked like obsidian and felt slight tingling in his palm, as if he were touching not a smooth surface, but countless needles. Then the tingling spread throughout his body. The external Qi of the artifact penetrated him and began to explore his body. After a couple of seconds, the pain ceased, and a voice sounded in his mind:
"Approach the platform."
Rand obediently approached, and for the first time in hours, the elder spoke, using his voice instead of Qi techniques.
"Hello, Oberin, isn't it?" After the young man nodded, the elder continued, "My name is Byron Gerano, and I am the elder of the Fire Dragon sect. You are a very talented young man. Would you like to become my disciple?"
After these words, all the sect disciples, people in the crowd, and even the candidates for disciples with rounded eyes stared at the young man with light hair standing at the foot of the platform.
One of the disciples even wanted to say something: "Elder, but..." But Elder Byron merely glanced at her, and she fell silent. Then he returned his gaze to Rand.
"What do you say, young Oberin? Are you willing to become my disciple?"
Though Rand had expected something like this in the future, he didn't think the elder would offer to become his personal disciple immediately after passing the first trial and even before he officially became a sect novice.
Rand's eyes widened in surprise, and a multitude of thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant:
"I need to weigh all the pros and cons, and very quickly, as it seems this old man isn't going to give me time to think. Otherwise, he would have asked after the trials. Why does he want this? Although I have a high-quality talent for cultivation, coupled with a powerful gift that will allow me to reach the Core Formation Stage much faster than others, it wasn't something that would make the elder break the sect's rules and invite him during the trials. The same guy with the Eyes of Blue Flame had a gift of roughly the same level, but he didn't evoke such a reaction from the elder. Rand had met Elder Byron a couple of times in the capital as a representative of his sect, but he only knew that he was a fairly influential elder at the peak of the Core Formation Stage. He also knew he had a daughter, perhaps it was this disciple who stood nearby.
Overall, the main drawback of agreeing to such an offer is the lack of information about its reason. And also his initial desire to first establish himself in the sect so that someone higher than the elder would offer him discipleship in the future. For most teachers, visible talents and gifts, while extremely important, are not the only qualities needed in a potential disciple. True, if a person's talent or gift is extremely strong, then everyone usually doesn't care about the secondary qualities of the future cultivator. But both the talent and the gift shown by Rand were far from being treated in such a way.
He really wants to refuse immediately, but refusing the elder can be extremely disadvantageous, even dangerous. Especially so publicly; refusing in this situation would be equal to insult. And at the moment, he was most vulnerable since he wasn't yet part of the sect. The status of a sect disciple provides at least dubious protection. But now, if the elder decides to kill him just because of his refusal, the maximum consequence for the elder would be a reprimand. Of course, it would be some kind of madness, and the chance of such an outcome is minimal, but such a possibility should not be dismissed. Even if it doesn't come to that, he can make Rand's life miserable."
The pros, however, were numerous. Being the disciple of the elder bestowed various advantages: greater access to resources, elevated status, assistance in practicing techniques, and much more.
And most importantly, what would the answer of a village boy like Oberin, known for his meek nature, be to such an offer?
"So it seems I have only one way out of this situation," Rand calculated, though a multitude of thoughts raced through his mind, only a couple of seconds had passed in the surrounding world.
Rand suddenly smiled widely and said:
"For me, it would be a great honor to become your disciple."
"Good, good, good. We'll conduct the initiation ceremony a bit later. For now, stand behind me. We need to finish with this trial," the truly delighted elder responded.
Rand obediently stood behind the elder, while the disciples continued to regard him as some kind of strange creature.
Hour after hour passed, the number of people in the square continued to dwindle, while the number of people on the platform slightly increased. The total number of future sect disciples had already exceeded four dozen. Among them, there were a few people with gifts, but none elicited any particular reaction from Elder Byron.
One person even tried to deceive the artifact using some low-level treasure capable of changing appearance; she looked like a twelve-year-old girl, but in reality, she was a thirty-year-old man. Although he possessed some talent for cultivation, it didn't influence Elder Byron's decision to incinerate him with a wave of his hand for violating the rules.
The sect disciples continued to stand in one place almost without moving, seemingly effortlessly, while some potential disciples failed to replicate this feat and sat on the platform, earning almost imperceptible disdainful looks from the disciples. It was understandable; not everyone could stand in one place for many hours in a row, especially considering the scorching sun high in the sky. Only a few continued to stand, and Rand was among them, suspecting that this was a hidden trial.
As the sun began to set, it was finally the turn of the last candidate to approach the obelisk. The boy was unusually thin and short, making him appear no more than ten years old. Rand felt like he had stood next to him when he came to the square, but he wasn't sure. As soon as he touched the artifact, it immediately began emitting a blinding black light, then began to crack. After which, it crumbled into numerous pieces, narrowly avoiding burying the boy beneath it.
The sect members were instantly alarmed. The elder seemed to teleport to the boy standing next to the obelisk's debris, and before the horrified child could say anything, the elder placed his hand on his head.
"Strange, very strange. He has talent for cultivation, but nothing special. Nothing that could damage the artifact. Apparently, there was some hidden defect in it, or it had reached its limit. The boy was just unlucky to be the twig that broke it. I will inform Master Royden about this," he said, addressing the nearby disciples. Then he turned to the boy:
"And you shouldn't worry. You're not to blame for what happened. Your talent is at a sufficient level, so you can join the others."
After that, he turned around and addressed everyone present:
"With that, the first trial has come to an end. Congratulations to all who passed; you have a chance to reach high levels of cultivation and become as outstanding disciples as the young men standing beside me," he paused for a moment, looking over the attendees, and Rand felt like his gaze lingered on him a little longer before adding, "Or maybe even surpass them.
"Now, you will follow Michael and the others; they will take you to the location of the second trial and inform you of its conditions," after these words, one of the disciples, apparently Michael, stepped forward. Rand felt like this disciple was somewhat dissatisfied with something, although he tried not to show it. But the way he glanced at Rand a couple of times hinted at the reason for his bad mood.
"Good luck in the upcoming trials; I hope to see you next time as full-fledged members of the sect. Oberin, you don't need to go with them. Follow me," his final words elicited many envious glances from the candidates for disciples. But Rand couldn't care less about them, and without paying them any attention, he obediently followed the elder.