Vaelle asked, "Are you two hurt?"
Joon shook his head, Elara did the same.
Vaelle sighed, "Thank goodness."
Elara asked, "What was that noise earlier? It sounded like fighting."
"It was fighting. But it shouldn't concern you. Your next exam test will begin in just a few minutes."
"How many of them are there?"
"There's—."
The head sect leader walked in, with his golden mask and white robe, saying, "Children."
BADUM0P
Joon and Elara's heart pounded, the intensity they felt from him shook then to the core, their hearts pounding, it felt like it was getting hot in there.
Joon said, "W-Who are you?"
'I've never seen him before obviously, but he seems important. His outfit looks different from everyone else's. But every time he steps closer, I feel like I'm about to explode!'
Elara thought, 'This guy…so much bloodlust coming from him…it's like I can't even use my own qi to shield this feeling…'
The feeling was making it hard for Joon and Elara to breathe, they tried their best to, but it was difficult.
The head leader responded, "I will be known as just the Head. You two and a few others have really caught the attention of our members, even this scene below us…it's striking. It shows you won't hesitate to put your brothers in place when the time comes."
Joon and Elara said at the same time, "Those are not our brothers."
Joon pouted, "They really tried to get me, I didn't let them. I was defending myself. I'm sorry."
The Head grunted, "Apologizing for defending yourself? I see what type of kid you are now. You're the quiet type, pretty naive, but innocent. But when fighting, you enjoy the feeling of power, that's why you smile."
"…I.."
"No no, no need to be sorry. And about the exams, the exams continue as it goes on. Meaning, the outcome after and during each test determines what the next test will be—."
Elara asked, "—So you're just winging it?"
The Head said to her, "Do not speak again until I am finished talking."
Elara put her head down, her veins popping as she felt the murderous intent from The Head.
'He's serious…I doubt if Joon fought him…the Head will have no issue winning.'
The Head continued, "Furthermore, you are a mere 3rd gate qi cultivator, I'm sure you feel you are superior, but we'll break you out of that. But you will get stronger with us.
[3rd Gate: Gate of Accumulation - This level is marked by the ability to accumulate Qi and store it, enhancing physical and mental capabilities notably. (3,000 qi level)]
The Head then looked at Joon, saying, "But you…you're special. You have to come with me for a little while."
Joon raised his hand slowly, and the Head responded, "Yes?"
"What about my exams?"
"You will still participate, but I still need you for this. You would have to skip out on the next test, the other prospects will take it. That includes your little girlfriend over there."
Elara blushed, waving her hand, "Wait wait wait wait, we're not like that!"
The Head looked at Vaelle, saying, "Can you escort Elara back to the prospects area? The next exam will start. You and Krakus will escort the them to the next area. Understood?"
"Yes."
"Great! Let's go, son." The Head grabbed Joon by the shoulder, but Joon stopped, not budging.
Time seemed to paused, and Vaelle said, "Joon..!"
Elara gasped, "What are you doing?!"
The Head said, "Oh? Not obeying me?"
Joon looked up at the Head, saying, "You called me son…"
"Yeah, what about it? In the Blood Sect, we become family."
"You're not my father," Joon looked up at him with a malicious look.
"Of course not. I'm alive."
Vaelle gasped, trying to deescalate the situation, "Head, you know his mind is fuzzy after I used healing qi on him. And he lost his left eye, so—."
The Head responded, "Shut the fuck up."
KATHOOM!
A wave of aura flushed around the entire area, and everyone dropped to their knees; it was like gravity was weighing down on everyone, forcing them to kneel.
Joon didn't react, but he was still standing. Elara and Vaelle were kneeling, holding their chests as the pressure was immense. Even the prospects outside and the blood sect members were kneeling.
Caelan groaned, "Tch! What is this?!"
'What the hell is going on?! Is Joon involved? That girl Elara isn't here either.'
Torin, beside him, exclaimed with a smile, "Awesomeeeee!"
Zephyr added, "What is so awesome about this?"
'This is definitely the use of gravity qi, a part of 9th gate qi cultivation. Whoever it is, he's powerful.'
**9th Gate: Gate of Ascendancy - Near the pinnacle of Qi cultivation, these practitioners wield monumental power, able to influence large scale natural phenomena and exert their will over vast distances. (9,000 qi level)**
Inside of the tent, Joon was bleeding from his nose, and his covered left eye that was gone.
The Head stood in front of him, saying, "Why do you fight so hard against it? You'll die. See? You're bleeding all over my floor."
Joon's system window said in front of him:
[9th gate qi cultivation, gravity. The longer you fight it, your head will combust.]
Joon said to the Head, "Please…don't call me son. It's not fair…to my dad. Who the sect killed off. And if In any way you try and resemble him or the ones I'm after, I'll kill you too—."
Vaelle forced herself up to grab Joon, and dragged him down to knees, and Joon kneeled, now he was too weak to stand up, which he wanted to do again.
Vaelle said, "You'll die. If the force of his gravity qi doesn't kill you, he will pop your head in a second."
Joon cried, "It's not fair. Mom…dad…only they can call me son."
The gravity and pressure stopped, and the Head chuckled, "Haha! Excellent, Excellent. Never in years have I seen someone defy me. You know I'm stronger than you, and yet, you defended the name of your parents. Which because of what happened to them, you, you are now here."
The Head helped Joon up to his feet, and said, "But that will be the last time this happens. Next time, I will surely kill you. Now follow me."
Joon followed him out of the tent, turning around to Elara and Vaelle.
Elara said to him, "Joon."
"What?"
"If we see each other again, I want to talk to you about something."
"Okay."
Elara looked away, continuing, "So uh…don't die."
"You too. Good luck."
As the Head was walking, he thought, 'I intended to kill the brat right there for defying me, but he managed to fight it. I redirected the pressure of my Qi directly to his head and body, which would've made him explode. Due to my level as a 9th gate cultivator, I can dish out my qi anywhere I like, and also influence the atmosphere to a certain scale. Then again, Joon was able to fight against it. If that's the case, then he could be ready.'
As Joon was discreetly led away by the Head of the Blood Sect for reasons undisclosed, the remaining prospects gathered in a shadowy, forest-like area enclosed within a massive cave. The air was damp, and the eerie glow of luminescent fungi cast a ghostly hue over the faces of the group. Among them, Elara, Caelan, Torin, and Zephyr stood in focused silence, acclimating to the unsettling environment.
Caelan asked Elara, "What happened? Where's that brat Joon? Don't tell me they killed him for disrespecting me? Or did he run away scared shitless? It's gotta be one or the other."
"Don't talk to me."
"Stop acting like that. All I did was kick you."
"You're lucky I don't kill you now."
"As if you can anyway."
Two prospects had saw them: Hyun, a boy with jet-black hair and sharp grey eyes, who leaned casually against a boulder, his hands tucked into the pockets of his weathered jeans, exuding a lazy yet alert demeanor. Beside him, Mina, her eyes a piercing amber and her long, auburn hair tied back in a high ponytail, practically vibrated with energy, her muscles tensing like a coiled spring, ready for action.
Hyun said with a yawn, "This is so boring…where's that demon boy? It made things interesting…."
Mina added, "I don't know, but if I see him, I want to fight him to the death!" She smiled.
Torin heard her, replying, "Oh yeah? Get in line."
Vaelle, one of the Blood Sect leaders, stepped forward. Beside her, Krakus, another leader known for his ornery disposition, stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His deep scowl seemed almost permanent, and his eyes flickered with a disdainful fire.
Krakus said to Vaelle, "These are the faces of dead men."
"Silence."
"Listen up," Vaelle began, her voice commanding attention. "Today's test will challenge not just your physical prowess, but your ability to adapt to demonic Qi. Your task is to capture at least ten roosters, each infused with a touch of demonic Qi."
She continued, as murmurs of curiosity and apprehension rippled through the group of eighty prospects.
"Demonic qi? How can we adapt to it?"
"Is that even possible?"
"For certain ranks of cultivators, I think."
Vaelle continued, "These are no ordinary roosters. They hail from the distant reaches of the Ji-Jang woods, near the oscillating borders of the Zaihan realms. These creatures, although appearing mundane, are influenced by the residual energies from the cataclysmic battles fought in their lands, making them unusually cunning and resilient."
Krakus grunted, adding, "And don't think of underestimating these creatures. They're more than capable of making fools out of the lot of you. Use this test to prove you are not as inept as you appear."
He glared openly at the prospects, his gaze lingering longer on the faces of Hyun and Mina, as if challenging them directly.
'Those two…something's up with those brats.'
Mina shifted on her feet, her eyes narrowing with the thrill of the impending test, while Hyun merely yawned, though his eyes darted around the area, taking in the strategic positions and potential escape routes for the elusive roosters.
Caelan said, "Let's do this then. If Joon is dead, then that increases my chance of being the so-called chosen one."
'And with a title like that, I could be granted favor over anyone else here. If that's the case, it'll aid my revenge even more.'
Vaelle gestured towards the dense undergrowth and the shadowy corners of the cave. "The roosters are already out there. Your test begins at the sound of the gong. Remember, this is also a test of your ability to withstand and adapt to demonic Qi—essential for any who aspire to rise in the ranks of the Blood Sect. And we will all be handing you a rope infused with qi, so that you can also learn to channel your own qi into items."
The group tensed, each prospect mentally preparing for the challenge. Elara looked over at other prospects, thinking, 'It feels weird with Joon not here, is he okay? Why am I thinking about him so much? Am I okay?'
Caelan cracked his knuckles, a determined glint in his eyes, "I'm winning this thing. It's a completion for me."
Meanwhile, Torin surveyed the area with a critical eye, strategizing.
"Ooooh, demon roosters! That sounds fun!"
Mina agreed with Torin, "Precisely! I've dealt with some of these back on the surface, just follow my lead!"
"Haha, nope!"
Zephyr, ever the enigma, stood silently, his focus inward as he mentally prepared for the chaos to come.
'Blend with the earth, that's all there is to it. Every exam brings potential death, do not fear it, Zephyr.'
As the tension reached its peak, Krakus lifted his hand, his other still firmly folded across his chest. His scowl deepened as if the very act of initiating the test was distasteful to him. Nonetheless, he gave a curt nod to Vaelle, who held a striker aloft, ready to signal the start.
Just as the prospects braced themselves, the sharp sound of the gong reverberated through the cavernous space, its echo a herald to the chaos that was about to unfold. Mina sprung forward like an arrow from a bow, her energy unleashed, while Hyun pushed off from his relaxed lean, surprisingly quick on his feet.
With the test now in motion, the sounds of rustling leaves, startled shouts, and the occasional triumphant cry began to fill the air, each sound a story in the making in the eerie, glowing forest of the cave. The hunt for the demonic roosters had begun.
Elara scanned the thick underbrush, her breath forming a mist in the cooler air of the cave. Spotting a speckled rooster darting past, she lunged, forming a whip of ice in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the whip snaking through the leaves, wrapping it around a nearby tree as the rooster darted insanely. The creature, sensing the trap, doubled back only to find itself encircled by a ring of frost she had conjured, slowing its movements. Swiftly, Elara looped her qi-infused rope around the bird, binding it tightly.
'Got him!'
Caelan got pissed, saying, "How boring. You think you're all that because your boyfriend went against me?"
Elara stated, "Joon is not my boyfriend. Go die."
"I never even said his name. So it has to be true. Pathetic. Those who are strong are the ones who'll survive, those who are only focused on their goals of revenge."
"I'm aiming to kill when this is all over, so my revenge will truly start after you're dead."
"We'll see about that."
Caelan's fiery aura flared as he cornered another one of the demonic roosters. He extended his hands, palms out, and a circle of fire sprang up, surrounding both him and the rooster. With careful control, he narrowed the circle, herding the panicked bird towards the center. As it leaped to escape, he twirled, lashing a fire-wrapped rope around it, the qi enhancing the grip securely.
"And down you go, bitch!"
Over to Zephyr, Merging his essence with the earth, Zephyr Blended into the landscape. A rooster, pecking at the ground, unknowingly neared his position. In a sudden burst, Zephyr rose, causing a loud clap of thunderous wind to erupt beneath him, startling the rooster into a stunned halt. Quickly, he wrapped his qi-laden rope around the bird as it struggled to regain its senses.
'The earth speaks, and the wise listen. Therein lies the secret to true power.'
Torin's speed was a blur as he dashed through the dense forest, laughing.
"Woo hoo! Let's catch some demon roosters and eat them later!"
Spotting a target, he executed a series of martial arts maneuvers, twisting above a tree and kicking at the same time, causing spectral wolves to emerge with each precise movement. The wolves corralled the rooster expertly, nipping at it to move where Torin intended. He looped his rope expertly, his strong hands making quick work of the capture.
Hyun faced off with one particularly cunning rooster. With a smirk, he transformed his arm into steel, blocking the path of the bird as it tried a daring escape. It collided with his arm and recoiled, dazed. Seizing the moment, Hyun used his other arm, still flesh and blood, to deftly bind the rooster with his qi-enhanced rope.
"…Can you stop moving so much..? And so fast?"
Mina, darting past him, exclaimed with excited fury, "I can't be the only one who hasn't caught a rooster yet?! I talked so much shit! And I have a qi-rune weapon, so I automatically win anyway."
"Stop…bragging."
Mina swung her rune-etched hammer in a wide arc, releasing it to fly through the air. The dark orange aura flared, blinding the rooster temporarily as it clanged near it. The bird stumbled blindly into a trap Mina had set up, and she quickly secured the rope around it, her strength evident in her tight grip.
"Every strike must count, or it counts for nothing!"
"Inspirational."
"Thanks. We'll make mom and dad proud at this rate."
"…I hope."
Utilizing the echoing wind, Zephyr conjured a series of sonic booms underneath the foliage, disorienting a group of roosters. They scattered, but one ran straight into his waiting arms. His connection to the earth guided his movements, ensuring the rope was secured before the bird recovered.
"Harmony with nature yields the greatest rewards."*
Torin asked him, "Hey buddy?"
"Yes, Torin?"
"Who are you talking to?"
"My ancestors who believe in me."
"Oh….okay!" Torin smiled.
'Zephyr is awfully strange sometimes, I've known him for years. It's just confusing how he all of sudden became so quiet…'
Deploying his spectral wolves in a wide circle, Torin drove a flock of roosters towards a centralized location. Each movement of his, synchronized with his phantom allies, herded the birds into a tight group where he used a large, sweeping motion to loop multiple birds within his rope.
"See, Zephyr?! Too easy!"
"Yes. This test is too easy. Something is not right here."
'There has to be more to this.'
Transforming both arms into steel, Hyun blocked a narrow path between two rocks where several roosters attempted to escape. As they bounced off his impervious arms, he quickly used his martial prowess to scoop them up, tying the group with a single, efficient motion.
Again using her hammer's blinding capability, Mina created a dazzling light show, disorienting not just one, but three roosters. As they stumbled around, she used her superior strength to gather and bind them together, her hammer glowing proudly at her side.
Up above, the blood sect leaders alongside Krakus and Vaelle, and some other members watched.
Vaelle said, "Some prospects are running away, trying to move away from demonic qi areas. Thanks to the Head's qi manipulation, he's keeping it all in one area instead of letting it venture out to us. Some of the prospects can't handle the demonic qi, I'm surprised some of these prospects have lasted this long."
Krakus said, "Even Those two, that weird duo. Mina and Hyun."
Vaelle responded, "They're both formidable 5th gate qi cultivators. Mina has a qi-rune weapon, which temporarily blinds enemies on impact and it's unbreakable. Hyun has the ability to turn parts of his body or his entire body to steel which adds durability and strength, but slows down his speed. And he mixed it in with his martial arts, he will be formidable. Those two are brother and sister."
"Brother and sister duo, and they don't seem bothered by what's going on."
"….Mm. You were the same way."
"You know I don't care about anyone or anything."
"But you seemed to care what I thought of Joon."
"….He's an anomaly. Why would you, someone who doesn't tend to people as much tend to Joon so easily and he was the first prospect you helped."
"I have my reasons."
"You must know something. Something that me or the other leaders and members don't know."
"Foolish talk. Focus on the prospects."
"Whatever."
'Vaelle…she's hiding something.'
Back down in the forest, Elara had rounded up multiple demon roosters in ropes and ice, and she wiped sweat from her forehead, thinking, 'This test wasn't as hard as the last one, and less dangerous. Even with the demonic qi around, I can keep it from disturbing my own qi by coating myself with qi. But it won't last long, as a 4th gate cultivator, refining the quality of my qi to make it more pure and more potent, can make me apply and expand it through my entire body, which can shield me from astral attacks, such as demonic qi itself, but for not long. I don't wanna sit here long enough, Joon doesn't want me dead, so i'm gonna go back to the start with—.'
At that precise moment, a colossal, muscular demonic rooster emerged from the undergrowth, its feathers a dark, bloody red shimmering with malevolent qi. Its eyes, glinting with an unnatural ferocity, focused on Elara. Each sinew muscle bulged with power, its talons sharp as razors and its beak twisted cruelly into a semblance of a grin. A chill premonitory sense hung heavily in the air as it abruptly lunged at Elara.
'What?! I didn't sense him-?!'
The monstrous creature struck with terrifying speed, its right wing coiled like a fist. It slammed into Elara's side, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the air. Elara was flung violently, her body cutting through the dense forest underbrush, breaking branches as she spun uncontrollably. She crashed with a sickening thud against a large rock, her body crumpling upon impact. Dust rose around her as she lay there, blood mixing with dirt on her bruised face, her eyes wide with shock.
"Ugh…ah…fuck. Of course I couldn't sense his presence…only those of a higher gate can. But I don't know which one…all I know is..it's a rank I have to reach. I won't lose here…Joon doesn't want me to lose.."
Regaining her senses amidst the whirlwind of pain, Elara saw the demonic rooster bearing down on her again, its movements fueled by a dark fury. With a deep breath, gathering the remnants of her strength and focus, she kick-flipped off the rock in a desperate evasive maneuver. The rooster's taloned fist smashed into the rock where her head had been moments before, shattering it into gravel.
In mid-air, Elara twisted her body, adopting the stance of the ancient martial art of **Cryomancy Grace**. With elegant, precise movements of her hands, she conjured a spear of ice, the air around it crackling with frost. As she descended, she drove the ice spear with all her remaining strength straight into the skull of the demonic rooster.
The impact was brutal and decisive; the spear shattered upon impact, driving icy shards into the creature's brain. A gory mix of blood and ice splattered the ground as the rooster's lifeless body thudded heavily onto the earth. Landing on her knees, Elara stared at the vanquished foe, her breathing heavy and labored, a visceral mix of terror and relief washing over her. Blood dripped from her wounds, staining the soil beneath her.
"I was so close…so close to losing…if I was strong then I would have avoided this…if only I could sense it, I need to be a higher rank…God…I don't wanna lose."
As she clutched the dirt, her mind involuntarily flashed back to a similar terrifying encounter from her youth. She had been cornered by a wolf, its eyes gleaming with demonic qi. Young and less experienced, she had barely managed to survive, using her nascent ice powers to strike the beast in the head, ending its menace just as she had done now.
Shaking, with tears mixing with the blood on her cheeks, Elara whispered to herself, a mantra to steady her courage, something her mother and father said to her all the time, "Through ice and fear, I endure." She pushed herself up, her resolve hardening, knowing that despite the horror, she had once again faced death and prevailed.
She walked away from the dead rooster, and she heard booms in the distance, which made her realize there were more of those demonic humanoid roosters out there causing havoc. Blood dripped from her head as she wiped it, saying, "The smartest thing to do is go back to the finish with my roosters I caught. If I go back and help anyone, I'll lose. Those damn things are strong. And based on what Vaelle said about them, I know they're territorial and overprotective of their kind. Like humans, all beings function pretty much the same. With their own race and kind, they establish ranks amongst each other, even developing amongst qi. I shouldn't go back…I won't. I don't know any of these people. Why should I go back..?"