Ivar sat behind the western hall, alone, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. The vital energy in his core was grouped into six batches as they circulated around his body, enriching his body and the process of circulation making his control over the vital energy better.
It was like a symbiotic relationship between the vital energy and the body, the vital energy enriched the body and made it stronger and in turn, the body refined the vital energy making it more concentrated and stronger. The concentrated vital energy could then enrich the body more in the next cycle of circulation.
This was a virtuous circle.
Ivar guided the first batch of vital energy across the body, making sure it got its time. Ivar had already found the sweet spot for that as this was his 20th time doing it. In the previous six months, he had completed 19 cycles!
Ivar continued circulating one batch of energy after another, only stopping after all the batches were done. Ivar slowly opened his eyes, making sure they adjusted to the sunlight. He sighed and laid on the grassy ground, looking at the eye of the west which was near the horizon, almost touching it.
Ivar remembers how he used to ask questions about the eye to his parents and teachers. Why does it never move? Whose eye is it? At the end of the day, he was fed lies. He sought answers no one knew.
"I should go do some archery now."
Ivar directly walked behind the main hall and started practicing archery! Ivar could now comfortably hit the target of 500 meters. The only reason he couldn't go further was because of his bow quality and the fact that the range only had a 500-meter target at the maximum.
Unlike six months ago, Ivar was alone practicing in the range. The other archer girl had died from rats or during one of the survival days where they were thrown in the mountain to survive for a day and a night. Ivar couldn't remember how she died but she did.
There were a few more casualties, Including one person from Ivar's lackeys. In total, the previous 25 trainees had reduced to 14. With 6 girls and 8 boys, the crowd was truly small! Some died while training for poison resistance, some for observation training, and some for survival.
All these deaths only served to strengthen Ivar's beliefs that most human lives were comparable to animals. Did an animal he killed ever know him personally? No.
It was that simple.
Ivar trained his archery skills for a while before stopping and training the basics of his swords. He decided not to fight with Cohen today as he had just completed another circulation. He needed to get used to this circulation after all.
Ivar swung his sword continuously for about two hours stopping only after some sweat got into his eyes, burning them.
"Ugh-Ugh–" Ivar massaged his eyes trying to get rid of the sweat but it only made the matter worse. "First this pesky sweat and the energy always trying to go somewhere when I swing but not doing it! What's their problem?!"
After properly getting rid of the sweat, Ivar continued for a while before he was interrupted by a familiar shout.
"Everyone, come to the grounds immediately!". It was Isshin.
Ivar picked up a small towel to wipe his sweat. He looked at the towel.
He remembered the sweat entering his eyes. The silence was deafening.
"I am dumb, aren't I?"
***
Ivar finally arrived at the grounds. Isshin's eyes followed him as he walked from the side of the hall to the small group in front of Isshin.
"First of all, I would like to congratulate you on surviving your first six months on this mountain. And for what's about to happen next, I would like to say, Good luck." Isshin smirked as he openly taunted the trainees with yet another threat.
The trainees gasped but lightly, making sure to not get under Isshin's skin.
"That's right! To celebrate your first six months, I have decided to hold a small competition among you all. Needless to say, There can and will be deaths." If it was six months ago, most of the trainees would have been shaking at the mention of death but that was not the case right now.
Seeing the trainee's reaction, Isshin proudly smiled and continued, "Of course with high risk there will be good rewards. And the reward will be given to the top two of the competition. It will be a Vital pill!"
The trainees made a confused expression, not knowing what a Vital pill was.
"If you don't know what a vital pill is then listen carefully, It is the invention made from the combined efforts of first elder and third elder! The pill is only produced in the territories of the first elder and the third elder. We, the demon sect, are the only ones who produce it!" Isshin smiled, the tips of his lips almost reaching his ears.
Most of the trainees were surprised but Cohnes especially was more surprised. His eyes were widened as a drop of sweat fell down his forehead.
'So they were the producers of Vital pill!?'
"If you still haven't guessed what the pill does then let me tell you. It is only really effective for the initiate stage. It does one simple thing! Increase the vital energy of your body and make it easier for you to feel it! Of course, it also strengthens your body but you still need to train." Isshin kept turning his head to look at the stain on the side, seemingly waiting for someone.
"I did send someone a day ago to get it from the factory…" Isshin expression slowly turned to that of anger as his brows furrowed, "He needs to get some obedience training from me after he arrives…"
Isshin turned his head back to the crowd and started speaking, "Until he arrives, let's–"
"Unfortunately, He won't be arriving." A man appeared a few meters behind Isshin, near the stairs that led to the mountain's base.
"Who said that?--" With anger radiating from his eyes, he turned back to look at the man but as soon as he laid eyes on the man, He got on both of his knees and banged his head on the ground.
"Please forgive me! Great first elder!!" Isshin screamed his lungs out as some of the saliva from his mouth mixed with the blood that was flowing from his forehead.
Hearing the words 'Great first elder', Everyone got on both of their knees and bowed deeply to the man.
""We greet the First elder!"" A synonymous voice escaped the mountain.