by Yuri Ajin
“Well, it’s time,” he said to himself, climbing down from the tree, and continued his walk.
At the beginning, the climb wasn’t too steep, but with each mile, the angle of the slope got closer and closer to ninety degrees. In the most difficult areas, he even had to cling to trees.
When he finally reached the top of an absolutely bare rock and looked down, he realized that he was still at the foot of the mountain. Cursing, he took off his shoes and put them away into his Ring. Having infused his arms and legs with sword energy, he dug his hands and feet into the rock as if it was made of sand and began to climb. Luckily, he wasn’t afraid of heights.
About five hours later, it got dark and Kai began to feel tired. After finding a small ledge, he decided to take a break. Having regained his strength, he continued climbing. He was lucky that the sky was clear and that he had the moon to guide him and light his path.
By the evening of the next day, he got to a small, man-made cave. Inside was a marble pedestal, right in the center of a circular platform. In the energy spectrum, the entire structure looked like an incredibly complex web of energy and Forces — it was definitely an array.
Stepping onto the platform, Kai froze. A bright beam suddenly shot out from the top of the pedestal and hit his Ring. An unknown force ripped one of the scrolls out of the compressed space and left it hanging in the air. A second later, a bright light filled the cave.
Opening his eyes, Kai found himself in a completely different place. No cave, no strange pedestal — just a vast field of grass swaying in the wind. In the distance ahead of him was a sharp cliff beneath which was a sea of clouds.
On the horizon, a majestic star was just rising.
He also noticed that the density of prana had increased dramatically. He had no idea why, but it was incredible.
“Yes. Just as I thought...” Rune’Tan sighed. “This so-called Celestial Plateau is probably where―”
“Wait, you know about this place?” Kai asked in surprise.
“An incredibly high plateau extending beyond the clouds, extremely intense energy on the surface... This is Santat, the capital of the Belteise Empire on Saha,” the spirit explained. “Seems like the locals took advantage of my country’s ruins... They even created clans...” He chuckled.
Kai knew about Saha. That was the name of the planet they were currently on. From time to time, Rune’Tan would tell him about the Belteise Empire, which, although it was incredibly powerful in comparison to Alkea or even the clans of the Celestial Plateau, was still a grain of sand in the immense Oikumen — the cluster of famous worlds of martial arts.
“Kai?” someone’s surprised voice came from behind him.
Turning around, he saw a young man with moonlight hair, clad in loose, white robes.
“Ivsim?” he asked, equally surprised.
“It’s me!” Ivsim smiled widely. Kai hadn’t seen him since the tournament in Caltea. “How odd the paths of fate are! I never expected that we’d meet again. It’s been two years!”
“How did you recognize me?” Kai asked. He had worn a different face back then.
Ivsim chuckled and slicked back the long bangs that covered his face, revealing milky-white eyes.
“I was born blind. But in return, my bloodline gave me exquisite hearing.” He let his hair fall back over his face. “The way your blood flows, your heart beats, how you breathe, how you walk, and even how your muscles contract... I can hear all this and much more. And each person has their own unique sound. That’s how I recognized you... By the way, congratulations. You came third, which means you can become an inner-circle student of the Thunder Serpent Clan.”
Kai was delighted. With a smile, he looked around. Besides him and Ivsim, there were two more people there — a person in dark blue armor and a bald Middle Stage Exorcist with his clan’s coat of arms displayed on his robes, meditating on the large steps.
“And you?” Kai asked, curious.
“Today’s the twenty-second day of the test. I arrived second, the day before yesterday. He got here first.” Ivsim nodded toward the armored man. “According to the Exorcist, he got here on the fifteenth day.”
Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise. How could anyone cross such a distance in two weeks? Was it even possible?
However, what surprised him even more was the man’s aura. He was at the Opening of the Acupuncture Points level. To have reached such a stage at such a young age… It was incredible. Kai had never seen anyone like him in the Fallen Star Sect. He knew only two people who could reach the Soul Stage before twenty — Greenrow and Lily.
He must be some genius from the Lowlands...
“By the way, how did you get to Namesh?” Ivsim asked. “Has the clan sent ships as far away as Alkea?”
“What?” Kai looked at him in confusion. “Didn’t you come with us? Wait... You didn’t join the Fallen Star Sect?”
Ivsim shook his head. “I heard about it though. But after that tournament in Caltea, I returned to my teacher, and then we came to the Lowlands.”
Kai’s face expressed bewilderment mixed with doubt. How could someone, without being an Elementalist or owning a skyship, cross such a distance? There were many other obstacles on the way here — monsters, people, seas, deserts, and, in the end, the Azure Ridge itself.
Not wishing to beat around the bush, Kai decided to be direct with Ivsim. He hoped that his friend wouldn’t lie to him.
“Remember the cave with the pedestal? It was a teleport. It determined which clan you belong to according to your scroll, and then sent you here.” Ivsim began explaining. “Similar, but much more powerful arrays are scattered all over the world. My teacher is from the Lowlands. He came through one of those to Alkea. They’re mostly hidden in the Wild Lands, and they require a lot of energy. The stronger the person, the more energy they cost. Elementalists, for example, can’t use them at all.”
Kai listened attentively. This explained so much.
“I’m glad to see you again. I’ll be honest, Kai, I still want to fight you,” he said with a grin. “But there’ll be time for that. For now, I advise you to meditate next to the box at the feet of the Master Exorcist. You can sit over there.”
Having said that, Ivsim turned around and walked toward a huge staircase going somewhere up. The Exorcist was sitting on the fourth step. The aforementioned box was filled with Forces that Kai could see even from afar. The third step, closest to the Exorcist, was occupied by the man in armor, and the second by Ivsim. Kai sat on the first one.
Not daring to waste any more time, Kai plunged into meditation. In this state, he could contemplate and cultivate in peace.
As for the Forces he had felt, he struggled to understand their nature at first. It wasn’t until Rune’Tan gave him a hint that he understood that these were the Forces of Space, one of the rarest and most complex of elements.
The day flew by. More people arrived at the dawn of the next one. From that moment on, they kept coming constantly. All they could do was wait for the end of the test.
Continuing to meditate and not letting himself be distracted by anything, Kai gradually discovered new secrets of the universe. Unfortunately, he couldn’t learn the Forces of Space so quickly, but he could gain some understanding of them.
On the third day of his contemplation, he was jerked back into reality by someone’s shouting.
“Kai!” Someone’s desperate voice drilled into his consciousness. “Kai, please... I beg you, help us!”
Opening his eyes, Kai looked around until he noticed Lily and Ash. They had just teleported here and they both looked terrible. Holding the unconscious and seriously injured Lily, Ash, beaten and covered in blood, called out to the only person he knew.
Noticing that he was barely standing, Kai immediately jumped up, managing to catch both of them at the last moment.
“Help her, I beg you,” Ash said, handing Lily to him.
Casting a glance at the young man, Kai nodded. Seeing how bad o
f a shape Ash was in, he couldn’t even imagine how he had managed to climb all the way up here with Lily on his shoulders.
“What happened?” Kai asked, putting Lily down on the grass.
He looked her over and noticed dark energy emanating from her wound. No matter how hard her body and ki tried, they didn’t manage to suppress this evil force. All they did was slow down its effect.
“This is...” Rune’Tan whispered. He could feel the energy as well.
“Yeah. It’s very similar to the energy that emanated from that giant monster in the dungeon,” Kai confirmed.
“We… We fought a bunch of monsters, and then we were attacked by some bastard with a demon mask. He wanted to kill Lily, but I fought back… I hit him in the eye. Then he escaped,” Ash said.
Kai jerked. He felt as if someone had hit him on the head. His heart started beating faster and his fists clenched instantly. Sharply raising his head, he began to look around. He shook his head frantically, but he couldn’t figure it out...
Where is he?! Whose desire to kill did I just sense?!
Unfortunately, he didn’t see anyone strange. Even his energy vision revealed nothing out of the ordinary. The fleeting threat disappeared as if it had never existed.
This freak first sent a bunch of bandits after me, and then attacked my friends... Well, keep on hiding, because as soon as I find out who you are, you’ll wish that you never existed!
“Calm down. She’s more important right now,” Rune’Tan said.
Looking at Lily’s wound, Kai used his energy-controlling ability and removed the alien ki. The deep gash on her chest was still there, and although it wasn’t life-threatening, it could still lead to complications. Natural regeneration, Healing Potions, and pills had no effect anymore. Many of her organs were damaged.
Realizing that there wasn’t anything that he could do about it, Kai got up and looked at the stairs.
“Sir.” He turned to the Exorcist and bowed. “My friend urgently needs a healer, so could you please allow me to go further and find someone to help her?”
He was ignored. Realizing that the man didn’t care, he clenched his teeth. His anger was starting to flare up again. Straightening his back, he asked again.
“Can’t the Thunder Serpents save their own members?!” he shouted, hoping to get the man’s attention.
Opening one eye, the bald man looked at him.
“Until the test is over, you’re nobody. Get used to the fact that people die sometimes.”
Kai felt his anger grow. If the man was so eager to see someone die, he’d happily comply. He pulled himself together and shook his head.
Lily, to whom he hadn’t yet repaid his debt, was slowly dying, and her killer… The psychopath was probably hiding somewhere nearby, enjoying the spectacle...
Gritting his teeth so hard that he almost broke them, Kai clenched his fists till his palms bled from how deep he had dug his nails into them. Anger was boiling inside of him, threatening to erupt. Just imagining the enjoyment on the killer’s face...
A wave of sudden pressure left the people breathless. The ground underneath their feet cracked and the air seemed to vibrate. They felt like someone had spilled a bucket of cold water on their heads. Even Ivsim and the man in armor felt the wave of power that rushed right at the Exorcist. Only Lily and Ash remained safe.
“Stop! You won’t hurt him. You’re doomed if he fights back!” Rune’Tan panicked.
The Exorcist made no movement, but gave a low chuckle. Having opened more than three hundred acupuncture points, he had significantly surpassed the Exorcists from Alkea. Even Renji, who had reached the end of the stage, was way out of this man’s league.
It took him no more than a fraction of his power to deflect the young man’s attack. He was eager to see how the boy’s body would respond to such a blow. A second passed, then another, but nothing had changed.
He felt his attack piercing through the young man’s aura and reaching his soul but nothing happened. It was as if something had swallowed up his attack, keeping the young man safe.
He was surprised for a moment, but then he returned to meditating as if nothing had happened.
“I can help,” the man in dark blue armor suddenly said.
Kai glanced at him with some skepticism. He was in no hurry to answer.
“If you want her to survive, you need to act now, or it’ll be too late,” he added. Noticing the slight nod, he stood up and walked over to Lily. “And please, don’t bother me.”
Keeping his eyes on the man, Kai allowed him to approach Lily. He was ready to attack at any moment in case he turned out to be an enemy.
Taking out an unusual, multi-colored pill from his Ring, the warrior, instead of putting it in the girl’s mouth as one did with pills, stuck it directly into the wound.
“Life Blossom,” he quietly whispered.
The pill instantly disintegrated. Warm, purple light poured out of the wound. Slowly but surely, Lily’s damaged insides began to heal. After checking everything with his energy vision, Kai breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank you. I owe you,” he said.
“You do,” the man answered, after which he went back to the steps. By his slow and uneven pace, it was clear that he had spent a lot of ki on healing Lily.
Standing up, Kai looked around. Noticing Ash, who had crouched by a large boulder, he walked over to him.
“Ash, she’ll be all right... Why are you so quiet?”
“Kai… I… I’m sorry,” Ivsim quietly said. He had been standing nearby all this time but Kai hadn’t noticed him. “I stopped hearing his heartbeat a minute ago. He’s gone...”
Confused, Kai looked at Ash’s face. Although bloody, it seemed calm. His empty gaze was directed at the woman he loved so dearly. A smile was still visible on his bruised lips.
Kai grimaced and lowered his head.
Sitting down, he closed his friend’s eyelids.
“You’ve done an amazing job, Ash. Lily’s alive thanks to you and your bravery... Your work here is done; you’ve fulfilled your duty. May you find peace wherever you are, my friend.”
The anger subsided, but it didn’t disappear. Some of his rage seemed to have evaporated after he had attacked the Exorcist. He finally felt like he had full control over himself again. It could’ve been his imagination, but he felt like something had been controlling him so far. Something similar to that evil energy.
Taking off Ash’s Ring in order to pass it on to Lily, Kai held out his hand.
“See you on the other side, buddy...”
With a sharp wave of his hand, he sent forward a wave of dense sword energy, Strengthened by the Forces, it enveloped the young man’s body in a crimson mist that left nothing behind. In this way, Kai honored his friend.
“His desire to protect her is praiseworthy. It was what kept him going for so long,” Ivsim said.
The remaining five days passed quickly. However, Lily remained unconscious.
***
The test was over and the Exorcist finally allowed them to climb the stairs and thus become official students of the Thunder Serpent Clan.
By the time almost everyone left the plateau, only one person remained. Stopping at the torn up piece of ground where Ash’s remains had been scattered, the man smiled.
“All those who interfere will die! I’ll avenge... I’ll kill... I hate them all! Kai Arnhard, you’ll lose everything that’s dear to you!”
Touching his wounded eye, the man laughed crazily.
Chapter 7
THE CLAN LANDS
Climbing up the long stairs took about twenty minutes. All because the Exorcist who led them moved at the speed of a snail. Having finally climbed up, the group of one hundred and twenty candidates who had passed the test reached an amazing place — a sky port consisting of docks suspended in the air.
Four skyships floated alongside them. However, none of them resembled those on which the people from Alkea had arrived. Apparently, these
were warships. Many people had a hard time even imagining why such things existed. Who were they supposed to fight? Other clans? Or were there monsters that cultivators couldn’t deal with on their own?
Further beyond the sky port was a city called the Thunder Serpent’s Lower Nest. That was where the Exorcist was leading them.
Half an hour later, they finally reached their destination ― a large building in the city center. There, they could finally become official members of the clan. Upon registration, everyone received a special tattoo on the back of their hand — a serpent coiled into a ring with lightning flashing around it. It was the clan’s emblem with energy imbued into it, through which it was connected to the central array via the System. In some ways, it resembled the Amulet issued to the students of the Fallen Star Sect.
Like many before him, Kai put his left hand into a specially designed box, after which he felt his skin slightly pricking. He didn’t resist the energy that invaded his body. Pulling his arm back, he looked first at the tattoo and then at the System message that appeared in front of him.
You have obtained the [Thunder Serpent Clan Crest].
[Thunder Serpent Clan Crest]
Rank: Silver
Quality: Low
Features: see more
Information (Name): Kai Arnhard
Information (Status): Inner-circle student
As far as he understood it, additional information about such complex items was hidden in a dropdown menu for convenience because there was a lot of it. It was all related to interactions between the tattoo, the clan’s central array, and the System itself.
After the initiation process was done, they were told that the energy had penetrated not just into their hand, but into their own ki as well, that it required a thousandth of a percent of their energy to recharge, and it was forbidden to remove it on their own. It didn’t matter if it got damaged in a fight or even if a student lost an arm — the tattoo wouldn’t suffer any consequences. The only way to remove it was to interfere with a person’s flow of ki.