Chapter 74: Selection Round - I

Chapter 74: Selection Round - I

The morning rays filtered in over the horizon, touching upon the gathered crowd standing around. A light breeze rustled my hair as Labby crackled with purple lightning, flickering her ears in nervous anticipation.

I raised my hand, petting Labby’s fuzzy head, echoing her nervous excitement.

“Chirp!” Sheldon exclaimed, bumping his head against my hand, as I held him. Twilight chimed alongside Sheldon, excitedly twirling as she sat upon my head. I grinned at the excitement I felt from Twilight, and her desire to explore and an undercurrent of the desire to hunt.

My hand went into one of my sleeves, feeling at the drugnades present inside, and the single Gu-nade which I hoped I didn’t need to use. I scanned the crowds present, glancing at the various cultivators standing around, wearing the robes of the outer sect. I felt slightly out of place as I stood among the many young cultivators, some extremely so, looking close to 14 years old and so on.

We’d all gathered just outside a little section of the forest that covered the sect hills. The area was marked with a massive formation that spanned across, shimmering with Qi and letting anyone nearby know of its presence. I wondered if the formation was to keep the spirits out of the area, or to keep them in. I noted similar formation areas rising in thin pillars of light. It seems as if this wasn’t the only place that the selection round was occuring.

I took one last look, not finding Liuxiang, or either of the twins in this part of the selection round. At least this should be fairly simple in that case.

I noticed a disciple glance at me in confusion, and I couldn’t tell whether it was due to the turtle, rat and plant spirit that I had with me, or the fact that I was visibly older than almost everyone present in the area.

I continued to ignore the boy, not willing to engage in any conversation. My mind was already starting to be filled with all sorts of possibilities and ideas for what kind of herb might be the prize, what may be the selection process itself, and how I could run all sorts of experiments with the things I would gain.

Just the thought of carrying out a mountain of herbs from the tournament and sitting on a pile as I sent the pills to Su Lin and began to establish my own Alchemy shopping and pill trading and selling network was enough to almost make me break out in a cackle. The same thought and the potential to gain these resources was likely also why so many more disciples were present here, than I’d anticipated. The birth of this content finds its genesis in Nøv€lß¡n★

I waited in silence as a few moments passed. As the sun had risen a decent way above the horizon, I felt Qi swirl and rustle up ahead, fog and mist spreading. A man garbed in white robes with light blue clouds sewed upon them stepped out of the fog, their presence spreading out.

Seventh. Realm.

Sheldon spoke in my head, and I nodded. I dipped my head in respect alongside the many disciples at the appearance of the Elder. A moment later, I raised my head, looking up ahead.

The elder swept his hands around, turning towards us. I saw the elder pause in surprise as his gaze rested upon Sheldon and Twilight for a few moments. I held my breath, waiting for the Elder to speak, but in a smooth motion the man continued and with a pulse of Qi, I heard a voice carry across the field.

“Disciples. It is an auspicious day on which we have all gathered here, to start the selection for the upcoming spirit herb tournament. To think of this as any lesser than the martial tournament running alongside would be a mistake, for this is a chance to perform, with not just your might, but by your cunning and knowledge. Two of you will be chosen from each selection area. Two among the tens gathered here. And these two will have the opportunity to present themselves in front of the entire sect, and Lord Zhou himself. Do not let this opportunity go to waste,” the Elder said, his voice clear and resonant with each word articulated with a slow careful humm, like the verses of a poem.

“The challenge is simple. There are eight tokens hidden among the area. Two tokens form a medallion of either the sun, or the moon. There are two lunar medallions and two solar ones. With each medallion containing a trial within it. The victor needs to acquire both the lunar and the solar medallion to qualify. Upon any fatal injury, the disciple would be teleported out of the arena, and attended to immediately. The ward placed upon the area will ensure no mortal harm befalls any disciple,” the elder said and I took a breath of relief. This opened up the possibility of using the Gu-nade too if the need called for it. Although I should try and test how effective the ward and teleportation was first. I looked back up, as the Elder finally finished his talk.

“That will be all. May Heaven’s favor be with the skillful,” the Elder announced, vanishing in a cloud of fog.

I saw the crescent moon on Labby’s forehead light up, as the Lunar Qi coagulated all around her, her nose twitching as she tried to find for drifting Qi from the token.

“Chii~” Twilight chimed, a stream of thoughts heading towards me. ‘Big. Lake. Little. Fire?’”

I looked around, confused about what she meant when I found it. A little torch hid all around the surface wide cavernous section, with little beams of light coming from the shining moon from the lake heading towards them. I saw one torch shimmering with a blue light, a singular beam from it heading towards the lake.

“I guess... I have to light the torches and focus the light on the moon?” I said, a bit amused at how odd this puzzle was. My smile slipped when I realized that there was no good way to light the torches.

I stood around, trying to look for an answer to the puzzle, and find a way to solve the puzzle when I heard Sheldon speak up.

“Chirp!” the little turtle exclaimed, opening his mouth as Qi flared out. The pool of water shuddered as if shaking from a powerful earthquake and I stumbled back as the entirety of the lake lifted itself up in the air, in a swirling whirlpool.

My mouth hung open at the display of a literal ton of water hanging mid air before my gaze drifted downwards to a pedestal now empty of water, with a half token shining with the image of the moon.

I stumbled closer, dropping into the crater of the lake and grabbed the token. I looked up to the ceiling covered with hovering swirling water as laughter bubbled out from my chest.

“I guess that’s one way to solve the puzzle,” I smirked as Sheldon squeaked once more. Laughing, I turned around and made my way out as Sheldon let go of the hovering water, returning it to the lake with a massive splash that drenched me.

“You did that on purpose didn’t you,” I glared at the turtle through my wet soaking hair, even as I pulsed my Qi to evaporate it all. Sheldon squealed happily, bumping his head against mine and I couldn’t say anything more to his cute little smiling face.

“Alright, the other half might be in the right tunne-”

“Truly unexpected. I never thought the sect misfit would get so far, and so quick too,” a voice echoed through the cavern as the boy from before stepped closer, the other half of the lunar medallion grasped in his hand.

“My name is Xian Fang, and I would suggest handing over the token,” the boy spoke, his voice calm and his eyes assessing.

I struggled to hold back a sigh, putting the token in my pouch as I started to circulate my Qi. The classic fight with the arrogant boy in a tournament arc setup, I had been expecting this. With a deep breath, I looked up at the boy waiting for me to speak and announce my name. I decided to use my starting move.

With a pulse of Qi towards Labby, I shouted my first move. “Labby use thunderbolt!”

“Squeak!”