In the Golden Gamble Faction all issues are resolved with gambling. A gamble can be as straightforward as who wins in a duel or as complex as both parties wish. Under the eyes of the other disciples the outcome of a gamble are absolute, death is the only reward awaiting someone who cheats the rules of a gamble. Once an elder was found to have cheated in a gamble with an outer disciple and was put to death by the Faction Head.

“A gamble! I have been in the Golden Gamble Faction for two months but this is the first gamble I have seen.”

“This Wu Jilong is simply too arrogant. First he flirts with Su Ruiqi in front of Tan Fang and now he gambles his cultivation for a painting.”

Tan Fang took the pill from Su Ruiqi’s soft pale hand and swallowed it. Shortly after he sat cross legged and began to meditate. While the groups of disciples watched Tan Fang intensely awaiting the results of his Aura Sea Formation, Su Ruiqi studied Wu Jilong.

What strange cultivation technique has he used? No matter how hard I try, I can’t fathom his Qi. Could this be the reason behind his strange aura? It is as though he is burning alive yet his robe and body are fine.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Tan Fang’s Qi reached the most critical step before forming an Aura Sea. Qi flowed into his body heading straight for his daitan, the Qi essence within his body changed natures becoming water like. Tan Fang had successfully formed his Aura Sea, as he did the color left his face as fast as the dreams of being a great cultivator left his heart.

Impossible. This can’t be happening! I won't let this happen! “Wu Jilong you’ve cheated in this gamble. No other explanation as to why I would form a Tsunami Grade Aura Sea exists!” Tan Fang roared. Wu Jilong ignored the cries of desperation coming from Tan Fang. After a gesture the painting disappeared into Wu Jilong’s ring of holding. Wu Jilong turned to leave when he heard Tan Fang cry out again.

“Wu Jilong what are you doing? I clearly said you cheated. Return the painting now!”

“Tan Fang do you intend to embarrass yourself even further? From the start Wu Jilong never once set his eyes on me, his words of praise were for the painting and the painting alone. Out of respect for the promise between our fathers and my duties as your fiance I issued a petty gamble to save your face. Yet now you make me lose face by not honoring the gamble,” Su Ruiqi said. “Seeing as you will never be able to traverse your Aura Sea in this life the promise between our fathers ends today, so too does our period of engagement. I will let my grandfather know at once.”

The fourth stage in the Qi Cultivation of Man, Traversing the Aura Sea, was the first true bottleneck of cultivation. To breakthrough the fourth stage one must use their soul to dive into the depths of their Aura Sea and solidify the Qi within. If someone formed a Tsunami Grade Aura Sea the chances of their soul being able to withstand the force of waves within their Aura Sea was zero.

Cultivators with a Roaring Waves Grade Aura Sea would only have a thirty percent chance to breakthrough the fourth stage of cultivation. The Gentle Tides Grade Aura Sea gave cultivators a sixty percent chance to breakthrough to the Shrine Sculpting Stage. A Still Tides Grade Aura Sea has a one hundred percent chance of advancing to the Shrine Sculpting Stage.

Under the intensity of Su Ruiqi’s words Tan Fang collapsed to the ground with tears in his eyes. Su Ruiqi, Wu Jilong, and the other disciples left in the same direction leaving the pitiful Tan Fang behind. Tan Fang’s soft sobs filled the air.

Ill kill him. This is his fault! I’ll kill him. Master said he is entering the Feasts of Magical Beasts, I will kill him then! Once he’s dead Su Ruiqi will return to me. In two days Tan Fang’s entire life was left in ruins, his hopes and dreams turned to ash before Wu Jilong. The intense shock sent Tan Fang into a psychotic episode he would regret for the rest of his life.

…

“Wu Jilong, I apologize for forcing your hand earlier, in truth I knew Tan Fang would form a Tsunami Grade Aura Sea. My grandfather told me,” Su Ruiqi said. “Unfortunately, my father forbid me to end our engagement until the day Tan Fang formed his Aura Sea. So I would like to apologize and thank you.”

“Apologies or thanks it makes no difference,” Wu Jilong said, “a trivial matter such as that is not worth remembering.” They started back down the golden pathways of the Golden Gamble Faction. Hordes of eyes seemed to follow them as they walked.

“I agree! You were able to see through Tan Fang’s latent talent. I wonder if you can see through mine as well?” Su Ruiqi asked in a playful tone with a mischievous smile on her beautiful face.

Wu Jilong looked at her for a moment. “Su Ruiqi you are a true cultivator, so long as you do not ruin your cultivation with medicinal pills you will be able to form a Frozen Ocean Aura Sea.” His words left Su Ruiqi speechless because she had never heard of a Frozen Ocean Aura Sea.

A Frozen Ocean Aura Sea is something said to only exist in legends, the number of times it has appeared in the world can be counted on one hand. It was only inferior to the Aura Sea of Cinder that Wu Jilong alone possessed. An Aura Sea’s grade not only determined the probability of breaking through the fourth stage of cultivation but also the purity of one’s Qi.

In the Shrine Sculpting Stage solid Qi is sculpted into a Dao Shrine, the purer the Qi was the more Dao Gates it could form. A Dao Shrine’s strength was determined by the number of Dao Gates it possessed, as the number of Dao Gates increased so to does the amount of Qi a cultivator’s Dao Shrine possesses. A cultivator who entered the Shrine Sculpting Stage from a Roaring Tides Aura Sea would only be able to form two Dao Gates.

Su Ruiqi fidgeted with her hands. “Since you remembered my name that must mean that my talent is quite good, right? If you’ll excuse me, Wu Jilong it was a pleasure meeting you!”

“I know.” Wu Jilong said coolly.

…

“The engagement between Tan Fang and myself has ended. Grandfather have you ever heard of a Frozen Ocean Aura Sea?” Su Ruiqi asked. Su Ruiqi had only heard of the four original Aura Seas so she could only ask her grandfather for an answer. Her grandfather Su Baoji was an expert at the peak of the Heavenly Perception Stage, it could be said that he knew all of the secrets that the Grand Peak Contient held.

“Little Qi, where did you hear about this?” Su Baoji’s voice carried a hint of concern. Hearing this Su Ruiqi felt it was best not to tell Su Baoji about Wu Jilong’s identity. There was no need to specifically mention that a disciple around her age told her this.

“Today I met a mysterious expert who said I would be able to form a Frozen Ocean Aura Sea as long as I do not use medicinal pills to breakthrough,” Su Ruiqi said. “So I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

“Su Ruiqi, you must stay away from this expert. I have always felt that your talent was extraordinary but I was unable to discern it. The Frozen Ocean Aura Sea is one of the legendary Aura Seas, never reveal this to anyone. To be able to see through your potential when even I cannot you can be sure that this person’s background is not simple,” Su Baoji said.

“Yes grandfather,” Su Ruiqi replied. Though she agreed to her grandfather’s demands how could Su Ruiqi not show interest in Wu Jilong? The grandfather and granddaughter said their goodbyes before crushing the communication jades in their hands.

Su Ruiqi sat down in meditation to try to advance her cultivation even just a little more before the Feasts of Magical Beasts Tournament. “Since even grandfather does not know what secrets you hold Wu Jilong, I will find them out myself!”

…

Disciples from all five factions stood on the rim of Great Beast Canyon. Each faction wore specific colored robes to differentiate themselves. Gold for the Golden Gamble Faction, green for the Medicinal River Faction, red for the Sword Sonata Faction, silver for the Shining Star Faction, and white for the Favorable Wind Faction. Disciples from the Medicinal River Faction stood in the middle acting as a buffer between the two opposing alliances.

Inside the Sect of Five Corners constant internal struggles shaped the current faction alliances. In order to sell medicinal pills to all four factions the Medicinal River Faction remained neutral. The Faction Heads of the Golden Gamble Faction and the Shining Star Faction are sworn brothers and life long friends thus giving birth to The Golden Star Alliance.

As the only factions that use Martial Arms, the Sword Sonata Faction and the Favorable Wind Faction naturally formed the Favorable Sword Alliance. Martial Arms are magical weapons forged using Qi and metal by Martial Smiths. A cultivator can pour their Qi into the Martial Arm to perform a powerful Martial Art. For the Sword Sonata Faction a bladed Martial Arm was preferred while the Favorable Wind Faction used war fans.

“As the head of the Sect of Five Corners I welcome all the new disciples of our great factions. Once inside Great Beast Canyon you will be on your own, no faction elders will be there to save you if you are in danger. The prize for first place this year is something every new disciple dreams of. It is none other than the Aura Sea Advancement Pill! Once consumed a cultivator will be able to calm the waves of their Aura Sea into the next grade. So now young disciples enter the canyon, we will return for you in a week.” After the Sect Head spoke the faction elders turned and disappeared back towards the Sect of Five Corners leaving behind their disciples.

In the group of disciples no one was more excited than Tan Fang because if he won he would have a chance at marrying Su Ruiqi again. Though he was the weakest among disciples of the Aura Sea Formation Stage he was the only new disciple present who had formed an Aura Sea.

Once a disciple formed their Aura Sea and it was above the Tsunami Grade, they would be able to enter the interior of their faction. Compared to the outer faction the interior faction had superior martial arts, medicinal pills, and elders. The difference was that of the heavens and the earth.

Knowing that Tan Fang was the only disciple at the Aura Sea Formation Stage, no one was more sad than Su Ruiqi. She had longed to be free of him yet the heavens seemed to grant him another chance. On the other hand, no one could care less about any of this more than Wu Jilong.