Chapter 2 - Three Talents Test

Walking in a new set of clothes provided by Unbroken Fang, he left the group to look for the right sect to momentarily join. “I am in a desperate need for resources right now. As a Soldier Recruit, additionally to polish my meridians, I need to circulate the chi many times and each time compress part of it in my dantian region, until the squeezed chi undergoes a qualitative change and gives birth to a Chi Flame. At that moment I would break through the Specialist Soldier rank. For the Chi Flame to come into being, a higher amount of chi needs to be channeled in the dantian region and only cultivation resources can provide it now”.

A drooling smirk appeared on his face, imagining an easy win “With my great talents I would be treasured as the most precious disciple ever. I’m just required to find a fourth rate sect with a decent amount of resources and everything the sect has will fall in my grasp”. His pride was not baseless at all, in the past even the Asura Tower was willing to give him special treatment.

Every person was born with three talents: Constitution, Chi Circuit and Mind Eye. Constitution concerns the potential of the body, bones, organs, blood and muscles. The more resistant the body and the more special his bloodline the higher its grade would be. Chi Circuit refers to the potential of the set of meridians that allow chi circulation, while Mind Eye to the potential ability to perceive Dao Laws and project outside the perceptual sense.

Mind Eye was considered by most experts the most precious talent, for one simple reason: it was the hardest talent to upgrade. Cultivators could exert marvellous methods or meet great creations that allowed them to upgrade their Chi Circuit or Constitution. Great and ancient sects started selecting their core disciples even before they were born, organising marriages between lineages with powerful bloodlines so that the newborns would have amazing Constitutions and well-performing Chi Circuits. But nothing could be done about the Mind Eye, it was not something that humans could inherit from their ancestors nor that could be easily upgraded.

Having a higher graded talent meant your potential was greater and also your starting point would be superior. It was always possible to polish and increase the performance of the Mind Eye, Chi Circuit or Constitution, it was a kind of training, but the highest point would be limited by the potential. Additionally, the more one of the three elements get trained and get closer to its maximum potential, the harder it is to make progress.

After being crippled, Falven’s Constitution and Chi Circuit talents had downgraded to the lowest grade. The grades used to rank talents had the same names of the cultivations stages: Soldier, Knight, Captain, Commander, Admiral, Monarch and God. Fortunately, the Mind Eye talent would not be influenced by any curse affecting the body, and this was also the talent he was most proud of back then, a God ranked Mind Eye!

Unbroken City, as the capital of the Unbroken Kingdom, was very large and full of life. Many cultivators and experts could be found here, additionally to a huge amount of mortals (non cultivators). The city was governed by the Royal Lineage, a lineage that has been in charge of the kingdom for eras, and whose origin was the third rate sect Devil Slaying Sect. In the South region of the Vastlands, one of the four continents of this world, this could be considered the second strongest sect and for sure the most ancient one.

Many other fourth rate and inferior sects were also staying in the city, some had their headquarters here while others had just a subsidiary. Having a foothold in the capital was essential for every sect of the kingdom, both for information and resources gathering. The lack of natural chi in the atmosphere increased the need for cultivation resources, making the competition skyrocket.

The atmosphere in the city was particularly tense and busy, many forces could be seen moving, looking for weapons, armours and resources. During his apparently nonchalant sauntering, Falven got to know that the conflicts of the two major sects in the continent were getting more and more intense, expanding the involved area to the South Region.

Even if the sects of the kingdom were not required to enter the war, many cultivators decided to join the fray, hoping to gain some benefits. This made balloon the demand for battle gears and the trade in the city became more prosperous.

After a long walk, Falven made his choice and stopped before a big silver gate, behind which a charming courtyard gave a sense of prosperity and sophistication. On the gate, the insignia “Bloody Moon Sect” inspired awe to the onlookers. The youth judged this sect to be one of the richest among the fourth rate sects of the city. Thus, a good prey. He was already drooling at the thought of gaining the complete control of their treasury.

A busy middle aged man was in charge of selecting the young cultivators willing to join the sect as disciples. In order to become disciples of a sect, every cultivator had to pass a talent test, where the grades of his three talents get assessed. If the talents were deemed to be average they would become outer sect disciples, with the possibility to become inner sect disciples in the future, depending on their contributions and their prowess. Highly talented youngsters would directly join as inner sect disciples.

If a cultivator knew his talents were bad they would try entering the sect as workers or try their luck with an inferior sect. Workers would do menial tasks and time consuming works, while being given little or no resources and just the lowest grade arts, arts they could study and train in only when they were not working for the sect, in their resting time.

Looking at the proud air of the youth before him, the man in charge of the stand where the talents were assessed gestured towards three tools on the table with an annoyed expression. Falven knew exactly what to do, and he would play his cards perfectly. “Senior, please let me first show you my weak and unworthy assets” he declared, before firmly grasping a rock full of runes, which was connected to an orb. After some instants, the orb glowed once.

The higher the number of times the orb would glow, the higher the grade of the talent. “Hmpf, Soldier Constitution, go on” the annoyed man uttered dismissively. The second tool was a needle, always linked to an orb. Falven inserted the needle in his meridians and as before, the orb glowed once. The annoyed expression on the face of the man didn’t change.

Finally, with great confidence, Falven moved to the last object, a cup filled with e mysterious liquid, linked to another orb. He proclaimed “And now it’s showdown time!” before staring at the liquid. The substance immediately revealed him all of its secrets, before returning to the normality at light speed.

The face of the youth darkened, something was wrong here. No change happened to the orb, no amazing glow. “Brat, scram from my sight, don’t dare make me loose anymore time. Daring to come here with a slave Mind Eye, your cultivation journey is helpless!” The man shouted angrily.

After a brief moment of puzzlement, Falven understood where the issue lied and showing an even greater confidence “Senior, please allow me…” before he could finish his sentence a chi palm hit him, knocking him back in the street, spraying blood from his mouth “Daring to talk back to me, an outer elder of the Bloody Moon Sect! Scram, before I decide your life has to end today and thank the Heavens for meeting a pious one today!”.

“So arrogant words… you’re the one on the losing side, fucking geezer” the youth cursed in his mind, while shuffling far away, among the indifferent looks of the pedestrians. That Mysterious Liquid, the substance in the cup used to assess cultivators’ Mind Eye talent, had definitely an issue. It was too low-grade and not capable enough to identify a God grade talent, such a bad luck.

While thinking of a new plan to get his hands on the needed resources, he saw a huge temple full of people prostrating in adoration. Majestic characters highlighted the object of a so felt veneration: HEAVENS.

“What the crap is going on here, a temple where both cultivators and mortals adore the Heavens? Since when… what a big load of shit this city has become! Heavens my ass, you’d better praise this god right here instead!”

Wondering on a different way to acquire resources, he strolled to one of the main streets of the capital, the merchant road. This was the most crowded place in the city, plenty of experts and merchants trading any kind of weaponry. Pavilions were selling goods produced by their blacksmiths or commissioned by others, experts of different sects had come to sell, exchange or buy, mercenaries and vagrant cultivators in big numbers were eyeing the goods on display, looking for good deals. Browsing the kind of products on sale, a new plan was quickly designed in Falven’s mind. He hastened his pace, searching the right person to start from in the crowd.

“Hello young friend, not much time has passed since our goodbye, have you come to accept my offer?” a warm and confident voice greeted the youth. “Sir Unbroken Fang, it’s my pleasure to meet you again. Although I have not come here to accept your offer, I’m confident you’d be interested in making a deal”. With a curious look and a bit of suspicion, the Knight observed the youth before him and then acquiesced “Sure, speak your mind, I’m always interested in any profitable deal”.