When Ivor woke up twelve hours later, the sect was in an uproar. This panic was started because of Ivor’s report about the feralfang alpha having an innate ability, as that heavily implied that the creatures aren’t using cultivation techniques standard for their species, or that Supreme Elder Epiphany’s divinations were wrong, both of which would be disastrous events. One would mean that the monsters in the wave could use unknown techniques, and the other would mean that none of the sect’s intelligence is accurate, and might imply that there was a monster more powerful than Epiphany, the undisputed strongest cultivator in the sect, that would be coming in the wave. All the sect could do was pray that the monsters were just using unorthodox cultivation techniques. They couldn’t even hope Ivor was lying, as Epiphany read his mind to confirm his statements while he was asleep.

All of this distressed Ivor, especially the fact that people other than him had a key to his house, but he was too weak to do anything about it beyond what he already had. That meant that he had one obvious option: “I have to get stronger. I guess I should apply to become an Outer Disciple to get more resources, then. You can take the test when you’ve opened your first meridian, but I’ve filled two to maximum capacity, which probably makes me the second strongest Service Disciple. Passing the test should be a cinch.”

Ivor strolled over to the west district branch headquarters, stopping by the treasure hall to receive the four pills he was owed along the way, putting his stash of pills at twelve. When Ivor walked into the headquarters, he was greeted by Edwina, who had finally gotten to take a shower. “I passed the test! I’m a service disciple now! I had to kill a wolf, but I got a knife, so it was easy enough.”

Ivor looked at Edwina and sighed with relief. “Good. If you couldn’t do that then I’d feel kind of guilty for assuming you could. I mean you don’t look like the most mature person, considering you age.”

Edwina chuckled before starting to walk towards the branch headquarters’ exit. “I can see why that might be the case. I’m going to go attempt the treasure trials. I read The Basics of Cultivation while I was waiting to tell you what happened, and I think I want to wait and see if I can get a good cultivation technique before progressing any more.”

Ivor waved goodbye to Edwina before going to the rewards counter, finding that the young man from the day before was still manning it. “You remember yesterday, right? I’m requesting my treasures now. Before I pick my treasures, which meridian gave the alpha its special ability?”

The receptionist remembered Ivor’s straight-to-the-point demeanor and abandoned the idea of small talk. “It had filled its pericardium meridian, the origin of its special ability. It could project a coating of qi around itself as something of an armor.”

Ivor’s hand went to his chin as he pondered his selection for a few minutes before flashing his most menacing smile at the receptionist and making his request. “First of all, I’d like a reinforcement elixir made with its pericardial fluid, and second, I’d like a stamina pill made with its marrow and heart blood. The second should be doable, as I’m not asking for all of its marrow, and I only want one of the components of its heart, even though I want it made with multiple materials. And you can’t complain about me taking the most useful material, since taking down an alpha with an innate ability wasn’t easy… right?”

The receptionist wanted to object to Ivor’s greed, but he was easily cowed, knowing that Ivor was stronger than him and not having the courage to oppose someone who could probably give some of the weaker outer disciples a run for their money with his cultivation. “Yes, sir. You request should be finished by the end of the day. Please don’t kill me.”

Ivor was relieved that the receptionist had accepted his demands. He thought that these relics could be combined to create a good treasure for opening his bladder meridian to its maximum capacity, with the heart blood of the creature whose pericardial fluid he was using having a synergistic effect caused by both the union of heart and pericardium and the fact that they’re both from the same creature, with the marrow helping what would normally be a forcefield turn into body reinforcement and regeneration. According to his meagre knowledge of treasure theory, it should work, but then again, he barely knew anything about treasure theory. Thankfully for him, he wasn’t the one who would be making the treasures, so all he would have to do is drop a pill into an elixir and mix thoroughly.

Ivor decided to think about that when the treasures were ready and approached the spot in the far right corner of the room (away from the door) where the weak fall and the strong ascend, the place where dreams of greatness go to die: the staircase. Eyes were drawn to him when he got near; service disciples only go to the second floor when they’re ready to take the test to become outer disciples… and ready Ivor was.

He planted his right foot firmly on the first step and lifted his left foot to the second. It was at this point that fear began hammering at his mind. It was fear of the responsibility of being an outer disciple, fear of the tests he would most assuredly face, and fear of falling down the stairs. It wasn’t just that; it was fear of everything in the world. It would incapacitate most… but Ivor, like all who had passed this test in the past, was no bitch. This test of willpower was one of the reasons the Samsara sect’s disciples were so consistently powerful throughout generations; it made sure of their willpower.

But Ivor… his willpower was unnatural, almost like he had been blessed by a godlike entity whose specialty is tampering with emotions. He didn’t flinch or hesitate… he just walked up those stairs like it was nobody’s business. Onlookers were stunned at the sheer nonchalance he was radiating while facing the terrifying challenge of walking up the Stairs of Doom™. As he set foot onto the second floor, the silence was broken, applause thundering throughout the building, and Ivor heard a cry of “LET’S GOOOO!” that sounded strangely like Daoist Silkpants.

Ivor tilted his head in confusion and looked around the second floor. “Why are you all getting so heated? I literally just walked up a flight of stairs. Wait… was that a test or something? I really don’t get why everyone was getting so heated.”

A middle-aged-looking man with a head of brown hair and short beard walked up to Ivor and held out his hand for a handshake. “Hello… I’m elder Worst. You just completed the trial of willpower: walking up the Stairs of Doom™. Before you ask, the name is trademarked by the sect. You can now take the other trials necessary to become an outer disciple. Once you manage to do so, you’ll get a slew of benefits, including but not limited to access to the Samsara tunnels, tunnels in the Samsara, the river of life and death.”

Ivor was astounded that he had just passed the trial of willpower. “I honestly didn’t realize that I was going through a trial. Were the stairs broken, or am I just that cool?”

Elder Worst was skeptical. “You really didn’t notice? If so, either the stairs were broken or you just have a really strong willpower. You know what, even if the stairs were broken, I’ll count it as a pass. Luck is a type of skill as well… and if you don’t have a strong will, you’ll be eaten alive in the outer sect anyway. The outer sect isn’t as glamorous as it’s made out to be. Once you join, there’s no going back, which is why Silkpants hasn’t joined, even though he could pass the tests. So if you do choose to continue… I won’t wish you good luck. I’m not allowed to help disciples with the tests.”