Cultivation Trial
Chapter 5: Cultivation Trial
"What's taking him so long?" Around the time when Ai Zhen was already dreaming about his Stamina soaring into millions at the second floor of the library, a woman with an alluring face cannot help but express her feeling of being irate. "Boss, we've already waited here for almost seven hours. We've already wasted time and EXPs!" The woman whined towards a young man with a buzzed cut hair.
The two were outside the gate of the Hidden Leaf Academy waiting for someone to come out and that someone was the young man, Ai Zhen.
As the buzzed cut hair young man thought of what the woman have said. He realized that he was not being sensible of what he was doing as of the moment. "You're right, we should do some quests which can get us a permit to enter the campus."
After for almost four hours of doing a series of quests, they were able to get a permit which was a bit more special because they can access the second floor for a day. With this, they would be able to meet the young man, but when they arrived inside the library, the young man that they were looking for was having peaceful nap as it can be seen in his serene smiling face.
"Why don't we just read some books, boss?" The alluring woman suggested as he could not let herself disturb the young man when he was sleeping with an adorable face. "And if he's still asleep when we're done, that's the time that we'll wake him.
"Yes, it should take us an hour more or less to almost to deplete our SP. That'll give him some time to rest." The buzzed cut man agreed. Thus, the two made their way into the bookshelves.
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While the alluring woman and the buzzed cut man got absorbed and caught up with reading books to the point that they were not able to check the sleeping young man from time to time anymore because as they have found out, in every 10 to 15 books that they read, they were able to get +1 or +2 Intelligence. Within this time, a young boy who was holding a pile of books accidentally knock the desk where Ai Zhen's head was resting.
The books clattered and this ruckus woke Ai Zhen up. The young boy was hastily grabbing the books that were sprawled out on the floor. As he picked up the last, he saw a big hand was reaching for it. This made him stop and look at the figure with long disgruntled yet soft silky black hair.
"Advanced Cultivation. X Edition." Ai Zhen read the title of the book. "Not bad for someone who is so young." He praised as he looked at the young boy.
"G-gr-grandmaster..!" The young boy was startled for knowing that he disturbed a legendary figure. "I-I'm sorry for disturbing you." He hastily dropped the books and made a fist bow in order to show respect.
Ai Zhen picked up the books that the young boy dropped just to show respect to him even though he thought that he didn't deserve this kind of attention. "It's okay." Ai Zhen smiled as he gave some of the books that he picked up to the young boy.
"What's your name?" Ai Zhen asked.
"M-my name is Light, Grandmaster. It was the name that was written on my cloth when I was abandoned as an infant." The young boy replied truthfully.
Grade 3 Student: Light [NPC]
Description: A genius of Hidden Leaf Town. He was an orphan who was able to get a scholarship to live and study in the Hidden Leaf Academy. With his keen perception, he was able to pass each grade for a year when it was normally two years is needed in order to pass each grade. Being an orphan and a genius, he is quite different to other students, that's why he is often bullied by other students.
Skill: Perception [Passive] (SS+)
"O-hohh..! So you are the rumored genius of this town." Ai Zhen was trying to look surprised as he praised the young boy in order to warm him up.
"I dare not accept that title, Grandmaster. I can only accept that once I prove myself by passing the Cultivation Trial once I graduated this academy." The young boy, Light humbly refused Ai Zhen's praise.
"Oh? What is this Cultivation Trial that you are talking about?" Ai Zhen inquired.
The young boy, Light was greatly surprised with what he heard from the legendary Grandmaster that was in front of him.
"Don't tell me you haven't taken the Cultivation Trial ever since?" With Light's keen perception he was able to deduce that Ai Zhen haven't taken the trial yet on his lifetime. "Ah pardon my ignorance Grandmaster, the Cultivation Trial is where you can take your aptitude test whether you are talented enough to cultivate Body, Spirit or Soul Art. When your talent can cultivate any two of the three kinds of Cultivation Art, you will be eligible to take the aptitude test for dual cultivation, and when you passed, your name will be known throughout the kingdom and gain a title Genius [Legendary].
"Hmmm..." Ai Zhen digested this information thoroughly because of the topic about dual cultivation. In his previous world, dual cultivation exists, but achieving this just like surpassing heavens — impossible. But what made him the greatest figure back then was because he was able to do the impossible, triple cultivation. That's why he couldn't help but ask. "What about having a talent of cultivating any kind of cultivation art?"
"You mean if a person has a talent on cultivating whether if it is a Body Art, Spirit Art or Soul Art?" Light clarified the question and immediately answered as his eyes started to sparkle. "That person would be qualified to take the test of trinity cultivation and if he passed the test, his or her name will be known throughout the 33 islands and gain a title, The Prodigy [Mythic] that even Mortal Gods would be envious of.
"Has there been anyone who was eligible to take the test ever since?" Ai Zhen couldn't help but asked this question.
"Yes, there was. It was around 3,000 years ago. Two Mythical human beings were known at that time. It is said that one was an Immortal Cultivator just like you and the other was a Heavenly Cultivator just like us. The Heavenly Cultivator couldn't accept the fact that there was someone equal to him that's why a millennium year of war happened which caused a massive change in this world." Light answered the question with a summarized story together with childish hand gestures.
"Hehh.." Ai Zhen was amused with the young boy's actions in front of him, however, he was also excited and felt challenged. "Where does this Cultivation Trial being held?"
"The Cultivation Trial is just upstairs. Immortal Cultivators like you, Grandmaster can take the trial anytime but it can only be taken once. And one must have not cultivated yet or one must have to erase his or her cultivation in order to be eligible. Also, for you, Immortal Cultivators, they say that you must be Level 12 and up." When Light answered the question, he also realized that the Grandmaster in front of him has not started cultivating which deeply confused him as to how did he became a Grandmaster. As he realized this, his eyes sparkled to the point that it was about to shine as he exclaimed. "Grandmaster, you are very eligible to take the trinity cultivation. I have no doubt about it!"
"Haha." Ai Zhen ruffled Light's hair and only chuckled at his high praise of him that caused a slight disturbance to the people that were near them. "Why don't you lead me there if it's possible?"
"It would be my honor!" Light answered with great enthusiasm as he led Ai Zhen upstairs.
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The alluring woman and the buzzed cut man was finally done with reading books. When they got back to check Ai Zhen. Their smiles that they achieved from gaining a more or less +20 Intelligence just disappeared when they saw where Ai Zhen was previously sitting was now been occupied by another person.
"Excuse me, have you seen the person who was sitting here previously?" The buzzed cut man asked the NPC student who replaced Ai Zhen in his place.
"Uhh yes..I think they went upstairs." The NPC student replied with no motivation.
"They?" The buzzed cut man was puzzled. "Who's with him?"
"Ohh...it's just that loser kid." The NPC student replied as his head was resting on his palm.
The two of them have no idea what the NPC was talking that's why they just thanked him and head upstairs.
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Light explained more about the Cultivation Trial to Ai Zhen as they ascended the stairs to third floor. What he learned from Light was that the Cultivation Trial is the way to measure your compatibility with the three different paths of cultivation. Aside from that, he also learned that the trial is separated into five — Earth, Sea, Sky, Genius and Prodigy.
The Earth Mode is where your compatibility with Physique Arts will be measured. The rank of the cultivation art that will be given from the trial will depend on the result that one have achieved. This rule was also been followed by the Sea and Sky Mode which are respectively for Spirit and Soul Arts.
In the three empires, the Soul Art was designed to be set in the Sky Mode because out of the three kinds of arts that can be cultivated, it is the hardest and most dangerous path to traverse. Even the Moon Empire which was known for the number one in terms of Soul Arts does not dare to acclaim that this kind of art is easy for this nation to cultivate.
There are two hidden trials which certain qualifications needed to be met.
For the Genius Mode, one will be eligible to challenge this trial if one can get a Gold Grade and above result from two different paths of cultivation trial. When one was able to pass this trial, one would be eligible to follow the path of dual cultivation, and a [Genius] title would be acquired. The higher the rank that the challenger attains, the higher the benefits that will be given to the user.
Lastly, The Heavenly or Immortal Mode. It is divided into two because Heavenly Mode can only be taken by the NPCs while Immortal mode can be taken by the players. This is the hardest and the most dangerous trial out of the five because first, the only way to pass this test is to get a Diamond Grade in all of the three different cultivation paths. When one was able to accomplish all of this, a [Prodigy] title will be rewarded. It is a title which holds the inheritance of the Immortal figure that walked a different path from all existence.
The grading system of the Cultivation Trial is as follows: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond. Each of this grades are divided into I, II and III.
Ai Zhen would always set for the highest goals that the System would offer. In fact he would even want to exceed the System's expectation or if it's possible, outwit it. That's why, as they ascend towards the Trial Platform at the third floor, he would aim for the [Prodigy] title.
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The Trial Platform was a wonderful sight to see. It was like a temple with sacred feeling. Four pillars with intricate carvings of magic arrays were erected at the corners. In the center, an octagram star with a bagua in the center-most was also carved on the floor. The eight angles of the octagram star serves as the eight available slot for players to individually challenge the trial.
When Ai Zhen arrived in this place, he was lucky to find that there was an available slot for the trial. He hurriedly asked for a permission to the patrolling guard to take the slot and sat down on it as his consciousness drifted into another place.
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<Welcome to the Temple of Dao. There are three cultivation trial to choose: Earth Mode, Sea Mode and Sky Mode. You only have one chance to choose your path of cultivation. Whether you are qualified to what you have chosen or not, it will all be decided by your performance, so choose wisely.>
An angelic voice that can hardly be tell whether it was coming from a man or a woman sounded ethereally when Ai Zhen saw a pyramid-like tower with sets of stairs from each sides that leads to the top where a vacant imperial throne was placed and a sun hanging on the vast empty space, at the distance. He was mystified with what he was looking and almost forgot what he came here for.
"What a wonderful and majestic place to be in!" Ai Zhen have been to countless places back when he was still a legendary Immortal cultivator but this place still able to surprise him that it took moments for him to snap out from his reverie.
"This place is really suitable for attaining enlightenments!" He exclaimed as he can feel the Daos of the Heaven were graspable by his own hands. And to think that these Daos are really real and not just something that was made up by this "game".
He wouldn't be able to stop praising this place if the angelic voice hadn't sounded again.
Ai Zhen could only helplessly chuckle for being such a kid about it. "I choose Earth Mode." He chose this mode first in order to test the water.
The feeling that this game gave to him would always end up making him question whether if this is really just a game as if there's more to it. But Ai Zhen, as usual, can't make sense out of it. 'Might as well leave it to fate.' He thought.
<Confirmed. Please step in through the gate.>
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