Chapter 5: Yet another choice
They stabilized at a high height compared to the lowland, but still not much compared to the mountain range. The clouds loomed far over them. Under them, the lower mountains were green and teeming with life. Icy blue waterfalls could be seen here and there. Small packs of fog randomly covered the land.
The sect members kept silent during the whole trip and so did the others. After a flight of approximatively five minutes, they came in sight of a small group of buildings that had been laid inside a natural recess of the mountains. Their construction was sober, mostly constituted of slim brown wood joists. They landed over a big terrace that extended pretty far above the ravine.
The two purple belted cultivators immediately went inside while their colleague stayed behind and faced the newcomers. The elder spoke.
-'I welcome you on behalf of the whole sect. I am elder Agon. From this point on, all of you are officially members of our one hundred sects mountain range... Before entering these mountains, you all stood at the top of society.'
He made a halt and spared a look for Moss that meant much.
-'Almost all of you. Anyway, you now stand at the very bottom of the cultivation world. In this world, one's achievement is measured by his powers and you common men have none. This can be changed, however, by way of hard work and clever decisions.
Now for the rules. As a neutral faction, we do not enforce precise ideologies but some acts are prohibited and will be severely punished. Let me add that your background will not interfere in such matters. You are forbidden to kill each other outside of formal matches refereed by a qualified third party. No stealing, no sexual aggression, no bullying. When in doubt, we will punish both parts. Penalties can vary. In worst cases, definitive exclusion or even a death sentence can be pronounced. The sect is not only rules, however. We will provide you with knowledge and protection, as well as a favourable environment for cultivation. There are other things you may want to learn. Such are beyond my duty to explain so find out by yourself. As you may be aware, your admission into the sect will start by a trial. But before that, you will be given a cultivation technique. Please follow me.'
He led them into the vast room that connected to the terrace. Daylight was not sufficient to illuminate the whole place so a fair number of candles had been lit to compensate the windowless back. The room was empty, at the exception of a massive display of scrolls made of large and ancient sculpted wooden parts. The disciples who had previously entered waited at each side of it.
-'You can only choose one scroll. There is enough of each for all of you so you may all choose the same. Have your pick, but make it quick.'
-'Elder ?'
It was Moss who had spoken.
-'Yes ?'
-'I don't know how to read.'
Everyone looked at each other in confusion. Even the elder seemed a bit phased. That did not last long, however.
-'Whatever. Choose one.'
The peasant inclined his head. The batch of young rookies moved without waiting for him. They opened scrolls and exchanged comments.
-'This one is a fire technique, would it not suit me well ?'
-'Wow, that iron skin technique seems pretty good !'
-'What have you found, sister Lauren ?'
Moss was clearly an outcast. It did not feel great. When he approached to have a closer look the others still made some room for him. Somehow, he was at least considered a participant. As an illiterate, he could not make much of what glimpse he could take inside the parchments. He tried to open his hears while appraising with what means he had. Sure the previous speech of the elder had seemed to imply that worldly titles were not predominant inside the sect. Still, as a person who had lived an entire life under the yoke of a feudal society, he could not so simply free himself from such considerations. He dared not ask his noble peers anything, nor even speak unless it was a case of force majeure.
Listening to the young nobles did not take him very far.
-'Brother, vegetal element cultivation, that is awkward. Keep it for peasants !'
-'Brother Torim, are you already set ?'
-'I like speed, I may opt for a footwork technique'.
Moss could not keep track of all the scrolls they picked up, commented on and put back. Princess Lauren, lord Torim and brother Yu had all made their choices. Brother Elios and brother Menlo were hesitating between two. Marchen was now browsing a batch with a focused expression. At least those youngsters had been properly educated. Everything they did not use, they had neatly put back as they had found it. The old man had a walk on the entire length of the display, in the hope of noticing something. And he did. It seemed to him that some parchments were fairly old as their colour and texture were faded, while some others were brand new with fresh matter.
'Guess nobody wants them...' He thought. At first, it seemed like a bad omen, but was it not because of that that they were not chosen often and thus, not replaced? 'I'm old and disregarded just like you. If that's how it is, then let us take care of each other.' He inwardly said to the oldest looking one. And he picked it.
Marchen was the last to choose. When he did the elder took them back on the terrace.
-'Good. Now the trial may begin. Let me explain it to you. You will be separated into groups of two. Unfortunately, you are seven. Someone will have to go alone. Anyway, the groups will be dispatched in the lower mountains. Your goal will be to make your way to one of the first ascension stairways and climb it. There are several of them carved into the mountains. They will lead you to the true sect quarters. We highly recommend that you master your technique, as you will need it. Some challenges you will come to face are fairly unsafe or even impossible to manage for common men. The way to the closest stairs will be given to you once you reach your starting location.'
The elder made a pause.
-'Now who wants to go alone ?'
As expected, no one volunteered. The old cultivator gaze loomed upon each of them with unsettling penetrating power. When his turn came, Moss knew he was doomed.
-'Disciple Marchen' The elder said. 'You shall go alone this time.'
The interested's face decomposed but he did not protest. The old peasant was not glad about this choice either. Brother Marchen had stepped in for him earlier and was the merrier one of the bunch.
-'Since things ended up this way, I may as well compose the other teams. Disciple Torim and disciple Menlo, together. Disciple Elios and disciple Yu, together. Disciple Lauren and disciple Moss, together. Now let us depart.'
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone