I centered myself as I stood within the middle of the training grounds.
It was close to noon now and I’d been training since dawn.
High above , three targets were placed atop the pillars in the courtyard.
I cycled my Frenzy and with a burst of speed, leapt into the air with [Lightning Walk]. My foot pushed off the air with a sharp snap of thunder, propelling higher. I perford the technique again with my opposite foot as I literally climbed an invisible staircase to the targets hanging high in the air.
Swinging my axe, I used [Lightning Two Log Chop] to take out the first one and then pivoting, [Lightning Walked] to the next two targets to take them out as well. I found myself hanging high in the air after the last one and then allowed myself to fall to the ground in a sorsault, hitting [Lightning Walk] at the last second to slow my descent before landing in a superhero pose.
A small round of applause ca from behind as the Phalanx crew, who had admittedly been watching perfect my technique for the last few weeks, cheered on. But my true audience consisted of only one person.
Chief Yora stepped towards , hands clasped behind her back, a neutral expression on her face. “Quite an unorthodox style and a bit clumsy but you did make it into the air this ti.”
“Does that an I qualify for the final exam?” I asked hopefully.
She paused a mont.
I began to fear what she would say next, but then she gave a smile.
“Just barely,” she said. “This will be enough to survive the exam tomorrow night, but on the Hell Worlds you will need to be even more proficient. And arguably, you will need a faster form of travel as well. [Air Walking] is efficient but slow. You may need so form of quick escape that can transport you much more rapidly out of harm’s way.”
I grinned with [Struggler’s Resolve]. “Running away from a punch usually ain’t my style, but I understand. I’ll work on sothing. I’ll have it perfected before my deploynt.”
Yora chuckled. “Don’t count your winnings early. You still need to pass the exam itself. Which won’t be easy.”
I nodded. “Understood.”
“Be sure to attend the briefing tomorrow at noon,” she said as she turned to walk away. “There will be so additional challenges to face besides just survival. You’ll want to know what they are.”
As Yora left a new sense of resolve filled .
New Challenges?
What the hell could they be?
No matter, I thought. Noon was basically 24 hours away. I’d find out then, but 24 hours gave ample ti to at least start thinking about an improvent to my [Lightning Walk] technique.
I plopped down into lotus position to ponder it so more within my own mind.
The Demon and Struggler joined on the secluded lakeside beach of my inner domain.
Seeing them reminded that I still hadn’t achieved the real breakthrough I needed to yet—combining them sohow so that I could advance to the Sacred Soul Realm.
I took a peek at the Foundation manual again just to confirm where I was.
Core Formation
1st
Core Formation
2nd
Core Body Refinent
3rd
Core ntal Refinent
4th
Core Density Refinent
5th
Inner Soul Detection
6th
Inner Soul Focus
7th
Inner Soul Refinent
8th
Inner Soul Projection
9th
Secondary Soul Germination
I had definitely mastered the 8th Tier now. I could project my [Spectral Body] in the real world with ease and had even honed my [Fist/Blade/Axe of the Struggler] techniques, which allowed to do spiritual damage on the fly without summoning my full [Spectral Body Projection].
But that damn Secondary Soul germination still eluded .
I had increased my Frenzy capacity by what had to be 100 fold by now as well, cultivating under the Bloodmoon each night. So much so, that I was fairly confident I could survive an entire night now by utilizing my [Soul Shield] technique.
That put in good stead to pass the exam.
So long as I didn’t burn too much extra Frenzy fighting the demons, I should be okay.
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Which led to my next impedint.
Flying.
I’d gotten so basics down, but I had to trust what Yora was saying was true as well.
The basics just wouldn’t cut it on the Hell Worlds.
But at least she’d given my shot at passing the exam in advance.
I summoned the [Air Walk] manual from mory and began scanning through it.
There was a more advanced technique within it that maybe I could adapt but I wasn’t sure.
I found the passage for it.
[Wind Walk]
If [Air Walking] is akin to strolling among the clouds, then [Wind Walking] is gliding upon the currents flowing between them. It requires a mastery of the [Air Walk] technique combined with the physical agility to ride upon the wind itself.
Riding the wind, I thought.
That sounded like surfing or sothing and the more I read the more it appeared to literally rely upon a wind blowing as a form of movent. If there was no wind, the technique was useless.
That certainly wouldn’t be a reliable form of escape.
Not unless a hurricane was blowing.
Still, it gave so ideas.
If there was no wind, perhaps I could make so of my own.
Or make sothing like it.
A smile ca to my lips the more I thought about it.
The Struggler and Demon instantly agreed, reading my thoughts.
“It’s settled then,” I said to them. “I’m going to figure out how to [Ride the Lightning].”
* * *
I was a good couple of hours into my research when I hit the first roadblock.
The [Wind Walk] technique was similar to [Air Walk] in that it used the sa ridians, but it was almost the sa technique in inverse. Where [Air Walk] used Qi to ‘kick’ off the air, [Wind Walk] used the sa to stick to it.
To complicate matters was how I was going to stick lightning in there to make it all work together sohow. I was beginning to fear I had bitten off way more than I could chew when sothing suddenly tugged out of my ditation.
“I said congratulations,” a voice said.
I opened my eyes and was stunned to see Blue Rose standing over .
And much more stunned that she was actually talking to .
We hadn’t spoken to each other in weeks.
Not since she blew up at after the assembly.
Part of wanted to tell her to piss off, but the river of fear running through her soul urged the Struggler to hold the Demon at bay. I still wasn’t sure what was going on between us. It was more her beef than mine, but she still hadn’t apologized for embarrassing either.
Perhaps this was it.
“Congratulations for what?” I asked.
“On learning how to fly.”
I couldn’t tell if she was being completely sincere or not, but she did seem a little mousey about it.
“Thanks,” I said. “It took a while.”
Blue Rose only nodded as an uncomfortable silence fell between us.
“Anyway,” she said. “Good luck on the final exam.”
She then turned and walked away, leaving wondering if that was as good of an apology as I was going to get from her. Or if that even was one. Maybe I’d have to go first.
“Hey, Blue!” I called out after her and she stopped. “No hard feelings, alright?”
“About what?” she said.
I rely shrugged. “Everything?”
She nodded slowly, but didn’t smile. “Sure. No hard feelings, Max.”
And with that she left the training yard.
It wasn’t the reaction I’d hoped for.
I still didn’t know if we were cool or not.
But I couldn’t worry about that right now.
I had already made my choice to advance and as Yora had said, it was simply luck if relationships could survive. I closed my eyes and tucked myself away again into my spiritual domain, setting my mind back to task.
I had to figure this [Ride the Lightning] thing out.
That’s what was important now.
Not friends.
* * *
I stayed up most of the night plodding away at the new technique, as well as continuing into the morning. By that ti, I thought I might have constructed the bare bones of sothing that could work, but I had no ti to test it.
Fla willing, I would have a week or so before having to deploy anyway.
I tucked the ridian sequence into the back of my mind as I joined the noonday assembly of Black Robes in the courtyard to prep for the final exam.
Chief Yora was there along with the President who stood overlooking us with arms folded across his massive chest. A much smaller contingent of Black Robes had assembled—the upperclassn, which was only about 20 of us or so.
Jei Su Long gave a leer as he entered the square with his Token Tribute gang, but I paid them no mind with [Indifference]. Then I saw soone I wasn’t expecting. Blue Rose sauntered in right behind them.
What the hell?
Had she advanced?
Before I could ponder the situation, President Tzu Li Zen stepped forward to address us.
“Before Chief Yora explains the details of the final exam, I wish to congratulate each and every one of you for making it this far in your progression. Many of you arrived here with only a sliver of hope for survival and yet you have beaten the odds and persevered. By standing here today, you have accomplished more than 90% of the empire ever will. You are beyond just cultivators, you have toughened yourselves to face the fires of the Hell Worlds and tonight, you will face your final challenge to prepare you for that.”
He then nodded to Chief Yora.
“I echo the president’s sentints,” she said. “It is no small feat to achieve what you have. You are right now a magnitude stronger than when you arrived and perhaps stronger than any peer you faced in the outside world. But tonight, we will simulate exactly what you will face on your tour of the Hell Worlds. Caches of salt crystals have been buried in the desert, which you will mine as Aetherite. You must do this throughout the night, under the effects of a Full Bloodmoon and defend yourselves from the hordes that follow. In addition, a new component shall be added. Jei Su Long, Iron Bull, please step forward.”
My heart jumped for a mont as she called my na.
I went to the front of the assembly and stood next to Jei Su Long.
“These two have qualified for the final exam in all but one aspect,” she said. “They are both required to partake in a leadership assessnt. This final exam will incorporate their respective assessnts in a unique way. You will be split into two teams with Jei Su Long and the Iron Bull as respective captains. It will be their job to direct the teams to locate the Aetherite, mine it and return ho safely. The team captain who harvests the most Aetheirite will be nad Platoon leader for the 28th Deploynt of the 5073rd campaign.”
Jei Su Long grinned next to . “Seems I’ve been blessed with a rematch. I hope you prove better at this than you are at flying.”
I chortled with [Indifference]. “No worse than you are at fighting.”
“Bastard!” he hissed. “You’ll swallow those words.”
“The captains will now select their teams,” Tzu Li Zen said. “The first pick will be decided by a coin flip.”
“Yin or Yang?” Yora asked as she produced a single coin.
“Yang!” Jei Su Long shouted. “He can be Yin. It suits him more.”
He broke out into a laugh that was echoed by a few of his cronies.
I chose not to comnt.
Yora flipped the coin. “Yang it is. You may make the first selection, Jei Su Long.”
“See,” Jei Su long said, glancing at sideways, the fates favor with victory already. He then looked into the crowd. “Blue Rose!”
My heart did another jump, which seed to mirror the shock on Blue Rose’s face.
As she shuffled almost reluctantly to stand behind Jei Su Long, I nearly forgot to call the na of my own pick. But it didn’t really matter after that. We went through the process chanically, but I was more concerned with what Jei Su Long had up his sleeve.
“Why the hell you pick her?” I said once we were through.
The bastard rely shrugged. “Because I could. We’ll see how your friend fares under my supre command.”
Son of a bitch…
Chief Yora gave the order for us to disperse and prepare and I caught Blue Rose by the elbow. “Hey, what are you even doing here?”
Her brows lowered as she pulled her arm away. “What? Do you think you’re the only one who can advance? You think I’m not at your level?”
“Chief Yora cleared you for this?”
“You want to ask her yourself?”
I studied her and sensed the contempt in her heart. But I wasn’t going to let that stop . “Blue, the last ti you were under the Bloodmoon you nearly lost your mind. Are you sure you can spend an entire night?”
“That’s the last ti you saw ,” she said bitterly. “I’ve been doing a lot of stuff since then. Advancing on my own. Just like you.”
Guess we weren’t cool, I thought.
But could she actually have advanced that quickly. As quick as ?
“Blue, I just want to be sure you can hand—”
“Save the fake concern, Max,” she snapped. “If you don’t believe , I’ll prove it to you. I’m good on my own.”
“Yeah, but you won’t be on your own. You’ll be with that idiot leading you.”
She jutted her chin in the air. “I’m actually glad Jei Su Long picked first. That’ll prove I did it through my own strength and not just by following you.”
My insides flared.
I felt like slugging her.
“Still got that damn chip on your shoulder, huh?”
She cut her eyes at and then turned her back without answering.
I cultivated the anger in my soul just to get rid of it. I turned to see the ten tributes on my team all looking to expectantly. It was a reminder that I had a job to do and there was no ti for a dumb ass grudge to get in the way.
“Go back to the barracks and get so rest,” I said. “We’ll et up after chow to go over the ga plan. Dismissed.”
As they departed giving salutes and bows, I couldn’t ignore the whispered comnts that ca with them.
“Hell’s up with those two?”
“They should just bang and get it over with already.”
“I hope this doesn’t ss us up tonight.”
“Is it too late to switch teams?”
I grimaced inwardly.
Blue Rose’s ability to inadvertently cause to lose face was becoming legendary.
I shrugged it off with [Indifference].
I had to prove to my team that I was in control.
Not let this crap affect .
I looked to the sky and the stars I couldn’t see, imagining the globe of the Earth floating sowhere out there.
Eye on the prize, Max, I told myself. Rember what you ca here for.
I cycled my Frenzy with the fresh resolve of my Dao. Tonight, I would get my first taste of the Hell Worlds and I had a lot more people than just Blue Rose to think about.
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