Chapter 1: Stirring The Elite Tryouts’ Preliminaries Finals

Onzengvas ... its lands, before the Age of Catastrophe shifted continents, before it reshaped the planet and before Luminous Church unified it in the name of The Almighty, were known as Africa and South and East Asia.

At the center of the south eastern lands of Onzengvas an enormous and marvelous, mountain like capital city was erected, named after the land itself, “Onzengvas city”, and powered by a formation of twelve floating pagodas crafted from twelve third realm Pure Cores. It knew no walls, for it had no enemies, and stretched for tens of kilometers, for it was copious with devoted lives.

The buildings, from the outskirts to the center of the city, be they small or tall, homes for commoners, aristocrats or servants of the Lord, shone with the same pearly white glamor when the sun hit them.

The architecture of the city’s streets was adorned by ascending columns of stairways, and more advanced technological means of elevation, from the lower class, to the higher ones, up to the summit of a sole, monumental structure, the Grand Abode.

The people, humans and beasts alike, walked day by day proudly on two, their hand or paws against the ground only in rituals, private or public, of worship. They dressed in clean clothes every morning and rinsed themselves every evening. The customary attire at the base of the city was a tad strict for women, included dresses, long skirts and robes, typically neat with one hue. Men could daily choose between suits, loose work clothes and robes, as well. At the higher levels of the city, the dress code was even harsher to servants of The Almighty. Women were obligated to wear robes, permitted to expose their faces and hands alone. Men had their own clerical clothing. Most prominent members of society, the aristocrats, secular tools of The Almighty, could dress however they want, most often than not flamboyantly.

...

Down the base of Onzengvas city, walking at a vendors’ avenue, a young man, seemingly at his early thirties and dressed in a white cleric robe with golden ornaments and a young lass wearing a sliver robe with a metal plate across her small chest, were chatting with the latter emitting a radiant ambiance.

“Your Young Eminence, it’s almost been a year yet many cultivators still arriving to our Luminous Church’s main city. How wonderful is it? Even if they won’t have a chance to enter to top hundred, I’m sure many of them will find redemption by the exposure to the teachings and values His Holiness his passes”.

“My sweet and innocent Sister Iaura, you are too optimistic about these people. You can’t allow the goodness of your heart blind you from seeing their true nature before making judgment”. His Young Eminence kindly instructed.

“But the brilliance of the people, the beauty of the city, they are all consequential to His Holiness’s quotes imprinted on the surrounding structures, Archbishop Silternjan said so himself. How can all of it be ignored? It’s like visiting someone’s home and ignoring the ethics of the house”.

“Where did you learn to speak like this, Sister Iaura?” His Young Eminence smiled. “Did my word no longer carry meaning that it can be argued for the sake of heathens and heretics?”

“No ... no, Your Young Eminence, I did not mean to insult”. Sister Iaura hurriedly said. She could not bear disrespecting His Young Eminence when he was so good to her from the moment they met, even if she paid him all too much back when she saved his life by applying the potion His Holiness personally granted her.

“Good Sister Iaura, forget it, how can I ever be angry at you?” His Young Eminence’s hand quivered behind his back, restraining the urge to caress her head. “But you must understand, here is not the Holy Palace, nor your parents’ home. Although this planet has some importance to His Holiness, the resources here are scarce and deficient. When you offered the Solar Basil Leaf and Diluted Element as prizes for the Elite Tryouts and Archbishop Silternjan explained their purposes to the cultivation world of this planet, all the experts were stirred to the point of most coming to the city just to watch those prizes when their winners receive them. I still think that you should’ve kept these treasures, if you want it is not too late to take them back”.

Sister Iaura shook her head resolutely. “Mom gave them to me to share with friends or trade. Your Young Eminence already consumed Diluted Element, another won’t be of use to you. Shame I wasn’t given Illumination Dew ... a fiery physique will contradict your light attribute. And instead of trading them with someone in the Holy Palace, even if it’s because of greed, see how many people arrived to our city. If one of them does obedience to The Almighty, then it’s worth it”.

Passing by the entrance of glass figurines’ shop, His Young Eminence caught the interest that was piqued in Sister Iaura’s eyes.

He stopped, casing her footsteps to halt. “If there is something you like, pick it. I’ll buy it to you as a souvenir”.

...

Zax entered Onzengvas city with no obstruction or someone asking for identifications. With the help of the Bone And Muscle Transformation he altered his body to be a head shorter, extremely muscular. Even his face he changed to look rougher with an added scar up and down it, which he will heal after the tryouts. Overall he looked like a barbaric youth with inimical disposition.

‘Tomorrow the Elite Tryouts’ finals will commence’. He read from signs hanging from building to building and posters in stores’ windows.

It was also currently the talk of the city and numerous people were seen making their way to the Grand Abode for early seats.

Contemplating the show he will put up, a hideous smile stretched on Zax’s face. He followed the mob up the stairways. The public carriers and elevators were pecked full and had long lines that were tedious to wait in.

Climbing the hundreds of stairs, moving between stairways, there was a stifle taste to the air.

‘Non cultivators don’t notice’. Zax retained an aloof expression as he paid attention to some of the notable experts around; as he was sure others were also keeping an eye on him. ‘I wonder how many had come explicitly for the prizes and who among them belong to the other four powers?’