Chapter 5: Earlier Than Expected

“After the fifth level’s hour everything will be determined”. Archbishop Silternja said.

“Yes”. Cardinal Northstar affirmed. “Understanding of the attribute might be the first trial, but of all the four, soul can be cultivated, Martial art can be taught and battle experience can be acquired over time. Although there are celestial supplements, in the end, to perceive and comprehend the six bottlenecks of insight and understand the worldly attribute energy one can only rely on himself...” He had a desolate expression when stating that. Sighing, he shifted his gaze to the four hundred and seven contenders preparing themselves in the arena. “Soon we will know who has the potential to become an Ascended Elite and if; perhaps, among them there is already a hidden gem”.

“Don’t expect too much from a group of cultivators stuck on a mud ball in practically nowhere, Cardinal Northstar”. His Young Eminence scoffed.

Although he paid a measure of attention to the tryouts, he frankly was not interested in them at all, much less in the supposed young prospects of Ercas Mir. He preferred to return to the Holy Palace. If it was not Sister Iaura who asked to stay for sightseeing, which eventually resulted in holding prematurely the Elite Tryouts, than even Cardinal Northstar would have been forced to arrange their departure at a moment notice.

“Your Young Eminence has truth in his words”. Cardinal Northstar concurred. “But it is in remote and undiscovered places that there are treasures still to unearth”.

“That’s correct, Cardinal Northstar, His Holiness said the same thing!” Sister Iaura happily reminded. The person she held the greatest respect toward, even as much as she had for her parents, was the religious leader of the Holy Palace, His Holiness.

“That is His Holiness’s direct quote, and indeed, its truth surpasses mine”. His Young Eminence admitted. In the mentioning of His Holiness he could be nothing but servile.

...

Thirty minutes recess ended. The crowd returned to their seats and the contenders finished their rest.

“Four hundred and seven participants are left. The fifth level’s hour is soon to commence, so let me help you all to remember...” Armin announced, smiling at the spectators, gesturing with appreciation at the contenders. “Regardless how many participants will sustain in the upcoming fifth hour or the remaining two, with no discrimination over your performance, the top two hundred will progress to the succeeding trial’s day”. He presented his Light embroidered crest and the Shelter Of Heroes emanated a blinding hue as it conjured the new wave of constructs.

“Raow!” The constructs descended roaring. Their size was four meters tall and two meters wide. They huge bat wings and absurdly muscular. The appearance of their lower and upper body had not changed, but from the neck up their faces were a bit refined, less coarse – each will interpret in their own way – and between their round big eyes there was a slit that opened to reveal a third eye with two pupils.

Zax’s body exploded forth with force. His hands darkened as he cupped them to the shape of two dark attribute energy’s sickles. This battle he intended to drag for the better part of the hours, pretend as if he put his all to the defeat the construct.

CLANG!

His brandished his hands against the chains of light the construct was holding. ‘Incredible!’ He was stunned from its strength. ‘A Core Master who could beat this thing should be the cream of the crop of the second realm!’ Zax was more and more at awe as once in a while he caught glimpse at the contenders fighting the other constructs.

What their struggle represented that shocked him, was that this time no one could hold back the utilization of attribute, and that exposed how profound the understanding of many of them was, despite their low cultivation, and how many bottlenecks of insight they supposedly comprehended.

‘In Kingdom Earth, as one comprehends the bottlenecks of insight, they gain enlightenment into what they refer to as “worldly energy”, which they learn to taste, hear, touch, smell and see, not bound by this order’. Zax mused while feigning exertion.

‘In Ercas Mir, wherever there is at least a third level Martial Mortal to guide, than cultivators can become aware that the “worldly energy” is actually an “attribute energy”, similar to the one they might have added to their mist, soul, bodily cultivation by consumption of attribute’s essence, but harder to recognize... ‘ Two chains wrapped around his arms, separately, another around his right leg and three more were about to whip him. He howled, dislocated his joints, executed his foot technique and escaped before being hit.

‘The more bottlenecks comprehended, the more of the worldly attribute energy can be understood. However, the bottlenecks are not enough; there must be a pinch of enlightenment to correlate the two. I made the connection quickly with the help of God Demirva’s attribute’s essence. Those who have teachers to guide them take longer and those who have only themselves, take much, much, much longer!’

By the display of attribute energy attacks at the light constructs, it appeared that roughly hundred contenders were enlightened to the connection between worldly energy and worldly attribute energy, and by their proficiency using it around forty clearly comprehended four bottlenecks of insight that help their understanding make large strides.

...

“Look”, Archbishop Silternja told those sitting next to him with complicated expression. ‘That boy Neyrar who came from Golden Desert Fort brigade, this level of understanding ... I don’t know what fortuitous encounters did he have or what they spent to cultivate him in the fort, but he should have comprehended five bottlenecks of insight’.

“He did, but the understanding her gained from them is still negligible”. His Young Eminence remarked. “If he’ll stay on this planet he will need a miracle to advance his understanding in a short period of time”.

“Indeed”. Cardinal Northstar creased his brows. “They probably sent him for the Diluted Element. Does General Beking think that he could use it to perceive the last bottleneck and reach Evolutionary Ascension?”