The children instantly fell silent. Everyone knew Elder Sa Yu Guo and everyone knew he wasn’t joking.

 

“You all know who I am, and you all know why you’re here, so I’m not going to waste anyone's time,” said the Elder, his tone serious. “This is indeed a crucial moment for you; it will determine how far you can reach and your status in the clan and in the world. But…” 

 

The Elder paused for a moment, sweeping his small eyes through the tensed children.

 

"But make no mistake, you’re all returning home with your sea core opened, you're all going to start cultivating today." The elder slapped his knees before tossing his chair back and standing up. "True, some of you hold better aptitude and can most likely reach higher ranks than others. But, always remember, the foundation, the breaks, the pillars, the summit are all important for the house to stand. You’re all important pieces of our clan, be it as a lowly rank 10 or an esteemed rank 7, we all got our part to play in sheltering this house."

 

Sa Min watched the children grinning like idiots. And why not? It was a good lie to comfort themselves with if a shitty sea core was what they found.

 

They’re little kids after all… Sa Min sighed. But they'll learn soon enough…how the world really works.

 

The elder opened the book in his hand with a grunt. "You'll take any aptitude you're given and thank the ancestors for it. Now let’s see who’s first to face his fate...” He glanced down at the book before announcing. “Sa Gou Wen, get your big ass over here!”

 

And all heads in the arena turned as one to watch the big young man stand up. With his beard — though it wasn't full — and his large body, one would hardly believe that Sa Wen was only eighteen.

 

Sa Wen was the scion of the second influential faction’s leader in the clan, Sa Gou Wei. The Wen family.

 

Sa Min had learned about the Gous from how much Sa Huiqing had talked about them. Sa Huiqing hated them like he hated no one.

 

Understandably so.

 

When the leader of Lis, Sa Li Huiqing’s father had mysteriously vanished sixty years ago, it was the Gous that had advocated for the banishing of the Li family, as these two rival factions had always been at war with each other.

 

And seemingly still were. Sa Min noticed Sa Li Huiqing glaring murderously at Sa Gou Song as though he wished to throttle the life out of him.

Elder Sa Yu Guo smacked Sa Wen lightly on the back of his head with his book as he stepped onto the stage. “Leave some bandits for your brothers to fight, will you?” He quipped.

 

Sa Wen scratched his bald head, smiling. “Don’t worry elder, they never end.”

 

“Indeed, those bastards just keep coming.” Elder Sa Yu Guo moved towards the heart of the stage. Sa Wen followed him.

 

You’d think from his wrinkled face that Elder Sa Yu Guo would never smile. But he did right now. He looked proud of Sa Wen. “With your hard work and determination, I guarantee you're going to have a good sea core," the elder said as he moved towards the heart of the stage. Sa Wen followed him.

 

A circular spot was there, covered with a finely crafted silk covering, and it was a bit elevated and designed for only one person to sit. Beside it stood a big wooden receptacle, intricately engraved and filled with white apples— force apples.

 

“Take four force apples, and go sit over there,” commanded the Elder Sa Yu Guo. “And I’ll assume you already know what to do."

 

Sa We nodded and snatched four of the force apples up, putting them on a nearby wooden plate before making his way to the designated circle. Sitting legs crossed, he placed the plate before him.

 

Everyone in the arena carefully watched him in silence.

 

He then closed his closed eyes, grabbed one of the apples, and gingerly positioned it before his force gate. Instantly, the force apple shivered, then energy like a white smoke began coming out of the apple and entering his force gate.

 

The more primal force came out of the force apple, the weaker the apple became. It continued like this for moments before the apple became lifeless in his hand, all shriveled like a dead leaf. 

 

Closing his fist, it slipped from his hands like dust.

 

“One apple,” announced the Elder Sa Yu Guo, his voice echoing in the arena. “He escaped the D-grade aptitude.”

 

The crowd roared, and the looks on the participant's faces seemed filled with jealousy.

 

Without opening his eyes, Sa We's hand reached out again, finding another force apple, the same size as the first—they were all the same size. And again, placing it before his stomach, letting his force gate absorb the primal force within.

 

Became dry again, and the Elder announced, a hint of satisfaction in his voice, "two apples, you escaped the C-grade aptitude." 

 

Some kids were holding their heads in shock.

 

Sa We grabbed the third force apple and began absorbing it yet again. But this time, he only managed to absorb a bit before his face twitched for a moment, as though someone were tickling his flat feet. Then a smile spread across his long face.

 

"Sa We, B-grade aptitude, the Elite sea core," announced the Elder Sa Yu Guo, and the crowds went noisy. The kids around were watching with open mouths, a look of disbelief on their faces. The elders, on the side, began shaking Sa Gou Wei’s hand, congratulating him.

 

The aptitude of ka wielders was determined by their sea core’ type—from D-grade aptitude to S-grade. Those who had Ordinary sea core, possessed D-grade aptitude. They would have a hard time reaching the late transformation in rank 10. 

 

Those people were the majority in the world, as eight out of ten ka wielders in the world had D-grade aptitude.

 

Then there were the ka wielders with Average sea core. With C-grade aptitude, with enough resources and the hard work, in a couple of years they could reach rank 9. 

 

As for those who possessed Elite sea core, they had B-grade aptitude. They were considered rare and important. Their potential was enormous. 

 

And those who had the Grand sea core, the A-grade aptitude, were extremely rare. With time and resources, they could even awaken their Ba. In Tetra Blessing City, only six people had it: the patriarch of the three major clans, the city lord and the head of the Qing family, that broken family that had sought refuge in the city a few years ago.

 

Though for some reason, Qing Xieren had not yet advanced to rank 7.

 

Rank 7 ka wielders could hold significant positions in In the Xi Empire — or any other place— whether in governments, the military or in the investigation and justice office or any other office. 

 

Some of them choose to stay in their clan rather than entangling themselves in the affairs of the empire.

 

But those who possessed the Legendary sea core, those with S-grade Aptitude, were considered invaluable and could enter the Prestige Cultivation Academy in the capital. They had the potential to reach rank 5, which is the highest rank in the middle realm of cultivation.

 

B-grade aptitude meant that Sa Wen had the potential to reach rank 8, so long as he cultivated with seriousness. That’s the reason everyone was cheerful and shocked.

 

The Elder Sa Yu Guo raised an eyebrow. “You must have awakened your borned Ka,” he said in a curious tone.

 

Sa We nodded, getting up, a big smile on his face. “Should I summon it, elder?” He asked, his voice filled with excitement. And before the elder could make a sound, a Ka flew from Sa Wei’s force gate. It looked like an eye with delicate butterfly wings, flapping madly, its black pupils darting around terribly fast.

 

“The Black Flying Eye Ka,” said the elder, his wrinkled hand stroking his beard. “Interesting… this Ka works with two Yantras, the Bon—

 

"Interesting... this Ka works with two Yantras, the Bone Armored Yantra and…"

 

The Flying Spike Yantra, Sa Min thought, watching the Black Flying Eye Ka from afar.

 

The Kas were mysterious beings that lived in the world. They were invisible to the eyes of ka wielders. Untouchable too, only manifested when they wanted to satisfy their hunger or when refined by a ka wielder. These beings were invaluable resources to the ka wielders.

 

Elder Sa Yu Guo turned towards someone standing just outside the stage’s edge. “Bring the belt,” he commanded. And a rank 10 ka wielder swiftly came, respectfully holding a well-arranged blue belt with both hands.

 

Each time a ka wielder leveled up, they'd get a new belt in a different color. It was a sacred tradition of the tree clans. And just like wearing the clan's clothes—the clan’s symbol—it was mandatory to wear those belts.

 

The blue belt meant rank 10.

 

Elder Sa Yu Guo took the belt, dismissing the woman with a nod, then turned back to Sa Wei, his face turned solemn. Sa Wei, as though he knew what was about to happen next, composed himself.

 

The arena also fell into an expectant silence. 

 

The elder stared down Sa Wen for moments, then barked. “To which clan do you belong?” His voice was louder than needed.

 

“The Sa Clan,” shouted Sa Wei.

 

“To which land do you belong?”

 

"The Xi Empire" screamed Sa Wei, spittle flying.

 

“Where does your loyalty lie?”

 

“To the Emperor Xi Feng Zhou!” Louder still.

 

“Who’s your enemy?”

 

“The Heavenly Union and whoever supports them!” Sa Wen stopped, panting, his face twisted in a smile of satisfaction.

 

The crowd roared in approval. Louder than ever. Sa Min could barely make out the Elder’s words to Sa Wen on the stage.

 

Sa Min could see two frail twin girls clapping joyfully in the elders’ section. They must be his little sisters he talked about a lot.

 

Moments later, Sa Wen stepped outside the stage, heading back to his seat in the midst of everyone's applause.

 

The Elder Sa Yu Guo raised his weathered hand to the crowd to hush, then turned his scrowled face towards the anxious children, waiting to be called. 

 

“You all know what to do by now,” his voice boomed over the murmurings. “When your name is called, I want to see you running over here, and I want you to open your Sea Core quickly, you understand?"

 

The kids nervously nodded, and the Elder squinted down his long nose at the book of names in his hand. 

 

"Second is…Sa Xiu Lan."