Pef sat comfortably on his tall chair to wait for the morning tea, and simply examined his chosen disciple for flaws.

'It is true, once you reach a certain level in cultivation, you can see through people and their motives.' the blonde boy mused inward, as the Emperor Realm Elder began to unfold like an open book in front of him.

"Holy Son, I've decided to apply for a Core Disciple spot. Will I have your support?" the woman asked with a slightly worried voice.

Pef just sipped his tea, and smiled inward.

"Of course, Lady Zara. Now, listen to my words. Say it like this: Teacher, I have decided to become a Core Disciple and I need your advice." the boy spoke after a long minute.

To his right, his grandpa gulped the tea and grimaced for some reason, as he remembered the same words, but spoken by a 4 year-old-boy merely several years ago.

It took a few minutes for the Elder to discover the meaning in the words. "I see. Determination is the key." she spoke softly as her eyes became a degree colder.

"I will start teaching the Core Disciples today, so you're welcome to come with me, Elder Zara. And try to smile a little, the Emperor Realm is a rather important achievement for any cultivator. You should be a little happy today." Pef added with a wide grin, while flaring his own qi for a second.

In the meanwhile, he also sent a qi transmission to the Sect Master, saying basically the same thing, and adding some demands. It wouldn't do to arrive in the Core Plaza and find no one there. Who would he teach then?

The Elder relaxed a little and sipped her tea graciously, perhaps feeling better as the Holy Son agreed with her request.

And indeed, as they flew towards the Core Plaza an hour later, they found all the Core disciples rounded up and waiting for the Holy Son's appearance.

"Everyone, have a seat, and take notes. I'm sure you all heard of me, and perhaps you wonder what your Holy Son can teach you, after being prepared by Grand Elders and the Sect Master himself." Pef began as he pointed at a spot for the new Core disciple to seat.

There were 18 Core disciples before, and now 19 with the one he had just promoted. As the future leaders of the Sect, the Core Disciples had indeed benefited from expensive pills, tutoring sessions from venerable Elders and the best courtyards and treatment a cultivation Sect could provide. Most of them had an Emperor Realm cultivation, and there were even some in Overlord Realm.

Well, there were in for a surprise.

"Cultivators are a special type of humans. Perhaps we have evolved, so that we can survive against the dangers of a qi-filled universe, with demon beasts and tribulations of all sorts. This is a good thing, because there would be little defense for the normal people in the cities and villages, once a high realm beast or even a beast wave attacks. However, cultivators are also human, and thus a victim of the same problems that humans face when living in large groups. Greed and narcissism, lust for power or women, and many other vices or mental problems." Pef explained as the disciples before him began to scowl and frown, perhaps not used to being berated or diminished with such a casual brush.

"Even worse, as we climb the cultivation ladder and step in higher realms, cultivators began to experience a dissociation from humanity, believing themselves better than mere mortals or otherwise indifferent to their fates. This problem may present itself as psychopathy, or an illness of the mind where the person is obsessed by a certain thing, for example personal power or hatred for someone, or even as sociopathy, where a person becomes obsessed with an abstract goal or a principle, for example creating order or mayhem on a large scale. At that point, other people become mere tools for their goals, and if the lives of millions have to be spent, who cares, they are nothing." the Holy Son spoke in a clear and level voice, while most of the Core Disciples paled, perhaps feeling their inner feelings were being dissected openly.

At the sides of the Core Plaza, the Sect Master and several Grand Elder glanced between themselves, knowing already they have failed in their task of educating the new generation. Every flaw of their disciples had been widely covered by the Holy Son, and marked them as mental patients or even insane criminals.

"Now, these are not all bad things. Our Sect needs people capable of bloodshed and mayhem, because we have enemies. We need people who strive for personal power, because there are strong enemies out there, be they beasts or humans. As for hatred, I don't mind, as long as it motivates our disciples to strive in their cultivation. Sociopaths can become excellent generals or administrators, because their emotions won't get in the way when making hard choices. But, there are things I will not tolerate. Treason, for example. Murdering people for fun and pleasure, for example." Pef said in a glacial voice, as he pointed at a certain disciple he had located just today.

"What? What have I done?" the disciple shouted, looking rather outraged.

"Just today, you sent an encoded message that way, saying this: 'Mighty Netherservant, the Icefire fools have a new Sovereign powerhouse, their Resource Hall Elder, which proves the child's scripture actually works. I also heard rumors of a new scripture for Earth essence cultivators, but I haven't got access to it yet. Forever obedient, Ming Tan.' Which is strange, seeing as you told us a different name, and none of this Netherservant stuff." Pef spoke with a childish voice, even smiling cutely with deep dimples.

"Y-you...the code..." the impostor muttered as his skin began to waver and wobble, shifting colors towards a darker hue.

"Sigh" a soft whisper filled the plaza as the Sect Master appeared behind the traitor and grabbed his head in a vice-like hand. "I'll deal with this, Holy Son." the old man spoke with a nod, while the traitor fell unconscious under his hand. With a quick step, the Sect Master vanished with the traitor, no doubt for a long session of interrogation in the dungeons.

Pef just shrugged carelessly and returned to his teachings. "The good news though, we have a new Core Disciple to replace the traitor. Lady Zara has been tutored by me for several months and only entered the Emperor Realm today. Let's all welcome the first female Core Disciple of our generation." he proclaimed as he clapped a few times as an example.

Following the rounds of polite applause, the Core Plaza returned to the regular schedule, still with only 18 disciples.

"As I was saying: there is no person without faults, and cultivation will only magnify the faults in us all. This is why we need to study the mind, both in ourselves and in others. For if we know ourselves and we know the enemy, we will be undefeated in a thousand battles!" the Holy Son declared in a convinced voice.

Deep under the Ancient Peak, Icefire mulled over the new lesson, as it too had much to learn, about other people and about itself.

'So it is not the Mirror Sky holding me prisoner here. My own mind needs to be solved first. Another gift, little one. As for the Nether Lotus...well. That creep doesn't have a great teacher like I do. The battle is half-won already.'