After they gave their first impressions of the stone's test, the five finally made their way to Han Ting's sister's place.

Ren still had a few questions about both the different experiences of people and how it would measure potential as well as if they could know to what conclusion the stone came, and so he just asked while they were running over a wide wooden bridge. "The stone gives everyone a different trial, right?" The others looked at him, and Han Ting nodded, while the others just waited for him to continue. "And we did not get any points or evaluation or anything at the end. What is even the point of it, then, if we don't know how we compare to anybody? Don't get me wrong, I liked the test, but it just seemed odd to me, you know?" Ren said, looking at the other four for answers.

Surprisingly it was not Han Ting or Zhi Mu who answered first, but Shen Junan. He adjusted his glasses slightly, took a deep breath and slowed down, making all of them also adjust their speed. "Regarding your concern over there being no visible evaluation, I believe that an adequate evaluation will be compiled and can be viewed once a year, there can also be rewards given based on it, though only to the members of the division. I further believe that potential might be the wrong word choice when it comes to the results given by the stone. Like you already said, Brother Ren, the tests given to each of us can vary drastically, and are chosen from a range of choices, how many I don't know, though it shouldn't be too many. The Stone Of Worth then decides upon one of them and will, upon completion, make an internal note of your progress to cross-reference and give your instructors a better picture of how well-rounded you are as a practitioner. It will compare it to your age group, how long you cultivated, what kind of arts you practice, and so on. Obviously you will have to use the stone multiple times for that. As for why it is like that, or why you don't get to see your results displayed immediately." He shrugged. "I have no idea." Shen Junan finished his explanation.

All of them looked at him with a little scepticism, though. "How do you know that, Brother Shen? I didn't learn any of this, and when we approached the stone, you also thought that you might collapse from it." Xin Jing said, question marks in her eyes.

"Well, elder Cloudgrass was very enthusiastic with my education, and made me learn different aspects of both array formations and the different trials and testing grounds present in our sect and how the information they gather could be compiled and used. I had no Idea on the specifics of this particular testing ground, though, like which tests would be administered or if you could faint on your first try." Shen Junan elaborated while scratching his head in embarrassment.

Ren still wanted to know a little more before they moved on from the topic. "What kinds of tests did all of you get then, and how many does the stone have? Sister Xin already said that she fought different waves of enemies. I had to fight against pressure from all around while trying to avoid being distracted." He said, a curious note in his voice.

Han Ting immediately grabbed onto what Ren said, trying to give a little more insight on the stone's system. "There should be eight tests in total, four to test your fighting capability and another four to test your heart of Cultivation, though some of them also test a bit of both, like what Brother Ren described. I personally have not experienced all the tests, but my sister said that I would have to grow up a bit for the rest of them, whatever that means." He sounded a both a bit embarrassed and indignant at not having seen all the trials of the stone. "You can also get combinations of tests to increase the difficulty and push yourself. Elder Han Meijiao told me that Masters of the sect can even decide what they want to test and immediately look at their scores."

"Interesting. I only knew that a Master would gain different advantages and opportunities to train themselves, as there are not many within the sect to give further pointers. I had a logic puzzle that I had to solve while... dealing with some distractions, let's say." Zhi Mu commented, walking next to Han Ting, with both his spirit and step feeling quite calm again.

"My test was more of a series of moral dilemmas, one could say, testing my resolve and philosophy. That is also why I didn't like it at all." Shen Junan said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Simply distasteful." he muttered in apparent disgust.

"Man, you guys really got only shit for your tests, Mu, Junan. Ren and I, on the other hand, had the time of our lives!" Xin Jing said, throwing her arm around Ren's neck and made a face at the other two boys, with her tongue sticking out, eliciting a sigh from Zhi Mu.

"Already no longer addressing us as 'Brother', Sister Xin, how uncouth." The young Adept said with a smile playing on his lips.

She bobbed her head once in response. "But of course. We can still address each other as 'Brothers' and 'Sister' but since we are not only going to lead the sect in the future, but also trying to change some things about it, I think that we can also just talk on first name basis. We already do with Ren." The girl argued, as she held him against her.

"That is not exactly the same, and you know it, Brother Ren simply has no family name, but I concur with your sentiment, dearest Sister Jing." Zhi Mu laid it on a little thick, Ren thought, as the older boy even an exaggerated bow that made the girls laugh outright. "On a more serious note, I think that it is a beautiful idea to call each other only by our given names. What about you?" Zhi Mu continued and looked at Ren, Shen Junan and Han Ting.

"I believe that, just as Sister Jing said, it will grow familiarity and as our future likely includes a high amount of cooperation between us, I am in favour of this proposal." Shen Junan said while trying to keep his expression neutral and businesslike, though Ren could tell that even if his answer was serious, the glasses wearing boy still tried to get a small reaction from his wording.

Han Ting was more to the point. "Uhm." He nodded his head with a sound of agreement. "We should have done that from the very beginning."

The rest of the way to Han Ting's sister's house was filled with the five talking to each other in sarcastic tones, each trying to give the best impression of a wise elder. Zhi Mu even took out the branch he picked up on the mountaintop and made a small illusion of a beard appear on his face.

They finally arrived at a wooden estate, after another twenty minutes of leisurely running. Ren could make out multiple trees that held leaves of any colour and shape imaginable. There were the ordinary greens and browns, spear to star shaped, but there were also violet circles, indigo leaves formed like hexagons, and many more, making Ren wonder, he had not seen many of these before, even on the mountain.

The inner parts of the estate were tastefully decorated, soft shades of earthly colours dominating the furnishings and walls. Stone and wood come together in a multitude of shapes all around the three storeys.

Ren estimated that it could easily be used by thirty people, but much like his own residence he could only make out a single woman going around inside a glasshouse by the gardens, that was framed by the rest of the estate. She was watering some kind of vibrant red plant, and the characteristics of her face reminded him of Han Ting. That was where the similarities ended though, she had a light shade of brown hair, soft brown eyes whereas both of those looked far darker on Han Ting, and the biggest difference, her body did not look like she was part of the body division at all. She had thin arms, was only slightly taller than Zhi Mu, and even her spirit only felt marginally stronger than that of Xin Jing who was still only a Novice, making him doubt if she was an Adept at all. In fact her complete aura just screamed 'average' at him. Had he seen her in his own town, she would have surely been nothing but a passing face in the crowd. Seeing her spirit so content with her apparent mediocrity somehow vexed him, even if he could not put his finger on the exact reason.

As they stood before the main entrance, Han Ting rapped his fist against what looked like a small bell. It was connected to an array, Ren noticed, that send one resounding 'DONG' through the house as well as the gardens, making Han Ting's sister look up and run to the door with a small application of her spirit.

She opened the door, wearing well-worn simple lilac robes, a smile on her face and immediately took Han Ting into her arms, before even greeting them.

After holding the boy for a good minute, she let go with obvious reluctance and looked all of them over. "I am Han Tian, Adept of our sect, and as you likely already know, the sister of this big fellow." She smiled at all of them, small dimples showing on her face, her small nose slightly turned up, and patted Han Ting on his shoulder like his uncle did.

"Sis, these are my new friends that grandpa Meijiao introduced to me. You already met Shen Junan before." The boy nodded to her. "And the other three are Zhi Mu of the puppet division, Xin Jing of the heart division and Ren of the weapon division." All of them greeted her as Juniors, as was proper for most of them, and even if Zhi Mu was technically her Senior Brother, having both a higher standing and cultivation than her, he greeted her like the rest of them.

"It is very nice to meet you, and I have already heard of some of you, please follow me inside and make yourselves at home." She gestured for them to follow after her as she turned around.

They made their way inside and looked around. Zhi Mu immediately noticed that there were a multitude of mortal utensils and artwork lying around, and the bookshelves were all filled with works of mortal authors. Open on a dinner table they passed, he even saw diagrams talking about nothing but botany, no element of the arts added! He obviously knew that Cultivators also read mortal books and not just cultivation manuals, but seeing sensing not a single artefact apart from the bell hanging by the entrance, and no book having an imprint of spirit, or discussing its uses, made him almost angry at this woman who he even greeted with the respect given to his Seniors.

It made his spirit coil, and Ren look at him with concern, forcing Zhi Mu to relax once again. The boy being far too perceptive for an Initiate, even a supremely talented one, he noticed. Focusing back onto the issue of the woman whose residence they just entered, Zhi Mu had no idea how someone who grew up with the wonders and opportunities of cultivation could become so infatuated with the mortal world. Furthermore, everything about her screamed mortal at him, her look, how she walked, her home and choice of reading materials. If he could not sense her spirit slowly circulating beneath her skin, he would think she did not grow up in the sect at all. It truly disgusted him, but he kept his expression neutral as she began talking about the dealings of the mortals, stars almost shining in her eyes.

A few hours of exhausting talks and merry expressions later, Zhi Mu left the company of the others and took a room on the ground floor with access to the terrace coiling all around the estate. He did not even sit for twenty minutes, and Shen Junan joined him. The younger boy seemed confrontational, his spirit both ready to strike and protect him. Not that it would matter against the Adept before him, but Zhi Mu supposed that it gave him confidence. Looking out across into the darkness of the night, not looking at the standing boy beside him, Zhi Mu began to speak. "So, what is bothering you, Brother Junan? Out with it." He said, not unkindly, but Shen Junan still tensed up.

"Your talk about wanting to change the sect." He said, looking like he had to force out every single word.

"Oh, what about it? Don't you agree with what I said?" Zhi Mu said, turning slightly and looking at the standing boy with half lidded eyes.

"No, no. That is not it, I…" He looked like he was still debating with himself, hands wringing and adjusting his glasses periodically, Zhi Mu noticed, yet he did not plan on bringing it up, just giving the boy time to get out what he wanted to say. "I think it is a noble cause, to want the sect to turn into a sanctuary of learning and improvement. BUT, I also don't think that you are a person that would even care about those unfortunate souls toiling away day and night with almost no hope of advancement. I saw how you looked at Han Ting's sister, and I can tell you that many who work in those halls, and many Cultivators in general, want nothing more than to settle down, enjoy their little life, and become dust again." Zhi Mu wanted to interject, but Shen Junan got going now. "They are not like us. They don't have the talent, the opportunities, the disposition or the drive to advance. You might like the idea, the ideal of saving them, but what then? Not even talking about the fallout the sect would experience were such drastic changes implemented over night, but do you truly care? We can not all be well-meaning simpletons that can not see the consequences of their actions."

Zhi Mu looked at Shen Junan for a long while then, trying to search through his own beliefs to come to a satisfactory answer. "It might all be true what you say, but what does it even change? Nothing is the answer. You can not with certainty say that they will all be like that. And even if they were it wouldn't sway me." Looking out into the night again, he continued, his voice subdued. "After all, we are Cultivators, we try to fight against heaven, become immortal and free ourselves from this mortal coil. Should we then not also strive to give freedom to others, even if some of them deeply disgust us? Would you not also wish to be free?"