In the immediate aftermath of Jota’s victory over both Amina Zafi’s and Hana Shio’s teams, the onlookers huddled around Master Chang’s construction of Light ki were silent. Each of the disciples watching the end of their first competition at the Brightmoon Sect needed a moment to process. Then, they shouted.

Some of the shouting was excited. Some of it was outraged. Most of it was gibberish. It would be a few minutes before the frantic energy in the air dissipated and small groups broke off to discuss what they’d just seen. In that time, Boneroot reflected more on the enigma that was Jota Guling. He saw in the other boy, first and foremost, genius. His power was far above any of the other Orange realm disciples at the sect and Boneroot had to wonder if that was really so anomalous.

Specifically, he wanted to know how many Jota Gulings were waiting in the higher realms of cultivation and how many similarly talented individuals he might have to fight in the future. Boneroot had only been at the sect for a little over a month, but he was starting to get a much clearer idea of what the Empire held. He had heard from Iris of destitution in the Capital. He had heard from Guang of horrible border incursions in the military. He had seen in Zhi Zhen a ruling class devoid of conscience.

Boneroot began his journey on the path of cultivation with a simple goal. He wanted to find out what happened to his village. So far on that path, he’d met an immortal and several who may one day shirk mortality themselves. He’d travelled hundreds of miles to befriend people from hundreds of miles farther. He’d learned to fight. He’d learned about power.

In the wake of Jota’s display of power, that concept was all Boneroot could think about. His mind was consumed with the difference in power between them. He thought on the difference between himself and Hana Kasumi, or even Iris. He considered the unimaginable power of Felindei, Venh, or Emperor Li Doa. He juxtaposed that to the mortals walking about Mountain’s Rest.

Though his fledgeling understanding of the world outside the Sentoru Forest was still developing, his village was still missing, and he didn’t know what his future might hold, Boneroot did know that he would need need power regardless. More than anything, he needed the power to protect the ones close to him, or to find the ones that once were.

So, in the final moments before Iris, Guang, and Hana dragged him off to talk about what they’d seen in the illusion, Boneroot resolved to talk to Venh. This time, though, he would be respectful. The boy remembered how Venh had seemed in their first meeting. An exceptionally powerful stranger offered to show him a technique. He’d bowed and begged and come out of it with new technique.

Even if Venh had proven to be a truly prolific pain in the ass since then, he was still a means of acquiring power. For Boneroot, he could be an invaluable resource and an irreplaceable pipeline to power of his own. He just needed to abandon his ego. Funnily, he didn’t remember gaining one. Yet, there was an undeniable arrogance that had colored his recent behavior. As the full extent of his folly revealed itself to Boneroot, he didn’t know whether to laugh, or cry. Despite all his friends reminding him exactly how fortunate he was to have the relationship with Venh that he did, he had taken it for granted.

Now, though, Boneroot had a better sense of his position. The next time Venh popped up unannounced, there was going to be groveling.

Boneroot joined his teammates back at their original position looking out over the forest. Iris was the most enthralled by the conclusion to the competition, so it was she who began the conversation.

“Is he seriously that much stronger than everyone else? I mean, what was that? He just strolled in and took out two other teams. Two of the strongest teams!”

“Hold on,” Hana urged. “He is certainly the strongest of the Outer Sect disciples. There's no denying that at this point. However, both Hana Shio’s team, as well as Amina Zafi’s were weakened and exhausted from fighting each other. Were he to engage either at their full strength, this may have ended quite differently.”

Guang said, “He was alone, though. At least when he beat us, Shun Yu was with him.”

Boneroot’s own contributions to the conversation were minimal. He was still withdrawn into his head, regretting getting full of himself just because he was ahead of a few others. Kuroki had elected to take a nap instead of watching ‘a bunch of fuzzy lights fight’ and his friends were too wrapped up in their own argument, so he was free to mentally discipline himself to his heart’s content.

He was eventually pulled out of this stupor by the arrival of some of the eliminated disciples. Jiang and Meiling Asa led the way, looking proud of their placing in the competition, while Zhi brought up the rear, looking downright triumphant.

Though Boneroot and his team were all on the same wavelength about studying the trails of dust on the ground, or the number of leaves on distant treetops, their reunion with Zhi was inevitable. Though she bore no obvious wounds, or bruises, Zhi’s manicured look had a disheveled note to it. Splotches of dirt marred her robes and her usually neat bun was loosened, spilling hair over her face. Boneroot couldn’t help but suspect she’d fostered the look on purpose.

“Nobody is going to see your mussed up hair and think you’ve actually accomplished anything, Zhi,” Hana said, breathing life into Boneroot’s theory. “I know for a fact your robes are enchanted with repellents and you had to actively try to make them dirty.”

Her former friend’s words did nothing to deflate Zhi.

“How uncouth, Miss Kasumi,” she sneered. “Just because all four of you failed to hold a candle to my own performance, you needn’t vent your rage in public. I don’t claim to know the inner workings of the lesser clans, but, surely, you’ve been taught to conduct yourself with grace, yes?”

While Hana balked, Iris snorted.

“Not all of us are the hiding type. We had to actually fight people. You know, like your brother?”

For a moment, the expression on Zhi’s face flickered. Immediately, though, it turned into glee.

“Well, it’s certainly refreshing to prove myself the worthier disciple between the two of us. As to your accusation, perhaps use your head, child. What fool would I be to rush headfirst into combat? You need to reflect on your own failures, rather than project them onto me. I admit, your victory over my brother’s team is a boon. Undoubtedly, my clan will need to revise the allocation of resources between us. Perhaps I should thank you for laying bare my superiority. I won’t, though.”

While Boneroot, Iris, and Guang tried to comprehend the sheer, mind-boggling arrogance on display, Hana was positively irate.

“How dare you purport yourself to be my better?! You attacked your teammate! From behind! Have you no honor?”

Zhi chuckled softly while shaking her head.

“Dear, I recommend reading up on your own clan’s history. Betrayal is all part of the game. With the stakes so low, it’s utterly embarrassing to be taking such offense.”

There was a tense moment where the two who had once banded together stared each other down. Soon, Hana suppressed her rage, donning a mask of indifference.

“I would promise to ruin you, but there’s no need. You’ll accomplish that on your own more spectacularly than I ever could. Good riddance.”

Zhi rolled her eyes.

“Yes, yes, I’m sure. Naturally, you may consider this my formal resignation from the pathetic group of malcontents you call a team. If you haven’t figured it out by now, the truly talented have no need for the pittance of resources these cute, little games offer. Farewell.”

At that, Zhi turned and walked away toward the opposite corner of the stage, where Wei Zhen was sulking.

“I get to fight her,” Iris informed the group. “Whenever the opportunity comes up, I get to do it. I call it. Back off, the rest of you!”

Hana’s voice cracked slightly as she objected.

“Absolutely not! There is not an individual alive with more reason to lay that contemptible wench low than myself. Besides, you need to get stronger first. No matter how staggering her hubris, Zhi is still in the middle of the Red realm.”

“And I will be too,” Iris said with a wide smile. “Thanks to Guang here, I know how to cultivate. How to really cultivate now. I’ll be at her level in a month at the latest.”

Hana considered the girl for a moment. Her own lip quirked up a bit.

“I can certainly respect the conviction. The fact remains, however, that I will be the one to put that girl in her place. Should you deprive me of that opportunity, I will bring down the full might of my clan upon you.”

Hana rattled off a few more empty threats, though it was more for entertainment. The team fantasized for a while longer about Zhi’s inevitable downfall. Remembering that they had, in fact, defeated Wei’s team was a boost to morale. Boneroot informing them that Song Zeide was in possession of one of the sets of Zhen clan robes was another such boost.

Eventually, the last of the disciples were shepharded into the observation area. While Jota Guling’s team looked ecstatic, the boy, himself, was as nonplussed as ever. Hana Shio and Amina Zafi looked torn between their hatred for each other and their hatred for the individual who’d defeated both of them.

Given Amina Zafi’s past defeat at Jota’s hands, Boneroot had no illusions about for whom she harbored more rancor. He watched intently as the three teams split from each other to brood and revel respectively. Likely due to the manner in which the final fight ended, only a couple of those disciples needed medical attention. Even Amina and Hana, who’d taken significant wounds, bore no sign of injury.

It only took fifteen minutes for the last of those cultivators to be treated by the medical attendants, upon which Grand Master Yan appeared in the same spot that Master Chang’s illusion had occupied earlier. Before she spoke, Boneroot noticed the sun beginning to set over the valley’s opposite edge.

“How exciting!”

Her voice echoed across the stage, grabbing everyone's attention. Boneroot briefly wondered if there was some sort of ki trick to it.

“I’m sure we would all agree that this competition had a thrilling conclusion. You will all be wanting to return to your homes, but there is more business to attend yet. Without further ado, let’s reward the top performers. In third place, I am pleased to announce the team of Hana Shio, Ryo Raiyun, Lu Giang, Ning Zong, and Ai Wang.”

A murmur permeated the crowd. In the chaos of the final fight, nobody had been able to see which of Amina’s and Hana’s teams went down first. If anyone did know, they certainly hadn’t informed Hana Shio, herself, because the girl was livid. Her crossed arms were squeezed tight, her teeth gritted even tighter. The effort she was putting into keeping her expression neutral had the opposite effect. Hana Kasumi’s silent glee in observing this did not go unnoticed.

“In second place, we have the team from Hamagari, comprised of Amina Zafi, Juji Yashi, Yalwa Haske, Monafiki Teku, and Bilal Hadari.”

While Amina didn’t look happy to have lost to Jota once more, she seemed pleased with her placing over Hana Shio. The rest of her team was smiling, but they didn’t interact much with one another.

“Finally, we come to the winners of this year’s first competition, the team of Jota Guling, Shun Yu, Da Gunbang, Na Khei, and Bao Tiankaiji.”

A cheer went up from Shun Yu and her teammates, but Jota did not so much as smile. Bao, for some reason, was scowling, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for him. The remaining disciples who hadn’t placed in the top three teams looked on with a mix of envy and excitement

Grand Master Yan resumed speaking.

“Members of the winning teams may pick up their additional spirit stones at Central. The final matter for this evening concerns the prize for standout individual performance. I suppose none of you will be surprised to hear that Jota Guling will be receiving the personal tutoring from a Sect Master of his choice.”

Sparse applause followed the announcement. Jota gave a curt nod, but remained largely unenthused. Bao’s scowl deepened.

“Now, I think it is about time we all return to the sect proper. You will have one day to yourselves before you’re expected back at your normal obligations and classes. I hope this experience has given you the motivation to redouble your efforts and surpass your limits. Please follow Sect Expert Danh at the back of the hall, over there. He will transport you out of the Valley of the Xiatian.”

This time, when Grand Master Yan disappeared, nobody batted an eye. Instead, all the first-year disciples ambled toward end of the viewing area, where Venh was waiting for them. The Sect Expert didn’t command the same immediacy, even if he was ostensibly deserving of it. That didn’t seem to bother the man, however. His easy smile never slipped as the young cultivators chatted among themselves on their lazy march.

As Boneroot got closer, he noticed an array on the floor, much larger than the one used to manipulate Master Chang’s illusion. This perplexed him, though, because he hadn’t seen anything similar on the stone floor of Fen’s Arena, from where they were originally teleported.

Once all of the cultivators were huddled into the confines of the array, Boneroot found out why. Rather than an instantaneous change in location, the etchings on the ground emitted a soft glow. The light coming up from below increased in luminosity over the course of half a minute until the enchantment was ready.

As the lights began to consume Boneroot’s vision, he felt the Spatial ki at work. With Felindei’s technique, or the one that originally brought them into the valley, the ki was unnoticeable, at least for someone of Boneroot’s calibre. With this array, however, the technique that enveloped all of the cultivators was obvious to the point of being tangible. For all it lacked in subtlety, it was a much smoother transition.

The one hundred Outer Sect disciples, as well as Venh, regained sight and sense in a cleared-out grove. Standard forest scenery greeted them, but with the addition of a few cultivators Boneroot didn’t recognize. Venh nodded to a group of young men and women posted up around the area before he led his charges to the exit.

As they walked out, Boneroot inspected the robes each of these sentries wore. They closely resembled the sect robes, but with a few different sigils and sashes than the standard kit.

Once they were a ways away from that expressionless bunch, Guang gave his speculation.

“I reckon they were from the sect’s Martial Defense Force. Can’t have anyone wander into the reception area, yeah?”

Hana agreed.

“My clan takes similar precautions concerning certain arrays and artifacts. Though the odds of any unfortunate soul occupying that space at the precise time the teleportation was activated are low, the results would be gruesome. Were that disciple someone important, the fallout could be even messier than the inciting incident.”

The smile Hana allowed herself was unsettling. Boneroot fixed her with a look, trying to parse the girl’s need to lecture from her potentially morbid sense of humor. Iris did the same, but they shrugged it off soon enough.

Venh led all of them on a confusing path through one of the wooded areas adjacent to the main plateau of the Outer Sect. At no point did Boneroot recognize any specifics in the surroundings, but that made more sense when they eventually returned to the sect from one of the northern paths he had yet to explore. A sleepy, lumpish consciousness hiding in the boy’s shadow suggested this route wasn’t as fun as the others.

The group of disciples dispersed immediately upon returning, with most of the winning teams’ members heading directly for Central. The rest trudged toward their respective residential districts. Boneroot, however, hung around. He bid farewell to his teammates, who all seemed to understand and approve of his intention.

“What’ve you got for me, Boneroot?”

Venh, of course, had noticed the boy’s isolation.

“Nothing, but my undying gratitude and, uh, graceful reverence for your supreme existence.”

“Well, well, well,” Venh said in an airy cadence. “Seems like I can only speak to this agreeable version of Boneroot when he needs something of me.”

Boneroot winced, despite expecting that. The man’s expression, however, seemed to hold no resentment.

“I’ve been arrogant. I need to get stronger and I need— er, want your help. I got off to a good start, but that’s not enough, not if I want to surpass these scions and geniuses. Please teach me. Please. My team, too, if you’re willing. Please.”

The boy swung his head down in a deep bow, just like he had soon after their first meeting back in Felindei’s grove.

“So you admit it? That’s promising. I wouldn’t want to have to make an unfavorable report back to our mutual acquaintance.”

Sweat rolled down Boneroot’s back, but Venh only kept him on the hook for a few moments.

“Relax. I don’t actually report back to her. Or do I? Either way, I’m willing to help. It’s a better use of my time than entertaining any of these other daft ‘Experts’. You would think such powerful, travelled cultivators would make for interesting conversationalists, but you’d be wrong. It’s like living in Ogonse all over again.”

Boneroot filed that away in his mind, rather than broach the topic immediately.

“And my team? Please?”

“I don’t know,” Venh teased, drawing his words out. “Technically, I’m barred from showing any favoritism like that.”

The boy raised his head.

“So?”

“An excellent point.”