The abrupt ship stop caused me to fall off the bed. My pleasant dream was interrupted... Dang, it!

A disembodied voice rang out, "All passengers get ready to disembark! We have already arrived at our destination. Everybody leaves your cabins in an organized fashion.".......?

This sounds like an intercom from Earth... do they have that here? Hmm. Oh, right, this might be a technique where the cultivators project their voice in the air or something.

I stood up and went out of my cabin. The children also started going out. I look around when I felt someone staring at me. I look to my right instinctively, and my eyes landed on the glaring eyes of Miss Chen.

She is about fifteen meters from me, and it seems she was the one staying at the cabin most adjacent to the mess hall. She snorted and proceeded to the exit.

Damn! She's cuter when she makes those angry faces. I was about to grin when I remembered last time. I reached on my neck and shivered for a second, feeling the healed wound on my neck with my fingers.

The youngsters are already walking towards the exit. I followed right away, maintaining my distance from the other children. The instant I step out of the entrance, blinding light assaulted my eyes.

When my eyes adjusted, I saw a magnificent island floating in the sky. Clouds shrouded most of the island, but it adds to its majesty. Since we are still a few kilometers away, I can see the island's whole in the air.

It is a large island that may house a massive city on Earth. Mountains, hills, rivers, and trees furnish the island surrounding the Sect's majestic pagodas and temples. I can almost hear enchanting music in the background, like in the movies.

The ship is getting ready to disembark, heading to the left side of the island. Down below, we can see a large open ground. Few flying ships are already landed, and small figures are trickling down the boat.

Again I felt the funny feeling when the ship landed on the ground. The crew lowered the gangway, and the cultivators instructed everyone to go down. I was the last one to go down. (That's what I thought.)

Bo Jin came down after me. I did not even notice him! What the hell! So creepy! He followed our group in silence until we arrived at the Sect's grand gate.

Hundreds of children are already standing in line after we arrived. The Qi shock or the second test already begins, as dozens of cultivators administering it. The test is being conducted right away. The results will determine which Peak the recruits will be sent to.

FYI. There are four peaks:

1. Jade Peak:

This is where the geniuses are being groomed and trained, which are only a few in numbers. In this place, they provide the most cultivation materials and the best cultivation techniques. You must have a blue-colored talent and above with a decent martial soul. If accepted, elders of the Sect may choose you as a disciple. The jade peak has been deemed the birthplace of Immortals.

2. Gold Peak:

Talents lower than blue but have combat type martial souls are trained in this Peak. They are additionally provided with cultivation materials and techniques. But not the best kind since it's reserved for the geniuses of Jade Peak. They will be trained for combat and can be considered as the soldiers of the Sect.

Every so often, a talented cultivator from this Peak can also reach the Ancient or Divine stage. But this solely depends on their talent and luck.

Talents from gold Peak rarely reach Immortal. But it is possible with an enormous number of lucky encounters.

3. Silver Peak:

This Peak produces most of the best Alchemists and Weaponsmithing. In the cultivation world, both professions are essential.

Silver Peak trains cultivators with martial tools that specialize in the Two Arts. These are Alchemy and Weaponsmithing, which are considered essential to the cultivation world.

Under alchemy are pill making, herb cultivation, and medicine. While under Weaponsmithing are blacksmithing, treasure making, and refining. Cultivators with great talent in any of the Two Arts can achieve the Immortal stage. But they will have little combat capabilities.

However, they are revered and protected by cultivators because of obvious reasons.

4. Bronze Peak:

Jade Peak is the highest Peak in the Sect. While Bronze Peak is the lowest, Silver and Gold Peaks are about the same status. The Bronze Peak is the lowest.

It's because this is where the lowest colored talents are being sent. Red-colored talents like me, is a perfect candidate. Fortunately, only those with garbage martial souls is another requirement. That's why it's not set in stone that I'll be sent here.

Even though cultivators from this Peak are considered trash. The Sect still accept these cultivators because they will serve as servants in the Sect.

They will become Silver Peaks' servants—servants for the Gold Peak and slaves for the Jade Peak cultivators. Few of them can only reach the Crusader stage with only two stars at best.

As you can see, there is a clear hierarchy in this Sect. Of course, this very common in wuxia worlds. My only prayer is that I won't end up entering Bronze Peak. I mean, I don't mind being a low-key character. But my life would be miserable if I become a plaything of other cultivators.

Gold Peak is also very scary because most of the deaths happen there. While I'm unsure if I can even enter Silver Peak.

Naturally, Jade Peak is out of the question because I'm pretty confident I'm not some kind of a genius. Whatever! It's no use worrying about it; whatever happens, happens. I only need to survive this.

The test is moving at a steady pace. Most of the time, it will only take a few minutes for martial souls to condense. This is true for an ordinary martial tool. It will take longer for combat type and specialized martial tools.

(It's because of special effects. Light pauses for dramatic results, and colorful condensing shapes will indeed appear when condensing them.)

Children with better talent usually get better martial souls like children taking the awakening test now. Her martial soul takes a long time to condense while the shape is forming a bow and arrow. If I'm right, she is a green-colored talent with a combat type martial tool.

I'll bet she will enter Golden Peak. The majority of the other children, however, are not that fortunate. Most of them have standard martial tools like a flute, cup, and other ordinary household items.

Some may have what can be considered as a combat type of martial soul. But with little potentials, like kitchen knife and chisel. They may have a chance to enter silver or golden peaks, but only as cannon fodders or mediocre artists.

So far, no geniuses yet to appear. Only one or two combat types and one with great potential to be a Weaponsmith because he has a hammer martial tool.

Another batch came after us making the place crowded. Everybody is silent. Sometimes, I can hear some occasional Oohs and Aahs when the right talent appears with an excellent martial soul.

The feeling of excitement and nervousness started to crawl up my stomach. The test continues, and my anxiety grows. A few hours more and It's our group's turn to take the test.

It was the children from Town A who took the test first. Once more, mixed results are the outcome until it was Miss Chen's turn. She went forward with a raised chin. She is so confident like she knows she will pass with flying colors. If I remember correctly, she has a green martial soul... I'm curious about what will be her martial soul.

A middle-aged cultivator came and administers the test. He made a stance like he was drawing off something from the earth, and then a blue liquid-like glow came from his hand.

The QI flowed from his hands and entered Miss Chen's body through her chest. She convulses for a second, like being shocked by electricity. She closed her eyes to concentrate on condensing her martial soul.

Seconds trickled like water until fifteen minutes passed. Usually, when martial souls condense this long. The martial soul is either a powerful combat type martial tool or a martial spirit. As I said before, martial spirits are rare for cultivators...is Miss Chen another genius? It can't be...she is only a green-colored talent.

I'm lost in my thoughts when a glowing light appeared over Miss Chen's head. A slender sword appeared, with a curved blade and elegant guard. This is not a traditional Chinese style sword but a European Sabre.

This is quite puzzling and something suspicious in the way it appeared. A martial tool appearance should be gradual. Meaning the sword should appear part by part. For example: starting from the hilt until the tip of the blade seems.

In the case of Miss Chen, it appeared right away without any suspense. The cultivator is equally looking puzzled. But I guess he doesn't put it into mind because he proceeded to test another child.

Miss Chen is escorted by another cultivator. She went towards the group of children who I presume to be entering the Gold Peak.

The test continued, and finally, it is my turn. The incident earlier provided me enough distraction. It helped me to forget about my anxiety and nervousness. I walked forward towards the cultivator.

The exact process happened, and QI entered my chest. I felt a warm current entered my body, which is precisely the opposite of my dream. The warmth started from my chest and speed throughout my body.

I can feel my pores opening up while my body convulsed, making me stagger back. I closed my eyes to concentrate; this is the first time I felt this way.

I always have the problem of focusing on things. It takes me a long time to concentrate because I'm easily distracted. This time, however, I entered a deep meditation right away.

Everything around me disappeared, and I entered my world. My senses are heightened to the max, making me observe my body on the inside.

I felt a strange feeling like adrenaline is coursing throughout my body. I felt the power and intense energy. Yet, compared to the adrenaline rush, this is something I can control.

The energy that is causing this strange feeling is what they call QI. Of course, I am only guessing. I'm not entirely sure because I'm describing it from a modern man's perspective on earth.

I concentrated on the energy in my body and tried to control it. I willed this energy with my consciousness, trying to harness it. I circulated it around my body, following a pathway I'm guessing, are my meridians. It was sluggish at first until I got the hang of it, and it became smoother. This is a fantastic feeling!

While I'm having a great time, the surrounding people are waiting. It was already twenty minutes, yet nothing appears over my head. The cultivator assigned is scratching his head, wondering if something has gone wrong.

When he was about to touch me, an unadorned dagger appeared. It is about six inches in length and about one inch in width. It has an aggressive point and razor-sharp edges.

It spun for two seconds and vanished. I opened my eyes the exact moment it disappeared... I lost my focus because when my martial soul condenses, I heard a high-pitched cry... Is that a baby crying?!