Register for a Adept
As Shi Mu stepped down from the stone platform, the grey-robed old man regained his equanimity. However, Shi Mu did not forget the trace of excitement that had crossed the old man’s face earlier. Therefore, he asked in a tentative voice, “Senior, have I passed? I think the test showed that I ranked at, at least, grade three in a sensing ability of some type.”
“Well...you may be right.” The grey-robed old man gave Shi Mu a measured look with his funny triangular eyes, and his expression again became inscrutable.
“Senior, was there something wrong with my test?” The old man’s answer was exhilarating, but his face was ominous. Shi Mu could not help but start to feel queasy.
“Adepts are different from warriors. One’s element-sensing ability practically decides his potential. We, of the Big Sects, have this common view that Adepts whose element-sensing ability falls below Grade Three have little hope of entering the Star Grade. So it would be a waste of resources to train them. The threshold is Grade Three. If you pass it, we will see if we want to train you. If one of your elements-sensation ranks higher than Level Five - which means, five checks on the column are lit - you’ll have a small chance of entering Moon Grade in your Adept practice. That’s theoretically speaking, of course.” The old man stopped sizing Shi Mu up, and made the explanation, after some thought.
Hearing this long story, Shi Mu involuntarily cast a hopeful look at the black column he had lit, his heart leaping up.
The old man noticed Shi Mu’s excitement. Nodding his head, he seemed to be both feeling sorry for and marveling at Shi Mu’s potential. Speaking slowly, he went on with his explanation, “I wish you had made one more column light up with five checks, apart from the black and white ones. If so, our sect would treasure you tremendously. I have to admit that the black crystal column you have lit stands for a spatial sensing, which is exceedingly rare amongst all the sects, next to the temporal sensing. Throughout the history of our sect, no one has ever inspired spatial sensing, so we barely have any arts for this element. It is most closely related to the arts of spirit Adepts and formula Adepts. But, of course, an unfitting art won’t get you far. It’s almost impossible for you to be an Adept of high level. Have I made myself clear?”
The old man’s words made Shi Mu bitterly disappointed. But, after thinking for a second, he cleared his mind of misgivings. After all, Shi Mu had entered the hall without much hope, therefore, even if he could only become an Adept of the lowest level, it was still a big gain. If memory did not fail him, many tasks, with good offers at the Hall of Wealth, were available to Scholars[A]. Thinking this, Shi Mu became too excited to wait.
“Could I ask if I am eligible to become a Scholar? “ Shi Mu asked worriedly, seeing that the blue column and the red column both failed to shine with more than three checks.
“Absolutely!” The grey-robed old man answered without hesitation.
“So can I choose to become a formula Adept?” The positive answer from the old man made Shi Mu incredibly excited. He could not keep himself from asking the question that concerned him most.
“You don’t have any other choices but to become a formula Adept or spirit Adept?” The old man rolled his eyes impatiently.
His words, though somewhat harsh, were music to Shi Mu’s ears. Now all he could think of was the lucrative tasks at the Hall of Wealth.
“This is not the real Spirit Hall, where one registers to become an Adept. Come with me!” The old man had seen too many who would forget how to walk on their feet the moment they heard they could be an Adept. Leaving Shi Mu in his daydream, the old man walked further into the room and gently touched an ordinary looking wall. Then a faint sound came from the wall, as a panel receded, leaving a doorway the size of an adult man.
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