Beginning of arc one- Immortal Mountain Arc
After the meticulous inscription ceremony, confirming their placement within the esteemed Divine Pavilion Academy, Mitchell and Ange found themselves thrust into a new phase of their journey. A hushed reverence permeated the hall as the final placements were announced, each name a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the countless aspirants. They watched as many other cultivators were ristered and given a circular yellow slip. It marked heir registetation and the permit that would allow them to walk into the relocation inscription abd go through a trial.
The various cultivators moment had arrived – a culmination of years of hard work, resilience, and unwavering determination.
The inscriptions themselves, more than simply indicators of their placement, held crucial information, outlining mentorships, training areas, and potential opportunities. Mitchell and Ange knew that their forthcoming placement would determine the specific path they would pursue within the academy. The inscriptions detailed specialized training pathways, potential access to unique resources, and tailored mentorship opportunities. Their choices, made from within this intricately woven tapestry of their qualifications, seemed to prefigure their futures.
A sense of anticipation, palpable and electric, coursed through the hall as the next step in the admissions process was announced. The academy staff escorted them and several thousands others to a large, open chamber. A shimmering portal, a swirling vortex of emerald light, materialized before them. This was the relocation inscription, a unique technology allowing the academy to transport aspirants to the trial grounds and also allowed them to travel between extremely long distances that could not be crossed normally. It used a considerable amount of resources to run and open this portal for a short amount of time. Resources that Mitchell did not even know about and their uses, much less know how to use them.
Hundreds of young faces, reflecting a mixture of excitement, apprehension, and determination, stirred around them.
After a short wait, the portal pulsed with a dazzling energy. A hush fell over the gathering as the portal began to stabilize, its emerald glow intensifying. Mitchell and Ange stepped forward along with the large number of people both in front of them and countlepeople.
The world dissolved into a blinding flash, then solidified into an unfamiliar landscape. They found themselves on a vast, island paradise, a gigantic, awe-inspiring expanse of land. At its heart stood a colossal mountain, its peak shrouded in mist, almost lost against the vast, azure sky. This was the trial island, a place selected for its varied terrains, designed to test the resilience, adaptability, and potential of the aspirants. The island was a microcosm of the world, encompassing diverse environments. Warm tropical jungles, barren sandy deserts, cool misty mountain slopes and even several more terrains that Mitchell could not see yet, and even remnants of an ancient city, its ruins hinting at a civilization long vanished, were scattered across the massive landmass. The island's unique beauty belied the immense challenge that lay before them. It was a formidable test.
The first instruction echoed through the air, crisp and clear, carried on the gentle breeze. "Form groups. Your chances of success within the Island are significantly increased when you work cooperatively. . . . "
The air crackled with activity. Aspirants, recognizing the importance of alliances, moved to connect with others. Mitchell, looking at Ange, his confident demeanor replaced by a focused determination, knew they that the voice that spoke now just gave them a little instruction that would go a long way.
But before they could even move, they heard the sound of a person shout in pain and metal slicing through flesh.
"Arghhh". They saw an old man who was just in the same batch as they were had his hand dismembered from his body. The person to his left had cut down on him with his sword and made attempts to grab his spatial ring.
There was silence. Everyone stood and watched as the cultivator left in a hurry and ran away until no one could see him again. Mitchell and Ange's eyes went open and before Ange had a chance to speak, she was whisked away by Mitchell into the nearby bushes. After several seconds more they could hear noises of screams and people dying.
They had descended into chaos just because of what one cultivator. . .no it wasn't just because one person turned on the other. This had been on every ones mind to come out of this trial successful. Every one here had come with the mind that they could die, and they could also kill.
After all they couldn't just come here and leave with nothing, they had to make sure they had a serendipity of course.
From the beginning, every one had started plotting against themselves and only when one person decider to be rash and show it then naturally others would follow suit.
Ange's face was pale, it could be seen that she was also not expecting that to happen the moment they stepped through.
"But. ." She wanted to speak but was silenced by Mitchell who just kept running far away with Ange in tow.
After they had run a considerable distance from the chaos, Mitchell stopped to let Ange breathe and to also explain.
"Now I need you to listen to me. What just happened here is natural as far the voice from before had not said anything then it means it is allowed. It also means that this kind of thing had happened before with the previous batches before us. In fact I even guess that almost everyone from the batch before has been killed and only the most powerful are still around. Then it means getting to the top is our priority and nothing else is important. These people have already decided to come here despite knowing that their lives are in danger. They would not be hesitant on shedding blood so it means we must do the same." Mitchell spoke in a cold voice that sounded chilling to hears.
Ange stared at him in shock, she was not expecting the words that came out from his mouth and his cold demeanor made him even more menacing. She was surprised at how his countenance immediately changed.
There was a grim expression on his face as he looked for a place where they could hide and think of a plan.
In truth , Jack had already warned him about all these in general when they were still in the carriage. He at first could not believe it as well but from what he saw, he did not doubt Jack words any longer and followed his instincts which told him to run while everyone was still in shock.
This place was in truth not just to test them to see if they could enter the academy, but to also shape their mind in preparation for the outside world. He could still remember the words from the voice. 'Form groups. Your chances of success are increased significantly within the island when you work cooperatively. . . . the last thousand people who are on the mountain top after one year have earned the right to be a student in the Divine pavilion.'
At that time he hadn't known what it meant, but now it was as clear as day what the voice meant. That do anything you could to survive within this one year and kill your way into the top one thousand and you have earned the right to call yourself the divine pavilion students.
It was just at this instant that he knew what the world of cultivators was about. It was not fair and rights could only be claimed by the deaths of others. This was just what the world of cultivators was about and Mitchell and Ange had just stepped foot in it and they could leave the same way they came. They would have to go through a transformation, and that transformation would change them into cultivators who would have the right to stand on their own two feet. This academy and this trial they were hosting was one way for them to go through this change of heart.
A change of heart that could determine if they have the right to live in the land of cultivators and grow powerful or to be a coward and hide among the mortals and watched as your fate be changed according to the wishes of the strong.