The sound of Vera's steps reverberated against the city's stone pavements as he walked toward the Blade Master's school.

  As he went deeper into the city, he asked passersby how to reach the sect grounds.

  But each passerby simply pointed to the north. The answer was the same regardless of who he asked.

  Soon Vera reached the outer wall of the sect. His gaze widened as he observed the grounds.

  "Is this what she meant by 'you can't miss it'?"

  The sect's buildings peered over the walls.

  As Vera walked along its perimeter, he saw hundreds of tiled roofs reaching at least five storeys up.

  However, the grounds didn't just boast an excessive quantity...

  The closer Vera drew to the gates, the buildings grew in opulence.

  Each pavilion was adorned with signboards engraved in gold; murals of divine beasts were painted over each wall.

  Compared to what he'd seen back home, only the imperial palace's opulence could match up.

  "I feel like a county bumpkin..."

  A long sigh escaped Vera as he walked toward the sect's gates; his fingertips feathered over its polished maroon walls.

  After a minute of walking, he finally reached the signpost. At his arrival, he was met with five second-rank practitioners.

  Their cold iron armor plates gleamed in the afternoon sun, almost blinding Vera.

  His gaze shifted from their armor to their weapons. His first thought was...

  I hope those aren't standard issue.

  They held spears with the visages of dragons carved in gold. While they looked good, gold was not the mark of a sturdy weapon.

  The weapons aren't really good. But I guess appearances are the goal.

  Vera bowed his head slightly at the guards, successfully drawing their attention.

  The five of them discussed amongst themselves before sending out the youngest of the group to receive Vera.

  The man paced toward Vera with an aggrieved expression.

  His expression was youthful, not a single scar over his skin.

  Vera neatened himself up as the guard came closer to him; his pristine armor reminded Vera of his 'travelled' clothing.

  "State your name and purpose!" The man spoke, imitating a gruff tone.

  However, Vera towered two heads over him. His endless posturing was almost comical as he leaned backward to meet Vera's eyes.

  Vera spoke with stifled breaths, a short giggle escaping him.

  "I'm Vera; I've come from the seventh sector in hopes of joining the Blade Master's sect."

  The young man stood silently.

  "Umm..."

  A dull hum escaped him as he recalled the protocol for new entrants.

  "New entrants are only accepted during intake seasons!"

  "And when would that be?"

  "You've arrived just in time. The next intake season will start in half a year!"

  Vera scratched his unkempt stubble as he thought to himself. His towering physique cast a shadow over the young man.

  Half a year is quite long, I have the time, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to see if there are any exceptions.

  Vera cleared his throat and asked the guard, "Are there any exceptions to the intake system?"

  The young man turned back to his fellow guards, seeking help, only to be met by their stifled giggles. He turned back to face Vera with a defeated expression.

  "Uhh... Unless you carry a reference or are a warrior of the second rank and above, walk-ins are not permitted!"

  A smile grew over Vera's face as he heard the guard's response.

  "That works out. I am a third-rank practitioner."

  The guard stepped back at Vera's words, but the sound of his peers giggling forced him back in place.

  "How do I know you are not lying? If it is found that you're not what you claim to be, I will face the repercussions!"

  Vera thought about how to prove his rank for a few seconds.

  Having come up with a solution, he placed his hand over the guard's shoulder plate; his calloused palm ground against the guard's pristine armour.

  "This should clear any doubts you have. Brace yourself for a bit."

  A small portion of his qi passed through his arm, weighing over the young man's shoulder.

  A searing heat flooded his meridians, overturning the flow of his own qi.

  Within a breath's time, the colour in the man's face drained.

  His legs trembled violently as he held on. But it was for naught.

  As the breath came to an end, the young man was firmly planted on the ground. His grip over his spear loosened; the engraved spear clattered over the stone-tiled pavements.

  Vera's brows furrowed as the man fell over. He hurriedly apologised for going too far.

  As he reached out to lift the guard up, he thought to himself.

  At this level he isn't much better than the coalition's goons. I understand that they do this for appearances, but isn't this too weak...?

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Just then raucous shouting erupted from the signpost.

  Vera stepped away from the young man with furrowed brows, as his fellow guards rushed to the scene.

  Two of the guards laid down their weapons.

  One supported the young man over his shoulder. The other reached for the weapon he dropped.

  The eldest of the five guards spoke frantically, "Yang-chun! Are you alright?".

  As Yang-chun nodded weakly, the remaining guards pointed their blades at Vera.

  Clothes rustled against their armor as the guards closed in on Vera.

  Just as the situation was about to take a turn for the worse, Yang-chun, having regained his senses intervened, preventing any further escalation.

  He jammed himself between the spears and Vera as he held his arms out.

  The guards' battle-ready stances eased as Yang-chun explained the situation that had passed. Having confirmed that Vera didn't attack the guard and was only proving his claims, the guards lowered their weapons.

  The oldest of the lot walked up to Vera and lowered his head.

  "I apologise for any discomfort we may have caused you. We only intended to tease our youngest. Never did we think that this would be the outcome."

  Flustered by the guard's sincerity, Vera quickly asked for the man to raise his head.

  "No, no. Please don't apologise. Both of us had gone a bit too far, it is nothing to apologise for."

  After resolving the situation, the two of them had talked out the details.

  In the end, Yang-chun escorted Vera to the sect's recruitment office, more specifically the section that handled walk-ins.

  Vera was led in through the gates; the buildings hidden by the maroon walls came into sight.

  At the same time Yang-chun's personality changed. Unlike before, his puffed chest and mimicry of a gritty voice had receded.

  As the two walked through the sect grounds, Vera quietly observed his surroundings.

  Men and women walked around in white martial robes; unlike the guards' armour, these robes seemed to have some wear and tear.

  At least, the posturing is kept only for onlookers.

  Despite Vera's complaints of the sect, its members weren't weak by any means.

  Just in the few minutes he had spent in the sect, he found over two hundred second-rank practitioners and almost twenty third-rank ones.

  To further his surprise, Yang-chun told him that they were yet to enter the inner sect.

  As he passed by the endless pavilions he recalled the warriors he'd met back home.

  The number of third-rankers he saw was both above the native stage and more than the number of third-rankers he had met in the Five Plains.

  Even so, he wasn't convinced; their eyes lacked a certain gleam, one that was common back home.

  Vera called for Yang-chun.

  "Warrior Yang-chun, if you don't mind me asking, how many third-rank warriors are within the sect?"

  Yang-chun stopped introducing Vera to the various buildings within the grounds and responded to his question.

  "Within the sixth sector there are around sixty third-rankers. As for the whole sect, I'm not sure of the number."

  Vera quickened his pace and walked beside the guard.

  "What about those above the third rank?"

  "Hmm... That one is a bit tricky. The seniors who can practice Law are transferred to the main branch within a few days. But at this very moment, there are around three who can use a single Law."

  The two continued chatting about the sect's forces; lost in conversation, they had reached the recruitment pavilion.

  The guard lowered his head to Vera.

  "This is as far as I'm allowed, senior. Provide this token to the attendant at the lobby to start the process."

  Vera took the token from Yang-chun and returned his bow.

  "Thanks for your assistance, young warrior. If all goes well, I will see you in the sect grounds soon."

  Yang-chun nodded to Vera's words and hurried back to his post.

  "Credits must be tight." Vera muttered under his breath as he watched the guard rush back to the gate.

  Vera walked into the pavilion and met an attendant who sat behind a counter.

  After exchanging pleasantries, he handed over the token.

  The attendant led Vera to a sparring room in the building's courtyard and provided him with a cup of tea as he waited for a proctor to arrive.

  As he blew over the cup's steaming surface, he observed the interior.

  Each wall had an elevated wooden platform that led to the sparring grounds. Racks were placed in the corners of the courtyard; they held various types of blunt wooden weapons.

  At first look, Vera was confused by the use of wooden weapons, considering wood held as much resistance as a toothpick to anyone who could use qi.

  "Those engravings..."

  The weapons bore marks embedded in iron, similar to his own halberd, though not as imperious.

  Vera took a sip of his tea, his mouth slightly ajar; he looked toward the far end of the courtyard nonchalantly, as though he didn't burn his tongue.

  Soon the proctor entered the courtyard; she looked toward Vera, who was seated at the right end of the room, near the weapons rack.

  That damn attendant. She always boils the tea for too long.

  The proctor walked up to Vera to introduce herself.

  "Hello, I'm Lin-yu. You must be Vera?" Her tone ran smoothly; her face bore a gentle smile.

  Vera laid his cup down and stood up. "Yes, I'm Vera. Are you perhaps the proctor?"

  Lin-yu nodded at Vera as she walked toward the weapons rack. She turned back to Vera and spoke.

  "The test is straightforward. We will take part in a spar; based on your performance, your entrance and your grade will be decided. Feel free to pick a weapon." Her fingers grazed the edges of the weapons on the rack, stopping as it reached a wooden sword.

  "Ahh, I almost forgot to tell you about the ranks."

  She drew four circles in the air.

  "The rankings just depict one's skill in relation to their rank. Access to benefits and resources follow the gradings. There are four grades in our sect: Mortal, Warrior, Earth, and Heaven."

  Vera approached the rack as he listened to her explanation. Though he didn't react to the explanation, he had already decided to go as high as he could.

  Having reached the rack he picked up a wooden halberd.

  Lin-yu's expression faltered. "Do you specialise in polearms?"

  Vera held the halberd in his hands, his palms shifted across its shaft, trying to find his grip over it.

  "Specialise is a bit much. It just feels natural to me."

  A dull thud echoed through the courtyard, as Lin-yu patted Vera's back.

  "Good on you! Most people stick to swords and blades these days, including me." A cheery laugh followed her words.

  Having selected their weapons, the two of them walked to the sparring area. Both of them stood at opposite ends of the courtyard, leaving about ten paces between them.

  Vera's gaze shifted from her calloused palms to her stance.

  She seems comfortable with the sword.

  As she assumed her stance, Vera felt a change in the air, as though his skin were being prickled by the tip of her sword.

  Her intent is projecting... She is probably at the third rank as well.

  The sound of their shoes brushing against the courtyard's tiles came to a halt; their stances were set in stone.

  Their intents were reflected through their weapons.

  Manifested qi surged through his body as he adjusted his grip over the halberd. The halberd rose to an upper guard, its wooden shaft creaking under Vera's grip.

  Lin-yu's sword rose to Vera's neck, her body was pivoted over her right side.

  A cold breeze filled the courtyard from its roof, forming a dull reverberation in the air.

  "Begin—" the moment Lin-yu signaled the start of the spar, a reflection of sunlight blinded her eyes.

  A shrill whistle screamed through the air.

  Vera's halberd stood at a hair's thickness from her neck.

  There was no preamble.

  No flurry of blades.

  By the time she realised, the spar had already ended.

  Her breath hitched as she stared at Vera absentmindedly; his halberd slowly lowered from her neck.

  Lin-yu's mind replayed the spar over and over; her grip over the sword weakened.

  I couldn't see it.

  Even the wind's reverberations dulled. The two stood in silence for a moment.

  "I... lost." Her smooth tone faltered as her wooden sword clattered against the floor.

  She lowered her sword weakly and walked to the reception, signaling for Vera to follow along.

  Vera's lips pressed into a thin line as he walked behind her. The battle had ended too quickly.

  He knew his point of reference was of geniuses within Divine beast clans, nonetheless, his expectations were let down.

  Solemn footsteps echoed through the courtyard; her shoulders slumped and her gait lost its vigour.

  The glare of Vera's halberd blinded her even now.

  Do I need to train more?

  The few seconds it took to reach the reception dragged on. Thoughts of insufficiency and lack of effort plagued her mind.

  As she passed through the door leading to the reception, Lin-yu called for the attendant.

  The rustling of papers came to a halt at her call.

  "Miss Lin-yu! When did you arrive? I was away to inform the branch manager of the test." The attendant spoke to Lin-yu with a cheery tone.

  But, she was met with a cold and resolute response.

  "The entrant has passed. I award him the heaven rank."

  Lin-yu turned her back to the attendant and began walking out of the building.

  "Wonderful! It would be very helpful if you could inform me of the outcome so that I can report back..." However, as she watched Lin-yu's retreating back, her words trailed off.

  "Tell my master I'm going into seclusion. I'll send the report later."

  Vera stood quietly, his gaze followed her weathered robes. To some extent he saw himself in her.

  Her weathered robes spoke of her efforts. But, efforts weren't what she needed.

  From his entrance to the sect until now, one thing caught his eye. Robes were always drenched in sweat and tears...

  But not in blood.