BXBX NOVEL Chapter 43 The First Test...
Discipline was always an essential of cultivation. Seeing as how the students responded in speed to her order, it showed what they had learned this past few months had not gone down the drain.
"As I informed you all last week. I hope you all brought your weapons," she looked around and nodded accordingly. She could see that most had weapons and few did not at all.
"Just as you have been taught. Your sword is the tool by which you channel out your spirit energy to dominate your world. Make sure you keep it well. This will be your partner for life. Remember: A cultivator's weapon is life. if your weapon leaves your hand, you have forfeited your life."
Joules said those words with a very serious expression on her face and the children nodded accordingly.
"Now, to order important things, we have a very important guest today." she pointed behind them, "Our very own chief of the Chikitsa clan. Chief Dona Chivalry."
"Huh!" The students gasped as they looked behind. To their surprise, he was truly there.
This display of skill, although not needed, still added to the reverence the children had for him.
After all, the Chief was rarely seen, and now, he appeared from nowhere like it was magic.
The chief was the strongest and most important cultivator in the Clan. Every opportunity to meet him was an honor.
Naturally, the Students made way for him to pass through.
Behind Dona, were two elders. One of which was Elder Fatso. He followed Dona behind with a straight face.
Dona made his way to the podium and looked around.
For some students, it was reverence. For some others, it was fear. But anyway, he enjoyed the look in their eyes.
This was the look cultivators of lower strength was supposed to give those of higher strength.
Dona gave a light cough, before he slowly released his smile, easing the tension of the moment.
He waved at them and sat on a chair behind that had been prepared for him.
Joules nodded at him and continued her class. "For today's test, Chief Dona has decided to come watch and enjoy the display. What's more, he has guaranteed that anybody with an impressive enough score, can make one request for a cultivation herb from his personal collection."
On hearing this, the children gasped in surprise.
"An herb!" many of them whispered to one another. This was indeed an incredible opportunity. After all, it was common knowledge that the path to cultivation growth was not an easy one.
Many People toiled for years only to move an inch in their overall strength. Although an inch might not seem like much, it definitely dictated the difference between life and death at certain critical moments.
Cultivation-herbs were naturally a shortcut that could boost one's absorption rate of spiritual energy. Rumors even had it that certain herbs could directly help one skip ranks.
Although herbs like that were practically a myth, it was only normal for one to have hopes. Especially considering that many of the cultivator students were ranked as having C-Grade Dantains.
This was indeed a great news to them.
"However, as I informed you before, no one will be allowed to participate in the tests without a sword. Also, for those of you that have your blacksmiths running late with your weapons, you'll not be allowed to participate after the first round. Lastly, those that did not participate in this test will have to drop out from the Academy."
This new piece of information naturally made the students murmur. Not everybody's parents were well to do. Naturally, Some children had either a poor excuse for a sword or none at all.
"The first test will commence immediately." Elder Joules announced.
On hearing this, Nora could not help but panic. Her big brother told her he was going to get a weapon some days ago, but till this moment, he was nowhere to be found.
She was worried that he would be kicked out of school.
Soon, the first round started.
Two elders suddenly came with a very big boulder of metal Ore. It had a height of twelve feet and a length of ten feet.
"The first test is a very simple one. Your task is to make a deep enough cut in this boulder." Elder Joules explained, remember, you are only allowed to use one strike."
Although this task seemed like an easy one at first sight, it was actually a very hard one.
It was like trying to cut a thick steel pipe with a cutlass, or a Katana.
Naturally, this was impossible. But in this world of cultivation, it was.
Throughout these past few months of schooling, the students had been taught, again and again how to transfer their Spirit energy into their weapons.
This was the only way by which a person could simply cut Metal with Metal using just one strike.
Joules used a row call, to call on the students one after the other to the boulder.
The first student was called and he approached the boulder. It was the student that was boasting earlier on about his sword being made by Leongu, before Cablen came and stole the limelight.
"You may attack!" Elder Joules encouraged.
The boy nodded. He controlled his breathing and then activating his spiritual energy, he put as much of it as he could into his sword.
He was indeed not joking when he boasted about his sword earlier on. His sword glowed slightly in the light of his spirit energy. Obviously, the beast cores the sword was made with amplified his spirit energy.
He screamed in a loud voice as he attacked the boulder with full force.
*Gon!!!!* An echo of metal against metal was heard and it flung him back.
Elder Joules shook her head, "Next! she called out to the next person."
"But I don't understand. I thought I made it. What happened!?" The boy looked at his sword in surprise.
Elder Joules looked at him and shook her head as she explained.
"That's where you are wrong. You have forgotten that you are C-Grade Ranked. That sword you are using is too good for you. Or better still, you two are not compactable. Having a very good sword might not always be good. As it stands, You do not have sufficient energy in your Dantain to fuel your sword for long enough. However, you poured everything you had into your sword and it absorbed it all. Before your sword could strike the boulder, your spirit energy was already finished."
Hearing this explanation, many of the students understood.
This unlucky first guy had just used himself as a scapegoat to teach them a mistake they should not make.
"Next!!!" Elder Joules called again.