Chapter 3: The Level Test – Do You Need a Break?
The days flew by like raging waves. Liomas couldn't quite grasp that he had already spent eight days here. Even though his mind hadn't always been present, his body had lived through every single minute.
That day, when he went down to the dining hall, he couldn't manage a single bite. It was as if something was fighting against his fragile will; he felt an intense urge to vomit the moment the food touched his tongue.
The food wasn't strange, as he had initially thought, but completely ordinary. However, the vegetables and fruits here were slightly larger, their colors more vibrant, and their flavors more pronounced.
Having eaten nothing that day, and with hunger finally gnawing at him by evening, he settled for two apples and a bit of fried chicken, eaten with tears in his eyes. He had tasked one of the guards with bringing it to him while he remained curled up in his room.
When he tasted the water that came with the meal, he was somewhat impressed. It was exceptionally pure and clear, with a peculiar, indescribable taste. It was this very strangeness that he found intriguing.
Regarding the training schedule, Liomas discovered there were three martial arts sessions and four spiritual lessons each week.
He had indeed decided to attend some classes. He'd been to one martial arts session where he didn't move a muscle, claiming inability, and two spiritual lessons. It was through these that he now understood he was a 'Jiatra Lord.'
{ Lord Jia: Lord of Jiatra }
The social hierarchy here was extremely simple, consisting of only two tiers: the Lords of Jia and ordinary humans. Both lineages were said to have descended from a common ancestor known as the Kaydr.
To understand the difference between a Lord of Jia and an ordinary human, imagine an African elephant standing next to an earthworm, and then that same African elephant standing next to the massive trunk of a Giant Sequoia. That was the difference between a Lord of Jia and a Lord of Kay (the Kaydr).
Legend said that the Moon itself had once incarnated to battle a single, tyrannical demonic Lord of Kay who threatened the world's stability.
This was what Liomas Ren Wu deduced from the excited and arrogant chatter of the other students.
He also learned from the two spiritual energy lessons, taught by Instructor Xian Wu, that there were ranks and levels for Lords of Jia. There were five ranks: Rank A, the Advanced rank; B, the Excellent rank; C, the Middle rank; D, the Poor rank; and E, the Very Poor rank, also known as the Basest rank.
The ranks considered the best were Advanced and Excellent, though the Middle rank was also rarely counted among them.
Furthermore, there were nine basic levels for Lords of Jia, with additional transitional and intermediate stages.
~ The Initial Level, the Primary Intermediate Level, the First Middle Level, the First Level.
~ The Second Initial Level, the Second Intermediate Level, the Second Level.
~ The Third Initial Level, the Third Intermediate Level, the Third Level... and so on, up to the Ninth Initial Level, the Ninth Primary Intermediate Level, the Ninth Intermediate Level, the Ninth Final Initial Level, the Ninth Level.
Instructor Xian Wu clarified that he would explain these points in more depth later and mentioned that the students would soon have a training session on how to advance their levels.
Liomas was now sitting on a wooden chair, gently rocking back and forth near the window. He sipped his milk coffee with an outward calm, but his deep, abyssal black eyes told a different story entirely.
He was also thinking about the level test scheduled for today, which would take place after lunch. It was now almost time, with the clock showing 11 AM, and lunch in the residential dining hall served at 11:45.
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Lord Liomas."
This form of address for his name had become normal by now. Lords of Jia truly deserved respect.
"Thank you," he said, taking the lunch tray from the guard's hand. This was done daily at his request.
---
"Welcome, students. We hope you are well," spoke Clan Leader Wu, Lord Yan Wu, with perfect professionalism.
This was natural, as he was the one most often tasked with giving speeches and presentations.
He continued, "As you know, today is the most crucial and important day for each of you. Your ranks will now be determined by the Grand Lord, the Village Leader himself, Wang Nai."
Light applause descended from the other clan leaders, mingling with the random clapping of the students in the middle.
Liomas also clapped, albeit lightly, his eyes fixed on the Village Leader seated on a lavish wooden chair. He was an elder with a thick, flowing white beard, no hair on his head, and clear eyes despite the wrinkles covering his small, round face. Liomas noticed his nose was somewhat large for his face, but it made him distinctive and noticeable. His mouth was of average size, almost hidden beneath that beard.
He wore what appeared to be traditional robes, dark orange and long, adorned with decorative white patterns outlined in black.
The event was held in a square next to the Village Leader's residence, which was located within the Wu clan's territory. The clan leaders sat on sides on decent, acceptable wooden chairs, facing the gathering of male and female students. The gathering, in turn, faced the Grand Leader, who was flanked by Clan Leader Wu.
Everyone was waiting expectantly. Liomas was perplexed; his heart was pounding violently. He felt surrounded by a wave of hot sweat that disrupted his comfort. A new aura had entered his perception; he was approaching something he couldn't see.
He had indeed been eager to undergo the test, but the moment the crowd entered his field of view as he approached, his entire mood and thoughts shifted completely.
His thoughts and impressions of his surroundings were severed by a heavy void that materialized before him. It was Xian Lai Tao who had moved, stepping forward as his name was called first by Yan Wu's voice and the gazes of the others.
A moment later, Xian Lai from the Tao clan was standing straight-backed, his mind a tangled mess of thoughts and expectations, before the Grand Leader Wang Nai.
The latter showed no expression on his face, save for something that resembled the word 'listen.'
And indeed, he wanted to say something... "Step back a little," he said after noticing the distance between him and Xian was less than ideal.
The command was carried out after Lord Yan also took notice.
"Boku," Xian repeated his greeting.
Finally, Lord Wang Nai raised his hand, palm facing Xian who stood before him. At the same time, the Tao clan leader, Lord Klay, watched silently. He had high hopes for this young man and now only wished he wouldn't disappoint the positive expectations placed upon him.
From the Grand Leader's palm emerged a thin, energetic bubble, transparent blue in color, surrounded by a halo of a similar but slightly deeper shade of blue.
It flew at a moderate speed in a steady trajectory. It started at a certain size, then gradually and noticeably enlarged until it passed the halfway point between the two, stabilizing at a fixed size.
It collided with Xian's chest. He felt nothing.
Meanwhile, Liomas Ren Wu was still stunned. His vision was blurred from the illogical scene before his eyes, which were capturing the finest details. He felt like an insect before the aura emanating from this place and the varied breaths of everyone present, from the lowest to the highest.
Now, his eyes only followed the sequence of consecutive bubbles as the Grand Leader continued. They were evenly spaced, flexible, and moved with utter ease.
The second bubble hit Xian, then the third, the fourth, the fifth... the thirty-seventh. The thirty-eighth actually caused him pain. It wasn't severe, more like a momentary sting in his chest.
Xian Lai from the Tao clan withstood thirty-seven energetic bubbles. He was now officially a Lord of Jiatra of Rank B.
"That's my boy! Well done!" praised his clan leader, Lord Klay Tao, who had been watching anxiously from the moment Xian took his first step today, trying to reclaim himself from the tension and worry. Now, he jumped up, his voice like that of a young child. But it didn't matter; he had obtained a student of Excellent rank.
The Village Leader also smiled and congratulated Xian, but his heart wouldn't rest until he found an A-rank talent. With every student who failed to achieve the desired rank, the chance of it happening seemed to diminish.
It didn't actually decrease; whether it appeared or not was a matter of fact. But such was human nature, always seeking explanations beyond reality.
Liomas's heart was now pounding like a rabid dog. He was utterly absorbed. Even though he didn't understand the ways of this world, he now felt that this test was truly important.
"Next, Hai Kai Shu."
Hai Kai from the Shu clan stepped forward confidently, her face bright, her features pleasant and clear. She now stood directly before the Village Leader.
He raised his hand, emitting energetic bubbles once more. Kai began to show uncomfortable expressions, unlike her predecessor. Then the collision happened. The first bubble made contact with her tense chest, and naturally, nothing happened. Then the others followed in succession against that same chest: the second, the third... the sixth, the seventh, the eighth, the ninth... Unfortunately, only the ninth bubble caused her slight pain.
Two things informed the Village Leader that a bubble had caused a student pain: their facial expressions and the residual energy fragments of the bubble, wavering in the surrounding air like a breeze.
Student Kai's face contorted, her pupils dilated. Her rank was now the Basest rank, the rank no one desired: Rank E.
The Shu clan leader, Lord Ming, excused himself after asking permission from the Village Leader and bidding farewell to everyone. Even though this event was important and occurred only once per student cycle, the others understood his poor condition. Furthermore, he had no other student from his clan upon whom to pin his last hopes, as Kai Hai was the only Lord of Jia in the clan who met the conditions.
~ The appropriate age, fifteen and above.
~ Being the only child of the family.
~ Passing the Spiritual Detection Test, which determines if one has sufficient spiritual energy to be a Lord of Jia or will be classified as an ordinary human.
~ Will and Interest, with these two being particularly important.
It was said that there were powerful Lords of Jia who never manifested simply because Will and Interest were lacking. These two were known as the only and most important path to releasing energy from its dormant state.
How many humans now suffered their entire lives simply because their Will and Interest were weak?
Lord Ming Shu left, taking Hai with him, her tears falling like a sad, black rain. Even though she was a Lord of Jia, her abysmally low rank would not allow the flower of her future to bloom and flourish.
Ren Wu began to feel doubt. How could someone who had lived in this world since birth have such a level? And what about someone who had arrived just a few days ago?
'I believe the test measures the inside, something not achieved through the student's effort. It's an innate gift from the heavens,' he consoled himself internally after thinking and analyzing for a few seconds.
The ranks in this test were determined as follows:
From five to ten bubbles: Level E.
From eleven to twenty: Level D.
From twenty-one to thirty: Level C.
From thirty-one to forty: Level B.
Anything above forty bubbles: Level A.
"Next, Liomas from the Ren Wu clan."
Liomas jumped as the voice touched him. He stepped forward apprehensively as the crowd made way for him.
"My Grand Lord, do you need a brief rest?" asked the Wu clan leader after something unexpected happened that no one had anticipated.
The bubble exploded before it even reached him.