Mornings always filled Wang Meng with fighting spirit. A new day had begun, and the coming month would be decisive!
Wang Meng practically sprang out of bed, washing up with lightning speed.
His first attempt to pass the test for the Holy Hall's Thunderlight Hall Branch had ended in failure, but this hadn't dampened Wang Meng's fighting spirit in the slightest.
The Holy Hall was the sacred ground for every Cultivator. Studying cultivation there was, without a doubt, an opportunity unmatched anywhere else. The Thunderlight City region was a place where Spiritual Qi was exceptionally abundant, so it was fortunate enough to have a Holy Hall Branch. Every year, the recruitment period was inevitably met with a sea of people. During the preliminary selection, Wang Meng's defeat was, as he had expected.
The prerequisite for cultivation was possessing a Life Mark. The Life Mark was the very root of a Cultivator. Nourished by Elemental Qi, some people would naturally develop this Heaven-gifted Ability. Possessing a Life Mark was the foundation for absorbing and using Elemental Power. Whether for combat, crafting items, or using Array Techniques, the Life Mark served as the channel and Elemental Power as the output—all guided by the correct methods, of course.
Thunderlight City had decent Elemental Qi. Wang Meng, a local through and through, was currently at the Second Layer of the Life Mark Level, meaning he had two Life Marks. The more Life Marks one had, the more Elemental Power they could store, and the more varied their methods of using it would be. Naturally, this made them stronger.
To have a Natural Life Mark Second Layer at sixteen without a Cultivation Technique was considered decent. It would be good enough to join a minor Sect, but getting into the Holy Hall was extremely difficult. Unfortunately, Wang Meng was hell-bent on getting into the Holy Hall.
It was only at the preliminary test that he discovered geniuses were a dime a dozen. The Sword Sect Wang Meng wanted to join was the most popular one. Applicants either had a Natural Life Mark of the Fifth Layer or higher, possessed a special talent, or had significant Sect connections. During the selection, the youngest to join the Sword Sect was a ten-year-old heir from some Cultivation Family, who already had a Natural Life Mark of the Sixth Layer. Anyone with a little less confidence could have been crushed by that reality.
Getting weeded out under these circumstances was normal. Fortunately, Wang Meng was persistent and had a strong heart. After seeing all kinds of young people, his resolve to enter the Holy Hall only grew stronger. 'If I'm going to do something, I'll be the best at it. If I can't get into the Holy Hall, my life will basically be one of mediocrity, just waiting to die.'
'Who am I?'
'Wang Meng! A man's man! A great figure destined to make a name for himself, to have his name carved into the Holy Hall's Hall of Merit!'
The reality was that the Elders in charge of selection would give a second chance to the more distinctive individuals among the eliminated candidates. They were given an introductory Cultivation Technique and one month to practice. After that month, the most outstanding among them would be selected based on their progress. This was the final opportunity. If he failed this time, he could only participate in the selection again in three years. By then, Wang Meng would be nineteen. The thought of being in such an awkward position, having to call a bunch of kids in their early teens "Senior Brother" and "Senior Sister," made Wang Meng's skin crawl.
Without a doubt, Wang Meng decided to treat this as a do-or-die battle.
Wang Meng carefully took out a mirror-like object. It was a Heart-Protecting Mirror, a low-level item that anyone with a Life Mark could use. It offered some defense, but one look was all it took to tell it was a cheap piece of junk.
Wang Meng stared intently at the mirror. This was a treasure he had spent fifty silver dollars on, a find from a street stall. It had only one function, and it was truly, truly magical.
"Mirror, mirror, who is the most talented Cultivator in this world?" Wang Meng asked with a grave expression.
The Heart-Protecting Mirror glowed faintly, and a crisp, pleasant voice rang out, "Wang Meng. Without a doubt, it is Wang Meng!"
Wang Meng grinned from ear to ear and repeated, "Wang Meng! Without a doubt, it is Wang Meng!"
This was the treasure Wang Meng had bought by emptying all his personal savings and taking on a ten-dollar debt.
A good start is half the battle. Time for the final push!
Wang Meng's home was just outside Thunderlight City. His parents were farmers who lived each day with honesty and diligence. They were happy that their son actually possessed a Cultivator's Life Mark, but they weren't overly excited. His parents just wanted Wang Meng to live a healthy, happy life and do what he wanted. Happiness was the most important thing. Possessing more didn't necessarily lead to happiness, but they supported Wang Meng all the same.
Wang Meng's personality was very different from his parents'. It was as if he had a fire burning inside him. He had been restless since he was a child, and getting into fights was a common occurrence. For him, life wasn't about length, but about living it to the fullest. Getting into the Holy Hall and finding a bigger stage—that was his happiness.
Carrying his special training gear, Wang Meng went to the mountain behind his home to begin his "secluded training." Here, he had his own exclusive cultivation cave... which was actually just a pit with nothing in it. Wang Meng had found it himself after discovering his Life Mark. 'Hey, for cultivation, you need a proper-looking base of operations.'
In Wang Meng's own words, cultivation relied on Spiritual Attribute and feeling.
The Nourishing Essence Technique. As the name implied, it was for consolidating one's foundation and cultivating one's origin. It was an introductory Cultivation Technique for low-level Cultivators. While cultivation could grant power beyond that of mortals, it was also extremely dangerous.
The goal of cultivation was simple: to raise the layer of one's Life Mark and become proficient in its use. In other words, the more Life Marks, the better. This was especially true after the tenth layer; with each additional layer, the number of possible Life Mark combinations grew exponentially, allowing for the use of more complex and powerful forces.
However, improper training methods and reckless combinations could easily lead to cultivation deviation and cause one to become a Demon. The results were tragic. In mild cases, one would become a cripple; in severe cases, it meant death.
Of course, Wang Meng didn't need to worry about that at all. With only two Life Marks, he couldn't form any combinations even if he wanted to. Cultivation below the Fifth Layer was extremely dull and tedious. The so-called Nourishing Essence Technique was just about repeatedly using one's Life Marks and Elemental Power to perform the simplest attacks, all to build a solid foundation.
But to Wang Meng, this was undoubtedly a secret manual. It was the first time he had ever come into contact with the proper way to use Elemental Power.
It wasn't as complicated as he had imagined. Wang Meng understood it almost at a glance. It simply taught a Cultivator how to use Elemental Power. With the Second Layer of Life Mark, this just meant enhancing his physical strength.
After reading it over five times and pondering for a while, Wang Meng began his relentless training. 'If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it seriously.'
Wang Meng's method was simple, direct, and even a bit brutal. He just punched a stone wall, infusing every fist with Elemental Power. He threw punch after punch until his Elemental Power was completely depleted. According to the Nourishing Essence Technique, this cycle of depletion and regeneration could solidify his Life Marks and possibly even give birth to new ones.
If he had three Life Marks, he could form the simplest of Magic. The very thought made Wang Meng's whole body burn with excitement, and he no longer felt the pain in his fists.
Somewhere in the outskirts of Thunderlight City, a dull THUD THUD could be heard every day. But in a place so rarely visited, who would ever notice?
A month isn't a long time, but it isn't short either. For some, however, it was more than enough to be mind-numbingly boring and agonizing.
Zhang Xiaojiang could hardly believe that the person standing before him was his buddy, Wang Meng.
The Little Fatty's jaw dropped. "Damn, Brother Meng, you look like a wild man! That hairstyle is seriously domineering. So, how'd it go? Any progress?"
Wang Meng had told him to come get him at this time to end his seclusion. To avoid all distractions, Wang Meng had brought nothing but food with him.
Wang Meng touched his messy hair and shook his head helplessly. "Still at the Second Layer. Zhang Xiaopang, do you think my talent really sucks?"
In the final few days, Wang Meng himself had grown a bit anxious. But he suppressed his unease and trained relentlessly. 'To succeed, you have to be confident.'
Zhang Xiaojiang looked at the pockmarked wall covered in bloodstains, then at Wang Meng's hands. The fatty's own flesh couldn't help but tremble. "You don't have to torture yourself like this! We're brothers for life, man. I've got your back. If anyone dares to bully you, I'll shoot off their little pecker!"
BONK~~
Zhang Xiaopang received a sharp knock on the forehead. "Get lost! If I had to rely on you, I wouldn't get a damn thing done! Let's go. No matter what, I'm out of seclusion. Even if I can't get into the Holy Hall this year, I'll be back in three years. An older genius is still a genius!"
Zhang Xiaopang immediately gave him a thumbs-up. "Badass!"