The sky was clear as the sun was slowly setting; the shadows cast on the arena made it so that the youths wouldn't get scorched by the sun's rays.
I, mom, the sect master, and the sect elders sat down comfortably, looking at the light screen I had created as it broadcasted the events happening in the arena to us live.
"This technique is really intruging elder Zen," Elder Sheng, one of the sect elders, praised.
"Thank you. I came up with this for mother when she wanted to see her disciples train but did not want to be noticed by them," I said.
I need to look for a reason as to how I thought of this; I don't want anyone to ask me some strange questions.
"Yes, sometimes the young'uns would not give their hundred percent and rather focus on fanciful moves to impress me, leading to wasted movements and injuries. little Zen came up with this idea after seeing my plight," Mom said, placing her lovely hand on my shoulder.
"Hmm, why did I not think of that? my students also do the same thing," Elder Chen mused.
It seems I should have introduced the elders then. My fault, there is Elder Meng, Sun, Sheng, Chen, Bing, Liang, Fuxi, and Si. There is also another elder, but he is currently roaming the world looking for adventure.
Maybe i should be like him and just travel the realms... Nope, that still sounds like doing things. Adventuring alone would, of course, bring problems. i might actually consider this if i had helpers, you know take care of the tents and the food and massage my feet.
They also had to be strong to, i mean like if i had a strong helper around me and i encountered that autistic fatty again, he could just beat him up... No, i don't think beating up an autistic person is okay.
Wait, he was not autistic, right? So that means my helper could still beat him!
Why can't i just do it myself?
Too much work; I want to live an easy life! easy life!
"Here, have some chocolate while we wait for the test to officially commence, little Zen. it's that thing you taught me; it's surprisingly good." Mom gave me a box of brown pills, which i of course, recognized as the chocolates I told her about in my dreams. I never knew she actually made it, given my vague descriptions.
I took one pill and popped it in my mouth.
It tasted just like how i remembered in my dreams! The sweet and slightly bitter taste. I wonder where she got the 'cow cow' beans from.
Mother is the best!
"Thank you all for gathering here today for this year's annual sects meeting."
An old elder appeared in the middle of the arena with one hand behind his back and the other... guess.
On his mustache! Ha, got you guys. you thought they only stroked their beards? Wrong, they stroke any hair that they have on their body.
... I feel like that statement could be taken wrongly.
"This year, just like any other year, we have some aspiring practitioners hoping to be selected into the sect of their dreams and forging a path for themselves on the road to greatness. Of course some may not be chosen and am deeply sorry for that. some may not get the desired ranking they wanted and again, I am sorry, but for those who will come up hear and achieve their dreams, I congratulate you." The man spoke, drawing applause from the stands and the candidates surrounding the arena.
"Okay, let the battle... cough, let the test begin!" The man closed his speech with that statement.
Can't blame him, though; when close to the Colosseum, one just can't help but want to shout.
'Let the battle begin!!!!'
Thirty orbs of light appeared around the stage, surrounding the man in the center; the candidates slowly filed into lines of thirty.
"The numbers are higher than expected," Mother said as she stroked my head on her lap.
This is why I always keep my hair long and neat, always ready for a pat from mama.
How did I get in this position? Details, details.
"You were in secluded cultivation at that time," The sect master replied.
"What time?"
"Well, an immortal was able to ascend to the heavenly realm, and this caused the heavens to send down blessings on everyone, but those that benefited the most were the non-practitioners, as they all awakened an affinity with the elements. you would notice that some of the candidates today are even older than eighteen," He explained. "If i remember, we all thought that it was elder sister who ascended a year ago."
He also added sheepishly.
"You guys want me gone that bad, huh?" Mom said with an amused smile.
"It's not like that!"
"Yes! we all hoped you would live longer so your ascending would have been the best outcome."
"Yes, elder Liang is right!"
They all anxiously explained, frantically stroking their beards.
"It's fine, i understand, I was actually awake during that time because I thought it was my little Zen that ascended since the direction of the ascension pillar was in his general direction," Mom explained, stroking my hair, to which I gave out a light sigh of satisfaction.
It was like a calming head massage. I don't want this to stop!
I think the sect master is talking to me.
"... Master Zen was actually cultivating in that area too, if I remember correctly."
The other elders nodded at his words to confirm.
Now is my chance to spin a lie.
You see, for some reason, when I awoke, i was not back to the time I was cultivating, ready to break through.
It's a bit confusing, but if my memories are correct, I tried breaking through about a year ago, which i succeeded and was killed in the spirit realm. you know the story, so technically i was supposed to be sent back to that time, but somehow only a part of my consciousness was sent, specifically the wisdom and knowledge I had acquired, leaving my personality, character, and all that stuff to come in later.
The reason was simple: if I entered forcefully like that, my younger consciousness and my older one would have a battle for supremacy, and that could make me become an imbecile.
So the knowledge first, followed by small memory fragments, then core memories, and finally my consciousness—it surprisingly took one year to fully assmilate everything and that caused thefall. Since that was when my full consciousness entered.
Now my younger self with this knowledge did some things, like the longevity rune inscribed on my mother's core... Uh, on my mother's energy core, the broadcasting screen, and some othe
So lying time.
"Actually, I did benefit from the immortal; the strange things that i suddenly acquired were gotten when the immortal ascended. since i was closer to him, i got the most blessings," I said.
"That explains a lot."
"Why are you saying it now?" Mother asked, and I looked at her and smiled.
Mother really is the best.
It might look like we are alone, but the walls have ears. The strange things and ideas I have been bringing out have caused some suspicions to rise about me, but this opportunity mother presented was really helpful, as it would prevent some unnecessary troubles.
"I just felt it was the right time," I answered, eyes closed with a smile.
The chocolate, though, I don't know how I got that.