Chapter 20- Master

A strong gust of wind blew at the waiting cultivators, nearly knocking many over. When the gust stopped a middle aged cultivator appear, he looked to be about 55 years old but for a cultivator appearances could be deceiving.

He cleared his throat before speaking, his voice reaching everyone's ears.

"I'm Stephen, the head of the outer sect. I'm in charge of all of you except one." He said that while looking straight at Maxwell.

"Everyone here will first have to get their talent tested once you climb the mountain. The steps aren't ordinary, once you fall down you will be taken to the top. It's a small test from our ancestor."

The stairs headed around the mountain and disappeared to the side about 500 metres above the ground. Each step was half a metre in height.

"You can go now."

They lined in front of the steps, but everyone was nervous to take the first step forward. Maxwell charged ahead, seemingly flying above the stairs. His prowess got the others to walk forward. They instantly faced increased gravity, pulling them to the ground. The gravity wasn't increased by an unbearable amount, yet it still caught them off guard. They continued to walk ahead, slowly taking one step at a time. By the time someone had reached the 10th step Maxwell was already much ahead, at the 200th step.

'This is not much, even without space qi I can get through easily.'

Maxwell's speed hadn't dwindled the whole time, even with the gravity increasing by 50 percent. He paid no attention to those behind him and continued to run ahead. When he reached the 500th step the gravity became 5 times more than normal. He was slowing down with every 100 steps and reached the 1000th step at the pace of a jog. The gravity was now 10 times normal. Maxwell slowed down to a walk.

1100th step…

1200...

1300…

1400…

1500, still walking, but small amounts of blood dripped from his mouth. Maxwell was using the increased pressure to destroy his body so it could repair itself, much stronger. It was very painful, with Maxwell forcing himself to not scream out with every muscle and tendon that split in two.

Of course, rebuilding his muscles took a toll on his qi slowly. Maxwell didn't know, but he was being watched by a pair of eyes that belong to an old man who was floating in the sky.

'This young boy's tenacity is surprising. His body is even healing with the gravity pulling him down. To think he hasn't use qi yet and he has beat so many geniuses.'

The old man was impressed, even with his millennium of experience.

Maxwell was currently forcing himself to take the 1552nd step. To Stephen he was about to fall any time.

'Tch, I have to use my qi now, I can't heal fast enough now.'

Maxwell layered himself a thin layer of Space qi that he controlled to decrease the gravity for him by as much as he could. The gravity now only was 5 times normal.

'What! Space Qi!'

The old man in the air was shocked beyond his wits. He started laughing wildly, terrifying some elders who had spread their divine sense. His cultivation level was unfathomable, and he could defeat those outer sect elders with a finger.

Maxwell now comfortably walked, letting his body heal much more comfortably. When he reached the 1600th step he felt the gravity increase by 100%.

When He reached the 1900th step he could see a stunned Stephen stare at him along with most of the new outer sect disciples. Standing in front, Jonathan cheered for him but his exact words were not heard by Maxwell.

The pressure increased drastically on the next step.

'Hmm, I need to put more space qi into the barrier.'

He doubled the thickness to that of 2 sheets of cloth, it was very thin, but it was made of a lot of qi. Maxwell stumbled across the final step, with his barrier slowly disappearing.

The old man that was watching in the sky swept down and grabbed Maxwell.

"Stephen, I'll be taking him, you manage the rest."

"Okay, ancestor." He quickly replied in fear.

Maxwell was carried away to the core area of the sect, into a cave that seemed unused, everything in there was perfectly clean and arranged.

"What do you want from me?" Maxwell asked, looking straight into his eyes after being released.

"You're quite bold, aren't you? It's nothing to be worried about, I'm just going to take you as my disciple." He replied, while sipping a piping hot cup of tea.

"Where did that cup of tea appear from? Wait that's not the point. Why do you want me as your disciple?"

A token suddenly appeared in his hand, that had been lying on a table on the other side of the large cave.

"You have space affinity too?"

"Yes, you're the first person I've met with space affinity since I was born. My life was filled with struggle, so many sects fought to get me as their disciple and so many different methods were employed to get me to their side."

"So, are you telling me I'm in danger? I already knew I was in danger since I was 4."

"You're not the only one in danger, your whole family is. Anyone you know will be used against you. Someone from our sect must have stopped ambushed since you survived unscathed." He took a long sip of tea and then added.

"I can keep you safe till you grow stronger as long as nothing of extreme importance happens. Now, take me as your master and then tell me about your family and friends."

'I won't find someone to guide me in using the space element, including my past life memories. This is my best choice.'

"Okay, master. You're the ancestor of our sect, but what's your name?"

"My name? It's Neil."

Maxwell then told his master about his family and Orphelia.

"A fiancé? How's her strength? What about your sister?"

"She's very strong, even if we both had a 100 years to cultivate I would still only be able to equal her. She has the Plum Blossom Sword Body and she's currently admitted to the Immortal Sword Sect. My sister has gone to the Ice Lotus sect, she has an Ice Jade Body."

"Pffft." He spat out his tea in surprise.

*Cough, cough*

"Why are you all monsters? Your father was a well-known cultivator but he wasn't even remotely exceptional compared to you."

"Must be fate."

"Bah, fate is a fickle concept. As long as you work hard enough you will become strong. Now your fiancé, if you think she can match you even in a hundred years, she will be fine in the Immortal Sword Sect. They especially protect sword constitutions."

"What about my sister?"

"She will be safe, but they will try to ambush her. They think the women in Ice Lotus Sect are easy targets," He shuddered and said, "they will be so wrong."

"Who's they?"

"Your enemies, there are many you have never heard of. I don't know about the stance of the Treasure Pavilion since it's new but I heard they have gotten a Martial Emperor on their side. Do you know the cultivation ranks?"

"Yes, Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Soul Transformation, Martial Grandmaster, Martial King, Martial Emperor and finally. Martial Saint."

"Good, you know even the peak strength of our planet."

"About the Treasure Pavilion, they aren't our enemies since I supply spatial rings to them."

As they talked, his master realised Maxwell was much more fortunate than him. Finally, he brought out a familiar round crystal ball that Maxwell had used 10 years ago.

"Test the level of your affinity."

Maxwell sent the qi he had been collecting to recover into the crystal ball. It filled up to the brim with the black qi.

"High Affinity! I haven't seen high affinity in years, and that was for wind element." He tapped Maxwell lightly on his back, which he felt as a hard pat while saying loudly, "You're a monster! Do you have any other affinities?"

"Lightning affinity."

"The second rarest affinity also? You're sure to become very strong, you're already at the 8th stage of Foundation Establishment."

"Am I now a core disciple then? Or still an Inner disciple?"

"No, you're not a core disciple, you must win the competition for that. How are you an inner disciple?"

Maxwell explained that got it for the Grand Test. His master then gave Maxwell his token and sent him his way to get his living quarters. He teleported Maxwell straight in front of the Outer Sect Head, Stephen who got so surprised he nearly attacked Maxwell which would have killed him.

"Here, take your stuff. The classes you must attend are tomorrow."

He handed Maxwell a low quality map and a house key.

"What about the tests rewards?"

"You can collect them with that token. It's used to keep track of your points and rewards."

"What are points for?"

"You earn it from missions and selling items. You can use it to purchase cultivation resources and trade with your fellow disciples."

"I see, thank you."

Maxwell left to find his house to take a nice rest.