10 6

It had been eight days since the exam. The students were told to expect their results within two weeks, but nobody had heard anything as of yet. After a while, the students stopped interrogating their teachers and relented to waiting for their headmaster to give them the feedback they wanted.

Haochen decided it would be best to put the matter out of his mind and distract himself. And that was exactly what he was doing.

The Zhang Sect was situated on a mountain range that spanned miles upon miles, and the King's castle stood proudly at the top of the tallest mountain peak. It was a majestic structure with black bricks, marble floors and pillars, beautiful gardens, periwinkle flags and intricately carved out designs along the walls enclosing it. Although it was classy , it gave off an eerily cold and brooding atmosphere.

The common folk lived lower down on the mountain range, where it was easier to breathe. It was extremely cold on the range, but the Zhang were used to it, and they never complained, and why would they over something so insignificant? The people were always well taken care of, and never needed for anything.

Haochen stood silently on the top of a mountain peak, quite a distance from the castle. It had been a while since he'd practiced his archery.

There were several unique cultivation techniques his sect was capable of, but there were four indigenous to his sect; the first was the ability to focus on objects too far away to see for the average person, this was the secret behind their sect's renowned deadly precision in archery. The second was the ability to see three seconds into the future, which was ever useful in combat. The third was the ability to pinpoint the exact location of an individual based on their cultivation flowing into the ground as they moved, but this required significant amounts of power and energy. The fourth was limited to only those of royal blood, but it had not been taught to the princes. They'd only heard about it from their teachers. The technique was supposedly quite cruel and had been decidedly omitted from teaching and forgotten over the generations.

Haochen drew his arm back, pulling on the bowstring. Far off, several mountains away were multiple quickly moving targets. The silver arrows against the bow glowed a soothing blue as he enhanced them with enchantments to make them cover a greater distance.

Letting go, he watched as the arrows slice through the air, hitting the dead center of every target. Haochen clicked his fingers causing the targets to move even faster. Then, he picked up another round of gleaming silver bows and shot again, hitting the dead center of the targets once more.

He was about to shoot again, but as he did so, he heard a noise from behind him followed by two familiar voices.

"Haochen! The results are here!" Shing said.

Haochen watched the arrow hit the center of the targets, then blinked, registering what his younger brother said. He turned to look at him. "What?"

"The results are here, brother," Ning said, smiling and gently waving an envelope. Haochen lowered his bow and moved toward his siblings.

"The suspense is killing me," Shing said. He was staring at the envelope with wide eyes. Haochen inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, trying to steady himself.

"Don't be nervous, I have no doubt that you've been accepted," Ning said, patting his cheek.

Subconsciously, the thought that being accepted wasn't what he was concerned about flickered in his mind.

"Alright, I'm opening it." Haochen said, taking the envelope from Ning.

"Today, please." Shing said with an impatient huff.

Haochen peeled the wax off and pulled out a neat sheet of parchment.

'Prince Zhang Haochen

We are pleased to inform you that you have passed the preliminary round of theoretical examination, and additionally, have placed amongst the top sixty students. You are therefore entitled to train and prepare at the Grandmaster Cultivation School under the guidance and instruction of the International Cultivation Committee. Under their instruction, you will, if you choose to accept the offer, be subjected to three years of practical and theoretical studies to strengthen your Soul Flare and enhance your cultivation level. This will include mastering: the powers of your own sect privately, as well as powers common to all sects such as enchantments, incantations, jinxes, curses, talismans, and spells; the use of your powers in physical combat against humans, monsters, the undead, and demonic entities; the flow of power through your body by meditation; and understanding the basis and limitless potential of cultivation, and it's different forms across the three realms.

After this, all sixty students will compete against one another to yield a single victor who will become the next Grandmaster of the 16 sects.

Should you choose to decline this offer, your place will be awarded to the runner up of your position, and you will not be given another offer thereafter. If you choose to accept this offer, promptly fill in the attached form and submit it to your respective headmaster for teleportation to the Cultivation Committee.

Also attached is a list of scores obtained by all students in the theoretical examination. The final list of students to attend the Grandmaster Cultivation School will be issued upon establishing those who wish to decline their offers.

Sincerely

The Official Headmaster of the Grandmaster Cultivation School

Fain Opaque'

Haochen blinked twice.

"Urm. Excuse me, can you use your voice for once in your life?" Shing spoke anxiously, trying to see over his brother's arm.

"I'm in." Haochen said, his eyes drifting to the list of positions.

"Did they say what position you were in?" Shing asked, moving his brother's arm so that he could look too. He raised a brow when he noticed Haochen grinning to himself.

"What's that look about?" He asked and glanced at Ning who moved to take a look at the list too.

"Wow! You placed second!" Ning said, side hugging Haochen and rubbing his arm. Shing had just read the upper portion of the letter.

"And first place was… Hey, isn't that…"Shing drifted off.

Haochen nodded, still grinning.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Calibri tossed his head to the side. He was pale and his body was overheated. Alexei and Kreia sat next to him on the large bed, waiting for the servants to bring in more water to cool him down. Their brows were furrowed in concern. Kreia stroked his face, wiping off some sweat that had accumulated near his temple.

"He'll be alright, your majesty. He always is." Alexei said, staring at his shivering friend.

"But for how long?" Kreia replied.

A young man with floor-length hair and a striking resemblance to Kreia walked in. "How is he?"

"The same. His fever hasn't reduced." Kreia said.

"The healers went to get stronger medication." Alexei said.

The man sighed and sat on the bed and reached out to move some hair away from Calibri's forehead. "Hasn't he been taking his medicines?"

"He has been, but I don't think it's that Kreian." Kreia said. Everyone was silent for a moment, understanding the unsaid truth of the matter.

Kreian stared at Calibri for a while, stroking his hair.

"Alexei."

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"Have you decided whether or not you will attend the School?"

"I have your Majesty. I will attend."

Kreian looked remotely relieved. "Are there any others who will attend with you and Calibri?"

"I am." Kreia said, looking guilty. Kreian turned to her with a confused look. "Last year you said you would not."

"Last year I did not know Calibri would get worse instead of better." She looked back at Calibri. "Besides thinking he needs to protect our Sect, I believe he's attending because of a thoughtless confession I made years ago. No matter what I say, he won't believe me, and he won't decline the offer."

Kreian pursed his lips and nodded, turning to look back at Calibri. "He's been getting ill more frequently these last few months."

Alexei bit his lip. Calibri was unconscious, but if he were awake he'd definitely attempt to justify himself. He needed to say something.

"Your majesties, Calibri has been doing some research into his condition himself. I've noted a few things, and Prince Felix thinks that if Calibri's Soul Flare stabilizes he'll feel better. Currently, his body doesn't know what kind of cultivation technique he's practicing because he has the power of two different realms competing against each other within him, but if he can learn to control them, his powers may not weaken his body to this extent. If his constitution is better he won't fall ill so often. " Alexei said.

Kreian swallowed. "If he goes back then he won't have to suffer or do any of that. Why must he do this for our sakes? Nobody asked him to be a hero. We want him to live. He can live comfortably there. Look at him. He's..."

The door opened and the servants walked in along with the current Grandmaster, Trinity; Calibri's father. He was a handsome man, well into his seventies but with the appearance of someone at least 40 years younger. Etched on his face was concern. He made his way towards the bed as the younger ones in the room stepped away from it to make room for the servants.

"What happened to him? He was alright this morning at breakfast." He said, looking at the servants who disrobed his son and began to wipe him down.

"He went to wash his hair, then collapsed in the spring, your majesty. It's been cold as of late." Alexei said.

Calibri began to stir, and slowly opened his eyes, revealing the whites of his watery eyes that were now pinkish-red.

Trinity brushed back his son's hair. "Calibri? Can you hear me?"

Calibri blinked slowly. "Father?" He started to look around and then down at his body. He was so cold. "What happened?"

All the inhabitants of the room were quiet for a moment, each wondering what the best way forward was.

"Calibri. You shouldn't go." Trinity said.

Calibri slowly lifted his eyes to meet his father's. "What?" He was confused. All he remembered was going to the spring, but after that, everything was a blur. Without his lip paint, his lips turned a grey color. Trinity exhaled.

"The school. You shouldn't go."