30 Vault Keeper Wang

The classroom fell silent as nobody wanted to volunteer to go first. They knew that they had to be at a certain level of the Qi Condensation stage before being allowed to handle a weapon. This was only because it was better for students that were capable of infusing their weapons with qi to understand and become one with their preferred weapon.

Seconds went by before a hand sprung up into the air. The hand belonged to Yao Lingyan. She had chosen to sit next to Chu Fan today alongside Hun Lian. He had gotten her to raise her hand up by poking her armpit.

Duan Mu immediately saw her hand before she could retract. She pointed out Yao Lingyan.

"Great, let's see how far junior brother Yao Lingyan has progressed in his cultivation."

Yao Lingyan pinched Chu Fan's thigh before getting up. Her face was flushed red as she could feel everybody's gaze on her as she descended the steps to the front of class.

Duan Mu sized Yao Lingyan up and nodded her head.

"Okay, now revolve your qi."

Yao Lingyan did as instructed and revolved her qi. She began emitting a faint glow as specks of light flew about her and her hair fluttered about. Duan Mu gasped in shock.

"Seventh Level!? And your only twelve years old. Truly this generation is destined for greatness. You pass. The requirement was merely level four but you have surpassed it by leaps and bounds. Go back to your seat. Next?"

Yao Lingyan went back to her seat where Chu Fan gave her a big thumbs up. She smiled as she received the praise with great satisfaction. Seeing this Hun Lian was a bit jealous and raised her hand immediately.

"Ah, Young Mistress. Please make your way down here."

Hun Lian wanted to be flashy so she jumped up and glided down to the front of the class, reminiscent of a fairy descending into the land of mortals. She also revolved her qi. But this time Duan Mu was not as shocked.

"As expected of the child prodigy. Level 7 also. But you are the youngest, a year younger than all your peers here. Alright, who is next?"

Hun Lian skipped along the way back to her seat where Chu Fan patted her on the head.

The students, relieved that the minimum level was only level four, began volunteering one by one.

Da Bao was now at level 6 with Tian Han following just behind at level 5. All other students, save a select few were at the fourth level of Qi Condensation.

"All of those that have not met the required level of cultivation. I hope this serves as a reminder that you all must diligently cultivate and spend less time dilly-dallying. You can retake the test whenever you want, but you must acquire a weapon from the sect on your own time."

All the present children were already considered to be talented individuals, so the expectations placed on them were also somewhat demanding. Geniuses like Yao Lingyan and Hun Lian were like gems among gravel. It was the sect's great fortune in having acquired two promising geniuses.

"Alright, let's see here. Disciple Chu Fan, you are last on the list. Come on down."

Chu Fan waited for all his fellow disciples to do their tests before he would take his. He got up and walked down the steps. He was sweaty as he was unsure of what his results would be.

He began revolving his qi and he emitted a very distinct glow that changed colors every couple seconds. Duan Mu was confused in many ways.

"What? Only Level 5? But this aura? You pass, I guess. Okay, everyone queue up outside everyone. We'll be making our trip to the sect vault now."

Duan Mu did not want to make a scene over Chu Fan's cultivation level. She would consult an elder about it later as she didn't know enough to come to an actual conclusion.

Chu Fan had been nervous because his actual cultivation level was already far beyond the others. He was actually already preparing to enter the next stage of cultivation. At only twelve years old, he was already half a step to Foundation Establishment. He wanted to fill up his qi reserves before filling his dantian.

The problem here was that Duan Mu was merely assessing the quantity of qi amassed in the disciples today. Chu Fan had been effectively refining and compressing his qi utilizing his Codex of Infinite Vigor, therefore he had less qi that was of higher quality.

..................................................

The way to the Sect Vault was past the area that the inner-sect disciples lived in. As they walked out

from the area for outer-sect disciples, the various disciples got stares and gazes from the various inner-sect disciples as they walked towards the Sect Vault. Most of the inner-sect disciples were snobby in nature because they simply were the best of the best, at least that's what they believed.

They walked for an incense stick's time before they all stood before a giant building that looked very plain on the outside. It stood several stories tall, it was even taller than the sect chief's residence. They walked in and the size of the interior baffled all the outer-sect disciples.

Inside the building, the vault itself was decadently decorated. Every section of the vault was illuminated via a domesticated Solar Fly, which flew about leaving streaks of colorful light.

"You all shall stay put here while I go and get the Vault Keeper. Don't touch anything that you don't have the sect points to pay for alright."

Duan Mu motioned for the student to stay put at the entrance while she fetched the Vault Keeper.

Minutes later she returned with an elderly man whose hair seemed to have been tied in a hurry. He wore spectacles and his gray beard touched his knees. He wore a very nice quality robe made of the finest Snow-Spotted Spider Silk money could buy. His skin was freckled with age spots, showing that he was near the end of his life-span unless he made a breakthrough. This was the main reason why he was always so irritable.

His eyes showed that he had hundreds of years of experience. He was a true elder and powerful existence within the sect.

"Ahem! You sure took your time Duan Mu, time I don't have much of. Are these the students here for a weapon?"

Duan Mu bowed with both hands.

"Yes, Vault Keeper Wang, these are the disciples who are here for a weapon."

She separated those that didn't pass from those that did. Chu Fan's group were all lined up along the wall. Vault Keeper Wang walked past them, one by one, making unpleasant faces.

He eventually walked past Chu Fan and his friends, where his facial expression changed into a neutral one. He was neither impressed nor disappointed. Walking past Chu Fan he paused and took a second glance before nodding his head and walking past whoever was left for him to look at.

He turned towards Duan Mu and with a stern face he pointed back at the students.

"Hmph! Back in my day, at such an age we'd already be at the eighth level, what a lousy bunch. Only a couple of these students are passable. At least you have one promising youth in your bunch.

Thinking that Vault Keeper Wang was mentioning Hun Lian or Yao Lingyan, Duan Mu bowed.

"Thank you for your praise Vault Keeper Wang."

Vault Keeper Wang looked at the students again.

"Alright, tell me what weapon you want and this old man will tell you where to look. You, speak."

He pointed at one of the level 4 cultivators.

"Replying to elder Wang, I would like an axe."

Vault Keeper Wang did not say a word. He merely formed a seal with his hands and planted it on the boy's chest.

"Follow this Solar Fly. And don't get lost, I'm not going to go looking for you. Am I clear?"

He went his way one by one. Some students already had their own weapons, so he merely directed them in the direction that would lead them to their respective weapon cultivation manuals.

Da Bao's presented his weapon which Vault Keeper Wang appraised.

"Dragon-God Slaying Saber, what a nice treasure. Your great great grandfather and I are very well acquainted."

Da Bao was sent on his way. Tian Han was next, his weapon was also appraised.

"Hm, Immortal Seeking Dagger. Don't go throwing it around the sect carelessly."

Tian Han was also sent away. And Vault Keeper Wang continued berating students, sending them stumbling as they tried to keep up with the Solar Flies.

He approached Yao Lingyan who pulled out a spear.

"Black Deity Spear? Only the norther- Hehe!"

He had figured out Yao Lingyan's identity the minute he saw the Black Deity Spear.

Next was Hun Lian. She looked at Vault Keeper Wang with great anticipation. He received her with a smile on his face. Throughout his years of living, he had no children, so he looked at her as if she were his very own grandchild.

"Grandpa Wang, you said I had to wait until I got older. Now that everyone is old enough I want my weapon."

"Okay, okay. Follow this Solar Fly alright. Your grandfather has already arranged your weapon for you."

He patted Hun Lian's head and sent her on her way. She skipped while humming, without a care in the world. All she knew was that she would be getting her very own weapon, and this gave her a thrill.

Vault Master's face transformed from a smile back into it's original stern form. He turned to face Chu Fan, who was nervously smiling at the moment. He bowed and offered his greetings.

"Greetings Elder Wang."

Vault Keeper Wang held an expressionless face and merely nodded as he stroke his beard.

"Good. Now, what is your weapon of choice, boy?"

"I already have my own weapon."

Vault Keeper Wang rolled his eyes.

"Well then present it before hand. Come on, I don't have all day."

Chu Fan bowed and took off his cookie cutter bracelet.

"A bracelet? What do you want to do with a bracelet? Are you-"

He was stopped in the middle of his sentence as the bracelet glowed and reshaped itself into a cleaver.

"Hmph! So what? Flashiness doesn't help you when the enemy is- What? How?"

Vault Keeper Wang took a look at the cleaver in question. And he began to shake, it would be more accurate to say that he was trembling. On the verge of tears, he didn't know what to say.

"Where did I find this? Is that what you want to ask Vault Keeper Wang?"

Vault Keeper Wang only nodded while Chu Fan smiled and crossed his hands.

"Whelp, it's kind of a long story. I can tell you over a cup of tea, if you would like."

Vault Keeper Wang nodded and personally lead Chu Fan to his private quarters.