Changes On The Slate

By the end of the second day, space warped and the battlefield was gone. The cultivators inside found themselves where they had been standing before they entered the battlefield. Looking around they noticed that they were much fewer of them. People died in the battlefield, this was normal. But this was the first time this many people had died inside. It was very visible that they were much fewer than when they entered.

The familiar instructor stood before them with a lot of assistants. He looked round the entire group of cultivators and sighed. This time, it was bloody beyond compare. He placed his hand on the slate beside him and everyone tensed.

They gazed upon the slate and could only sigh. When the newcomers came, they created their own factions and some of them opted to be completely alone. Now, the original factions had absorbed them all and the twenty names were back in place.

They looked again. No. there was something different this time.

"Look. There is one more name on the top ten list." someone said and everyone strained their eyes on the name.

"Ed? Who?" many started to wonder.

"Could he be the one that took out the eagle and the night-hound faction?" many asked.

"Should be. But he only took out a leaderless eagle faction and the night hound faction. How could he be number three?" someone asked.

"Instructor, this is not right! How can this person be higher than I am?" every one turned the one who spoke. It was Disang Enang. He used to be number three. Every one knew him as a heartless brute. In fact, he was more evil than a brute, he was wild like an animal. He kept those powerful cultivators he killed and ate their bodies later. Many say that he cultivates an evil contemplation, but no one can say.

"Who is this Ed? Come out!" Disang Enang said and they all started looking around. Ed did not bother to respond.

"Is the Ed person, scared?"

"I would be if I was against Disang Enang."

"If I were him, I would never come out."

All these discussions did not faze Ed. He did not care enough to come out. If they wish to find him, they should come to him. He did not care about any one, whether it was their opinion or their anger. The rank means nothing to him.

"Instructor you should tell us the basis for his rank." the instructor said.

"He killed five hundred cultivators. All between spirit picking and spirit awakening. The council decided to raise him on the rank on the platform of opportunity. He may understand this basis." the instructor said, looking right at Ed. Everyone just had to follow his eyes to know who Ed was.

Ed almost nodded at his words. Climbing up the ranks must have a lot of perks. The council must have watched him fight to know that he just wanted an opportunity to horn his skills. What ever the perk is, it would help him fight more.

"The first section Elder wishes to meet you. After which I will lead you to your cave. The accumulated amount of caves you have gained from both factions belong to you. You will be given a map and key access to all the caves you have taken. Most of them are in the second section, others are distributed across other sections. If you would please come with me." on of the assistants said and Ed nodded and followed.

Ed could feel the murderous intent following him as he walked away. He did not care about those on the top ten that had been pushed down by him or their anger. He as going to gain as much experience from this place as possible then he would leave.

Many could not keep their eyes off him. They wanted to cram his face in their mind. Ku Nam stared at Ed blank expression and smiled. One could not tell what he was thinking. They too had climbed into top ten.

"There is someone else on the top nine spot!" someone finally noticed.

"A faction?"