A Good Weapon

As soon as they got out of the carriage and saw where they were, the five Aspirants realized they had traveled a long way. They were now in a mountainous area, starkly different from the region around Violent Lake.

The large, long-branched trees, far apart from each other, adorned the edges of the snow-capped mountains. But the Aspirants barely glanced at them, their minds preoccupied with thoughts of the sect and their arduous journey.

Summoned to the group's breakfast, they remembered their hunger, their stomachs "screaming" for food different from what they had eaten on the Eternal Doom Island. The food on the journey to Demon Gate was not refined, but it was spicy, hot, and prepared with minimal care.

As they settled around a fire on the edge of a cliff, the five of them put aside their thoughts about the sect and the world of spirit masters for a moment to enjoy the group's soup. The spicy aroma mingled with the crisp mountain air, making their stomachs rumble in anticipation. The crackle of the fire and the distant call of mountain birds filled the silence.

Mary nudged Lian with a grin, "Better than the gruel on the island, right?" Lian chuckled, his eyes softening at the sight of the steaming soup.

All the group's guards had already eaten and were preparing to return to the road. Meanwhile, the group's cook, a burly figure with a scarred face, watched the five Aspirants while serving the First Officer, there to guide them.

"I believe you've already started your readings. Do any of you have any questions for me?" inquired the First Officer, a gray-haired man who was not wearing a mask.

The five of them looked at the First Officer, each with a full mouth, marveling at the taste of the soup. Despite being the lowest-ranking members of the group, they were at least enjoying good food, a stark contrast to their time as captives.

Amias and Ajax had tears in their eyes as they savored the soup.

Seth glanced at Mary and Liam, hoping one of them would voice a question.

Liam finished chewing his food under the watchful eye of Merlin, who had quickly identified him as the group's leader.

Realizing he needed to speak, Liam thought for a moment before asking, "First Officer, the sect has 10 hierarchical positions, but there are only eight realms of cultivation. I assume our Supreme Leader is not a Spirit Master of the Spirit Sovereign Realm. So, do the positions in the sect depend on something other than our cultivation?"

Merlin was silent for a moment, scrutinizing the young man, the one who carried a silver spear on his shoulder. His experienced eyes narrowed, and his lips formed a mysterious smile.

"That's a good spear you have there... Where did you get it?" First Officer Merlin deflected Liam's question and stood up as the group's cook took a step back.

Seth and the others felt a shiver run down their spines, realizing that Liam had somehow angered their superior.

Liam frowned, his hand instinctively moving behind his back, unsure of the reason for the First Officer's reaction. Nevertheless, he replied, "I found it on the island, in a demon's lair."

"Can I see it up close?" Merlin asked, stopping in front of Liam and extending one of his hands.

Without hesitation, Liam handed over his weapon to the First Officer.

Merlin took the silver spear, a seemingly useless item in his hands but valuable to Spirit Lords and newly promoted Spirit Earth cultivators. Twirling the spear in the air, he danced with it in front of the five Aspirants, moving so swiftly that his hands became a blur.

Liam felt a powerful gust of wind blow toward him, followed by a shiver running down his spine, as if he were facing death itself. Suddenly, the shiny tip of the spear stopped just below his Adam's apple, subtly slicing his neck and causing a drop of blood to run down the weapon's tip.

"Hmm, that is indeed a formidable weapon. It's a shame that it's classified as a second-class weapon," he remarked, introducing the material classifications that the group would delve into as they read further.

"Aspirant, refrain from attempting to fathom the extent of the Supreme Leader's power once more. In the future, your superior may not possess the same level of benevolence as I do." With a surprising gesture, he returned the spear to Liam, catching the boy off guard as he had assumed his weapon would be confiscated following such a demonstration of authority.

'Your punishment is to carry this weapon with you... I'll let you experience firsthand how difficult it is to have possessions in our world.' Marlin thought, smiling subtly as he watched Liam thank him for his 'benevolent' attitude.

"Despite your audacity, you're not wrong. The sect doesn't consider your cultivation for all levels of power within it. In the world of Spirit Masters, having influence is just as important as having power.

You can grow in the sect even if you are stuck in a cultivation bottleneck. This is also a way for us to allow great talents not to be restricted by silly rules that only slow down the development of the most talented people.

In Demon Gate, you will have every opportunity to become a member of the legion of warriors at the pinnacle of this world. It will be up to you, your ambition, your talent, and your will."

Merlin stretched out his arms and smiled, his eyes opening, while his mana pulsated in tune with his words. 

"Do you desire power? Women? Gold? Maybe men?" He laughed as he looked at Mary. "Whatever it is, in Demon Gate, you can conquer anything with your will. 

There are no growth rules that limit you in the sect. Even Spirit Lords can become Officers and can get fantastic resources that will quickly advance their cultivation.

As you become stronger and more relevant, things will only get better. As members of one of the most prestigious sects on the continent, you'll be able to command kings if you want to!"

The three men and Mary looked at Marlin with admiration, seeing a man as strong as the First Officer speak so forcefully about Demon Gate, a force they themselves knew to be very influential.

Imagining the possibilities ahead and how they could grow in the sect even without worrying about their cultivations, the four of them felt less fearful and more excited about the future.

Liam looked at Merlin cautiously, feeling the temptation of the man's words but remaining sober about his position.

In the realm of ideas and plans, it seems easy to arrive at Demon Gate and grow. But in practice, it shouldn't be that easy.'

He narrowed his eyes, pretending to feel the same as his companions.

He smiled as he looked away. 'These are sheep, and such a bastard is a damn shepherd. If I take those words seriously, I'll end up dead as soon as the shepherd decides I'm no longer valuable or dangerous.'

He sat down after seeing Merlin relax and moved away from them to give them room to finish eating.

Mary commented to him. "Demon Gate sounds amazing, don't you think? I didn't think the sect was that fascinating."

Liam looked at Mary in silence, seeing how Merlin was preparing the group that had once hated Demon Gate to see it differently.

"Hmm, let's take it easy, Mary," he muttered to her as he finished eating the contents of his bowl of soup. 

"Don't be so strict, Liam," she said jokingly before speaking quietly. "This man is obviously a Spirit Sky Spirit Master. But if we can grow fast, we can reach the fourth realm of cultivation. It shouldn't be too difficult to advance until we become First Officers."

He just looked at her and said nothing. If it were easy, there wouldn't be only one First Officer in this group. He looked around and saw that except for the Commander and the First Officer, everyone else had Officer symbols on their clothes.

While Mary and the others finished eating, Liam interpreted the situation that had just occurred.

'The Supreme Leader of the sect is probably not a Spirit Sovereign... This talk of being one of the strongest forces on the continent doesn't convince me either. But the leader of the Demon Gate is no less than a Spirit King… Right? I'm guessing that he's a Spirit Emperor.

It won't be easy to escape. If the Supreme Leader is the strongest in the sect, then there must be a few dozen Spirit King cultivator in it, and probably dozens, maybe even a few hundred Spirit Sky cultivators.'

He closed his eyes as he heard an Officer call them back to the carriage, and the group prepared to return to the road. 

'The road ahead will be long and winding. I must prepare myself to endure this Demon Gate environment until I become a Spirit Sky cultivator. Until that, it will be almost impossible for me to escape.'