Chapter 47: Nominated

  Shrouded in the warm, golden glow of the afternoon sun, Damon sat atop a bed holding an exquisite little piece of parchment. Upon it were the words ‘Invitation to the Crucible Convergence’ written boldly at the top in fancy calligraphy. The unfurled scroll was physically light, yet it currently weighed down his hands like a large burden.

  “A nomination for your participation was submitted by Disciple Alan. After careful consideration, you have been chosen as a contestant. You are hereby officially invited to compete in the upcoming Crucible Convergence. Notify your combat class teacher as soon as possible regarding your decision to enter the tournament.”

  Damon read the letter out loud before placing it down and reclining back into the soft, fluffy cushions on the bed. When he had previously heard about the Crucible Convergence from Dylan, he had desired to stand atop the stage alongside Claire and Thomas, as he saw them as rivals. However, things had changed. The parasitic jewel was still clinging to his Mind Node, uneasiness creeping in every time he thought about it.

  “I need to focus on finding a method to deal with this infestation, rather than competing in the tournament. After this disaster, the Academy will definitely be investigating anything related to the mind path. It would not be wise to show off my mental abilities in a public setting such as the Convergence, where even Adepts will be in attendance.”

  Lying atop the comfortable bed, covered in smooth silk that remained cool to the touch, Damon stopped ruminating about his situation. He deferred his decision on the invitation until after he met with Alan in three days. For now, he just enjoyed the luxury. He breathed in the familiar scent of pine lingering in the air as he reminisced about his home village. Even as he was surrounded by the opulence befitting nobility or royalty, he thought he would trade it for the harder but simpler times he had spent with his adoptive parents without hesitation.

  The fine silk turned rough, and the squishy cushions hardened to stone. The bed Damon was on felt confining, as the room lost its warmth. He shouldn’t get used to lavishness. No. He couldn’t. In the back of his mind, he always kept the traumatic memories within arm’s reach. It wasn’t because he enjoyed revisiting the moments. It was because it helped stoke the flames of determination. He withdrew a little jadeite button and a small wooden sparrow, holding one in each hand and gently running his thumb over them.

  Relationships and human connection are always superior to any materialistic gains. I must continue gaining power until I’m strong enough to protect those who are precious to me. That is the only way to prevent the loss of friends or family again…

  With this last thought settling in his mind, Damon drifted off into a deep slumber, still grasping the two items tightly in his palms.

  At the southwestern corner of the Academy, there was a small building surrounded by calm tranquility. A grove of tall and thin trees hid it from wandering eyes. Small oval-shaped fruits covered in globular segments glistened in the leaves. They released a pleasant smell resembling a mixture of the sourness of citrus and the sweetness of berries. The trees swayed in the slightest breeze, their skinny branches and blade-like leaves performing a sword dance for any visitors.

  Underneath the whirling trees, a few tables were set up. Only one of these tables was currently occupied, and a bulky man with a shifty mustache sat opposite a tall and lean man with handsome features. They were Alan and Damon, respectively. In front of the two men were fine porcelain cups filled with a purple liquid.

  “This is a great environment. I did not know such a teahouse existed within the Academy. These fruits are..?” Damon asked as he glanced up at the glossy blue fruits attached to the branches of the trees.

  “This is not a secret area, but only those who know of it come. The tea they serve is made from these fruits. They are called Rainfall Berries. The name comes from the fact that they cannot be harvested directly, only falling during the rain if they are ripe. They are a peculiar type of first-tier essence fruit.” Alan picked up his teacup and took a delicate sip, preventing any liquid from touching his mustache.

  Damon and Alan had met up around half an hour ago, yet they had only been silently observing each other or making pointless small talk. Damon was feeling slightly nervous as Alan had already seemed suspicious of him when he was discovered after his battle with James. He also took a sip of the tea, focusing on the sweet, yet mellow flavor of the fruit. Although the tea was hot, the liquid felt cool as it slid down his throat. It made him feel energized, as though he was overflowing with power.

  As Damon was taking another mouthful of the warm purple drink, Alan finally spoke up.

  “I know you’re hiding something.”

  Cough. Cough. Damon choked on his tea as he swallowed, coughing to clear his airways of the now-bitter liquid. His heart hammered against his chest as his eyes darted around, searching for a way to respond. Before he could formulate a retort, Alan continued speaking.

  “You are still just an inexperienced boy. Just the slightest nudge and you already give away everything. Try not to be so obvious in the future.” Alan smirked at the flustered Damon. “I don’t care about what secrets you have, as long as you continue to serve the Assembly wholeheartedly. Everyone has secrets, aiming to grow stronger than their peers using any means they can get their hands on. So don’t worry any further. I won’t reveal my suspicions to anyone.”

  Alan stopped after saying this, finishing his tea and pouring himself another cup. A wave of relief washed over Damon once he heard those words. He was right to assume that Alan had his suspicions, but he did not need to feel anxious anymore. If Alan had meant him harm, they would not be sitting peacefully in this serene location. The small knot in his chest unraveled as his shoulders relaxed.

  “The reason I nominated you for the Crucible Convergence is precisely because of your secrets. You managed to take down a mid stage Channel Weaving Disciple, regardless of whether he really was injured before the fight or not.” Alan paused once more as he shot a glance at Damon, his mustache twitching alongside the corner of his mouth as he suppressed his smirk. Damon had reacted with unconcealed surprise when he had brought up the supposed injury. What a fun kid to tease.

  “Unfortunately, two of the original participants from the Arcane Academy perished during the recent upheaval. We also lost several other late stage Initiates. The Crucible Convergence may seem like just a small tournament featuring battles in the Node Awakening realm, but it has a greater significance. It is a competition held by the Assembly to reinforce our supremacy over the surrounding region. Therefore, we need contestants who are well-versed in true combat.”

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  Damon fell into deep contemplation. He had not considered the larger reason behind holding the tournament before. However, the importance the Assembly placed on the Convergence had nothing to do with him. He looked up and met Alan’s eyes.

  Alan could see the questioning gaze within Damon’s bright eyes. He immediately understood what the boy was asking.

  “It’s true that for a new apprentice like you, the hidden implications between associations are not important. If that failed to pique your interest, maybe this will. It is a list of the rewards that will be given to the participants.” Alan leaned in closer as he took out a scroll from his robes and handed it to Damon.

  Receiving the scroll from Alan, Damon unfurled it to reveal an incredibly straightforward list, scribbled in messy handwriting. It looked like someone had rushed to copy the list at the last moment. He glanced up at Alan, who was currently very busy admiring the nearby trees, before looking back at the sheet of parchment.

  First Place. Second-tier secret technique taught personally by a Warden.

  Second Place. Top-grade second-tier artifact staff.

  Third Place. Three Elixirs of Passage Formation.

  Fourth Place. Elixir of Passage Formation.

  Quarter Finals. One low-grade second-tier material.

  Round of 16. Five second-tier essence stones.

  Round of 32. Ten vials of Arcane Development Potions

  Damon barely even glanced at the first-place prize. No matter how powerful the secret technique was, being in the presence of such a mighty figure was the worst outcome for him currently. He then looked at the second-place prize.

  Top-grade second-tier artifact? Wait… When I bought my bow and arrow set, Manager Brian only mentioned it was crafted from second-tier materials… There was no mention of a grade. Was I scammed by him as well?

  Cursing Brian in his mind, Damon briefly lost track of what he was doing. He soon regained his composure and looked at the prizes for third and fourth place. Curiously, he had not seen this type of resource for sale at the Pavilion.

  “Senior Alan, what are these Elixirs of Passage Formation?”

  Finally bringing his attention back to Damon from the dancing trees, Alan said, “Elixirs of Passage Formation are concoctions that help you break through the bottleneck at the peak of Node Awakening, and into the early stage of Channel Weaving. As the name implies, it boosts your arcane power temporarily, and helps guide it into your body in the process of forming your first channel.”

  “That sounds like a very useful potion!” Damon’s eyes glimmered at the thought of obtaining this reward. However, he was confused about one thing. “Why is it not being sold by the Pavilion? Surely it would fetch some immense profits.”

  “The Elixir is controlled by the associations to maintain their superiority over the random independent cultivators or small clans propping up here and there.” Alan tapped on the table a few times with his fingertips. “Also, some of the materials required to craft it are quite rare and cannot be found in this world. They are usually only found in demi-planes.”

  Damon furrowed his brows. That must be why Feylis was unable to break through his bottleneck and advance to the Channel Weaving realm.

  “Does it mean it is impossible to progress to a higher realm without resources? Also, what is this demi-plane?” Damon asked, unable to mask his concern for the future.

  “No. You still have a low chance of advancing without any supplementary medicines. The exact odds depend on which realm you are trying to break into, but can also be impacted by other factors such as age, talent, fate, and your cultivation foundation.” Alan paused and looked at Damon. He was hesitating on whether to tell Damon about the news regarding the recently discovered demi-plane.

  “A demi-plane is a fragment of a world that has been torn apart by some sort of unknown force, greater than anything that exists in our imaginations.” Alan watched Damon gasp in disbelief and smirked, reveling in the feeling of teaching him something new. It was actually quite enjoyable. “They vary in size, some only the size of a small estate, others as a country or even a small continent. They are often filled with high concentrations of atmospheric essence, and brimming with ancient resources or materials, sometimes even secret inheritances.”

  Damon’s pupils shook as he tried to imagine what could tear an entire world apart. The Circuit Completion realm was already a tall mountain for him to climb, yet even an Adept would be unable to rip apart space. What kind of force could rip apart existence like parchment?

  “The demi-planes are scattered throughout the continent, and are only accessible during specific periods, and by specific realms. This is because the entrances to these areas are usually in the form of a spatial rift, which oscillates between stable and calm, and unstable and life-threatening. The stability of the entrance is what determines the maximum realm of cultivators that are able to enter. They can also be filled with danger, especially newly discovered ones.”

  Damon was extremely intrigued to learn about such a mystical existence. His mind whirled with numerous thoughts. Ancient resources from a different world? Perhaps… I’ll be able to find materials related to the mind path!

  Alan finally decided to reveal the secret information to Damon. “In fact, our Assembly has recently discovered a new demi-plane nearby. It has not become stable enough to explore yet, but the preliminary probes indicate that it is an enormous plane with abundant atmospheric essence. This implies that it contains just as many precious resources. It has been estimated that the entrance will stabilize in around three to four years. An accurate evaluation will be made when the time comes.”

  A flood of excitement rushed through Damon's body. This was an opportunity he did not want to miss. The mention of dangers had completely flown over his head, and only the section about ancient materials and precious resources remained in his thoughts. He was hoping it was limited to his cultivation realm, meaning he would be able to contest for the best items.

  Sitting with his arms crossed, Alan observed Damon’s reaction to the revelation of the new demi-plane. He smiled and thought that Damon would definitely place the demi-plane as one of his future goals.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Damon saw Alan smirking at him again. Why does Senior Alan always smirk like that? Does he know that it’s not a pleasant expression?

  While Damon was distracting himself with his thoughts, Alan said something that stunned him.

  “Just so you know, you don’t have the option to decline the invitation for the Crucible Convergence. Also, you must reach the mid stage of Node Awakening before the commencement in three months, otherwise you will be disqualified. Do you understand what will happen if you don’t advance in time?”

  Damon stared at the ever-persistent smirk on Alan’s face with a stupefied expression.

  This wretch… He’s blatantly threatening me! However, I have no choice but to comply. I should be able to reach the mid stage in three months, right? As long as I succeed, it would be a good opportunity to get my hands on some Elixirs of Passage Formation.

  Alan witnessed both the momentary panic and strong determination pass through Damon’s gleaming eyes. Still smirking, he finally spoke some words that brought Damon a wave of confusion at the same time as a sense of delight.

  “By the way, I have the rewards for your contribution during the disaster with me as well. I’m sure it will help you resolve your current dilemma.”

  Damon has been nominated to participate in the Crucible Convergence!

  Tournament Arc?

  Book 1 of Origin of Trinity will finish after this final Arc!