Legend of Niyonika

Element Defining Stage 2 (Ch.18)

~First and last, what is demanded of genius is love of truth~

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Niyonika assumed whatever he must have experienced in the illusionary world in what had been a mere few seconds to them in the real world must have been traumatizing enough to put such an expression on the disciple's face.

Before the disciple could speak, a voice sounded from the element defining rock that elicited a scream of shock from some of the faint hearted outer disciples.

"Drake, eighteen summers of age.

Claimed element- Earth elemental.

True element- Earth elemental. Claimed cultivation level- Mid stage of the third level of the elemental novice realm.

True cultivation level- Peak stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm.

Item used to induce temporary cultivation increase- Low level earth crystal." The element defining rock spoke in a crisp and clear monotone.

With each word spoken by the element defining rock, the disciple in question winced as all his secrets and deceit were blatantly exposed for all his fellow disciples to see.

The look on the disciple's face alone was enough to clear any doubts anyone might have had about the element defining rock's accuracy.

Quiet murmurings spread amongst the gathered outer disciples as they each stared at this unfortunate disciple with accusation and disdain.

"A mere second level of the elemental novice realm?! And his lies made us treat him with so much respect, as though he was an outstanding genius at the mid stage of the third level of the elemental novice realm?! This shameless bastard!" One of the outer disciples exclaimed in a tone full of disdain.

"I always knew there was something off about him! And look how he strutted about as proud as a peacock! Even when he knew he was nothing but a bundle of lies! Truly too shameless!" Another of the outer disciples agreed.

The murmurings increased in pitch as different outer disciples said their opinions about the situation. The unfortunate disciple who stood on the stage seemed to be shrinking into himself and fervently hoping for the ground to open up and swallow him.

Niyonika shook her head slightly, so this was the method the five major sects had decided on to teach the false elementals a good lesson.

Niyonika admitted, it would be quite effective, after being humiliated before hundreds of outer disciples from different parts of the empire who would definitely spread your tales whenever they visit home, it was without doubt that this disciple would probably never be able to raise his face in public.

This unfortunate disciple was not even a false elemental, he did posses an element but had fabricated his elemental cultivation level and yet the element defining rock had revealed his deceit so brutally.

This method of the five major sects was cruel indeed, however Niyonika believed it was better a lesson was learnt earlier in age than for these young disciples to continue growing in deceitful ways.

"Now, the element defining stage of the ranking contest might be formality, but that is only for the honest cultivators. For the deceitful, it is a brutal elimination method!"

" Outer disciple Drake! For the crime of fabricating your elemental cultivation level and deceiving the sect elders and your fellow disciples, you shall be eliminated from participating in this year's ranking contest and must wait three years to qualify for a chance to participate again."

" This is the most merciful punishment as we could have exiled you from the clan completely but in consideration of the fact that you do possess a major element and are not completely a false elemental, we shall permit you to remain on probation,"

"Should you continue in your deceitful ways instead of dutifully cultivating your element, you shall immediately be thrown out of the Heavenly Sage Pavilion! Our Heavenly Sage Pavilion shall never and will never tolerate dishonest disciples!" The elder announced, his previous amiable tone had vanished, now being replaced by a cold and hard tone.

The unfortunate disciple nodded shakily before climbing of the stage and hurrying away.

The elder lifted a hand and an atmosphere of pin drop silence fell upon the gathered disciples as they all now realized another disciple's name would be called next to take the test.

After witnessing the humiliation of their fellow disciple, the gathered outer disciples exchanged reluctant and fearful gazes, praying not to be the next one called up, none wanted to take the chance at receiving the kind of humiliation their fellow disciple had just received but naturally it was unavoidable.

"Trent, seventeen summers of age. Water elemental. Elemental cultivation level is at the mid stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm." The elder called, the disciple in question stepped out and headed towards the elevated dais.

The disciple followed the outlined directions and carried out his element defining test.

"Trent. Seventeen summers of age.

Claimed Element- Water elemental

True Element- Water Elemental

Claimed cultivation level- Mid stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm

True cultivation level- Mid stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm." The element defining rock announced in it's usual monotone.

"Outer disciple Trent and water elemental, Pass!" The elder announced, indicating that the disciple in question now qualified to participate in the next stage of the ranking contest.

The disciple in question heaved a visible sigh of relief as he was declared to have successfully scaled through the brutal element defining stage.

"Hank, eighteen summers of age, Fire elemental." The elder called the next disciple.

The disciple moved to the element defining rock and after the test the results were given.

"Hank, eighteen summers of age.

Claimed Element- Fire elemental

True Element- Light Elemental

Claimed cultivation level- high stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm.

True cultivation level- low stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm

Item used to fabricate element and cultivation level- Mid level fire berry

Tagged- False elemental!" The element defining rock announced, once again throwing the gathered outer disciples into pin drop silence.

"Hank...exiled!" The elder announced without hesitation, waving his hands for the pleading disciple to by pulled away and thrown out.

"Raila, is it that the five major sects do not accept cultivators with only a minor element at all?" Niyonika whispered curiously to Raila.

"They certainly do, big sister. Excluding senior sister Rue, there are a good number of cultivators with minor elements as their only element. However minor elements have the nature to be only a supporting element to major elements, hence they hardly ever develop to a high level and even at a high level, their attacking force is greatly inferior to a major element."

"Unlike the boundless power of major elements due to their natural abundance in nature, minor elements have limited capability and hence elementals with minor elements show little promise."

" Even dual elementals with major and minor elements can only cultivate their minor element to a limited level,"

" hence not just the five major sects but most sects prefer disciples with the five major element as there is more promise of growth there, in any case, the five major sects still accept cultivators with minor elements like any other major element, it only happens that cultivators with minor elements usually always fail the qualification test as when they are paired against any other aspiring disciple for confrontation, the aspiring disciple with the major element knocks them out very easily."

"Due to this, the requirements to participate in the qualification test as a minor elemental is an extremely high and promising cultivation level, the least of which is from the third level of the elemental novice realm, which is difficult to find amongst minor elementals, however this requirement is the only way to ensure the minor elementals participating in the qualification test actually stand a chance against the major elementals."

"Beyond this, the five major sects are generally very accepting towards minor elementals, especially those with the more unique minor elements like storm, ice, nature and sound , they just have really high requirements and majority of the minor elementals tend to fall short of this." Raila explained, Niyonika nodded in understanding.

The explanation was sensible, although the limitations of cultivation the minor elementals possessed were natural, as long as there were still those outstanding minor elementals like sister Rue who could overcome nature's limitations on them, then certainly the five major sects had no reason to be considerate towards the others who fell short of the required qualifications.

It was not a matter of understanding or consideration, what the five major sects and probably all other sects sought were extremely talented disciples with great potential that could take their sects to greater levels, the sects only willingly invested so much in their disciples for the sake of reaping the benefits in the future should their disciple achieve great feats.

It was a matter of give and take, the situation of minor elementals would seem like a charity case to the five major sects and in these times were power and strength were the universal language, there was no consideration for the weak.

"Gretha, sixteen summers of age, Earth elemental." The elder called again, not even giving the gathered disciples the chance to process the scene of seeing one of their fellow disciples dragged out and exiled from the sect.

The female stepped out and carried out her element defining test.

"Gretha, sixteen summers of age.

Claimed Element- Earth elemental

True Element-Earth elemental

Claimed cultivation level- low stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm.

True cultivation level-low stage of the second level of the elemental novice realm." The element defining rock once again revealed.

"Outer disciple Gretha and Earth elemental, Pass!" The elder announced.

"Kent, sixteen summers of age, Fire elemental."

"Outer disciple Kent and fire elemental, pass!"

"Dan, seventeen summers of age, water elemental!"

"Outer disciple Dan, exiled!"

"Grey, eighteen summers of age, air elemental!"

"Outer disciple Grey, eighteen summers of age, Pass!"

And so the elder went on and on, calling one disciple after the other and then announcing their fate after the element defining rock had given it's assessment...