Legend of Niyonika

A Surprising Test Result (Ch.21)

~Wit is the epitaph of an emotion~

-Friedrich Nietzsche

However after trying for a while and noticing no visible change in the mass of her air element, Niyonika gave up and came to terms with the fact that her true cultivation level would be exposed.

Although Niyonika was not certain how she would explain such a frightening advancement in cultivation, there was no helping it, she could only begin planning methods to protect herself from the danger her progress would bring her way.

Although Niyonika doubted anyone would find it easy to attack her with her current level of cultivation, but in any case, should they decide to, Niyonika would be ready.

Niyonika shut her eyes and envisioned the illusionary world, willing her form to exit the mind space and reappear in the illusionary world.

Not long after, Niyonika's eyes fluttered open when she felt the visible change in the atmosphere, taking a look around, she noticed she had indeed appeared back at the mountain peak of the towering mountain in the illusionary world.

Niyonika assumed her illusionary world had taken the form of such a scenery due to her air element.

The element defining test was after all a test to confirm the authenticity of one's claimed major element and one's element cultivation level.

Naturally the only way to test the authenticity of an elemental cultivator's element would be to test the elemental cultivator's ability to survive in a world where his own element was against him.

Since the intensity of the test was determined by the element defining rock based on an elemental cultivator's element cultivation level, the elemental cultivator would definitely be able to overcome the attack of his own element if his element and element cultivation level were genuine.

Judging from this, Niyonika assumed a fire elemental cultivator's illusionary world would be in a fire induced setting, perhaps a volcano and the same went for the earth and water elementals.

Niyonika felt a slight tug within herself and she knew her time in the illusionary world was over, she had overcome her obstacle and calmed the turbulent winds, although not in a method anyone would have expected but Niyonika had passed the test.

Niyonika shut her eyes and let herself be pulled out from the illusionary world.

_______________

Niyonika's eyes fluttered open and she calmly took her hands off the element defining rock before taking a step back.

"Niyonika. Fifteen summers of age.

Claimed Element- Air Elemental

True Element- Air Elemental

Claimed cultivation level- Mid stage of the first level of the elemental novice realm.

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

Item used to hide cultivation- low level air element pendant." The element defining rock announced in it's monotone.

The words of the element defining rock resulted in the gathered outer disciples exchanging baffled looks.

On this day of the element defining test, the gathered outer disciples had seen a lot of unexpected situations. Numerous outer disciples had either gotten exempted from participating in the ranking contest or exiled from the Heavenly Sage Pavilion.

This was due to the outer disciples fabricating high level of elemental cultivation to get ahead among their peers, but this situation of reducing one's cultivation level was truly astonishing.

The elder in charge of the first stage of the ranking contest broke out into laughter, he seemed to be extremely surprised by this turn of events.

"I have overseen the element defining stage for numerous years and I have equally seen numerous aspiring cultivators who falsified their elemental cultivation level to step into the doors of our Heavenly Sage Pavilion get brutally exposed by our Heavenly Sage Pavilion's element defining rock, who would have thought this elder would actually meet a disciple who does the exact opposite and lowers their element cultivation level? How interesting!" The elder exclaimed, chuckling in amusement.

Niyonika was also in a state of bafflement not much different from the rest of the outer disciples, she had expected to stir a pandemonium once her true cultivation level was exposed by the element cultivation rock. Who would have thought the element cultivation rock would go and say something else?

Niyonika could not understand, was this not the very same element defining rock that was a precious and reverred item that was boasted of being unfailing and perfectly accurate?

How then had it made such an error and quoted her element cultivation level to be so much more lower than what it was?

'Or could it truly be that my breathing technique was effective?' Niyonika pondered, lost in her own thoughts despite the surprise the revelation of her element cultivation level had caused among the gathered outer disciples.

"Outer disciple Niyonika, this elder is curious, what is the reason behind this peculiar act of yours?" The elder asked curiously, drawing Niyonika out of her thoughts.

"Ah, replying to elder's question, this disciple did not infact hide my element cultivation level for any reason in particular or with any intentions. It just happened that this disciple had recently made a breakthrough and found that my air element was highly unstable." Niyonika began earnestly.

"Elder might not be aware, but disciple naturally has a weak health and the physicians that attended to disciple's health since disciple was young has stated continuously that stability of disciple's element was important for disciple's health improvement."

"Disciple's advancement in element cultivation level resulted in instability of my element that might have led to harming disciple's health. Knowing this, disciple hurriedly procured an item to dampen the effects of my cultivation advancement so disciple may have the opportunity to stabilize my new level to avoid instability of my cultivation energy."

Niyonika quickly constructed an explanation to escape the situation, she herself was not even aware as to why the previous Niyonika had hidden her true cultivation level, although Niyonika herself supported this decision of the previous Niyonika, she absolutely would not be taking a fall for it.

If Niyonika somehow mentioned that she feared attack from fellow outer disciples if she revealed her true element cultivation level, Niyonika knew the elder would naturally wish to know which disciple posed a threat to Niyonika, in such a situation how could Niyonika point fingers without evidence?

Such a situation would only result in unnecessary chaos and Niyonika would be the one mostly affected.

"Ah, so it was like this? Disciple could have just approached any of the elders in charge and explain the situation so they might grant you a cultivation stabilizing pill, the elders are here to help you through your cultivation journey." The elder lectured Niyonika but it was obvious he did not truly mean his words.

"Disciple did not dare bother the elders with my own personal matter. Disciple was shortsighted." Niyonika replied with a bow, although within her heart, Niyonika chuckled in amusement.

'Since when did it get to the turn of the outer disciples to approach the sect elders for assistance at will? One would be lucky if one was not thrown out for daring such.' Niyonika thought to herself, she had only arrived here not more than a few hours prior but Niyonika had gotten sufficient understanding of the status of the outer disciples in the Heavenly Sage Pavilion.

Outer disciples were considered the lowest of the low, being only half a step into the Heavenly Sage Pavilion's doors, how could one dare to expect any special treatment?

Excluding the highly recognized talents among the ranks of the outer disciples like the top ten outer disciples who received great favor and care from the upper class of the sect as they were budding talents, everyone else was simply not worthy enough to enter the eyes of the sect's upper class.

This was not surprising, the Heavenly Sage Pavilion's primary interest was raising talents that could outshine that of other sects hence they paid special attention to promising young talents even among the outer disciples.

This was obvious in the special treatment the top ten outer disciples received which went as far as them being assigned their own individual quarters which was more like a home than a living quarters as Niyonika heard from Raila that their quarters even possessed personal training grounds with a specially created source of their respective elements at their disposal.

Niyonika had also heard the monthly allowance of the top ten outer disciples almost tripled that of the rest of the outer disciples and they were also allowed the opportunity to request specialized meals from the outer disciple kitchen workers.

It truly outshone the treatment of the rest of the outer disciples by a large margin, however none of the outer disciples seemed dissatisfied with this fact, this was because they had long come to terms with the fact that the level of one's strength was equivalent to one's treatment in the Heavenly Sage Pavilion and probably all of the five major sects as well.