168 The Beginning of the Competition (1/2)
”Are you seeing what I'm seeing?” Asked Alesia to a focused Daniel.
Daniel looked attentively at the man that had appeared out of the blue in the middle of the massive stadium. He had also noticed the man's missing finger, and yet, he could not be sure that he was the one that had commissioned the attack on his company.
Of course, Daniel had already thought of the possibility that the man's injury could be a simple coincidence, or that by absurd, it could be a distinctive mark of a certain type of people within the collective.. He wasn't stupid enough to make such an heavy accusation against someone with such a flimsy excuse.
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Ten minutes earlier, within the hall underneath the stadium.
This hall was reserved for the participants and their teachers to prepare for the games.
Here, the rules of the competition had just been explained to them.
Since the points assigned to the winner of the competition were based on two different factors, the games were also divided into two phases.
The first phase, was the test of comprehension.
There was only one way to assess a person's comprehension in dept, and that was to make them create an essence sphere.
Naturally, due to the massive amount of cultivators present, and the large time required to create a regular and permanent essence sphere, the organizers of the event had decided not to use that as the main way of evaluation.
Instead, they had decided to make the participants produce one without essence treasure, which meant that they would require to focus their entire comprehension into a sphere-like form. That, would require much less time.
After the assessment, this sphere would dissipate due to the lack of a binding item.
The way the organizers had decided to conduct this part of the event, was to simply consider the highest level of sphere that the participant was able to create, before the time limit finished, and their immortal essence would run out, causing it to dissipate.
This was also a way to raise the level of the competition.
Cultivators of a higher level which had put much more time into studying a specific essence, would be able to condense a sphere much faster than weaker, or younger cultivators.
Naturally, any form of restoration for one's immortal essence which wasn't part of the natural production of one's body, was strictly forbidden.
They would only have one chance to create the best sphere with their own immortal essence.
The second part of the competition was, of course, a practical test of control over a specific type of essence.
For example, all of the cultivators which were testing their comprehension and control of fire essence, would have to perform an attack against a master of fire essence appointed by the organizers, and defend from one of their attacks.
These masters were picked amongst the very rare cultivators that had reached a perfect comprehension of a specific essence, and usually possessed a high level of cultivation.
Only they were able to perfectly match the power of each participant, and maintain it while conducting the test, and evaluating the results.
They also never belonged to any of the companies that participated in the event, so as to make sure that they wouldn't over evaluate the members of their own companies, or under evaluate the members of competitor companies.
After the tests for each essence would end, the next test would be conducted, and the cultivators would have the chance to remain in the arena to be tested in another essence, or leave, and come back afterwards for future testing.
Many cultivators participated in more than one category, after all, the points would be stacked at the end of the event, and only the cultivator with the most points amongst them could win the final prize.
If by absurd a cultivator was able to obtain a perfect score on both comprehension and control over an essence, they would still only have two hundred points.. Anyone that had a mid or higher comprehension and control over two different types of essences would be able to match that result easily.
Edmund, Roley and Jerigh were standing quietly within the massive group of cultivators.
”Aren't you two a little young to be participating in this event?” Asked an old man as he approached their group. Following him, were a man which demonstrated at least forty years of age, and a woman which was thirty-five at the very least.
He was the teacher of the team that was going to participate for their company, while the other two, were the participants.
Edmund turned to look at the approaching group, and said ”Intelligence, talent, and opportunity.. Neither of these are conditioned by age.” His tone was indifferent, and his meaning clear.
Despite Edmund's good point, the old man wasn't wrong. The average age of the participants of the event was forty, and for a good reason. The older a cultivator, the more time he would have had to study a particular essence.
Of the twenty-four hundred participants, only Jerigh and Roley were under thirty years of age.
By making the two of them join the games, Daniel's group was indirectly boasting about having the greatest talents of the entire collective.
”How disappointing.. For a teacher, you sure are capable of underestimating the value of time..” Said the old man with clear disappointment in his tone.
Suddenly, an impressively high voice came from above them. Causing their mind to fall in a distraught state for a few moments.
”IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU ALL! TO THE FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTH EDITION OF THE 'A WORLD IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND' COLLECTIVE'S GAMES!” Shouted the nine-fingered man from the middle of the stadium.
As soon as the last word left his mouth, thousands of pieces of firework were launched in the air, and exploded with colorful shows of lights in the darkening sky.
At the same time, various holes opened in the ceiling of the hall underneath the stadium, and below them, various sets of stairs formed. From these sets of stairs, the various groups marched out one after the other, while wearing the crests of their companies.