Chapter 200 - The Middle Realm and The People Living There (1/2)
Low, Middle and High Realms
The world in which Leon awoke is called Xulaphrey and is considered a Middle Realm. This means that it is a land with abundant spiritual energy, which is required by all things in small doses, but much more in certain herbs, plants and spiritual beasts. Cultivators gather this energy into themselves in order to seek longevity with the ultimate aim of immortality.
Low realms, which includes the Earth, where Leon lived his first life, are weak in spiritual energy. Whether Cultivators exist there depends on the realm, but they must have enormous potential and ability or they will amount to nothing. Leon does not know whether any Cultivators ever existed on Earth. Low realms are extremely numerous.
The Higher realm may or may not be the only one in existence, but Jin Li only knows about the one he descended from. He is not entirely sure how he came to the middle realm, but it is possible for people to be sucked into spatial tears and transported elsewhere. This is very uncommon. Jin Li would have died had it not been for his cultivation which was a little damaged in transit. No matter what happened to him, he considers this somewhat an act of fate for he would not have his Dao Companion had he not come to Xulaphrey.
Ascending Mountain Institute
Xulaphrey is made up of two continents, simply named the West and the East. The Ascending Mountain Institute is located in the Sky Reaching Mountains to the North East of the Eastern Continent. The Sky Reaching Mountains is a vast range, therefore although the Institute is fairly large, it only owns a small portion of the range.
The Ascending Mountain Institute is made up of five schools, which are then separated into Outer and Inner schools.
The Inner schools accept those with the most talent and potential. They usually gain the better resources, have better living accommodations and access to more interesting tasks.
The Outer Schools accept all the others that can become Cultivators. Often their resources are basic, the boring or unpleasant tasks are assigned them and their standards of living are adequate but not great, living many to a room (with the exception of alchemists, who really need their individual space or others could be caught up in their explosions). Those without the will to learn often drop out.
Should be noted, towards both schools, talent does not always beget hard work. Those who do not strive forward in the inner school often are transferred out to the outer school. Likewise, those who are recognised as exceptional in the outer school are transferred to the inner school.
The Institute does not base acceptance on background, be it class, wealth or connections, but it also doesn't turn away those with the money to gain perhaps otherwise considered unfair entry. However, once in, all students are treated and are expected to treat other students equally. In order to help enforce this, all first years are banned from certain activities where prejudice might affect them, such as in the Standings. Most students stop using class distinction as an excuse to bully others by the second year of school. This is not always guaranteed.
Five Schools
There are five schools within the Ascending Mountain Institute where students can focus and hone their arts. These are:
The Martial Arts School
This is the most popular school at present, with the Beast Taming School and Mage School in close succession. There is a particular undercurrent between the Martial Arts School and Beast Taming School, both looking down on each other and both unaccepting of the others strengths. Neither look down on the Mage school.
Both the inner and outer school look much like the other and there is less of a gap between the two in terms of appearance and comfort. The outer school holds more students in a smaller area, thus there are usually four to a room. The central arena is smaller as well and holds less spectator seating. Otherwise the food is abundant and the students respectful of each other in the most part. There is usually a competitive spirit to be found amongst students.
The Mage School
This school accepts those with one or two major or minor roots and with large inner seas. This seems narrow minded to some, but trying to teach others would really be a waste of resources; without these requirements, the student can never be more than weak in the art of magic. It does not detract from its popularity, in fact it makes it more popular as there are restrictions!
As mages focus on making their abilities into weapons rather than their bodies, they are often physically weaker than other offensive Cultivators, which is why they do not come to blows with the Martial Arts or Beast Taming schools as these physically strong students have to protect them in battle, despite their magics being so much more dangerous than sword or hammer.
Beast Taming School
This school accepts those interesting in working with, breeding and taming various beasts, from wild animals to magical and spirit beasts. They have a long standing rivalry with the Martial Arts School. The students tend to be an earthy lot, not afraid of getting dirty and loyal to their beast partners, though there can be the usual showing off when it comes to rare or valuable pets.
Scholars School
This school is one of the two support schools and generally is dedicated to raising students who wished to pursue paths in careers requiring intelligence and wisdom rather than muscles and power. It covers a vast array of subjects from research, documenting to creation of paper talismans and charms for exorcisms.
Alchemist School
This school teaches the art of Pill and potion making. Usually, it favours students with wood and fire based roots, however due to its lack of popularity in recent centuries, it will take anyone willing to learn to cultivate herbs, sit around a cauldron all day and who are not afraid of explosions. Alchemy tends to be an expensive and underrated career as basic pills and potions are easy to make, numerous on the markets and therefore not very profitable, hence it's unpopularity amongst students of the current generations. However, an excellent and talented Alchemist is hard to find and so often valued much more than a Martial Artist of the same level in Sects and Noble Households.
Julip Town
Julip Town is located at the base of the Ascending Mountain Institute and is spilt into two distinct areas; New and Old town.
The old town is mostly made up of those native to the town and area, whose bloodlines have always lived at the base of the mountain. If it wasn't for the long winding streets of small, squished together houses, it could be likened to a large village where everyone knows everyone else's business. However, due to the fact that it is not wealthy in terms of money and resources, it also attracts a fair few unsavoury folk so there are many beggars and thieves. A red light district has also appeared close to the river which splits Julip town in two.
New Julip town sprung up initially due to the Institute and has continued to grow in affluence. Shops with overpriced merchandise, the Auction House, Griffin Tower and quality restaurants line the heart of the town, ready to sell their goods to the friends and family of existing and aspiring students as well as those seeking audience with the Teachers of the Institute. There are small green spaces to add to its charm with spacious town houses sprawling around about them.
Characters
Leon Our M.C. He thought he had transmigrated here overnight from Earth, but it now appears that he was reborn as a boy called Leo, who was beaten to near death. He suffered a silent cultivation deviation, awakening his memories from his past life while sealing those of his existing in the process. Because he knew nothing of this world and his purpose here, he had to start from scratch, but with the help of Leo's diaries and the shared love he came to have for alchemy, he worked hard and finally became recognised for his strengths. He managed this despite having to raise a bottomless pit of an arrogant and overbearing Martial Artist at the same time. His root is Celestial or Star body.
He tends to be calm and a bit shy as well as quite innocent at times due to his lack of background knowledge. But others find him comfortable to be around and easy to trust as he lacks any scheming and demanding nature common to this world. He is currently nineteen years old, has black and white skunk streak hair that reaches to his thighs. His eyes are large and black, but made larger by his spectacles. He usually wears plain natural or pale blue hemp robes tied with a leather belt and adorned by wooden charms and his interspacial bags as well as a simple oriental crown gifted him by Jin Li.