Outworld Liberators-Chapter 208: Calyx’s Disciple Orientation

Tabulae was escorted to the cave that would now serve as her abode, not far from Fay’s own.

The nearness heartened her enough that she called for Fay the moment she learned it, only to be answered by silence.

No one came. So she entered alone.

Her new cave still smelled of cold stone not yet claimed by its owner’s scent.

She lay down on the soft bed without ceremony and closed her eyes, clinging to the hope that she had made the right choice.

More than anything, she did not want to suffer that same old heartache again.

The outer disciples and inner disciples were housed on the seventh layer of the Radeon Terraces.

In truth, official disciples and named disciples stood little apart in their daily place within the school.

Three days passed.

When the summons finally came, Fay, Oswin, Lifara, and Thaddeus burst from the training grounds with their qi flaring at full speed.

A week earlier, Radeon had reminded them that they were to present themselves properly before their juniors.

Yet for reasons that felt almost malicious, they had been trapped in the maze that morning, their path choked by too many skeletons to count.

By the time they broke free, all four were stained with blood.

It did not matter.

Better to lose an arm and have it healed later than to risk displeasing their master.

They rushed to their seclusion abodes, washed in haste, changed into fresh robes, and swallowed the healing pills left there for them.

Radeon had prepared for their injuries before they ever suffered them, as though he had seen the whole ordeal in advance.

When they emerged from their caves, the panic was gone.

They walked slowly now, with measured steps and composed faces, graceful and remote like banished immortals wandering the mortal world. No trace of their earlier scramble remained.

The new disciples, already assembled at the Sword Pavilion School for their orientation, from Handlefiddler to Raj, felt the shift the moment they saw them.

That calm dignity, that effortless bearing, made the peak seem greater than rumor had promised.

Some even wondered if they had joined not merely school, or the Ossuary Necropolis itself.

One by one, they rose.

"Juniors greet the eldest disciples."

"Be seated," Eldric said.

He gave the four a brief look, sharp and knowing, then turned back to the gathered disciples.

"This is your orientation as disciples of this peak," he said. "I will explain the tasks, the rules, and the benefits that come with belonging here."

He let the silence settle before continuing.

"The first thing we will discuss is your duties."

"Please take out your token."

Everyone obeyed at once, each disciple producing their own token in a hurry.

Even Almsgiver lifted his high, as though fearing he might somehow be overlooked.

Eldric glanced to the side and said.

"Calyx, my throat is rather parched. Help me explain the rules to these youngsters."

Calyx blinked. He had only come to watch. For a brief moment, he wanted to roll his eyes, but he held himself back.

Eldric might not be Radeon, yet in matters like this he still carried the weight of their master’s will.

So Calyx stepped forward and took over.

"This token grants you entry to the sixth and seventh layers of Radeon Peak," he said.

"Lose it outside, and you lose your qualification to enter. It can be replaced, but the price is steep. A wooden token costs one high-grade spirit stone. A steel token costs a hundred."

The new disciples stared at him in shock. At once, fingers tightened around their tokens as though afraid they might vanish on the spot.

"And do not think that makes them easy to reproduce," Calyx went on. "The sixth and seventh layers are vast. Do not burden the attendants by turning your carelessness into their work."

He gave them a moment for the warning to settle before continuing.

"Next, each token bears a number. That number reflects your contribution points. Those points may be exchanged for cultivation resources, on top of what you already receive each month."

"The exchange hall will open at a later date. You may also trade contribution points for spirit stones. One point is worth ten middle-grade spirit stones."

This time, the disciples looked down at their tokens with a different kind of hunger.

"If your number appears in red, then you are in debt," Calyx said.

"That means you offended someone here with status, or you damaged property belonging to the Radeon Terraces."

"No one will hate you for such trifles. We are family here. But you must understand that every action you take on this peak carries real consequences."

He clasped his hands behind his back.

"Third, a mission board will be made available later. There, you may earn contribution points."

"Missions range from work within the peak to assignments beyond the Goldkeep Crownmarkets. You may be asked to gather rare herbs, tame wild beasts, or search for specific materials."

His gaze swept across the gathered disciples.

"Any questions about the tasks?"

Silence.

Calyx raised a brow. "No one?"

At last, Almsgiver slowly raised a hand.

"This is not about the tasks," he said, his voice shy, "but I want to ask something."

Calyx already had a favorable impression of the boy, so he gave a small nod.

"Go on."

"What if I want to see my father? How would that work, Elder Calyx?"

Calyx clicked his tongue lightly.

"First of all, I am not an Elder. I am merely an half-disciple. Eldric is my uncle-master, and my own master is Master Eldric’s senior brother."

That distinction left the newcomers thoroughly confused, though several of them looked oddly enlightened all the same, as if some profound secret of sect hierarchy had just been revealed to them.

In truth, it was little more than spun family nonsense, but no one ever objected to a touch of warmth where a sect was concerned.

"As for visitation, I will answer that for all of you now," Calyx said.

"You may leave and return to the peak whenever you wish, but I would not advise making a habit of it. Every trip away is time taken from cultivation."

He let that settle before continuing.

"The best arrangement is this. Let your loved ones visit once a week at the fifth layer. Better still, since part of the sixth layer is open because of the temple, you may pay your respects to the great ancestor during those visits."

He clasped his hands behind his back.

"Let me also address personal belongings. If there is anything you wish to bring from home, do it as soon as possible. Cultivation waits for no one."

His gaze moved across the seated disciples.

"As for those who wish to bring their families here to stay, that is not allowed. Even so, your disciple token can earn them lodging discounts from the first layer to the fifth of the Radeon Terraces."

He paused.

"Any more questions? Raise your hands if you have any."

This time, no one did.

"Then I will go over the rules, so listen carefully."

Calyx beckoned to one of the ghost attendants. At once, small booklets were passed among the gathered disciples.

"That is the full rulebook," he said. "You are expected to memorize it by heart, but I will still point out the most important parts."

He raised a hand and gestured at everything the disciples could see.

"All of this belongs to the Radeon Terraces. You do not own so much as a blade of grass, a scrap of wood, or a single stone here unless you paid for it."

He lowered his hand, his tone sharpening.

"Second. Do not pursue intimate relationships with your senior brothers or sisters. This is a cultivation school, not a breeding ground."

A few of the newer disciples straightened where they sat.

"Third. Pay attention to the message boards posted throughout the peak. If you miss an event or a lecture, then the loss is yours. We are not being cruel. That is simply how the world works."

His expression did not soften.

"Fourth. Any form of harassment toward a fellow disciple, whether verbal, physical, or psychological, is grounds for termination of your discipleship."

Then he pointed at the nearest ghost attendant.

"We have more than fifty thousand disciples just like you. You are not that special, so remember it."

The words landed heavily enough that no one dared fidget.

"Read the booklet well. You may ask the attendants questions. They are also your senior brothers, though there is no need to greet them while they are working. Do you understand?"

The disciples seated cross-legged on the ground nodded as one.

"Next, and lastly, we come to everyone’s favorite. Benefits."

A stir passed through the gathered disciples at once. Whatever weariness or tension had settled over them during the talk of rules vanished quickly enough at that word.

"First. From named disciple up to core disciple, each of you will be given the chance to choose a cultivation method from our collection of more than a hundred thousand. After lunch, you will be taken to the library."

Calyx swept his gaze across them, already reading the thoughts rising behind their faces.

"We are neither blind nor foolish here," he said. "Some of you are already thinking, I am only a named disciple, so surely I will be made to choose from the lesser methods."

"Nonsense. You were not carried here by favor. You climbed your own way up. We only watched and judged what you could do. Don’t think we are blind of your talents."

His voice hardened with quiet certainty.

"Each cultivation method we have is unique. The worst cultivation scripture in our collection can carry a person to Spirit Transfiguration."

For a moment, no one moved.

Young and old alike stared at him as though he were a rambling old man who had finally lost his wits.

A few even glanced at each other, as if waiting for someone else to admit they had misheard.

Calyx almost looked amused.

"Yes," he said. "That is the worst of them. Spirit Transfiguration. The best methods can carry you beyond this realm itself, past what most people would call godhood."

That landed harder than the last.

Still, he raised a hand before their wonder could run too wild.

"But remember this. The best method is not always the best method for you. It is better to choose one that suits your nature and your aptitude."

He tapped his own chest with a thumb.

"Take me as an example. I have cultivated for only a hundred and seventy years."

He let the number hang for a breath, then smiled in a way that was not entirely modest.

"And yet why am I stronger than the Five Peak Emperors?"

A few disciples nearly choked on their own breath.

Calyx thumped a fist against his chest.

"Because I chose what suited my style. Aptitude came second."

His smile sharpened.

"To be honest, I could probably fight all five with one hand behind my back and a blindfold over my eyes."

"I could summon them here right now and let you watch me beat them senseless."

"Though in that case, all of you would be paying for their recovery."

The disciples looked properly horrified and shook their heads so quickly it seemed a matter of survival.

Calyx gave a low chuckle.

"If you are wondering, I am currently at the Late Stage of Ethereal Integration. Impressive, yes. Enough about me."

That last line did little to hide how pleased he was with himself.

"The next benefit is this. Once you choose your path, you are still free to attend classes outside it."

He began to pace slowly before them.

"For example, let us say I chose an Alchemy Fire Cultivation Method."

"That would place me on the path of both fire and alchemy."

"Even so, I could still attend sword classes in my spare time if I wished. No one will force you into lessons. This is your road to cultivation. We are your guides, not your jailers."

That seemed to ease them more than the promise of lofty methods had.

"Lastly, those who are inner disciples or above will be granted a small plot of land for growing spirit plants of their own."

A murmur passed through the crowd.

"As for outer disciples, you will be given three chances each month to pick a spirit fruit. Named disciples, work hard if you want more."

His tone turned stern again.

"You may sell such fruits if you wish. But let me warn you now. Treasure without the strength to protect it is merely a disaster waiting to happen. Remember that."

"Better to use such things on yourselves and grow stronger first."

Then he lifted a hand and began counting off the final reward.

"All of you will also receive one hundred spirit stones as an allowance."

"In addition, you will each be given forty-five pills divided among bone pills, meridian cleansing pills, and vitality pills."

"Those do not require tasks. They are yours as disciples of Radeon Terraces."

At that, more than one face lit with barely restrained excitement.

Calyx gestured toward Fay and the attendants nearby.

"If you do not know how to use them, ask the attendants. They will explain."

He looked across the assembly one final time.

"Any other questions?"

Silence.

"No one? Good. Then this orientation is adjourned. We will see each other again after lunch."

At once, the gathering began to loosen, though the disciples still carried themselves carefully, as if afraid that too much excitement might somehow wake them from a dream.