Cult of the Sacred Runes Chapter 209 - The Black Dragon Listing

Chapter 209 - The Black Dragon Listing

After receiving the handsome bribe, Baili Hengtian’s att.i.tude changed completely. He walked back towards the villa and patted Ye Wei on the shoulder. “It’s true that all of us were invited here by the Helians, but they seldom come by, let alone govern this place. We have our own rules here pretty much ever since the palace was built.”

“Let’s put it this way, the Helians recognized everyone of you newbies, but that is just as much they recognized everyone else chosen to stay here. If you wish to blend in, it’s not the Helians you have to impress, rather it’s the veterans you have to prove yourself to. Before then, you are just another newbie, a disposable piece of trash here in the Million Star Palace.”

Ye Wei frowned immediately and asked. “That sounds harsh, don’t the Helians interfere with the bullying?”

“Interfere?” Baili Hengtian laughed and replied, “what is the point? All of the cultivators here are gifted and know better than to steal and to kill. I actually think they antic.i.p.ated this to happen, as an intended gauntlet to mould us, making us humble and tough. Haha!”

“I see. So are there any shortcuts to being accepted into the inner circles?” The young Runemaster asked curiously.

“The quickest way?” Baili Hengtian gave Ye Wei a brief visual inspection and flashed a smile, “the annual newcomer fights are the palace’s tradition. If you win that, you will probably be recognized by the veterans.”

“I see.” Ye Wei nodded, ‘it makes sense, they are all elites in their own rights and have all the reasons to be a bit prideful. I will have to show them that I am on their level as much as I would prefer learning from better cultivators.’

“Well, yea, what you said is right, but…” The caretaker hesitated, looking at the valuable jade bottle in his hand, “don’t tell anyone that I’ve had this conversation with you.”

“Even if you win, don’t expect the veterans to accept you right away. The newcomer fights are invented by alumni long ago to establish fear and authority, and its effectiveness is the reason why it’s still around. They’d do just about anything to make all the newbies taste the dirt, to repress them.”

Baili Hengtian spoke slowly to make sure Ye Wei heard every detail. “Once a newcomer champion has been decided, he will get to fight one of the veterans. Needless to say, the oldies will show no mercy just to prove a point.”

“Okay, I get it.” Ye Wei nodded, “by the way, when and how can I move to a better villa?”

“The Helians officially host a series of fights for this facility every year, the better villas will be rewarded to the top five thousand contestants. Unfortunately that just happened not long ago, so you will have to wait a year.” Baili Hengtian patted Ye Wei’s shoulders, “Don’t feel bad, most of us here have lived in one of these trashy villas. It will only make the upgrade feel even better if and when you get to move. You could be an elite, having been treated like a n.o.ble back in your hometown, but even dragons will have to coil up here.”

“Is there no other way?” Ye Wei sighed as he looked at the sc.r.a.ped paint on the walls. 

“No, unless… Unless your name appears on there, then the Helians will send you to one of their private quarters, and they will even a.s.sign servants to serve you.” The caretaker shook his head, pointing at the black dragon statue’s head in the sky towards the center of the palace. With its height at five hundred feet, it was visible from all corners of the Million Stars Palace. He did not go into detail as he didn’t think much of Ye Wei.

“And that would be?” Ye Wei’s confused eyes followed the caretaker’s finger, whereas the crafted dragon did not look like anything more than an embellishment to him.

“That, my friend, is the black dragon listing, Out of thirty thousand residents, only one thousand names are on the statue.” Baili Hengtian looked up with respect and envy. “And needless to say, they fought hard to earn the privilege.”

The caretaker was a gifted cultivator. He had been a resident of the palace for three years since he was seventeen, but his name had not once been on the statue. All the cultivators who have had their names on the list were at the weakest a three-star returned prime Warrior whereas a two-star returned prime Warrior at the age of twenty was the most respected person in their home region but only considered mediocre here in the palace.

“One thousand places, huh?” Ye Wei’s brows rose as he smiled; he wanted to be friendly and reveal to the caretaker his cultivation level.

“Haha! I know what you are thinking, and my advice is don’t do it. You will simultaneously get hurt and humiliated.” Baili Hengtian burst into open laughter. “Have you ever been in a fight and how old are you? Fifteen? Sixteen? You will have to be at least a four-star returned prime Warrior if you want a chance to squeeze yourself into the list!”

In his three years of living in the palace, he had never dared challenge a listed person once.

“Tell me if I am wrong, but you are at ten-star condensed prime level, correct?” He wore a mocking smile and continued. “You are good among newbies maybe. Just learn your place and try in five years or something, you don’t need these veterans’ approval. You will get your supplies and resources from the Helians either way.”

“Alright, that’s it. I’ve told you too much already. Like I say, I will call upon you when the time for the induction and the newcomer fights come.” Baili Hengtian waved and bade farewell.

‘Four-star returned prime level? Doesn’t sound unachievable.’ Ye Wei smiled, waving back as he thought. ‘I already have the body strength of a three-star returned prime Warrior, and that’s without using my Supernova stance.’

“When I was still an eight-star condensed prime Warrior, I did beat Lu Qianhuan. The iron talisman helped, but he was a reckless three-star returned prime Warrior.” Ye Wei muttered to himself. “My light clone is far stronger now too…”

He calculated and calculated, figuring out it was not impossible to get himself in the black dragon listing.

“I can’t live like this. I have to figure out how to challenge the list sooner rather than later!” Ye Wei walked around the villa and shook his head. He found a clean patch of gra.s.s to sit on outside the building. He sat down, focusing himself before he began to cultivate.

In just two hours, Baili Hengtian made his return to summon Ye Wei. The young Runemaster joined the group of newcomers and soon arrived at the main square.

All one hundred and thirty-seven newcomers lined up on the stone tiles, all of them curious and looking around nervously.

“Ye Wei!? You are here too?” A familiar voice spoke out, reaching the young Runemaster’s ears.

It had been a while since their last encounter, but Jian Chen’s puerile face did not change a bit. He was wearing the same white outfit and his handsome face could still make the girls blush.

Jian Chen was keeping his cool, keeping a distance from the other newcomers instead of making connections like everyone else was trying to do.

“I didn’t expect to see you here!” Ye Wei was delighted to see a face he recognized, walking up to greet him. Although his facial features were not as symmetrical as Jian Chen, his sleek body and masculine charm also warranted the attraction of attention.

“I will not lose to you here!” Jian Chen’s eyes lit up, wis.h.i.+ng to redeem himself from his defeat at the regional tournament.

“Ha, one of us has to be wrong.” Ye Wei smiled to his rival, his friend in cultivation; Jian Chen had been one of his motivations, what pressured him to train harder when he was feeling low and tired.

“So do you know who is the strongest among us newcomers?” Ye Wei scanned across and asked his old friend.

“I have not fought any of them so I can not answer that accurately. Though I have seen a few of them making a fuss over the living conditions. They were pretty strong judging by the mess they made.” Jian Chen answered calmly.

“I see.” Ye Wei nodded, not surprised that others were also unsatisfied with the living arrangement. “They were probably used to the privileges they had back home.”

“Him there, made the most mess.” Jian Chen pointed into the crowd.

Ye Wei followed Jian Chen’s finger to see an eight feet tall, well-built young man. He was dressed in a sleeveless beast hide. His muscular chest and arms glowed like metal, making him stand out like a watchtower in a cornfield. 

‘He looks interesting.” Ye Wei murmured.

“Yue Tieniu is his name. But everyone calls him ‘the bull’ in secret. I am pretty sure he is at one-star returned prime level.”

“He made a scene and knocked down a few walls in his villa before Baili Hengtian tamed him.” Jian Chen quickly took his eyes off the aggressive Yue Tianiu, s.h.i.+fting his attention to Ye Wei and thought, ‘I will be able to beat the bull, how about you Ye Wei? You must have gotten stronger too, right?’

‘A sword that hesitates is a sword that breaks in battles…’ Jian Chen thought to himself. He saw Ye Wei as his target since his crus.h.i.+ng defeat at the regional tournament. He was here to face his demons, to get rid of the self-doubt that had been building up because of that encounter.