"That rock giant has appeared because you refused to follow the rules of the task and fight. As long as you run without fighting heading the you would be prevented from acquiring the emerald eyes. Let that rest deep in you" Elder Jang said in all seriousness.

"So there really is no hope...."

"Only way to win is to fight" The students were distressed. Elder Jang had taken all possible measures just to make sure they fought. Was he always the relentless?

"I will go next" Young master Baxia state suddenly.

"Eh? Who said that?"

"Young master Baxia?"

"It's about time he stepped up"

Elder Jang smiled. He had been waiting for Baxia to talk all this while. Young master Baxia was a very peculiar occurrence happened only once in the history of the four sects. As such he paid very special care to his training...he would lead the sect afterall.

"Elder Jang, I will be going in now" Young master Baxia bowed.

Elder Jang nodded and then young master Baxia dived in.

Baxia had made all the necessary analysis that he needed about the task. As he thought there were really four elements, the three elements had revealed themselves in various forms before and not the earth element had shown itself in the form of the rock Giant. Elder Jang really went all out.

Now as the son of the sect master, young master Baxia had undergone a different training than the rest of the practitioners of his generations. Specifically on his martial arts. Ever since he had learned to walk he had practiced martial arts day in day out, so he could say he was leagues above his peers.

Young master Baxia landed with grace and his long hair swayed with the wind. The fiery bodies emerged and unlike the rest before him, Baxia stood his ground and prepared to fight.

"Cho cheong" Harith tapped cho cheong's face lightly to bring her back into consciousness. She had fainted due to the blow earlier and her eyes were swollen. Her skin look pale as she had consumed too much energy. She was in a really bad shape overall.

"D...did I ge...get it?" Cho cheong asked weakly.

"Unfortunately...no" Harith replied.

"Heh" Cho cheong chuckled lightly.

Harith could see the pain in her eyes as she chuckled. It looked like she wanted this thing much more than he did and so the disappointment that came with the realization that she didn't get it was great.

"I'll get it for you" Harith said under his breath. He didn't know why but cho cheong's look made him feel some kind of way. And the only way to get that look off her face was to get the emerald eyes.

"what did y..you say?" Cho cheong asked with as much strength as she could muster.

"Nothing, rest up" Harith said and rested her on a nearby wall.

....

Inside the Hole

A fierce fight was occuring. Young master Baxia was going toe to toe with eight enemies all by himself. No one expected this from him but they were intrigued and eager to see how it went. Did Baxia really have what it took to fight these things headon and come out on top?

Young master Baxia waved his sword. Lava splashed from the bodies of the red beings. It was like a dance in the rain as young master Baxia gracefully went through his opponents with nothing but a sword and a determined heart.

The crowd watched as Young master skillfully took down the flaming enemies. On swipe of the sword and one of their limbs were gone. It didn't take much time until all of the fiery bodies were lying in pieces and only Baxia remained standing tall.

Faces of shock was widespread among the audience now. They had expected young master Baxia to defeat the enemies but they didn't expect it to happen this quickly.

"He truly is special" Elder Jang muttered.

Young master Baxia took a deep breath and continued on his way. Now it just remained two more obstacles before he could successfully take the emerald eyes.

As soon as he reached halfway through the floor, the walls opened and the air bursts shot with full power.

'Master Jang said to fight it head-on, how do I fight against this?' Baxia thought. There was literally no war he could fight against air. All he could do was dodge it's bursts and get out of it's range. But then if he did that the emerald eyes wouldn't be his for the taking.

"You have to destroy the source" As if Elder Jang knew what was going on in young master Baxia's head he offered him a tip to help.

"The source" Young master Baxia dodged and looked. There were over ten sources openings on both sides of the wall!

"First try" Young master Baxia muttered and jumped high into the air and then violently threw his sword at one of the openings. The sword travelled with great speed and pierced the hole. As soon as it did, the sound of metal clashing with metal was heard and the air burst from that hole instantly died down.

"one down, eleven more to go" Young master Baxia twisted in mid air, dodging the air burst that was heading for his sides and with a shout he recalled his sword.

Clashes after clashes occured, the sword travelled at great speed and every hole it came into contact with was destroyed.

As the students watched this a feeling of dread spread in their hearts. All they could see now was a monster with rampaging in that space. This was the boy they had to compete with?

Young master Baxia was oblivious to the growing fear of his peers and still continued in his maneuvers. Finally he hut the last hole and the air bursts stopped.

"Ah good good, just as I expected" Elder Jang's smile reached his eyes.

Young master Baxia wasted no time in progressing. He could already feel his energy draining, if he kept using going like this he wouldn't even reach the emerald eyes before he collapsed.

This time the Water serpent announced itself with a loud roar. It's eyes opened and it was like it stared into Baxia's soul.

Baxia shivered but shook off the fear and gripped his sword tightly. The power of this serpent was too great, he couldn't endure it's attack head-on. But there was one thing he could do, since it was a one hit attack then he could trick it into attacking something else like that girl had done earlier.

"You must endure the attack without any defense or evasion" Elder Jang brought down a dreadful news upon Young master Baxia.

"What?! How can he endure the attack? Can't you see what it did to the others?!" A student was clearly fed up with elder Jang and shouted out his complaint.

The student immediately regretted her actions as Elder Jang's cold look met her gaze. She whimpered and didn't say anything further.

"This will test your ability to endure pain" Elder Jang was brief.

Young master Baxia's heart pounded like crazy. He hadn't expected Elder Jang to actually want him to endure the attack. That thing could really kill him if it affected a vital spot on his body!

*Roar!* The water serpent charged, it one motive was to hit Baxia and Baxia only.

Baxia's heart wavered as the water serpent inched closer. *Bam* The violent water took washed over Baxia.

Baxia was pushed back several metres and he fell, but he managed to land on his knee as he endured the surging power. It felt like a thousand hammers were hitting every part of his body simultaneously.

*Vomit* Baxia spat out blood as he fell weakly to the floor, his eyes almost closing.

A period of silence hit. Everyone waited for something to happen but nothing did. Young master Baxia still lied on the floor immobile.

"go get him" Elder Jang said with a worried tone.

"Yes master" One of the student responded immediately and rushed into the hole.

"I am fine" As the boy was about to enter the hole young master Baxia's voice echoed throughout the whole area. It wasn't loud but it was clear enough for everyone to hear!

Young master Baxia's eyes opened as a faint blue glow shone through cloth on his shoulder region. He got to his feet and dragged himself. Step by step he walked with his left arm holding his abdominal region. He was badly hurt but he would keep going, five emerald eyes were worth far more than the injuries he suffered now.

"Young master go!"

"You can do it go get them!" As soon as the crowd saw Baxia standing again a surge of joy overtook them and they just couldn't help but cheer and admire him. He had endured all that, even serpent that had knocked out two other he alone endured it. If anyone deserved the emerald eyes then it had to be the Young master Baxia!

Elder Jang was very pleased with what he saw as it was evident from the look on his face. Trouble was coming, maybe the others weren't ready but this one...this one had the ability to stand against it. After all, the trouble would only come because of him.

As young master Baxia walked his legs became heavier and he found it hard to life them. He felt like a dense steel ball was resting on his eyelids pressuring them to go down.

"No, just a bit....more" Young master Baxia tried to motivate himself. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. As soon as he came close to the pedestal he dropped to the floor and lost consciousness.

"Go get him now" Elder Jang ordered and the student that had responded earlier was quick to dive. Since he didn't want to challenge the task nothing attacked him so he safely retrieved Baxia.

Baxia was brought up and the students all gathered around him. Even though he was unconscious they still praised him and chanted his name. He had truly shown that he was great in ability.

Harith was surprised to say the list. That young master had really put on a show there, even he had no choice but to acknowledge his strength. But as he watched the unconscious boy surrounded by the others he felt a deep seethed hatred that he had no idea how and when it came and it prevented him from truly caring. He shifted his focus from Young master Baxia and walked to the front.

"I would like to go ne-" Harith spoke but was quickly cut off but Elder Jang

"That will be all for today. Class is dismissed" Elder gank said and stamped his cane on the ground. He then left the scene with a satisfied look.

Harith had a dumbfounded expression. Why the fuck did this man have to end the session when it was finally his turn to go?! The courage he had struggled to gather just to challenge this course was wasted!

.....

As Elder Jang left the Youth practitioners building he happened to see a familiar figure watching by the gate.

"Sect master" Elder Jang did a small bow.

The sect master bowed in return and asked "How is the training going?"

"Like you suggested I have increased the speed of their training. With this method improvements are bound to come faster" Elder Jang said. The whole event that had taken place just some while ago was all due to the sect master's instructions.

"Good, you have my gratitude" The sect master bowed again.

"Ay it's nothing. I just hope this we have enough time before they come. With the letter from earlier it seems like they're planning something grand" Elder Jang expressed his worries.

"For sure. They can't do anything about the older generation so they would come for the younger generation of our sect. And I feel this time, they wouldn't be as forgiving"