The Almighty Cultivator

Chapter 5

The shock on Rachel’s face came too quickly for her to hide. For one unguarded moment, she stared at Chris as though a corpse had walked out of the mountain and followed her to the Academy.

Diego also froze beside her. His confident expression vanished as his eyes travelled over Chris’s chest, searching for the wound that should have killed him.

“You are supposed to be dead,” Rachel blurted. “How are you still alive?”

Her voice carried across the registration grounds, drawing several curious glances.

Chris looked at the woman who had smiled while Diego tore the core from his body. “That is a strange question from someone who should be pretending she knows nothing about my death.”

Rachel’s face tightened. Diego touched her arm before she could respond, and the fear in her eyes disappeared behind a cold stare.

“I only meant that you entered the mountains alone,” she said. “People die there every day, especially people without cores. There is nothing for you here, Chris, so leave before you embarrass yourself.”

“The core you stole from me?” Chris asked.

The accusation cut through the noise around them. Conversations stopped, heads turned, and then the registration grounds erupted.

“Did he just accuse the village chief’s son of stealing from him?”

“How can Diego steal something Chris never possessed?”

“That orphan has finally lost his mind.”

The disbelief soon hardened into anger. Diego was the village chief’s son, while Chris was still the nameless boy who had arrived years ago with nothing except torn clothes and an empty stomach.

“If he thinks we would believe that, he's definitely out of his mind.”

Diego’s surprise slowly gave way to a smile. He knew exactly where Chris’s core had come from, but he also knew that nobody there would accept the truth. Even if Chris could prove it.

“You should be careful,” Diego said. “Accusing my family of theft could bring consequences you cannot afford. If you have proof, present it.”

Chris’s fingers curled beside him. When Chris remained silent, Diego’s smile widened.

“Perhaps I can still help you. My father’s estate needs more servants. If you apologize, I might allow you to clean our quarters instead of starving in the streets.”

Laughter rolled through the candidates.

“Diego is still offering to help him after that accusation.”

“Chris should kneel and accept before Diego changes his mind.”

Rachel stood beside Diego without the slightest trace of shame. Chris hands clenched tightly by his side as the memories rushed back into his head.

Chris forced his fingers open before his anger could control him.

“I did not come here for either of you,” he said. “I came to take the academy selection like everyone else.”

He walked past them and approached the registration table. The coordinator behind it wore Capricorn Academy’s dark-blue robe, although the disdain on his face belonged more to the village than the academy.

“I want to register for the selection,” Chris said.

The coordinator allowed his gaze to travel over Chris’s tattered clothes and pale skin. He did not bother opening the register in front of him.

“You need to leave,” he replied. “This selection is for cultivators not street thugs, beggars and trunts.”

“There is no rule stopping me from taking it.”

“There does not need to be another rule. Every applicant must possess a refined core, and everyone here knows you do not have one.”

“I didn't see you taking a standard test to decide whether or not I have a core. Or did I miss anything?”

The coordinator’s expression darkened at being challenged before the other candidates.

“You clearly do not understand the danger. The first test drives spiritual pressure through a candidate’s energy channels and into the core. If there is no core to receive that pressure, your channels will rupture. You could die before the test is completed.”

“Thanks for your advice. Can we proceed now?”

Chris held the man’s gaze. “You are willing to reject me without examination, yet you suddenly care whether I survive one.”

A few candidates and the tutors gathered around exchanged glances and the coordinator’s jaw tightened.

Rachel hurried towards the table. “Do not let him delay everyone because of his pride. Chris spent years trying to refine a core and failed every time. He went into the mountains because he was desperate, but he clearly returned with nothing.”

Diego immediately stepped between them.

“We've had enough of your cheap talks Chris. Everyone here is here to get a tutor and not to become a classic joke.” Diego said. “If you truly possess a core, then prove that you can use it against someone who does.”

The crowd responded with excited murmurs. Diego’s words also placed a different idea in the coordinator’s mind.

Combat was already part of the academy selection, and the coordinator had the authority to choose the candidates who faced one another. He could satisfy the crowd, please the village chief’s son, and rid himself of Chris without personally touching him.

Chris noticed the smile forming on his face.

“You want to enter Cultis Academy that badly?” the coordinator asked.

“You don't have the coordinator’s badge Diego.”

“Is that deflecting I see? Are you scared of fighting me? Is your desperation not enough to grow some balls on you?”

The coordinator rose from his chair and pointed towards Diego. The gesture sent anticipation through the gathered candidates because everyone knew how powerful the village chief’s son was supposed to be.

“You will fight him.”

Diego lifted his chin while Rachel’s confidence returned. Neither of them believed that Chris could survive a fight without the core they had taken from him.

The coordinator looked between them, grinning from ear to ear.

“You wanted an opportunity to prove yourself, and now you have one,” he said. “If you defeat Diego, you will be allowed into the Academy. It is that simple, and that will be your test.”