Apotheosis

Morning came in a burst of light and color, sending a stream of light into the waking world.

In other places, one could only see rainbows after rain stopped. However, it was something that was as commonplace as a stray cloud in Cloudy City.

The view could always be traced back to the giant rock floating above the city, and the magnificent palace built atop it, floating over the land like a cloud borne sentry.

The palace was surrounded by layers of clouds, and only when the sky was crystal blue could the citizens see the vague outline of the palace. The sight of it rendered the onlookers speechless. It was a masterpiece of architecture- an ode to its very workmanship.

For those who had chanced to lay their eyes on the palace, it was a view worthy of the gods. And whoever lived in it was seen as such.

In the eyes of mortal men, many martial artists were no different from ranks of gods. They were the closest examples of divinity on Earth. These men could accomplish incredible feats exceeding an ordinary mortal- they could fly in the sky, burrow into the depths of the Earth, move mountains and drain the seas. Some of them could even live for hundreds or thousands of years. What else could they be except gods?

But, like the ordinary civilians of the city, there were also martial artists for whom the magnificent palace held a different meaning. It could not compare to the true palaces of the gods in the tales and legends of old, but it was something that signified it. Cloud Hall, another name they called the floating palace, was a fourth-rate sect which was famous in Central Region.

Cloud Hall was built on this giant floating rock whose origin was unknown to all. When it was built, there was an array absorbing the energy around the palace for the martial artists in it. The energy it obtained was so immense that even the clouds surrounding the Cloud Hall were drawn to it, forming a curtain of white and hiding the palace from view.

That day, the array in Cloud Hall's left side began shimmering. Beams of light fell to the Earth, and from it, people began to walk out one after another.

Zen instinctively sniffed the moment he stepped out of the light. He was feeling light-headed. The rich vitality in Cloud Hall had almost gotten him drunk with energy. His body thrummed with the excesses. There was no place in the whole Eastern Region foliaged with such dense energy.

Patrick, Lewis and Rocher, the disciples of the second-rated sects, were having the same feelings as Zen. Their legs gave off slight trembles from under them.

Upon seeing them seemingly affected by the rich vitality, the disciples from Cloud Hall all cast them haughty glimpses.

These supercilious bunch, including Lennon, had not cultivated themselves in Cloud Hall. For most, they trained themselves in a place called "Cloud School" in Cloudy City. From there, handpicked disciples who were the finest of finest, like Lennon, were given chances to enter Cloud Hall. As for Frank, he often cultivated in Cloud Hall thanks to his father.

Since they were all disciples of Elite House of Cloud Hall, they were befitting of entry to Cloud Hall.

Following Fernandez,

this happening was almost a decade ago.

Even the leader of Cloud Sect, Kenneth, only had a golden Cloud Hall Token- a middle ranking. These two stewards at the Internal Elixir Realm only had a cyan Cloud Hall Token. The golden token was a dream, which would take much more time and work for them to realize.

A golden Cloud Hall Token, would mean the opening of more mystical places- ones that were far better than the ones at the accessible to a cyan Cloud Hall Token holder.

But getting a golden Cloud Hall Token was a feat of extremely difficulty. Even long years of service at Cloud Hall had not been enough.

So how was it that this kid, a newcomer of Elite House, could get a purple Cloud Hall Token?

There must have been a mistake. It might have been a mix-up. There was no other plausible explanation for it.

Zen came to his sense quickly and stepped forward to take the purple Cloud Hall Token. To his surprise, one of the steward guards told him to wait, without further clarification. He then trotted away with the purple Cloud Hall Token.

Soon, the hall was filled with the low sound of questioning murmurs. "A purple Cloud Hall Token? Even if Zen is the champion of the Cloud Road, there is no way that he would be given one!"

"Is this some sort of joke? The purple Cloud Hall Tokens are usually given to the elders, and even then, only a few of them manage to obtain one. How is it possible that Zen would be given one?"

"Poor man. Soon enough his excitement will turn out to only be disappointment. He's no different from us. A red Cloud Hall Token is more than enough to him!"

Before long, the steward guard came back with a complicated expression. "This purple Cloud Hall Token truly belongs to you," he said.

The words that he uttered were like a thunder clap in the clear sky, silencing everyone in the room with shock.

As an old saying goes, people don't worry about poverty, but fear the unfair distribution of wealth. Since everyone else were given a red Cloud Hall Token which represented the lowest rank, why was it that Zen got the purple token? It was ridiculous!