Apotheosis

Wurth Zhang was ranked seventh of the outer disciples at Drizzle Peak. His experience and influence earned respect and high regard of Nory, Sean, and Zen.

As the four shared the wine, the spirit turned jovial and mellow. Nory and Sean chatted with the self-effacing predecessor, Wurth.

"I watched your display of marrow refinement skills in the battle ring, Zen," said Wurth, as he tipped his cup back and drained the wine.

Zen glanced at Wurth and answered, "Wurth, you are quite discerning!"

"What? Zen, you have refined your marrow!" exclaimed Nory, unable to contain himself.

Nodding, Zen related, "I probably would've lost to Leo if I hadn't reached the marrow refining level at the right time."

Shaking his head, Wurth complimented, "The way I see it, Zen, you will be our mainstay so long as you perfect the skills your talent warrants."

"Wurth, you're exaggerating! I'm nothing more than a novice compared to the masters at our peak!" Zen commented, maintaining a degree of decorum.

"Zen, aren't you being too modest? Have you heard the legend of Lady Peak?" asked Wurth as he looked around with an air of mystery.

"Lady Peak is ranked seventeenth among the Peaks at the Cloud Sect and consists of only women disciples." Because of the wine, Sean was loosening up, becoming more talkative but remaining sober, thanks to his refining level. Despite the overindulgence, the four present were far from a drunken stupor, and the ambiance remained light and festive.

Smiling, Wurth went on, "Lady Peak is seventeenth ranked Peak this year but, is second to Skytop Peak in the previous years!"

Sean had been at the Cloud Sect a year longer than Zen and Nory. He was also less informed on and blurted, "What? A peak with female disciples ranking higher than men? In my humble opinion, they couldn't overshadow us!"

In Sean's mind, men no doubt prevailed over women in the development of martial arts skills.

"Sean, there's something you don't know, and that is, it was a female disciple who contributed to Lady Peak's ranking and influence....." explained Wurth smiling.

"And with her endowments, she supposedly overshadowed the rest of the Peaks except Skytop Peak?" added Zen.

"Bravo!"

bellowed Wurth as he applauded before elaborating, "You hit the nail on the head there, Zen! She has an unearthly beauty and is extremely endowed, rising to fame in the two years after her admission to the Cloud Sect. So don't be modest. I believe in you. You can strive to accomplish as much as her, Zen. Unfortunately for her, she was framed and is suffering within the bowels of Hell Mountain now....."

"What's her name?" asked Nory, curious to learn the female disciple's name after hearing Wurth's engaging account.

"Her surname is Luo, the same a

of her life there!

Subsequently, as Zen's thoughts lingered on Yan, his hatred toward the Cloud Sect grew.

Sensing that Zen was seething over his sister's plight, and seeing the anger spark in Zen's eye at what the management did, Wurth immediately tried to appease him by stating, "The top seven noble clans bind the Cloud Sect, and important matters are at the discretion of the privileged. Still, Yan's case evoked sympathy, especially in the two masters from Lady Peak. They worked tirelessly and vigorously appealing her case, and in the end, it cost them, and they were forced to resign."

At Wurth's words, Zen expressed that it angered him when anyone perpetrated evil and thanked his friend, Wurth for the reminder.

With the light tone of the night gone, and the hour growing late, the dinner party ended and the four dispersed.

To let off the steam of his pent up frustrations, Zen headed straight to the exercise room.

'I'm too weak to rescue Yan, for the time being, at least!' reflected Zen, dwelling on his inability to save his younger sister.

Getting into the Cloud Sect was just one small step in Zen's plans to save Yan.

It was Wurth's reminder that made Zen realize he had horrible enemies to confront, and they could effortlessly smash him like an ant!

"Crumble!"

"Crush!"

"Crash!"

All that remained of the statues of human figures and dumbbells were rumble blanketing the floor and dust covering his hands, reducing the exercise room to a ruin.

After working out for a few hours, Zen left the exercise room feeling reenergized and much calmer after venting his anger through the intense, violent session.

Early the next morning, Zen climbed Drizzle Peak's ridge to where the masters lived.

To get assigned to restricted tasks he wanted, Zen was told he needed to speak to the masters.