Awakening of the Ancient: Rise of the Fallen

"Please return it, Mia. Master will give you another treasure in exchange," The Sect Master told Battle Fairy Mia as he saw her hesitate.

Mia looked at her necklace as she sighed.

"Alright. I'll return it." 

Mia took the necklace off her neck and threw it towards Xu Ming.

Xu Ming caught the necklace with proper care. Finally, the thing he had been striving to get was in his hand. His eyes were slightly wet as a soothing relief filled his heart.

Xu Ming looked at the necklace, and a gentle smile covered his face. It was as if he had finally got his family back. His mother was resting inside the necklace, paused in time.

"Thank you."

Xu Ming thanked Mia as he wore the necklace. The small coffin was placed near his heart. 

"I will go back if there's nothing else," Mia didn't reply to Xu Ming. Instead, she asked the Sect Master.

"You can go back. You can come to me later to tell me what treasure you want. I'll do my best to get that for you," the Sect Master said, smilingly.

Mia turned back and walked inside the house.

"Well, now that you've got the necklace you wanted, let's go to my place. We can talk there," the Sect Master said to Xu Ming as he walked back his flying beast.

Xu Ming, Elder Wu, and the sect master stood on the beast, which started flying and brought them to the Sect Master's Courtyard.

They got off the beast and entered the Courtyard.

*****

Sect Master and Elder Wu were sitting on a chair while Xu Ming was standing before them.

"Well, Xu Ming, You got what you wanted. Tell me, will you become my disciple?" the Sect Master said.

"I promised that I would do it if you get me my necklace. I won't break my promise," Xu Ming declared.

"Good. From today on, You are my personal disciple. Here, take this," the Sect Master said to Xu Ming as he brought something out of his storage ring.

It was a small hexagonal badge that was black in color.

There was Xu Ming's name written on one side of the badge.

"This will be the proof that you are my personal disciple and a core sect disciple," He said.

Xu Ming walked closer to the Sect Master and took the badge.

"Also, here is the dress that you need to wear from now on. It's fine if you don't wear the dress, but you definitely need to wear this robe."

The Sect Master brought out a set of clothing.

The Clothes were black, but the robe was a mixture of black and crimson.

The outer side of the robe was black, whereas the inner side of the robe was crimson.

There was a word written on the back of the robe in small characters that were barely visible. It read as 'Core Demon'

Xu Ming took the clothing as well, but he didn't change his clothes. He only donned the robe.

He called for his servant and told him to escort Xu Ming to the room that was assigned to him from now on.

"You can take my beast," he added.

The Servant nodded his head as he took Xu Ming with him outside the courtyard. They left the place on the beast of the sect master.

*****

The Sect Master and Elder Wu were sitting alone in the hall after Xu Ming left with the servant.

"It was quite unexpected that he rejected treasures from Mia and from me just to get that necklace that isn't even a treasure. I hadn't expected that such familial bonds still exist," The Sect Master said.

"They existed long ago, but I think people's hearts have been corrupted with time. Everyone is losing the bonds with their family. They care more for Strength and Treasures than they do for the family whereas Xu Ming's heard seems to be attached to his family more than treasures," Elder Wu replied

"It's strange how he still managed to come that far with that mindset. Generally, this naive mindset isn't suited for Cultivators as this can often become an obstruction in their path to greatness, but it's the opposite with Xu Ming. In fact, with this naive thing thinking, he had managed to come farther than the ones then lust after strength. I wonder how much of it is due to his talent and how much of it is due to his will," the Sect Master said to Elder Wu.

"I don't think that he isn't after strength. He might be the one that values strength more than any of us do. The only difference is that he values family as much. It might work in his favor in the future, or it might go against him. Only time can tell," Elder Wu sighed.

"Anyway, why didn't you test his talent? Weren't you the most excited about that?" Elder Wu asked the sect master.

"I'll do that tomorrow in front of everyone. I don't think his talent will be bad, but if his talent turns out to be bad, then it would only motivate others. They will think that if he can break so many records without great talent then why can't we. That would be good for the sect. On the other hand, if his talent is greater than others, then also, it will motivate others to work hard so that they don't fall behind. It's more beneficial for the sect to do it publicly," The Sect Master said.

"Everything will be out in the open tomorrow," he added.

"How do you think it will go?" he asked Elder Wu.

"The chances are that you will be surprised," Elder Wu said as a subtle smile appeared on his face.

****

The Sect Master's Servant brought Xu Ming to a courtyard. 

To Xu Ming's surprise, he found out that his courtyard was nearest to Mia's courtyard. He wondered if the Sect had intentionally done this.

"This will be your courtyard from now on. Everything that you might need is already inside. If you need anything to be brought back from your Inner Sect residence, then tell me. I will arrange for that," he said to Xu Ming.

"It's alright. I don't need anything," Xu Ming replied before he stepped inside the courtyard.

"Is he going to spend his days in the same set of clothes?" The Servant muttered. He didn't know that Xu Ming had everything, including his clothes, in his Storage Ring.