Ascension of the immortal Asura

John sat down on a couch nearby without any fanfare, instantly accepting the Prime Shadows offer. He glanced at Zuri who was still standing in place, awkwardly wondering what to do. The man before her was the infamous first Guildmaster, who was rumored to be long dead. Not only that, but he was a Holy Manifestation cultivator, with his aura and presence alone being enough to overwhelm most.

"Just sit down," John said flatly.

"I won't bite, I promise," the Prime Shadow said, an amused smile on his face. Zuri nodded and sat down on a couch opposite John and the Prime Shadow. The Prime Shadow nodded, then turned to John.

"So, how did your battle art training go?" he asked curiously. "The Thunder Tyrant Law is quite amazing, isn't it?"

"It's most certainly one of the most impressive battle art's I've seen," John nodded in agreement. "But I didn't end up learning it in the end."

"Hmm? Why not? Were you not able to understand the underlying principles behind the art?"

"It's not that," John shook his head. "It's just that I've had a change of perspective in the last few weeks."

The Prime Shadow silently raised a singular eyebrow, his expression as if waiting for John to elaborate.

"With my…unique cultivation conditions, as opposed to learning an Art then disposing of it once it's outlived its usefulness, I've decided that creating my own battle arts will be a better use of my time going forward," John explained.

"Your own battle arts, huh?" the Prime Shadow mused, clearly surprised to hear this answer, but also not against it based on his reaction. He fell silent for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face, then nodded. "While this path is far more difficult to traverse than walking a path already created by others, it will no doubt serve you well in the long run. So, do you need any guidance on Art creation? Perhaps some books in the library to help you-"

John raised his hand, cutting off the Prime Shadow.

"I've already consulted many of the Art creation books in the guild library, and also have some other…books…at my disposal. I should be set for now," John said.

With the Divine Art Creation Scripture, there really wasn't any need to obtain more Art creation books. The Prime Shadow nodded his head again, not trying to push any further into this matter.

"So, how has your Art creation come along then?" he asked curiously. "Have you made any progress yet? Come up with any usable Arts?"

"It's been less than a month since I started trying to create my own Arts. So while I have some that are usable, none of them are particularly great at the moment," John said.

"You're being far too modest," Zuri interjected, giving John a pointed scowl, then turned to the Prime Shadow. "In the month he's been at it, he's managed to create a battle art and a movement art worthy of being stored in the guild library. While neither are overwhelmingly amazing, both are amazing for only having been at it for a month. His rate of progress is nothing short of monstrous, and I'm sure he'll be creating something amazing soon enough."

"Hmm, is that so?" the Prime Shadow mused, smiling at Zuri thankfully, then shifted his gaze to John. "Well, I'm sure I'll see what you've come up with soon enough."

The Prime Shadow then pointed to the side, towards a closed door on the side of the room. "There's a spatial training area inside that door, which you can use to practice your arts and whatnot. Feel free to use it whenever you wish."

He then pointed to the opposite side of the room, towards about a dozen closed doors. "Your lodging for the duration of the tournament. Pick a room. It doesn't matter which one."

John and Zuri nodded their thanks, content to be lodged in such a luxurious place for the tournament duration. It was no doubt one of the most luxurious places available, given only to someone like the Prime Shadow.

"So, what do you think of the tournament so far?" the Prime Shadow asked curiously.

"It's incredible," John answered truthfully. "It's far grander than I thought it would be. Not only is the arena and spectacle amazing, but so are the rewards. I have to admit that I am completely impressed."

The Prime Shadow nodded his head in agreement, smiling lightly. "The Three Dao Sects spare no expense to host these tournaments, as it's both a matter of prestige and pride for them. They're always trying to one up the other two sects, which ends up benefiting the tournament participants and the spectators the most."

The Prime Shadow waved his hand to the side, a soft stream of Qi moving towards a table at the edge of the room. The table held some teapots and cups, which floated over towards him, landing softly on the table before him. The Prime Shadow poured himself a cup of hot tea then took a sip.

"Want any?" he asked, as if remembering John and Zuri were present. Both shook their heads, declining the offer.

"Speaking of the tournament," the Prime Shadow said after taking another sip of his tea. "Have you had your testing done yet?"

"Testing?" John asked curiously. "Is that related to the statistics I saw regarding those two Meridian Forging youths? Stuff like health and stamina?"

"That is indeed what the testing is about," the Prime Shadow nodded. "Every tournament is required to take the tests to establish their metrics, no exceptions."

"What's the point of those metrics?" John asked curiously. "Doesn't it only matter who wins or loses?"

"Fanfare," the Prime Shadow answered. "Everything is done for the entertainment of the crowd. Isn't it more exciting to know that one fighter is on their last legs, their health and Qi nearly expended, at which point they pull out an ultimate trump card and win against all odds?"

"I guess," John replied.

"Also, the metrics serve as a preliminary ranking feature," the Prime Shadow added. "The better your results, the higher your rank will be. This is done to avoid having two strong geniuses fight early in the tournament, eliminating one of them far too soon."

"That makes more sense to me," John nodded, convinced by that answer.

The Prime Shadow's attention suddenly shifted, as if he had received a sound transmission. He stood up, his focus returned a moment later. "I have something I need to attend to. In the meantime, you should reach out to your guide and have them guide you to the testing grounds."

John nodded his head as he watched the Prime Shadow walk out the room. The Prime Shadow stopped at the door, looking back over his shoulder at John.

"Make sure to do your best in the testing," he instructed. "I'd like to see the look on the three Dao Sovereign's faces when none of their genius's place first rank. It should be quite amusing."