The younger Elders took out a set of measuring devices, both for potential and Elemental Aptitudes, and set them out on a table in front of the three test subjects.
"Since you are so eager, why don't you introduce the juniors to your work, let them know what you were hoping for, and then we can test the outcomes." The Foot Clan leader suggested.
"Capital idea. This is, well, I've already forgotten his name, but I enhanced his Elemental Aptitude for Lightning, opened up his energy pathways and aligned his chakras, then fed him an enlightenment potion to improve his future learning capacity." The Elder announced.
The boy was so excited about the changes that he didn't even care that the Elder forgot his name even while he was working to improve the boy's cultivation potential.
"His original potential was a medium aptitude for Lightning, but a Maximum of mid-Mortal Rank cultivation." The Elder announced, then gestured toward the devices for the boy to test himself.
First off, he placed his hand on the Potential stone, and the glow slowly changed from green to teal and finally to mostly blue. It seemed to measure the same way as the stone sword that the Seraphim Statue had claimed, meaning that this was low Immortal Rank potential.
"Impressive change. I hadn't expected the boy to amount to much." The Foot Clan Elder admitted.
Then the subject moved to the affinity stones, and the Lightning Element Stone lit up with a bright glow, indicating a high affinity with the Element. No other stones lit up at all, but as the Sect only used one, it was enough to get him admitted into the Thunder Gods' Outer Sect.
"High affinity and Immortal Grade potential, you qualify for the Outer Sect of the Thunder Gods Sect and can bypass the first year spent outside the walls with the acolytes who have just tested. What do you say, boy?" The Divine Elder asked.
It wasn't much of an offer, but the man had just changed his future, and he wasn't about to turn it down.
"Thank you for your kindness, Master. I won't forget it as long as I live." The boy answered, then knelt in supplication before the Divine Elder.
"I have always liked polite Disciples. Elder, find him some Sect Robes."
"Since the Wanderer has such an interesting technique, I will go next, so there is time for questions at the end." The Foot Clan leader announced, sending his subject forward.
As he touched the potential stone, it shot right past green, and the indicator turned solidly blue with a hint of red in it. High Immortal Rank potential if Cain understood the measurement correctly.
"Not bad at all. Was that the salve that improved the needlework?" The Thunder Gods' leader asked.
"Precisely. The two working together improve the potential at a much faster rate." The Foot Clan leader replied with a smirk.
The results on the affinity stones weren't as great, with Wind Element showing medium and a low affinity for Fire and Lightning.
"Not bad, but not horribly impressive. Medium Elemental Affinity should be enough to get him through his training, though." The Elder shrugged, unimpressed by his competitor's effort.
"What do you say, boy? Will you join the Foot Clan?" The Elder asked.
"I will. Thank you for this opportunity, Divine Elder." The boy agreed, kneeling before his new Sect Master.
"Now for the part that we are really looking forward to. A boy with no potential, no form of affinity, and no dignity to speak of, reworked by the rumored hidden Divinity, Sect Master Cain. Tell us, Sect Master, what did you do, and what were your goals?"
All of the assembled Cultivators were eagerly looking at Cain for answers while the boy in question was still flexing his limbs and moving in small circles, getting used to his new body.
"I reworked the structure of his bones, the same as you do during the early stages of Cultivation, then did the same with his muscles, veins, and organs before moving on to opening all of his energy pathways as wide as I could.
That worked out well enough, so I decided to do something fun and melded an Immortal Rank Dire Bear Core with his body to create an Immortal Constitution. Every stage that he advances should make him even stronger and more durable."
The boy looked more than a little concerned at the word "Fun" as it related to a full modification of his body and future, but the power that he could feel flowing through him was the real thing, so the strange Elder's wording was of little concern to him.
"A bestial constitution? Now that is something I didn't expect. I saw you working with the Monster Core, but I thought it was just to imbue him with some additional energy and acclimatize his body to Immortal Energy before his rank advanced enough to use it himself." The Foot Clan Elder replied, looking closer at the boy using a skill.
"He should be able to absorb it now, as soon as he learns the difference in feeling between it and Mortal Energy. That is a result of merging with aspects of a beast." Cain agreed.
"Will there be side effects?" The Thunder Gods' Elder asked.
"Nothing too major. Likely some extra body hair, an alteration of the teeth to a more aggressive omnivorous pattern, and a chance that he will enjoy long naps in the winter." Cain shrugged.
"Hmm, that's not too big of a deal for a Cultivator. We train in seclusion for months at a time, anyhow. Now, we should likely add one more test to this round since his body has been improved in such a unique way. Someone bring out a Monster Strength testing inscription."
They were used to test dead monsters with their core removed, which didn't have the clear aura of a living beast. It would also give an indication of how strong the boy's body currently was.
"I also have a bloodline analysis Rune. We have had some rare bloodlines in the past, so I keep one with me to measure the bloodline potential of inheritors." The Foot Clan leader added.
The additional tests were set up, and the boy was called forward to test his potential.
The stone immediately turned almost fully red, indicating a very strong chance that the boy who formerly had no potential at all could advance to Divinity.
The Elemental stones showed only a small level of affinity with the Earth Element, and Cain realized that even with all that he had done, he had missed a step in the transformation, but the others didn't seem surprised. The monster bloodline would be enough to move him forward without Elemental skills as a Physical Cultivator.
The Monster Strength test was next, indicating that he was indeed an Immortal Rank Beast at the moment, despite not having any sort of cultivation base. By the standard of the test, he was a newborn Dire Bear, needing time to grow into his powers.
Finally, the bloodline analysis showed that the boy had a High Immortal Rank potential, meaning that he would naturally reach that level even if he only exercised and ate well, though he would become more bestial as he grew if he didn't have a base to keep himself centered.
"You know who would love this kid? Those meatheads at the Crushing Mountain Sect. He's practically tailor-made for them. They're even physical cultivators, so his lack of Elemental Aptitude doesn't matter.
"Oh, I made an axe for one of their Elders before we left the city. I think you're right. He does seem like a good fit for them." Cain agreed.
"They are allies of the Foot Clan. Why don't we wait here for the evening, and they can send someone to pick him up?" The Divine Elder suggested.
"Then we can make food. This took forever, and I am hungry." Luna declared.
The other Cultivators looked shocked that she had spoken so frankly in front of such powerful people, but the Divine Elders were smiling at the girl with knowing looks.
"You are right, little one. I hear you managed to con the Shadowed Blade out of their secret recipe book. How about you cook us something incredible?" The Foot Clan leader suggested, revealing a smile that said this was part of his goal all along.
"I like the way you think. How many are we cooking for? Just the people here? I will set up the cooking station right away." Luna agreed.
When she summoned an Earth Elemental to make her an oven and firepit, plus some seating and a nice smooth spot for the tents in three different circles, so that everyone could have their privacy, the younger Cultivators all stopped what they were doing to stare at her.
That level of Energy Manipulation was way beyond what they had expected from someone her age, and they didn't make the logical leap between the Elemental and actual Summoning since it was such a rare skill for anyone to know.
The promise of a good recruit brought the Crushing Mountain Sect's Elder to the camp before dinner was even made. The Immortal had flown in at Maximum speed, concerned that someone else would claim the potential Core Disciple before he could arrive.
It was the same big man Cain had made the axe for, and he landed with a solid thud between Cain and the test Disciple, stopping to shake Cain's hand before looking over the boy.
"Interesting. You won't find a bloodline like this very often. I owe you one for finding him and referring him to us. Boy, will you join the Crushing Mountian Sect? We are the finest purveyors of Physical strength in the region, and you will be perfect for our ranks."
"I would be honored, Immortal Elder." The boy replied with happy tears in his eyes.
"Now, we eat. Would you care to join us for a meal, Elder? Our young chef has real skills." Cain offered, pointing to where Luna was cooking a fruit puree to insert into her dessert of the day.
"It would be right rude of me to steal a Disciple and flee. I thank you for your hospitality." The big man laughed, then took a good whiff of the wind blowing over from the kitchen.
"Hey, is that Spirit Boar you're roasting? From the lowland valley?"
Jen leaned over to Cain as the Elder spoke. "This guy is good. He can even guess where the animal was from just by the smell of it roasting."
"Not a bad skill for anyone to have. I bet it's almost impossible to poison someone with that skill, and he would be able to identify potions by just opening the cap." Solara added, eyeing the big man in appreciation of his sense of smell.
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