Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water-Chapter 411: The Elder Summit Awards Ceremony

Morning arrived sluggishly for many disciples across the Lightning Sect. The night of free drinks and endless revelry had left quite a few nursing sore heads and sluggish movements, but despite the consequences of their celebrations, the coliseum filled just as it had every day before.

Some disciples still clutched cups of herbal tea, hoping to stave off the lingering remnants of their excesses, while others looked far too pleased with themselves, basking in the afterglow of their victories or, at the very least, the knowledge that they had been part of something historic.

At the center of it all, the coliseum's main stage had been cleared of battle formation arrays to encase the stage in a barrier, now rearranged to serve as a rounded, grand platform for the final ceremony. Sect Master Volten stood at the center, his usual demeanor replaced by one of formal authority as he changed his normal silvery-gray martial attire that matched his storm wyvern's coloration to now be dressed in an overly noble looking version of the Personal Disciple attire.

His orange-lightning gaze swept over the gathered sect members as his spirit sense noticed the last few disciples taking their seats, while also lingering briefly on the victors standing in an organized row at the base of the stage. Behind him, seated in prominence, were the highest authority and most senior Elders of the sect, followed by the rest of the Elders—those who had been directly responsible for the mentoring of all of the Personal Disciples that had participated in the many events..

He raised a hand, and silence followed instantly.

"Disciples of the Lightning Sect," Volten began, his voice carrying through the arena with ease, "we stand today not only in celebration, but in recognition of hard work. Over the past days, you have displayed mastery across all of the foundational aspects of our sect—Alchemy, Martial Comprehension, Arrays, Constructs, and Combat. We've grown, diversified and have since now become the hegemon of the entire Southern Continent. Yet, these basic institutions are what the first Sect Masters valued, and so too we shall continue to do so. Each of the competitions this year has pushed the limits of what we believed possible for newly accepted Personal Disciples, and those who stand before me now have set new standards for what it means to be a Personal Disciple of the Lightning Sect."

A wave of energy rippled through the crowd, not from spiritual pressure, but from pride and joy in their fellow members.

"To begin, we shall first recognize the champions of the Alchemy Division, those who have demonstrated excellence in both Pill Refining and Potion Brewing." His gaze settled on the first group of competitors, standing patiently at the front.

"For the Pill Refining competition, we recognize an achievement that has not been witnessed in generations. Aurelian Kain, under the guidance of Elder Gromway, has refined a six-cloud Earth-Grade pill—a feat that places him not only among the finest alchemists of his generation, but on the same level as many of the Elders within the sect."

Aurelian stepped forward, his reserved expression barely changing, though the gathering of spirit senses witnessing the moment could see the subtle tension and anxiety present in his hands as he accepted the engraved plaque from the sect attendant. Regardless, the crowd murmured in approval—six-cloud refinement at his level was a rarity that even some Elders struggled to achieve.

"For the Potion Brewing division," Volten continued, turning his attention to the next winner, "we honor Tessa Myren, whose blessing of [Life-Lightning] infused into her potion allows her to surpass conventional alchemy by blending her innate constitution with mastery of her craft. While some may consider this unfair, you must remember that life is unfair. The Abyss cares not if you are blessed with the universal laws or if you've yet to undergo your Spirit Awakening. Strive to do your best with what tools you have at your disposal!"

Tessa moved forward with grace, accepting her plaque with an effortless smile before offering a respectful bow.

"And lest we forget," Volten said, letting a brief pause settle over the arena, "for the Overall Champion of the Alchemy Division, Tessa Myren also claimed that victory. This achievement is noted and I shall include its effect on the Elder promotions."

A roar of applause erupted from the stands, the decision well received from the Elder's stands as potentially a future disciple of theirs may also win doubly for which they too would want double the rewards.

A pause followed before the Sect Master continued, "Next, we recognize the Martial Comprehension Trial, where understanding of [Lightning] itself was tested and refined into techniques."

Two figures stepped forward.

"First, we recognize Caius Velthorn, who has developed an entirely original and newly named technique—[Lightning Phantom Steps], a movement technique that blends deception and overwhelming speed into one."

Caius accepted his God's Trial token with an easy grin.

"Alongside him, for demonstrating the most refined improvement of an existing technique, we acknowledge Varen Istal, whose refinement of [Lightning Arc] into a singular piercing beam has redefined its efficiency in battle. It's going to be christened the [Lightning Arc-Beam Variation] in official documents henceforth."

Varen bowed as he received his token.

"For the Array Competition, we recognize not one, but two winners that set new records, and were knocked out simultaneously. Ivarus Rattib, disciple of Elder Rythalos, and Sana Armana, disciple of Elder Elln, have become the first competitors in our sect's history to withstand constructs at six levels above their cultivation while also against four such constructs simultaneously."

The cheers from the crowd returned as the two stepped forward, received their rewards, and then returned back to their places.

"And for the Inventor's portion of the Array Competition," Volten continued, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction, "the winner is Raiven Dynros, creator of the Volt Engine—a construct capable of adaptive reconfiguration without material loss. His work has already been recognized for sect-wide implementation and will serve as a foundation for future developments. Additionally, he'll receive remuneration for his work to fund his future endeavors."

The applause continued, but the ceremony was not yet over. Volten then turned toward the final group standing before him.

"For the Martial Tournament, the event that determines the strongest among our Personal Disciples," he announced, his voice carrying an edge of additional warmth. "We begin with the Spirit Growth Champion—Han Shiyan."

A round of cheers erupted as Han Shiyan stepped forward, his expression unreadable as he accepted his plaque. His reveal during the tournament had been one of the most shocking moments, and many were still coming to terms with just how dangerous his [Extreme Yang Lightning] constitution truly was.

Volten turned toward the next champion.

"For the Spirit Transformation Champion—Dain Varros."

The name stirred whispers among the crowd. Dain Varros was a well-known figure among the older Personal Disciples but one that was still stuck in the lower stages, a tactician first and a fighter second. His path to victory had been unconventional, relying on calculated battlefield control, and exploiting the smallest openings rather than sheer overwhelming strength.

Unlike most Lightning Sect warriors, Dain favored counterattacks and patient maneuvering, using a combination of Lightning infused Chains and close-quarters combat where he'd wrap the chains around his fists and punch his opponents directly in the face.

Even now, he bore a few marks of his final match, a slight cut across his cheek and faint bruising along his forearm, but he stood without faltering.

He stepped forward and bowed deeply before accepting his token while Volten studied him briefly before nodding in approval.

"For the Spirit Ascension Champion—Zeran."

Though his final blow against his opponent was remarkable, nothing could compare to the final competitor's award that was still left. Even as Zeran went up to collect his award, he was overshadowed by the monster that was left standing alone and awaiting to be called upon.

Finally, Volten turned his gaze toward the last competitor after Zeran quickly received his token.

"And lastly, for the final prize and the winning Spirit Transcendence Champion due to sheer dominance that forced all his opponents to forfeit, and MY VERY OWN PERSONAL DISCIPLE—Lassim Rohese Vanthar!"

The coliseum erupted.

Lassim stepped forward, unfazed by the sheer volume of sound. He accepted his token with a brief nod, his gaze meeting Volten's for a moment before shifting back toward the crowd.

As the noise settled, and Lassim took a few steps to stand over by the Elder's section directly behind the Sect Master, Volten's expression turned serious.

"With victories come rewards, and with failures—consequences," he stated plainly. "The performance of one's disciples reflects directly upon their master. As such, the sect—or rather myself—has reviewed the standings."

A hush fell over the coliseum as sect attendants unfurled scrolls listing allocations and adjustments.

"For those whose disciples have achieved top placements, your resource quotas will be increased accordingly and a single grade in Elder stock promotion will be awarded."

Several Elders visibly relaxed, clearly relieved that their efforts were being recognized.

"Elder Gromway, Elder Rythalos, Elder Elln, Elder Maelis, and Elder Trel—your funding for the next cultivation cycle has been increased triple due to overwhelming success from your disciples. Some may argue that innate features like constitution or securing a disciple before others could also see their value, but luck is just as much of a factor that is equally important."

The named Elders nodded, acknowledging the reward.

"However," Volten continued, his gaze sharpening, "for those whose disciples that were nearly immediately eliminated, gave up, and/or consistently underperformed, your allocations will be reduced, and some will lose access to Personal Disciple privileges entirely as punishment. For several of you, I shall personally meet with you to discuss the loss of your Elder stock entirely. If you're concerned it might be you, it probably is. Expect a meeting with me shortly following the conclusion of the awards ceremony. Should you wish to leave ahead of me calling you out specifically—with your own dignity intact—the Sect's Quartermaster hall is willing to receive your sect issued belongings quietly"

Several Elders stiffened. They knew this was coming, but hearing it aloud made it all the more painful.

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Volten did not call them out individually—that would be unnecessary humiliation. The attendants would handle informing them privately if they weren't wise enough to realize their own situations.

"With that, this Elder Summit has officially concluded!"

Volten looked out over the gathered disciples, a slow smile forming. "You have all witnessed history being made. Celebrate tonight, but prepare for the future. The Lightning Sect's rise does not end here."

The final cheer of the day erupted, rolling like a storm over the coliseum.

Above them, the lightning-filled skies rumbled in agreement.

The Elder Summit had come to a close.