"You are most likely unaware of this, but the Central Continent is the only place in the world where one can break through to the Ascension Realm." Mira was stunned by this information, but Aelina continued, "This is because only the Central Continent has the specific energy necessary to break through to the final Realm of the mortal world."
"Does that mean the Ascension Realm uses an energy other than Qi?" Mira questioned.
"Yes and no. From what I know, you need to use something called Origin Qi, otherwise known as Immortal Qi, to break through. Unfortunately, that's all I know, so take it with a grain of salt." Aelina shook her head ruefully, "Here's the problem with this. The Central Continent is completely blocked off from the rest of the world. I'm not sure how they did it, but nobody is allowed in or out of the Central Continent without authorization. Not even I, the Sect Master, cannot go through without permission from the Central Continent's higher-ups."
Mira scowled and was surprised they were able to block off an entire continent from the rest of the world.
"How does this pertain to me being this Sect's Prime Disciple?" Mira asked, tired of Aelina's roundabout explanations.
"I'm getting there," Aelina smiled and continued her story, "However, going against the entire world is impossible, even for those in the Ascension Realm. If the whole world, including all the beasts, teamed up, we would be able to storm the Central Continent. I don't know if we'd be able to take over, but we can, at the very least, cause them to waste thousands of years of resources. The formations, arrays, talismans, etc. that they use to protect the Continent aren't free, after all.
"Therefore, instead of allowing the other Continents and beast clans to team up against them, the Central Continent decided it'd be better for us to be against each other. So, every 100 years, they hold a tournament involving the younger generation of every major power worldwide, including those on the Central Continent. The Top 3 Powers in the competition will not only receive numerous benefits but will also receive authorization to relocate and stay on the Central Continent until the next competition." Aelina finished explaining, and Mira didn't even have to think to understand the results of such a competition.
"Let me guess. The Central Continent Powers take the Top 3 places in every competition."
Aelina sneered at her comment, "Just the Top 3? No, they even take up all the Top 10 spots! There's not even a chance for the rest of us. The only ones who can get even remotely close are the beast clans on the outer Continents, but even they are still outdone. The Central Continent's environment is just too good for raising cultivators!"
Mira gawked at Aelina, hardly believing what she had just said!
"What the-! How are you guys so useless that you can't even enter the Top 10?"
Aelina sighed, completely understanding Mira's point of view.
"Sigh… To make a long story short, the Central Continent is a very complex place, and the powers there are even more so. It's hard to put into words, but I guess a simple explanation would be that it's like a perpetual battlefield."
Mira's eyes lit up, feeling enlightened. Now, so many things started making sense.
Qi, although sometimes seen as omnipresent, isn't unlimited. However, on the Central Continent, thousands, perhaps millions, of talents are using this limited resource. Obviously, the density of Qi would decrease rapidly over time, and there wouldn't be enough left for the people at the top to use. This shortage would then trickle down to the lower-level cultivators until there was no more Qi to use.
So, then how would one go about combating this issue? Decrease the number of people using said resources.
What's the best and most efficient way to do that? To kill them, of course. However, for the deaths to impact the Continent's environment, countless strong people would need to die. This wouldn't just be limited to the younger generation either. Mira could see even those at the peak of this world eyeing to kill each other!
Therefore, Mira could easily assume that geniuses died left and right on the Central Continent, serving as nutrients for the survivors. This way of life is extremely brutal, but the ones left standing would be invincible! They would be supreme geniuses with tons of battle experience and the best resources available! What other major power outside of the Central Continent could compete with that?
"No wonder only the beast clans are the only ones who could come close to entering the Top 10," Mira muttered out loud. Aelina was surprised by her statement but didn't take it to heart.
'She's still underestimating the brutality of the Central Continent.' She thought but didn't correct Mira's misunderstanding.
It's impossible to put into words just how crazy it is over there.
"Alright, I think I got the gist of it now. You want me to be the Battle Maiden Sect's Prime Disciple, so you can pump resources into me without reservation, hoping I earn us a stop in the Top 3?" Mira asked, finally knowing the full details behind Aelina's proposition.
"Correct, but you should also know that you're more than talented enough to deserve this position. If you aren't qualified to be my Sect's Prime Disciple, then who is?"
"You're quite decisive, aren't you, Sect Master? To think you'd offer me this on our first meeting." Mira commented with a smile. Her reluctance to agree to become the Sect's Prime Disciple lessened greatly.
Aelina also smiled, "That comes with the job. Plus, there are only 20 years left until the next competition! That might sound like a lot of time to you now, but the minimum required cultivation to enter the competition is the Soul Transformation Realm! Getting you there from your current stage is already hard enough, but if you want to actually win the competition, entering the Mortal Shedding Realm is almost a necessity!"
Mira frowned and rubbed her temples, "This… Why didn't you come to me about this sooner?"
Aelina scratched her head awkwardly, "... I didn't think you'd actually be able to help, if I'm being honest. Like you said, 20 years isn't that long. That's the average time it takes a genius to cross the Core Formation Realm. If you were a slightly more talented genius, maybe you'd become a Stage 3 or 4 Nascent Soul Realm expert, but that's still not enough to qualify you."
Mira couldn't necessarily blame her for thinking like that. She had just joined the Sect, after all.
The two went silent for a while as many thoughts passed through their minds. Mira was busy going through numerous scenarios in her mind, trying to calculate if it was even possible for her to reach the Soul Transformation Realm in 20 years.
However, this situation is extremely beneficial for Mira. By this point, there are basically no downsides to accepting this proposition. Sure, she'd still be tied to the Sect, but if everything Aelina said was true, that wasn't necessarily bad.
Meanwhile, Aelina was inwardly sweating, hoping Mira would agree. Naturally, as a cultivator and one who pursued power above everything else, Aelina refused to stop at the Divine Sea Realm.
She wanted to become an Ascension Realm expert or even an Immortal! However, she's stuck on this continent, hardly able to progress in the Divine Sea Realm, much less reach the Ascension Realm!
Unfortunately, Aelina has never had the privilege to enter the Central Continent, but Mira changed everything.
She could see the light at the end of the tunnel. She could see the continuation of her path to power in Mira. Not just for her, but for the entire Sect as well!
To a certain extent, she was even willing to get down on one knee and beg Mira to accept becoming the Sect's Prime Disciple! That's how much this meant to her.
Eventually, after almost half an hour of silence, Mira opened her mouth.
"I hope you understand just how difficult this will be. I'll just say this now, but if I do accept this, I'm going for broke. There'll be no turning back. We either make it, or we crumble! The number of resources I'll need to reach that level in such a short time… Well, I hope you're ready to bankrupt the Sect. It'll be difficult, nearly impossible even…"
Mira paused, building up a bit of suspense, before continuing.
"...But I think we might be able to do it with the right planning, training, and resolve. I also expect you to treat me as an equal. That's the least you can do, considering I'll have to go through literal hell to reach that level of power in 20 years. But if you're willing to do everything in your power to assist me, then I'm willing to do everything in my power to help you."
"I agree. I'll be this Sect's Prime Disciple!"
