In the end, Lex's fourth test did not end like the rest. He did not walk out of the test after completing it, but rather, the testing site ejected Lex when he clearly possessed the ability to survive, but would not leave.
Seemingly, the test was pretty straightforward. One only needed to avoid the blast in the way Lex had, and burying yourself in the rock walls seemed like a solid idea. But the reality of the situation was far more complex than that.
This lava was far from ordinary, or rather it would be more accurate to say that the fire which resulted in this lava was unique. It could burn spirit energy directly, which was an almost unheard of ability at any but the highest levels.
While Lex felt that the greatest threat was the eruption, the heat and the pressure, anyone else would have been continuously pelted by the 'radiation' of the 'hot spirit energy' produced by that flame. It would have worn them down, torn through their defenses, and killed them - or brought them as near death as they could during a test.
Lex, instead, only felt a minor irritation from it. Even though he had left Regal Embrace behind, making his body unreasonably resilient was a habit he could not break. His new cultivation technique continuously evolving him, while his bond giving him the status of a planet, almost directly molded a path for him. Soon, if he continued on like this his body would be as tough and resilient as a real planet, and his Golden core would be like the core of the planet as well!
Even after being ejected, Lex continued his cultivation for a few hours to allow his body to stabilize. When he opened his eyes, he felt both extremely powerful, and famished!
When he opened his eyes, he saw Mateo standing in front of him alongside a new projection - a mature looking woman whose gaze was like a window through time. Lex felt a subtle pressure on him just from being the subject of that gaze, though he could not understand it. The pressure did not seem physical, nor was it pressing down on his soul. Was it… psychological?
"You have secrets in your body the temple did not initially detect," the woman finally said, her tone neutral yet firm. She was not asking, but stating.
"The inscriptions, especially, are very interesting. Only someone with an exceptional understanding of the human body and soul could have come up with them. I see you have tried to remove them. It is not necessary. Instead, once you cross the threshold of immortality, the features of the inscriptions will become a part of you."
"I've heard one of them is a tracker. I don't want that at all. Besides, I've been told that they will pollute me if I don't remove them."
"Yes, at a glance it does seem like they will pollute you. But those with a deeper understanding of the human body, and the human cultivation path, can determine that it is not pollution. Instead, it will guide your growth. The reason your Empyrean Physique could be detected by the temple at all is because you've already reduced the potency of the inscriptions. Otherwise, your physique would have stayed suppressed and hidden. Even the tracking serves a good purpose. Once you grow, it will naturally turn into anti-tracking.
"Whoever designed these inscriptions was a genius. Were it another age, they would have been invited to the temple for training and guidance. But, that is not why we are here. Instead, we are here to address the issue of your guidance. Upon seeing the hodgepodge manner of your cultivation, Mateo aptly consulted someone more qualified to guide you.
"Young man, reviewing your scan results, as well as observing you up close, gives me a distinct impression. Your cultivation is like a perpetual stew! Like the ancient ancestors of our race, you continuously add everything to the same pot and continue to blend it together, resulting in a hearty and potent stew.
"But we are more advanced than that now, and don't need to rely on such methods. Your potential is enormous, and I would like to help you uncover it. With your permission, I would like to take you on as a student, and teach you properly."
Lex, who was unprepared for such an invitation, quickly considered the woman's words. The information she had given him was conflicting with everything he had learnt so far, and he had no real reason to believe she was right while everyone else he had met was wrong. Moreover, he did not know her identity, background or qualification. He also suspected the act of becoming her student contained some ceremonial significance.
So why then did he feel such a strong sensation of trust towards her? It was the same feeling he had towards Mateo, only stronger this time. It was as if something deep inside of him recognized the temple as a safe space, and did not allow him to raise his guard. Still, he could not dismiss caution based on a feeling.
"Who are you? What can you teach me? What will happen if I become your student?" Lex asked as he threw on his clothes. He had stripped before cultivating since he did not want his clothes to burn in the lava. Caught up in his cultivation, he had not had a chance to put clothes back on this entire time. He could not decide if he should feel ashamed for mooning, or the projections should be accused of being perverts!
"My name is Cassandra Vans Agnew, and I am one of the oldest and strongest living humans in the universe today. Besides that, I cannot tell you much more, as much of my history is linked with secrets of the temple that are not fit to be revealed yet. Becoming my student, at least in the way we are doing things right now, does not hold much more relevance than to establish a relationship based on respect and a desire to teach and learn. If you ever have the opportunity to present yourself before my actual self, there will be an opportunity for something more."
