Chapter 3 – Test
Wang Zhou was stunned by the scene before him. It took him a long time to recover, and the arrogance in his heart shrank.
At this moment, several rainbow-colored swords flew towards them. For each sword that disappeared, a Heng Yue Sect disciple appeared, each followed by several 15-year-old children.
There were young men and women, when they landed, their expressions were similar to Wang Lin’s group as they stared at the scene before them.
All the Heng Yue Sect disciples who had brought the youths gathered to the side and began discussing the youths. After waiting for a while, all the other youths who had been recommended arrived at the sect. A middle-aged man dressed in black surveyed the area. Then, he said emotionlessly, “Among all of you, only a few will be chosen to become Heng Yue Sect disciples.”
All the young men cried out in surprise. Wang Lin’s heart trembled. He counted a total of 48 people taking the exam.
“Cultivation, the path to immortality, depends on your natural talent. The first test is to see whether your soul is strong enough. Now, whoever I nominate will step forward and take the test.” The middle-aged man emotionlessly pointed to a young man.
The young man walked carefully, his legs shaking. The middle-aged man put his hand on his head and said, “Not qualified. Stand on the left.”
The young man suddenly lost all his strength. His face looked gloomy and his eyes were blank, as he silently moved to the left.
Then another young man was chosen. He stepped forward with a frightened expression.
“Does not meet the requirements.”
“Does not meet the requirements.”
“Does not meet the requirements.”
Ten people in a row had all failed the test. To this day, there was still no one to the middle-aged man’s right.
Now it was Wang Zhuo’s turn. All his previous pride vanished from his face. Pale-faced, he stepped forward.
After the middle-aged man placed his hand on Wang Zhuo’s head, his face suddenly lit up and he asked, “What’s your name?”
Wang Zhuo quickly replied respectfully, “Immortal, my name is Wang Zhuo.”
The middle-aged man nodded. He then smiled and said, “So, you’re the one Martial Master was referring to. Good. Wang Zhuo, stand on the right.”
Wang Zhuo felt very happy and walked to the right under everyone’s admiration. His eyes were filled with arrogance and contempt as he looked towards the crowd. He felt untouchable.
“Bastard, he really is a lucky dog,” Wang Hao muttered to Wang Lin as he curled his lips.
Wang Lin’s heart tightened. His parents’ hopeful eyes appeared before his eyes. He clenched his fists tightly.
“Great, you’re also standing on the right,” the middle-aged man said in surprise to the young girl in front of him.
After a while, almost all the young men had been tested, and only two people remained standing to the right of the middle-aged man. Wang Hao was the next person.
Wang Hao immediately ran towards the middle-aged man. Before he could begin the test, he knelt to the ground and kowtowed several times. He said, “Immortal, may you live long! My name is Wang Hao. You’ve tested so many people, so you must be tired! Why don’t you rest for a while? I’m not in a hurry, it’s fine.”
The middle-aged man laughed heartily. He had tested so many people whose faces were filled with fear, yet this intelligent young man, without the slightest hint of fear, tried to win him over. He pressed his hand on Wang Hao’s head and said, “His talent is lacking. No…”
When Wang Hao heard that his spirits were low, his heart immediately sank. Without waiting for the middle-aged man to finish speaking, he immediately took out a jade box and held it before him. Wang Hao said wisely, “Lord, my father found this by accident on the mountain but couldn’t open it. I specially brought it to give to Lord.”
The middle-aged man chuckled and shook his head. He was about to reject Wang Hao, but as he examined the box, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his face lit up. “Not bad! This is at least a 300-year-old mushroom. Looking at the jade box, it was sealed by a cultivator. No wonder your father couldn’t open it.” He paused for a moment, then said in a slightly shaky voice, “I need a helper for my alchemy. Would you be willing to be my helper?”
Wang Hao, surprised, immediately stood up. The difference in treatment was like heaven and earth, making him very happy. He exclaimed, “Yes, God, I am willing!”
The middle-aged man chuckled and said, “Since you’re going to be my servant, I won’t treat you badly. You can cultivate like the other disciples. Stand on the right.”
Wang Hao was very happy in his heart. He ran to the right side and looked at Wang Zhuo triumphantly.
The faces of all the failed youths turned pale. They all felt extremely depressed. Some even started crying.
The middle-aged man frowned. He shouted, “Throw out anyone who starts crying.”
Several Heng Yue Sect disciples stepped forward. They quickly picked up the people who had begun to cry and disappeared in a flash of sword light.
The middle-aged man pointed at Wang Lin.
Wang Lin took a deep breath. Nervously, he walked to the middle-aged man’s side, his mind completely blank. Praying silently, he couldn’t help but recall the hope in his parents’ eyes.
“I will definitely be chosen!” Wang Lin thought determinedly.
The middle-aged man pressed his hand against his head. With a straight face, he uttered the two words Wang Lin feared most.
“Not eligible!”
Wang Lin didn’t remember how he got to the left side, he only heard the rumbling of spring thunder in his ears and the echo of the two words the middle-aged man said.
After a while, everyone had been tested, and only three people were left standing on the right. In everyone’s eyes, these three were insurmountable and incredibly tall.
Wang Zhuo stared at Wang Lin with a face full of contempt, fully expressing his disgust towards him.
“Although a strong soul is necessary to become a cultivator, perseverance is even more important. Even an ordinary student like you can become a sect disciple if you have enough perseverance! The second test is perseverance!” The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then said with a straight face, “Follow the steps. If you reach the top, you qualify. If you don’t finish within three days, you fail. Those who fail will be returned to their families. If you can’t hold on any longer or encounter danger, simply shout loudly and someone will come and save you.”
The middle-aged man smiled at the three people on his right and said, “You two, follow me to meet the patriarch. We’ll also be looking for your masters. Wang Hao, you don’t need to leave. Come with me to the alchemy house to familiarize yourself with the place.”
After the middle-aged man finished giving instructions, he took the three selected young men and disappeared into the mountains.
Wang Lin took a deep breath, his eyes full of determination. He climbed the stone stairs without hesitation and began the test of perseverance.
Except for the three selected youths and the six crying youths who were taken away, there were 39 people left.
Among these 39 young men, those who were deeply depressed, those who were deeply determined, and those who were afraid all walked towards their own future.
1. [TL Note] I believe the rainbow colored swords mentioned in this chapter and the last are like the energy surrounding each of the disciples. Chapter 3 – The Trial
Wang Zhou was stunned by the scene before him. It took him a long time to recover, and the arrogance in his heart shrank.
At this moment, several rainbow-colored swords [1] flew towards them. For each sword that disappeared, there was a Heng Yue Sect disciple, each followed by several 15-year-old children.
There were young men and women, when they landed, their expressions were similar to Wang Lin’s group as they stared at the scene before them.
All the Heng Yue Sect disciples who had brought the youths gathered to the side and began discussing the youths. After waiting for a while, all the other youths who had been recommended arrived at the sect. A middle-aged man dressed in black surveyed the area. Then, he said emotionlessly, “Among all of you, only a few will be chosen to become Heng Yue Sect disciples.”
All the young men cried out in surprise. Wang Lin’s heart trembled. He counted a total of 48 people taking the exam.
“Cultivation, the path to immortality, depends on your natural talent. The first test is to see whether your soul is strong enough. Now, whoever I nominate will step forward and take the test.” The middle-aged man emotionlessly pointed to a young man.
The young man walked carefully, his legs shaking. The middle-aged man put his hand on his head and said, “Not qualified. Stand on the left.”
The young man suddenly lost all his strength. His face looked gloomy and his eyes were blank, as he silently moved to the left.
Then another young man was chosen. He stepped forward with a frightened expression.
“Does not meet the requirements.”
“Does not meet the requirements.”
“Does not meet the requirements.”
Ten people in a row had all failed the test. To this day, there was still no one to the middle-aged man’s right.
Now it was Wang Zhuo’s turn. All his previous pride vanished from his face. Pale-faced, he stepped forward.
After the middle-aged man placed his hand on Wang Zhuo’s head, his face suddenly lit up and he asked, “What’s your name?”
Wang Zhuo quickly replied respectfully, “Immortal, my name is Wang Zhuo.”
The middle-aged man nodded. He then smiled and said, “So, you’re the one Martial Master was referring to. Good. Wang Zhuo, stand on the right.”
Wang Zhuo felt very happy and walked to the right under everyone’s admiration. His eyes were filled with arrogance and contempt as he looked towards the crowd. He felt untouchable.
“Bastard, he really is a lucky dog,” Wang Hao muttered to Wang Lin as he curled his lips.
Wang Lin’s heart tightened. His parents’ hopeful eyes appeared before his eyes. He clenched his fists tightly.
“Great, you’re also standing on the right,” the middle-aged man said in surprise to the young girl in front of him.
After a while, almost all the young men had been tested, and only two people remained standing to the right of the middle-aged man. Wang Hao was the next person.
Wang Hao immediately ran towards the middle-aged man. Before he could begin the test, he knelt to the ground and kowtowed several times. He said, “Immortal, may you live long! My name is Wang Hao. You’ve tested so many people, so you must be tired! Why don’t you rest for a while? I’m not in a hurry, it’s fine.”
The middle-aged man laughed heartily. He had tested so many people whose faces were filled with fear, yet this intelligent young man, without the slightest hint of fear, tried to win him over. He pressed his hand on Wang Hao’s head and said, “His talent is lacking. No…”
When Wang Hao heard that his spirits were low, his heart immediately sank. Without waiting for the middle-aged man to finish speaking, he immediately took out a jade box and held it before him. Wang Hao said wisely, “Lord, my father found this by accident on the mountain but couldn’t open it. I specially brought it to give to Lord.”
The middle-aged man chuckled and shook his head. He was about to reject Wang Hao, but as he examined the box, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his face lit up. “Not bad! This is at least a 300-year-old mushroom. Looking at the jade box, it was sealed by a cultivator. No wonder your father couldn’t open it.” He paused for a moment, then said in a slightly shaky voice, “I need a helper for my alchemy. Would you be willing to be my helper?”
Wang Hao, surprised, immediately stood up. The difference in treatment was like heaven and earth, making him very happy. He exclaimed, “Yes, God, I am willing!”
The middle-aged man chuckled and said, “Since you’re going to be my servant, I won’t treat you badly. You can cultivate like the other disciples. Stand on the right.”
Wang Hao was very happy in his heart. He ran to the right side and looked at Wang Zhuo triumphantly.
The faces of all the failed youths turned pale. They all felt extremely depressed. Some even started crying.
The middle-aged man frowned. He shouted, “Throw out anyone who starts crying.”
Several Heng Yue Sect disciples stepped forward. They quickly picked up the people who had begun to cry and disappeared in a flash of sword light.
The middle-aged man pointed at Wang Lin.
Wang Lin took a deep breath. Nervously, he walked to the middle-aged man’s side, his mind completely blank. Praying silently, he couldn’t help but recall the hope in his parents’ eyes.
“I will definitely be chosen!” Wang Lin thought determinedly.
The middle-aged man pressed his hand against his head. With a straight face, he uttered the two words Wang Lin feared most.
“Not eligible!”
Wang Lin didn’t remember how he got to the left side, he only heard the rumbling of spring thunder in his ears and the echo of the two words the middle-aged man said.
After a while, everyone had been tested, and only three people were left standing on the right. In everyone’s eyes, these three were insurmountable and incredibly tall.
Wang Zhuo stared at Wang Lin with a face full of contempt, fully expressing his disgust towards him.
“Although a strong soul is necessary to become a cultivator, perseverance is even more important. Even an ordinary student like you can become a sect disciple if you have enough perseverance! The second test is perseverance!” The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then said with a straight face, “Follow the steps. If you reach the top, you qualify. If you don’t finish within three days, you fail. Those who fail will be returned to their families. If you can’t hold on any longer or encounter danger, simply shout loudly and someone will come and save you.”
The middle-aged man smiled at the three people on his right and said, “You two, follow me to meet the patriarch. We’ll also be looking for your masters. Wang Hao, you don’t need to leave. Come with me to the alchemy house to familiarize yourself with the place.”
After the middle-aged man finished giving instructions, he took the three selected young men and disappeared into the mountains.
Wang Lin took a deep breath, his eyes full of determination. He climbed the stone stairs without hesitation and began the test of perseverance.
Except for the three selected youths and the six crying youths who were taken away, there were 39 people left.
Among these 39 young men, those who were deeply depressed, those who were deeply determined, and those who were afraid all walked towards their own future.
1. [TL Note] I believe the rainbow colored swords mentioned in this chapter and the last are like the energy surrounding each of the disciples.