Chapter 9

The others present eagerly wished for more fools like this, hoping to reduce their competition in reaching “shore.” No one would speak up on his behalf, especially since an elder from Yonglu Mountain had already made their stance clear. Even if he stubbornly stayed, it was unlikely he’d be accepted as a Yonglu disciple.

This brief interlude involving the fool’s challenge to Yonglu Mountain’s rules quickly passed. After he slunk away dejectedly, Elder Zhao proceeded with outlining the mountain trial process. Naturally, being a man of few words and firm demeanor, the briefing was swift.

“Firstly, this mountain trial will involve team-based combat. Each squad must have at least three members but no more than five; squads with only two participants must either withdraw or join another team.”

“Secondly, within the designated trial area, fifteen basic-grade magical artifacts marked by Yonglu Mountain are hidden. Within a day and night, each squad must obtain at least one artifact and reach the finish line together. The trial is considered complete only when all squad members arrive at the endpoint. Failure to secure an artifact will result in disqualification.”

“Thirdly, the use of high-tier magical artifacts and killing are strictly prohibited during the trial. However, the use of talismans, medicinal pills, and artifacts suitable for the Qi Refinement stage is allowed. Any violation will lead to immediate disqualification from the mountain trial.”

“Lastly, throughout the mountain trial, surveillance walls will be employed, so do not challenge Yonglu Mountain’s rules.”

Excellent, this elder emphasized Yonglu Mountain’s regulations once again.

Bian Chunzhou glanced at Wen Xu, blindfolded and seemingly oblivious, realizing that the responsibility of finding teammates now rested on his shoulders. Well, no problem—he was quite…adept at making friends—wait?!

Meow, meow, meow? Did everyone form their groups that quickly? Without any discussion or communication? Just like that? Unable to resist, Bian Chunzhou looked around. Alright, apart from them, only one more gloomy-looking individual remained unassigned.

This person appeared to be around thirty—if not thirty, then surely close to it. With both a sullen demeanor and advanced age, the reason for being left out was evident.

Bian Chunzhou wondered if these individuals had prior knowledge about forming teams for the mountain trial, allowing them ample time to secure their companions beforehand. He surveyed the scene: some squads consisted of three, others four, and even a few with five members, though the latter were rare, with most opting for foursomes.

“I’ll join you.”

Bian Chunzhou didn’t expect such initiative from this stranger. After all, if he joined another squad, either Wen Xu and Bian Chunzhou would be forced to separate or those squads might not agree to their inclusion. According to the rules just announced, failing to participate in the mountain trial would automatically eliminate them.

This method seemed quite ruthless, but it was within the set guidelines.

“Welcome aboard, but why did you choose us?” Could it be out of a passion for helping the underprivileged? Come to think of it, between Wen Xu at the second level of Qi Refinement and himself at the third, along with their meager supply of talismans obtained by sheer luck, they indeed lacked competitiveness for forming teams during the mountain trial.

“I’m Chen Zui, ‘Zui’ as in the best—because I want to join the best team, naturally. You were first in the preliminary test, correct?”

Wen Xu nodded. “Indeed, Brother Chen, but my cultivation is rather low, only at the second level of Qi Refinement.”

“That’s sufficient. You don’t look particularly strong anyway.” Chen Zui sported a wildly unkempt beard; in fact, his facial hair was exceedingly abundant, with hair, eyebrows, and beard growing profusely in a savage manner. His overall appearance exuded a rugged, weathered aura, enhanced by his shabby attire. To the uninitiated, one might mistake him for Xili Ge reincarnated into the cultivation world.

Bian Chunzhou couldn’t help but raise his hand. “I’m also at the third level of Qi Refinement. My name is Bian Chunzhou.”

Without even flinching, Chen Zui showed no concern about adding two extra burdens to his group. “Even better! You both seem so weak I could knock you down with one punch. If I can lead you two to acquire magical artifacts and reach the endpoint, wouldn’t that prove my skills surpass everyone else’s?”

Bian Chunzhou fell silent. So when you said ‘the best squad,’ you meant the best squad to highlight your own prowess.

Still, having teammates was preferable to being alone, Bian Chunzhou thought optimistically. Maybe they’d stumble upon some magical artifacts right away, who knows? After all, isn’t it human nature to harbor hopeful fantasies?

“Let’s go; it’s time to enter the trial,” Chen Zui declared confidently, patting his chest. “As long as you two don’t slow me down too much, I guarantee I’ll take you to the finish line. I’m at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, and only two others share this cultivation stage for this mountain trial.”

Well then, their combined levels still fell short compared to him. Considering he deemed them mere deadweights, there wasn’t really any arguing against it.

Just as Chen Zui finished speaking, before Bian Chunzhou could deliver his speech about clinging to stronger teammates, Wen Xu interjected first: “Brother Chen, your sense of justice is commendable. However, if there’s ever anything we can assist with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Sure thing! By the way, you really can’t see?” Chen Zui’s straightforward nature meant he spoke whatever came to mind. Moreover, fixing eyesight wasn’t particularly challenging; perhaps some people simply preferred not to rely on their vision. He had even seen individuals with perfectly functional legs claiming they were crippled.

Respecting others’ preferences was something Chen Zui’s mother had repeatedly emphasized before he left home.

“Hmm, but it doesn’t hinder my movement, so rest assured, Brother Chen.”

Chen Zui waved dismissively, clearly unconcerned. “If being in Qi Refinement still impeded your walking, you’d be no different from a fool. Just call me Chen Zui, ‘Brother Chen’ sounds like someone else.”

Wen Xu paused, realizing that here stood someone even more blunt than Bian Chunzhou.

“But if you can’t see, won’t that make finding artifacts difficult?”

Wen Xu shook his head. “No, finding the artifacts should indeed be straightforward.” After all, the initial test involved locating spirit plants; it wouldn’t make sense for the mountain trial to simply repeat the same task. However, being easy to find didn’t mean they’d be effortless to obtain—competition from other squads was one factor, and Yonglu Mountain would undoubtedly have set its own obstacles as well.

Bian Chunzhou looked around. “How so?”

“When the elder announced the rules just now, he mentioned fifteen artifacts marked with Yonglu Mountain’s seal. Why specifically artifacts, not any other inanimate objects? Among the candidates participating in this mountain trial, there are those at Qi Refinement stages two or three, like Wen Xu and myself, as well as individuals already at stages five or six, like you. If it were merely a contest of grabbing treasures while competing against each squad, then cultivation level and possession of talismans and artifacts would determine success. But if that were the case, higher-level cultivators could easily team up, leaving little chance for lower-level candidates to excel.”

Chen Zui scratched his head. “So what are you saying?”

“My point is, these fifteen low-tier artifacts might be intended for use by the candidates themselves. This way, the disparity between high and low cultivation levels could be somewhat mitigated. Yonglu Mountain’s mountain trial likely aims to assess teamwork and adaptability among the candidates.”

Wen Xu was adept at tackling exams; put another way, solving problems had become ingrained in his very blood. As soon as he heard the rules, he meticulously dissected each word and sentence within his mind. And since he dared to voice his thoughts, he must have been highly confident.

“Moreover, the rules don’t explicitly state that each squad can only acquire one artifact.” This indicated that Yonglu Mountain sought disciples who weren’t just head-down cultivators focused solely on training. Instead, they desired individuals with intellect, initiative, and a touch of fortune.

It was worth noting—no surprise for one of the five great sects—that their entry requirements were indeed stringent. Yet despite these high standards, they placed spiritual root aptitude at the lowest priority, seemingly challenging the cultivation world’s fixation on spiritual roots in silent defiance.

Wen Xu pondered silently: Originally, he had planned to travel to the capital for imperial examinations, but now it had turned into ascending a mountain for this test. Although there was a slight detour along the way, both journeys ultimately led to similar goals.

“You’re right! He only said we must obtain at least one artifact, not what happens if we get more!” Bian Chunzhou slapped his thigh. “There might be some selfish jerks who grab extra artifacts just to prevent others from succeeding!”

Chen Zui, his weathered face making it hard to discern any expression, chimed in, “What’re we waiting for? Let’s go snatch some artifacts! Aim for ten or eight at least!”

Bian Chunzhou was speechless. Great, this kind of troublemaker is stuck with us!

With Wen Xu and Bian Chunzhou trailing behind like deadweight, Chen Zui enthusiastically scoured the mountain for hours. However, they encountered hardly anyone, let alone any magical artifacts—it seemed designed to challenge the most unfortunate souls.

If they continued like this, they’d likely eliminate themselves without needing any scheming from others.

Bian Chunzhou felt a sense of helplessness reminiscent of the initial exam, when pill fragrance grass had littered the ground everywhere.

“Wait.” Wen Xu stopped abruptly, also halting Bian Chunzhou. As for Chen Zui, with his immense strength, there was no stopping him physically. “I have a feeling that an artifact might be nearby.”

“You sure?”

Wen Xu shook his head. “Not certain, but since we entered this area, the wind has ceased.” Ever since opening his sea of qi, he had developed varying degrees of perception through the wind, receiving information about the environment. Initially, upon entering the mountain, he could still sense the breeze, but now, not even the slightest trace remained detectable.

Although he was new to the cultivation world, he knew that any deviation from the norm could signify trouble. If something seemed abnormal, it was likely due to either a magical artifact’s influence or someone setting a trap. Since they had traversed this area multiple times without encountering danger, the former seemed more probable.

Wind? Chen Zui extended his senses and confirmed its absence, but…what did that mean exactly? Moreover, what kind of artifact could solely suppress wind?

None of the three were well-versed in magical artifacts; in fact, aside from Chen Zui, the other two hardly had any experience with them at all. Heaven help them—Bian Chunzhou’s most valuable possession was the basic spirit sword left by his thrifty father, which didn’t even have a proper name.

Fortunately, Chen Zui stepped up confidently. “This is easy. If it truly is an artifact, let me give it a try!”

With those words, he swung the large blade resting on his back. Clearly not a magical artifact itself, it was just a simple piece of mundane iron. However, in Chen Zui’s hands, it shimmered with spiritual energy, instantly creating a small whirlwind centered around him.

“Wow, impressive!” No wonder he claimed to take down two enemies with one punch. “Big Bro Chen, you’ve got incredible strength!”

An artifact capable of suppressing wind wouldn’t withstand a sudden whirlwind, would it? Of course not.

As a cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, when Chen Zui saw his swirling gusts effortlessly swallowed, he promptly increased his power. “Bring it on! I’m not backing down!”

Bian Chunzhou couldn’t help but think…how should he put it? A bit naive, perhaps.