A Young Man Comes for Heart Questioning

Chapter 5: A Young Man Comes to Ask for Guidance. Li Cheng replied, "Practicing my saber!"

Zhou Hai was a little surprised. "He didn't use the Spirit Absorption Technique to cultivate?"

Li Cheng: "I didn't sense any fluctuations in spiritual energy."

Zhou Hai pondered, "What kind of saber technique is it?"

Li Cheng: "Ordinary mortal saber arts."

Zhou Hai was even more surprised.

The other elders also looked over.

After pondering for a moment, Zhou Hai could only shake his head. "He might have his reasons. I'll ask him after he officially joins the sect..."

Li Cheng agreed, "I think so too."

Li Cheng spent two days as a trial stele in the preparatory disciple living area of Golden Osmanthus Garden.

Other disciples were either cultivating or wandering around, but Ning Ri was constantly practicing his saber.

Li Cheng initially thought Ning Ri was cultivating some incredible technique, but upon closer inspection, he realized Ning Ri was practicing mortal saber arts, unrelated to cultivation.

He didn't understand the meaning behind this action, but he understood Ning Ri.

The disciples of the Heaven Defying Sect each had their own understanding of cultivation, and their actions were often incomprehensible to outsiders, but only they knew what they were doing.

Ning Ri had clearly begun to adapt to the identity of a Heaven Defying Sect disciple.

The roll call in Kite Plaza quickly concluded.

After the elder in grey robes finished calling names, he had the first disciple line up and enter.

This was a young man dressed in luxurious clothing, with a somewhat distant expression.

During these two days, while Ning Ri was practicing his saber to accumulate skill points, he didn't forget to eavesdrop on others' conversations to gather intelligence.

After all, Li Cheng had said that the annual disciple trials were different every year, making Ning Ri unsure if the Heaven Defying Sect's disciple trial was a selective or a proficiency-based exam.

A proficiency-based exam was like getting a driver's license; you just needed to pass.

A selective exam was like the college entrance examination; it required ranking.

He worried that the disciple trial would also involve competing for rankings. If that were the case, he naturally needed to see the level of his competitors first.

Ning Ri knew that this person was named Liang Chengdao. He had an extraordinary background, being a prince of a mortal dynasty. He was naturally taciturn and rather aloof. Ning Ri hadn't sensed his cultivation, so he assumed either the other party was stronger than him, or they possessed a magical artifact.

After Liang Chengdao entered the constantly spinning vortex of light, the second preparatory disciple stepped forward.

This was a burly young man dressed in coarse linen, named Gao Hong.

Gao Hong was seventeen years old.

At 1.93 meters tall, he was like a small mountain with good talent.

Ning Ri had arm-wrestled him once and lost miserably. Gao Hong was very loyal, stronger than Ning Ri, a good person, and very enthusiastic.

After inquiring, he learned that Gao Hong came to the Heaven Defying Sect mainly because it was close to home and he could attend as a day student.

As for the others, Ning Ri only had a superficial understanding. After all, they had only just met, and they hadn't displayed any extraordinary traits.

He had been too busy accumulating skill points during these two days.

After Gao Hong entered, Ning Ri followed closely behind...

Once everyone had entered the light hole, the disciples watching from below began to discuss:

"I wonder what the content of this year's disciple trial will be?"

"Last year's was quite outrageous. I still can't forget it..."

"I think they're outrageous every year. I don't know how they come up with these disciple trials..."

However, despite calling them outrageous, every single one of them was excited—

Watching others go through the same unfortunate experiences as themselves was always a happy occasion!

At this moment.

The elder in grey robes in the center of Kite Plaza said in a deep voice:

"Cautionary Talisman!"

An invisible force flashed, and a yellow [Cautionary Talisman] appeared in everyone's hands.

Seeing the warning yellow talisman, the disciples fell silent.

If they dared to speak again, the elder would directly stick a red [Silencing Talisman] on their mouths.

Then, all eyes focused on Kite Plaza. The first water screen slowly condensed, and within it, the participant in the trial was none other than Liang Chengdao.

At this very moment.

Liang Chengdao, the first disciple to enter the trial, found his surroundings shifting. He had arrived in a quiet room with two futons.

On one of the futons sat a person—

[Xun Zang]!

When Xun Zang appeared, the disciples in Kite Plaza were very surprised. "It's Elder Xun from the Joyful Union Courtyard?"

"Then it seems this trial won't be difficult..."

Inside the water curtain.

At this moment, Xun Zang was looking at Liang Chengdao with a smile.

However, Liang Chengdao could tell at a glance that this was a clone of Xun Zang.

Liang Chengdao bowed and said calmly, "Greetings, Elder Xun!"

"Mm, no need for such formalities."

Xun Zang reached out and lightly supported Liang Chengdao, then continued, "The content of this disciple trial is very simple. May I ask, young friend Liang, what is the thing that has accompanied you the longest since you were young?"

Liang Chengdao replied, "The jade pendant my mother gave me."

Xun Zang said, "If you were to have a Dao companion in the future, would you choose the jade pendant as your Dao companion?"

"No..." After saying this, Liang Chengdao paused silently, then asked, "Didn't you ask this question before?"

When Xun Zang recruited disciples, the so-called "talk of ideals" was about Dao companions.

He had already answered.

Xun Zang smiled slightly and said, "Asking repeatedly can probe your true heart and help you understand. This is today's trial, [Heart Questioning]."

Liang Chengdao said, "Yes, this disciple understands. Please continue, Elder Xun."

Xun Zang said, "Good. Second question: If you wouldn't choose the jade pendant as your Dao companion, then what would you choose as your Dao companion?"

Liang Chengdao asked, "Can't I not have a Dao companion?"

Xun Zang said, "Good, it seems you like yourself. Then are you willing to become Dao companions with yourself?"

Liang Chengdao: "..."

As Liang Chengdao remained silent, Xun Zang suddenly said, "Alright, the Heart Questioning is over. Your trial has failed."

Liang Chengdao: "?"

Then, he was sent out of the quiet room by an invisible force and returned to Kite Plaza.

The elder in the gray robe reappeared before him and said, "Alright, young friend Liang, it is with great regret that you did not pass the trial. Please descend the mountain."

Hearing this, Liang Chengdao frowned tightly, then let out a cold snort. After saying something inexplicable, he turned and left...

At the same time.

Kite Plaza.

Everyone watched Liang Chengdao descend the mountain quickly in the water curtain and leave the Heaven Defying Sect. They all let out a sound of realization—

So Elder Xun's trial was just a pretense!

As Liang Chengdao descended the mountain, the second water curtain popped up, showing the burly youth Gao Hong from before.

Gao Hong's answer in the Heart Questioning was simple: he said he had a betrothal, so Xun Zang said he didn't pass.

Gao Hong immediately became anxious. "Elder Xun, you can't do this! Didn't you say a few days ago that a betrothal doesn't affect cultivation?! Are you going to make me break off the engagement after I enter the immortal sect? What kind of person do you take me for?"

But Xun Zang ignored him and directly sent him away. Then, back in Kite Plaza, he could only helplessly bid farewell to the elders and descend the mountain, just like Liang Chengdao...

Next.

The third water curtain rose.

In the quiet room.

Someone came to undergo the Heart Questioning.

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