Wind Blade

Bian Chunchou looked around. "What do you think?"

"When that elder announced the rules earlier, he mentioned that there were fifteen magical artifacts bearing Yonglu Mountain's mark. Why magical artifacts, rather than other inanimate objects? Among the candidates participating in the Mountain Examination, there are people at the second or third layer of Qi Refining like Chunchou and me, and people at the fifth or sixth layer like you. If it were merely teams competing to snatch treasures, then it would test nothing but cultivation and the talismans and magical artifacts one possessed. But if that were all, those with higher cultivation could simply band together. How could low-cultivation candidates ever rise to the top?"

Chen Zui scratched his head. "So what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that these fifteen low-grade magical artifacts may be usable by the candidates. That way, the gap in cultivation can be somewhat leveled. This Mountain Examination of Yonglu Mountain should be testing the candidates' teamwork and adaptability."

Wen Xu was very good at taking examinations. In other words, deciphering a question was an instinct carved into his blood. The moment the rules entered his ears, he had already carefully parsed every word and sentence in his heart. And since he dared to say it aloud, he must have long been certain.

"Besides, the rules never explicitly said that a team could only take one magical artifact." It was clear from this that the disciples Yonglu Mountain wished to take in were not simpletons who only knew how to bury their heads in cultivation. It wanted disciples who could use their brains, had the ability to act, and possessed a measure of fortune.

It had to be said, it truly deserved to be one of the Five Great Sects under heaven. Its requirements for admitting disciples were this high.

Yet despite such demanding requirements, it placed Spiritual Root talent at the very end. It sounded as though it were silently resisting the Cultivation Realm's doctrine that Spiritual Roots reigned supreme.

Wen Xu contemplated this in silence. He had originally been heading to the capital to take the imperial examinations, but now he was taking an examination up a mountain. Though he had taken a slight wrong turn along the way, all roads still led to the same destination.

"Right! He only said we had to obtain one, but he never said what would happen if we got more than one!" Bian Chunchou slapped his thigh. "There might be some people who'd harm others without benefiting themselves, snatching extra magical artifacts just so no one else gets any results!"

Chen Zui—well, there was too much weathered weariness on his face to make out his expression. "Then what are we waiting for? Come on, let's snatch some magical artifacts! Let's grab ten or eight!"

Bian Chunchou: ...Wonderful. This kind of person was actually by my side!

Chen Zui led the two deadweights around the mountain with great enthusiasm for half a day. Yet never mind magical artifacts—they barely even encountered anyone. It was a vast land with sparse people, a catastrophe for the unlucky.

If this went on, they would probably eliminate themselves without anyone else needing to plot against them.

Bian Chunchou even felt as though he had returned to the Preliminary Trial, surrounded by Pill-Fragrance Herbs, utterly powerless.

"Wait." Wen Xu stopped and casually grabbed Bian Chunchou as well. As for Chen Zui, the man was so strong that he simply could not be held back. "I think the magical artifact is very likely nearby."

"Are you sure?"

Wen Xu shook his head. "I'm not sure. But ever since we entered this place, the wind has stopped." Ever since his Qi Sea had opened, he had always been able to glean much information about the outside world through the wind, sometimes clearly, sometimes faintly. Even when they had first entered, he could still sense the wind. But now, he could not feel even the slightest trace of it.

Though he had only just entered the Cultivation Realm, anything abnormal was bound to conceal something sinister. Since this was unusual, either a magical artifact was affecting it, or someone had set a trap. They had passed through this area so many times without encountering danger, so the former was more likely.

Wind?

Chen Zui stretched out a hand to sense it. There really was none. But... what could that prove? Besides, what kind of magical artifact could merely stop the wind?

The three of them happened to have no knowledge of magical artifacts at all. Or rather, aside from Chen Zui, the other two had scarcely even seen magical artifacts before. Heaven pity him, the most valuable possession Bian Chunchou had was the basic spirit sword left behind by his cheap father. It did not even have a proper name.

But fortunately, Chen Zui became reliable. "That's simple. If it really is a magical artifact, I'll test it!"

With that, he swung the great saber from his back. This saber was clearly no magical artifact; it was merely an utterly ordinary piece of Mortal Iron. Yet in Chen Zui's hands, it gleamed with spiritual light, and in an instant, a small hurricane rose with Chen Zui at its center.

"So impressive!" No wonder they said he could take down two with one punch. "Big Brother Chen, you were born with divine strength!"

Could a magical artifact that kept the surrounding area windless endure the appearance of a small hurricane? Of course it could not.

Chen Zui was, after all, at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining. Seeing the wind from his saber instantly swallowed up, he immediately put more force into his strike. "Come again! You think I'm afraid of you?!"

Bian Chunchou: ...How should he put it? A little dim-witted.

Wind Blade

"Little Martial Uncle, did you do something bad again?! You didn't tamper with the magical artifacts in the Mountain Examination area, did you?" A youth dressed like a Daoist attendant held an enormous bowl. Calling it a bowl was not quite right—it was actually a beginner-grade defensive magical artifact, originally meant to be among the fifteen magical artifacts placed in the Mountain Examination. Yet now, it had appeared in the garbage heap of Artifact Refining Peak!

The person addressed as Little Martial Uncle had waist-length black hair half-tied up. But perhaps whoever tied it lacked skill, because several unruly strands had escaped. He wore a dusty gray robe that looked quite clean, except the defensive formation originally inscribed on it had completely failed.

The youth did not understand. Little Martial Uncle clearly earned a fortune through artifact refining, so why did he live in such a slapdash manner? And he often built his own happiness upon teasing others—it was simply infuriating! Well, he was only slightly infuriating for half an incense stick's time. Little Martial Uncle could be quite nice sometimes.

"What do you mean, something bad? Tampering? You little brat really don't know how to speak nicely! Isn't Artifact Refining Peak responsible for providing the magical artifacts for the Mountain Examination? This ugly oversized bowl is hideous, with not a shred of aesthetic sense. Wouldn't people laugh at us if we took it out? Besides, they came all this way to take an examination in the mountains. What did they need a defensive magical artifact for? To become turtles and bastards?"

The youth grew anxious. "Little Martial Uncle, you really replaced the magical artifact? What did you replace it with? Do you know—"

"I know, I know. Isn't the Shadow Wall open? The Sect Master is such a nice person; he definitely won't mind this tiny little mistake of mine, right?"

The youth stamped his foot anxiously. "But the elder presiding over this Mountain Examination is Elder Zhao Qi of the Discipline Hall, you..." How many times had he been locked up already? Why did he always manage to throw himself right into it?