Everyone was in an uproar, surprised that the Immortal Sect was taking this selection process so seriously, even sending out the deputy leader. The deputy leaders of the four major evil sects were big names across the Central Continent, and just meeting one of them was usually a dream.
Lu Yang, however, felt indifferent. He thought it was just like meeting an elder from the Dao Seeking Sect; it wasn’t anything new.
"Your current state is just a thought, while your real body remains in place. After the formal test, your cultivation and memories will all disappear, and everyone will start from the same point," the leader said, emphasizing the importance of this test. In the great contest of the world, what mattered most was talent!
If they had single spiritual roots, natural immortal bodies, or innate demonic seeds, then they would have the strength to compete with the righteous path!
To achieve this, he had the deputy leader carefully design three tests to select true geniuses. To prevent cheating, they used secret methods from the sect to erase everyone’s cultivation and memories, ensuring that their true abilities would be reflected.
"The first test officially begins. The standard for passing is to defeat the army of the Liang Kingdom."
After the deputy leader said this, everyone felt dizzy, unable to tell which way was which. When they regained their senses, they found that they couldn’t remember anything.
...
"Where is this?" When Man Gu came to, his head was still spinning.
He was disheveled, holding a broken sword, and his armor was stained with blood.
Man Gu took a couple of steps and nearly stumbled. His personal guard quickly supported him, saying, "General, hurry and get on the horse! This isn’t the time for pride; the Liang army is almost catching up!"
As he fled on horseback, memories related to the test gradually flooded into Man Gu's mind.
"This place is between the Liang and Jin kingdoms, two nations that are sworn enemies, both wanting to defeat the other. The Jin kingdom is not as strong as the Liang kingdom, and I am now a general of the Jin, commanding the entire Jin army."
"I was careless this time and fell for the enemy's trick. I need to adjust my mindset, regroup, and defeat the Liang kingdom!"
Man Gu forgot that this was a test; he only remembered that he was a victorious general of the Jin and had to defeat the Liang to protect his country.
Along with background memories, combat experience also filled his mind. Now, Man Gu had completely become the Jin kingdom's undefeated general.
Unfortunately, while Man Gu was experienced, the Liang general was equally skilled. In their battles, Man Gu faced defeat after defeat.
Man Gu was highly respected in the army, and the soldiers trusted him. They believed that setbacks were temporary and that General Man Gu would surely lead them to victory.
Yet, Man Gu lost again. He was honest and had combat experience, but he couldn’t apply it well in practice, constantly falling into the traps set by the Liang general.
"Ha, ha, ha..." Man Gu managed to escape to a cave, feeling utterly defeated. Losing his armor was a shame he would carry for life.
The storm outside matched his gloomy mood.
Thinking of the soldiers’ trust in him and the blow of repeated failures, he looked down at the chipped sword in his hand, wishing he could just end it all!
If he died, what did failure or the Jin kingdom matter to him anymore?
Suddenly, a spider caught his attention.
This spider looked strange, something Man Gu had never seen before.
The spider was weaving its web, but the wind and rain from outside kept breaking it apart. Each time it broke, the spider started weaving again, undeterred.
Watching the spider fail again and again, Man Gu felt a strong resemblance to himself!
"You will succeed!" Man Gu stared at the spider, hope gradually rising in his eyes.
If the spider could keep trying, then as a person, shouldn’t his willpower be stronger than that of a spider?
Finally, after countless failures, the spider succeeded in weaving its web.
Man Gu jumped up, reignited with fighting spirit. If the spider could succeed, so could he!
A fierce fire ignited in Man Gu's heart; he would regroup and counterattack the Liang kingdom!
"Hm?"
As Man Gu glanced at the spider to thank it for its encouragement, a praying mantis suddenly appeared and killed the spider.
Man Gu initially wanted to stomp on the mantis in anger, but then he thought about how similar their situations were. After success, the spider had become complacent and forgotten the lurking dangers.
He pondered, "Right, perseverance is important, but strategy is equally crucial. I need to strike when the enemy is careless for an unexpected effect!"
In the end, Man Gu used small victories to distract the Liang army, then sent out hidden troops to strike, decisively breaking the main force of the Liang army and achieving a great victory.
Man Gu passed the test.
...
At the headquarters of the Immortal Sect, the calm surface of the water displayed everyone’s performance in the first round. The deputy leader observed their actions and gave his evaluation.
"How is it? Any good prospects?" The leader appeared as the space twisted. "This first round is not easy. When facing repeated failures, one must learn perseverance from the spider and the element of surprise from the mantis."
The deputy leader shook his head. "This is necessary. The righteous path is suppressing us, and after a series of failures, some in the sect are already thinking of backing out. Our experiences with the Jin kingdom are so similar. I want to use this test to select those with strong willpower to nurture into talents to fight against the righteous path!"
"Fighting against the righteous path cannot rely solely on willpower; skills are also essential. Learning from both the spider and the mantis, how can one achieve victory?"
The leader nodded. "Indeed, you’re right. That’s also why I had you organize this selection. The outstanding members chosen this time will be trained as our reserve forces against the righteous path!"
The deputy leader pointed to one of the images. "This one called Man Gu has great potential. His method of passing the test perfectly aligns with my thoughts. This child will surely become something great in the future!"
The leader glanced at Man Gu and found him quite likable. "Then let’s see how the others perform."
Standing together, the leader suddenly asked, "Do you think it’s possible there are other ways to pass?"
The deputy leader firmly denied it, speaking with conviction. "Absolutely not!"
"This first test is based on a historical fragment I extracted. The Liang and Jin kingdoms were a corner of the chaos that erupted a hundred thousand years ago. Back then, there were far fewer cultivators than now, and the Liang and Jin kingdoms had hardly any cultivators. I developed this based on that, ensuring maximum authenticity."
To extract this fragment from history, the Immortal Sect invested a lot of resources, making the deputy leader feel the pinch.
"The general of the Jin kingdom in history gained enlightenment in a cave and defeated the Liang army!"
"This was already a miracle; I refuse to believe there are other methods!"
The leader nodded, agreeing with this view. He had asked just to break the silence and find a topic to chat about.
Then they watched how Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang passed the test.
Tomorrow during the day, I will update again; I can't type anymore.
(End of chapter)