Chapter 69 - 68 Correct Way to Clear the Level 1
The crowd was stirred up, surprised that the Eternity Sect was taking this selection process so severely that even the deputy sect leader showed up.
The deputy leaders of the Four Great Devil Sects were notable figures in the entire Central Continent and seeing one of them is a rarity.
Lu Yang didn’t feel much about it, they were just on par with the elders of Seek Dao Sect, it’s not like he hasn’t seen them before.
“Your current forms are merely a representation of your consciousness, your actual bodies remain where they are. After the formal trial, your cultivation levels and memories will disappear, putting everyone on the same starting line.”
The sect head places great emphasis on this trial. In the great era, the most important thing is talent!
If they possess the single spiritual root, a natural immortal body, or innate demonic seeds, then they would have a chance to compete against the Righteous Path!
For this reason, he had the deputy sect leader meticulously design three trials to select the real geniuses!
To prevent cheating, the sect’s secret methods were employed to erased everyone’s cultivation levels and memories. Only then can their true abilities be reflected.
“The first trial officially begins, and the requirement for passing the trial is to defeat the army of the Liang Kingdom.”
After the deputy sect leader finished speaking, the crowd felt dizzy, unable to distinguish directions. When they regained their senses, they couldn’t remember anything.
” Where am I?” Man Gu felt lightheaded when he recovered from the disorientation.
His hair was disheveled, he held a broken sword in his hand, and his armor was smeared with blood.
Man Gu took a few steps and almost stumbled. His guard quickly steadied him, “General, get on the horse quickly, now is not the time to talk about honor, the army of Liang Kingdom is about to catch up!”
During his escape on horseback, memories related to the trial gradually flooded into Man Gu’s mind.
“There are two countries here, Liang Kingdom and Jin State, both are mortal enemies, striving to defeat each other. Jin State is less powerful than Liang Kingdom, and I am now the general of Jin State, commanding the entire Jin state army.”
“I was careless this time, fell for the enemy’s trap, I need to pull myself together, make a comeback, and defeat Liang Kingdom!”
Man Gu forgot that this was a trial, he only remembered that he was Jin State’s undefeated general. He must defeat Liang Kingdom and protect his own country.
In addition to background memories, his combat experience also flooded into his mind. Now, Man Gu had completely become the undefeated general of Jin State.
Unfortunately, despite Man Gu’s rich experience, the general of Liang Kingdom was equally experienced. In their confrontations, Man Gu suffered numerous defeats.
Man Gu had a high reputation in the army. The soldiers trusted Man Gu, they believed that setbacks were temporary and that General Man Gu would surely lead them to victory.
Man Gu failed again. Despite his honesty and combat experience, he couldn’t apply it effectively in practice and continually fell into the traps set by the general of Liang Kingdom.
“Huff, huff, huff…” Man Gu fled in disgrace to a mountain cave. This defeat was disastrous. Ditching his helmet and armor was the greatest humiliation of his life.
The bleakness of the wind and rain outside accentuated his desolation.
Man Gu thought about the soldiers’ trust in him, about the blows from his repeated failures. He looked down at the broken sword in his hand, wishing he could end his life there and then!
Death would absolve him of everything, regardless of failures, or Jin State, none of it would matter anymore!
Suddenly, a spider caught his attention.
The spider looked peculiar, something Man Gu had never seen before.
The spider was spinning its web. The wind and rain from outside the cave blew in, breaking the web several times.
Each time the web was broken, the spider would start over, showing no signs of despondence.
Watching the spider fail over and over again, and yet continuously try, Man Gu saw himself in the spider!
“You will succeed!” Man Gu stared at the spider, hope gradually welling up in his eyes.
If the spider was so persistent, as a human, wasn’t his will even stronger than that of the spider?
Finally, after countless failures, the spider had successfully spun its web.
Man Gu jumped up, his fighting spirit reignited. If the spider could succeed, so could he!
A fierce fire was set ablaze in Man Gu’s heart, ready to rally his forces and counter-attack Liang Kingdom!
“Huh?”
Man Gu inadvertently glanced at the spider, intending to thank it for its encouragement. However, to his surprise, a mantis suddenly appeared and killed the spider.
Man Gu’s first instinct was to crush the mantis out of anger, but then he realized that the spider’s situation was very similar to his own. After success, it let down its guard, forgetting the hidden dangers.
A thought dawned upon him: “Yes, determination is indeed important, but strategy is also imperative. Striking when the enemy is off guard, brings the element of surprise!”
In the end, Man Gu deceived Liang Kingdom with minor victories and launched a surprise attack with his hidden forces. In one fell swoop, he crushed the main forces of Liang Kingdom’s army and achieved a complete victory.
Man Gu passed the trial.
At the headquarters of the Eternity Sect, the serene water reflected everyone’s performance during the first trial. The deputy sect leader observed their performance and provided evaluations.
“So, any good prospects?” The space distorted, and the sect master appeared. “This first trial you created wasn’t easy to pass. In the face of continuous failure, one not only has to understand persistence from the spider but also the principle of taking advantage of unpreparedness from the mantis.”
The deputy sect leader shook his head: “It’s essential. The Righteous Path is suppressing us, the evil sects continue to fail, and some people within our sect are already thinking of backing down. Our experiences are very similar to Jin State, and I want to use this trial to select dedicated followers with firm determination, cultivate talents, and fight against the Righteous Path!”
“To fight against the Righteous Path, we can’t rely solely on determination, we also need tactics. If one does not learn how to spar with the spider and mantis, how can they achieve victory?”
The sect master nodded: “Correct, your words are very well put, and it is why I let you initiate this selection. The exemplary followers selected from this process will be cultivated as a priority. They will be our reserve force to counter the Righteous Path!”
The deputy sect leader pointed to one of the scenes and said: “I have my eye on this Man Gu, his method of passing the trial aligned perfectly with my intention. This person has great future potential!”
The sect master glanced at Man Gu and found him pleasing to the eye. He said:
” Let’s continue watching the others’ performances.”
The sect master and deputy sect leader stood together, after a while the sect master suddenly asked: “Do you think there is a possibility that there could be other ways to pass the trial?”
The deputy sect leader quickly dismissed the idea, speaking emphatically: “Absolutely not!”
“The first trial was a fragment I cut out from history. Liang Kingdom and Jin State were just a corner of the chaotic world a hundred thousand years ago. At that time, there were not as many cultivators as now, Liang Kingdom and Jin State had even fewer cultivators. On this basis, I elaborated and ensured the maximum authenticity.”
For the Eternity Sect to extricate this segment from history, a large amount of resources was devoted, a sight that made the deputy sect leader ache.
“The general of Jin State in history realized enlightenment in the cave, and defeated the army of the Liang Kingdom!”
“This was a miracle in the first place, I don’t believe there are other ways!”
The sect master nodded. He thought the same way, only raised the question earlier because he found the silence awkward and wanted to find something to chat about.
Then, they saw how Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang passed the trial.