Chapter 197: Who's the Fool?
Li Lan smiled. "Please follow me to the test venue."
"Little girl, what are you trying to do?" Feng Ao Xiu asked Su Mei, the little girl who's not even half of his size yet.
"Join the sect!" Su Mei answered.
"..." Feng Ao Xiu could not help but rubbed his temple the moment he heard those words. While what Su Mei wanted to do was clear, she obviously did not know what kind of troubles she was getting into.
The five years old girl was trying to attempt to clear the test and joined as one of the disciples. It should be known that joining a sect was not easy, especially in a famous sect-like Cloud Moon Palace. The test would be much harder. Usually, one would wait until become stronger before applying, as it would require at least the Ninth Stage of Power Soul Realm to have a good chance of success.
Among commoners, one would usually reach the Ninth Stage of Power Soul Realm at fifteen. It would be twelve years old among nobles. If you are a genius or given many resources, nine years old was more than enough.
Just by Su Mei's age of five years old, her cultivation level alone would not be enough to do anything useful. In fact, she might die. Cloud Moon Palace might test them by giving a dangerous mission, and it was common that some people died during the test.
"Where's your home?" Jing Wu Chu asked with a worried look on her face. It would be unthinkable to just let this happen, better sending her back, "Where are your parents? We'll send you home, okay.
"Mom and Dad are dead!" Su Mei said. "Su Mei will not go home!"
The situation just turned grimmer. The little girl lost her parents, and now she's going to die taking this dangerous test.
"Su Mei, it is dangerous here. Follow Big Sis to a safe place, okay!" Fang Ye Na crouched down and gave a pat to the little girl's shoulder.
Su Mei shook her head. "Su Mei has no money to buy food. Mom said if Su Mei joins the sect, Su Mei can have food."
"..." Feng Ao Xiu and the others stayed silent.
The only reason Su Mei trying to join was so she could keep on living. Disciples of the sect, like Cloud Moon Palace, were given food and a living place. For an orphan like her that no one would care about, she would most likely die on the street. It was true that her best choice was to join the Cloud Moon Palace and be their disciple, but she was just too small and weak.
"Well said, little girl. You got balls!" Qian Hui was impressed, "Go take this test, then die like a man!"
"Qian Hui, you evil bastard!" Jing Wu Chu glared at him. "You dare to curse a little girl to die!"
"But... I was praising her."
"Do not worry, Su Mei. Big Sis will help you pass the test, okay?" Fang Ye Na cheered the little girl.
"I will make sure that you pass, no matter what!" Feng Ao Xiu said.
"Me too. I'll help you pass the test too!" Jing Wu Chu said.
"Ehh... I would not say that if I were you." Fang Ye Na said towards Jing Wu Chu.
"Why?"
"Wu Chu, it's your cultivation level... Aren't you still in the Fifth Stage of Power Soul Realm?" Fang Ye Na said while looking intensely at the maid.
"..." Jing Wu Chu eyes twitched. Embarrassment rises inside her head, then she looked away as if it never happened. Actually, there's someone more unqualified than her, the Second Young Master, Feng Ao Xiu. But, because she has to keep quiet about it, she could only swallow it in anger.
"We've arrived." Li Lan smiled as she brought them to a large garden. In the centre, there are three large statues made of bronze.
The left statue was a horse statue galloping throughout the field. In the middle was a soldier slashing enemies with its spear. The one on the right was a statue of a scholar reading a book. Many people were queuing in front of the first two statues, but none was in the third one.
They saw one of the test takers touched the horse statue. Suddenly, the horse's eyes turned red. Then that person became engulfed in red light, disappearing into nowhere. It seemed that he was taken into another realm.
"This is where all of you have to do the second test. Since you all have passed the first test, we assumed you are capable of hunting Sawtooth Rabbit. Beware those who did not possess enough strength might die in attempting the test, and we will not be responsible for what might happen. I suggest, if you do not have the capability, you are allowed to leave this place at any time." Li Lan explained as nice as she could, but it was obvious that she glanced at the small little girl most of the time.
However, noticing that Su Mei was not budging at all, Li Lan could only sigh and continued with her explanation, "Pick on any challenges you want to try. There are three challenges. All you have to do is touch the statue to start, then you will be brought to the small dimensional realm where the test will be conducted. We have limited only 1000 people will be allowed to pass the second test. To pass the test, one should pass as many challenges as possible. You may also not discuss or plan on what's inside with each other. You better start going now. There are only about six hours left before the test is over."
"Sister Li, what happens if many people complete the same amount of challenges?" Fang Ye Na asked.
"In that case, we will select the ones who passed the test with the least amount of time." Li Lan said.
"Are the difficulty of each challenge different?" Jing Wu Chu asked. "Many people are queuing in the left statue, half of that size in the middle ones, but none in the third one. Does that mean the left challenge is the easiest one?"
"It is not exactly the easiest. It's just that the left challenge has less risk of dying, while the right ones have the highest." Li Lan said.
Sister Li may be their guide, but she only said the things that were only needed to be said. She did not explain anything to them until it was asked.
However, without asking her questions, Feng Ao Xiu could roughly guess what's the test about. In the Upper Realm, there were many statues like these. The statue symbolised the opponent they will face.
The horse statue means they will be competing against a horse. Most likely, it would be a speed contest. The second challenge means they would probably be fighting against a soldier. While the third challenge was competing against a scholar, a test of knowledge perhaps. But the strangest thing was that the challenge from the scholar has the highest chance of dying.
"Sister Li, these statues are a bit dirty. May I clean it up?" Feng Ao Xiu asked.
"..." Li Lan suddenly got real quiet. After a while, she said, "This is actually the first time someone has requested this. Very well, I shall allow you."
"Wu Chu, did you see the dust on the board underneath those statues. I want you to wipe it clean." Feng Ao Xiu said to Jing Wu Chu.
Jing Wu Chu tilted her head, unable to understand anything. She nodded anyway and went to the horse statue with a small white cloth in her hand.
"Hey, no cutting off!" one person yelled, seeing Jing Wu Chu rushed forward.
"It's okay." Li Lan said. "She's only there to clean the statue."
"Well... If Sister Li said so..." he said softly.
With a small swipe, she cleaned off the dust on the board underneath the statue. Beyond it was some kind of glass emitting a small light.
Quickly Jing Wu Chu wiped it all. It turns out it was a screen revealing a scene.
"That... That's the challenge inside of the realm!" one person shouted.
"It was there the whole time!?" Another one followed.
"Quick, clean the others as well!"
Feng Ao Xiu smiled. There were rules of not allowed to discuss among the participants. However, with the screen, they could monitor the insides of the realm and plan it for themselves.
Feng Ao Xiu and the others started watching the first challenge. Just as suspected, it was a speed contest. The challenger was required to compete against a horse spirit beast inside a small mountain. The first one to reach the designated point wins. The horse was much faster, but if one can find a shortcut with enough speed, one may win.
The second challenge was much simpler, defeat the soldier. The soldier intended to kill you. But if you were fast enough to admit defeat, you will not be killed. But. You'll still be thrown out and failed the challenge.
Meanwhile, the screen on the third test was only showing an empty room since no one entered. While no discussion was allowed, these people were smart enough to ask their guide and figure out that it possesses the highest risk. The second test already killed many people; no one wants to risk it.
Feng Ao Xiu sighed and shook his head. Su Mei and himself could not possibly pass any of the tests here.
"Young Master Feng, what do you think we should do?" Fang Ye Na asked.
Feng Ao Xiu, "..."
Hearing no response from Feng Ao Xiu. Fang Ye Na sighed, "I'll refrain Su Mei from entering."
Feng Ao Xiu bit his lower lip before he said, "...I'll investigate a bit more."
Fang Ye Na softly smiled, "Thank you."
"Look, there's a fool entering the scholar's challenge!" suddenly one person shouted.
"Who's the fool? Who is it? Let me see!"
"Is that person asking for death?"
Suddenly lots of people crowded around the third statue. They were curious about what the third challenge was about and curious to see who the fool seeking death was.
Feng Ao Xiu and his group were also curious. They could not help but joined the crowd as well, just like ants to sugar.
Jing Wu Chu could not help but noticed that Su Mei was looking around, worried instead of focusing on the challenge.
"What's the matter, Su Mei. Is something wrong?" Jing Wu Chu asked.
"Uncle is missing!" Su Mei said.
"Uncle? What uncle?"
"The mean uncle! The one looks like a skeleton!"
"Oh, you must mean Qian Hui." Jing Wu Chu said. "Hmmm... Come to think of it... Where is he?"
"Looking like a skeleton is not enough. Now he wants to be a real one!" suddenly, one person said.
"Hahahaa! That skeleton guy is really going to die attempting the scholar's challenge!" another one said.
Jing Wu Chu sighed. [That fool!]
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