He put aside the question of future for later. He anyway had to reach sixth level before the restructuring pill plan could be implemented. Till then he will try alchemy and see if he had talent in it. If he had, that would solve all his current problems.
With martial arts training added to his routine, the days were going well. He could even see an improvement in his body tempering efficiency. Since he was now sharing the medicine pots with Lin Yingjie, his cultivation timing was shifted to the evening. He roamed around the sect grounds after classes with Lin Yingjie and others till evening after which he started his cultivation. He then took some rest and practiced martial arts till late midnight before sleeping. He woke up late and went straight to the library after a bath and stayed there till the start of the classes.
The day before, he had reached the mastery realm in Eagle Claw art and wanted to change training grounds to one which was best for target training. Lin Yingjie suggested that they would visit the ground along with other training grounds after classes and get some quality training done. Pan Mu, Wan Lin and two others were happy with the idea and so the plan was made.
After classes, the six of them first went to the target training grounds. It was a huge uneven ground the size of three football fields. It was filled with more than two hundred targets. There were human and beast shaped dummies made with different materials, wooden dummies similar to the ones in movies with multiple protruding wooden arms, some were filled with spikes, there were those with rough surfaces, those with smooth surfaces, some were flexible requiring a special force distribution method to deal blunt damage, there were spongy ones and those made of rock and many more.
For hold and grab, human or beast shaped dummies were necessary. Different beasts required different holds. Some were mentioned in the manual and some, one could only find out with practical experience. There are similarities among different groups of beasts, for example in many mammalian land species holding them by the scruff of their neck tightens the skin around their throat and trachea causing stress in the animal and immobalising them if done properly. That was how they were carried by their mothers when young so that they stayed still when moving places. The Eagle claw art has a move that requires one to hold the beast down by gripping the scruff and a certain point on the spine to either subjugate the beast or kill it by breaking the spine.
Zhang Wuji and company spent some time in the target training ground before going to the next one. They reached a vast land with different terrains, different types of vegetations and slopes and valleys of various elevation. This particular training ground was made specially for testing one's movement arts. Only a few outer disciples learn movement arts. They spent most of their time in the sect and had no need for them. They were better off learning an offensive art. Only geniuses had enough time to concentrate on multiple arts. Others had to wait atleast till they reached seventh level by which time they will have cultivated a martial art to atleast completion level.
"Before I take you to the last two kinds of training grounds, I'll show you the tests that disciples have to go through to enter the sect usual way." Lin Yingjie led the group to the southwest of the sect near the gate. After walking for a while they came to a small hill with an open pavillion on top and few tens of steps leading to it.
"There's 100 steps in total. Depending on one's comprehension test results one is required to climb thirty to sixty steps to pass this final test of will power. Each step is covered in formations that increase the fatigue on your mind exponentially. Also brother Zhang if you can reach the pavillion you will be highly nurtured and the twenty year rule wouldn't apply to you. There is also such an opportunity in the comprehension test. You could try them and see if you can.."
"Brother Lin why do you give him false hope and play with him. I don't know about comprehension test but there is no way he could reach the pavillion." Wan Lin said with a serious face that Zhang Wuji really wanted to punch at the moment.
He really wanted to say 'watch me' and easily climb the hill but he wasn't sure he could. Instead he was confident he couldn't. So, he kept quiet.
"How will we know if he doesn't try. Brother Zhang give it a go. Who knows you might reach the pavillion." Pan Mu said with an honest smile.
"Brother Pan there is no one in the current outer sect disciples that could do it. Let's not waste time here and go to the Battle Tower. Also brother Wan there have been people that reached the pavillion but none who could understand anything from the sword rampart in the comprehension test. Brother Zhang could check these out later let us first hurry to the Battle Tower. If we delay any longer it would be inner disciples' turn to enter the tower." One of the other two with his sleeves rolled up and big nose said with impatience.
This time Zhang Wuji was incensed. This big nose didn't even know him and was so rude. He was having a hard time holding his anger in.
"Right. Brother Zhang we wouldn't be able to enter the Battle Tower if we delay any longer. You could try these tests anytime. What do you say?" Just when he thought he was gonna burst and end up beaten black and blue, Lin Yingjie came to the rescue.
"Fine." Zhang Wuji answered. 'Big nose remember this once I get my cheat I'll break that nose of yours. Hmph."
They walked a bit north and reached a clearing with a five storeyed cylindrical tower in the middle.
"Brother Zhang that is the Battle Tower. It could accommodate upto hundred disciples at once. Inside of it is an illusion formation that allows you to battle different opponents in different scenarios. If you are able to beat the fifth floor in single combat format then there is a chance of entering the first class as a martial art talent. But since it is an illusion, though it is useful for combat experience and honing your understanding of the martial arts you practice, it isn't as effective as a spar in making that experience a bodily instinct. Also the opponents conjured by the illusion formation are somewhat rigid. Other than that you could use fatal attacks and can die to them within and therefore gives a closer experience to a real life fight than a spar.
"Other than single combat with the conjured opponents, you could choose team combat where you could choose to fight single or a group of opponents or even another team. Similarly you could have a one on one with another. Alright let's split up here. We could try team battles later but first let's fight individually. Also brother Zhang one could enter the tower only once a week. So do not lose and do not challenge higher levels if you are not confident. Once lost you will be kicked out. Do not be scared of injuries. It's an illusion. Okay then see you." Lin Yingjie introduced the tower briefly and was about to enter it.
Zhang Wuji wanted to ask what the levels were but then thought they would just be standard xianxia stuff nothing new. But then he thought there could be differences and looked up to ask Lin Yingjie only to see him enter the tower. 'Shit' he thought and followed.
The moment he entered the door he found himself in an empty room about the size of his own room in the outer sect residential building with only a straw mat at the centre of the room. There was no one else in the room.
'So everyone is sent to a different room?' He turned around to face a smooth wall with no sign of a door. 'How do I leave.' For no reason his heart started to beat faster. 'How could I, a cultivator be scared of such a small thing? But it's like they are deliberately trying to scare people with the dim lighting, disappearing door and the silence.'
He could hear his heart beating which made him even more jumpy. 'I gotta control myself. This thing maybe recorded and after I gain fame as a world class cultivator if someone pulls out the recording I will become a laughing stock for the whole world. Alright serious face. I think I just gotta sit on the mat and the formation will start or something.'
He went and sat on the mat and closed his eyes. He could feel his heart slowing and his breathing becoming long and deep. After a momentary blank he found himself in a white space. Everything around him was white including the floor he was standing on. The whole room was brightly lit but he couldn't find the light source. It was like every point in space was giving out a white light. Th space in front of his head shone for a moment and words appeared in mid air.
Individual
Team
He tried to touch the word individual but his hand passed right through. Still he got his wish fulfilled and the words changed.
Single
Group
This time he concentrated on the word single and did not move his hands.
Human
Beast
He chose human. Then came various options for the battle ground and he selected arena. The space then changed into a brown stone arena of seemingly infinite dimensions and a blue sky with white clouds here and there. Before he could marvel at the scene a red light flashed and a human covered in all black appeared in fron tof him. The words appeared again this time asking him to choose weapons for himself and the opponent. He excitedly checked all the weapons. There were pole arms, sharp bladed weapons, heavy blunt ones, throwing weapons and a whole variety of weapons. He even saw fans, ribbons and the like. He searched for a katana similar to the one Zoro uses but couldn't find it. There were curved single edged swords but none as awesome looking as a katana. So he chose a normal sword. He wanted a cross guard one but he didn't find it. This one had a square guard rounded at the corners. It was a two handed long sword. He chose the same for the opponent and got ready to fight.
'First fight! This is gonna be awesome!'
The swords appeared and both fighters got ready to fight. Zhang Wuji made the first strike. He held the sword with both hands over his head and ran towards his opponent. Reaching him he swung his sword down while shouting "Dieee" his face red with excitement.
The black clothed man stepped a little to the right and slashed at his left arm.
He had put his all in the swing and wasn't able to dodge the slash. The sword landed and drew blood.
"Aargh"
He cried out loud and fell on his right. He let go of his sword gripped at the wound and writhed on the ground while screaming. His forehead was covered with sweat and his eyes bloodshot.
"Motherfu... Shit!" he dodged a hit and jumped back up. He luckily landed where his sword was. He took the sword and dodged another hit.
He jumped diagonally backward away from the man till he made some safe distance and looked at him vigilantly. He clenched his jaw and covered his wound. His sleeve was already red. It was becoming difficult to grip the sword with his left so he let go of the wound and held the sword in his right.
The sound of blood dripping on the ground shook his heart. It beat fast. He felt like it was gonna break out his chest. He felt the pain decrease a bit and held the sword in front of him in defence with a single hand and waited for the man.
The man moved. Zhang Wuji's heart beat louder with every step closer he took. He got near and swung the sword at his head. Zhang Wuji ducked and rolled to the right and ran leaving his sword behind.
'Wtf! wtf! wtf! I can't even stand properly. If my legs hadn't gone weak and cave in I would've been killed.'
Running was becoming difficult. He couldn't stop his legs from shaking. Even breathing was becoming difficult. Tears and snot covered his face. He continued to lose blood and fatigue from the whole thing was making him faint. Finally a sword jutted out his chest and he fainted.
....
He woke up fatigued on the mat. Looked around at the familiar room, fell on his back and heaved a sigh. Thinking about the experience he still felt lingering fear.
He calmed himself down, got up and left the room through the gate that opened. Warm sunlight fell over his face and helped him recover a bit from the trauma. He looked around and couldn't find his company and decided to wait a while.
After waiting for what he felt like ten minutes he couldn't handle his anxious heart and decided to go back to his room.
Back in his room he just couldn't do the tempering exercises so he tried to practice martial arts. After training for sometime he could finally calm his heart and go ahead with the tempering followed by a bath after which he went straight to sleep with his tired mind and body.