"I'm pleased to say that for the first time since the annual recruitment's institution, we have more than 300 participants remaining at the final stage of the exam. This final challenge is intended to test your resolve and resilience, both of body and mind, as cultivators. This place is not part of any particular sect, rather it is a special shared facility built to contain and conceal a Simulation Array—the only one of its kind in the Mortal Heaven. Indeed, it is complex enough that no Array Master exists below the 5th Heaven who could create one. It was granted to us by the gracious organization that funds the Academy, as part of our agreement between them. It can create realistic illusions that can be used for all sorts of purposes. In this case, it will test your ability to withstand pain and injury such that you may encounter as a cultivator, without whatsoever damaging your real body.
Your task is simple—you simply need to endure the illusion for at least 30 seconds without crying out. The form of the illusion will be different for everyone, but it will always involve pain and suffering. If you do not cry out, the simulation will terminate after two minutes."
Understandably, no one was eager to volunteer even though this was the last obstacle between everyone in the room and a prestigious sect. So, Elder Shin and other elders present started volunteering people. This time, many more of the participants failed. Quite a few failed almost immediately. After the first couple dozen or so, Senyu Quan stepped up. The ex-soldier apparently had an advantage in this area, becoming the first person to max out the test among the remaining applicants. Jong went not long after him, reaching exactly 100 seconds. He walked toward me as he left the ring, and said something. His voice was quiet, so it took me a moment to realize what he said was "I dare you to beat me on this one, Xu Zuhui."
About 100 people had gone by the time I decided to get it over with. "Begin!"
Instantly I found myself face to face with a huge serpent, one that must have been twice the size or more of the Ascended Beast in the snake room. In one more instant, a single loop of its coils engulfed me, slowly crushing me to death. Or, perhaps, to the brink of death, to make it as painful as possible. The longer I didn't cry out, the more painful the constriction became. I'd tried to keep track of the seconds at the start, but lost the ability to count after 20.
That has to be more than 10 more seconds, surely?! All thoughts of going for a higher score to better qualify for the 10,000 Scrolls Library had vanished from my head. I knew I couldn't take any more.
I let myself scream, and instantly it was as though the horrible constriction had never happened. "57 seconds…pass."
Well, Jong had beaten me handily this time, and apparently that had given him enough satisfaction that when I met his eyes on the way down from the ring, he no longer looked at me as though I was a hurdle he needed to leap. I had to wonder how he'd gotten all the way to 100 seconds since he'd technically been in the same occupation as me before the upload. Did he actually play any Dive Games with pain reduction set low like a maniac?
Shokoya actually outdid me by a fair amount, reaching 68 seconds. Jue Zhu was one of the last to go. This test was something no amount of cultivation talent would be able to influence, and sure, laborers got sore muscles a lot and he was probably no stranger to broken bones, but when he stepped down, I wasn't sure what I was surprised by—that he'd reached 85 seconds, or that Jong had outdone him.
Those who had failed had been directed to leave immediately, so only those who had passed remained for Elder Shin's next speech.
"Congratulations to you all. The 97 of you who remain have earned your admittance. All that remains is for each of you in turn to go before a panel of Grand Elders, one from each sect of this alliance, to determine which among the Rising Sun Monastery, Iron Tortoise Castle, 10,000 Scrolls Library, and Azure Flame Abbey you will be admitted to as an Outer Disciple. There is a waiting room prepared with refreshments for you all while you wait to enter your new sects, so follow me, and feel free to relax until your turn comes."
We emerged at an outdoor pavilion where a pretty nice looking buffet spread had been laid out. There was a walkway leading from there to another pavilion, where there was another table with four people who were, from their clothes, clearly the panel of Grand Elders. Elder Shin still supervised, calling for Jue Zhu to approach them first. I'd barely gotten settled in line for the buffet before they called for Jong, then me. I walked across to the other pavilion and bowed respectfully. Now, I could get a close look at the uniform of a Grand Elder of the Azure Flame Abbey, and I had to admit the shades of blue were very tastefully done. The man himself though had a thin mustache and a small, thin, fussy beard that curled up a little bit, giving the impression it might form a spiral if it kept growing. Honestly, he gave me a bad feeling a little.
It was the purple-robed elder who spoke first. "So, Xu Zuhui, correct?"
"Yes, honored elder, this one is Xu Zuhui."
"Your results are top-class, nearly across the board, and even your lowest score, your performance in the final test, is above average among those who cleared it."
The Azure Flame elder spoke. "I'm going to be frank with you, Xu. In the last ten runnings of this entry exam, the Azure Flame Abbey has accepted eight new Outer Disciples from it, less than one per year. Now, for the first time, we have a situation where three of the tested meet our agreed standards at once, and all of them from your class at the Academy. It's a curious twist of fate, don't you think? The other two have been formally accepted already, so I will ask: will you come to the Abbey, Xu Zuhui?"
The spirit of my response had been set in stone long before, but now I chose every word carefully. "I am honored by the invitation, Grand Elder. Unfortunately, I am of firm mind that as my greatest talents are in Comprehension, I would be a better fit for the 10,000 Scrolls Library—if they will have me, of course."
The Azure Grand Elder ran his index finger over his thin beard. "Disappointing, but within expectations. Perhaps this is for the better—the Abbey has no use for those who hesitate to grasp ways to greater power."
"With that out of the way," said the purple-robed elder, "I shall introduce myself properly. I am Grand Elder Xue of the Library. Allow me to congratulate you again on your results, and extend a formal welcome to the 10,000 Scrolls Library."
He held out his hand, and I shook it. "There is a teleport formation not far from here. The other Elders will call for everyone to group up once we're done here, I think probably a few others will be coming with me this time, so group up with me when called for."
"I understand, and thank you very much Grand Elder."
Elder Xue nodded. "You may go."