"It's impossible!" Elder Yue roared, slamming his fist on the table.
He winced, forgetting that the table was made from top-quality blackwood, sturdy enough to be used as a weapon.
This time, everyone remained silent—except for Elder Bai, who'd learned his lesson.
Grinning, he collected the money from the table and found Nie Zhengyu increasingly pleasing to the eye.
Elder Yue had repeatedly simulated this test to meet his expected standards, even having his top disciple, You Chengjun, attempt it to ensure there was only one solution.
Yet now, two unexpected answers had appeared, and he couldn't accept it!
The Sect Leader, despite losing his wager, was more open-minded.
"Think of it this way," he said.
"Nie Zhengyu managed to invent the Mantis Fist after just a glance at a mantis, which shows he has an extraordinary martial talent."
"He's a rare genius!"
Elder Yue hesitated, looking at the Sect Leader's serious face. "Are you serious?"
The Sect Leader thought, 'Of course, I'm bluffing. But as the leader, I can't seem ignorant.'
He straightened and nodded. "Absolutely serious."
Hearing this, Elder Yue had no choice but to let it go.
"A genius like him is hard to come by, so I suppose it's acceptable," he said with a sigh.
"Anyone who passed the test will advance. Let's end this examination here."
Only four people passed: Yuan Liang, Nie Zhengyu, Guan Yushu, and Xiang Dun.
The fourth person, like Guan Yushu, had comprehended the values of resilience and strategy.
But was a special case—a giant-human hybrid with natural height and strength.
"Four passes this year, not bad, much better than last year," the Sect Leader nodded.
The Great Love Sect held its inner disciple examination annually, and no one had passed last year.
Four in one year was impressive.
…
Meanwhile, in the plaza, chaos erupted.
"Senior brother You, calm down!" One disciple clung to You Chengjun's leg, while others tried to hold him back.
"Don't stop me. I must teach those two a lesson!" Gone was his usual gentle expression as You Chengjun rolled up his sleeves, revealing muscular arms.
He'd put countless hours into testing this assessment, only to see others pass so easily, bruising his ego.
"Senior brother You, don't do it!"
"It wouldn't look good to bully juniors like that!"
Hearing this, You Chengjun cooled down, grumbling under his breath as his fellow disciples sighed in relief.
…
The group gradually came out of the illusion, with most showing troubled expressions.
Only four of them appeared composed.
The first thing Yuan Liang did upon waking was try bending his fingers in hopes of shooting webs.
With a sigh of disappointment, he realized it had only been an illusion.
"Did you pass?" Nie Zhengyu asked eagerly.
Yuan Liang was about to respond when Xiang Dun spoke up.
"It wasn't too hard," he said, immediately drawing everyone's attention as they crowded around, asking how he'd passed.
Nie Zhengyu and Yuan Liang exchanged glances after hearing Xiang Dun's explanation.
"Was the Spider Man wrong?"
"Was the Mantis Fist wrong?"
"How did you pass?" Nie Zhengyu asked.
"I got bitten by the spider and gained its power. I snuck into the enemy's camp and assassinated their commander," Yuan Liang explained.
Nie Zhengyu frowned. "I figured out Mantis Fist and taught it to my soldiers, then we bulldozed through the enemy forces."
He demonstrated the Mantis Fist, his moves echoing the mantis's style.
Yuan Liang was impressed, giving him a thumbs-up. "You're better than me."
Hearing their methods, other disciples began to doubt their own approaches.
Xiang Dun listened with a gasp, remembering his mother's advice to learn from clever people.
He nodded inwardly, having found role models to emulate.
Standing nearby, Guan Yushu couldn't help but marvel.
He'd thought himself a genius, but now felt a bit foolish.
The results placed Yuan Liang in first, Nie Zhengyu second, Xiang Dun third, and Guan Yushu fourth.
"Those who didn't pass, don't be discouraged," You Chengjun announced, comforting the other disciples.
Then, facing the four who'd passed, he spotted Yuan Liang and Nie Zhengyu, veins pulsing on his forehead.
Years of self-control kicked in, and he quickly composed himself.
With a wave of his hand, clouds drifted down from the sky, settling before them.
"Step up," he said, stepping onto a cloud himself.
As the others joined him, Nie Zhengyu muttered, "Was it my imagination, or did senior brother You look like he wanted to hit me?"
Yuan Liang nodded, "I felt it too."
You Chengjun ignored their whispers.
As they rose higher, Yuan Liang swallowed nervously, captivated by the scenery unfolding below.
A towering mountain stood at the center of a range, sheer cliffs rising into the clouds, with eight surrounding peaks emanating mysterious energy.
Beyond them, layered mountains stretched into the distance, enclosing the nine central peaks like a blooming lotus, shrouded in mist, giving the scene an ethereal allure.
Pointing to the peaks, You Chengjun explained, "The Great Love Sect has nine core peaks."
"The central one, home to the Sect Leader, is called Heavenly Sword Peak."
"The eight surrounding peaks belong to the elders, each with a unique specialty."
"One week from now, you'll choose an elder as your master—if they accept you as a disciple."
"Can we choose the Sect Leader?" Xiang Dun asked.
"Yes, but only if the Sect Leader agrees."
…
Inside the Council Hall.
Eight elders and the sect leader were in deep discussion. Occasionally, they would nod, shake their heads, praise, or criticize.
Opinions on the four disciples who had passed the test varied.
At the most heated moments, some elders would even roll up their sleeves and wave their fists in the air.
This wasn't unusual; some of the elders were quite temperamental.
When words failed, they wouldn't hesitate to resolve matters with their fists.
Though this was supposed to be a selection process for disciples, it sometimes devolved into a street brawl, providing endless amusement for the Great Love Sect.
"That boy, Xiang Dun, isn't bad. With half-giant blood, his physical strength is impressive, and his mind is straightforward."
"He'd be a great candidate for my legacy."
"But he's too simple-minded. That's why the giant race has been in decline. We should consider focused training for him in the future."
"What do you mean by 'your legacy'? Our Artifact Refining Faction has been waiting ages for a suitable successor."
"Xiang Dun is diligent; it's only logical he should be under my tutelage!"
As the two elders argued, their tempers flared, and they rolled up their sleeves again.
The other elders paid no mind to these two fools and continued evaluating the candidates.
"Guan Yushu is also quite promising—a natural talent in both pill refining and artifact crafting.
He's intelligent and steady in his actions, but from his profile, he seems to lean toward swordsmanship."
"As for Nie Zhengyu and Yuan Liang, one is a martial arts genius, while the other has long been earmarked by junior sister Huo."
Elder Huo actually wasn't keen on taking Yuan Liang, but with the sect leader's order, she had no choice.
"Senior Brother Yue, why don't you consider taking in Nie Zhengyu?"
"Yes, Senior Brother Yue. Right now, you only have You Chengjun as a disciple, and he's practically graduated. This martial arts prodigy would make a fine addition to your legacy!"
"Get lost! Don't think I don't know what you're up to. If I take him in, I'll never have a peaceful day again."
"Senior Brother Lin, why don't you take Nie Zhengyu?"
"Are you looking for a fight?"
The eight elders were extremely polite, with not a single one eager to take in this martial arts prodigy.
Whoever took Nie Zhengyu under their wing would never know peace for the rest of their life.
"Junior Brother Bai, weren't you just praising Nie Zhengyu? Why don't you take him in?"
The sect leader's suggestion made all eyes fall on Elder Bai, who sighed in resignation.
It was indeed true that he was best suited to mentor a martial arts prodigy.
Among the nine, Elder Bai had made his name in his youth with his powerful physique and fists, his vitality as radiant as a flame in the dark—a classic body cultivator.
In fact, his energy levels were once so overwhelming that he would regularly push aside oxen to plow fields himself.
After much heated debate, the masters for the four disciples were finally settled.
Yuan Liang would study under Elder Huo, specializing in beast taming.
Nie Zhengyu would study under Elder Bai, specializing in martial arts.
Xiang Dun would study under Elder Lu, focusing on formations.
Lastly, Guan Yushu would study under the sect leader, specializing in swordsmanship.