While leaving the gate, Wang Lu casually said a few words, that he had found the correct to play the game.
At this time, there were a lot of people who heard his words. Zhou Mumu of Kunlun Sect and her several Junior Brothers, Ten Thousand Arts Sect’s Zhan Ziye who had just come out of the grid, Hai Yunfan—both smoothly passed the trial, even though it was costly—regardless, everyone heard those words and knew their meaning.
Even Hai Yunfan also thought that these words were just a ridicule, or him being obstinate. No matter how ingenious his act before Jianglu just now, it did not change the fact that he had failed.
Although from the point of view of eight virtues test, the second test was nothing but Jianglu and his teammates gaining the same starting point as them, but for a professional adventurer who always sought perfection, wouldn’t this mean a bad start?
Therefore, although Wang Lu remained calm and unruffled, he must have started to feel apprehensive.
As for Liu Li, how could this naive young girl care so much?
Only Bai Shixuan who very keenly captured this detail. After a moment of hesitation, she asked through primordial spirit, "Senior Brother, you said you’ve found the right way, so, are we not playing this correctly?"
Wang Lu said with a smile, "What do you think?"
Bai Shixuan said, "I’m not as clever as you, Senior Brother, but I think, although at the start, it was obviously said to us that this was to test the cultivator’s eight virtues, but the fact is, it’s not completely the case. Although the rules and custom of the world that I know of are not many, I think what everyone did just now has nothing to do at all with moral excellence, right?"
Wang Lu said, "From the time I saw the rules on the filial piety test, I knew that these eight tests have nothing to do with virtue. However, the key problem is not here. Because no matter what kind of test that we have to face, as the participant, we only have to follow the rules... At least, in the first trial, this is my basic idea. And based on the rules in the filial piety gate, after seriously considering the way to crack the test, I immediately got the result—I cheated those eight people from Shengjing Sect that they failed the test. However, at the fraternal duty gate, as you can see, it was me who got cheated out."
Bai Shixuan sighed. "Our luck is really not that good, the rules are too disadvantageous for us… If it weren’t for your previous arrangement, Junior Sister Liu Li and I wouldn’t be able to pass the trial."
"It’s not about luck. It’s our wrong way of playing, or that from the start, we have taken the wrong direction… There are some matters that I have not thoroughly thought out. However, now, you may rest assured of my performance. Your Senior Brother Wang Lu is never gonna let you down."
Once again hearing Wang Lu’s full of confidence answer, Bai Shixuan softly smiled. "Yes."
After the fraternal duty gate, the people of the four sects once again gathered before the eight gates.
The moral of Shenjing Sect was obviously remarkably strong. If the first gate, the filial piety gate was a victory for the Spirit Sword Sect, then in the second trial, the biggest winner was Shenjing Sect. Although Spirit Sword Sect performance seemed good, in other people’s eyes, they vaguely seemed to have been suppressed by the Shenjing Sect.
Because, although Liu Li and Bai Shixuan were able to pass the trial, Wang Lu, as their most important personnel, failed to pass. Moreover, for the other member of three allied sects, even if they passed through, it was just barely—the circumstance of Kunlun Immortal Sect and Ten Thousand Arts Sect was basically so. However, due to number advantage, some of the Shengjing Sect cultivators managed to win 398 pieces of chips, which they traded with the first prize in the exchange list.
The ancient sword tomb was indeed worthy to be a true immortal level ruins. These eight tests were just one part in a long series of test, and fraternal duty gate was just one of the eight gates, yet it actually gave luxurious gifts of middle-level spiritual treasure and top-grade panacea, making several cultivators of Shenjing Sect delighted beyond measure. At the same time, after successfully passing the trial, they were rewarded with half level advancement of magical power, which was a pleasant surprise to them.
More importantly, with the admission of Power King Jianglu, Shengjing Sect seemed to once again become invincible. Whether it was the battle of wits or power, Jianglu was enough of a match for Wang Lu; the cleaning tactic that they employed in the fraternal duty gate managed to bring Wang Lu down. At the same time, the lineup behind Jianglu was neat with many powerful team members, while behind Wang Lu were just three sects with dubious alliance.
As long as this continued, Shengjing Sect would definitely win!
Regarding this, Wang Lu just sneered.
The third trial was loyalty gate.
The situation behind the third gate was not that different than the other two gates—a long dark passage. However, the difference was the room behind that long dark passage. In the loyalty gate, there was a relatively spacious stone chamber. In the middle stood a stele with the inscription of the rules on it.
With the experience of the first two gates, everyone did not expect the test to have anything to do with the loyalty virtue. However, upon carefully reading it, unexpectedly, perhaps this was the first time the test was really about a person’s virtue.
Rules:
1. Loyalty is a kind of faith, a kind of wholehearted devotion, an everlasting longing. Loyalty can withstand any test.
2. Questioning is a kind of attitude, a kind of full range interrogation, a kind of meticulous investigation. Questioning can disintegrate hypocrisy and purify loyalty.
3. Related procedures.
A. Declare an object of loyalty.
Everyone could only state once, and the object could not be changed.
B. Questioning the loyalty of others.
The same object could only be questioned once.
C. If the loyalty is successfully questioned, i.e., proving it to be fake, then that person fails the test.
D. Able to maintain loyalty without being proven as fake, and successfully questioning the loyalty of two or more participants. Anyone meeting these two conditions passes the test.
E. The failure to make a declaration or if the declaration is proven to be false does not affect the questioner’s qualification to pass the test.
Seeing these rules, many people’s hearts were moved.
Was this finally the real test of virtue?
Compared to filial piety gate and fraternal duty gate, the rules in the loyalty gate were somewhat more normal. Especially regarding the interpretation of loyalty at the beginning; It appeared that in this aspect, the test was set on a relatively orthodox tone. However...
However, if you looked down the line, it suddenly revealed some strange part: Questioning?
Admittedly, true gold fears no fire. Those who could show loyalty in the face of layers upon layers of questions could stand erect. However, with the experience from the previous two gates, the provision of questioning, in any event, seemed to have a taste of provocation, to mobilize the masses, which would often result in ugly victory over virtue.
Especially given that there was a professional adventurer present, people’s mind became more vigilant.
While they were mulling over this, the same icy sound that appeared in the previous two gates resounded once again, speaking in an ancient language.
"Please declare an object of loyalty."
In the silence after that, a cultivator from Shengjing Sect was the first to declare, "I declare that I am loyal to Shengjing Sect!"
With that, a flash of pale golden light covered his body.
Wang Lu and the other people turned to look. The guy was an average looking cultivator that previously didn’t leave any impression with the other cultivators. Seeing that he was the first to declare, people immediately guessed that… he seemed to be used as a cannon fodder.
Jianglu didn’t make any sound, and Wangyue siblings were also silent. A little-known nobody gained the upper hand by being the first, would Shengjing Sect be so ignorant of the rules? Obviously, they have agreed to use this guy to test the specific rules of this round of game.
After he finished declaring, Wang Lu stepped forward and began his questioning.
As soon as he opened his mouth, Shengjing Sect cultivators’ hearts immediately palpitated.
He was indeed worthy to be a professional adventurer, decisive and ruthless.
"If there were a power struggle within Shengjing Sect, or an internal division, which side would you give your loyalty to?"
That cultivator was stunned for a moment, and then righteously said, "Shenjing Sect will never have internal division!"
Wang Lu chuckled. "Never will? In the year of 1337, what happened to the ocean of blood on spirit mountain? What happens to the trap of the literary mountain in the year 1365? No need for you to say it, the ancestor of blood demon, Daoist Duan Shan, originated from your Shengjing Sect. Even more obvious than that, every time your Sect Leader passes away, there would be a power struggle. Seven hundred and thirty years ago, was Daoist Immortal Shou Shan’s sudden death was truly because he accidentally fire deviated? When Daoist Immortal He Tu took the leadership position, did Daoist Immortal Wan Ling really withdrew from the rivalry to become the Sect Leader because he was ashamed of his inferiority? Shengjing Sect is so big, their powerful individuals are as many as the clouds, among which, geniuses that could turn the heaven upside down and cultivators with great skill and strategy are too many to count, how could its internal be as tepid as water? You are an inner court disciple of Shengjing Sect, don’t tell me I’m more familiar with this internal conflict in your sect than you? And since you’re already well aware of this, how could you righteously say that your sect will never have an internal division! Your mouth says one thing, but your heart says otherwise, it’s nothing more than seeking personal gain!"
Under Wang Lu’s questioning, that cultivator stared dumbfoundedly as he broke into cold sweat.
"I-I’m not…"
"Loyalty, is king of wholehearted devotion, you can’t even speak frankly about the real situation of Shengjing Sect, how could you talk about loyalty to the sect? You might as well go back."
Before his voice fell, a crisp sound was heard as the golden light that shrouded over his body crashed.
Wang Lu waved his hand. "Questioning is successful, next."
Shengjing Sect people were not surprised by this result. In fact, they would be surprised if Wang Lu didn’t speak. However, that was just a cannon fodder, so there was no big deal.
The second cultivator from Shengjing Sect came forward. "I declare that, as a cultivator, I am loyal to the immortal cultivation road."
Wang Lu immediately questioned, "What if your immortal cultivation is in a direct conflict with the interest of Shengjing Sect?"
That person was clever. "Shengjing Sect fully respects the pursuit of immortal cultivation road of each and every of its cultivators."
Wang Lu sneered. "If your sect truly respect, then why would it send you to be the cannon fodder?"
That man retorted, "There are things that needs to be done, and the sect will give me enough compensation."
Wang Lu continued to sneer. "So you say your way of cultivation is the way of butcher seeking compensation? Why don’t you be a porcelain [1]? Why don’t you just sell your kidney? Why don’t you seek to be someone else’s mistress? Even compensation from your sect you want to bring out and show off, is your cultivation the way of the slave?"
"I…"
"It’s useless for you to talk anymore, next."
Before long, Wang Lu successfully questioned four people from Shengjing Sect one after the other, breaking their golden light.
For a time, silence fell upon the scene.
It was not a shock. Regardless of Shengjing or the other sects, this situation was not unexpected. In fact, the more important role of these four cannon fodder was to excavate the profound meaning behind this trial.
These first four people all made declarations in various forms, but Wang Lu easily found flaws in all of them. It was not that they deliberately threw in the towel, but for a cultivator, loyalty was a very elusive concept.
Loyalty to the sect was already very difficult, loyalty to the immortal path… it was also more akin to an ideal, which was difficult to translate into reality.
On the contrary, it was very easy to question others, before Wang Lu even declared anything, he has already successfully beat back four… so, the next problem was: how to pass this test?
[1] (a currently widespread fraud in PRC involving deliberately crashing cars then demanding compensation)