Chapter 7: Test(1)

As Liang Chen walked near the valley, He noticed several small groups clustered together, engrossed in conversation.

'They seem to know each other…' Looking at the way people stood in groups, Liang Chen came onto this conclusion.

'All of them seem relaxed. So maybe they know something about the test?' Liang Chen eyes sparkled with curiosity as he moved toward the group closest to him, hoping to glean some useful information before the test 

As he approached the group standing closest to him, he overheard their discussion.

"What do you think is the content of the test?" It was a purple-robed robed youth who asked this question. Liang Chen pricked up his ears after listening to this question. That's exactly what he wants to know too.

Internally gave purple robed youth a thumbs up for getting to the main point.

"Forget about the test! Let me tell you beforehand. That Senior Sister Hua Jiao is the ultimate beauty in the sect! Etch this information in your mind." Declared a pompous young man, "That long raven hair flowing down to her waist, those smouldering eyes that seem to pierce your soul, and her elegant bearing like a goddess descended from heavens… Truly perfection embodied."

"Please, Hua Jiao isn't fit to polish Xia Yue's shoes," scoffed a burly young man. "Xia Yue has skin as smooth and luminous as the moon, willowy curves that make men weep, and a musical voice sweeter than a phoenix's song. Even her name symbolizes her elegance and grace!"

"You fools simply don't understand true beauty," declared a perverted looking young man. "The heavenly Chen Xue holds the essence of femininity. That ample bosom, those child-bearing hips, that soothing nurturing aura...she is the ultimate personification of womanhood!"

The other men murmured in awed agreement. Liang Chen raised an eyebrow, thinking the man's notion of beauty seemed rather narrow, even old-fashioned.

"Nonsense!" The fervent outburst drew startled looks. The crimson-faced youth continued ardently, "The one true epitome of heavenly charm is Ye Zi, blessed with shimmering locks that cascade like ethereal waterfalls! Skin radiant like the glow of dawn, eyes that pierce through your spirit straight to the void. Just standing in her presence awakens primordial urges, arousing desires yourself never realised dwelled within..."

The disturbing expression of awakened lust on the youth's face made Liang Chen want to edge away slowly. But he persevered a little longer.

"You naive child, true seduction lies in experience!" tutted an older disciple sagely. "Take Madam Rouge who runs the Golden Lotus Pavilion downtown. Curves that even the gods would covet...skills refined over decades that would leave any man sobbing in ecstasy..."

As the absurdity mounted, Liang Chen felt a headache building. Did they not realise how ridiculous they sounded with such exaggerated obsessions over various women? 

He seriously wondered if they actually knew anything real about these female disciples or were merely projecting grand fantasies. Sighing in disgust, he moved quickly away from the useless babble, desperate for some shred of sanity.

Although he wasted his time listening to this set of useless information. Liang Chen was not disheartened, He felt this was merely a conversation between some 'special children' and in the next group he could get some information.

After shuffling away from the chaotic chatter about women, He saw another group guffawing loudly. Which attracted his curiosity as he sided up near them.

"Hahaha, and then the idiot actually tried to catch the Lightning Bird with a butterfly net!" one of the Disciple wheezed out between fits of laughter. The rest of the group erupted into exaggerated guffaws, wiping tears from their eyes.

Liang Chen blinked, failing to grasp just what was so uproariously hilarious about the statement.

"Speaking of recent events,, did you hear about that talentless fool Wang who spent 3 months trying to concoct a powerful pill? Nearly blew himself up along with ingredients! And in the end all he managed was something that induced uncontrollable farting!"

Raucous laughter greeted the words as the group doubled over clutching their stomachs. Liang Chen frowned, unable to comprehend why they found such misfortune so amusing.

After this the people continued with bizarre and vaguely misfortune tales. Liang Chen simply observed them, stone-faced. 

Were these eccentric fools truly so easily entertained? He felt his own sanity ebbing away in their presence.

Finally accepting that he would gain no useful intelligence amidst these buffoons, Liang Chen turned and strode off in rising frustration. 

Why did every group seem a bigger waste of time than the last? Would he never find someone taking this test seriously? The prospects seemed dire…

As Liang Chen desperately scanned the crowds, a hushed conversation caught his attention. He edged closer, catching intense whispers.

"I'm telling you, strange things are happening in this sect!" one man insisted, his eyes shifting suspiciously. "My cousin near the Northern Peak saw cloaked strangers meeting with Elders at night. Whispers of some mysterious inheritance."

Liang Chen's ears perked up. This sounded potentially intriguing.

Another voice interjected, "You think that's strange? My brother swore he saw corpses moving in the Forbidden Shadows Forest! And chilling screams during full moons..."

Liang Chen felt a chill at the ominous words. Although he didn't know what forbidden shadow forest was but sounded dangerous, So he leaned closer.

"That's nothing!" came an urgent whisper. "When I was gathering herbs, I stumbled on a hidden cave with blood-stained altars and freakish idols! Symbols etched on walls pulsating with energy..."

Frowns creased Liang Chen's forehead. Bloodstained altars? How bizarre.

Someone else added, "I once saw Elder Lie take out a glowing orb murmuring strange chants...the plants around her withered and twisted before my eyes!"

Hushed exclamations greeted this revelation. Liang Chen however began feeling sceptical - Is Celestial Harmony Sect so dangerous?

"Don't bother listening to them. Out of all the groups, these people are most useless." Just as Liang Chen was feeling sceptical he heard a familiar yet unfamiliar voice.

Looking at the source, He saw the purple-robed young man from before who asked the question in the first group.

"How do you know?" Although the conversation in the group was getting wild every second. Liang Chen felt some truth in it, As it aligned with his knowledge of the cultivation world from memories.

The purple robed young man felt silent for a few seconds then said, "I listened to their conversation for 10 minutes. And in this period, Same rumour was changed three times."

Three times.. What the heck? Liang Chen gasped in amazement as his face turned dark immediately. 

He wasted so much time listening to all their bullshit. It was this good Samaritan who reminded him otherwise he would have continued to stand here like a fool.

Thinking of this he looked at the Purple robed young man with gratitude and sympathy.

'Poor guy, He listened to this crazy talk for 10 minutes.'

"Did you get any useful information?" Liang Chen felt this guy might know something, As he appeared normal among the group of crazy individuals.

"Nope. All they talked about was either some woman or this bullshit. Actually the second group is better, their jokes are funny." The purple robed young man let out a chuckle as he talked about the second group.

'Well, he is not normal.' Liang Chen thought to himself with a stone-face.

"But I do know that the test will be conducted in this valley." Pointing at the valley in front of them, the youth continued, "And this valley is renowned Illusory valley. Known for its natural illusion array."

"So I can be certain that the test will be conducted through illusions." Purple Robed young man declared with certainty.

Liang Chen's eyes lit up. Finally he found the right guy and some useful information.

"And what else do you know?" Liang Chen continued to press on hoping to find more useful information.

"Hmmm, Except for this I have super secret information." The youth became serious all of a sudden causing Liang Chen to become serious as he leaned closer to him.

"According to a trusted source, In the test. Examiners would be keeping an eye on each participant giving them a score based on their performance." Purple-robed young man said with utmost seriousness.

Liang Chen gravely nodded to this as he kept this advice in his mind. It was an important piece of information.

Now Liang Chen felt even more glad that he talked to this guy.

"By the way, My name is Cao Ming. If both of us manage to enter Divine Blossom Pavilion, Let's hang out together." Cao Ming extended his hand toward Liang Chen with a sincere smile on his face.

Looking at sincere smile, Liang Chen smiled too and shook hands with him, "Sure, let's go with that. By the way, My name is Liang Chen and thank you for the information. "

It's better to make more connections, As with more contact he would have more sources of information. And Cao Ming seems to be a knowledgeable guy.

"Everyone! Gather at the entrance of the valley. The test will begin shortly." 

As they were introducing each other, there was a sudden announcement as test participants were asked to gather up for the test.

"Let's go." Liang Chen nodded to Cao Ming and moved toward the entrance of the valley along with all the people gathered here.

When everyone arrived at the entrance of the valley, they saw no one here which puzzled them.

'Where are the examiners?' This question lingered in their mind.

"Everyone, Test will start shortly after I announce the test content." A female voice echoed within the valley.

"The test is simple, You need to enter the valley and walk through it and reach the end."

"You will pass the test when you reach the end of the valley. The time limit for the test is one day. After one day those who are still in the valley would be expelled outside and would be considered a failing in the test."

"The content of the test is simple so I hope everyone doesn't need any further explanation."

"I wish everyone, All the best! I hope you can reach the end of the valley within the allotted time." 

"And the test Starts-Now!"

As the test commenced everyone rushed toward the valley with renewed energy and the aura they radiated was completely different from before.

When the test participants reached the entrance they started disappearing but the people behind didn't stop and continued to rush in.

"Liang Chen, See you at the end of the valley!" Cao Ming, smiling , waved his hand at Liang Chen and rushed toward the entrance himself.

Liang Chen took a deep breath and like others rushed into the valley.