Chapter 17: Hard to Enter the Door, Hard to Look at the Face, and Hard to Handle Matters

  "Next, we should go out and gain some experience."

  Wen Bao was taken aback: "Tempering? Brother, are you referring to the kind of tempering like Xiao Qingyun's? Are we going to use actual combat experience to trigger a breakthrough?"

  Wang Lu sneered: "The wisdom of ordinary people! What is called experience, usually has three kinds. One kind is the ordinary experience, just like those second and third-rate sects in the Nine Provinces Continent, who let their disciples go to the wilderness and mountains to fend for themselves. Another kind is the literary and artistic experience, that time when Yue Yun led the team, most of the situation was under control, no surprises or dangers. The last kind, is what we are going to do next: besides accumulating actual combat experience, the most important task, is actually earning challenge points!"

  Wen Bao's face was bewildered: "What is a challenge score?"

  Wang Lu said: "Huh, you don't know? Is it not open to ordinary inner disciples yet? Simply put, the Lingjian Sect encourages its disciples to constantly challenge their limits and set rewards for themselves. As long as they can complete a difficult challenge, they can win special points. These points are much more valuable than the ones you earn from doing daily tasks in the sect, and many precious artifacts and techniques require challenge points to exchange for them. And more importantly, accumulating challenge points can be exchanged for human resources."

  "Human Resources?"

  "It's just letting the senior members of the sect help you with things, such as escorting you to complete certain trials, helping you refine a certain treasure, of course, the labor cost of Yuan Ying Lao Guai is not cheap, exchanging points are astronomical figures."

  Wen Bao's heart skipped a beat as he listened: "So there are such points, but with your skills, Brother Shifu, you must have obtained quite a few challenge points, right?"

  Wang Lu smiled and didn't answer.

  He indeed got a lot - the name of Lingjian Academic Tyrant is not a joke? Arbitrarily completing a single subject's professional A, you can only get one or two thousand ordinary points, but within two years, breaking six subjects' professional A and obtaining the title of Polytechnic, the challenge points can be as high as three thousand! This is the challenge point, with a gold content far higher than that of ordinary door points, even Lingbao can exchange one for it!

  However, these challenge points have other uses for him, and not only can't be wasted at will, but also need to think of all ways to continue searching and accumulating. The cultural class challenge points are rich, but after getting the title of Bo Xue, the current stage can only reach some small fish and shrimp, which Wang Lu simply looks down on.

  For a cultivator who has yet to formally enter the ranks of immortals, the best choice at present is none other than the trial challenges of the sects.

  "To put it simply, it's about completing a sect's trial under extremely unfavorable conditions and then calculating the challenge points based on the results of the trial. For example, going to Xiao Qingyun with fewer people and no leader, and completing our previous trial, can earn us one or two hundred challenge points."

  Wen Bao jumped in fright: "No team leader, and the number of people is less than last time? That's going to send us to our deaths! And for such an extreme challenge, it's only worth a hundred or two points!"

  Wang Lu said: "Either say that the challenge points are high in gold content ~ how about it, is there any interest?"

  Wen Bao hesitated for a moment: "Senior brother, the challenge points you mentioned, I'm indeed interested, but this trial is not very realistic for me. Senior brother, you're so powerful, wouldn't it be better if you went alone?"

  Wang Lu said, "Indeed, solo brushing will have extra score bonuses, but if it's just me, I can only complete the basic requirements for clearing the challenge and get a guaranteed score, which is not very interesting. But with you, it's different."

  "Ah, brother, you're overestimating me... someone as clumsy as me can only hold others back, I'm not worthy of your expectations..."

  As for Wen Bao's withdrawal, Wang Lu was not surprised at all.

  "As it happens, I ran into Yuxinyao Shizhi at Siling Peak two days ago."

  "Ah?" Upon hearing Xue Xianyao's name, the fatty's eyes lit up instantly, and his breathing quickened by two beats.

  Wang Lu pretended he hadn't seen anything and said, "Because we rarely meet, I just chatted with her for a bit."

  "Wen Bao's voice trembled as he asked: 'Eldest Brother, what did you and Sister Yue talk about?'"

  "It's nothing, just thanking me for saving everyone last time at Xiao Qingyun and admiring my kung fu skills. Nothing nutritious to say. But it's rare to meet, so I took the opportunity to ask a few more questions."

  "What else...?"

  Wang Lu said: "Yes, I asked her at that time, Junior Sister, you're also getting older, when are you going to consider getting married?"

  "Ah!"

  Wen Bao immediately spat it out, "Yue Shimei is not even 14 years old, and you're already making her consider marriage, what a loss!" However, he then became nervous: "I remember... Yue Shimei seems to be the daughter of a certain immortal family in Yunzhou, perhaps there really will be an engagement?"

  Wang Lu smiled and said: "There was no engagement or anything like that. My sister-in-law told me that the customs of their family are quite free, and the elders don't interfere much with marriage."

  Wen Baoxi was delighted: "Right, freedom of marriage is worth promoting, and we can't be as ignorant as the mortals."

  Wang Lu said: "Then I asked, Shifu (master) do you have someone you like?"

  Wen Bao's heart rose again: "What did Shifu say?"

  "She said that there isn't a specific candidate yet. But she likes those who dare to challenge themselves, break through their limits and strive for self-improvement. Cultivation is a long and arduous path, seeking breakthrough after breakthrough. As for those who shrink back in fear when faced with difficulties, she doesn't even give them a glance."

  Wen Bao suddenly fell silent.

  After a long time, Fatso changed into an expression of heroic sacrifice: "Senior brother, this time the challenge is rigorous, please be sure to bring me along!"

  Haha, he actually believed it!

  ——

  It's settled with Wen Bao, next step is to go to Lingchi Peak for apprenticeship registration.

  Lingjian Twelve Peaks, Lingchi Peak is the second most important place in the sect after Xingchen Peak. Although this peak does not have a concentrated spiritual energy and is not a blessed land for cultivation, it is where the sect's elders and senior disciples handle sect affairs. In more modern terms, it can be described as the government office district.

  Ling Jianpai's Ding Qiling, most of the sect's affairs are decided by the peak masters themselves, but in recent years, the sect has been promoting management standardization, and the number of affairs to be handled has also increased. The importance of Lingchi Peak has also risen accordingly.

  Of course, these things have nothing to do with the young monks in the tempering period for the time being. After Wang Lu entered the Lingchi Peak, he walked into an ancient courtyard, where a broken sign outside read: Tian Ce Hall. In the main house of the courtyard, there was an elderly disciple wearing black and white clothes who was bowing his head at a desk. When he saw Wang Lu coming in, he raised his head, and his mouth slightly moved as if smiling, but under the solemn and serious face, it looked stiff and awkward.

  "May I ask what brings you here?"

  Wang Lu said: "Prepare to go to Qingyun Peak for training."

  "Then please hand over the relevant materials to me."

  Wang Lu had long been prepared and took out a stack of paper to hand over.

  The disciple in his thirties or close to forty nodded slightly and took over the materials, beginning to carefully examine them.

  "Hmm, the location is Xiao Qingyun Peak, the time is this afternoon, and it's expected to take a day. The number of people... two!? Just the two of you?" Hei Bai disciple looked at half of the information and put it down in disbelief, staring at Wang Lu.

  He glared at him, and Wang Lu suddenly felt his body weigh a few more pounds.

  This senior black and white surname Mo, named Xiao, who is in the Tiān Cè Táng office, has been in the industry for over 30 years. Although he is only a disciple, he can sit in the Lingchi Peak, and his cultivation has already reached the virtual elixir realm. The subtle pressure that was unintentionally released was enough to crush newly admitted cultivators.

  Wang Lu secretly laughed in his heart, is this a show of power? It's really worthy of a government functional department!

  However, with the possession of Wu Xiang Jian Gu and having been with a genuine Golden Dan peak for two years, Wang Lu was the least afraid of any pressure, smiling lightly: "Right, just the two of us."

  Miao Xiao saw Wang Lu and was not intimidated by his aura at all, which wasn't too unexpected: after all, he was a true disciple of the sect, perhaps there were some magical tools or treasures on him.

  "Where is your guide?"

  Wang Lu shrugged: "There is no guide."

  Xiao Mu stared at Wang Lu even more incredulously, for a long time, knowing that he was certain the other party wasn't joking...

  "What nonsense!"

  "An Qiuxing's sword-like eyebrows stood on end as he bellowed, 'One of you is only at the 9th rank of Qi refinement and the other is merely at the 1st rank of Body Tempering, yet you both dare to think about going to Xiao Qingyun for training!? Who do you think you are?!'"

  Wang Lu was taken aback: "Who are we? It's written very clearly in the materials. I am Wang Lu, the true heir of Mount Wu Xiang..."

  Before he could finish, Mu Xiao coldly interrupted, "I know, Wang Lu, the true disciple who entered in a miraculous manner two years ago. According to the sect's rules, before achieving Golden Elixir, I should address you as Senior Brother. But this is Lingchi Peak, Tiandou Hall! Your true disciple identity doesn't work on me here!"

  Wang Lu smiled: "This junior brother of mine, you're too excited. I didn't think of using the true transmission disciple's identity to suppress you. Our father isn't Li Gang, we just want to go to Xiao Qingyun to train and register here."

  The black and white disciples fell silent for a moment before saying resolutely, "No way, I cannot agree to your registration requirements."

  Wang Lu furrowed his brow: "I remember that from fifteen years ago, the Lingjian Sect changed the trial training of its disciples from an approval system to a registration system. As long as the submitted documents met the requirements and were registered, they could be allowed to pass. However, I've never heard that the disciple in charge of registration had the qualifications to reject a trial application."

  Muxiao said: "The information is missing a leader, which belongs to incomplete information."

  "Haha, Brother Wenbao and I are going to play challenge mode. If there's a guide, how can we challenge?"

  Muxiao's expressionless face retreated with the documents: "But without the guide's information, I won't be able to let you pass."

  "Alas, there's no guide to begin with, where did the guide information come from? I'm telling you, Brother, don't be so rigid about the rules. Rules are for the dead, not the living. If it's really difficult, then let me be the guide. As a top-notch martial artist of the Body Tempering stage, I'll take this Qi Cultivating ninth-stage junior under my wing. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

  But unexpectedly, Mu Xiao didn't accept this proposal and instead slammed the table: "No problem!? You dare to say no problem?! The Lingjian Sect's training management rules clearly state that to become a leader, one must have at least sixth-grade Qi Refining cultivation! You're only at first-grade Body Tempering and haven't even started practicing Qi Refining, what use is having the True Transmission name then? If you want to be a leader, go cultivate for 20 years first!"

  Wang Lu couldn't help but chuckle: "Haha, you still remember the management methods quite well! It's enough to fool other disciples, but unfortunately, the one in front of you is the Sword Spirit Academy's top student! Open your eyes wide and take a good look at how the two words 'top student' are written! You dare to play this trick on me? How interesting!"

  Wang Lu hadn't gotten angry in a long time. In the two years he had spent at the Spiritual Sword Sect, most of his fellow disciples were quite pleasant to be around. Even Zhu Qin, who was notorious for being difficult to get along with, had never really had any deep-seated grudges against him. Their mutual teasing was more out of habit than anything else. But this Mu Xiao classmate of his was truly able to ignite his temper.

  It's true that when I was eating at the cafeteria of Lingyun Peak before, people were talking about how difficult it is to get along with those seniors who are in charge of Lingchi Peak... indeed, honesty doesn't cheat me!

  Go to hell, I'm afraid of you?

  Article 14, Section 2 of Chapter 3 of Ling Jian Pai's Training Management Regulations: If the applicant proposes to undergo a challenge training, they are not required to submit the guide's information.

  Miao Xiao's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected that the young man in front of her, who had only been practicing for two years, would have mastered the sect's techniques to the point where he could recite them backwards!

  But it makes no sense.

  "Applying for a challenge trial requires permission from a sect master or above..."

  The words were not finished, and Wang Lu directly took out a seal: "The name chapter of the Five Elders of Tianjian Hall is here! Don't you kneel down and lick it for me!"

  Muxiao was really stunned this time, the seal of Wuxiang Peak's master!? The seal that symbolized the elder's authority, was actually held in the hand of a small cultivator who had just reached the first grade of Qi Refining?!

  "Is it possible that my master went out for a stroll and forgot his seal at home?"

  "This can also be forgotten!?"

  "Nonsense! If Master Xu forgot his glasses, then my master must have forgotten his seal. Anyway, the seal is in my hands now, and you can certainly tell whether it's genuine or fake."

  This Wu Xiang Peak is indeed as Shifu said, it's the most bizarre place within the sect.

  "But you're using the elders to suppress me?"

  Wang Lu also didn't bother beating around the bush: "Right, are you going to lie down or not?"

  "You!?" Mu Xiao's eyes were about to pop out, this little brat, actually dared to show off in front of him! Just a mere Wu Xiang Peak's Forging Body period, he actually dared!?

  However, no matter what impression he had of Wú Xiāng Fēng under the gate of Tiǎo Suī Fēng, as soon as the five elders' seal was presented, he had nothing more to say.

  "Hmph, since that's the case, then I wish you good luck, and may your trials be fruitful? Haha!" Xiaoyu sneered coldly as she put away Wang Lu's file and stamped it with an approval seal.

  However, Wang Lu was not lenient: "Laughing at me? You're just pretending to be happy on the surface but not in your heart. Are you looking down on me and Fat Brother? Let's make a bet then. This time I'm going to get 500 points."

  "Five hundred points? You really don't know the height of heaven and earth! Ha, Wang Lu, I know you achieved a remarkable feat last time, even defeating Wang Yue's Moon Howl... but you'd better understand that such a miracle can't be repeated!"

  "Five hundred points as the benchmark, for every point you exceed, you lose one hundred spirit stones to me. If not, I'll give you one hundred spirit stones for every point less, dare you play?"

  Mu Xiao looked at Wang Lu: "You have 50,000 spirit stones on you?"

  Wang Lu smiled: "This elder seal, is it worth 50,000 spirit stones? If I can't pay the spirit stones, the seal goes to you."

  "What's the joke? What do you want my seal for?"

  "Take it to your master to show off, if you can get the elder seal of Wang Wu, the shame of the sect, I wonder how Master Liu Xian will reward you?"

  Miao Xiao was slightly stunned, and her heart was already moved!

  "Alright, let's bet on it!"

  Hmph, joking, 500 challenge points! Go ahead and dream on! I've been practicing for over 30 years and only managed to accumulate a little over 300 points... Of course, the Lingjian Sect has produced many talents, especially those few true and quasi-true disciples who have entered the sect in less than ten years, all of whom hold a large number of challenge points in their hands. But with your empty spiritual root, you're not even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as them? Not to mention that even they wouldn't be able to get 500 points from just one trial.

  Kid, let's see how you cry!

  On the other hand, Wang Lu, who turned around and left, was also coldly smiling.

  You idiot! Two years ago in Taoyuan Village when I was brushing points and the data overflowed, you were still a piece of crap!

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