Chapter Eighteen: Combat Power Assessment

The following day, everyone rose early to participate in the second test: the assessment of martial prowess.

Ming Yue and the others were transported by Shushan disciples to a truly peculiar location. It resembled an ancient battlefield, strewn with crumbling walls and ruins, desolate and seemingly abandoned for eons.

The group halted before an ancient gate. The mottled bronze doors were shut tight, concealing whatever lay within. Shushan disciples distributed a spiritual tablet to each candidate, designed to record their individual cultivation levels and internal energy.

An examiner explained that this ancient city was named Shura City, an abandoned battlefield repurposed for assessing the candidates' martial strength. Once inside, participants would face independent, simulated scenarios. These scenarios were not fixed; each candidate would encounter different challenges—be it wild beasts, demonic creatures, natural disasters, or any other perilous situation.

Regardless of the circumstances, candidates were required to exhaust their strength to overcome the trials and break through. Once they succeeded, their spiritual tablets would record their martial prowess, which would serve as their final grade.

The time limit for this test was twelve hours. Candidates had to overcome the obstacles and exit within that timeframe, or they would be eliminated. Although the environment inside the city was simulated, the candidates could still sustain real injuries.

During the test, participants could choose to fight or crush their spiritual tablets. If they chose to fight and defeated their formidable foes, they would be instantly transported outside the city gate. If they found themselves in mortal danger, they could choose to give up by crushing their tablets, which would immediately return them to the gates and mark their disqualification. Once a candidate returned to the outside of the gates, all threats would automatically cease.

Ming Yue noticed Feng Qingcheng, Qiao Chuyai, Hua Qiandu, and Mei Ren approaching to oversee the exam. She also spotted a fifth individual, a remarkably handsome young man who stood out among the Shushan disciples.

Feng Qingcheng, draped in flowing white robes, stood among the group like an immortal descended from the heavens. Ming Yue could not help but steal a second glance. The arrival of the five examiners drew squeals of admiration from the female candidates.

"Those are the Five Immortals of Shushan," a round-faced, dimpled youth beside Ming Yue whispered with a smile. "We only saw four of them at the restaurant last time. The other one is Murong Yiwen, a disciple of the Medicine Sect. They say he is a genius in the medical arts."

Ming Yue remembered the round-faced boy’s name was Han Ruge. Having learned medicine from her mother since childhood, she could not help but observe the Medicine Sect prodigy more closely. Seeing his tall, imposing stature and handsome features, she felt a surge of admiration.

Feng Qingcheng, as the primary examiner, addressed the candidates: "This test may seem simple, but it is anything but. Remember one principle: no matter what scenario you encounter, you must learn to discern truth from falsehood, identify the flaws, and conquer your inner demons to escape the predicament."

"Yes!" the candidates shouted in unison, their morale soaring.

They lined up before the gate, and the Shushan disciples activated the barrier. As the candidates filed in, the space around the gate distorted, and they were instantly teleported inside.

Ming Yue felt a blur before her eyes as the surrounding light twisted. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a dilapidated farmhouse courtyard.

She scanned her surroundings cautiously. The courtyard gate was bolted shut, and the yard was overgrown with weeds. She saw neither other candidates nor the rumored monsters; there was only an ancient, nearly dry well. Ming Yue listened for a moment, but beyond the howling wind, there was only silence.

Just as she grew uneasy and wondered if she was meant to stay in the yard, the gate creaked open. A beautiful woman carrying a wooden basin stepped out. Her familiar eyes and white dress were exactly as Ming Yue remembered from the last time she saw her. Ming Yue stood frozen, struck as if by lightning.

"Mother?" Ming Yue cried out in surprise, tears streaming down her face.

The woman turned at the sound of her voice, her eyes showing surprise. "Yue'er?"

"Mother, aren't you... how are you here?" Ming Yue threw herself into her mother's arms, sobbing with joy. "Mother, Yue'er has missed you so much! Since that day, I thought I would never see you again..."

She had so much to say, but her throat was choked with emotion. She hugged her mother tightly, terrified that if she blinked, her mother would vanish forever.

The woman gently embraced Ming Yue’s slender form, though her bright eyes remained devoid of emotion. She whispered, "I promised to teach you swordsmanship. I shall teach you today."

Ming Yue looked up, her tear-stained face beaming. "Mother, didn't you say you didn't want me to learn swordsmanship or cultivation?"

The woman did not answer, but conjured a sword. "Watch closely, the flow of these sword moves." She began to demonstrate.

Ming Yue watched intently, and as if by magic, a sword appeared in her own hand. She mimicked the moves, and before long, she had memorized them all.

"Mother, I've got it!" Ming Yue cheered. "Am I doing well?"

The woman nodded expressionlessly. "Now, spar with me. Let me see how you perform."

Ming Yue nodded and raised her sword. She glanced at the sky and felt as though a long time had passed, yet the sun remained fixed, showing no signs of setting. She felt that something was wrong, but could not put her finger on it. She only wanted to stay here, with her mother, forever.

Outside Shura City, the five examiners watched the massive Mirror of Heaven and Earth in silence. The mirror displayed the candidates' actions: some were trapped in loops, others swung their arms at invisible enemies, some spoke shyly to the air as if on a date, while others frantically hacked at their own limbs. Some had simply fallen asleep, unaware that they might never wake up.

Qiao Chuyai chuckled, "These kids are quite interesting. Should we give them a hint? Lest they fail to emerge from their own inner demons?"

Feng Qingcheng frowned at the mirror and the sky. Most of the time had passed, yet no one had emerged. He shook his head solemnly. "If a person cannot conquer their own inner demons, they are not fit for cultivation."

Hua Qiandu pointed at a young man in the mirror. "That one looks like he's about to make it."

It was Mu Xiaotian. With blood streaming down his arm, he swung his sword with all his might. In the blink of an eye, he appeared outside the gates of Shura City. He looked at his arm in disbelief, finding it completely unscathed, and let out a sigh of relief.

Soon, others began to emerge one after another. Some candidates chose to crush their tablets and give up, appearing distraught and comical as they stumbled out. Qiao Chuyai stared at a girl in the mirror, dancing with strange sword moves, and exclaimed, "Isn't that little sister Ming Yue? The time is almost up, why isn't she out yet?"

Feng Qingcheng watched for a long time. "She is young and pure of heart; she will not be trapped."

"Little Junior Sister Ming Yue is so cute," Hua Qiandu said anxiously. "It won't be fun if she doesn't come out."

Inside, Ming Yue was still sparring. As she looked at the sun for the umpteenth time, a realization struck her: the sun had not moved an inch.

The moment she realized this, the woman before her dissolved into mist. "Mother!" Ming Yue reached out, but in a blur, she found herself outside Shura City.

She stood with her hand still outstretched, tears streaming down her face, her heart aching. Hua Qiandu let out a sigh of relief and waved at her. "Little Junior Sister Ming Yue, you're finally out!"

Seeing Feng Qingcheng and the others watching her with concern, Ming Yue wiped her tears and lowered her head in embarrassment. Murong Yiwen caught sight of the beautiful, innocent girl and a flash of admiration crossed his eyes.

Of the four hundred-plus candidates, two hundred and sixty-eight passed, while over one hundred and forty were eliminated. Those disqualified were sent away from Shushan, while the survivors were settled into dormitories for three days of rest before the final test.

Ming Yue noticed many familiar faces among the survivors: Nangong Yurou, Dou Ruhua, Mo Yao, the stunning Princess Nalan Meidai, and Jiang Yiyi of the prestigious Jiang family. Among the men were Niu Zhuangzhuang, Mu Xiaotian, Han Ruge, and Feng Linchuan.

The living conditions were excellent, and the food was plentiful. The following day, Ming Yue sat with Nangong Yurou, Dou Ruhua, and Mo Yao. At another table sat Princess Nalan and Jiang Yiyi, joined by the self-proclaimed prince, Feng Linchuan, who followed the Princess like a shadow.

Reflecting on her test, Ming Yue felt a lingering, indescribable pain. Perhaps her greatest inner demon was indeed her inability to let go of the grief of losing her mother. But even if it was only an illusion, she felt that just seeing her mother one more time had been worth it.