Chapter 589: Talking About the Youlan Twilight Trial Again

At that moment, Elder Lei, who had been observing from afar for quite some time, raised his voice at the perfect moment. “The wager match between Lu Lihong of the Wuming Hall and Ren Xiaoyao of the Tuodan Hall… has now concluded. Lu Lihong of the Wuming Hall is the winner!”

Thus, Zhang Xiaohua finally lost this wager match—a match in which not even his Divine Sense had “managed” to emerge.

“Wonderful!” Cheers erupted from below the stage. The disciples of the Tuodan Hall shouted excitedly, deeply proud and honored to have witnessed such a splendid wager match, such moving camaraderie between senior and junior brothers, and a contest where friendship came first and competition second.

More importantly, they had all bet on Lu Lihong to win and earned themselves a tidy amount of contribution points!

Of course, there were also quite a few miserable wretches among them, howling toward the heavens. “Heavens are unfair! Why wasn’t there an upset today?”

Indeed, the heavens were unfair.

But why were the heavens unfair?

Perhaps even the heavens themselves did not know. Only those capable of manipulating the outcome of the wager match knew!

And Zhang Xiaohua just so happened to be one of those people.

Perhaps only when the stakes of a wager exceeded Zhang Xiaohua’s psychological expectations would the heavens become truly fair. However, after Zhang Xiaohua himself had previously pulled off an upset, so many people were now hoping to follow in his footsteps. Naturally, the heavens would instead become unfair.

Leaving aside the joys and sorrows of those who had placed bets, Chen Fengxiao and Wu Zhouxu, who had long been waiting outside the arena, immediately entered once the winner had been decided. Smiling, Chen Fengxiao said to Lu Lihong, “Junior Brother Lu, your martial arts have improved tremendously since before. We senior brothers truly envy you. The outer disciples of the Wuming Hall certainly live up to their reputation!”

He then turned to Zhang Xiaohua. “Although Junior Brother Ren lost, sparring with an expert like Junior Brother Lu must have benefited you greatly. Go back and reflect on it carefully—you’ll certainly improve. Besides, with Junior Brother Lu’s martial arts being this formidable, it is only natural that you lost. If you had won, that would have been the strange thing. As the ancients said, ‘Do not become arrogant in victory, nor discouraged in defeat’. Both Junior Brother Lu and Junior Brother Ren should take those words to heart.”

Zhang Xiaohua wore an expression of “shame” as he replied, “What Chief Chen says is absolutely right. I was fortunate enough to win a few wager matches before, and it made me somewhat conceited. Now I realize there is always someone stronger, and a heaven beyond the heavens. Oh, right—Senior Brother Lu’s martial arts are so exceptional that you must rank among the very best of the Wuming Hall’s outer disciples, don’t you? Looking at the disciples who came with us from Spring Rebirth Valley, none of them seemed to possess skills comparable to yours.”

A small bit of flattery had its intended effect. Lu Lihong’s face flushed slightly. Glancing sideways at Yang Yao, who was talking with several disciples not far away, he smiled and said, “Not at all, not at all. We’re all outer disciples, and it’s impossible to rank our martial arts in absolute terms. Some excel at fist techniques, others at Qinggong. I was merely fortunate enough to be fairly well-rounded in every aspect. The disciples chosen to accompany the Tuodan Hall to Spring Rebirth Valley weren’t selected based on martial prowess. They simply had some experience in the jianghu, or perhaps… some connections within the sect, and thus qualified to go. I was originally just a disciple of the Tuodan Hall myself, not someone the Wuming Hall had raised from childhood, so opportunities for assignments like that never came my way.”

Then he looked at Zhang Xiaohua again and said meaningfully, “Even after entering the Wuming Hall and becoming an outer disciple, if you don’t have a familiar master or senior looking after you, it’s still difficult to find opportunities to distinguish yourself. Even your daily duties may not be as desirable as someone else’s.”

Zhang Xiaohua understood. Lu Lihong was reminding him that although he was currently patrolling the mountains in the Wuming Hall, it was not because his martial arts were lacking. It was simply because he had no connections within the Wuming Hall, so others did not think highly of him.

Then another question arose in Zhang Xiaohua’s mind. Lu Lihong’s words are rather subtle. Could there be another meaning behind them? Is he trying to draw me closer, hoping that after I enter the Wuming Hall, I’ll cling to him? But do I really need to rely on him? If I ever needed someone to rely on, wouldn’t it be better to cling to Lord Kong Que instead? Hehe…

At that thought, an inexplicable blush crept across Zhang Xiaohua’s face. Ahem… those thoughts seem a little impure.

So Zhang Xiaohua nodded and cautiously replied, “Thank you for your kind intentions, Senior Brother Lu. I understand. Since we’re both from Spring Rebirth Valley and both once served in the Herb Division of the Tuodan Hall, I’ve naturally felt a greater sense of closeness toward you. Even if I never make it into the outer sect, I’ll always remember the guidance you’ve given me today.”

“Not at all, not at all. Junior Brother Ren, you’re too modest. You’ve only just arrived at the Tuodan Hall, yet you’ve already achieved such skill. You’re far stronger than I was back then. The gates of the Wuming Hall will always be open to you. I’ll be waiting there for the day you arrive—just don’t keep your senior brother waiting too long!”

Standing nearby, Chen Fengxiao also smiled. “Exactly. If Junior Brother Ren can enter the Wuming Hall, it’ll be another fine story for the Herb Division of our Tuodan Hall. And for Tianmu Peak to produce an outer disciple would be an honor for me as its Boss.”

“Hehe, Junior Brother Ren, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Wait until you’re fully prepared before taking the assessment. Don’t be like Chief Chen and me, rushing into it in such haste that we ended up delaying our futures.”

Wu Zhouxu, standing beside them, nodded in agreement.

Zhang Xiaohua knew his own situation better than anyone. Becoming an outer disciple would be effortless for him. If he were not trying to enter the outer sect without attracting attention, he could join it right now—the only prerequisite being that he actually knew how one entered the outer sect.

However, hearing how sincerely they spoke, Zhang Xiaohua did not put on any false modesty. He gave them a deep salute. “Many thanks for your candid advice, Senior Brothers. I’ll be sure to remember it.”

As they spoke, the disciples who had been watching the match gradually dispersed. Only the judges and the leading figures of the Tuodan Hall remained. While the disciples tallied the contribution points, Elder Lei and the others also walked over.

Elder Lei and his companions had all spent time on Yixiang Peak, so Lu Lihong naturally did not dare to show the slightest disrespect. He stepped forward with a smile and exchanged a few pleasantries before Elder Lei said, “Nephew Lu is truly gifted. Remarkable indeed. Your martial arts seem to have reached an extraordinary level. Your cultivation is almost on par with our Hall Master.”

Lu Lihong’s face reddened as he hurriedly shook his head. “Elder Lei, your praise is far too generous. Although Hall Master Zishen is the Hall Master of the outer sect, he was once an inner disciple. Even if I cultivated for another thirty years, I would never be a match for the old Hall Master.”

“Hehe, Nephew Lu is already quite impressive. I remember seeing your performance at the Wuming Hall martial arts tournament five years ago. Your martial arts are far superior now.” Elder Feng stroked his beard as he spoke.

“Oh, that’s right. This year should be the time for the Youlan Twilight Trial, shouldn’t it? That’s one of the assessments for the outer disciples. Nephew Lu, have you already made your preparations to achieve good results in the trial?”

“Well…” At Elder Lei’s question, Lu Lihong hesitated. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “To be honest, Elder Lei, after cultivating in the outer sect for so many years, the more my martial arts improve, the more I admire the martial arts and cultivation methods of our Incense-Spreading Sect. As you know, the martial arts taught in the Wuming Hall are only the bare surface of what our sect possesses. I’ve always wanted the chance to see the inner sect for myself. It’s just…”

He paused briefly before continuing, “It’s just that the number of places for the Youlan Twilight Trial is limited. Not every outer disciple is qualified to participate, so…”

“Mmm, that’s true. Although passing the Youlan Twilight Trial only grants you the qualification to take the inner disciple examination, if your luck is good, you may even become an inner disciple directly. That’s an opportunity the disciples of the Wuming Hall would fight tooth and nail to obtain.”

“Yes. The other trials merely determine whether you’re qualified, after which you still have to go through an elimination process. How can they compare to the convenience of the Youlan Twilight Trial?”

Elder Lei, however, shook his head. “Convenient though it may be, its difficulty is no small matter. Every Youlan Twilight Trial leaves quite a few outer disciples injured, and some even lose their lives. Nephew Lu, you must not underestimate it.”

“It’s more than just the outer disciples—even inner disciples are injured as well. It’s just…” Lu Lihong sighed. “I’m afraid I won’t even have the opportunity to qualify, so how can I worry about risking my life?”

A bitter smile spread across his face.

Standing nearby, Zhang Xiaohua was completely baffled. Lowering his voice, he asked Chen Fengxiao, “Chief Chen, what exactly is this Youlan Twilight Trial?”

Chen Fengxiao pointed toward the south. “About a hundred li south of here lies a great canyon that’s shrouded in white mist all year round. It’s called the Youlan Grand Canyon. Under normal circumstances, no one can approach it. Once every five years, however, the white mist at the entrance disperses, revealing a path into the canyon. “

“Inside is a vast expanse of plains and forests, along with layer upon layer of mountain ranges. Since few people have ever set foot there, many rare medicinal herbs have grown within. Every time the Youlan Twilight Trial is held, our Tuodan Hall also sends some disciples inside to gather herbs. Back in my youthful and glorious days, I too once…”

“Enough…” Zhang Xiaohua broke out in a cold sweat and interrupted him. “Chief Chen, don’t tell me gathering herbs is the trial? Surely it isn’t so dangerous that it would make Senior Brother Lu turn pale at the mere mention of the canyon?”

“Hehe, of course not. I was only talking about what our Tuodan Hall does. Actually, the Youlan Grand Canyon is a treasure trove. Besides medicinal herbs, it contains many other precious things as well. It’s not just our Tuodan Hall—other halls, such as the Artifact Refining Hall, the Shuyu Hall, and even the Qiankun Hall all send people inside. Oh, I’ve heard that inner disciples enter as well, though when I went in back then, I never saw any of them. In fact, even the other disciples from the Tuodan Hall never saw them.”

Zhang Xiaohua stopped urging him onward, realizing Chen Fengxiao was enjoying showing off his knowledge. Sure enough, after a brief pause, Chen Fengxiao continued, “Although the Youlan Grand Canyon is a treasure trove, it also contains endless dangers…”

“Huh?” Zhang Xiaohua asked in surprise. “What dangers?”

“Because our Incense-Spreading Sect has existed for over ten thousand years, and because the Youlan Grand Canyon has always been rarely visited, there are many ferocious wild beasts inside!”

“Wild beasts?” Zhang Xiaohua was even more surprised. “What’s so unusual about that? Every mountain has wild beasts. No matter how fierce they are, how could they possibly defeat people who know martial arts?”

“Hehe, exactly. That’s why ordinary disciples like us must be escorted by outer disciples from the Wuming Hall whenever we enter the canyon.”

Zhang Xiaohua immediately understood.

“Of course,” Chen Fengxiao added, “escorting us isn’t the actual trial for them.”