Cultivating Immortality Begins with Acting as a Girl Chapter 143

After ruling out the pain caused by the thorns, this fourth trial became a simple rope-climbing project.

Song Ling glanced at the other people who were also climbing, not showing any particularly outstanding speed. Instead, he climbed at a steady pace, just like them, with a pained expression on his face.

About two or three body lengths away, Song Ling saw Princess Zhaoming also climbing with difficulty, her delicate face pale.

This made Song Ling admire her somewhat.

She only needed to pass the first trial to qualify, yet she had come all the way to this point, even risking her life to continue the challenge.

Her mental fortitude was definitely superior to ninety-nine percent of her peers in this world.

When they climbed to the upper part of the cliff face, someone finally couldn’t hold on anymore and accidentally fell, landing on the ground with a “thump” accompanied by a horrified scream, blood splattering everywhere.

Dong Zhixuan, just as he said, did not take any rescue measures.

This cruel scene chilled the hearts of those still climbing, making them grip the thorny vines even tighter, and even the accompanying pain was temporarily suppressed.

After that, several more people fell one after another due to various accidents. By the time Song Ling reached the summit, there were already more than a dozen corpses on the ground.

Song Ling activated Myriad Transformations, making his hands look as bloody and mangled as everyone else’s, trying his best not to reveal any flaws.

When the countdown ended, less than thirty people remained on the cliff top with the thorny vines.

Dong Zhixuan stepped onto the cliff top using his yellow withered leaf artifact, sweeping his gaze across the crowd. When he saw Song Ling, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He hadn’t expected that this youngest of all the examinees would be able to reach this point.

In fact, it wasn’t just Dong Zhixuan; the other successful examinees on the cliff top also occasionally cast their gazes towards Song Ling, and Princess Zhaoming was no exception.

Song Ling sighed softly. Attracting attention was not what he wanted. He should have known not to transform into such a young age.

Dong Zhixuan landed on the ground, his expression amiable as he said:

“You have now passed four trials and gained forty points for the mental fortitude assessment. My suggestion is that all those who have reached the qualifying score for entering the sect can stop at this step. There’s no need to participate in the fifth trial.”

Everyone was stunned. Someone asked, “Excuse me, Immortal Master Dong, why is that?”

“Because, looking at previous years, the death rate of the fifth trial is quite high. Out of ten people who enter, perhaps only one, or even none, can come out alive. The danger level is much higher than the fourth trial. I won’t hide it from you, the reason why the difficulty of the fifth trial suddenly increases so much is to filter out those with white aptitude.”

Dong Zhixuan stated the cruel reality in a calm tone.

Among the thirty remaining examinees, more than half were white aptitude holders. When they heard Dong Zhixuan’s words, their faces immediately turned ugly.

A round-faced girl with a braid asked, “But… didn’t Immortal Master Dong say that cultivation aptitude and mental fortitude are both indispensable, and that one cannot negate other possibilities just because of one side, and that even those with inferior aptitude should be given a chance to embark on the path of immortality?”

Dong Zhixuan calmly said:

“This is just a set of rhetoric for the public. In fact, the importance of aptitude far outweighs mental fortitude. Without a fortuitous encounter, a white aptitude holder, no matter how hard they try, neglecting sleep and food, working tirelessly day and night, can never surpass a green aptitude holder.”

“What’s more, to a certain extent, we have indeed given you a chance, haven’t we? Even if the death rate is high, the fifth trial is indeed passable.”

“As the lowest-grade cultivation aptitude, if one doesn’t have the courage to face death and spare no effort, what good would it do to enter the sect? It would only be a waste of resources, and no achievements would be possible.”

The round-faced girl looked dejected, “How could this be…”

Dong Zhixuan said faintly:

“Alright, I’ve said what needed to be said. Now you can make your decision.”

A moment later, those with aptitude above white were very receptive to the advice and chose to give up. As for those with white aptitude, about ten of them also chose to withdraw after some deliberation.

After all, in the past ten years, only five people in total had passed the fifth trial, which meant only one person passed every two years.

If the death rate wasn’t high, they might still want to try, but now… they didn’t want to die.

Ultimately, only nine people decided to challenge the fifth trial.

Eight of them were white aptitude holders, and the remaining one…

Was red aptitude, Princess Zhaoming, Shen Shaohua.

“Princess Zhaoming, I advise you not to do this. Even if you give up the fifth trial now, your aptitude score plus your mental fortitude score is already ninety. Even looking at the entire history of the Purple Radiance Sect’s disciple recruitment, this is an extremely excellent score. There’s absolutely no need to continue risking it.”

Dong Zhixuan frowned deeply, trying to persuade her.

He really didn’t want to see such an excellent prospect throw away her life in vain.

Princess Zhaoming bowed, her eyes lowered, and said, “Thank you, Immortal Master Dong, for your concern. However, although ninety points is high, what I want is one hundred points.”

“One hundred points?”

Dong Zhixuan was slightly stunned, then immediately reacted, surprised, “You want to gain the qualification to choose any elder as your master?”

According to the rules of the Purple Radiance Sect, if an examinee scores one hundred points in the recruitment, they can choose any sect elder to become their disciple. If they score less than one hundred points, no matter how excellent they are, they can only be chosen.

“But weren’t you already favored by Elder Xue, who intended to take you as a disciple, so why—”

Dong Zhixuan stopped mid-sentence, as if he had remembered something. A complex and subtle expression flashed across his face, and he sighed faintly, “Never mind. Since you insist, then follow me.”

With that, he walked down the slope.

Princess Zhaoming remained silent and followed with the other eight people.

After about half a cup of tea’s time, everyone followed Dong Zhixuan and stopped at the entrance of a dark tunnel.

Dong Zhixuan said:

“This place is the fifth trial you are about to challenge, the ‘Dark Corridor’. The method to pass the assessment is very simple: just reach the exit alive. I need to remind you that the terrain within this Dark Corridor is complex and dangerous, and there are many spirits equivalent to human third-rate martial artists. With your current ordinary human physiques and strengths, once you encounter them, the chance of survival is quite slim. Even so, do you still want to continue the challenge?”

Princess Zhaoming’s expression remained unchanged, and the others also did not flinch.

Those who could pass the first four trials and reach here were not people with wavering willpower. Since they had already made their choice, they would not go back on it at the crucial moment.

Dong Zhixuan nodded, “Good. In that case, you may enter.”

…