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Chapter 544: The Training Begins
Chapter 544: The Training Begins
January 7th, 2025
Attendant Peachwood led the way ahead, guiding Su Chen through a connecting corridor that stretched from the courtyard. Surprisingly, this corridor was quite long, and it would take about four hours to walk its entire length on foot.
Su Chen could have hurried his pace, but Attendant Peachwood, being an ordinary attendant, had not undergone cultivation training. With time to spare, there was no need to rush.
As they walked, they didn't encounter anyone else in the corridor.
Peachwood informed Su Chen that only those holding upper-tier invitations could use this corridor. Even the masters of the Celestial Vortex Town, like Xu Qiming, had to take a detour and use a different route.
The special treatment for upper-tier invitation holders was indeed considerate.
Su Chen even felt that those holding upper-tier invitations had a higher status than the masters of Celestial Vortex Town.
This situation was not entirely unexpected, given the various powerful forces and backers supporting the different factions in the town.
The upper-tier invitation seemed specifically tailored for the backers of these factions.
Upon reaching their destination, Su Chen found himself at a cliff wall with a hollowed-out chamber.
The chamber was elegantly arranged as a grandstand, adorned with various displays and decorations.
Sitting there, one could look up and see the Celestial Vortex Waterfall in the distance.
Perched high above, the view from this position was far superior to those below, offering a much broader perspective.
The area was spacious, with several other seats surrounding it.
Unless something unexpected happened, the other seats were likely reserved for those holding upper-tier invitations.
Su Chen walked to the edge and looked down.
The Celestial Vortex Waterfall was already crowded with people, most of them standing, numbering around fifty or sixty.
Some sat on the left side, though their view wasn't as good, allowing them to at least sit and observe.
This was probably the difference between the lower and middle-tier invitations.
The distinctions between the upper, middle, and lower tiers were indeed clear and evident.
The first round of assessments was for warriors holding lower-tier invitations.
Su Chen surveyed the people before him.
It seemed not only young people had come to participate, as many of the warriors appeared to be of a more advanced age.
These individuals must have worked hard to obtain even the lower-tier invitation.
However, whether they could truly enter the Celestial Vortex Waterfall for training depended on the upcoming assessments.
While Su Chen waited, three young men in elegant attire entered, each accompanied by a servant.
They seemed to know each other, chatting and laughing as they walked.
Upon seeing Su Chen, they all paused, seemingly surprised to find someone else using an upper-tier invitation besides themselves.
Moreover, they were unfamiliar with Su Chen, which explained their initial surprise.
For this occasion, Su Chen had chosen to reveal his true appearance.
He anticipated turbulent currents at the Celestial Vortex Waterfall, and while his disguise skills were exceptional, they might not withstand constant water flow.
In Jin State, more people had seen Su Xing's face, so his true appearance was even more unfamiliar.
Those holding upper-tier invitations were likely influential, so it was natural for them to be surprised by Su Chen's unfamiliar face.
After a moment, the three young men smiled and nodded politely at Su Chen.
Su Chen responded with a smile.
When identities were unknown, it was always wise to be courteous.
After they took their seats, one of the young men whispered instructions to his servant.
Upon hearing the command, the servant quickly departed.
Su Chen guessed the reason for this action.
Most likely, the servant was sent to inquire about Su Chen's background.
At the fourth hour, the day's assessments officially began.
The first round involved twenty-five participants holding middle-tier invitations, but only ten would advance to the second round.
The number of warriors participating in the second round was limited to thirty-five, so the competition for these spots was fierce.
Therefore, luck also played a significant role in obtaining these precious training opportunities.
In the distance, the first round of assessments was about to start at the Celestial Vortex Waterfall.
A spacious area had been prepared in front of the waterfall, with several square pits dug into the ground.
The first round of assessments would take place within these pits, though Su Chen wasn't entirely sure how they would be conducted.
Only time will tell.
Soon, the warriors who had arrived with the Lower Invitation began to enter the pits.
Su Chen watched with curiosity, carefully observing this first trial.
What kind of trial was this, standing in a pit?
Just as he was thinking, water started to seep into the pit.
The water level rose quickly, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the entire pit was submerged.
Those who had entered the pit were left with only their heads above the water.
Their expressions changed instantly, becoming unsightly as the water rose.
Many of their faces turned red and swollen.
It seemed like there was something peculiar about the water.
Su Chen asked the attendant, Peachwood, beside him, and received an affirmative answer.
Today's trial was indeed this simple, with no complex mechanisms involved.
The only requirement was to endure in the water pit, and those who lasted the longest would advance to the next round.
The rules were straightforward, lacking in spectacle.
From this point on, there was only one outcome—to wait.
Waiting for the results, to see who would be the first to give up.
The water in the pit was clear and translucent, revealing no abnormalities.
However, the warriors in the pit seemed to be under immense pressure.
Their faces were contorted, as if they could give up at any moment.
After half a quarter of an hour, someone suddenly leaped out of the pit, unable to endure any longer.
With the first person out, it was like deflating a balloon.
One after another, more warriors abandoned the trial.
Those who weren't the first to give up might not feel as embarrassed.
One by one, they resigned themselves to quitting.
In the end, only ten people advanced to the second round.
Many of them, seeing that so many others were still in the running while they had no hope of victory, decided to give up early.
Within a quarter of an hour, half of the fifty or sixty warriors had already quit.
Among them, one person felt particularly humiliated, as he fainted and sank into the pit.
The guards of Celestial Vortex Town quickly rushed to rescue him as his head submerged.
Those who fainted in the pit were considered the weakest.
According to the old rules of Celestial Vortex Town, such individuals would no longer be allowed to participate in future assessments.
Their lack of talent might result in harm instead of benefits.
However, in recent years, this rule seemed to have been abolished.
After fainting, there was no longer any restriction on participating again.
The elimination rate in the first half was surprisingly high, even exceeding Su Chen's expectations.
The pit on the open ground soon had half of its space vacated.
The masters of Celestial Vortex Town remained calm throughout.
They were accustomed to seeing many give up in the initial stages.
The remaining warriors, however, seemed to have undergone a qualitative transformation in their abilities.
In the time between a quarter of an hour and half a shichen (a traditional unit of time), no one else left the pit.
The remaining warriors seemed to have taken a significant leap in strength.
Some couldn't even endure a quarter of an hour, while others lasted for over half a shichen.
Su Chen felt that this was mainly due to their mental fortitude.
Many, upon stepping into the pit and feeling the immense pressure, knew they wouldn't last long.
Without the possibility of advancing, quitting early or late made no difference.
(Chapter End)
After hearing the report, the three of them looked at Su Chen with a hint of disdain in their eyes. The initial courtesy they had shown was completely gone, and they even felt somewhat deceived, as if Su Chen had deliberately exaggerated his status. Originally, he wasn't even worthy of their attention. Su Chen noticed the subtle change in their expressions but chose to ignore it. He hadn't come here to make friends; his purpose was to participate in the training, to try and advance to the Transformation Realm.
There was one aspect of Celestial Vortex Town that Su Chen found quite satisfactory: the rules were paramount. Once a rule was set, everyone had to follow it, and even the six owners had no right to change it. This mutual restraint also eliminated many petty thefts, making the entire competition seem more fair.
Just over an hour in, someone fainted. The bodyguards rushed to assist. One person fainting was quickly followed by a second and a third. The bodyguards became increasingly busy. Now, the challenge was to see which ten people would make it through this round to the next.
After the one-hour mark, the elimination rate indeed sped up. Another quarter of an hour later, only ten people remained on the open ground.
"The competition is over," someone announced. The bodyguards immediately pulled the participants out of the pits. As they emerged, they were all gasping for breath, clearly exhausted. Despite their fatigue, they would have to participate in the second round of the competition the next day. The value of the Upper Invitation became evident once again.
Su Chen noticed another issue after the first round of the competition. It seemed that the participants who passed the test had to register their names and have them carved on a wooden plank.
Su Chen descended from the grandstand to the ground and examined the wooden plank closely. The content was simple, just a list of names of those who had passed the first round, but the names were recorded under the six different forces.
Seeing this, Attendant Peachwood explained, "Before each year's training, the owners send out invitations. The warriors who receive these invitations are ranked based on their performance. If the guests invited by a particular owner perform poorly, that owner will have fewer invitations the following year."
Su Chen was somewhat surprised. He hadn't realized there was a competition within the competition. The six forces of Celestial Vortex Town didn't hand out invitations casually.
"Does the Middle Invitation and the Upper Invitation also have this competition?"
Attendant Peachwood nodded, confirming Su Chen's guess. "If the Upper Invitations given out by a particular owner result in poor performance for three consecutive years, that owner will lose the right to issue Upper Invitations for the next three years."
Su Chen didn't ask what constituted "poor performance." It didn't concern him, and there was little point in pursuing it, as he was unlikely to return for a second time.
The first day's competition ended, and Su Chen prepared to return to the courtyard for rest. Before leaving, he saw Xu Qiming and his group again. Although Su Chen had received the Upper Invitation from Xu Qiming through Qiu Xiyu, Xu Qiming himself didn't have the right to enjoy certain privileges. However, according to Peachwood, Xu Qiming, who had given out the Upper Invitation, still had a chance to participate in the final training.
This arrangement was beneficial for the owners, as one Upper Invitation allowed two young people to participate in the training.
As Su Chen passed by them, he heard several bouts of laughter. The young people weren't mocking him but were instead targeting Xu Qiming. To them, Xu Qiming, the young master of the Golden Bell Society, was like a clown in a play. He had given an Upper Invitation to a woman to win her favor, only for her to pass it on to another man.
Su Chen felt some sympathy for Xu Qiming, but sympathy didn't justify Xu Qiming's previous rudeness or the difficulties he had caused. The young people from the six forces were quite familiar with each other. In their daily lives, they competed and compared themselves, mirroring the rivalries between their respective forces. Losing meant being mocked and ridiculed. Over the years, some had used their Upper Invitations, with mixed results, but none as ridiculous as Xu Qiming's situation.
(End of Chapter)
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