Before the apprentice disciples had finished their lunch, a series of clanging gong sounds came from the arena.
"All trainees, please put down your bowls and chopsticks. The last competition is about to begin! Get into your positions quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ying's eyes showed surprise. "Isn't it supposed to start at Shen Shi (3-5 PM)? Why is it starting earlier?"
Gu Qianluo's brow twitched slightly. She grabbed Zhu Ying's hand and walked towards the arena.
"Perhaps it's to test the trainee's adaptability!"
"Miss Gu! Let's cheer each other on!"
"Uh-huh!"
As the gong sounded more and more urgently, the apprentice disciples walked towards the arena.
On the arena, the senior disciples had already prepared ten tables for the trainee disciples.
The tables were covered with various parts that could be used to make hidden weapons, and not all of the parts on each table were the same, in order to test each person's adaptability.
"All trainee disciples! You may come up to the arena."
The senior student supervising the competition led his apprentices onto the stage one by one.
The table in front of the players will be determined by drawing lots.
"Junlan! Number Eight!"
"Thank you, senior brother!" Gu Qianlu's heart sank. She took the wooden stick and slowly walked towards table number eight.
"Jadeite! Number One!"
Number nine? Zhu Ying looked up and walked towards the number on the table, this time behind Gu Qianluo.
All the trainee disciples took their positions. Senior Brother Yuan slowly walked to the center of the arena and said in a deep voice,
"This is the third challenge of your competition today—making hidden weapons!"
You've probably seen the items on the table, right?
We don't have any uniform requirements for the concealed weapons we make. You just need to draw the structural diagram of the concealed weapon, assemble it, and hand it over to me.
You only have one hour! Trainee disciples who haven't finished by the end of the competition will not pass this assessment.
Alright! The match begins!
At his command, the apprentices immediately got to work.
Gu Qianlu remained calm as she glanced at the objects on the table, gradually sketching the shapes of the hidden weapons in her mind.
"Twenty six-inch wooden sticks, twenty three-inch thin needles, several thick needles, several hemp ropes..."
Gu Qianlu had a sudden inspiration, picked up the wolf-hair brush on the table, and quickly scribbled on the rice paper.
In less than fifteen minutes, she had completed the general design of the hidden weapon, and now she only needed to make it according to her design.
She first rolled ten wooden sticks into a rectangular tube shape with hemp rope, and then attached fine needles at equal intervals to the inside of the rectangular tube.
Finally, tie the needles together with hemp rope, and a sleeve needle tube is finished.
Not content with making one, she used the same method to make another sleeve with a thicker needle.
In just over half an hour, she had assembled the hidden weapon.
The bamboo shadows behind him had used the abundant bamboo strips to create a mechanical umbrella that could fire ten silver needles.
She glanced at her fellow disciples nearby from time to time, and when her gaze fell on Gu Qianluo in front of her, a hint of surprise flashed across her face.
As time passed, the sun, which had just climbed to its highest point, was gradually obscured by dark clouds. A thunderous roar shook the earth, and dazzling lightning ripped across the sky.
"Splash," the rain poured down.
I thought a sudden downpour would stop the match, but then Senior Brother Zeyuan gave me a deep, stern reminder.
"Less than half an hour left! Disciples, please continue making hidden weapons!"
Seeing that the structural diagram she had drawn by hand was getting wet from the rain, Gu Qianlu hurriedly opened her umbrella and frantically tucked the Xuan paper into her inner clothes.
The passing clouds and rain lasted only a moment; once the clouds and mist dissipated, the sunlight slowly shone down on the earth.
After the rain stopped, a look of surprise appeared on Gu Qianluo's face.
She slowly took the Xuan paper out of her clothes, but because she didn't have time to shield it from the rain, the ink on the Xuan paper had already smudged and become unrecognizable.
"Oh no!"
As the match time was about to end, her eyes suddenly darkened.
She waved to her senior brother Zeyuan, who was leisurely sheltering from the rain in a pavilion in the distance.
Seeing this, Senior Brother Zeyuan slowly walked over, holding an oil-paper umbrella, and asked softly, "What is it?"
"Senior brother! Could you give me another piece of paper?"
"Junlan, according to the rules, each person is only provided with one sheet of Xuan paper. We still have some time, so hurry up and think of a solution!"
Gu Qianlu's eyes darkened as she looked at the long robe. "I've got it!"
She then lifted the outer layer of her robe, revealing the detailed structural diagram of the hidden weapon etched inside.
"The match is over!"
At his command, the apprentice disciples quickly packed up their hidden weapons and diagrams and headed towards the pavilion.
Ultimately, Gu Qianluo qualified for the position of deputy manager by winning first place in all three competitions.
Bamboo Shadow ranked second. Two other trainee disciples failed the assessment due to the poor quality of their hidden weapons and remained in the sect as trainee disciples.
Disciples who pass the assessment become official disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect.
"All trainee disciples who have passed the assessment, please go to the Internal Affairs Office today to collect your trainee disciple uniforms."
"Disciples obey!" After bowing to the four sect leaders, the trainee disciples dispersed.
"Junlan! Cuiyu! Qiao'er! Please wait! Because the three of you have won the top three places, the Sect Master's wife invites you!"
Qiao'er's eyes were bright as she took Gu Qianluo's hand, a faint smile playing on her lips as she said happily.
"Oh dear! Junior Sister Junlan, Junior Sister Cuiyu!"
Did you know? This is the first time the Sect Master's wife has ever hosted a banquet for her disciples!
"In that case, let's hurry over there! It wouldn't be good to delay!" Gu Qianlu said with a smile.
"Junlan is right! Let's go!"
Led by a maid, Gu Qianluo and her entourage passed through a winding gallery.
On both sides of the corridor were lotus ponds, where hundreds of fish swam about, their shimmering blue waters sparkling and charming under the moonlight.
After passing through the corridor, a brightly lit and magnificent courtyard came into view.
Seated in the very center of the inner hall was a woman of stunning beauty and dignified elegance.
Her eyes sparkled like stars, and her eyebrows adorned her bright eyes like crescent moons.
She wore a long orange-red silk dress with exquisite peony patterns embroidered in silver thread on the hem, and a gold silk shawl over it, exuding an ethereal elegance.
Beside her, a woman dressed similarly in purple smiled broadly. The woman's gaze swept across the outside, and a familiar face appeared before her eyes.
Is she the Sect Master of Nanxing Sect? What is she doing here?
The maidservant bowed and reported, "The Sect Master's wife and the Sect Master of Nanxing Sect have been brought here."
Upon hearing this, Sect Leader Qiao Yingying's gaze fell upon Gu Qianluo, and her expression suddenly dimmed.
"Hey! The star of the day has arrived! Come and sit down, you'll be Nanxing's best helpers from now on!"
"Someone come here! Quickly, bring three more sets of bowls and chopsticks!"
After Qiao Yingying extended a warm invitation, Gu Qianluo and her two companions slowly entered the hall, cupped their hands in greeting, and bowed.
"Greetings to the Sect Master's wife, and greetings to the Sect Master of Nanxing Sect."
"I've heard that you must be Miss Junlan, right? Jiu Zhao often mentions you to me."
Gu Qianlu was startled, and felt a warm sensation in her hands, which met Qiao Yingying's bright eyes.
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