Chapter 51 A Test of Wits Zhou Fuling was exhausted and took a step back. ...
Liang Bucheng said, "Let's go, let's go, it's time to go up the Cloud Candle Tower. Alas, the Rain Master is a vengeful person, I wonder what other trouble he will cause you."
When Liang Bu Cheng said this, a hint of sorrow appeared on his face, probably because he was thinking about his own situation.
Zhou Fuling remained silent and followed him up the tower. The group ascended a golden staircase, and an official drew a talisman, causing the golden staircase to rise into the sky amidst the swirling clouds.
Upon reaching the top floor, one sees an ethereal atmosphere permeating the embroidered chambers, with jade trees adorning the high palace and cloud pillars reaching the sky. Vermilion birds, adorned with pearls, adorn the tall pillars, each pearl resembling a burning sacred flame.
Looking further, one sees the statues of the eleven former sect leaders seated in the alcove, and further away, a high seat perched atop the cloud steps—the seat of the Yun Ning Sect Leader.
Opposite the sect leader's seat was a huge cloud platform with a diameter of a hundred feet, with clouds scattered in all directions.
Looking around, Yun Yi (Part 1), Yun Er (Part 2), and Yun San (Part 3) had already been settled in the east, north, and south halls of the Yuntai. Zhou Fuling followed Liang Bucheng and others to the west hall.
"Please come, everyone." A voice drifted from afar.
Zhou Fuling followed and went up to observe. Dozens of viewing pavilions were built on the walls of the circular hall. Zhou Fuling recognized many of the people who arrived, and for those she didn't recognize, she could guess their origins.
Ning Bai's fiancée, Xu Duanwu, stood respectfully beside a man dressed in white with a gold belt. Surrounding him were other Grand Immortal Masters, all of whom were at least First Rank cultivators and were Grand Immortal Ministers sent by the Dragon Pool of Central Continent.
In addition, Hao Cheng from the Tianji Sect of Dongzhou came with his fellow cultivators. He looked worried, probably still concerned about Xu Qingning's safety.
Zhou Fuling turned to look at Xu Qingning, who nodded to her and then shook her head.
Zhou Fuling understood Xu Qingning's meaning.
The nod indicated that he had informed them when he escaped, while the shake of his head was to reassure her that he would not acknowledge them.
After the incident with the Rain Master, the two were not as distant as before, but Zhou Fuling still thought their relationship was strange. She nodded slightly to him and then turned to leave.
When Lord Miao returned from greeting several mortal realm mountain lords, his face was extremely grim.
She said to Zhou Fuling:
"There's bad news."
Zhou Fuling asked, "What?"
"For the first part, we invited the Fire-Singing Immortal and the Dragon Master."
Xu Qingning was also horrified when he heard this.
Zhou Fuling felt that the two names sounded somewhat familiar, but she couldn't figure out where they came from.
Xu Qingning also said, "Oh no."
Zhou Fuling asked, "Who are they?"
Master Miao said, "Master Long and Immortal Song Huo are the legendary Daoist couple of Yun Ning Sect, and also the sect's guardian masters. One is skilled in wisdom, and the other in martial arts. Both are above the first rank, but their strength is not limited to that."
"Master Long once surpassed the wisdom test with a hundred questions;"
The Fire-Singing Immortal Master was Zou Lanci's senior sister, who twice won four consecutive victories in the martial arts tournament. She was already a first-rank master back then, and is now probably at the high-level or peak of the first-rank.
Zhou Fuling frowned.
If that's the case, then it is indeed difficult to deal with.
She then remembered that she had heard of the two people before; it was in the history of Yun Ning.
The two are a significant part of Yun Ning's history, both being exceptional in wisdom and martial arts.
However, after the 11th Yunning Grand Competition, the two went into seclusion and never appeared in public again.
Zhou Fuling: "They are so powerful, why aren't they the sect leaders? And why are they living in seclusion?"
Xu Qingning pursed her lips: "I've heard the rumors about this. The rumors say that after the eleventh Grand Competition, Master Long attained enlightenment in the Heavenly Abyss, saying, 'When things reach their extreme, they will reverse; when wisdom reaches its extreme, it will be harmful; when one is too rigid, one will break easily.' He then took his wife, Song Huo, and retired from the world, no longer caring about worldly affairs."
As he said this, his eyes flickered slightly, but when Zhou Fuling looked over, he covered his eyes again.
Miao Mountain Main Road:
"There are also rumors that Master Long and Song Huo have a very deep relationship. Therefore, he could not stand the infighting among his senior brother Ning Wuqing (the eleventh sect leader and father of Ning Chenghan) and he also disliked Ning Tingyue's character. So he went into seclusion."
"However... I believe the reasons given by the young sect leader more."
Zhou Fuling frowned.
In the distance, standing beside Ning Chaoxue were two elderly people, a man and a woman, both with gray hair and gray robes. The gray robes were simple and unadorned, not made of any precious material, and their attire resembled that of farmers.
If Ning Chaoxue hadn't stood respectfully beside them, how could they have known that they were Grandmasters of the Southern Continent?
Looking at Ning Chaoxue's demeanor, she was listening attentively beside them, and she seemed much more composed than before.
...
On the other side, Ning Chengshan, Ning Bai, and Ning Hong, standing below the prince, also learned of this news.
Ning Hong's face was extremely cold, even ugly: "Does Mother fear them? It's impossible for her to win with certainty."
Ning Chengshan remained silent, lost in thought.
Ning Bai was also somewhat distracted.
The Dragon Master and the Fire Immortal Master disturbed his mind, but his heart... quietly fell on Zhou Fuling in the distance.
That day, after Zhou Fuling and the Fourth Division left, Ning Bai was furious and wished he could kill her to vent his anger. When he returned to his tent, he suddenly found something in his clothes and was taken aback.
It turned out that the coral handkerchief that Zhou Fuling had hidden in her clothes that day had made Ning Bai let her go when he tried to force himself on her. Ning Bai took it that day and casually put it in his bag.
Now that they meet again, how could Ning Bai still not understand what happened back then?
Ning Bai originally intended to tear off the blood coral to vent his anger, but for some inexplicable reason, he smelled its fragrance again and was stunned for a long time, unable to throw it away.
These past few days, he has been picking up the coral handkerchief from time to time, and he keeps thinking of the clear eyes of "Ling Fu" when she left. He can't help but ask someone to investigate "Ling Fu's" past.
But it would have been better not to investigate, because once they did, things turned out very differently. Ning Bai found out everything about Ling Fu's past. She was the only daughter of the second branch of the Ling family. Her father was killed by her eldest brother, and Ling Fu had nowhere to turn for help, so she lived alone on the estate for three years.
She single-handedly supported the family, but her mother favored her younger sister and conspired with her uncle to deceive Ling Fu into returning the money to her family and tricking Ling Fu into becoming his concubine.
Ning Bai didn't think much of Ling Fu when he first met her, but now that he knows these things, he feels a pang of pain in his heart.
His mother was biased; she also favored his older sister. They were so alike... but he hadn't known that before.
Ling Fu's actions were probably motivated by revenge.
For her father, and for herself.
Like moths drawn to a flame, she entered the Cloud Candle Tower at any cost, solely to exact revenge on the second person who had oppressed her.
When Ning Bai came to terms with what had happened, he looked at Zhou Fuling with a hint of pity in his eyes, yet he was reluctant to let go.
...
Zhou Fuling sat in the main hall, completely unaware that Ning Bai was indulging in delusions on the other side, arranging for her a play titled "A Fierce and Beautiful Woman Soars into the Clouds, Her Body Shattered to Avenge Her Family."
Everyone stood still, solemnly striking the ground with their wooden canes, making a "thump-thump-thump" sound.
Suddenly, someone shouted loudly, and someone else cried out in sorrow. The voices were loud and clear, and the four groups sang together, their voices shaking the heavens. Zhou Fuling was startled, and then she heard that everyone was singing funeral music:
Alas! May you rest in peace!
This is to mourn the former sect leader, Ning Tingyue.
As the music ended, the Cloud Candle Tower stood solemnly.
Ning Chenghan stood up, looked around, and said loudly:
"Now that the sect leader has been assassinated and the villains are on the run, the Yun Ning Sect is leaderless. To restore order to the sect, today, as the Grand Elder of Yun Ning, I ignite this spiritual fire to initiate the 13th generation Yun Zhu Tower decision, to select a sect leader and quickly quell the internal strife."
She then called out loudly, "Please, Ministers of the Four Ministries, summon Liang Huo to initiate the grand finale of the thirteenth generation of the Cloud Candle Pagoda!"
In solemn silence, the four ministers, Ning Chaoxue, Ning Chengshan, Liu Wuxing, and Liang Xuyan, stepped forward. The four sat cross-legged and pointed to the sky.
Golden light shone from the fingertips of the four people simultaneously, as they sang in unison:
"When you achieve success, think about advancing or retreating; the Way is about yin and yang."
"Uphold righteousness and speak out against danger; tread carefully even in times of peace."
This is precisely the ancestral precept of the Yun Ning Sect. "When success is achieved, one should think about advancement and retreat; when the Way is fulfilled, there is yin and yang" both come from the Ji Ji hexagram, which warns people to be cautious of the omen of "good beginnings but chaotic endings"; the last two sentences teach people to be mindful of danger even in times of peace and not to act rashly.
In this situation, all four spoke with great seriousness. Aside from their voices, the air was heavy with tension, as if swords were about to be drawn.
After the four finished speaking, the ceremony was complete. A vermilion bird sang a clear cry, flapped its wings, and flew down from the cloud platform, spewing flames from its beak that burned onto the bronze cauldron.
Flames leaped up!
Ning Chenghan: "The Great Strike of the Thirteenth Generation Cloud Candle Tower Begins!"
On the cloud platform again, bloodstone emerged, resembling a small cliff.
Ning Chenghan: "I urge all participants to swear an oath in blood to claim the throne of Emperor Ningzong."
"I now ask all elders to swear an oath by blood, uphold justice, and make a wise decision."
After Ning Chenghan finished speaking, he led a group of elders to the west of Yuntai and swore an oath in blood on the cliff.
They swore an oath together that the judgment would be just, or they would perish.
Zhou Fuling followed Liang Bucheng and the others up to the high platform and swore a blood oath under the stone mural in the east.
She sensed that the spell was very similar to the "Immortal Sect's Duel" (which she had competed with Zou Li and Ning Tingyue), but with even greater power.
After writing, Zhou Fuling saw that the test of wits was approaching. She hadn't had time to look at the book given to her by Master Miao on the way here, so she lowered her head to read it secretly. Suddenly, she noticed a gaze fixed on her.
Zhou Fuling looked up and saw Ning Bai standing ten steps away with his hands behind his back, staring at her blankly with pity in his eyes.
Seeing her raise her head, he coldly snorted, "Ling Fu, what are you doing? Trying to cram here at the last minute, are you trying to embarrass yourself under Liang Huoshen?"
Zhou Fuling ignored him.
But then a gust of wind was heard.
—The test of wisdom begins.
...
The intelligence test was conducted at a place called "Wan Juan Shu Ge" (Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion).
Inside the Cloud Candle Pagoda, Zhou Fuling, Liang Bucheng, and Qinghu Yue entered.
What I saw was a huge pavilion, with many scrolls floating in the air, a total of one hundred scrolls, which were the subject.
According to the rules, she needs to answer the questions together with Liang Bucheng and Qinghu Yue.
Both Liang Bucheng and Qing Huyue had tense faces and were breathing heavily.
Zhou Fuling looked around again. The bookshelves were soaring high, like a barrier, separating her from the other three books.
Apart from the scroll, four jade sundials were suspended high in the sky, but they had no gnomons or markings. Instead, a hundred glass beads were embedded in the surface, with the names of the four departments, “Yunyi”, “Yuner”, “Yunsan” and “Yunsi”, engraved on their tops.
Seeing that she and Qinghu Yue were puzzled, Minister Liang explained, "This jade sundial is used to display the progress of the four sections in solving the puzzles. One bead lights up for each correct answer. If all the questions are answered correctly, all the beads will light up at the same time."
After he finished speaking, he took a few deep breaths, as if to ease his tension.
Just then, Elder Ning Chenghan's voice came from the jade talisman:
"The Cloud Candle Tower Grand Competition begins with the 'Intelligence Test.' In the Intelligence Test, the four ministers, each leading two officials from their respective departments, will enter the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion to solve one hundred problems together."
"Time limit: one hour."
"The first person to answer 100 questions wins. If the time limit is up, the person who answers the most questions correctly wins."
The sundial turned and spun.
With a "thump," the intelligence test officially begins!
All one hundred scrolls fell to the feet of the three men.
Minister Liang said, "Classify them!"
Zhou Fuling nodded.
Qinghu Yue also squatted down and read out the strategies one by one.
"Cultivation techniques."
"geography."
"Zong Shi."
...
This was exactly what the three of them had agreed upon beforehand: to begin the intellectual test, they would first categorize the questions.
Whoever is good at a particular type of question should answer it. Those who know the answer should answer first, and those who don't should be reassigned. In past Yun Ning competitions, most tribes have adopted this strategy.
The topics for the Yun Ning Grand Competition are roughly divided into twelve categories: strategy, basic techniques (internal strength), five elements, incantations, talismans, formations, clan history, geography, adaptability, military strategy, alchemy, and medicine. Some other topics, such as illusion, natural history, music, and astronomy, are all categorized under "miscellaneous studies".
The three of them divided the tasks and then raced against time.
Zhou Fuling took the scroll of "Geography," which contained about eight sections. In addition, she was also assigned sections on strategy and miscellaneous subjects.
She lowered her head to answer the question.
Seeing these questions, Zhou Fuling breathed a sigh of relief.
—The *Yunning Geography Records* states: "Southern Yunnan is mountainous, with sunny sides often covered with shady trees, while shady sides are often covered with moss." What is the main cause of this phenomenon?
—“According to ancient records in Yunning, there is an echo below the ‘Chou Shi Ravine’. If a person stands on it and shouts, the echo will reverberate seven times, and each echo will be colder than the last. Why is that?”
Zhou Fuling had anticipated these questions.
She had asked Lingfu about geography on the way here.
Ling Fu is also impressive; she guessed five out of eight questions correctly.
After answering five questions, Zhou Fuling used her knowledge to answer another one correctly.
There were two more questions that she really didn't know how to answer, and they were indeed difficult, so she set them aside.
Looking at Liang Bucheng and Qinghu Yue, they each answered ten questions.
After Zhou Fuling finished answering the first round, Liang Bucheng nodded: "First, general knowledge, then policy questions."
Zhou Fuling nodded, understanding the principle. Solving mathematical problems requires mental effort, while miscellaneous studies mostly test knowledge of natural history, music, astronomy, and other miscellaneous subjects. You either know it or you don't, so you can answer quickly.
Zhou Fuling picked up the miscellaneous questions and answered them all.
—"Every three hundred years, the star 'Yinghuo' will invade the territory of the constellation 'Nanming Lihuo'. What does this celestial phenomenon signify?"
—"After the miraculous medicine 'Dingdu Dan' is refined, it can produce 'Mingdu Dan'. What is its pharmacological mechanism?"
Zhou Fuling answered them one by one.
Meanwhile, the Miao Mountain Master, who remained atop the Cloud Candle Tower, could see Zhou Fuling answering the questions through the illusion mirror. He was astonished: "Ah, she is truly intelligent. She memorized most of the questions after only reading them once on the way, without making a single mistake."
Xu Qingning focused intently on the four scenes, but his face remained as cold as ice, and he did not utter a word.
After answering the miscellaneous questions, Zhou Fuling was about to answer the questions on several strategies.
But then a gasp of surprise was heard.
"First section, Yun Yi section, 100 questions completed, victory!"
Zhou Fuling looked up in surprise.
-
The observation area is located at the top of the Cloud Candle Pagoda.
Miao Shanzhu and the others all stood up, and the second part was even more shocked.
Xu Qingning had just been observing the scene of the four regions, so he was not surprised by this. He couldn't help but sigh and clench his fists tightly.
Zhou Fuling is intelligent, but she is not unmatched.
The opponent is too strong.
Ning Chaoxue and Songhuo Immortal Master were seen helping Long Shi out.
Master Long laughed loudly: "No need to help me! I'm not old!"
The first and third parts form an alliance, and everyone's faces are beaming with joy.
The second and fourth parts fell into silence.
-
Zhou Fuling was about to concentrate on answering the questions when she heard this news, and her blood rushed to her head as if she had been struck by lightning.
Looking up, all one hundred lamps on the first stardial were lit.
Furthermore, the second part lit up eighty lamps, the third part lit up seventy lamps, but the fourth part barely lit up fifty lamps.
Zhou Fuling felt a surge of resentment.
However, this is not entirely Zhou Fuling's fault.
Zhou Fuling answered slowly because she was not originally from Nanzhou, but many of the questions were related to the secrets of Nanzhou and Yun Ning Sect.
The knowledge given to Zhou Fuling by the Miao Mountain Master was memorized by rote, though she didn't remember it well and needed to recall it from time to time; and since the Miao Mountain Master couldn't access all the secret knowledge of the Southern Continent, Zhou Fuling must know a lot of it.
But what do these reasons matter in a life-or-death struggle?
Zhou Fuling seemed somewhat distracted.
Just then, she also encountered the problem of "natural history".
—"Please explain the pharmacology of 'Phoenix Tears,' a rare medicinal herb from Yunnan."
Phoenix Tears? Her tears are more like it! How could she know such obscure medicinal properties!
Zhou Fuling was overwhelmed with worries and couldn't sort out her thoughts, pausing for several breaths.
She closed her eyes again.
No, that's not right.
Zhou Fuling gritted her teeth.
Continuing like this will only lead to my own demise. At least I can still compete for second place.
As long as you don't get third or fourth place, your skill level won't be reduced, and you can still compete in the martial arts competition.
Zhou Fuling immediately tried to calm herself down and focused on several strategies. Although she was still somewhat agitated, how many betrayals and pains had she experienced in the past? She managed to suppress her agitation in an instant and concentrate on the questions.
She solved the puzzles extremely quickly, and since they were unrelated to the Southern Continent and could be solved from anywhere, she finished all the puzzles in less than a quarter of an hour.
Liang Bucheng and Qinghu Yue were not in a hurry. They had come to participate in the competition prepared themselves to be fourth place, and they were very calm.
Qinghu Yue paints on the left and fills in the gaps on the right; he writes what he knows and doesn't care about what he doesn't.
During a break from doing practice problems, I saw Zhou Fuling frantically writing down several strategies, and I couldn't help but exclaim "Ah!"
She writes so fast!
Many of the solutions were problems recorded in the library for thousands of years, such as the Heavenly Origin Technique, the Four Elements Technique, the Great Derivation One Technique, and the Pythagorean theorem. Ling Fu could solve them all, and she solved them very quickly.
She's so smart!
Qinghu Yue whispered, "Master, I like this Ling Fu. She's so clever and quick-witted! Please take her as your personal disciple in the future!"
"You silly girl..." Minister Liang said in a low voice, "I did give her some pointers, but do you think I can compete with your master's wife for a disciple? Alright, do your homework!"
After Zhou Fuling finished her work on several questions, she saw that eight lamps were lit, so she came to help Liang Bucheng with his questions.
When she picked up the scrolls they had placed at their feet, her movements were swift and powerful. Liang Bucheng and Qinghu Yue were both spurred on by her and felt that they needed to step up their game.
Suddenly another voice was heard: "Part Two, Yun Er Part, all one hundred questions completed, victory!"
-
The top of the Cloud Candle Pagoda.
Ning Chengshan, Ning Hong, and Ning Bai walked out of the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion.
Although they came in second place, neither of the three nor the members of the Second Division showed any joy.
Ning Chengshan remained expressionless.
Ning Hong glared fiercely at the Dragon Master in the distance, but remembering that he was a senior, she could only grit her teeth and bear it.
She prided herself on her intelligence and had prepared for many years, but failed to win the championship as she had expected, feeling that all her efforts had been in vain.
She felt tears welling up in her eyes, her nose stinging, but she forced them back down.
Ning Bai's face was also ashen.
Ning Hong looked around, but finally stamped her foot, turned around and ran away, with Ning Chengshan chasing after her.
Ning Bai sighed and sat down with his arms crossed.
-
The blood on Zhou Fuling's face seemed to be drained instantly.
She can hear her own heartbeat.
My mind seemed to be buzzing.
The second... the second part is the second.
Therefore, she will inevitably face the situation of having her martial arts skills stripped away in the martial arts test.
Zhou Fuling was in a state of utter confusion.
But then he shook his head and gritted his teeth.
No, we can't think about the outcome.
If second place isn't enough, then strive for third.
If they fail the intelligence test, they will try their luck in the strategy test or the martial arts test!
Zhou Fuling continued answering questions, picking up the scrolls that Liang Bucheng, Qing Huyue, and others had placed aside, all of which contained answers they couldn't answer.
Liang Bucheng was startled, wondering if this "Ling Fu" could answer questions he couldn't answer.
Unexpectedly, upon seeing Zhou Fuling answer the questions, I realized that she was knowledgeable and quick-witted. Although her knowledge of Nanzhou was not extensive, she could answer questions about the principles of Qimen Dunjia and Taoist talismans.
"Xiao Fu, you have great talent!"
Zhou Fuling nodded, but avoided discussing the Southern Continent martial arts with Liang Bucheng, because she didn't know them and would have to find a way to decline.
"One hour is enough!"
An hour later, neither Part 4 nor Part 3 had finished answering the questions.
Zhou Fuling looked up at the result.
Part Four: 96 questions answered correctly.
Part Three: Ninety-three questions answered correctly.
It bit down very tightly.
Zhou Fuling breathed a sigh of relief, but she was also very tired and took a step back.
If the intelligence test is like this, I wonder how the strategy test and the martial arts test will be.
Do I really have to shed several layers of skin to be satisfied?
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