Chapter – 61
【Asking the Way at the Golden Autumn Spirit Assembly】
The moment she stepped inside, two attendants wearing matching uniforms—yet with faces identical to Elder Qian’s—greeted them.
They handed each of them a custom-made folding fan, its surface painted with elegant landscapes.
Su Ling’er took the fan, her heart filled with vigilance.
Hmph, a celebration hosted by a demonic sect is indeed filled with strangeness everywhere!
Such a refined pavilion must be concealing some bloody dealings beneath its surface, only brought into the open today.
And Elder Qian, a righteous path elder, has not only had to serve the entire sect but has even been reduced to the status of an attendant!
There’s simply no respect for elders at all!
Yet, her expression remained unchanged. She held the fan in her hand and stepped inside.
Inside the pavilion, several disciples were already seated, gathered in small groups of three or five.
In front of each group was a low table set with exquisite fruit platters, clear tea, and various sheets of paper, creating the atmosphere of a refined gathering of scholars and artists.
Su Ling’er grew even more puzzled. You’re a group of demonic cultivators who live by fighting and killing. Why are you acting like mortal literati? Is this something you should be doing?
Could it be… you cultivate the Confucian Dao?
On the elevated platform, a “chief examiner” who also looked exactly like Elder Qian sat upright. After everyone was seated, he cleared his throat and began recounting the origin of this “Enlightenment Gathering”:
“Looking back to the founding of our sect, an ancestor of our school, having been cleansed by the Great Dao, witnessed the morning light at dawn and saw through life and death.
At that time, it was the golden autumn season. The ancestor, moved by inspiration, gathered fellow Daoists and established this gathering, which has been passed down to this day, becoming a grand event of our sect.”
The Elder Qian on the stage took a deep breath and recited the opening poem:
“After a hundred battles, the dust settles; with a single thought, the morning light rises.”
“In the Golden Autumn Enlightenment Gathering, can you prove it with me?”
“This gathering aims to see through your Dao hearts, temper your will, and is also the sect’s expectation for your cultivation…”
However, how many of the Guixi Sect disciples present would actually listen carefully to the NPC on stage reading the script?
Before their eyes, a light screen visible only to players had already unfolded, clearly listing the actual rules of the event.
[Event: The Golden Autumn Enlightenment Gathering]
Rules: Ten questions in total, testing Dao heart. Each correct answer awards 5 “Dao Heart Points.”
Exchange: Every 10 “Dao Heart Points” can be exchanged for 40 Sect Contribution Points after the event ends.
Penalty: No reward for wrong answers.
Special Reward: The first to answer each question, regardless of correctness, can earn an additional 5 “Dao Heart Points” by performing the corresponding act.
If the same person is the first to answer five times in a row, they receive a large amount of spirit stones as a reward. Ten times earns a mysterious gift.
If someone answers first all ten times and answers all correctly, their rewards are doubled.
Performance Requirements:
Those who answer first and correctly must express extreme joy in front of everyone and use the folding fan to showcase their elegant demeanor (imitating a graceful young master or a refined lady).
Those who answer first and incorrectly must perform a crying act, covering their face to show their sorrow for answering wrongly.
Key Rule: “This is a test of Dao heart, and answers must be given based on one’s true heart. Any acts of whispering, transmitting messages via divine sense, or other means of leaking answers will be considered ‘insincerity of Dao heart,’ resulting in immediate disqualification and deduction of all Dao Heart Points!”
Maximum number of questions per person: 10.
Lin Qingfeng advised Su Ling’er, “Junior Sister, don’t be afraid. Use your intelligent brain more. It’s best if you write the correct answer, but it’s fine if you don’t.”
After saying this, he turned around and swiftly issued commands in the event’s exclusive channel.
[Lin Qingfeng: Listen up, everyone! Let Little Junior Sister hand in her answer first! She must get the reward for being the first to submit. Understood?!]
[Player “Guanhu”: Don’t worry, Guild Leader. We won’t compete for it!]
[Player “Shiwen Qiufeng”: Understood! We’ll answer after she does!]
Soon, the answer session officially began.
The Elder Qian on stage slowly unrolled a bamboo scroll and recited the first question:
“While traveling abroad, you, a highly cultivated individual, are invited to join a temporary team composed of righteous path sects to explore a dangerous place for opportunities.
The righteous path leader of the team asks you to introduce your abilities. How should you respond?”
“Option One: Confidently showcase a unique skill to intimidate the other party and establish your own and your sect’s position within the team.”
“Option Two: Tell the truth honestly, revealing your strengths and weaknesses to facilitate teamwork.”
“Option Three: Respond modestly, saying your abilities are decent and you will do your best for the team.”
“Option Four: Show weakness, claiming, ‘I will do my best, but I am truly not adept at combat. If we encounter violence, please take care of me, Brother.'”
Su Ling’er looked at the question and fell into deep thought.
In her view, cooperation among righteous path sects should be based on sincerity to build mutual trust and seamless coordination.
Option One was too ostentatious and could easily attract jealousy.
Option Three was too vague and might make others look down on you, which wouldn’t help with task allocation.
As for Option Four, it concealed too much. If the team misjudged your abilities at a critical moment, it could lead to unforeseen circumstances, which might harm the team’s survival.
Then, there was only one answer left!
Seeing that the senior brothers and sisters around her were still hesitating and hadn’t reacted, she decisively wrote a large “Two” on the paper on the table in front of her.
This is the demeanor that should exist between righteous path cultivators—neither exaggerating nor showing weakness, conducive to establishing the most basic trust within the team.
The Qian attendant collected Su Ling’er’s answer sheet, as she was the first to submit.
Su Ling’er also glanced at the others. She noticed that none of the senior brothers and sisters had submitted their answers before her, and she even felt a bit smug.
It seems these foolish demons aren’t as quick-witted as a righteous path cultivator like me.
Such a simple question, and they still need to hesitate for so long?
After she submitted her answer, the other disciples began handing their written papers to the attendants collecting the sheets.
A moment later, the Elder Qian on stage began announcing the answers and everyone’s choices.
Only Su Ling’er had chosen “Two.”
All the other disciples had chosen “Four”—claiming they were not adept at combat!
Su Ling’er was stunned.
Huh?
Why?
Why choose Four?
Isn’t that risking the entire team being wiped out?
She couldn’t understand and could only look at the senior brother in confusion.
Lin Qingfeng took the opportunity to lean over and impart his earnest teaching:
“Little Junior Sister, you must understand that human hearts are treacherous. When you’re out in the world, the last thing you can trust is people’s hearts.
If you tell the truth, wouldn’t you be exposing all your cards to others?
If the other party harbors ill intentions, wouldn’t you be putting yourself in danger?
Showing weakness allows you to conceal your edge. If the other party truly intends to reveal their true intentions and harm you, you can then give them a big surprise!”
After hearing the senior brother’s teaching, Su Ling’er didn’t agree with it in her heart.
This is clearly sophistry!
How could a righteous path leader act so cunningly?
The position of a leader should be open and aboveboard!
You’re judging the hearts of gentlemen with the minds of petty people!
This is the kind of thinking only the most sinister and cunning individuals would have…
Wait…
Showing weakness… revealing true intentions…
Could it be?!
She understood!
She understood once again!
She suddenly realized that this wasn’t for self-preservation at all!
You’re clearly thinking about how to train disciples to mingle among righteous path teams. Once they all let their guard down, you’ll suddenly strike, wiping them all out in one fell swoop!
Then monopolize all the opportunities!
That’s how demons act in all the stories. Otherwise, why would all the disciples choose this option?!
And what is the purpose of these demons hosting such events? Could it be that they…
Yesterday, “Guanhu” and “Shiwen Qiufeng” received the most likes on their comments, earning them cameo appearances as player names.
