About an hour after I caught the Chonky Pigeon, the last empty-handed girl was thrown into the air by an impatient muscular preteen. She grabbed a small white duck to everyone’s cheers. After that, the world shifted.

The first thing I noticed about our new location was the smell of fog and the purity of the thin air. We were much higher than we had been previously.

Since, during my past life, I was sent to a creepy midnight valley hike for the mundane kids, this next test would be different.

Actually, mere mortals would have a very bad time after getting suddenly transported to a different altitude so they must have done what they usually do — split up those with some cultivation and those without. The paper probably changed the group based on the level of the person who grabbed the bird.

That would have to be a better system than the old one — which only split off the mundanes. It would be a good reason to allow them to do that event in the first place.

I bet that there was no one under the second layer of Qi Condensation here.

Fairy Verdant Bamboo’s faction may have used this new method to sneak those two birds in... or someone else had, knowing that if I brought attention to them that the blame would fall on my past life’s master.

While I didn’t like her and didn’t trust her morals, I also didn’t have any actual grudges against her. And I knew what this sect was like before the wars. Having 16 peaks, 14 peak masters, hundreds of peak elders, and over a million disciples (when counting the massive outer sect), this community was gigantic. That also made it so that not everyone agreed with each other.

This whole situation was likely messed up and convoluted. So, while I could have brought attention to their meddling, I decided to wait. Wait and keep track of every infraction.

Eventually, when I became strong again, I would clean out all the untrustworthy assholes. Muahahaha!

Besides, that first test was too damn boring! Perhaps, whatever clever cheating these people planned would make this trial interesting for an old monster like me!

The fog around us cleared revealing a massive chasm that broke the plateau in two. A very thick rope had been pulled across it, like a super thick laundry line connecting our side with the other.

I remembered this place. Back when I was scared of heights, going through my master’s guidance here terrified me.

This was a training ground for Qi Condensation cultivators.

Not only did it help those with the fear of heights get rid of that fear, but it also helped them train their reaction time and danger sense.

It wasn't unusual to include this place in the Sect Trials. Depending on what type of test they were about to run here, I would either have an easy time or — considering my number was 888 — I might be in actual danger.

An orange-haired woman carrying a fan made from feathers flew down from the clouds and landed beside the rope. She smiled at everyone while looking very sweet and fairy-like.

Unfortunately, for these kids, looks were deceiving.

“I am Fairy Far Reaching Feather. Welcome to your next trial, which is a test of skill and courage.

“Each of you will make your way across this rope bridge. You are not allowed to use spiritual tools. Though protective items that defend against mortal danger are allowed.

“If you feel the need, you can also take out a weapon... but the use of a weapon might show how insufficient your courage is and may negatively impact your ability to become an inner sect member.” She chuckled darkly. “Normally we ask for volunteers. But, the previous challenge, already decided your order.

“That said, you’re free to quit at any time, but if you do, your chances of making it into the inner sect ends here... and your chances to make it into the sect at all will decrease significantly.

“The Indomitable Will Sect has no need for those who can’t rise above their fears to face a challenge. Even if that challenge seems impossible.”

She looked around as if waiting for one of us to give up right away and when no one did she continued, “The first person up is number one, Liu Chuhua.”

McTraitorFace stepped up, practically bouncing on the tips of her toes.

Wait, her name was Liu Chuhua? Did I have to remember that? She was just going to get a new one later. Well, whatever. Name changes were part of being an immortal cultivator. Not everyone was blessed by choosing a badass name the first time, like me.

The blonde girl looked out the chasm and stretched casually. “Senior, I just need to make it across this rope, right?”

The woman merely smiled and didn’t respond.

McTraitorFace... er miss Liu Chuhua, shrugged and started running across the rope bridge as fast as she could go.

When she reached the dip in the middle, an arrow shot toward her. She dropped to the rope and clung to it like a desperate cat as it passed by her.

The girl struggled back to her feet and started running again. No other arrow accosted her.

Once she made it to the other side she delicately cheered for herself. Then, the girl turned around and — with bubbly enthusiasm — waved to everyone in encouragement.

It made me wonder if she was already pretending to be a friendly bouncy girl or if that was just how she’d been raised and she only changed later on when the realities of the immortal world crushed her delicate girly heart. Not that it was any of my business.

The host of this challenge stared at everyone, her smile unchanged. “Number two, Hu Bolin. It's your turn.”

One of the Tiger Brothers stepped up. He had a massive grin on his face that seemed to sparkle even in the diffuse foggy lighting.

He turned to the chasm and roared out, obviously hyping himself up. Just when his echo reached us, he started to run.

The rope bridge shuddered with each step he took. Since his footing didn’t falter, he must have been half-decently trained.

Similar to miss Liu Chuhua’s run, as soon as he reached the center of the bridge, an arrow materialized in the fog — this time on the right side of the bridge. It flew at him as fast as a mundane arrow could.

The Tiger Brother didn’t even bother to stop. He merely caught the arrow in one hand.

But what Mister Hu Bolin didn’t notice was that, just after the first one appeared, a second arrow materialized, flanking him.

It rammed into his shoulder. The momentum unbalanced him enough to fuck up his footing. His eyes grew comically wide. He let out a muffled groan of pain. It echoed throughout the chasm just like his earlier yell.

Then he fell.

His right hand, just barely, caught the thick rope... but only for the briefest of seconds. The bridge was too wobbly and his grip strength, while strong, wasn’t inhumanly so.

He plummeted.

Everyone surged forward, myself included to see him disappear into the clouds below.

He did not reappear on the other side of the chasm.

The crowd turned to Fairy Far Reaching Feather for an explanation.

She merely smiled happily without speaking.

This was a smile that would be sure to creep out those children who hadn’t toughened their minds. I knew for a fact that these little kids would get nightmares about this for weeks.

I might have been more sympathetic to them if I didn’t already know that Hu Bolin was completely safe. He’d just been teleported to the next waiting area.

Although Far Reaching Feather mentioned that this was a test of skill and courage, she had actually lied. This wasn’t a test of skill. Only one of courage.

Besides, if someone didn’t make it across, it didn’t necessarily mean they lacked skill (unless that skill was luck). Plus, kids could learn. They didn’t have to be geniuses at this age, though it helped.

It was only by not participating at all that one would prove that they lacked the necessary bravery.

And Hu Bolin had done his best.

As fellow cannon fodder, I was rooting for him.

Of course, Far Reaching Feather wouldn’t let him off. She cleverly used his failure as a way to further intimidate these kids. It would help show which ones had the tenacity necessary to be an inner sect disciple.

“Number 3, Zhang Qiangqiang.”

Oh, shit! It was Young Master Zhang.

He stepped up to the rope with a sneer on his face.

Then he slowly walked across the rope as if he were on a casual stroll.

When he neared the center an arrow appeared out in the fog. It rushed towards him.

He smoothly twisted his body to avoid the arrow.

Then the second came right after the first. Since he was only reduced to the fourth layer of Qi Condensation he used a movement technique that shot him forward two feet.

When the third arrow appeared to be aimed toward his current position, he stopped and took a step back causing the bolt to completely bypass him.

After that, he smoothly walked the rest of the way up the rope.

When he reached the other side, he smirked at everyone like the little snot he was. He probably did it because that third arrow was proof that each increase in number meant an increase in arrows.

Of course, from here, the real question would be — what increased the number of arrows? Was it based on people who actually crossed? Or, and more horrifyingly, was it based on the number on our paper?

With a grimace, I glanced down at the three 8’s that were painted in beautiful calligraphy.

Little Spring grabbed my sleeve and pulled. The worried look he gave me said it all.

Ah, but this kid was up next. I couldn’t let him worry about my problems when he had his own. So, how does one comfort an anxious child?

I did what any adult does, I lied my ass off, “Don’t worry. Since we’re all low Qi Condensation cultivators here they’ll likely cut off the arrows at around ten or twelve. I can handle that easily.”

His eyes narrowed, unconvinced.

What? Was this kid suspicious of me?!

Okay, fair.

I grinned, “Hey! Focus! Don’t worry about me to the point where you fail your own test. I am an adult, I can take care of myself.”

He looked even more concerned and opened his mouth to say something. Fortunately, Fairy Far Reaching interrupted by saying, “Number 4, Little Spring.”

That startled him into looking her way. We walked up to the bridge together. He seemed to look over it as if studying its thickness. His hands clenched and his jaw tightened with determination.

Good! I was glad that he was focusing on his own test.

Behind his back, I took out a spirit stone and a protective talisman similar to the one I received after winning the alchemy tournament. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t as powerful.

Hiding my movements from him, I squeezed his shoulder as if comforting him but I secretly placed the talisman on his back and camouflaged it by using a hand seal that drained my spirit stone.

I mean, he was the main character, and I had trained some of the shittiness out of him, but he was still just a kid! While this talisman wouldn’t prevent him from falling, it would at least stop a killing blow. Probably.

“You’ve got this! You’ve been training with the Reds. Four arrows are nothing.”

“I know.” Then he nervously stepped up to the bridge. He breathed in and out as if to calm himself then he ran.

When he reached the center, an arrow shot toward him.

I bit my lip.

I was definitely pretending to be nervous.

Little Spring dunked his head, avoiding that arrow.

The next one rushed toward his leg. The kid barely had time to take a step out of the way.

A third came from the opposite direction, aiming right for the back of his neck.

This one, if it hit, might not kill him but it would definitely unbalance him!

Little Spring dropped onto the rope and hugged it.

There was still one arrow left, this one had been aimed at where his foot had been. Since he was laying down now, it would hit his waist. And he was not in a good position to dodge!

Little Spring threw himself backward. He slid down the rope’s curve. Then he tucked his arms in.

The fourth arrow just barely missed his head!

What was this kid thinking?! I was going to have to train him harder in the future!

Fortunately, that was the last arrow. As long as he could get up and get to the other side without falling, he would pass with flying colors.

Awkwardly, he placed his knees on the rope and lifted his torso with both hands. The rope swayed dangerously.

Was he going to lose his balance here? Why was the bridge so goddamn wobbly under him? Didn’t he know how to make it stable?

Just how much more did I have to teach this kid?

He must have used a little spiritual energy to strengthen his limbs because he pushed himself up into a standing position with so much strength that he practically bounced up into the air. Fortunately, he landed on the swaying bridge with both feet.

But he looked a bit awkward doing that as both his knees were turned out as if his feet desperately clung to the rope.

From there, he took a full minute to steady himself and let the rope stop swaying. Then he once again ran to the end of the rope.

When he reached solid ground, he looked back at me with a huge smile on his face. Even with the distance of a chasm between us, I could feel the excitement roll off him in waves.

I nodded back in approval. While I could see where he needed to improve, he had done well for what little time he’d spent training.

Suddenly, Little Spring stiffened.

Oh. he must have realized that I’d tricked him into worrying about himself first. He nervously clutched at his sleeves.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a way to comfort him from here. I would just have to do my best when it was my turn. Not that I wouldn’t have regardless of the situation. I was me, after all.

***

As each successive person went up to try the test, the number of arrows increased.

A couple of people failed and dropped into the fog below while the rest made it across.

Until the tenth person.

She nervously walked up to Far Reaching Feather and held out her paper. “There must be a mistake. I’m number twelve, not number ten.”

“There is no mistake.”

The girl looked happy. Probably because she thought that she might only have to deal with ten arrows instead of twelve.

I stretched out my divine sense to observe this test closely. She pulled out a large round fan and started to run across the rope. When she reached the center an arrow flew at her from her left.

Then another zoomed toward her from the right.

She knocked each down with a swish of her fan, then she continued forward.

Arrows, one after another came for her but she easily took them down. After the tenth arrow passed by her leg, no more appeared.

The girl visibly relaxed.

When she took her next step another arrow appeared in the fog and shot towards her shoulder. Then, from the opposite side, another flew towards her head. With a slash from her fan, she managed to take care of them both at the last second.

Having taken care of all 12 arrows, she easily made it to the other side.

But, this situation did not make anyone who was left happy.

Frankly, if this was a scene in the manhua of this story, black lines would have been drawn on my face along with the other prospective disciples.