NOVEL WEB CHAPTER 304
CHAPTER 304: The Test of Temperament
For a moment, the entire room was stunned into silence. After what felt like an eternity, the examiner, Jiang Weiquan, finally turned to Lu Ming with a warm smile.
“I’m Jiang Weiquan. Junior, I look forward to learning from you in the future.”
Even if Lu Ming’s temperament didn’t meet the academy’s highest standards, his extraordinary talent would guarantee him a place as Jiu Han’s disciple-in-name. Now was the perfect moment for Jiang Weiquan to extend a friendly hand.
Lu Ming responded politely. “Hello, Senior Jiang. I look forward to your guidance.”
Nearby, Lin Feng appeared to have caught on. He made his way over to Lu Ming, speaking with a forced smile.
“Brother Lu, it seems we’ll be fellow disciples soon. We should take the opportunity to get to know each other better.”
There was something off about Lin Feng’s sudden friendliness. His smile seemed insincere, but as the saying goes, you don’t slap a smiling face. So, Lu Ming simply nodded.
“Of course. We’re fellow disciples. We should get along well.”
Lin Feng chuckled, his tone light and pleasant, his earlier arrogance nowhere to be found. “Hehe…”
Jiang Weiquan, meanwhile, led the group into another room. He gestured toward the space, marked by four towering crystal pillars.
“This is the examination hall for the temperament test,” he explained.
He glanced at Lu Ming, Lin Feng, and the other candidates. “Enter, sit cross-legged, and focus your thoughts. The test will begin shortly.”
The group obeyed, stepping into the hall in an orderly fashion. The room was expansive, roughly 60 to 70 square meters, providing ample space for all ten candidates to sit comfortably.
As Lu Ming took his seat on the ground, he noticed intricate array patterns carved into the floor beneath him.
Jiang Weiquan’s voice echoed through the room, his tone calm and reassuring.
“The four crystal pillars serve as the core of this space, supported by various array formations. They will guide you into a dream-like state, where you will experience a series of events.”
“Relax,” he added, “and think of it as a short rest. Just enjoy the dream. I assure you, the Three Elements Academy guarantees no harm will come to you when you wake.”
This explanation was likely meant to reassure Lu Ming and Lin Feng in particular, offering a small gesture of goodwill. Seeing both of them nod, Jiang Weiquan waved his hand, and the crystal pillars hummed to life as origin power surged through them.
“Ancient Realm candidates,” he instructed, “please focus your minds and enter the dream voluntarily.”
The formation couldn’t compel those in the Ancient Realm; they had to willingly cooperate. Without hesitation, Lu Ming closed his eyes and let go, surrendering to the pull of the array. His consciousness drifted into a deep, weightless abyss.
At first, the sensation of floating was strange, uncomfortable even, but soon he adjusted. His thoughts became clearer, and slowly, he sank into a dream.
Subtle snores escaped his lips as he fell into unconsciousness.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the examination hall. Instead, he found himself in an opulent room, filled with luxurious furnishings. A flood of memories began to surface.
“My name is Lu Ming, the only son of the Lu family.”
The Lu family, one of the most powerful in Xuanshui City, was the city’s unofficial ruling family. Lu Ming’s father, the patriarch of the family, was the strongest cultivator in the city, a quasi-Divine realm expert.
These false memories seamlessly replaced his real ones, yet his core personality remained unchanged. Despite the shift in identity, his temperament was still his own, as per the design of the array.
A knock came at the door. Lu Ming moved to answer it, and standing on the threshold were two beautiful young women, dressed in revealing clothing, their expressions demure.
“Young Master, you’re awake.”
For the sake of privacy, the specifics of the test weren’t visible to anyone. Even Jiang Weiquan could only interpret the candidates’ temperaments based on the colors the crystal pillars emitted.
But Jiu Han had no such restrictions.
A soft glow illuminated his eyes as he watched the candidates’ dreams play out in real time. He could see everything clearly, despite the difference in time between the real world and the dream state. His primary focus, naturally, was on Lu Ming, though he also kept an eye on Lin Feng.
Jiu Han chuckled to himself as he observed both of them encountering the two maids. The maids’ purpose was clear—they were there to tempt the candidates, a test of their most basic instincts.
“Desire and indulgence,” Jiu Han mused. “Let’s see how they handle themselves in the face of such temptation.”
Back in the examination hall, the faces of eight of the other candidates had flushed red, as if they were experiencing something intimate in their dreams. Jiang Weiquan shook his head slightly.
“The allure of beauty is often the hardest test for most.”
After all, it’s in the nature of living beings to seek reproduction, but the strength of a person lay in their ability to control those desires. It wasn’t wrong to feel lust, but lacking the discipline to resist could seriously impede one's journey toward greatness.
He glanced at Lu Ming and Lin Feng, smiling as he saw them both sitting calmly.
“Palace Master Jiu Han has a keen eye for talent. Not only are these two incredibly gifted, but their temperaments are steady.” Jiang Weiquan muttered to himself.
Little did he know what they had experienced in their respective dreams.
Inside Lin Feng’s dream, the young man frowned as the two maids approached. His expression was stern, full of authority.
“Today is the day my father imparts his cultivation techniques to me. How could I let trivial matters of the heart delay something so important?”
He waved the two maids aside. “Move quickly! If I am late, my father will be displeased.”
With that, he strode out, leaving the maids behind. Jiu Han smiled, stroking his beard in approval.
“He has his priorities straight. He doesn’t let passion cloud his judgment. Very good…”
Meanwhile, in Lu Ming’s dream, he frowned at the sight of the two women. Something wasn’t right.
“Isn’t today the day Father imparts his cultivation? What are you two doing here?”
The younger of the two maids giggled softly. “We’re here to help dress you, Young Master.”
The older maid spoke next, her voice sweet and coaxing. “There’s still time before the Master arrives to impart his techniques. Young Master could rest a little longer…”
She blushed, her meaning clear. “If Young Master leaves an heir, the Old Master wouldn’t mind if the lesson is delayed.”
Lu Ming narrowed his eyes as more false memories filled his mind. The Lu family had only one descendant in each generation for the past three generations. Lu Ming’s father—the Old Master—was disappointed in his son’s neglect of his cultivation and had resigned himself to just wanting a grandchild.
Perhaps he had given up on Lu Ming’s future. After all, if his son couldn’t secure the family’s future, he might as well leave behind an heir.
But something still felt off.
Lu Ming wasn’t aware that this was a test, but he sensed a shift within himself.
“I’ve squandered my talents,” he thought. “But I’m only twenty-six years and nine months old. It’s not too late to change. How can I waste any more time?”
Suddenly resolute, Lu Ming shook his head, his voice firm. “I have no time for these distractions. I need to focus on cultivation.”
With a newfound sense of purpose, he pushed the two maids aside and left the room.
There was only one thought echoing in his mind: Cultivate. Cultivate, and keep cultivating!
In reality, such an epiphany wouldn’t have happened so quickly. But in the dream, Lu Ming’s personality and temperament remained intact, even as the false memories tried to sway him. The need to cultivate surged within him, driving him forward.
Without cultivation, his life had no meaning.
End of Chapter 304