Chapter Fourteen: The Heavenly Eye Trial (2)

When the Junior Lord uttered those four words, Hua Sheng felt as if it were a contest at the academy and asked, “What exactly is the Celestial Eye Trial about?”

“It’s a large-scale competitive game held annually within the Academy of the Way, also known as the Celestial Eye Game. It’s a free assessment by the academy’s masters for their disciples. However, not all disciples participate.”

“From what I hear, it sounds like only those with both beauty and strength are eligible to join?” Hua Sheng had a bad feeling.

“No, no, the academy sets no threshold for entry. But since there can only be one winner, the competition becomes fierce, so those who feel their abilities are lacking tend not to sign up.”

“So if it’s a contest of immortal power, I wouldn’t be a match for Tianji Zi, would I?”

The Junior Lord shook his head. “The reason it’s called an opportunity is that it’s not merely a test of immortal arts, but of comprehensive ability. In other words, besides magical prowess, the trial requires exceptional intuition, wisdom, analytical skills, and even a bit of luck.”

“I think I heard you mention ‘luck’ just now?” Hua Sheng frowned. “Who won last year?”

“Tianji Zi.”

“And the year before?”

“Tianji Zi.”

“And the year before that?”

“Still Tianji Zi,” the Junior Lord added. “For the nine years since Tianji Zi entered the academy, he’s taken first place every year.”

“Why not just rename the Celestial Eye Trial to the ‘Tianji Game’ then?” Hua Sheng muttered. “Since he’s the only one playing.”

“Because this competition has lasted over five centuries at the Academy of the Way. Even if a disciple wins repeatedly, eventually he’ll leave.”

“So Tianji Zi is likely to win ten times in a row this year?”

“If you can stop him, you’ll make quite the impact.”

“Is this the opportunity you spoke of?”

“Isn’t it?” The Junior Lord countered.

“Have you never heard the saying? Opportunity only favors the prepared.”

“My young friend, you must have confidence.”

“Why does it sound as if you’re mocking me?” Hua Sheng gave a bitter smile.

“To be honest, I’ve never cared for these extracurricular competitions. But since my roommate is joining, I’ll accompany you this time.” The Junior Lord’s expression turned serious. “And remember, it’s not just about magical prowess, so those weak in immortal arts aren’t without hope.”

“With what you’ve said, I feel a bit more confident now.”

“But this year’s contest will be the fiercest in a decade.”

“Why?”

“Every four years, the Celestial Eye Trial becomes a grand event. Besides the honor of victory, the academy prepares a prize.”

“What’s this year’s prize?”

“The Buddha’s Path Permit.”

“The Buddha’s Path Permit? Which Buddha?”

“The Victorious Battle Buddha.”

Hua Sheng’s hair stood on end at those words. “You mean Sun Wukong?!”

“Yes. The Buddha’s Path Permit is a talisman that grants an audience with Sun Wukong, the Victorious Battle Buddha.”

“Amazing! I’ve been a fan of Sun Wukong since childhood! Who isn’t his fan!” Hua Sheng leapt up.

“That’s why the competition is especially fierce this year. Though the academy always prioritizes the safety of its disciples, when magic is involved, accidents are inevitable.”

Rather than wait passively, it’s better to take the initiative, Hua Sheng thought. First, to put Tianji Zi in his place; second, to show that even a ‘mite’ like himself is not easily bullied. If he endured humiliation from the start, he’d be susceptible to endless bullying at the academy.

Just as the Junior Lord said, within days Hua Sheng saw recruitment notices for the Celestial Eye Trial posted throughout the Academy of the Way. The prize, the Buddha’s Path Permit, was highlighted prominently. The notices stated that registration must be completed on the same day, with no mention of the exact time or location the trial would begin.

Below each notice was a desk, about the size of a mat. On the left sat a transparent glass box, inside which burned a blue flame. On the right were the four classic tools of calligraphy.

Whether in the dining hall or corridors of the academy, disciples everywhere discussed this year’s trial. Clearly, as a competitive event, whether called a ‘game’ or a ‘trial,’ it especially attracted the male disciples.

Hua Sheng and the Junior Lord arrived at a notice near the Sacred Way of the Spirit. The Junior Lord said, “This is where you register for the Celestial Eye Trial. Are you ready?”

Hua Sheng nodded resolutely. “What are the rules?”

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“Each year’s event is different. Like how each exam has a different paper. All that’s certain is that the Celestial Eye trial tests both magical skill and intuition.”

“After registering, when does the trial begin?”

“The notice says it will be held within three days. Once registration closes, the trial could start at any moment. Only participants will know the time, place, and rules for each stage.”

“At any moment?”

“At any moment.”

“How do you know if you’ve advanced or been eliminated?” Hua Sheng asked.

“You’ll know once the trial begins.”

Although he was determined to join, the uncertainty of what and where the trial would happen left him unable to prepare, and Hua Sheng felt uneasy.

The Junior Lord stepped to the desk, picked up a sheet of rice paper. The brush and ink were ready; he wrote his name, folded the paper, then dropped it into the glass box. The paper touched the blue flame, and in an instant turned to ash, becoming a wisp of blue smoke, vanishing without a trace.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Hua Sheng stepped forward, dipped the brush in ink, wrote his name on the rice paper, folded it as the Junior Lord had done, and placed it gently into the glass box.

The paper emitted a soft whoosh, transformed into a faint blue smoke, and disappeared.

Suddenly a light shone at his left wrist, revealing a string of characters, each about the size of a fingernail.

Hua Sheng raised his left hand to examine it. It was a string of numbers written in Chinese.

“Nine nine one two four eight.”

While he was studying his wrist, he heard the Junior Lord say, “Everyone gets a string of numbers on their arm. This number is randomly generated—it’s your trial ID.”

He raised his own wrist and said, “But only the trial participant can see the number, and its length and size are random.”

“Though it’s random, it’s not some ranking, is it?” Hua Sheng couldn’t help but joke.

“Definitely not a ranking,” the Junior Lord replied, counting on his fingers. “The Academy of the Way is located in Eastern Saint Peace, in the province called Lingwei Yang, or Ling Province for short. There are nearly a million people, so you’re hardly at the top.”

“You’re hurting my confidence!”

“The ranking doesn’t matter. If you want to use your number to boost your confidence, just treat it as a contest of who got the biggest one,” the Junior Lord replied indifferently.

Before Hua Sheng could respond, a noisy crowd approached, with bursts of shrill voices from girls. As they drew closer, he heard the female disciples screaming.

“Wow! Tianji Zi, so handsome~~ I’m swooning~~”

“You’re joining the Celestial Eye Trial again this year, you’ll be first for sure!”

“Definitely first! We’re all rooting for you!”

They realized this group of girls, varying in age, was gathered around a graceful young man—the very Tianji Zi they were shouting about.

Their previous encounter had been at midnight. Now in broad daylight, Hua Sheng saw Tianji Zi clearly; he was indeed striking, tall, with sharp features—a bonafide handsome man. His looks and stature brought out the best in the academy’s robes.

Hua Sheng felt somewhat inferior, thinking that Tianji Zi and the Junior Lord, descendants of immortals, were the real face of the Academy of the Way. Seeing Tianji Zi’s appearance today confirmed that he was more than suitable to be the secretary of the student council.

Before Hua Sheng could look closely, he was pushed aside by the throng of female disciples surrounding Tianji Zi.

Tianji Zi picked up the brush, wrote his name with graceful strokes, prompting the girls to gush over his calligraphy. He folded the paper, placed it in the glass box, and another round of screams erupted.

“Such beautiful writing! As expected from Tianji Zi!”

“My, even the flame burns so elegantly!”

Hua Sheng, annoyed, muttered, “Are all these girls brainless fans? How irritating.”

The Junior Lord murmured, “Ah, fate, fate. Of all the registration points, you all happened to gather here at this moment.”

“Nonsense! It’s just a clash of enemies!” Hua Sheng replied.

Their conversation caught the attention of Tianji Zi, who was about to leave. Seeing the Junior Lord, he strolled over.

“Isn’t this the Junior Lord? I thought you had no interest in joining the council or participating in academy events like the Celestial Eye Trial. Are you feeling playful this year?”

Tianji Zi’s expression suggested he had long wanted to compete with the Junior Lord.

The Junior Lord seemed unconcerned. “I’m not here for the game, just as a bodyguard.”

This response surprised Tianji Zi. He glanced at Hua Sheng. “Are you his bodyguard?”

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Hua Sheng, displeased, thought now was not the time to lose face. “Well, Tianji Zi, this time I’m here to compete with you for the Buddha’s Path Permit!”

His words sparked mocking laughter among the female disciples.

“Who’s this fool?”

“Daring to challenge our ‘husband’ for first place in the Celestial Eye Trial?”

“Hilarious, he should look in a mirror.”

Tianji Zi, however, spoke calmly, “Oh, you wish to compete for first place. May I ask, have we met? Who are you?”

Fuming, Hua Sheng shouted, “I’m Hua Sheng! Didn’t we just meet two nights ago?”

Tianji Zi’s brow twitched slightly. “Ah, I tend not to remember unimportant people. Now I recall, you were the little… the young disciple I met that night.”

“Just you wait!”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Tianji Zi turned elegantly, then addressed the Junior Lord, “Why do talented people like you always associate with the weak? Perhaps you enjoy watching them fail?”

The Junior Lord replied in a languid tone, “Shouldn’t you be the one concerned?”

“Oh?” Tianji Zi paused mid-step.

“He may have only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, but you must worry about that fraction. He can afford to lose, but you can’t.”

Tianji Zi smiled, “Junior Lord, you’re wrong on two counts: first, he doesn’t even have a one-in-a-hundred-thousand chance. Second, he can’t afford to lose either, for losing to me means public humiliation and leaving Weiyu—isn’t that so?”

Unexpectedly, Tianji Zi mentioned Weiyu.

He continued, “You, a mere mortal, coming to compete in the Celestial Eye Trial, aiming for first place—obviously you’re here for me. I suppose you hope to teach me a lesson, make me retract what I said that night. Isn’t that so?”

Hua Sheng hadn’t expected Tianji Zi to guess his motive for joining.

“In that case, let’s make a wager. If you beat me this year, I’ll no longer restrict the vice secretary’s freedom. Otherwise, take care of yourself; spend more time cultivating, and give up on Weiyu. What do you say?”

“Deal!” Hua Sheng, surrounded by witnesses, refused to back down.

“With so many witnesses, I hope you won’t go back on your word.” Tianji Zi departed without looking back.

“You’d better keep your word too!” Hua Sheng shouted.

Tianji Zi laughed aloud, “Hahaha! Even such trivial matters aren’t for you to remind me of.”

The crowd of female disciples swarmed after him.

Hua Sheng clenched his fists, glaring at Tianji Zi’s retreating figure.

The Junior Lord patted his shoulder, gazing at Tianji Zi’s back, and said, “Guess what Weiyu would say if she found out? She’d say: ‘How childish. I’m not a prize in your bet.’”

“I’m not betting Weiyu,” Hua Sheng said without smiling. “I’m betting on whether fate favors me.”

“So you’re serious about Tianji Zi’s terms?”

“I must win! I must defeat Tianji Zi!” Hua Sheng gritted his teeth.

The Junior Lord sighed, “Ah, why put yourself through this?”

“It’s necessary. If I can’t protect the person I want, how can I call myself a man?”

“How pitiful.”

“What? I’m not pitiful!”

“No, I meant myself,” the Junior Lord murmured. “My first time in the Celestial Eye Trial, I just wanted to skip class and treat it as a game, whether or not I taught Tianji Zi a lesson. Now you’ve dragged me into this, forcing me to help you win. Tell me, am I not pitiful?”

“Sounds like, if I lose, you’ll suffer more?”

“Certainly. We live under the same roof. If my roommate loses his girlfriend to someone else, how will the Junior Lord ever show his face again?”