Chapter 140: Respecting the Master, Honoring the Dao, and Establishing the Sect Through Martial Arts

While Wu Tian and Niu Wuji were chatting, a senior fellow apprentice arrived and summoned them to see Liu Qingxu. Wu Tian and Niu Wuji proceeded to Elder Liu Qingxu’s hall, where several dozen disciples had already gathered.

Among these disciples, Wu Tian recognized a few—those who had placed in the top ten during the Qitian Sect’s branch tournament in Pingyang City. These disciples caught sight of Wu Tian as well, but their eyes were filled with fear; the memory of Wu Tian single-handedly taking on over thirty people was clearly still fresh in their minds.

"Boss, these people seem to be newcomers just like us. Look at those guys over there; they were the ones we encountered in the final round of the tournament," Niu Wuji whispered, gesturing toward a group nearby.

Wu Tian glanced at them and said, "Gathering all the newcomers together like this—it seems there is an announcement to be made."

As expected, Liu Qingxu walked from the back courtyard into the hall and stood before the dozens of disciples. Although she was a woman, she carried an air of subtle authority. Having served as an elder of the Qitian Sect for many years, her presence was commanding, a trait that could not be overlooked even with her peerless beauty.

"Fellow junior apprentices, please be quiet. Our master has an announcement to make. Do not speak while she is addressing us!" a senior apprentice commanded sternly.

The hall fell into immediate silence; even without the warning, none of them would have dared to make a sound.

Once everyone was in position, Liu Qingxu stood with her hands behind her back. She scanned the disciples and parted her lips to speak: "Fellow disciples, I am pleased to see you all here. You have all been selected from your respective Qitian Sect branches. There are fifty of you in total, and now that you have all arrived, I have something to announce."

She paused, then continued, "The fact that you fifty were chosen from your respective branches proves your excellence, and that is certainly commendable. However, this does not mean you are already full-fledged disciples of the Qitian Sect headquarters. Only those who prove themselves truly outstanding will be accepted. In eight days, there will be a major examination. All eight hundred selected disciples will participate simultaneously. A portion of you will be eliminated and sent back to your original branches, while those who remain will be true disciples of the headquarters!"

Hearing this, many of the disciples felt a jolt of alarm. Even though they had anticipated such a possibility, hearing it stated so solemnly made them nervous.

"Therefore, you must strive to improve yourselves in the remaining eight days. Only those with sufficient strength will have the last laugh! Of the fifty people here, only those who pass the examination will become my, Liu Qingxu’s, personal disciples. To increase your chances of success, I have arranged for senior apprentices to guide your growth over these eight days. Two of you will be paired with one senior apprentice. I hope you cherish this opportunity! I will waste no more time; I shall now announce your pairings."

Liu Qingxu pulled out a prepared list and began to read: "Zhang He and Liu Qi, you will be guided by Senior Apprentice Wang Zhi..."

She continued until all fifty had been assigned.

"Wu Tian and Niu Wuji, you will be guided by Senior Apprentice Zhou Zheng..."

Zhou Zheng seemed slightly surprised when Liu Qingxu announced the pairing, but he beckoned to Wu Tian and Niu Wuji nonetheless. Once the announcements were finished and the group was dismissed, Zhou Zheng immediately approached them with a smile. "Junior brothers, it seems fate has brought us together. I never expected the master to assign you to me!"

"We will have to rely on your guidance, Senior Brother Zhou," Wu Tian said with a polite bow.

Zhou Zheng waved his hand dismissively. "Junior Brother Wu, although you joined the Qitian Sect after me, it is too generous to say you rely on me. I am only at the eighth level of the Martial Spirit realm, while you are already at the tenth. If anything, I should be the one relying on you."

"Senior Brother Zhou, I am sure Master Liu wants us to learn from your experience. After all, you have been at the headquarters for several years now; you have much more experience than we do."

"That is true," Zhou Zheng nodded. "You are all very talented to have stood out in the tournament, and you are all starting from roughly the same point. When the assessment comes, it will likely come down to your ability to perform under pressure."

"That is exactly why we need your pointers, Senior Brother Zhou," Wu Tian laughed.

"Very well, enough of that. Since the master has entrusted you to me, let us begin preparing for the examination in eight days!"

Zhou Zheng led Wu Tian and Niu Wuji to a spacious training ground.

"The Qitian Sect has sixteen branches, and this is the private training ground for our branch. Only our disciples are permitted to train here, so you can practice with peace of mind," Zhou Zheng said, looking at them seriously. "The training over these next few days will be specifically tailored to help you pass the assessment."

"First, I would like to ask: what is the motto of the Qitian Sect?" Zhou Zheng asked, looking at Wu Tian.

"Respect the masters and honor the way; build the sect through martial prowess," Wu Tian replied.

"Correct. Those eight words are simple, but 'respect the masters and honor the way' comes first, which is vital. The Qitian Sect establishes itself through formidable martial power, but its disciples must possess the noble character of respecting their masters. Thus, the character assessment plays a large part in our exams. For instance, if someone is a wanton killer or lacks respect for their elders, the sect will not accept them, no matter how gifted they are."

"Keep that in mind. My focus will be on training your overall combat capability," Zhou Zheng said with a faint smile. "Now, I want the two of you to attack me simultaneously. Let’s see if you can defeat me."

Wu Tian was stunned, not quite understanding Zhou Zheng’s intent.

"Junior Brother Wu, my cultivation is indeed lower than yours, and in a fight using weapons and true energy, I would certainly be no match for you. However, I am placing a restriction on us: no one is to use a single shred of true energy. Let us see if you can defeat me with your bare hands."

"No problem, Senior Brother Zhou! I will give it my all!" Wu Tian rubbed his fists, eager for the challenge.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Good. Begin the attack, both of you at once!" Zhou Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, smiling.

Wu Tian and Niu Wuji exchanged a look and rushed toward Zhou Zheng simultaneously. Without the use of true energy, their speed was only slightly faster than that of an average person.

Just as they reached him and prepared to strike, Zhou Zheng’s hands, previously hidden behind his back, moved in a blur, gripping both of their arms in one swift motion.

*Thump! Thump!* Two muffled sounds rang out as Wu Tian and Niu Wuji were repelled, falling heavily to the ground.