Five Immortal Sects

Chapter 7: Military Advisor Ji

Li Yan was thinking about things as he moved forward with the team.

‘General Hong’s gaze from the platform seems to be focused on this direction. Could it be that there’s more to this tent than just a simple registration process? Perhaps there’s another assessment?’

However, the tent looked small, and it seemed unlikely that they would be testing martial arts skills inside. Li Yan wondered if they would also be testing literary skills, but Uncle Guoxing hadn’t mentioned anything about a literary exam. Even if there was one, it would be conducted with many people at the same time, which didn’t explain the small tent.

As Li Yan walked and thought, he suddenly felt a bright light in front of him. He looked up to see that the person in front of him had already entered the tent, leaving an empty space.

When Li Yan lifted his head, the person in front of him had already gone inside and closed the door curtain. He couldn’t see what was happening inside.

Li Yan collected his thoughts and waited quietly. After about thirty breaths, someone came out of the tent, and it was the young man who had entered earlier.

At this time, the young man was rolling down his sleeve, looking puzzled and bewildered. Under the prompting of the military officer, he quickly walked to the end of the line.

One of the military officers pointed to Li Yan. “You, go in!”

Li Yan listened and, with a nervous heart, walked towards the tent door.

He pushed open the door curtain and entered the tent. Li Yan felt a sudden darkness, and he closed his eyes for a moment to adjust to the light. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the interior of the tent.

Inside, there was only a low table, and behind it sat a man in his forties, wearing a scholar’s hat. He wore a loose black robe, which spread out on the ground, covering his lower body. Although he was sitting, he was only slightly shorter than Li Yan, suggesting that he was very tall.

The scholar’s face was thin and long, with a pale gray complexion. A long white beard hung down his chest, and his hands were clasped together in front of his chest, partially hidden by the low table. His small eyes occasionally flashed with a sharp glint as he examined Li Yan.

When Li Yan looked at him, the scholar in black stretched out a slender white hand from his sleeve and pointed to a small rug in front of the table.

“Sit!”

Then, he didn’t say anything else, waiting for Li Yan to come over.

At this time, Li Yan did as he was told, walking a few steps to the table.

He only then noticed that on the table was an open, pale yellow cloth pouch with many small bags sewn onto it, each containing a different number of fine needles. The needles protruded from the bags, shining with a silver light.

Li Yan looked at the row of needles on the table, his heart pounding, and he couldn’t help but think…

‘Where are the pen, ink, and paper? How can we register without them? What’s the purpose of this setup?’

Li Yan’s heart was racing, unsure of what to do.

The black-robed man saw Li Yan’s hesitation and spoke again.

“Don’t worry, this is just a test of your meridians. If your meridians are good, you might have a chance to change your fate.”

Li Yan didn’t understand what the man meant, but he couldn’t hesitate anymore. He sat down, imitating the black-robed man’s posture.

He had come this far, and he had to get through this stage. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to enter the next stage of the exam.

The black-robed man smiled slightly when he saw Li Yan sit down.

“Roll up your left sleeve and place your hand on the table. It will be over in a few breaths.”

Li Yan didn’t think twice, using his right hand to roll up his left sleeve and place his hand on the table.

The black-robed man saw that Li Yan had placed his hand correctly, then stretched out his right hand and quickly picked up a silver needle from the open pouch.

Before Li Yan could react, the needle was already half-inserted into his wrist.

The black-robed man finished the task, then withdrew his hands back into his sleeves, clasping them together in front of his chest. He looked at Li Yan’s face.

Li Yan felt a numbness in his wrist, but nothing else out of the ordinary.

However, just two breaths later, he felt a cool energy rising from his abdomen to his brain, making his head feel clear and refreshed.

The black-robed man’s eyes were narrowed, looking at Li Yan’s calm face, and he felt a hint of disappointment.

He had seen this situation many times before, but every time, he still had a glimmer of hope.

Only last year, during the New Year, he had been extremely happy, but the final result had left him very angry.

Seeing Li Yan’s puzzled face, the black-robed man sighed inwardly.

Just as he was about to remove the needle from Li Yan’s meridian, he saw a dark aura slowly emerging on Li Yan’s face. The black-robed man was taken aback, then his heart was filled with joy.

However, his face remained calm, and his hands moved swiftly, like a butterfly dancing, inserting four more silver needles into Li Yan’s meridians.

This time, it only took one breath for Li Yan to feel four different energies – hot, dry, heavy, and warm – rising from his abdomen to the top of his head.

This time, Li Yan was no longer comfortable, he was feeling like he was suddenly thrown into a boiling pot of oil, his brain feeling like it was being heavily struck. He couldn’t help but let out a painful cry, his face contorting in agony.

The black-robed man watched Li Yan’s face intently, as if afraid to miss something.

When Li Yan’s face showed a second wave of blue energy, the black-robed man’s expression became tense. As the third wave of red energy emerged, he clenched his fists in his sleeves.

However, as the yellow and white energies emerged later, he relaxed his grip, his face becoming uncertain and furrowed.

Li Yan’s body was currently undergoing intense torture, with several energies clashing inside him, causing him immense pain. He had changed from a sitting position to lying on the ground, curled up like a shrimp.

Fortunately, he hadn’t touched the five silver needles on his wrist, or the consequences would have been unimaginable.

If Li Yan could see his own face, he would be shocked to discover that his face was constantly changing colors, with black, blue, red, yellow, and white energies alternating in that order.

The pain was becoming unbearable, and Li Yan let out several low, heavy groans, as if he couldn’t take it anymore. He felt like he was about to faint.

The black-robed man was startled out of his contemplation by Li Yan’s groans, and he looked at Li Yan on the ground, his face also changing expressions.

Finally, as if he had made a decision, he stood up, his movements swift and silent, like a ghost.

He raised his right sleeve, and five cold lights flashed from Li Yan’s left hand.

There were several light sounds, and the silver needles on the table were arranged in a row, their tips still trembling from the force.

Although the table wasn’t made of the finest wood, it was still a sturdy, red sandalwood table, commonly used in the military.

The black-robed man’s technique was not something that an ordinary person could achieve.

The black-robed man looked at the silver needles on the table, then at Li Yan’s rapidly recovering face, and sighed inwardly.

“Alas, my cultivation is still insufficient. I dare not enter those places to obtain a ‘spirit stone’ or ‘spirit pillar’, and can only use this most primitive and lowly method to test.”

“The consequence is that the person being tested will suffer greatly, but fortunately, there won’t be any lasting harm to their body and mind.”

However, perhaps after this…

As he thought about it, his heart couldn’t help but burn with anger, but when he saw Li Yan lying on the ground, he muttered to himself.

“That last one was a Spirit Root, with a talent even better than mine. But what a pity, he didn’t even recognize a single character, and couldn’t even understand the most basic spells. He wasted the heavenly gift of his Spirit Root, and ended up like that.”

Thinking of that person, the black-robed scholar couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss.

“Ah, well, this person may only be a miscellaneous Spirit Root, but it’s still better than not being able to find one at all. Time is running out, and I can’t wait any longer.”

These two may have appeared in the same two-year period, but that was just a coincidence. Over the years, he had secretly tested tens of thousands of people.

This should be the greatest opportunity, and his time was estimated to be only one to two years. Even if he could find another chance in the future, he couldn’t wait any longer.

“If I can use this miscellaneous Spirit Root well, I can still take a gamble.”

Thinking of this, the black-robed scholar took a deep breath and looked at Li Yan, who was slowly recovering on the ground.

Li Yan was like someone who had undergone brutal torture, but the pain was not physical, and he couldn’t even cry out loud. It was as if a force was suppressing his voice, and he could only let out a low, hoarse groan.

It was as if he had experienced an eternity, and Li Yan felt like he was about to die when he suddenly felt a numbness in his wrist, and the pain from his soul began to recede like the tide.

In an instant, it disappeared without a trace, as if it had never happened at all, and everything that had just occurred was just an illusion.

Li Yan struggled to get up from the ground, and when he saw the row of silver needles on the table, he immediately looked up at the black-robed scholar with fear.

It was as if this person was a ghost from the underworld, and Li Yan didn’t believe that everything that had just happened was just an illusion. That was a real, piercing pain that had entered his bones and marrow.

Otherwise, how could he explain the row of silver needles stuck into the table?

The black-robed scholar saw Li Yan’s fearful expression and smiled warmly.

“You don’t need to be afraid! My surname is Ji, and my name is Wenhe. Others call me Military Advisor Ji or Lord Ji. Have you heard of me?”

Li Yan was shocked when he heard this.

‘Is he the same Military Advisor Ji who, along with General Hong, controls the Green Mountain Pass? He’s a famous figure, and yet he used such methods on me?’

Military Advisor Ji saw that Li Yan didn’t respond and smiled again.

“Although I made you suffer a bit earlier, it was worth it. From now on, you may have a chance to change your fate.”

“I’m a wanderer who has been walking the martial arts world, and due to an incurable injury, I came to the military to find something to do and to find someone with a connection. I have no children, and I’m eager to find a successor to inherit my skills and pass on my knowledge. If I were to die without finding a successor, I would be unable to face my ancestors.”

“The method I used on you earlier was a test to select a disciple for my sect. My sect’s martial arts require a strong physique, wide meridians, and abundant internal energy. Otherwise, even if you learned it, it would be useless, and you might even die from reversed Qi flow. That’s why I need to test carefully!”

“Today, heaven has blessed me, and your physique is very suitable for learning my skills. So, are you willing to become my disciple and inherit my martial arts?”

As Military Advisor Ji spoke, his voice became serious, and his eyes fixed intently on Li Yan.

Li Yan was shocked by the other’s words, but Military Advisor Ji didn’t rush him, only gazing quietly at Li Yan.

Li Yan was stunned for a moment before reacting.

‘What kind of martial arts sect is this? The entrance test is already so brutal, making people suffer to the point of near death. I wonder if the skills are also difficult to learn, and how can I trust him?’

Thinking of this, Li Yan was about to refuse, but suddenly remembered a conversation with Captain Liu Chengyong when he entered the city.

‘Meng Kingdom’s bandits attacked our borders four or five times, but Military Advisor Ji took the enemy’s deputy commander’s head…’.

It seemed that Military Advisor Ji was a hero who had fought against countless enemies, and if he hadn’t been injured, he would be an even more extraordinary hero.

Looking at the row of silver needles on the table, Li Yan’s fear turned into awe.

Earlier, after the pain disappeared, his whole body felt weak and numb, and when he stood up, he had to use the table for support. Although he wasn’t very heavy, if it were an ordinary wooden table, it would have creaked under his weight.

But the small table earlier didn’t make a single sound, showing its sturdiness.

The silver needles were something Li Yan had seen before in his village, and he had even touched them. With just a flick of his finger, the needles would bend easily.

So, how did these silver needles manage to pierce through the sturdy wooden table? Li Yan wasn’t a foolish person.

Everyone hopes to gain powerful strength, especially young people, who often fantasize about saving the world and rescuing their loved ones from danger.

Li Yan was no exception, and although he was more thoughtful than his peers, he was still a young man at heart. His thoughts changed rapidly, and in just a few moments, his mind had undergone a transformation.

As Li Yan’s thoughts turned a hundred times, he felt an urge in his heart, and he had already forgotten the pain of being on the verge of death earlier. He felt that as long as he followed the person in front of him, he could learn the extraordinary abilities he had dreamed of.

He then looked up at Military Advisor Ji, remembering the teachings of the village scholar, and said with a serious face, “I dare not disobey your orders, sir.”

Military Advisor Ji listened to his words, and his face did not show any surprise, as if he had expected it. If Li Yan had refused, that would have been surprising.

Military Advisor Ji asked him, “What is your name?”

“I am Li Yan, from the Great Green Mountain clan,” Li Yan replied.

“Do you know how to read and write?” Military Advisor Ji asked further.

“I’ve attended a private school for a few years, although I wouldn’t pass the imperial examination, but I’ve read many books,” Li Yan answered honestly. This was not Li Yan boasting.

When he was studying in the village, the old scholar had high hopes for him, hoping he could take the imperial examination, but due to his family’s circumstances, it was impossible to support him for long.

This made the old scholar very disappointed, but he still let Li Yan read all the nearly hundred books he had, and Li Yan studied diligently, although  not understanding some parts.

Military Advisor Ji asked again, “Have you learned any martial arts or internal skills?”

“I’ve only learned some basic combat skills in the village, and I haven’t learned any profound martial arts or internal skills,” Li Yan replied honestly.

Military Advisor Ji heard this and laughed. “Haha, that’s good. I was worried you might have learned some miscellaneous skills. As for the rules of our sect and the entrance ceremony, we’ll discuss them when we get back. As for your family background, I’ll send someone to investigate, so please don’t hide anything.”

“You’re the last one to join today, so let’s go with me!”

Military Advisor Ji said, and with a flick of his sleeve, the silver needles and cloth bags on the table disappeared.

Li Yan saw the other’s methods and was even more astonished, hurriedly bowing to respond. “Yes, sir!”

But after speaking, his face showed some hesitation, and he didn’t move to follow.