28 Illusory Nine-fold Palace (2/2)
”My dearest niece, I didn't know that you had stooped so low. The Feng clan would be ashamed of you. Who knows what your mother would say.”
The atmosphere was so thick that Van could have cut it with a knife. The announcer stood in between the two women and tried to diffuse the situation.
”It's the Missions Division's Promotion test right now. I think we can solve this problem afterward over a nice cup of tea.”
”As the mature elder and the examiner of this Promotion test, I don't have time to squabble with such an immature child.”
The Inner Sect Elder walked off with her two maids and the announcer in tow. The arrogant young woman was fuming but calmed herself down.
The Qi started to fluctuate, causing all the participants to panic.
”What's going on?!”
”We're all going to die!”
Some were rather fearful. One of the participants started to cry in the corner and call for their mother. Was another sect invading? What could cause this sudden fluctuation. A mental transmission was sent to the minds of all the participants.
”Calm down. It's just the teleportation formation activating.”
They all breathed out a sigh of relief. A cultivator crying in the corner stood up and wiped away his tears, pretending that nothing had happened. Everyone looked at him disappointed.
”Good luck examinees!”
All of the cultivators vanished out of thin air. The only traces of them being a few dead skin cells that were shed during the few moments that they had stayed in the room.
The participants all appeared in a large circular room. There were many doors that lead to many different rooms. One room contained a seemingly tranquil pond while another contained one that seemed to have a war occurring between two mortal armies.
”So what are the rules?”
Everyone had just realized that the argument had left them all clueless to what was supposed to happen. One of the participants was just about to say that there probably weren't any when another mental transmission was sent to all of the participants.
”Welcome to the Flowing River Sect Missions Division's Illusory Nine-fold Palace. As it is an illusion, if you die in here, you will not die in real life. Each of you will pick a door, the farther you go the more points you will obtain. Fighting the dangers in each room and finding treasures will give you more points. If you find a treasure, you may keep it. You may not interfere with others' rooms. There are enough doors for all of you. Watch out for the disguised treasures and good luck!”
The brains of all the participants besides were ringing with the words that the voluptuous elder had just said. Their cultivation couldn't handle the pressure from rather long mental transmission. Besides, the elder didn't have much control and was purposefully getting some petty revenge on her niece.
While everyone else was rolling on the floor clutching their heads in pain, Van stood there calmly, watching all of the doors. He was looking for the one that would train him the best.
”What an interesting kid.”
The examiner and her two maids were currently in a nice room filled with extremely luxurious furniture, even for cultivators. The announcer was flattering the examiner and looking at her with lovestruck eyes.
The examiner, of course, had no eyes for the announcer and was currently inspecting the Illusory Nine-fold Palace. She was currently watching Van inspect the doorway while his fellow participants rolled about on the ground. She made the mental transmission aggressive so that she would have a good laugh, watching her niece roll around in pain, but found something that was more interesting instead.
”As a nice present, I'll increase the difficulty on the doorway he chooses. He seems like a diligent cultivator.”
The announcer took the moment to strike.
”Your eminence is very wise.”
The announcer's eyes were filled with adoration for the Elder and her beauty.
Van sat down and meditated, trying to clear his mind.