Chapter 7: The Plot’s Shift

The third test: true heart.

Lin Lingshu withdrew the projection—according to the rules, no one was allowed to watch this stage.

At this moment, Wang Shuheng had already entered the third test arena. Everything within sight was gray-white, a thick layer of pale mist enveloping the entire testing ground.

…

“Senior Sister Lin, what do you think of this year’s disciples?”
Ye Danxiang asked calmly while sipping her tea.

“Passable.”
Lin Lingshu responded in a detached tone.

“I heard Senior Sister Lin is undergoing a path change to the Thunder Path?”
Chen Zhujian suddenly chimed in.

“That’s correct.”

“…”

At the same time, Wang Shuheng faced a tremendous crisis within the third test.

A wild wolf, no smaller than a young calf, relentlessly chased him.

It felt as though he had been transported back to that fateful afternoon—running for his life, pursued by a wild wolf, nowhere left to turn.

But this time, there was no Lin Lingshu to come to his rescue.

The wolf lunged forward, knocking Wang Shuheng to the ground. The beast’s massive frame loomed over him, casting a deathly shadow. Its nostrils flared as it lowered its head and opened its blood-red maw wide.

Pfft.

A crunch rang out as the wolf bit clean through Wang Shuheng’s right leg.

“Ah—!”

A pained scream echoed as his right leg was severed, blood flowing in torrents.

The wolf chewed the limb, swallowing it down. Unperturbed by Wang Shuheng’s agonized rolling, it used its left paw to pin him firmly to the ground.

No matter how hard Wang Shuheng struggled, he could not resist the beast’s overwhelming strength.

The wolf lowered its head once more, this time tearing off Wang Shuheng’s right arm, chewing it up and swallowing it whole.

Another agonized howl escaped his throat. His eyes rolled back, pain nearly causing him to pass out.

This pain was far worse than before—previously, the thigh had been bitten off sharply; this time, the arm was mercilessly torn away. The wolf’s sharp teeth clamped down and chewed relentlessly.

The darkness of death loomed over Wang Shuheng.

Am I… going to die… Die in the mouth of a beast?

How hateful!
How unwilling!
So utterly unwilling!

Excessive blood loss left Wang Shuheng’s brain severely hypoxic. A faint image began to form before his eyes. A fairy dressed in white stood before him, her tone detached as she spoke:

“If you want a better life, go to the Spirit Sword Pavilion.”

“I… cannot… give up…”

The wolf opened its mouth again, ready to devour him.

With all his remaining strength, Wang Shuheng twisted his body, causing the wolf to bite air. He thrust his remaining left arm into the beast’s massive eye socket.

The wolf’s body trembled violently, wailing and rolling in agony.

It struggled for a long time, its strength gradually draining away, until it finally breathed its last.

“I really survived.”

Even Wang Shuheng found the result incredible. Exhausted, he gasped for breath on the ground, slowly regaining a shred of strength.

He gazed up at the gloomy sky, then laughed heartily.

“I swear!”

Wang Shuheng pointed his bloodied left arm at the heavens. With utmost determination—and utmost weakness—he shouted with all his might:

“I will live the best life!
I will live a life admired by all!!
Let heaven and earth bear witness!!!”

But the heavens remained silent.

The third test—true heart—was passed.

Of course, if Lin Lingshu had witnessed this, she would’ve been utterly shocked. Clearly, the novel described that the male lead’s deceased parents would come to test his resolve… yet now, it had become something entirely unrelated to the plot!!!

A flash of light appeared before Wang Shuheng. The next moment, he awoke from the white mist, surrounded by fellow candidates—either asleep or collapsed.

Wang Shuheng touched his left arm and slowly walked forward.

After twenty or thirty steps, he emerged from the mist.

“You are the first one,” an old man said from within the mist.
“Wait here. Having passed the third test, you shall become a disciple of our Spirit Sword Pavilion.”

…

Meanwhile, Lin Lingshu pondered how best to build a good relationship with the male lead. Naturally, she aimed to squeeze resources from him later, though this relationship couldn’t be too close. Otherwise, the male lead’s haremmaking nature would surely cause trouble—after all, which male cultivator has a purely female friend?

Perhaps a roundabout strategy could work: gently increase his favor for her while gathering more potential concubines.

Lin Lingshu glanced at Ye Danxiang. According to the novel, the male lead would join Ye Danxiang’s faction, and because of her alchemical talent, he would become infatuated, eventually capturing her and adding her to his harem.

Of course, the male lead didn’t only study alchemy. He practiced formation arrays, artifact refining, and talisman arts—a genius capable of cultivating all four paths simultaneously. And that was merely a secondary focus.

His primary cultivation was water and fire paths, eventually aiming to wield two world-born divine artifacts from the Tai Xuan Secret Realm. Combining water and fire, he advanced by refining Qi into Foundation Establishment, battling his way into Golden Core, and effortlessly wounding Nascent Soul cultivators.

Damn! Such an overpowered male lead still needed her assistance? It wouldn’t be surprising if his cultivation surpassed hers within a few months.

However, not all hope was lost. According to the novel, the only talent that could match the male lead’s brilliance was…

That fleeting thought brought a faint smile to Lin Lingshu’s lips.

Just as she was devising plans to catch up to the rapidly growing male lead—

“Sigh…”

A gentle sigh interrupted her thoughts.

“Why the sigh, Senior Brother Chen?” Ye Danxiang asked, turning to Chen Zhujian.

“Junior Sister Ye, I was wondering, if Senior Sister Lin chooses to change to the Thunder Path, who will inherit the Spirit Sword Pavilion’s Nascent Soul-level Water Path?”

Chen Zhujian—truly such a person: talent, intelligence, resources… all sufficient. But his heart was small, unable to tolerate others being better than him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so thoroughly humiliated by the male lead.

Hm… Perhaps he was also competing for the same female.

“No need for Senior Brother Chen to worry.” Lin Lingshu picked up her teacup and took a sip. “Our Master has already made arrangements.”

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Ye Danxiang changed the subject.

“Senior Sister Lin, which candidate do you most favor this year?”

Which candidate? Of course, the male lead Wang Shuheng. Future Great Ascension True Immortal, Savior of the World. If not him, who else?

Naturally, Lin Lingshu wouldn’t say that out loud. She simply answered,

“The eldest daughter of the Yongxing Ning clan, Ning Qi, and the Anshui Murong clan’s Murong Xue.”

“Though these two are indeed outstanding this year, why not Zhang Wentao from the Zhang family, or Li Wuye from the Li family?”

Why Ning Qi and Murong Xue? Because they would become part of the male lead’s harem. Nurtured by the Tai Xuan Secret Realm’s divine treasures and the male lead’s overwhelming dual-path cultivation, all future concubines would reach at least the Nascent Soul level.

As for myself—oh no… As one of the harem, shouldn’t I focus on the male lead more? Lin Lingshu silently thought.

“Li Wuye and Zhang Wentao both possess outstanding innate talents. Zhang Wentao even ascended ninety-nine steps on the Immortal Ladder, breaking the Spirit Sword Pavilion’s millennia-old record.”

Lin Lingshu sipped her tea and continued:

“But they…”