The Trial of Focus

A single thought surfaced in the minds of every cultivator present. We struck it rich this time. Just looking at this first floor alone, there were easily more than ten thousand cultivation techniques! Taking even a few out at random would be enough to match over a decade of ordinary toil. Waves of greed welled up in the cultivators' hearts. Although their eyes burned with desire for the manuals on the bookshelves, awed by Qin Tang's earlier display of might, none dared make a rash move. Qin Tang, however, seemed oblivious to the cultivators' abnormal behavior. Gazing at the rows of bookshelves with a look of reminiscence in his eyes, he spoke slowly, "The Dao of the mind lies in focus, in courage, and in perseverance." "This first trial is to test the degree of your focus." "There are thirty-six thousand five hundred forty-one techniques here. For the coming period, you will remain here and transcribe them. The time limit is three months." "Once three months have passed, I will evaluate you based on both the quantity and quality of the techniques you have transcribed." Hearing Qin Tang's words, every cultivator present broke into looks of wild ecstasy. So many techniques, and they were actually being allowed to read and copy them without restriction? As long as they could commit a few techniques to memory, this adventure would be well worth it even if they gained nothing else afterward. Paying no heed to their reactions, Qin Tang pointed casually, and over a hundred sets of desks and chairs rose within the pavilion. Upon the desks lay brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. "With that, you may begin. I hope you will not disappoint me." From somewhere unknown, Qin Tang produced a wine gourd and took another swig with a gurgle. He then leaned back against the wall, motionless, looking as though he had fallen asleep. Seeing Qin Tang give the word, the cultivators could hold back no longer. They dashed toward the bookshelves, grabbing manuals to see for themselves. A moment later, an uproar violently erupted within the pavilion. "What is this? How can this be?!" "'Golden Flame Raging Fire Technique,' a fire-attribute technique. It can be cultivated all the way to the Nascent Soul realm?!" "This one, this one, and this one too—are they all Nascent Soul techniques?!" "Haha! We're rich! We've struck it completely rich this time!" ... Watching the cultivators acting as if they had gone mad, Li Fan could not help letting out a cold sneer in his heart. He picked up a manual at random, chose a desk, sat down, and began transcribing. He did not delve into the technique's contents at all, merely writing it down patiently, character by character and line by line. For he knew that every single one of these techniques was illusory! In his previous life, the cultivators who explored this place countless times had long since reached a definitive conclusion about the techniques appearing in this trial. During the trial, no matter what method one used to record them, the moment one stepped outside the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace, all records would vanish. It was as though they had never existed. These tens of thousands of enticing manuals were nothing more than flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water—tools crafted purely to beguile the mind. Among the cultivators present, a few might have vaguely guessed the truth. Yet... With genuine Nascent Soul techniques placed right before their eyes, how many could resist the temptation to study them closely? There were even one or two who became so intoxicated by the profound wonders of the techniques that they failed to write a single word for the longest time. Even when they snapped back to reality after someone nudged them, they still wrote in fits and starts, unable to stop themselves from turning back to read again. Those who, like Li Fan, made their brush flow like dragons and serpents across the paper, paying heed to nothing and writing ceaselessly, were far too rare! The paper and ink were inexhaustible, and before long, Li Fan finished copying the volume in hand. Returning it to the shelf, he selected another. Li Fan's complete lack of lingering attachment drew the attention of several people. After some thoughtful contemplation, they too abandoned their attempts to memorize, focusing solely on transcribing. As for those still lost in the manuals, none of them had the goodwill to offer a reminder. ... Day after day passed like this. Continuous transcription was, after all, a dull and grueling task. With the previous night's lesson fresh in their minds, no one dared use magical power to take shortcuts. Soon enough, some could hold out no longer and could not help stopping to rest. Some closed their eyes to recover for a brief moment before immediately resuming their transcription. Others took a thorough rest before pulling themselves together again. Li Fan, however, did not rest for even a moment. There were two or three others who seemed just as tireless as Li Fan. Perhaps due to the techniques they cultivated, their endurance and mental fortitude were exceptionally high. Even after going without sleep or rest for days on end, they showed no signs of strain. Li Fan was holding out through pure, stubborn endurance. For he was well aware that Qin Tang's evaluation for this trial depended not only on how many manuals were transcribed and how many errors were made, but also on a crucial criterion: the length of uninterrupted time from the moment the brush was lifted until it was set down. Just as Qin Tang had said, the test of this trial was focus. Once one began copying, stopping for any reason at all meant that 'focus' had been broken. Li Fan's mind remained undivided, entirely immersed in transcribing the techniques. All physical and mental exhaustion was forcefully suppressed. He did not know how much time had passed. "Aah, that was truly a fine sleep!" Qin Tang's voice suddenly rang in their ears. He stretched lazily, and the brush and paper before Li Fan vanished along with his movement. "Time is up. Let me see how you all performed." "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Truly worse with each passing year." His eyes narrowed slightly as if inspecting something, and Qin Tang shook his head repeatedly. "Huh, wait..." "Somewhat interesting." Seeming to have noticed something, he glanced over at Li Fan, a faint smile surfacing at the corners of his mouth. However, Qin Tang said nothing more and quickly drew his gaze back. "The first trial is now over. Tomorrow everyone will rest for a day. The day after tomorrow, the second trial begins." He clapped his hands, and Li Fan felt the scene before his eyes blur and shift. In the blink of an eye, he was back inside the tall building where they had slept previously. Qin Tang did not appear alongside them. The cultivators finally relaxed. With excited expressions, they began talking among themselves. "This truly was a massive opportunity! I memorized as I copied, and I memorized a full fifteen techniques! Most are Golden Core techniques, and there are even a few Nascent Soul techniques!" "I memorized quite a few as well." "What use is memorizing so many? Wait until you make it out alive before gloating." "You can't look at it that way. Given my abilities, barring unexpected fortune, I would remain stuck at Foundation Establishment for the rest of my life. To be blessed with a glimpse into the mysteries of forming a Nascent Soul—even if I die tomorrow, I'll have no regrets!" "Well said, Fellow Daoist. Those words speak straight to my heart." "Good advice is wasted on ghosts determined to die. Humph!" ... Aside from the arguments, several cultivators set their sights on the belongings left behind by those who had perished earlier. Unfortunately, after searching around, all of them wore expressions of disappointment. Li Fan even heard a person nearby sneer, "Don't bother. I already checked that night. After being killed by Qin Tang, their storage rings, dharma artifacts, and everything else vanished. Not a single thing was left behind." Hearing this, Li Fan shook his head. Just as he was about to head back and get some proper rest, his gaze inadvertently fell upon a corpse, and he froze.