On a bare road surrounded by weeds and trees of all kinds, there was a carriage. It was a decently sized one it could hold about nine people at least. Strangely enough, it only had one passenger a youth about the ripe age of fifteen. If one were to look at the boy, there was nothing outstanding about him except for one thing. The first thing anyone would notice was that he was missing both of his right limbs.
"How far are we, Uncle Wei?"
The middle aged man looked at the boy with a hint of pity masked by annoyance. "How many times are you going to ask that, Gu Chen?"
"Sorry, Uncle Wei. I just really wanna get back home."
The old man sighed. Just a few weeks ago, this youth had been a bit arrogant considering his origins. Nevertheless, he was a bright lad. And just four days ago, a city guard had brought him back with both his right limbs cleanly cut off. Naturally, Old Wei was stunned but knowing better, he merely accepted payment from the guards and took the young man with him.
It seemed Gu Chen was one of the few who failed the test given by the Immortals.
The old man sighed again. What a shame. Out of those hundreds of youths, it seemed Gu Chen and a few others were unlucky enough to fail.
The young man in the back his name was Gu Chen.
Gu Chen originally wasn't from this world. He woke here just 1 days ago, and upon waking he realized he was missing both his right arm and right leg. Gu Chen was shaken by this, but that was when the memories came flying in.
His name was Gu Chen a not so ordinary boy from Green Forest Village.
A few months ago, a messenger came from Willow Leaf City, ordering all families to send anyone between the ages of ten and twenty to participate in the talent appraisal taking place in a few months. Failure to comply would lead to immediate execution. Receiving such news, the villagers had no choice. After all, no village would want to offend city officials.
Among those kids, Gu Chen was one of them.
Before he regained his memories, he was a pretty arrogant kid, thanks to his origins. His family had once been a first-class noble family, but because the family was tied to numerous crimes, an imperial decree was issued for the complete annihilation of their bloodline. Catching wind of such news, the Lu family fled as fast as a falling star, but the imperial guards were faster. From what he heard, almost all his relatives were caught and killed, including both his parents.
He, on the other hand, was able to escape with his father's right hand man, Lu Yuze. He had been tasked with making sure Gu Chen (Lu Chen at the time) escaped even at the cost of his life. Thanks to some form of divine luck, Gu Chen and Lu Yuze were able to escape the encirclement of the imperial guards.
Lu Yuze then arranged new identities for them, settling down in Green Forest Village as "Father Wenbin" and "son Chen."
Despite losing everything, the one thing Gu Chen refused to let go of was his first name and his arrogance. One could say it was the only thing he still had from his family. That arrogance earned him a reputation in Green Forest Village as "Young Master Chen," thanks to his skills in classical literature and combat prowess, which garnered him a decent following and even the prettiest girl in the village.
The girl didn't like the way he acted, yet she still chose to be with him.
But all of that changed.
A few days earlier, within the City Lord's residence, there were three figures standing in front of everyone, radiating an ethereal aura.
These three girls were each at least a hundred times more beautiful than any mortal woman they had seen. Not even some of the men who loved their wives dearly would dare claim their wives were even a tenth as pretty as these goddesses.
But everyone avoided looking at these women for too long, because ten youths had already been made an example of for staring.
Gu Chen stood there with Lin Yuyan his supposed fiancée. Thanks to Lu Yuze after Gu Chen told him he liked her, and after talking with Lin Yuyan's father, they were officially engaged.
As Lin Yuyan stood next to Gu Chen, she asked quietly, "Gu Chen how do you think we're going to do?"
"I'm not too sure but I'll do great." Gu Chen smiled. "Don't worry, Lin Yuyan. You're my wife after all. I'm sure you'll do great. And if you can't don't worry, I'll still take you as a concubine."
Gu Chen said it with a proud tone. Lin Yuyan didn't say anything.
Soon after, a few youths of noble origins pushed through the crowd, shoving those in their way.
A young man who seemed to be a follower of a noble heir came up behind Gu Chen and clutched his shoulder.
"Move, trash."
Gu Chen frowned. "Hey, brother, would you mind letting go of my shoulder?"
The youth clenched even harder. "Trash, can't you see"
Before the youth could finish his sentence, Gu Chen landed a palm strike on his chest, sending him stumbling back toward his young master who proceeded to kick him back, landing him face-first on the floor.
The follower lifted his face from the ground, nose bleeding, and looked at his young master with confusion. The young master glared at him with a look that said Don't touch me.
Feeling chills, the follower stood up and straightened himself.
"You damn commoner! Do you know who you're dealing with? This is Young Master Jin Yusheng of the Jin family one of the six major families in Willow Leaf City!"
Gu Chen frowned. "So what?"
The follower was furious. "You dare question the authority of the Jin family?!"
"Fool." Gu Chen glanced around. "Look around you. Does it look like any of the major families hold authority here?"
The follower's face turned red. "You dare! The Jin family will have your head!"
Gu Chen laughed. "Let them try."
Everyone who knew of the Jin family was stunned by this development.
Jin Yusheng walked past the follower and stood in front of Gu Chen.
"Move. Now."
Gu Chen glared back. "Or what?"
Something built up in Jin Yusheng's eyes, making Gu Chen flinch a little.
Before anyone could make a move, an oppressive force slammed down, pushing everyone in the area to the floor.
"What the hell is this?! I can't move it hurts so much!"
"Mommy! Help! I don't like this!"
Everyone around them was on the ground, except the two of them both with one hand and one knee braced as they refused to fully fall, staring at each other with unwavering gazes, waiting for the other to give in.
Then the force increased.
Both were thrown flat to the ground. Cracks appeared where they landed.
Soon the mysterious force dissipated.
A voice gentle as spring winds pulled everyone's attention.
"Little mortals I do admire your competitiveness. But do you not hold us in your eyes, daring enough to fight in front of me?"
The beautiful Immortal in the purple robe glared at both of them, then took a longer look at Jin Yusheng.
Jin Yusheng cursed under his breath as he stood and brushed dirt off his clothes.
"Your name is Gu Chen, right?"
"Yeah and?" Gu Chen replied as he stood up with Lin Yuyan's help.
"Good. For your sake, I hope you pass the test." Jin Yusheng's eyes narrowed. "Even if you do pass be ready to face my wrath."
He walked around Gu Chen.
Gu Chen sneered. "Just worry about yourself."
A few minutes later, a different Immortal beauty spoke casually, snapping her fingers. Instantly, all eyes were drawn to her whether they wanted to or not.
"Now then, the test will begin. There will be ten tests. Each test will evaluate your qualifications to cultivate immortality. Not everyone will pass. Most of you will fail. But such is fate."
She snapped her fingers again.
A stone covered in glowing inscriptions rotated in the air, then flashed a blinding light. Everyone on the spot except the three Immortals disappeared.
"Junior sister," one Immortal asked, "what do you think of this batch of mortals?"
"We should see a lot passing," she said, then frowned. "According to the elders, we're now entering an age of Qi abundance."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"No. Not according to the elders."
An hour later, the stone floating in the air began to spin again before releasing another blinding flash.
Everyone reappeared, confused.
"What's going on? Nothing happened we're still here!"
"Didn't that bright light just envelop us a moment ago?"
"Do you think the testing device is broken?"
"Silence!"
A voice shook everyone to their core.
"This is merely how the test operates. No one is allowed to remember how we measure talent. Now, one by one, step forward and place your hand on the stone in front of me."
One by one, the youths walked up, placing their hands on the stone. After about twenty minutes, the stone had shown only two results purple and red.
Purple had the most people.
Red had barely anyone.
"So, Brother Gu," Lin Yuyan asked nervously, "how do you think you did in the test?"
"Naturally, someone of my caliber should have the best results." Gu Chen smiled. "I'm probably a genius never seen before maybe once every ten millennia. But if my guess is correct, each color represents talent for immortality."
He glanced at the crowd. "Judging from how many people got purple and how few got red it just shows not a lot of people are suited for cultivation."
He looked at her. "You might be one of them, Little Yu."
With a self deprecating smile, Lin Yuyan said, "I hope I do as good as you, Brother Gu."
Soon it was Jin Yusheng's turn.
Gu Chen stared at him. "Let's see how he does."
Jin Yusheng placed his hand on the stone.
Purple.
Gu Chen smirked. "All that talk and for what?"
After that, it continued. Everybody else who touched the stone got the same result purple, even the other noble heirs.
Gu Chen's smirk faded.
Out of every noble heir none of them seemed to pass.
That made no sense. It had him worried. He was of noble heritage himself would he be like the rest?
Soon it was his turn.
Gu Chen slowly walked toward the stone, swallowing a large gulp of saliva. Every step felt like it had weight to it.
As he stopped in front of it, one Immortal said coldly, "Do not try to scratch, sneeze, or play tricks. Simply put your hand on it or no one here will save you from the consequences."
Gu Chen placed his hand on the stone.
For a split second, it glowed purple.
Then it turned completely red.
The Immortal in front of him looked confused. "Try again."
Gu Chen put his hand on it again.
Dim red.
She glanced at him, then sent him away to stand with the others.
Twenty minutes later, everyone had officially been tested.
Gu Chen forced a smirk, staring at the group opposite him. "Looks like even Little Yu failed."
He sighed. "It seems me and her aren't destined. When I get the chance, I must break off the engagement."
As the testing concluded, one of the Immortal beauties spoke.
"I will keep it short. Those who the stone glowed purple for all of you have passed. As for those who the stone glowed red for I don't need to say more."
Gu Chen stood there with a bewildered expression as he called out, "Immortal master!"
The Immortal responsible for the test turned to him with a frown. "What is it?"
"Surely you're mistaken. There's no way this many people passed. According to the records, only a few out of a thousand have the qualifications to cultivate."
She looked at him with a hint of annoyance and curiosity. "So you know about the records yet you do not seem to be of noble heritage."
She continued, "As your records mention, we descend to the mortal world every hundred or so years. Some of you know we weren't due to descend for another fifty years. But the reason doesn't concern you."
"But, Immortal"
Before he could say more, a strong force slammed into him, launching him into a nearby tree.
She turned her gaze to the others. "Do I make myself clear?"
Those who failed quickly nodded.
"Now, we will depart in an hour. If you have affairs you need resolved, handle them now."
She waved her hand over those who passed. A purple light landed on each of them.
"If you don't come back in time, this spell will bring you back. And trust me it won't be pleasant."
Most people decided to stay. After all, they weren't from the city, so there was nothing for them to return to. Only a few left a couple nobles, and some commoners.
Lin Yuyan stood there smiling, unable to believe she passed. Remembering what happened to Gu Chen, she looked around urgently.
I have to help Brother Chen. He might be really injured.
She spotted him in the distance, limping away. Within minutes, she caught up, sweat on her face.
"Brother Gu! Brother Gu! Are you okay?"
Gu Chen didn't respond.
Lin Yuyan hurried, speaking quickly. "I still can't believe I passed but don't worry, brother. When I become an Immortal, I'll surely come get you and take you with me. So don't worry! Brother Chen, you just hang tight, okay?"
Gu Chen finally spoke, cold. "So you just came here to rub it in, huh? Let me guess you want to break off the engagement."
"No, Brother Chen! I just wanted to tell you no matter what happens, you don't have to worry. Yuyan will still be your fiancée."
She reached out to grab his arm.
Gu Chen slapped her hand away. "Yeah right. You'll probably get with another man once you get to the sect and forget all about me."
Lin Yuyan touched her necklace it was a gift from him. "Brother Chen you might not know this, but you mean a lot to me. When I first met you, I knew we were meant to be"
She looked up and realized he was walking away.
She caught up again, trying to stop him.
This time he wasn't kind.
A fierce strike smacked her across the face, drawing the gazes of passersby. Lin Yuyan fell to the ground, dazed, holding her cheek as blood dripped from her nose.
"Brother Chen?"
"Little Yu, I know you're looking down on me now that you've become a sect disciple. Don't think for a second I'll let that pass."
"No, Brother Chen, it's not like that at all! I just"
Another hit.
This time it was a kick aimed at her arm. If one listened carefully, they could hear a faint cracking sound.
Lin Yuyan lay on her side, tears streaming down her face, pain twisting her expression.
Gu Chen glared at her, then walked away.
After a few seconds, Lin Yuyan stood, holding her arm, head lowered, and walked back.
As Gu Chen left, he cursed in his head.
How dare she look down on me? Even if I'm not the noble I once was, I, Gu Chen, won't let anyone look down on me! Just because you got accepted into some third-rank sect, don't think I don't have other options!
Soon he arrived at a nearby clinic, got his wounds checked, and paid the bill. Leaving the clinic, Gu Chen planned to make his way back on his own he didn't want to return after such humiliation.
But when he checked his money pouch, he didn't have much choice.
Unwillingly, he dragged himself back to the City Lord's residence, head down the whole way, trying his best to avoid being recognized.
Not that anyone cared.
Half an hour later, most of the Immortal candidates came back. Only a few were missing.
The Immortal beauty snapped her fingers.
Cracks appeared in the air.
Seven youths were thrown out of the cracks, landing not so gracefully.
"Like I said," the Immortal said coolly, "it won't be pleasant."
Looking at them, Gu Chen spotted Lin Yuyan among them. She was in even worse condition than before clothes slightly torn, bruises on her face, holding her arm as she stumbled back into the crowd to join the rest.
Gu Chen felt a slight tinge of guilt quickly drowned by a peculiar emotion.
Serves you right for looking down on me.
One Immortal looked at the other and nodded, then produced a wooden box. She opened it, revealing a ball that broke into several rotating disks, each smaller than the last. At the center was a small orb carved with faint lines.
The disks spun faster and faster.
A formation appeared on the ground, etched with peculiar characters, then began glowing purple. The light enveloped everyone standing on it.
They vanished.
Gu Chen stood there blankly.
"So just like that they're gone."
He smirked.
"The early bird doesn't always get the worm."
Gu Chen turned around
"THUD!"
He found himself on the ground, tailbone screaming, the sun blinding him slightly.
"Your Gu Chen, right?" one of two men asked.
Gu Chen stood up rubbing his backside, face blank. "No. I'm sorry. You have the wrong person."
He stepped aside, avoiding eye contact.
"THUD!"
He ran into the other man blocking his path. The guard pulled out a scroll and unrolled it, revealing Gu Chen's face.
The guard compared the scroll to him. "No it seems we do, in fact, have the right person. You're going to have to come with us."
Gu Chen stood his ground and glared. "Or wh—"
"SMACK!"
A loud crack reverberated, drawing everyone's gaze.
Gu Chen hit the ground, unconscious.
The other guard looked down. "You didn't kill him, right?"
The first guard checked Gu Chen's chest rising and falling. "No. He's still alive."
The guard grabbed Gu Chen by the back of his clothes and dragged him away.
People nearby looked at each other.
"Shouldn't we help?" a youth whispered.
Another youth glanced at Gu Chen being dragged away. "Don't bother. Those are the City Lord's guards. Based on what he said earlier to Young Master Jin only the heavens know his fate now."
The young man sighed. "It's better to avoid noble heirs. You might not even know what killed you."
Gu Chen was taken inside a luxury building that seemed to be the City Lord's residence.
The two guards knocked on a door, nervousness on their faces.
A dry, slow voice answered "Enter."
They stepped in, shutting the door behind them. One guard, carrying the unconscious Gu Chen, spoke.
"City Lord what do you want us to do with the boy?"
The City Lord, He Wei, tossed a pill to the guard. "Give him that pill. Make sure he swallows it."
One guard hesitated. "City Lord this youth seems to have offended the Jin family."
He Wei rubbed his head, annoyed. After pondering for a minute, he spoke.
"First of all, we can't give him to the Jin family. They will undoubtedly kill him. The Immortal masters want him alive."
He Wei looked down at Gu Chen.
"Cut off both of his right limbs and send them to the Jin family as a gift. If they still insist on pursuing him, tell them I require the boy alive and unharmed and I will consider it a favor owed."
He Wei's eyes narrowed.
"And if they insist on going after him after five days be sure to let them know where the boy is."
He who courts disaster must be ready to embrace it.