Chapter 136: Disappointment

Zheng Fa looked at these uninvited lecturers, knowing they wanted to see what he was made of.

He had actually expected this kind of thing—news that Senior Sister Zhang intended for him to take charge of the Talisman and Dharma Pavilion had already spread.

This decision was actually very significant—

Within the Jiushan Sect, the Talisman and Dharma Pavilion, the Jielutang, and the General Affairs Pavilion were considered three key locations; by comparison, they were roughly the finance department, the law enforcement department, and the education department.

The ruler of the Jielutang was the Nascent Soul True Person Pang.

The General Affairs Pavilion was under Senior Sister Zhang's management; within the Jiushan Sect, she was comparable to a Nascent Soul, or at the very least, no one disputed that she was the number one person beneath a Nascent Soul.

And Zheng Fa, who was nearly their equal in position:

was a mere Qi Refining cultivator!

Such a huge gap in strength made it impossible for these lecturers not to have doubts.

Whether it was being the Sect Master's disciple or Senior Sister Zhang's strong support,

it really could not dispel everyone's doubts.

What puzzled Zheng Fa slightly was that among these lecturers, many from True Person Pang's lineage had come, while few from Senior Sister Zhang's lineage had.

Like Senior Brother Zhuang, who was coming to teach him for the first time; he did not see him this time.

It wasn't just Senior Brother Zhuang; later, he had come twice more, but the two senior brothers who taught him were not seen today either.

Not long after, the new disciples coming to attend class arrived.

At first, those who came were all new disciples from Senior Sister Zhang's lineage.

Later, Zheng Fa saw some furtive figures ducking their heads and sneaking in.

Zheng Fa knew these people too; they were all new disciples who had arrived on the same boat, but had only entered Senior Uncle Pang's lineage.

Shouldn't this group be attending Senior Uncle Pang's lineage's class?

A voice of conversation also came from the doorway, one of which Zheng Fa found quite familiar:

"Senior Brother Zhou, if people from our lineage attend Zheng Shixiong's class, won't the senior brothers blame us if they find out?"

"It's fine! Let me tell you, Zheng Shixiong has prepared something good!"

"But... isn't this betraying our own side to help others?"

"Don't worry, the Sect Master knows too! As long as we keep a low profile and don't do this right under the senior brothers' noses, the senior brothers won't mind too much..."

Just as Zhou Qianyuan's foot stepped into the classroom, he stopped.

Inside the classroom, several senior brothers from True Person Pang's lineage were silently looking at him.

Behind him, the junior brother he had dragged along looked deathly pale, his voice trembling: "Senior Brother Zhou, I feel like... we have walked right into the senior brothers' line of sight?"

Zhou Qianyuan's body went stiff; he glanced at the several senior brothers with unfriendly expressions, then hunched his neck and found a seat.

Zheng Fa understood clearly now:

Perhaps to simulate a trial, or perhaps to ensure his first class wasn't awkward.

Zhou Qianyuan was probably trying hard to recruit new people for him...

Looking at the new disciples from Senior Uncle Pang's lineage, sitting in the classroom like quails, not daring to move a muscle.

Zheng Fa even felt a bit of sympathy in his heart.

Seeing the classroom gradually fill up, Zheng Fa cleared his throat lightly and said, "Among those present, some do not know me, and some do."

The world before the eyes of everyone present shifted like a revolving lantern, finally freezing on a dark canyon.

"Therefore, I have prepared a new teaching method for everyone to use as a self-introduction." In the darkness, Zheng Fa's voice seemed to come from the air: "I call it 'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality'."

In the eyes of those Foundation Establishment lecturers, a faint halo appeared beneath the feet of the Qi Refining disciples.

The halos were divided into red and blue colors.

"Disciples, pay attention; you will be randomly divided into two teams. Please identify friend and foe based on the color of the halo beneath your feet."

"In 'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality', you can possess your cultivation, talismans, and magical treasures."

"You have two ways to win: first, kill everyone on the other team. Second, shatter the marker in the opponent's stronghold."

"Although death in 'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality' will not truly cost you your life, your soul and spirit will suffer for a day or two."

'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality' was an improved version of the simulated trial newly modified by the Sect Master.

On one hand, he added several maps.

On the other hand, he reduced the cost; now it only required a dozen or so Yellow-grade Talismans.

Of course, Yellow-grade Talismans could only simulate Qi Refining cultivation at most.

The reason why previous simulated trials were expensive was that they had to both block the divine sense of the Sect Master or Senior Sister Zhang and simulate their cultivation.

The requirements for talismans were naturally high.

But 'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality' had no such requirement; what Zheng Fa wanted to teach were all Qi Refining disciples.

As for the mechanics, Zheng Fa actually did not modify much.

The first point was the team division mechanism, evenly split into red and blue teams, but without limiting the number of people per team—this was because Zheng Fa had not yet figured out exactly how many people per team worked best for cooperation in the Cultivation World.

Such things could not be thought up with a snap of the fingers; they could only be gradually tested in future trials.

'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality' was after all a preliminary version; it could be modified later.

Another point was that Zheng Fa divided the game's victory conditions into two modes.

Stronghold mode and Death mode.

Simply put, if one team was completely wiped out or their tower was destroyed, it counted as a loss.

As for the weakness of the soul and spirit after death, he had deliberately asked the Sect Master to add it—only this way could the game be made more realistic, and it would prevent these disciples from not cherishing their lives if they truly went to the battlefield.

Those experiencing 'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality' this time were only the Qi Refining disciples present.

As for those Foundation Establishment lecturers, like Zheng Fa, they could only watch from the side.

From their perspective—

The new disciples who had just been pulled into the trial were mostly in a state of panic.

Had it not been for Zheng Fa's prior warning, these disciples would likely have run about like headless flies.

Even with Zheng Fa's warning, this group's performance was not good.

Zheng Fa saw a disciple strutting back and forth through the woods, leaves crunching under his feet, showing no awareness of the need for concealment.

Sure enough, the next moment, a fire snake attacked from behind him.

It burned him into a pile of ash.

What made Zheng Fa frown even more was that some disciples who were clearly on the same team showed no cooperation at all; disciples from the two lineages often fought on their own.

For instance, two disciples from Zhang Shijie's lineage, upon encountering a lone disciple from another lineage, would without hesitation hurl a spiritual talisman at them.

These three were originally on the Red Team, yet inexplicably began fighting amongst themselves.

They were immediately picked off by a Blue Team disciple lying in ambush nearby, and all three were wiped out in one sweep.

Amidst this chaos, most disciples were quickly killed and directly eliminated.

But one team caught Zheng Fa's eye—

Zhou Qianyuan, accompanied by two disciples, hid in a cave within a canyon.

One of the two was from Uncle Pang's lineage, the other from Zhang Shijie's lineage; both were new disciples.

Among the three, Zhou Qianyuan possessed the highest cultivation—Qi Refining Layer Five—so the other two took orders from him.

"This 'Great Dao Immortal Contest' includes not only us new disciples but also some senior disciples," Zhou Qianyuan said, looking at the chaos outside. "Our time in the sect is too short; our cultivation cannot compare to those senior disciples. A direct confrontation is not feasible."

The other two nodded, quite convinced.

"I have received instruction from my Sect Master and have heard Zhang Shijie and Zheng Shixiong discuss talismans; our two lineages actually each have their strengths," Zhou Qianyuan pondered. "Disciples of Zhang Shijie's lineage excel at Yang Yuanfu; their talisman arts possess great power and excellent effects."

"As for our lineage, we are skilled at observing opportunities, seizing the enemy's tracks and weaknesses."

"Therefore, this is what I propose..."

Zhou Qianyuan spoke in a low voice: "We will move stealthily and head straight to locate the enemy's base."

"Along the way, Junior Brother, you are responsible for observation." He addressed his own lineage junior brother.

"And this Junior Brother, you first store your spiritual energy, then the two of us will together shatter the enemy's token."

After Zhou Qianyuan finished speaking, the other two thought for a moment and nodded in turn, all agreeing to his plan.

Watching Zhou Qianyuan's performance, Zheng Fa felt a touch of gratification—though Zhou Qianyuan's plan was elementary, at least he truly treated everyone equally and considered leveraging the respective strengths of the two lineages.

Zheng Fa had also previously summarized the differences between Uncle Pang's lineage and Zhang Shijie's lineage.

Uncle Pang's lineage, relying on the Void-Seeing Spiritual Eye, is actually very suitable for support.

Whether observing enemy situations.

Or seizing the right moment to apply healing talismans to allies.

Simply put, they are very suitable as medics and scouts.

Their weakness is that, due to their shallow attainment in Yang Yuanfu, the power of their talismans is often insufficient, making it difficult to kill in a single strike.

In this regard, disciples of Zhang Shijie's lineage are much better.

Those Foundation Establishment instructors, monitoring the illusionary realm of the 'Great Dao Immortal Contest', were also whispering among themselves—not discussing, but furiously scolding their own students.

"Are you stupid? You don't even know how to use Jin Jiafu!"

"Are you blind? Can't you see someone crouching right beside you?"

"No, I taught the 'Shadow-Following Talisman' for a whole day, and they've given it all back to me?"

"Throw the Fire-Controlling Talisman! Are you an idiot!"

This group, originally seated, now stood up, rolling up their sleeves as if they desperately wanted to take the field themselves.

The 'Great Dao Immortal Contest' ended very quickly.

As expected, the three people under Zhou Qianyuan succeeded in their sneak attack.

After the illusionary realm dissolved, most disciples still wore expressions of excitement on their faces.

"Everyone, what do you think of my self-introduction?"

Zheng Fa said with a smile.

"Zheng Shixiong, I want to play again!"

"You should have been our instructor long ago..."

"Senior Brother, if I transfer to Zhang Shijie's lineage, will you accept me?"

Watching the disciples' enthusiastic responses, Zheng Fa gradually put on a serious expression and spoke: "But I am very disappointed."

"..."

"I am not disappointed that, after learning talisman arts for so long, you do not even know how to draw the most basic talismans when facing battle—Jiushan Sect has enjoyed peace for a long time; I do not blame you for being unskilled in talisman combat."

"I am not disappointed that, upon seeing an enemy, you only know to charge and kill without thinking about how to win the contest through strategy—Junior Brother Zhou performed very well in this regard."

"What I am disappointed in is that, though you are all disciples of the same sect, once on the battlefield, you cannot even trust or cooperate with one another, and you even kill each other!"

"In this, I am very disappointed!"

In the classroom, the group of Foundation Establishment instructors who had originally come to test Zheng Fa's capabilities exchanged glances, their faces somewhat ashamed, as if they felt they should not have come.