Chapter 201: Digging at the Zhenwu Division's Wall?

Hypnosis Array!

This first trial, named "Spirit-Settling," tested the martial artist's spiritual will.

Fifty people per group stepped onto a massive array inscribed with intricate patterns.

The array activated, a gentle white light rose, and an invisible hypnotic force spread like a tide, trying to erode everyone's consciousness.

Chen Mu stood within the array, his expression unchanged.

To him, this hypnotic force was like a breeze against his face; it couldn't even make him feel a trace of drowsiness.

His powerful soul foundation was far beyond what an array of this level could shake.

The others in the same group, though most showed strain—some guarding their minds, some gritting their teeth and pushing through—ultimately all held on successfully, remaining clear-headed when the array stopped after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

The few people Chen Mu knew, like the steady Su Yuanhua, the loud-mouthed Huang Yuanhe, and even the Canal Gang's Qi Lilou, all passed smoothly.

However, not every group was like this.

The final tally showed ten people failed to endure this trial and fell into a deep snoring sleep right within the array.

Drawing laughter and disdainful whispers from the surrounding passers.

"And they call themselves geniuses? What pathetic willpower!"

"Must be cultivation piled up with pills, right? Truly shameful."

"There are plenty like this. You can't tell usually, but when it gets real, they're all weak-kneed shrimp."

……

"Douse them with cold water!"

The Xuanwu Guard in charge ordered coldly.

Immediately, several assistants stepped forward carrying buckets of water with ice chunks, splashing the ten sleepers—"Splash!" "Splash!"

"Ah~ it's raining!"

"What's going on, what's going on?"

"You dare douse this young master with cold water? Seeking death… uh~"

Startled awake by the cold water, the ten people were first panicked, confused, then furious; once they saw the situation around them, their faces instantly flushed crimson, utterly mortified.

"Get down." The Xuanwu Guard said expressionlessly.

Hearing this, the ten people all froze, wanting to say something, but were overawed by the Xuanwu Guard's presence.

They could only lower their heads, slink away in disgrace after being disqualified, fleeing in a sorry state.

……

The second trial, named "Mountain-Moving," tested physical strength and endurance.

Participants had to push a half-man-tall boulder forward along a special ground stretching a hundred meters, covered in custom arrays.

The array not only completely sealed the dantian, making internal force and true Qi unusable, but also generated tremendous resistance during the push—the further forward, the greater the resistance.

Time limit: one incense stick.

For martial artists accustomed to true Qi augmentation, this was undoubtedly a tremendous challenge.

Chen Mu remained as composed as ever.

The physical power of his Refined Two-Tripod Body made handling such a scene effortless.

Rumble rumble~

Pressing both hands against the boulder, Chen Mu exerted slight force from his waist and abdomen, and the heavy boulder steadily moved forward under his hands, at a pace not much slower than a normal walk.

The hundred-meter distance was crossed easily, face neither flushed nor breath panting.

Huang Yuanhe and Su Yuanhua, however, struggled much more—especially Huang Yuanhe, whose rotund body pushed the boulder, sweating like rain, huffing and puffing. Fortunately, at the last moment they barely pushed past the finish line, exhausted to the point of collapse.

Chen Mu noticed that Xue Ranran of the Yaoyuewu Sect, though fine beads of sweat had seeped from her temples and her little face was taut, still moved nimbly and passed the trial without mishap.

What caught his attention was another young girl.

She looked even younger than Xue Ranran, with a slender figure, a slim waist, dressed in a simple plain-colored dress, her delicate features carrying a cold aloofness that warned others to keep their distance.

Though pushing the boulder was not as effortless as for Chen Mu, she still appeared to have plenty in reserve, moving at a steady pace—thin arms and thin legs, yet her physical strength was extremely strong.

"A hidden genius?"

Chen Mu's heart stirred, and he couldn't help glancing a few more times, committing this girl to memory.

This trial eliminated another eight participants whose physical strength was insufficient.

……

The third trial, named "Obstacle-Breaking," tested footwork, reaction, and technique in actual combat.

All participants who passed the first two trials had to enter a narrow alley over three hundred meters long and only two meters wide.

The alley was laid with a sky-forbidden array, making high jumps impossible, while the martial artists' internal force and true Qi were also largely restricted.

The alley was filled with combat wooden men made of hard ironwood, attacking fiercely.

Participants could only use the ordinary blade and sword weapons provided on site, with a time limit of one incense stick to pass through.

When Chen Mu's turn came, he did not go to take a weapon.

As the flag at the entrance waved down, his figure flickered, and he swept into the alley like a wisp of green smoke.

The wooden men inside sensed the presence of a living person and immediately swung their ironwood arms to attack, blocking the path.

Whoosh~

Whoosh!

The gust of wind hit his face.

Chen Mu's figure flickered, nimbly weaving and dodging within the cramped space, like a butterfly flitting through flowers, or a fish gliding in water, always managing to slip through the gaps in the wooden men's attacks at the very last critical instant.

Without throwing a single strike or executing a single move, relying solely on his consummate lightness skill and footwork, under the dumbfounded gaze of all onlookers, in just a mere half-minute he drifted out from the other end of the alley as if taking a leisurely stroll.

His robes fluttered, not a speck of dust upon him.

After a brief silence, the scene erupted in waves of exclamations.

"What incredible movement art!"

"You can tell, right? With movement skill of this caliber, even an ordinary Mid Innate Stage practitioner wouldn't be able to touch him."

"You don't know him? That's Chen Mu of the Zhenwu Division, ranked seventy-seventh on the Hidden Dragon List! He's already at the Fifth Stage of Heaven himself!"

"Remarkable, truly remarkable!"

"..."

In the distance.

From the tall viewing platform, the gazes of the higher-ups of "Wudicheng" also drifted over.

Seated near the main seats were several powerful commanders of "Wudicheng" along with the stewards of various important departments.

Their cultivations were profound and their eyes sharp; naturally, they saw Chen Mu's extraordinary nature at a single glance.

"So this is Chen Mu? That Zhenwu Division Inspector, ranked seventy-seventh on the latest New Issue/Phase of the Hidden Dragon List?"

A commander clad in dark armor with a fierce aura stroked his chin, a glint flashing in his eyes. "The Zhenwu Division has produced quite a fine seedling this time."

Beside him, a steward dressed as a scholar who managed the armory stroked his beard and nodded, sighing in admiration, "Truly rare. His will is firm—the hypnosis array of the first trial had no effect on him. His physical foundation is solid—pushing the stone in the second trial was like walking on flat ground. Even rarer is that movement skill, which has Reached Perfection; in the wooden-man alley, not a single leaf touched him. This boy's potential is enormous!"

"Such a fine talent—would it be a waste to leave him in the Zhenwu Division?"

Another steward in charge of external affairs suddenly spoke up, half-joking, "Should we try to poach him over to our Wudicheng? The City Lord would surely like a young man like this."

"Can't be poached!"

The moment his words fell, a stern-faced enforcement commander beside him shook his head, dashing cold water on the idea. "The Zhenwu Division's system is special, and the Inspector is a core position—they would never let anyone go!"

"Besides, since this boy could be entrusted with the post of Inspector, he must be deeply trusted; how could he lightly switch allegiances?"

That external affairs steward, however, refused to give up. He chuckled, "It's all up to human effort—how would you know if you don't try? Even if we can't poach him, forming a good connection wouldn't hurt. A heavenly talent like this—his future achievements are boundless!"