Chapter 245: Is This the Correct Way That You Are Talking About!?
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
Four Shengjing Sect people have been successfully defeated by Wang Lu in a series of questions. Although this was expected, but within these four rounds embodied the rules of the test, which made people secretly feel apprehensive.
Although the four Shengjing Sect people were cannon fodders, no one really died because of that. When they made the declaration and being questioned to confirm their loyalty, all of it was not fake.
However, Wang Lu neither used mind confusing spell on them nor prosecuted them with powerful strength, or even enticed them with benefits. He merely used rhetoric, and the four people’s loyalty completely disintegrated.
Was Wang Lu’s eloquence so good that it broke through the sky? Obviously not. The problem was not in Wang Lu.
The same questions also lingered in the hearts of other cultivators. Hai Yunfan knitted his brows and whispered to Wang Lu, "The standard of this loyalty gate test is very strict, it seems as if it wants to test our absolute loyalty… Is this even theoretically possible?"
Loyalty and absolute loyalty were two very different concepts. Take the following small story for example.
A certain sect’s cultivator Chen Xiaoqian, when his immortal cultivation was in critical time, ready for a closed-door training, suddenly received instruction from his sect to travel to a far away place to carry out a task.
At this time, would putting aside personal interest and respecting the wishes of the sect be counted as loyalty?
Of course, it could. If there was no loyalty, he could avoid the responsibility by claiming he was inadequate and so on.
Then the story continued. That cultivator Chen Xiaoqian has gone to a faraway place and risked his life for the sect to carry out the task. However, unexpectedly, he fell into enemy’s plot. His whole family was captured. The beloved wife of his life, his parents in their old age in his hometown, and the just born, still starving child has come under enemy’s control.
The enemy asked him to betray his sect’s interest, or else they would inflict torture to his family.
Chen Xiaoqian clenched his teeth and helplessly watched as his child was hammered into the mud and his parents were pushed into the oil pan. Although it felt as if a knife has pierced his heart, he never betrayed his sect.
The enemies were also surprised by Chen Xiaoqiang’s resoluteness, thereupon, they used a more underhanded mean: if he would not comply, then they would gather every evil people on the street to come and sully his wife.
This loyal cultivator finally somewhat couldn’t endure anymore. He and his wife have endured through too many hardships together, and their feelings for each other were unwavering. He would rather personally experience ten thousand times of torture than see his wife injured even a tiny bit.
His inner feelings agitated and wavered. A minute of time has slipped away as he watched his wife fell into devilish people, the clothes on her body shattered, and her snow white skin exposed...
He clenched his teeth, anxious to die immediately rather than watching the scene continue to unfold. However, how could the enemy easily let him get away? They forced him to watch all of this, yet Chen Xiaoqian endured with his unimaginable willpower.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time later, the beautiful woman that had accompanied him for years finally turned into an unrecognizable human meat.
However, throughout it all, he did not reveal even a word of his sect’s secret.
The next question was, was Chen Xiaoqiang loyal?
Perhaps most of the people who faced such question would immediately spat out: This is already a f*cking twisted loyalty!
However, according to the standard of loyalty, regretfully, Chen Xiaoqian could not be considered loyal. Because, after witnessing his family died and his wife humiliated, his heart was shaken.
Although in the end, he didn’t make the choice that was contrary to the interest of his sect, his heart shouldn’t have been shaken. Because, since he was shaken, it meant that the suffering from the test that he was subjected at was not cruel enough. If the balance on the other end were weighty enough, he would eventually betray the sect.
This was the meaning of absolute loyalty.
Of the more than forty people present, no one was disloyal. Since they could be relied on by the sect and thus were sent to the ancient sword tomb as elite disciples, they must be worthy of trust. However, the test of loyalty gate required them to have absolute loyalty, which was very much different than just loyalty. In fact, considering the question of absolute loyalty, everyone could not help but think, was it even possible to achieve it?
Towards this question, Wang Lu did hesitate to give its answer.
"Of course it is possible."
Dozens pairs of ears stood up at the same time.
Wang Lu chuckled. "Wouldn’t refining someone into a meat puppet be enough? A creature without a brain is the most loyal. To date, except for someone with not quite good refining technique and few other minor accidents, was there ever an instance where a meat puppet betrayed its master’s interest? Never, right?"
F*ck me! Dozens of people inwardly roared, what is this damn nonsense!?
Wang Lu’s face turned serious. "Nonsense? Yes, it’s pure nonsense to make people into meat puppets, but if we go one step further from it?"
Hai Yunfan seemed to realize something; he nodded and said, "One step further?"
Wang Lu said, "For example, refine a meat puppet, and then declare one own’s loyalty to it, absolutely will not in anyway disobey its request."
"This…" Hai Yunfan gawked for a moment, and then said with a smile, "That’s a really good cunning method. Obviously, it’s the meat puppet who is loyal to you, yet you stated it was the otherwise. But, it seems like this is something similar to the record in the history book, hold the feudal lord and you control his vassals! It’s just that though this move appears loyal, in practice, it is a deceitful trick."
Wang Lu gave him a thumbs up. "You’re indeed worthy to come from the imperial family, very skilled in the relevant history."
Hai Yunfan said with a smile, "You’re just making fun of me, I have now embarked on the immortal path, mortal wealth and glory have already nothing to do with me… Brother Wang, although this move of swapping position from guest to the host, to hold the feudal lord you control his vassals, is indeed ingenious, ultimately, it’s not the right path."
Wang Lu said, "Correct, turning people into meat puppets and then declaring allegiance to them is indeed too ridiculous, but if we go one step further once again?"
This time even Hai Yunfan was unable to guess. "Go one step further once again?"
"Yes, declaring loyalty to the meat puppet is not feasible because refining a meat puppet has a cut and dry cause and effect. However, what if we remove this cause and effect? For example, what if we declare loyalty to someone who has already died?"
Hai Yunfan was startled. "Giving loyalty to the deceased?"
"Yes. To be loyal to a person who won’t ask you for anything means that you wouldn’t need to worry about being disobedient."
"There is some truth in this, but I feel like there are still some problems with it."
"Of course, a person who once lived in this world always left traces of it, or as we often say, always lives in our heart. If we did something that is contrary to their image, it could be regarded as disloyal. However, what if we go one step further on this basis?"
"... Please enlighten us, Brother Wang, I really can’t guess your thoughts."
Shengjing Sect cultivators and Kunlun Sect disciples also have the same expression. Whether it was loyalty to the meat puppet, or loyalty to the dead, it seemed like they all have a ‘tricky’ value move. However, unexpectedly, Wang Lu seemed to really rely on them all, and he seemed able to go one step further… which made it kinda hard to keep up with.
Wang Lu said, "Then take me as an example. Behold, I want to declare my loyalty!"
As soon as these words came out, all the people in the chamber were shocked.
Wang Lu actually wants to make himself as an example? Is he really sure of his chance of success? What does he mean by going further than the meat puppet and dead people tactic?
Under the full attention of everyone, Wang Lu faintly smiled. "I declare my loyalty to XX!"
The next moment, a golden light flashed. The declaration has come into effect!
XX?
Suddenly, even the calmest among them, Jianglu, was a bit surprised. What is XX?
"The so-called XX is only a code name. It’s essentially a mysterious existence. It can not be observed in any way by anyone. Its true name cannot be said in any way. And I, declare my loyalty to it."
Then, with an almost provocative look, he swept his glance around. "Everyone is welcome to question my loyalty."
… A long silence ensued.
It was not that people were unwilling to open their mouth. Upon seeing the golden light on Wang Lu’s body, Shengjing Sect people couldn’t wait to open their mouth to throw the golden image of Wang Lu into the mud. Because, as long as Shengjing Sect people managed to make Wang Lu fail in this loyalty gate test, the advantage of Shengjing Sect would be unstoppable!
However, would they open their mouth to question him? Wang Lu’s statement sounded bizarre, but upon further thought, it unexpectedly seemed impregnable!
Could not be observed in any way by anyone, in other words… it would not have any effect on reality! Unless if people could observe its existence.
This was more than a step further than the meat puppet and the deceased. If something did not have any impact on the reality, naturally, it would not suffer any shred of ‘against the loyalty to it’ action. Giving loyalty to it was simply an unbreakable golden image!
A long while later, a cultivator from Shengjing Sect tried to question, "What does XX really mean? How do you give your loyalty to it?"
Wang Lu decisively replied, "No comment!"
"N-no comment!?"
"Does the rules stipulate that a question needs to be answered? Of course not. That being the case, I can say no comment."
Is-is this okay!?
This Wang Lu was really worthy to have the best defense amongst his peers. Not only his Non-Phase Sword was phenomenal, his b*llshit defense was also extremely sleek!
For a time, even the Power King Jianglu was unable to come up with a way to break Wang Lu’s theory. He was confident with his own thinking ability, but he had to admit that he paled in comparison before Wang Lu.
However, Wang Lu was too confident in himself that he put out this theory so early. Wouldn’t this be equal to give other people advantage out of nowhere, as in the latecomer advantage? Specifically...
"Zhaojian, your turn." Jianglu turned his head and winked at one of his Junior Brother.
That cultivator nodded, and then, with a clear and resonant voice, said, "I declare my loyalty to YY! The so-called YY is just a code. It’s essentially a mysterious existence. It cannot be observed in any way by anyone. Its true name can not be said in any way, and I declare my loyalty to it."
These words and that of Wang Lu were not that different. Towards this, Wang Lu couldn’t help but smile. "Copying my words aren’t you? I never thought Shengjing Sect actually had a counterfeit business."
Jianglu faintly smiled. "Actually, I also have a similar guess such as yours. For sure, you should've a method to crack your own theory, right? However, the same method can also be used by us on you. Now, you’re free to question him."
Wang Lu was silent for a long time. "You’re indeed worthy to be one of the top ten experts in Shengjing Sect, you really do have abilities, ha!"
Jianglu turned his head. "Luanyu, Luanyun, it’s your turn to declare."
Then, one by one, people from Shengjing Sect made their declaration, golden lights flashed one after the other in that stone chamber. However, not everyone made the same declaration. Because the rules stipulation required two successful questioning, but if everyone made this airtight statement, they couldn’t successfully question each other, which was tantamount to failure to pass the test for everyone. The numerical advantage of Shengjing Sect once again came at play here. After some arrangement, a few would be sacrificed to make a different statement. The purpose of that was for the successful questioning of others.
Of course, this must be handled rather trickily. Because the same problem also existed in the other two sects, Kunlun Immortal Sect, and Ten Thousand Arts Sect. If these two sects managed to question their sacrificed teammates before them, then it would be difficult to provide for Shengjing Sect’s own need. Therefore, the declaration and the questioning were completed almost simultaneously, to prevent other people from having the opportunity to interfere. After a moment, the golden light in the room became brighter as two-thirds of the people failed to past the loyalty test.
In addition to Wangyue siblings, there were a total of six Shengjing Sect cultivators that still have their golden lights after they completed two times questioning. If there was no accident, they officially passed the test. Jianglu was not in a hurry to make a declaration, but instead completed the two questioning first.
However, soon after when he saw that Liu Li and Bai Shixuan also made the same declaration, Jianglu frowned, but also made his declaration.
After everything was complete, most of the team members of Shengjing Sect felt that the outcome has already been set, so they became relaxed. Compared to the previous two tests, this test seemed uneventful. Although it didn’t end up like what they expected—making Wang Lu fail the test—at least they were not left behind...
However, the next moment, they heard Wang Lu said, "Things that could not be observed in any way, thus do not have any impact on the reality do not exist. Therefore, loyalty declaration to such things is simply a self-deception."
Then, with a loud crash, the golden light that covered his body shattered.
"The rest of you are the same, you’re all just copying me. Don’t waste your time to explain, just be done with it."
A series of broken sound was heard as the golden light in the stone chamber, in the blink of an eye, disappeared. However, in everyone’s extreme consternation eye, Wang Lu openly laughed heartily.
"The biggest feature of these eight trials is that, it is much easier to lose than it is to pass, so I decided to start off by putting all of my energy to defeat you. At present, by virtue of the number of trials that one has passed through, Junior Sister Liu Li is still in the lead, and in accordance with the rules, the one with the most win is the winner!"
"As a professional adventurer, I will make a statement. Starting from now, no one would pass any of the next five trials!"
"Including myself!"