237 Is This Filial Piety or Fraud?

What the hell?

Hearing Wang Lu’s exclamation, the people behind him immediately became tense.

Wang Lu’s Non-Phase Sword was well known for its defensive prowess. In terms of defensive power and vitality, even the most arrogant of them Shengjing Sect people did not dare to say that they were above Wang Lu. In addition, he was known for being quick-witted, and his professional adventurer reputation has also been spread for a long time. Thus, as a pioneer, he was the most reliable.

Therefore, if a scene could make even Wang Lu exclaim in surprise… More than likely that it was quite an amazing scene.

Needless to say, without anyone saying anything, the Shengjing Sect people who followed after Wang Lu immediately entered their battle state. The Wangyue siblings simultaneously made their move, taking out their brilliantly colored precious box. As for the rest of their team members, each took out their respective magical treasure. Incredibly, without exception, their team of eight people all has low-grade spiritual treasures.

"Brother Wang, what’s going on?"

Hai Yunfan who walked at the end immediately asked.

Wang Lu waved his hand and loudly said, "Don’t panic, it’s not some life and death situation."

Then, after everyone slowly turned down their guard, he added, "However, it’s quite possible that this is another form of life and death situation…"

With that, Wang Lu moved away from the exit of the passage, letting other people walk forward to see the scene in the stone room.

Wangyue Luanyu and her little brother glanced at each other, and then took a step forward. The woman, in colorful feather clothing, has the spirit-bird-like agile and calm figure, but once she entered the room, with just a glance, this brisk woman could not help but stare with wide eyes. She then covered her mouth and cried out in disbelief, "What-what is this!?"

The crowd poured in, and when they saw the scene in the stone room, all of them were surprised.

Even if they met a Daoist Immortal level Guardian here, they wouldn’t be surprised or suddenly fall into a dream; it would’ve been what they expected instead. However, there was nothing in that stone room except for a stone table. And on top of that stone table lied two stacks of shining-with-mysterious-color-and-luster metal cards.

The two stacks of cards were respectively written with archaic words "Parents" and "Children", which appeared to show some kind of unclear meaning. And on top of the metal card, the stone wall was engraved with a string of oddly shaped characters, which if translated were as follows:

Rules:

1. The test procedure is as follow:

A. The participants are free to choose one parent card and designated one person to wear a children card.

B. The parent card holder must carry out the ‘parenting’ to the designated children card holder and bestow the highest value in possession to the other party.

C. The children card holder who receive the gift shall give back to the parent with gifts double or more in value than the received gift. This process could be considered as doing one’s filial piety.

D. Complete the filial piety process to pass the test.

2. Related requirements:

A. The ‘parents’ and ‘children’ could only be a one on one correspondence, not one on many or many on one.

B. When the identity card is chosen, it is completely bound and could not be replaced.

C. A person has and can only have one identity card.

D. Parenting and filial piety process are limited to one time, and once a party refuses to perform a parenting or filial piety, it is considered as a waiver of the trial.

E. The process of parenting and filial piety is irreversible, and the gifted items shall not be recovered.

F. Behavior that violates the principle of the trial is considered as illegal, and the violator would be disqualified.

The rules were not long. However, after reading the rules, everyone inwardly exclaimed...

What the hell is this!?

Zhou Mumu was quite unclear. "What-what kind of filial piety test is this!?"

Wang Lu said with a sigh, "The master of this sword tomb must have lived in a time where the value is twisted, that’s the only reason why it could come up with these b*llshit rules! Regardless of whether this embodies filial piety or not, this rule will directly cut off fifty percent of the people!"

Some slow individuals unconsciously asked, "Cut off fifty percent of the people?"

Wang Lu said, "You guys can clearly see that only those who complete the filial piety process could pass the test, and only children can do this. But since the parents and children are of one on one correspondence, clearly, those who choose the parents card are effectively eliminated."

"What!?"

Several hands who were about to pick the card immediately stopped in their tracks, while inwardly, they thought, "That’s right, those who choose the parent card could only do the parenting process, how could they complete the filial piety process?"

Regardless of what they thought about this earlier, upon hearing Wang Lu’s explanation about the rules, they immediately have their own ideas and thus became silent.

In the silence, Wang Lu also said, "However, it’s not entirely bad. According to the rules, those who choose the parent card would get gifts twice in value from those who choose the children card, which undoubtedly could be a large benefit, and definitely could be regarded as the compensation for being eliminated."

Seeing that the crowd had become thoughtful, Wang Lu said with a smile, "If someone has sinister motives, one can also take this parents card as permission to plunder. For example, if I fancy the Yin and Yang box of my fellow daoist from Shengjing Sect, as long as I present the Sword of Mount Kun as a gift, fellow daoist from Shengjing Sect will have to give back a give with double in value, and I would be able to get that middle-rank spiritual treasure, wouldn’t that be very profitable?"

"Don’t you dare!" Wangyue siblings exclaimed in unison.

"Hahaha, that’s just a talk. I still like my Sword of Mount Kun and not going to give it up in this test." Then, Wang Lu continued to size up the cultivators of Shengjing Sect with evil eyes. "Looking from a different perspective, however, this could also be used by any well-off cultivator who wants to buy the shortcut of the test. Em, you see, with this rule, half of the people are bound to be kicked out, but who wants to be part of that group? Although those who are in the children group would surely be stripped dry in the filial piety process, who amongst us are poor? Everyone must strive and use every trick in their book, but who dare to say he or she would be the last one to laugh? However, if some people are willing to pay enough, perhaps they can avoid the senseless battle and get through the test peacefully."

The cultivators of Shengjing Sect looked at each other and chose to be quiet.

Although Wang Lu’s statement was filled with bad intentions no matter how one looked at it, upon careful consideration, he was not wrong. This trial, regardless if there were any true connection with filial piety or not, from the point of view of passing the test, it was indeed very cruel.

There was no room for debate, and the rules were strict; half of the trial participants would be eliminated! For this trial, for the sake of insurance, Shengjing Sect has sent eight of their people to enter, but now it seemed like they were caught in their own trap.

Fourteen people in total were sent by the four sects, while those that were eligible to pass were just up to seven. Even if they were able to pressure the people from the other three sects, forcing Wang Lu and the others to hold the parent card so as to give up their chance to pass the test, it was still not enough!

Wangyue siblings connected their thoughts through primordial spirit and Luanyun said, "Sis, what do you think? I think at face value, there’s no problem with Wang Lu’s argument. Let’s try to get the other teams to give up. As for our own part, just let Junior Brother Teng sacrifice his spot."

Luanyu didn’t dare think so lightly. "Let's put aside our part first, in any case, it’s not going to be difficult. What I’m afraid of is that there’s a plot behind Wang Lu’s words. The rules in this filial piety door are too weird and not clear at all. Although from the outside, as long as half of the people are identified as the parents, the other half would be able to pass… However, the people of those three sects are not easy to deal with. How could they possibly be willing to take the parent card and give up the trial? Under this rule, using force to pressure them will not be much of use; if they don’t designate our people once they hold the parent card, we have no way to deal with them."

Luanyun said, "Then we lure them with benefits. As long as we show the never give up attitude of our Shengjing Sect, plus giving them full compensation, they would have no reason to be stubborn. They’re not those unreasonable and ungrateful barbarians of Royal Soldier Sect. As long as we stress out the benefits, I think we can convince them with enough price tag."

Luanyu still has some hesitation, therefore, Luanyun urged her once again, "Sis, Senior Brother Jianglu fully trust us, that’s why he let us come in. Moreover, looking at the trial situation of this filial piety gate, it’s quite possible that filial piety gate will not open for the second time. In other words… people outside are doomed to not be able to take this filial piety virtue."

Hearing this, Luanyu finally slowly nodded. "Yes, our Shengjing Sect team has a strong lineup, but at this time, it has become a disadvantage instead. Due to caution, Senior Brother Jianglu and several other powerful brothers and sisters have to lose a virtue. In contrast, although the two sects Kunlun and Spirit Sword are small in numbers, their core personnel actually didn’t miss the opportunity… Later on, this eight virtues test will likely be decided in just one or two virtues, thus, the loss of opportunity is really terrible."

Luanyun said, "Now we have no way to let Senior Brother Jianglu enter, but we can at least prevent Zhou Mumu, Wang Lu and the others to take the opportunity, so in the end, everybody will still have the same chance!"

"... Okay, let’s do that."

—

While the Wangyue siblings were discussing countermeasures, the people from the other three sects were not idle either.

As the representative of Ten Thousand Arts Sect, Hai Yunfan was the first to show his stance. Through primordial spirit, he passed his voice, "Brother Wang, please lead the way!"

Wang Lu felt simultaneously angry and funny as he scolded, "Little Hai, show some dignity, will you!? Your Senior Sister Ye is still watching on the side, how could you be so shameless in trying to hug another girl?"

Currently, Hai Yunfan already has a very high resistance towards this kind of joke; he smiled indifferently. "If one is still trying to save face in this kind of test, one would truly lose face. Regarding a matter that one does not excel at, wouldn’t it be better to request guidance from a professional? Moreover, since five years ago, after the two sects competition, in the mind of my fellow Brothers and Sisters, Brother Wang already has some weight. With your guidance, Senior Sister Feifei would have no objection. As a matter of fact, even people of Kunlun Immortal Sect have also entrusted me to communicate with you."

Wang Lu chuckled and then said, "It seems like the pressure from the Shengjing Sect people on you guys is really not small."

"Yes. Moreover, just now I already hinted our two sects agreement to Zhou Mumu; she was indeed quite moved."

Wang Lu said, "Well, the intention to cooperate is certainly good, but I want to state this upfront: wanting my help is certainly okay, but first, I’m not as amazing as my Big Sister Zhu Shiyao. I can’t guarantee a foolproof victory, so if there’s a mistake, don’t come and cry in front of me. Second, you have to put your one hundred percent trust in me, if not, you better find your own way."

Hai Yunfan said, "Rest assured, I understand all of those."

"Good, then you just have to remember one thing: try your best to win the children card."

Hai Yunfan was stunned. "Fight for the children card? Really?"

"... This is not nonsense. What? Don’t want to compete for the children card to do the filial piety process?"

Hai Yunfan explained, "The main thing is, according to my understanding of Brother Wang, just now when you talked so high sounding-ly, your true intention is likely the reverse. However, since Brother Wang said so, we will try our best to do it. It’s just that, isn’t the rule said that children card is assigned by the parents?"

"Then think a bit more. If you can’t fight for the children card directly, then try so that other people take the parents card, and then assign you the children card!"

With that, Wang Lu slightly sneered. "Just like what Shengjing Sect wants to do."

Hai Yunfan sighed. "Unexpectedly, this filial piety test has actually evolved into this kind of situation. What kind of twisted era did the owner of this sword tomb actually live in!"

"Yeah, parents card is directly eliminated, while children card pass the trial, and that owner dares to call this filial piety, humph, more likely is a fraud!"