History's Number 1 Founder
chapter-365

"Jumping out of the box and be flexible. Don't be rigid or obstinate – many a time, as long as you take a different perspective to the problem, getting out of the maze is actually simple and straightforward." Xiao Budian said cheerfully.

Beside him, Wang Lin said quietly, "In addition, you must keep your convictions strong and unshaken. Find your true self, nullify all illusions."

He gazed at the maze of purple clouds. "Although I did not enter, but I can still sense that the purple clouds in the maze will cause much hallucinations and interference. Only by sweeping away all confusion and disturbances and fortifying your heart, can you find the right way to pass through the maze."

Listening to the conversations among his Immediate Disciples, Lin Feng's look landed on the images in the air and, by extension, the second-generation disciples in the maze. "Still a large difference in talent." He sighed silently.

If it was Xiao Yan or the others, even at Qi Cultivation stage, after entering the maze, they would probably have found the right path quickly with Lin Feng's hint. Unlike those second-generation disciples now – even the most outstanding few have to run into a wall first in the maze before returning to the entrance and starting anew.

Still, Lin Feng was mentally prepared for this. A sect needed both rare geniuses like Xiao Yan and those more down-to-earth, that will form the bedrock of the sect. It was with them complementing each other that long-term development and progress for the sect could be ensured.

In the maze, Xu Yunsheng's eyes suddenly lit up. He turned to face the entrance behind him. "Think out of the box and strive to be flexible, while remaining true to your heart and see through all illusions…"

"What if the entrance is the exit?" He walked towards the entrance, but was stopped by an invisible barrier.

Xu Yunsheng was not disheartened, only frowning slightly. "No? True, if it is really so, then this would be a child's game. Merely simple tricks."

He turned again and examined the maze carefully. Entering from the entrance, there was a purple wall ahead, with a path on each side of it. However, Xu Yunsheng has already experimented – both paths were impassable and would eventually lead to dead ends.

Xu Yunsheng believed that the exit to the maze did exist. It was just – where exactly was this exit?

After a moment's thought, Xu Yunsheng's eyes began to glow. Once again, he stepped into the maze of purple clouds.

The paths at the entrance were still one leading to the left, and one to the right. However, this time, Xu Yunsheng did not choose either of them. He simply walked straight ahead, on a collision course with the purple wall ahead!

Xu Yunsheng did not try to muster any power to destroy the purple wall, only walked determinedly towards the wall, step by step.

A strange sight appeared. Much like a water curtain, ripples began to appear across the purple wall. Xu Yunsheng's body passed through the wall directly, reaching the other side.

Seeing this scene, outside the maze, Xiao Yan, Zhu Yi and the others started laughing.

"Finally, someone realized it. I was going to die from agitation." Xiao Budian laughed raucously. "It was so obviously simple – why didn't anyone think of it before?"

Xiao Yan and co. shook their heads, speechless. The solution to this maze was never to run through the corridors in a valiant, but doomed attempt to find the right path – because the maze was completely sealed. There was only the entrance, but no exit. At least not in the traditional sense.

The correct solution would be to, starting from the entrance, walk through the walls in a straight line. All the way, until you pass through the entire maze of purple clouds.

Chuckling, Xiao Budian continued, "Actually, solving the maze is easy – you just have to break the boundaries of orthodox thought. But come to speak of it, this maze of Master's is so shameless as to even amend their marks. You play by the rules even when outmaneuver a maze that doesn't – isn't that going out of the way to let it dupe you?"

In the maze, after finally discovering the correct way, Xu Yunsheng explicitly experimented at other spots as well to verify his hypothesis. In the end, he discovered that only the wall that faced the entrance directly could be traversed; from any other spot, you would simply smash into the wall.

Xu Yunsheng progressed, passing through walls all the way. Halfway through, after passing through the previous wall, he encountered a perfectly straight passageway.

He then proceeded according to the passageway. When meeting a junction where he would need to swerve, he did not choose to – but rather, continued to walk straight at the wall. As expected, he passed straight through it again.

This way, in just a few moments, Xu Yunsheng walked out of the maze of purple clouds. When he passed through the last wall, he found himself outside the maze instantly.

A jubilant smile flashed across Xu Yunsheng's face, but abruptly, he felt something in the back of his head. It was then that he saw that there was another person that walked out of the maze of purple clouds at almost the same time as he. Dark-skinned and slender, he cuts a striking figure – precisely Ying Luozha.

The two exchanged a look. Ying Luozha shook his head, "I still wasn't able to defeat you." Xu Yunsheng smiled, "There will be opportunities."

Not long after Xu Yunsheng and Ying Luozha, Li Xingfei and Liu Xiafeng were also finally able to recognize the hidden secret of the maze and walked out one after the other.

Lin Feng turned to Xiao Yan and the rest and said, "You all, make some preparations too. After my trial ends, it would be your turn to take disciples. To put it bluntly, there are not many of those with promise – and they have the right to choose as well. It would be up to yourselves to see who you can get your hands on."

Zhu Yi and the others exchanged a smile and, in streaks of light, flew through the Rainbow Clouds Bridge, towards their respective Abodes.

Inferno Precipice, Heavenly Temple, Forest Abode, Blizzard Valley, Nirvana World, and Wasteland Valley – the Six Abodes lit up simultaneously in a dazzling blaze.

Xiao Yan returned to the Inferno Precipice through the teleportation capability of the Rainbow Clouds Bridge. "Master, I'll have to trouble you to lend a hand."

Lin Feng smiled, and with a mere thought, the three Primordial Fires on the surface of the Inferno Precipice danced with simultaneous grace and violence. The Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire and the Nanming Primordial Fire were suppressed, with only the Grand Sun Primordial Flame – blazing with golden splendor like the sun – remaining.

"You can't control the Nanming Primordial Fire yet, while the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire is overly violent. The Grand Sun Primordial Flame is enough." Lin Feng transmitted his voice to Xiao Yan using Mana. Xiao Yan nodded, and began waiting patiently on the Inferno Precipice.

The deadline arrived quickly and Lin Feng scanned the scene, seeing that only eleven has been able to successfully exit the maze. Nine second-generation disciples, with the other two being Xiao Huanzi and another one of the kids.

In terms of Qi cultivation, the kids were more advanced on average, but in terms of Innate Ability, Intelligence, and especially Determination, far less of them were able to pass the trial.

"Time." Lin Feng waved his hand calmly, and the maze of purple clouds disappeared in an instant. It formed a purple cloud, lifting up those still trapped in the maze.

Disheartened looks appeared on these teenagers' faces as they gazed at Xu Yunsheng and the rest, their looks filled with envy and longing.

Lin Feng stood in the air, his form seemingly one with the universe. His voice wasn't especially loud, but it reverberated within the entire space.

"Those who passed the test, you can make your choices out of your own free will. You will proceed to the Six Abodes to find a Master on your own – this will be your second trial. Every Abode has different protective spells and restraints, and it is only by passing the test can you truly step over the threshold. Those that failed to pass would have to wait for the next opportunity."

The moods of Xu Yunsheng, Ying Luozha and the others turned grave simultaneously. Their nerves, only just loosened after passing the maze of purple clouds, tensed up once more as they bowed towards Lin Feng together deferentially. "As my Lord wishes."

The remaining disciples and kids that did not pass looked to the Six Abodes in the distance curiously as well. Although they did not obtain the right to seek a Master, they still wanted to see if Xu Yunsheng and the others could pass the second trial.

At the same time, they also wanted to see what kind of difficulties Xiao Yan and co. would set up – both to sate their curiosity and to make preparations for the next time they confront the test.

As they knew about taking a Master in advance, Xu Yunsheng and the rest did actually think beforehand about whom to choose as their respective Master. So now, they did not hesitate and after bowing to Lin Feng together, they proceeded directly to their respective target Abode.

Ying Luozha stole a glance at Lin Feng, silently gritting his teeth. "If I was able to discover the correct solution to the maze instantly, not only would I defeat Xu Yunsheng, maybe I could have had the Grandmaster as my Master."

Lin Feng silently observed the eleven making their choices as a smile of interest flashed across his face. "Interesting."

In terms of numbers, Xiao Yan and Zhu Yi were the most popular Masters. The two of them added together accounted for more than half of the disciples.

This was the result of numerous factors combined. None of the second-generation disciples attended the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai; after their return, no one told them about the events of the Conference either. Hence, they did not know much about the performances of Lin Feng's Immediate Disciples at the Conference.

With regards to Lin Feng's six Immediate Disciples, those younglings did not actually understand much, and so they could only make their choices using their previous impressions.

Of which, Xiao Yan has the title of Lin Feng's First Disciple of the Leader, while Zhu Yi has always been their Chief Instructor and taught them mantras ever since they were inducted. As such, it was somewhat expected that these two would be the most popular.

To those younglings, their direct impressions of the powers of Lin Feng's six Immediate Disciples came from that battle outside Shazhou City before the Sect-Opening Ceremony. Xiao Yan, Zhu Yi, and Xiao Budian – at Aurous Core stage - held off a Nascent Soul Elder, to the great shock of every single person present.

Wang Lin, only Beginner Foundation Establishment then, was, unavoidably, much less prominent.

As for Xiao Budian, his appearance was still that of a cute young boy. Although they all knew about his strengths and powers, but for second-generation disciples older than him to become his disciple, there would be more or less some mental misgivings, to the point that there was not a single soul at his Wasteland Valley.

This made Xiao Budian, excited and high-spirited previously, rather displeased. Depressed and sitting at the entrance of the Wasteland Valley, he gazed at the disciples walking towards the other Abodes plaintively.

Yang Qing's Nirvana World was similarly deserted. Formerly, Yang Qing and those second-generation disciples participated in the Sect-Opening Ceremony and were inducted together; in the end, he rose meteorically to become Lin Feng's Immediate Disciple. Even though they knew that Yang Qing was already at Foundation Establishment stage then, those young men were still too proud to go to him and become his disciple.

With his Awareness, Lin Feng found Yang Qing emotionally stable, and even somewhat relieved.

He also felt that it would be rather awkward to take on those disciples that were inducted at the same time as he. This way, on the contrary, it allowed him to relax.

"Unambitious brat!" Lin Feng's lips curved upwards. "To teach you…I have much to go!"

Meanwhile, although Yue Hongyan has the same concomitant awkwardness as Yang Qing, but because she was the only female among the six, there were still disciples attracted to her.

Apart from Xiao Huanzi, who has always been close to her, there was one more female second-generation disciple that chose Blizzard Valley.

Lin Feng gazed at that gentle, frail-looking girl with some amusement and shook his head continuously. "You were wrong this time. That fierce, aggressive style of Hongyan's…most females wouldn't be able to learn that."

At this instant, the four most outstanding ones among the second-generation disciples, Xu Yunsheng, Ying Luozha, Li Xingfei, and Liu Xiafeng, made their respective choices as well.