Chapter 4, North Fu Gate (Part 2)

Xiao Chen, you take Twelve back to rest. Tomorrow, take him to the inner gate. There is no need to continue with the subsequent tests

Chen Chunzai said: "12, come and meet Grandpa Zhao"

Chen Chunzai said with a smile: "Old Zhao, if you are interested, let's go watch the test together in the evening"

He smoothly saw the runes on the long talisman once again. The initial runes were very simple; following the patterns, they appeared one after another, and he did not find it difficult. It is worth noting that after two lifetimes of soul cultivation, his soul in this lifetime had already become quite powerful. Gradually, the runes became increasingly complex

Chen Chunzai performed the formalities and walked out with Guo Twelve and Huo Bao. Just as they exited the main door, they heard someone in the room shouting: "This is my disciple! No one is allowed to take him away! I have made my decision... Whoever dares to take him, I will fight to the death with them!" That was the voice of Chang Yeren.

Even Guo Twelve, who was inside the house, couldn't help but shiver; he recognized the voice of Aunt Chen.

A row of old men, some with white beards, some with black and white beards, and others with brown beards, left Guo Twelve feeling dizzy. Could it be that Beifu Gate is abundant in old men? These old men were either serious, kind, playful, or solemn. Guo Twelve counted and found there were as many as twenty-seven old men, with not a single young person among them. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that among this group of old men, there were also two old women sitting together, whispering to each other about something.

An elderly lady said, "Xiao Zhai, if it really is that good... then I, the old woman, shall take on a disciple!" She is indeed the biological aunt of Chen Chunzai, speaking in a bold and unreserved manner, with an air of taking the initiative, "If this disciple is ideal, then they shall be mine."

Guo Shier had no choice; after all, he was just a child. He stepped forward and greeted, "Hello, Grandpa Zhao"

The eyes of that group of elderly people shone with fervent light, and a few of them could hardly contain their trembling bodies. Chang Yeren's mouth was agape, and Chen Gupo was on the verge of drooling, as if she had seen a rare treasure, gripping the arm of the old lady beside her tightly.

After the thirteen children went out, Chang Yeren sighed and said, "Alas, there are fewer and fewer children with good potential now. How will it be in the future..."

Guo Shier let out a sigh and said regretfully: "This rune is too complex, I ... I cannot ... "

As they progressed through one checkpoint after another, the inspections became increasingly stringent. To Guo Shier's surprise, this was merely the outer perimeter; according to Chen Chunzhai, they had not yet reached the inner gate and were currently traversing the outer gate area

Huo Bao was also frightened; his face turned pale as he hurriedly followed behind.

This inspection was conducted very thoroughly, and the elderly present are somewhat disappointed, as none of the candidates exhibited qualities that satisfied them. Among these thirteen individuals, the best one only demonstrated the potential to become a spellcaster, and that is at a beginner level. Although their tests are not one hundred percent accurate, they do have an eighty percent confidence level.

Finally, it was Guo Twelve's turn. The group of elderly individuals all left their seats and gathered around. Guo Twelve felt a bit anxious; he understood that whether his potential was outstanding would determine his future learning conditions, the quality of teachers available to him, and the resources he could access, among other factors. As someone with the soul of an adult, having lived two lives, he was acutely aware that this was a crucial moment.

Chang Ye Ren gently stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Hehe, everyone has seen your signal, so... you see, they all came..."

Guo Shier responded with an acknowledgment, closed his eyes, as this would allow him to concentrate more fully

Chang Ye Ren coughed lightly and said, "Aunt Chen, this is not the right time to take on disciples; everyone is watching, and your words are inappropriate."

A sharp scream: "You old, unyielding fellow! Others may fear you, but I do not! I just said, this is my apprentice!" This was Aunt Chen roaring.

Returning to the courtyard, Chen Chunzai said to rest early and then retreated into his room. Guo Shier secretly chuckled to himself and also returned to his own room. Nighttime was the hour for reciting scriptures, which was his secret weapon for successful reincarnation, and he had to ensure the task was completed.

Master Aunt

... ... Little Study ... ...

Do not speak for yourself! It is still uncertain to whom this little one belongs, each one is just being overly sentimental...

The carriage stopped in front of a large courtyard. Chen Chunzai said: "This is the reception courtyard of the outer gate. 12, Leopard, follow me. Changfeng, you take the other children."

Chang Ye Ren took out a long ruler; strictly speaking, it was not a ruler but a specially crafted testing talisman, resembling a ruler in shape, a long white talisman adorned with many shimmering silver threads. He walked up to Guo Twelve and said, "Child, don't be nervous." As he spoke, he pressed the long talisman against his forehead.

As I entered the courtyard, an elderly man approached with a smile and said, "Oh, it's you... Old Chen, have you discovered any good seedlings this time?"

Old Zhao laughed and said, "Don't mention it, it must be the twelfth in the order! Alas, southerners are truly capable of giving birth."

After Chen Chunzhai entered, he saluted and said: "Chen Chunzhai has met with all esteemed uncles and aunts."

Oh dear, Old Wu is also here

After dinner, Chen Chunzai took Guo Twelve and Huo Bao out of the small courtyard. The reason for bringing Huo Bao along was to allow him to undergo testing as well. This time, the tests were conducted by experts from the inner sect, specifically for classification purposes, which were much stricter than the simple tests at the Guo family. This decision would determine the direction in which these children would learn and develop in the future

The speed at which the runes flashed on the long symbol became noticeably slower, with nearly one appearing every minute. Guo Twelve was clearly a bit fatigued, yet he still did not give up and continued to focus intently on the newly emerging runes

When will we arrive at the inner gate? It is almost evening.

Chen Chunzai said, "Yes, Master, this child is named Guo Twelve. His potential is exceptional, unlike anything I have ever seen before."

Do it! Old man...

Huo Bao quietly asked Guo Twelve, as he was not as composed as Guo Twelve. Chen Chunzhai said, "What’s the rush? We won’t reach the inner gate today; we will have to stay at the outer gate for a day. In the evening, we still need to conduct a test for Twelve, and many people will come."

Hee hee hee, little Zhai...

It was only then that Guo Shier realized that things seemed to be getting a bit out of control. This group of old fellows took turns to harass him, and Chen Chunzai did not dare to offend any of them. As a junior, he was surrounded by powerful figures from the Beifu Sect, which left him extremely troubled

Old Zhao's hair and beard were completely white, and his face bore large age spots; however, he appeared vigorous and lively, with bright, piercing eyes. He leaned on a cane, but the way he held it resembled that of wielding a long sword

Laozi has made a bold move

Aunt Chen said, "You all have disciples, yet this old woman has none. This time, I will not allow it!"

Of course I am anxious, hum hum, don't think I am unaware of your intentions. When you see a child with good qualifications, you rush to grab them; when you see a child with average potential, you avoid them. This time, I am the first to speak up, and none of you should compete with me, otherwise... an old woman is not to be trifled with

Next is the test for Huo Bao. The results are not too bad; Huo Bao's potential as a rune warrior is considered above average, which is quite good.

Chen Chunzai shuddered. Guo Twelve in the room also stopped chanting and dove into the warm embrace of the blankets. The impact of this laughter was somewhat overwhelming

Four potential sorcerers, nine potential spellcasters, a total of thirteen children

An old man beside me said ominously: "There hasn't been a test yet, why are you in such a hurry!"

At last, Guo Twelve could no longer continue. He realized that while his soul power still had some reserves, he was too unfamiliar with the runes. The runes became increasingly complex, and any slight carelessness could lead to a complete failure, necessitating a redraw. Often, a single rune required two or three attempts, thus consuming more and more time.

Guo Shier smiled and said, "Grandpa Zhao, my surname is Guo, and my name is Guo Shier"

Guo Twelve felt a stir in his heart and stepped forward to say: "Guo Twelve has met all the esteemed grandfathers and grandmothers"

This old man is quite famous in the North Talismans Gate; he is a talisman master and is on the verge of breaking through to become a grand talisman master, far more skilled than Chen Chunzhai. He is specifically responsible for training disciples within the North Talismans Gate, and countless disciples have come under his tutelage. His name is Chang Yeren, and he has a nickname, Da (Ye) Ye.

Chang Ye-ren coughed again and said: "Aunt Chen, do not forget that at Beifu Gate, it is not only the master who selects disciples; the disciples also have the right to choose their masters. Alright! Enough talk, let us begin the test. We will leave the twelfth for last and start with these thirteen children."

Old Wu, no need to say more, Twelve is already asleep, let's go to the inner door tomorrow

Remember, start from the left side... follow the runes as much as possible... see as much as you can, and if you start to feel dizzy or nauseous, stop immediately, do you understand

Huo Bao stood to the side, and he could clearly see the long talisman affixed to Guo Twelve's forehead. As Guo Twelve closed his eyes, a rune began to flash on the talisman, followed by another, at a rapid pace. After about twenty or so runes had flashed by, the speed began to slow down, with approximately one rune flashing every fifteen seconds

About an hour later, someone knocked on the door from outside the courtyard. A warrior named Fu went to open the door, and then the sound of Chen Chunzai going out was heard. After a while, Chen Chunzai returned and closed the door. In less than ten minutes, someone knocked again, and Chen Chunzai went out once more, then came back. This back and forth happened four or five times, and Chen Chunzai simply decided not to sleep. He moved a low table, placed a piece of animal skin on it, and regardless of how cold it was outside, he sat there with the courtyard door wide open.

Chang Ye Ren gently patted Guo Twelve's shoulder, revealing what he considered his most amiable smile, and said: "Child, that's enough, very good, excellent!" It was not just good; his eyes were almost ablaze with excitement. Such potential is exceedingly rare; this is the potential of a great talisman master, the most outstanding and precious kind.

Old Zhao chuckled, "You are from the south, aren't you? Hehe, children from the south are all afraid of the cold; in a few years, you will get used to it. His name is Twelve? What a peculiar name."

The three individuals walked further and further away, their voices gradually fading. Guo Shier was drenched in cold sweat. Chen Chunzai covered his forehead with one hand while gripping Guo Shier's arm with the other, hastily departing. This was truly too embarrassing.

I am your dear aunt, not a master aunt

After exchanging a few jokes, Old Zhao called some people over and began to allocate housing. Chen Chunzhai, along with Guo Twelve, was assigned a separate small courtyard, and Aunt Lan and Huo Bao also moved in with them

The old man sitting in the middle had a long beard that hung down to his chest. He twirled his beard, smiled, and said: "Xiao Chen, there is no need for excessive formalities. This child is the one you sent word about... the one with the potential for talismans?"

... ... ''

Haha, Xiao Chen is still not asleep, I have something to discuss with you...

"Yes, aunt..."

The carriage entered a mountain pass. Dozens of talisman warriors were stationed here, and a few spellcasters were wandering around the pass. After a brief inspection, the talisman warriors guarding the pass waved their hands to grant passage.