“Has senior Hua Cheng explained the trials to you?”

“Not at all, senior Xu Fu.”

“Then, I will be brief. The first trial is Ten directions footwork.”

It is named after the technique, Ten directions footwork, that was stolen and spread outside. 

“There are 216 stone buttons on the ground, the walls, and the ceilings that are connected to the hidden mechanism of this floor. There will be subtle qi released from one of the buttons. The disciple must detect which button to press. After triggering one, qi will leak out from the next button. To open the gates, 124 buttons must be pressed. Pressing the wrong button or not applying qi while pressing on the button or failing to press the correct button after one second will reset the count. If you are ready, step forward and the trial will begin.”

To the dull mind, this is but a game of quick legs. In truth, the mechanism follows the practice layouts in the Ten directions footwork manual, and there are multiple patterns written in the book. While it sounds complex and time-consuming to learn thoroughly, the instruction is explicit, and accompanied by diagrams. The trial will choose one pattern. When the count is reset, the new pattern will be randomised. As long as one is diligent, this test is a cakewalk.

As the mechanism registered her presence, the stones begun to emit qi consecutively at one-second duration each. Yun An walked over to the nearest button on the floor, waiting.

Quite clever, that girl. Instead of chasing the sense of qi, she chose one and stood by. Xu Feng rubbed his chin.

As the stone button Yun An was keeping an eye on released qi, the stone hopping exercise started. 

Xu Feng raised an eyebrow as Yun An's reaction speed. A perfect performance would involve moving to the next one before the signal. This girl doesn’t seem to be capable of that. However, for relying purely on her reaction, it was excellent enough.

After one hundred and twenty four seconds, the second floor agreed to welcome its challenger and her witnesses. Yun An had completed the first trial in one try.

Now, the time to evaluate one’s Invisible sword has come. The second room has nine crotal bells. Each has a stone cover with only one opening. Looking from the outside, it was like each hanging bell was wearing a stone coat. There is only one place on this floor where one has direct line of sight to the nine bells. These bells will only make sound when they receive a qi attack in a line shape. Thus, palms or punches won’t work. It needs to be a qi slash either from hands or edge weapons. To go on to the next floor, she ought to make all nine sing approximately no later than five seconds after the first bell starts.

The idea of this trial is the force the disciple to stand in the one spot which all the mouths of the bells' stone cover opened at. From this spot, they have to unleash qi blades with their Invisible Sword toward the nine surrounding bells. There are bells that were farther than others to test how refined one's qi blade is. There are bells hanged below waist height to force the disciple to fight a correctly way to test how well the disciple can unleash the qi blade. Overall, if one can pass this trial, they should be able to make a strong and long-range Invisible Sword at any angle while in any position at a quick enough rate.

Yun An checked out one bell. No matter how she flicks or punches or cuts it, the head-size bell makes no sound. 

Qi. Xu Feng impatiently shouted in my mind. Put your qi on it then slash at it.

A few more tries went by, and the first sound rang out after one of Yun An's attacks.

There you go.

Playing around with it for a few more times, everyone had a disappointing look on their face. She hasn't been able to produce any qi blade. She could imbue qi into her slash but that meant she had to approach each bell in sword reach to slice them. For a disciple to be unable to generate a sufficient qi blade, it was understandable that they were dissatisfied.

A few of my juniors and seniors even whispered if they should allow Yun An to come to Gudu. Invisible Sword is a signature move of Shadowless sect. To speak of a disciple of Shadowless sect is to confirm seeing the effect of Invisible Sword. Shoving a disciple that couldn't even make such a move... What difference between that and commissioning a mercenary to fight for your sect in the Tournament was what they were saying.

Seemingly bored with her attempts, Yun An started inspecting the gates much to the confusion of everyone. She put her hands on the crack between the doors.

Xu Feng wondered if Yun An entertained the thought of opening it by force. That would be one silly thing she shouldn’t try. The thick doors are specially made by a renowned workshop a long time ago. Even if thousands years of dust settled on those chunks of steel, only those in the peak of Qi forming stage can manage a reaction from-

Like tailor’s scissor through silk, the groaning sound of metal severs his thought.

Xu Feng's ears and eyes opened to the direction of the noise.

Xu Feng mind knew what his ears heard, but he, himself, wanted to confirm the absurdity of the situation. 

Those around him were as silent as they can be.

The only one who acted differently was Yun An's master. He was having a genuinely good time with a refreshing laugh.

“This brat…” Zhao Ren mumbled.

Eventually, a hole was enlarged on the left door.

Yun An crawled through the breach. Her small hands then pulled the right door.

It was plucked away from its hinges. After which, Yun An steadily put it down to minimize the noise.

After everyone went through, Xu Feng examined the fingermarks on the slabs of steel.

Apparently, she put qi in her left foot to use as the pillar, and in the left hand to use as the prying tool. The steel was but extra hard clay to her. It took time but was not impossible. 

She couldn’t force it open in one go, so she resolved to scooping away at the metal bit by bit. Xu Feng could imagine how the metal was pushed away steadily, leaving behind a growing concave. She must have continued to plow the steel surface till she could dig her fingers all the way in and expand the hole.

"First senior master, just what did you bring back to our sect?" Xu Feng shook his head.

“First senior master. The goal of the trials is to assess one’s prowess. Zhao Ren thinks she should not be allowed to slip through like this.”

“I agree. A trick is only fun the first time.” He called out. “Yun An. Spare the other doors from your hands. We can’t have you turn this cave into door-breaking trials.”

“Yes, master.”

“I hope you are pleased with this, Zhao Ren.”

Zhao Ren reluctantly conceded. His intention was clearly to disqualify her recent attempt, but what else can he say? Without our master here, the first senior master held the most power. Even the other elders didn’t want to be at odds with the first senior master.