Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 423

Sun Wukong took the booklet and flipped through it quickly, his eyes quickly scanning between the lines and his brows gradually furrowed.

The booklet was densely packed with records of various feedback from the cultivators from various immortal mountains and caves on the "Three Realms Test", many of which contained doubts and dissatisfaction.

"Some people think that the competition rules are not fair enough, especially that the selection criteria for mortal monks are too strict."

The God of Land stood aside, carefully observing Sun Wukong's expression, and explained in a low voice.

He rubbed his hands together unconsciously, a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

"There are also some hidden masters who think that the Heavenly Court is just taking this opportunity to win over the hearts of the people, and the real benefits may not fall on them."

Sun Wukong closed the book, looked at the God of Land with a serious expression and sharp eyes:
"These voices are not trivial. If not handled properly, the reputation of the 'Three Realms Trial' will be greatly damaged."

He paused, his tone firm:
"You must immediately summon Nezha and Yang Jian to discuss countermeasures. There must be no mistakes."

The God of Land nodded quickly and responded respectfully:
"Yes, Great Sage. I will do it right away."

After saying this, he walked away hurriedly, leaning on a cane, his back looking a little hunched.

Sun Wukong watched the Earth God leave, then turned to Sun Xiaosheng beside him and said:

"Come on, follow me back to Qitian Palace."

The two walked one after the other on the stone steps leading to the Qitian Palace. As they walked, Sun Wukong whispered to Sun Xiaosheng:
"Although Red Boy's Samadhi True Fire is powerful, it is not invincible. Its greatest weakness lies in the core of the fire - the heart fire. As long as you can disturb his mind, the power of the fire will naturally be greatly reduced."

Sun Xiaosheng listened carefully, with a thoughtful gleam in his eyes:
"Disturbing his mind? Master, how should we do this?"

Sun Wukong smiled slightly, raised his hand and drew something in the air:
"You can take advantage of his pride and arrogance to provoke him to reveal his flaws. In addition, the temperature of the Samadhi True Fire is extremely high, and it cannot be used continuously in a short period of time. Once you seize the moment when his flame is extinguished, it is time to counterattack."

Sun Xiaosheng nodded, clenched his fists, and his eyes were full of determination:
"Master, I understand. Next time I meet him, I will not let him succeed so easily."

The two soon arrived outside the Qitian Palace. The lights in the palace were brightly on, and through the doors and windows they could see Nezha and Yang Jian waiting inside.

Sun Wukong pushed open the door of the palace and strode in. Nezha and Yang Jian immediately stepped forward and bowed to him.

"Monkey, I heard you found some problems?"

Nezha was impatient and asked directly.

He held a flaming spear in his hand, his eyes showing a hint of urgency.

Yang Jian is relatively calm:
"what's the situation?"

Sun Wukong handed the booklet in his hand to them, and said in a serious tone:
"Take a look at this first. It contains a lot of feedback and questions from the monks. We must resolve these issues as soon as possible, otherwise the reputation of the Three Realms Trial will be seriously affected."

Nezha took the booklet, quickly flipped through a few pages, and frowned:
"These people are really troublesome. The competition rules are obviously fair, but they still pick and choose."

Yang Jian read it carefully, then looked up at Sun Wukong, his tone calm but thoughtful:
"Great Sage, I think their doubts are not without reason. In particular, the standards for mortal monks are indeed a bit harsh. Can we consider relaxing some of the conditions appropriately to show the sincerity of the Heavenly Court?"

Sun Wukong nodded and glanced between the two of them:
"Yang Jian is right. We must make everyone feel fair, otherwise the significance of this test will be greatly reduced."

Nezha scratched his head, looking a little annoyed:
"So what should we do specifically? We can't just relax the conditions for everyone, right?"

Yang Jian smiled slightly and took over the conversation:

"We can set different selection criteria based on the strength of the monks in different regions. For example, the overall strength of the mortal monks is relatively weak, so we can lower the threshold appropriately, but at the same time add some auxiliary assessments to ensure that those with real potential can stand out."

A hint of approval flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes:
"That's a good idea. In addition, we can also invite some respected immortals to participate in the supervision to further increase the fairness of the competition."

After hearing this, Nezha's eyes lit up:
"That's a good idea! Those immortals have great prestige in the mortal world. With them in charge, there will naturally be fewer voices of doubt."

The three continued to discuss, and after a heated discussion, they finally decided on a response strategy.

Nezha was responsible for adjusting the rules of the competition, Yang Jian was responsible for contacting the immortals, and Sun Wukong personally came forward to appease the monks from the major immortal mountains and explain to them the sincerity and determination of the Heavenly Court.

After the discussion, Sun Wukong stood up with a determined look:

"Without further delay, we should start implementing it immediately. Nezha, you go and modify the rules; Yang Jian, you go and contact the immortals; I will go and meet those hidden masters in person."

Nezha and Yang Jian both bowed:
"understand!"

Sun Wukong left the Qitian Palace and flew to the Dongsheng Continent on a cloud.

The clouds rolled under his feet, and occasionally a few cranes passed by him, making crisp chirping sounds.

He thought to himself that the immortal he was visiting this time was a highly respected hermit from the Dongsheng Continent, named "Qingyunzi".

This person has profound cultivation and is quite prestigious in the Three Realms. If he could be invited to come out and serve as the supervisor of the "Three Realms Grand Test", it would certainly increase the fairness and credibility of the competition.

Soon, Sun Wukong came to a towering mountain.

The mountain peaks towered into the clouds, and the mountainside was shrouded in clouds and mist, like a fairyland. He pressed down the clouds and landed on the stone steps at the foot of the mountain.

The stone steps wind upwards, with towering ancient trees on both sides and occasional magical animals shuttling through the woods, making the place seem exceptionally quiet.

Sun Wukong slowly walked up the stone steps and soon arrived in front of a Taoist temple with green tiles and white walls.

In front of the Taoist temple, a boy was sweeping the floor. When he saw Sun Wukong, he quickly stepped forward and saluted:

"Excuse me, Immortal, are you here to visit my master?"

Sun Wukong smiled slightly and said calmly:

"That's right, please let them know that Sun Wukong is here to visit."

The boy's eyes lit up when he heard this, and his tone was a little respectful:

"So it's the Great Sage! Master has already instructed that if the Great Sage comes to visit, there is no need to inform him, just follow me."

Sun Wukong nodded and followed the boy into the Taoist temple.

The Taoist temple is simply furnished, yet exudes an ancient and elegant atmosphere.

After passing through several corridors, the two came to a quiet room.

The boy knocked on the door gently and whispered:

"Master, the Great Sage has arrived."

A gentle voice came from the room:

"Please come in."

The boy pushed open the door, stepped aside to let Sun Wukong in, then closed the door and left.

Sun Wukong walked into the quiet room and saw an old man with white hair and beard sitting on a cushion with a chessboard in front of him.

The old man looked focused, as if he was thinking about the chess game. When he saw Sun Wukong, he raised his head and smiled:
"The Great Sage has come from afar, and I am sorry that I failed to welcome you in person."

Sun Wukong bowed and said respectfully:

"You are too polite, Immortal Qingyun. I came here to discuss something important." Qingyunzi nodded and pointed at the cushion opposite:

"Great Sage, please take a seat. Let me finish this game of chess with you first, and then we can talk."

Sun Wukong smiled slightly, sat down cross-legged, and looked at the chessboard.

The game has reached the middle stage, with black and white pieces intertwined and the situation quite complicated.

He picked up the black piece, thought for a moment, and then placed a piece.

Qing Yunzi glanced at him, with a hint of approval in his eyes:
"The Great Sage's chess skills are indeed exquisite."

The two of them played back and forth for a few moves, and then Qing Yunzi suddenly spoke:
"Great Sage, are you here this time for the 'Three Realms Great Test'?"

Sun Wukong nodded, speaking sincerely:
"That's right. The 'Three Realms Grand Test' is a grand event held by the Heavenly Court, which aims to select true talents for the Three Realms. However, in recent days, many mortal cultivators have questioned the fairness of the Heavenly Court. Therefore, I have the courage to come here and ask the Immortal to come out and serve as the supervisor to calm the public opinion."

Qing Yunzi stroked his beard, his eyes deep:
"Great Sage, you know that I have not been concerned with worldly affairs for many years. Why should I agree to your request?"

Sun Wukong smiled slightly and said calmly:

"I understand your concerns, but the Three Realms Grand Test is related to the future of the Three Realms. If we can select the true talents, it will be a great blessing for all the people in the Three Realms. Your Excellency is highly respected. If you can come forward to supervise, it will surely make this Grand Test more fair and just."

Qing Yunzi pondered for a moment and nodded slowly:

"What the Great Sage said makes sense. Since it is for the benefit of the Three Realms, I will make an exception and come out of seclusion for once."

When Sun Wukong heard this, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes, and he bowed and said:
"Thank you! With you in charge, this test will surely be a complete success."

At the same time, Nezha was summoning heavenly soldiers and generals outside the South Heaven Gate to revise the rules of the "Three Realms Test".

He stood on the high platform, holding a musket, with a serious expression:
"According to the Great Sage's instructions, we will appropriately lower the entry threshold for mortal monks, and at the same time add auxiliary assessment items to ensure the fairness of the competition. You must strictly follow the new rules and not make any mistakes!"

The heavenly soldiers and generals responded in unison and then began to get busy.

Nezha looked at their busy figures and a glimmer of anticipation flashed in his eyes.

He knew that after this rule change, the participation of mortal cultivators would increase significantly, and the influence of the "Three Realms Test" would also expand accordingly.

On the other side, Yang Jian, holding a three-pointed, double-edged sword, was riding a cloud to various immortal mountains and caves to contact the immortals recommended by the God of Land.

His destination was a hidden fairy mountain in Xiniu Hezhou, named "Zixia Peak".

On this mountain there lives a secluded immortal named "Zixia Zhenren". He has a high level of cultivation and is quite prestigious in the mortal world.

Yang Jian landed in front of the mountain gate of Zixia Peak and rang the doorbell.

Soon, a boy opened the door to welcome the guests.

Yang Jian bowed and said:
"I am Yang Jian, and I have come to visit Master Zixia."

Upon hearing this, the boy quickly led him into the mountain gate.

Yang Jian followed the boy through a bamboo forest and came to a bamboo building.

Inside the bamboo building, a woman in a purple Taoist robe was brewing tea. When she saw Yang Jian, she smiled slightly:
"Master Erlang has arrived. I'm sorry I didn't come to greet you."

Yang Jian bowed and saluted, his tone respectful:
"Master Zixia, you are too polite. I came here this time to ask you to come out and serve as the supervisor of the Three Realms Trial."

Master Zixia nodded gently, speaking in a gentle tone:
"Master Erlang has come in person, how can I refuse? In this case, I will agree to your request."

Yang Jian felt relieved and bowed:
"Thank you very much, Immortal! With you here, this test will surely be more fair."

At the same time, the Land Lord sat in the secretariat of the Heavenly Palace, carefully sorting out feedback from all parties.

He checked the revised rules and the list of immortals one by one, and then posted the contents on the bulletin board of Heaven according to Sun Wukong's instructions.

Many immortals and monks had gathered in front of the bulletin board, discussing the matter. They were obviously satisfied with the new rules and the arrangement of immortal supervision.

The God of Land wiped the sweat from his forehead and showed a gratified smile on his face. He knew that his efforts had finally paid off and the fairness of the "Three Realms Test" had been recognized by all parties.

Sun Wukong stood on the high platform of the Qitian Temple, his eyes swept over the immortals below, and he spoke in a majestic tone:
"Everyone, the 'Three Realms Grand Test' is ready, and all the rules and supervision arrangements have been implemented. Next, it's time for the real competition. I hope you will go all out and select the true talents for the Three Realms!"

As soon as Sun Wukong finished speaking, there was a sudden golden light flash in the sky, and a heavenly general wearing golden armor and holding a Fang Tian Hua Ji descended from the sky and landed steadily on the high platform.

He bowed to Sun Wukong and said:
"Great Sage, everything is ready."

Sun Wukong nodded slightly, his eyes swept across the dark crowd below the stage, and he said loudly:

"The Three Realms Test has officially begun!"

The earth-shaking sound of drums heralded the start of this grand event.

The audience was noisy and the monks were eager to try. In the distant sky, auspicious clouds and bright sunshine seemed to add some color to this grand event.

Next, the competition continued, with various magical weapons and supernatural powers appearing one after another, which was dazzling.

Some can breathe fire, some can release water, some can control the wind, and some can burrow underground. All kinds of strange abilities are displayed to the fullest.

Sun Wukong watched with great interest, and from time to time he exchanged a few words with Nezha and Yang Jian beside him and commented on the contestants' performance.

After the duel between the cultivators is over, there will be a written test on governing the world.

A team of heavenly soldiers carried a huge desk to the center of the arena, on which were placed writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone.

An old man with a sage-like demeanor slowly walked onto the stage. He bowed to everyone and said loudly:

"I, the old man, am here at the order of the Great Sage to preside over this test on governance. The topic of this test is: How to govern the land and water of a place and benefit the people."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a buzz of discussion from the audience.

Managing the land and water is not an easy task. There are too many factors to consider. Not only does one need the ability to govern the country and maintain peace, but one also needs a heart that is sympathetic to the people.

Sun Wukong glanced at the crowd below the stage, with a hint of anticipation and scrutiny in his eyes.

His sight finally stopped on a young man in coarse linen clothes, who was Zhao Daniu, whom he had met in the mortal world before.

Zhao Daniu felt the sharp gaze and his body stiffened slightly. Then he straightened his back, took a deep breath, gripped the brush tightly in his hand, and began to write quickly on the rice paper.

The monks around were either concentrating on thinking or frowning and writing quickly. The entire examination room was silent, with only the rustling sound of pens rubbing against paper being heard.

An hour later, the old man slowly walked to the desk and began to review the test papers one by one.

His brows sometimes relaxed, sometimes furrowed, and occasionally he let out a sigh or nodded in approval.

In the end, the old man selected ten excellent articles, among which was Zhao Daniu's article.

Sun Wukong took the test paper, his eyes lingered on Zhao Daniu's handwriting for a moment, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.

He smiled slightly and raised his hand to signal Zhao Daniu to be brought to the front of the hall.

(End of this chapter)