Chapter 16 – Assessment Rewards

Zi Chen shook his head and insisted, “No, I cannot borrow it.”

“What’s wrong?” Lin Xue’s complexion changed with a hint of bitterness. “You want to stay in the outer sect for two more years? I’ve already heard about your situation, and it doesn’t matter if your friend betrayed you, the most important thing is that you must be able to take on responsibility and have self confidence. Don’t tell me because of your self esteem, you don’t even want to enter the inner sect and find a more suitable place to grow?”

There was disappointment in Lin Xue’s eyes. He said loudly, “I, Lin Xue, have misread you Zi Chen. In the past, I thought that you had good self esteem and the desire to  become stronger and strive for self improvement. But now, it seems that you feel inferior and lack confidence in yourself.”

“Woo woo… woo woo…” [Sounds of crying, in case you’re not sure]

After saying all that, Lin Xue actually squatted on the ground and began to cry in a low voice.

Zi Chen stood there awkwardly. He actually wanted to tell Lin Xue that he had already broken through, but unfortunately he hadn’t even gotten the chance to say it before he made Lin Xue cry.

“Zi Chen, are you a fucking man? You even made Lin Xue cry, I think you are a fellow who can only live with women supporting you.”

“What kind of trash are you? What qualifications do you have to make junior sister Lin Xue cry for you?”

These reprimands resounded from the distance. The one who dared to speak just now was naturally a person at the fifth Zhen Qi layer. He had only dared to speak up because he was entering the inner sect soon.

“Scram.”

Zi Chen shouted angrily towards the direction of that voice and said: “Don’t let me bump into you motherfuckers during the assessment, otherwise I will beat all of you until your own mother can’t recognize you.”

“What, you…?”

In the distance, the complexion of the crowd that was roaring just now changed.

“I, your father, am also at the fifth Zhen Qi layer and stronger than all of you.” Zi Chen said angrily. [He’s not really his father. Chinese say that kind of thing to portray themselves standing in a higher position and consequently look down on the others.]

Bursting with foul language was naturally not Zi Chen’s strong point. However, what he said at this moment was his way of telling Lin Xue that he had already broken through, and thus did not need her Zhen Qi pill.

“Good kid, you got guts. Let’s see who beats who when the time comes. I, Ke Xue, am going to beat the shit out of you.” Ke Xue left with these malicious words.

“Little kid, see you at the assessment. Let’s see whether you can still be rampant when the time comes.” Others began leaving one after another.

For those below the fifth Zhen Qi layer, they understood that Zi Chen had broken through, and walked away dejectedly. They didn’t even dare to come up with any remarks.

“Did you really make a breakthrough?”

Lin Xue had stopped crying but there were still some tear stains on her face.

“Um.” Zi Chen nodded and cracked a joke, “I wanted to tell you in the first place, but I was called utterly worthless by you.”

“You jerk…” Lin Xue got up, hitting her small pink fist against Zi Chen’s chest.

Zi Chen stood there motionlessly, allowing Lin Xue to hit him however she liked.

“Idiot, country bumpkin, stupid pig, silly fork… Ah, in this situation you should hug her.” In the room, Miao Kong gritted his itchy teeth and watched as Zi Chen stood there motionlessly.

Zi Chen assured Lin Xue over and over that he will be able to enter the inner sect and obtain a good position as well. Lin Xue finally gave up on the idea of giving the Zhen Qi pill to Zi Chen as she reluctantly turned her head to leave.

Zi Chen returned to the room to discover Miao Kong with with a bad complexion.

“What’s wrong?” Zi Chen asked with doubt.

It’s okay if you don’t ask, but once you do, there will be a flood of remarks.
Miao Kong rushed towards Zi Chen and said right in his face, “Ah, you are so silly. Such a good opportunity, you can’t even grasp it. Just like a stupid pig, you don’t even know how pick up women. Even if you didn’t know how to chase after women, you should at least seize this opportunity to please Lin Xue, which is basically the same as pleasing Su Mengyao. Then, when the time comes to enter the inner sect, she will look after you. Who would dare touch you? A mere Wang Xiong would be nothing then.”

Miao Kong roared at Zi Chen, making him feel extremely moved. It was obvious that Miao Kong was thinking for his sake, he knew that his life in the inner sect would not be easy after offending Wang Xiong.

“Rest assured, I know what I’m doing.” Zi Chen said with a smile.

“You don’t know shit, you don’t even know how to pick up girls. Lin Xue is so beautiful, so pure, just like a blue lotus. To think she would actually take a liking to a pile of cow dung like you, ahhhh… Bringing back the severely wounded Lin Xue that was helpless and miserable, that small figure being carried on his own back, light as feather, walking among the bumpy mountain road and touching gently… This kind of good fortune, why was it given to you? I, Miao Kong, am wonderfully dashing and romantic, how come I haven’t across this kind of lucky situation?” There was an infatuated look of bitterness on Miao Kong’s face.

“Bah ……!”

Zi Chen was speechless.

Wang Xiong did not find trouble with Zi Chen anymore, and the news of Zi Chen’s breakthrough was being spread. These days, Lin Xue came twice, and every time she left, Miao Kong roared at Zi Chen unceasingly, and then proceeded to teach tricks to pick up girls.

Regarding these tricks; Zi Chen listened and took some notes on how to push down a girl, how to embrace, or how to create a good atmosphere.

Several days later, the assessment of the inner sect disciples started vigorously.

At the exterior of the Ling Wu sect was a giant square, large enough to accommodate ten thousand people. Around the square, there were numerous outer sect disciples that did not have the qualifications to participate in the assessment. On the other hand, in the center of the square were several hundred qualified outer sect disciples.

Zi Chen stood among those hundreds of disciples with Miao Kong standing to his left, and Lin Xue to his right.

Everyone’s attention was turned to the stage.

They all calmly waited for the interior door to open and an elder to come out.

The inspector for the assessment was an inner sect elder.

All the elders of the Ling Wu sect were at the Xian Tian Realm and their strength was very strong. The strongest person was the great elder, who was at the Zhen Yuan Realm. When the patriarch wasn’t around, all matters of Ling Wu sect were decided by the great elder.

During the previous assessment, the great elder did not appear. Only some inner sect elder that managed the inner sect came. But today, the first one that appeared was an old man that had a big scarlet robe, white hair, a ruddy complexion, and eyes that were as sharp as  an eagle. He appeared on the stage in an obscure fashion, radiating a domineering pressure.

He was at the Zhen Yuan Realm.

This realm was even higher than the Xian Tian Realm, and its intimidating aura made the outer sect disciples gasp for breath.

“This is the aura of an expert from the Zhen Yuan Realm?” Feeling the pressure from this realm personally, Zi Chen’s heart was trembling. However, the pressure released by the figure that appeared in his mind was as strong as heaven and earth. Compared to the pressure from a regular Zhen Yuan realm cultivator, one couldn’t even tell how many times the former was stronger.

“Great elder actually appeared for the assessment this time.”

“Oh my god, great elder is in charge of the core disciples, but he is actually participating in the assessment for inner sect disciples.”

“What’s the difference with the test this time that would cause for him to appear?”

The atmosphere in the crowd became even more tense and the sound of discussion resounded unceasingly.

A great elder was enough to overpower all the normal elders, therefore the audience was shocked. The rest of the elders made their appearance but it paled in comparison.

Numerous scarlet robed elders appeared on the stage next to the great elder. With a light swing of his hand, the great elder standing in between silenced the crowd instantly.

“The inner sect assessment that occurs every two years begins once again.” The vigorous and powerful voice of the great elder resounded throughout the square. “But there’s a slight change in the test this time compared to the previous one…”

The great elder’s voice had not even died down before the crowd bustled with noise, resuming their discussions once more.

“Difference? What is different?”

“Did the rules change?”

“Silence.”

The great elder’s voice spreaded to everyone’s ear as the gigantic plaza became silent again.

“The rules haven’t changed, there are still two parts to it. The first round will be a test of strength while the second round will test your battle prowess. This process will remain the same. What has changed is the reward.”

Everyone’s ears perked up, apparently seeming extremely concerned about the reward.

“In the past, first place of the second round would obtain two Zhen Qi pills and a rank two martial technique. Second place would receive one Zhen Qi pills and a rank two martial technique. And the remainder till the tenth place would receive a rank two class martial technique as well. Regarding this year’s changes, the person who gets first place will obtain five Zhen Qi pills and, furthermore, will get a rank one martial technique. Second place will get three Zhen Qi pills and a rank two martial technique. Third place, two Zhen Qi pills and a rank two martial technique. Fourth place, one Zhen Qi pill …..”

The rewards for first place had been more than doubled, in addition you also get a rank one martial technique.

The great elder did not wait for the the crowd to respond and said, “In addition, there is a change to the highest reward. The several elders and I have discussed and decided that we will pick a disciple with the highest potential among the disciples who enter the inner sect and allow that disciple to directly become a core disciple.”

“WOAH!”

When his words fell, the crowd went into an uproar for quite a while before calming down.

In the Ling Wu sect, the one who enjoyed the highest treatment was the core disciple. For an outer sect disciple to become a core disciple? They would never dare to dream of it. Even numerous inner sect disciples were breaking their heads trying to get in that place.

Even for Wang Xiong, his ultimate goal and reason for getting Zi Chen’s 500 year old Snow Ginseng was to become a core disciple there.

It can be said that becoming a core disciple was the ultimate dream of every single disciple from the Ling Wu sect. Before, this test was simply a way to enter the inner sect. And now, they could attempt to become a core disciple.

This time, there will actually be a single spot being given to one of the outer sect disciples. In other words, among the thousands of people here, there will be one person that will become a core disciple, high and above the others. This can only be described as reaching the sky within a single step.

“I will become a core disciple.” An azure clothed youth clenched his fists as a glowing light filled his eyes.

“Idiot, keep dreaming.” Some nearby disciples jeered.

“Becoming a core disciple, this privilege will be mine.” Another youth spoke, his eyes were filled with fanaticism.

At this moment, all of the disciples’ eyes radiated with the same glow.

Whether it was Wang Xiong, Miao Kong, Zi Chen or Lin Xue, it was their collective dream to enter the core.

A surge of fighting spirit rose from the center of the square. However, low sighs could be heard outside the square. The rewards of this year’s assessment was too valuable, but it was unfortunate that they did not have the qualifications to participate.

“Good, very good. The future of Ling Wu sect will depend on all of you.” Feeling the fighting spirit rising below, the great elder gave a nod of satisfaction.

“Now, the first round of the test will begin. If all of you have the required strength, you will be considered an inner sect disciple from then on.”

With the fall of his voice, another inner sect assessment had begun.

Rather than the brutal selection of the second round, the first round of this test was relatively easy. It only judged whether their individual strength had reached the fifth Zhen Qi layer.