Chapter 34 – Training
With his chanting reaching the ninth layer, Wang Lin was able to resume his cultivation. He returned to his solitary lifestyle, while heavy tension enveloped the Heng Yue Sect.
All the inner sect disciples are preparing for the competition. If they can reach the top, they will be awarded magical treasures, pills, talismans, spirit stones, and more.
What made their eyes green with envy was that this time, the sect took out one of its great treasures, the Two Moon Ring, as a prize for the first place winner.
This Two Moon Ring belonged to a sect elder from 300 years ago. It contains immense defensive power.
Therefore all the disciples secretly prepared their strength.
As for the newcomer competition, because there were only a handful of new inner disciples, everyone predicted that the winner of the newcomer competition would be Wang Zhuo.
As for the honorary disciples, they were becoming increasingly hostile towards each other. The competition to become inner disciples was a life-changing opportunity for them. Everyone was secretly preparing for it.
This tense atmosphere had nothing to do with Wang Lin. Besides cultivating, he was also practicing his attention-getting techniques. The day before the end of the month, he left the errand house and headed straight for the main courtyard.
The technique to conceal his cultivation level was activated. The spiritual energy within his body quickly disguised itself to the first layer of Qi Condensation.
He felt that the people in the duty house were too annoying and prevented him from cultivating well, so he found an excuse to go to a quiet place to cultivate.
After arriving at the main courtyard, he stepped inside. A moment later, he stepped in front of Sun Dazhu’s herb garden and respectfully said, “Disciple Wang Lin requests to see Master.”
“Why are you here?” The gate of the herb garden didn’t open. It seemed Sun Dazhu really didn’t like this disciple.
Wang Lin’s expression remained normal. He said respectfully, “Disciple’s cultivation is too low, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to win the competition and lose teacher’s face, so I’d like to refrain from participating.”
Sun Dazhu sneered, “Hmm, it seems you still have some self-awareness, you brat. Look at Elder Xu’s disciple, Wang Zhuo. He’s so young, yet he’s already at the peak of the first layer, and could enter the second layer at any time. Even if you go, it’ll be useless. Others could kill you with their fingers. I even heard you’re brothers. How can there be such a big difference?”
Wang Lin didn’t care and said, “Wang Zhuo has been intelligent since he was young, and he is indeed talented. He is not someone this disciple can compete with.”
Sun Dazhu pondered for a moment and asked, “Have you found more gourds in the past half year?”
Wang Lin shook his head, revealing a helpless expression, and said, “This is really strange. I’ve been to the mountain several times, but I haven’t seen a gourd.”
Sun Dazhu said coldly, “Do you have anything else to say? If not, then leave. Every time I see you, I get angry!” Every time he looked at Wang Lin, he couldn’t contain his anger. He wished he could kill Wang Lin with just one hand so that others wouldn’t laugh at him.
Wang Lin bowed and said respectfully, “Master, this disciple is really bored of living in the mountains and wants to leave until after the new year. What do you think?”
Sun Dazhu refused and said, “Leave the mountain? You can’t. I almost forgot until you mentioned it, but in four years, there will be an inter-sect competition. This time, the sect head has already ordered that after the new year, most of the core disciples will undergo intensive closed-door training. You should leave so as not to tarnish my reputation in the intersectional competition.”
“Intensive training?” Wang Lin was stunned.
“Every 20 years, there’s a competition between the sects. That’s been the rule for hundreds of years. Although the Xuan Dao Sect is on friendly terms with the Heng Yue Sect on the surface, we secretly have many differences. For the past 100 years, we’ve always lost to them, which is extremely humiliating. That’s why there will be this intensive training. Listen carefully. If after four years you haven’t made any progress and cause me to lose face during the competition, I will kick you out of the Heng Yue Sect no matter what!” After saying that, Sun Dazhu didn’t explain any further.
Wang Lin sighed silently. It seemed like training outside the sect was impossible. Seeing Sun Dazhu’s unfriendly tone, he nodded and left.
After returning to the errand house, Wang Lin pondered for a moment. Since he couldn’t train outside the sect, let’s use this intensive training to cultivate well.
The next day, the competition began. The atmosphere was very lively. Wang Lin didn’t participate. He used this time to cultivate and strengthen his foundation in the second layer.
In the next few days, Wang Lin learned from the gossip of the honorary disciples that among the inner disciples, apprentice-brother Zhang had gotten first place, but that was because no purple-ranked disciples had participated.
As for Wang Zhuo, he unexpectedly became the king among the new disciples. He became increasingly arrogant and no longer considered disciples of his own age to be on his level.
A week later, in the morning, the bells rang throughout the sect. The bells rang five times, signaling that all core disciples should immediately gather outside the main hall.
Wang Lin couldn’t hear the bell from within the dream space. It wasn’t until an angry Sun Dazhu kicked open the door of the task house and woke him up. He immediately put away the beads and opened the door of the secret training room, only to see Sun Dazhu’s furious face, shouting, “Wang Lin, are you deaf? Didn’t you hear the bell? You bastard! All the inner disciples participating in the intensive training are there except you! You’ve made me lose face in front of my senior apprentice! You… you’ve made me so angry!”
Wang Lin raised his eyebrows and remained silent.
Sun Dazhu glared at Wang Lin. He knew this wasn’t the time to scold his disciple, as the headmaster and his brothers were already waiting. Without a word, he grabbed Wang Lin and stepped onto the seven-colored cloud, flying into the sky.
At high speed, they arrived in front of the main hall. Sun Dazhu mercilessly threw Wang Lin to the ground. Sun Dazhu said, in a low whisper, “Wang Lin, follow me in. If you make me lose face again, I will violate the sect rules and kill you!” Sun Dazhu’s final words were filled with killing intent. He had had enough of this disciple. He then decided that he had to find an excuse to kick his disciple out of the sect.
Wang Lin rubbed his shoulder. If he hadn’t reached the second layer of Qi Condensation, that fall would have definitely broken his arm. He lowered his head and whispered, “Disciple obeys.”
Sun Dazhu snorted. He straightened his clothes and walked into the main hall. Wang Lin took a deep breath and held back his anger as he walked into the hall.
The main hall of the Heng Yue Sect was the most magnificent place within the sect. The hall was vast and housed dozens of sect sages. The entire hall was filled with a sense of awe.
After Wang Lin followed Sun Dazhu into the hall, dozens of gazes suddenly focused on him. He struggled to breathe and immediately lowered his head.