The three days quickly passed and it was finally the day of admission into the Martial House.
In the early morning, the new students gathered in the back mountains. A tall, tanned, topless, and red-haired man with black saber slung over his shoulder walked in front and observed the new students before saying, "Starting today, you lot have officially become disciples of the Seven Profound Martial House's Earth Hall! I am your teacher and my name is Hong Xi, but you may also call me Instructor Hong."
He then began his speech about how we shouldn't be easily tempted, how we shouldn't be complacent just because we're deemed 'geniuses', and how one's strength is the most important. Following which, he led us deeper into the back mountains.
In the back mountains, only a few buildings could be seen and the path along the way was dotted with lush grass, grand landscapes, ancient trees, and springs that that seemed to flow with life. It was a picturesque view and also showed the vast lands occupied by the Seven Profound Martial House, including the entire Zhou Mountain.
After walking for about a quarter hour, we reached a giant cliff with a height of several dozen feet. Its polished surface was smooth and shiny like a mirror, and densely engraved on it were over 200 names. The name at the top was as big as a bucket, Ling Sen.
I already knew what this was. This was the Seven Profound Martial House's Ranking Stone. My memories of this stone were vague, but Qin Xingxuan already told me what she knew about it.
As we arrived, Hong Xi verified, "You saw the cliff, but the truth is that it is just an illusion. The names above are constantly changing; this is the Seven Profound Martial House's Ranking Stone. The Ranking Stone has the names of everyone from the Earth Hall and the Heavenly Abode. Their names are all listed. There are over 200 individuals, these people are your fellow senior-apprentice brothers and senior-apprentice sisters."
I looked at the names from the top and followed downwards. From Ling Sen's name, the names gradually became smaller and written in lines, row after row. There were twenty rows in total.
Continuing to look, I saw a familiar name – Zhu Yan, rank 39.
After which, I ignored him. He was just a small fry in the end. I'll deal with him soon enough.
Near the end, I was pleasantly surprised to see my own name despite expecting it. However, no matter how I searched, I couldn't find her name, Qin Xingxuan. But I wasn't really surprised since I was already aware that core disciples were given different treatments.
Below my name was Wang Yanfeng, followed by Liang Tieshan and the rest of the twenty of them from the Earth Hall with the best results. The rest of the 53 new disciples belonged to the Human Hall and didn't qualify to be included since the Ranking Stone only showed the names of those in the Heavenly Abode and the Earth Hall, thus they were left behind.
Hong Xi then began another speech, this time an analogy of this trial as a cage of beasts and how the true talents would step on the others and climb higher, and whoever is the final one standing shall become the king of the beasts, "There is no strongest, only stronger. You either step on the corpses and crawl up someone or you face the cruel death and are trampled underneath everyone else. This is the truth!"
Each of Hong Xi's words hit the disciples like a steel ball, making their little hearts plummet into ice. The beast cage analogy immediately planted a strong sense of crisis within the disciples.
"Good. Here are 20 jade slips. Inside are the introductions to the rules and system of the Seven Profound Martial House. Your residence is arranged in the back mountains. Everything is written in the jade slip. You are all dismissed. Lessons officially begin tomorrow." Hong Xi waved his arms and twenty jade slips flew into the students' hands. Receiving one, I sunk my soul force and saw where my own residence was. The previous residence lent to us were actually for guests.
Just as I was about to head to my new residence, a loud voice called out, "Lin Ming!"
Turning my head, I saw a young man in white clothing gazing at me with a sullen look. It was Wang Yanfeng.
Clenching his teeth, he spoke in a cold tone, "That pill, did you eat it yet?"
I tilted my head in confusion, "What does that have to do with you?"
"I know that you haven't eaten it. That pill is strong and dangerous. With your medium third-grade talent, consuming that pill would a complete and total waste." He coldly said.
"Oh," I said dully, "Is that all?"
"No," Wang Yanfeng stopped beating around the bush, "I want to buy your Crimson Gold Dragon Marrow Pill."
"Hahaha," I suddenly laughed at such funny words, "It's not for sale. Even if it was, do you think I would sell it to you?"
"Don't reject it. Listen to my terms first." Wang Yanfeng said as he approached slightly and lowered his voice, "I can lend you a jade slip containing my family's handed down martial manual..."
"Woah, woah, woah," I held up my hands forward, "Hold your horses."
I can already tell what this guy was going to say next, so I couldn't even be bothered listening anymore. He wants to trade his garbage-tier manual with me? Ha!
"I have no interest in your offer," I said in disdain. But seeing Wang Yanfeng about to retort, I interrupted, "How about this, you be my lackey and I'll consider your offer?"
Wang Yanfeng's face was immediately colored with rage, "Lin Ming, do you even know who I am?!"
I answered carelessly, "No."
"You!" Wang Yanfeng got so angry, he began laughing with fury, "Good! Very good! With your inferior talent, you want me to be your lackey? You think that just because you managed to luck out on the seventh floor, you are so outstanding compared to me?!"
I shrugged, "Well, despite my 'inferior' talent, I reached the seventh floor of the Exquisite Pagoda, but what about you who have 'superior' talent? How far did you reach? Oh wait, wasn't it the fourth floor? Wow, that's very outstanding."
Wang Yanfeng blushed red like a tomato, "You... you..."
I shook my head helplessly and left afterward, ignoring Wang Yanfeng's indignant cursing. These 'geniuses' are really too arrogant, they don't know what's good for them!
The three days quickly passed and it was finally the day of admission into the Martial House.
In the early morning, the new students gathered in the back mountains. A tall, tanned, topless, and red-haired man with black saber slung over his shoulder walked in front and observed the new students before saying, "Starting today, you lot have officially become disciples of the Seven Profound Martial House's Earth Hall! I am your teacher and my name is Hong Xi, but you may also call me Instructor Hong."
He then began his speech about how we shouldn't be easily tempted, how we shouldn't be complacent just because we're deemed 'geniuses', and how one's strength is the most important. Following which, he led us deeper into the back mountains.
In the back mountains, only a few buildings could be seen and the path along the way was dotted with lush grass, grand landscapes, ancient trees, and springs that that seemed to flow with life. It was a picturesque view and also showed the vast lands occupied by the Seven Profound Martial House, including the entire Zhou Mountain.
After walking for about a quarter hour, we reached a giant cliff with a height of several dozen feet. Its polished surface was smooth and shiny like a mirror, and densely engraved on it were over 200 names. The name at the top was as big as a bucket, Ling Sen.
I already knew what this was. This was the Seven Profound Martial House's Ranking Stone. My memories of this stone were vague, but Qin Xingxuan already told me what she knew about it.
As we arrived, Hong Xi verified, "You saw the cliff, but the truth is that it is just an illusion. The names above are constantly changing; this is the Seven Profound Martial House's Ranking Stone. The Ranking Stone has the names of everyone from the Earth Hall and the Heavenly Abode. Their names are all listed. There are over 200 individuals, these people are your fellow senior-apprentice brothers and senior-apprentice sisters."
I looked at the names from the top and followed downwards. From Ling Sen's name, the names gradually became smaller and written in lines, row after row. There were twenty rows in total.
Continuing to look, I saw a familiar name – Zhu Yan, rank 39.
After which, I ignored him. He was just a small fry in the end. I'll deal with him soon enough.
Near the end, I was pleasantly surprised to see my own name despite expecting it. However, no matter how I searched, I couldn't find her name, Qin Xingxuan. But I wasn't really surprised since I was already aware that core disciples were given different treatments.
Below my name was Wang Yanfeng, followed by Liang Tieshan and the rest of the twenty of them from the Earth Hall with the best results. The rest of the 53 new disciples belonged to the Human Hall and didn't qualify to be included since the Ranking Stone only showed the names of those in the Heavenly Abode and the Earth Hall, thus they were left behind.
Hong Xi then began another speech, this time an analogy of this trial as a cage of beasts and how the true talents would step on the others and climb higher, and whoever is the final one standing shall become the king of the beasts, "There is no strongest, only stronger. You either step on the corpses and crawl up someone or you face the cruel death and are trampled underneath everyone else. This is the truth!"
Each of Hong Xi's words hit the disciples like a steel ball, making their little hearts plummet into ice. The beast cage analogy immediately planted a strong sense of crisis within the disciples.
"Good. Here are 20 jade slips. Inside are the introductions to the rules and system of the Seven Profound Martial House. Your residence is arranged in the back mountains. Everything is written in the jade slip. You are all dismissed. Lessons officially begin tomorrow." Hong Xi waved his arms and twenty jade slips flew into the students' hands. Receiving one, I sunk my soul force and saw where my own residence was. The previous residence lent to us were actually for guests.
Just as I was about to head to my new residence, a loud voice called out, "Lin Ming!"
Turning my head, I saw a young man in white clothing gazing at me with a sullen look. It was Wang Yanfeng.
Clenching his teeth, he spoke in a cold tone, "That pill, did you eat it yet?"
I tilted my head in confusion, "What does that have to do with you?"
"I know that you haven't eaten it. That pill is strong and dangerous. With your medium third-grade talent, consuming that pill would a complete and total waste." He coldly said.
"Oh," I said dully, "Is that all?"
"No," Wang Yanfeng stopped beating around the bush, "I want to buy your Crimson Gold Dragon Marrow Pill."
"Hahaha," I suddenly laughed at such funny words, "It's not for sale. Even if it was, do you think I would sell it to you?"
"Don't reject it. Listen to my terms first." Wang Yanfeng said as he approached slightly and lowered his voice, "I can lend you a jade slip containing my family's handed down martial manual..."
"Woah, woah, woah," I held up my hands forward, "Hold your horses."
I can already tell what this guy was going to say next, so I couldn't even be bothered listening anymore. He wants to trade his garbage-tier manual with me? Ha!
"I have no interest in your offer," I said in disdain. But seeing Wang Yanfeng about to retort, I interrupted, "How about this, you be my lackey and I'll consider your offer?"
Wang Yanfeng's face was immediately colored with rage, "Lin Ming, do you even know who I am?!"
I answered carelessly, "No."
"You!" Wang Yanfeng got so angry, he began laughing with fury, "Good! Very good! With your inferior talent, you want me to be your lackey? You think that just because you managed to luck out on the seventh floor, you are so outstanding compared to me?!"
I shrugged, "Well, despite my 'inferior' talent, I reached the seventh floor of the Exquisite Pagoda, but what about you who have 'superior' talent? How far did you reach? Oh wait, wasn't it the fourth floor? Wow, that's very outstanding."
Wang Yanfeng blushed red like a tomato, "You... you..."
I shook my head helplessly and left afterward, ignoring Wang Yanfeng's indignant cursing. These 'geniuses' are really too arrogant, they don't know what's good for them!
