The entire class left the Education Hall and went to the Arena. Which of course is the big elevated square at the end of the Central Platform. Two massive monument slabs stand at the entrance. Massive as in the size is comparable to at least ten story tall buildings, from my perspective. Which means it should be larger for normal people. The left one being the rankings of the Inner Disciples, which are numbered 156. To my surprise I am not the last one on the list, must be because I am here first before the latest batch of those promoted to Inner Disciples when I went to the Grand Library. The right one being the rankings of the Outer Disciples, of which there are more than two thousands. The outer disciples of the class are looking in awe, or are looking for their names.
With the entire class of the new batch of outer disciples, led by Elder Yinyue herself, of course it gathers plenty of attention. Many Outer Disciples tagging along for the show. While there are already those spectating the ongoing fight within the arena, most of which are Inner Disciples. Which is just finished. A tall man with a sword in his hand standing unscathed while his opponent is bleeding all over.
“The winner is Wèndào (問道|Inquiring of the Dao).” And of course, it is Baldy Tianjiao that is present as the referee, why is he everywhere?
This Wendao simply cupped his hand and bowed before leaving the arena. His name rises through the ranks, breaking into the top 50. Only then do the attention of all within the arena move to the arrival of this many group of disciples. Tianjiao scans the group, then our eyes meet. Immediately he grins, as if already knowing that this mess is because of me.
“Elder Yinyue, why do you bring this many groups of Outer Disciples? I believe the first fight for the rankings is scheduled for later.” Tianjiao fetching plenty of snacks from somewhere as he addresses Elder Yinyue
“I apologize for the change in schedule. But one of the outer disciples challenged an inner disciple in my class. While this is not forbidden, I’m sure—”
“Wheeze hehehhhh. Hahaha,” Her words are interrupted by Tianjiao wheezing laugh, slapping his knees, then wheezing and laughing some more, “Ehem, I’m sorry. What were you about to say?”
“I’m sure this will be a very important lesson for the disciples present.” Elder Yinyue simply continues her word without much change in emotion
‘What did you do boy? You want to kill someone?’ Tianjiao asks using telepathy
‘I don’t know. I’m more surprised he challenged me. I don’t even know what his problem was.’ I answer
‘He doesn't know your name, does he?’
‘Ye. You know one of these days I’m going to force someone to tell me what’s all the fuss about.’
‘Good luck with that. Oh, and don’t worry. This sort of thing happens once in a while, you don’t need to worry if you kill him.’
‘What was that supposed to mean?’ But he didn’t answer and cut off the telepathy
“Challengers enter the arena!” Tianjiao shouts
This Ye Guxuan strides with confidence as he walks first to the arena. I trail along behind him.
“Who’s the fool that challenged an inner disciple when he’s still a Qi Refining?”
“You idiot, he is Ye Guxuan, from the noble Ye family. Everyone knows who he is and how the Ye family always produces powerful sword cultivators.”
“This is his first week in the sect? The son of the Ye family is truly bold.”
“He’s already at the peak ninth level of Qi Refining of his age? If he wins then he will become a one in a thousand prodigy that can beat a cultivator one stage above his level too.”
Such is the conversation between the gathered outer disciples. Curious, I sent out my divine sense discreetly to the gathered inner disciples.
“That outer disciple boy is going to die.”
“I bet he’s going to die. You want to bet on that?”
“Sure, 10 spirit stones if he doesn’t die.”
“Deal, anyone else?”
“Here here.”
“There’s still a chance this outer disciple is one in a thousand prodigy that can beat a cultivator a stage above him.”
“A chance does not mean certainty. I bet 20 he’s going to die.”
The difference is night and day. While the outer disciples are going on and on about noble family and boldness or whatnot. The inner disciples act like hooligans. Which to be honest I prefer more. Certainly more honest than whatever this talk about pedigree or whatnot. But most importantly,
‘Can I join this bet?’ I made a telepathy on the one that is betting that he doesn’t die
‘You are the one fighting right? Sure, how much do you bet?’
‘10 for me not killing him.’
‘Shouldn’t it be easier for you to kill him?’
‘Yea, but I don’t wanna kill anyone yet so I try to.’
‘Noted.’
Ah, gambling. Now, what are these spirit stones? I have no idea other than maybe it is some form of currenty. Do I have it? No, but I’m sure the old man can spare 10 just in case. So now I move to the address of the elephant in the room.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask this Ye Guxuan as we finally reached the Arena
“I am.”
“Why though?”
“For the prestige and dignity of the path to immortality. Which my father would say that fools like you do not deserve.” He answered after a sigh
“Alright whatever. Just in case I accidentally killed you, what do you want me to tell your family?” Immediately his anger flooded his entire emotional halo in red
“Ye Guxuan.” He said, cupping his hand then drawing his ornate sword
“Oh well. Xuan Danxing” I cupped my hands too
Immediately there’s a loud OOOooo from the group of inner disciples. The betting became more feverish immediately as soon as I introduced myself.
“Xuan? Never heard of you!” Ye Guxuan frowns as my name elicit more reaction than his
“Wow, that makes it two of us. Everyone else seems to know and is not willing to tell me.”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Shut it!” His anger flared again, taking my words as a mockery no doubt
Immediately he lounges with his sword. But for me, used to Senior Sister Zhaoxia’s speed, he is incredibly slow. I take the time to think on how to not kill him. I don’t know how sturdy a Qi Refining cultivator can be, but let’s assume he can still be killed by guns. I know for certain that Zhaoxia is an outlier because she is Body Tempering or something, which this Guxuan isn’t. But using a 1911 which clearly does not use 10mm bullets in my hands might shoot off his limbs entirely and can still kill him. Thinking of an alternative, an idea came to mind. I snap my finger. Immediately a truck appears directly from his side. Already moving at around 90 kmph (around 60mph or maybe less), within the boundary of safety regulation.
Now before I continue, this is not the neutered flat nosed trucks of Europe and Japan. This is a truck made for intercontinental travel. The 16 wheelers. The Optimus Prime…
In addition to that,
The truck is scaled to Danxing’s current stature due to his memories changed to adapt his new body, which made it almost three times bigger.
Unstoppable force meets a very movable object with a very loud BANG! Ye Guxuan then sent cartwheeling off the ground. Landing with a loud thud and a loud crack of his bones. Sprawled on the ground and not rising anytime soon.
“ROADKILLL!” I shouts
Immediately embarrassed as I do it out of habit from games I played. Looks like I got too excited with my first real fight in this world. I need to control this, as I am no longer in the online lobby and someone can surely come and punch me.
“Oh fuck!” Then I remember the bet on not killing him
Guxuan groans in wheezing pain, as he struggles to get up. Pulling out a vial out of nowhere and gulping some pill. Immediately his wounds start knitting itself.
“You need some help?” I offer my hand but he slap it away
Standing with a limp and walking away limping. His halo turned from red to pitch black. Oh well, that is new. Guess he hates me for life now. What a sore loser.
“The winner is Danxing.” Tianjiao preside over the expected outcome
Then loud no erupts from the group of inner disciples. As well as a few cheers. Ah gambling. I left the arena and went to collect my earnings. Ignoring all the whispers and how the outer disciples parted to make way.
“Here’s your share.” The inner disciple that bets me not killing this Guxuan give me a ring
What the hell is this? I picked the ring. Is this thing worth plenty of these spirit stones? I detect a faint Qi from the ring. Probing it with my divine sense, then I see a pile of these bluish spirit stones. A total of 315. Oh, so this is like a dimensional bag. This explains how Guxuan pulls a vial out of nowhere or Tianjiao with his snacks. Neat!
“How do I get so many?” Last I heard, the bets are only in tens and twenties
“Oh, as soon as you introduce your name, others start betting in the hundreds. One bet a thousand that you will kill this Ye boy. Haha! Easy money for us. Oh, and I see that you don’t have a storage ring yet so I already deduct 100 spirit stones from your share.” He explains
“I see that gambling doesn’t change much in this world.”
“I pray that it never does. Oh and this might be late. But I am Cāng Wújí (蒼無極|Boundless blue sky), courtesy name Huìrán (惠然|Gentle and Agreeable).” He introduces himself
“I am Xuan Danxing.” I introduce myself too
“Well, if you need someone painted, just look for me.” He then said with a wink before leaving
I took note of this Huiran. He’s a bit taller than the rest of the inner disciple. A bit stockier too. Is he a body tempering cultivator too perhaps? What does he mean if I need someone painted though? Then, elder Yinyue arrived at my side.
“I’m sure this will be very educational for the rest of the disciples. Thank you for being merciful. Now, would you like to join me in my parlor?” To her invitation, more whispers immediately starts
“Eh sure why not.”
—
Elder Yinyue poured me a cup of tea. I picked it up, which is small enough to be lifted with just two fingers. She raised hers and I followed her example. Then we drink.
“So, why exactly are you inviting me here?” I ask as I put the cup down on the table
Noting that I need a bigger cup. The parlor is quite a cozy place. Located on the only second floor of the education hall. We sat on the balcony, I projected my own chair as of course there’s nothing that fits my size here too.
“This should be an extra lesson for you. Elder Luochen has notified me of your… inexperience and asks me to tutor you the very basics. But then you already ask what needs to be asked.” She explains, putting down her cup
“Hold on, is that why you are so ready to answer my so-called ‘inane questions’?” Borrowing this Ye Guxuan words on my questions
“Yes. But then again, you are not as passive as Elder Luochen said, which is better. Like an artist with their art, I’m not sure if I can explain more astutely the relation between a cultivator and their Dao.” She commends me, taking notes herself in her book she pulls out from her storage ring
“Now then, as I already promised my time, so here we are. If you still have any questions, you may ask it now. Or… we could just pass the time.” She then pours herself more tea
Fuck! I am stupid. No wait, Qingfeng said nothing about this. Maybe it's just the old man’s way of making sure. It's true that I have been quite passive so far. I need to rectify this I guess. I am no longer contained in the insane limbo of jobseeking and isolation. So I try to think of what I want to ask more.
“This war, between our world and Fanxuan, who won?” I ask as I don’t remember she specify
“We lost,” She answers after putting down her cup, “Back then, the entire Xiaxuan world was unified under the Great Xia Empire. The reigning emperor at the time, wants to secure the Realm gate and move it to this world. The war is… messy. Faction blocks vying for glory and share of the loot before any battle commences.”
“Sounds rough.”
“Indeed. I was young enough to be spared the fate.”
“Wait, you were there?” I interrupt and asks to which she nods
Oh right, people cultivate for immortality here. No need to be surprised if a lady that barely looks thirty is over three hundred years.
“Hmmm, you are Elder Luochen’s adopted son, so you can know this much. Have you noticed Elder Tianjiao… seemingly everywhere?” She suddenly asks
“Yes. Why though?”
“Its related to our sect’s rise to prominence. Which is true but somewhat a lie. Before the war, we didn't have any Nascent Soul elder as I have told you, our world being a mortal world essentially made it almost impossible to reach that stage. Still possible but impossibly hard. But we have plenty of Golden Core elders. Then the war happens and from 12 elders, only 3 left. We are even at the risk of being annexed by another sect. Then suddenly, the sect leader returns, with Elder Luochen in tow. For the first time in half millennia, our sect finally has a Nascent Soul elder again. Then sometime later, Elder Tianjiao also joins.” Elder Yinyue explains in a strained voice, her halo turned deep blue in grief
“So the two most powerful elders are not from the sect?” I noted
“Yes. Even the sect leader is not a Nascent Soul. Elder Luochen takes the seat of the Vital Essence Peak while Elder Luochen fills in all the empty elder positions until we have more Golden Core cultivators.” She explains why Tianjiao is practically everywhere
“Back to the war, the new Emperor of Xia finally ends the war by admitting defeat after 25 years of war. We already spent so many resources in the war, the defeat means that we spent all of it in vain. Fanxuan does not have the numbers to occupy this world, so they settle with quite hefty reparations and turning the name of our world to another. Xiaxuan, before, the Xia means Summer (夏) but they demand it to be changed to Xia that means lower (下). The end of the war also broke the world into two empires. West Xia, the remnant of the old empire and Xiān Empire (仙) here in the east. Because of the factional conflict.” She finished explaining, the tea in her cup is now cold
“Damn.” I took note of her story
There is still the question of what I will aspire to do here. So maybe filling in one of these elder positions is an acceptable goal for now. Maybe. I still don’t know how to advance using this enlightenment.
“Thank you for sharing this. Moving on, it would seem like this Arhat path is the best suited for me after much discussion with the old man. Any idea on how to proceed?” I thank her and moving on to another topic
“Hmmm. Arhat path is a branch of buddhist cultivation. I don’t think I am well versed in this to casually offer advice, but there should be a book about it somewhere. I will send it to you when I find it. Any other questions?”
“Ah yes. It's about my surname, which is Xuan. What does it mean?” I try to ask
“Elder Luochen haven’t told you?”
“Nope.”
“Then I will not overstep my boundaries.” Elder Yinyue finally pick up her cup
Oh come on. What is so difficult about just telling me? Looks like I really need to ask the old man properly.
“One more thing, what does it mean by having someone painted?” Elder Yinyue immediately spurt out the tea in her mouth
“Where did you hear that!? Is it Huiran?” She asks in anger
“Maybe.”
“It's him, no doubt about it. If you see him doing anything suspicious, immediately report him to the nearest enforcement hall disciple.”
“Um, alright.”
