Rules

"All passed..."

"Sure enough, what my uncle said was right—the hardest part is still the quota issue."

"Just Living Stakes, nothing to be proud of."

Before the wooden stakes, Shi Zhong and the others, now fully dressed in Lingyun Fist Manor attire, murmured among themselves.

Things had gone more smoothly than they had imagined.

Aside from the youth who hadn't mounted the stake at the start, nearly everyone who had ascended had passed the assessment.

Among the crowd, Lin Yin's expression remained calm, his gaze fixed on the unfamiliar disciple rapidly approaching from outside the courtyard.

"Alright, since you've entered the Fist Manor, you are now Fist Manor disciples. As disciples, there are a few things I must make clear to you."

This newcomer wore a green robe, his features proper, appearing far more approachable than the Leading Disciple from before. He called out now.

His voice, though not loud, carried a certain authority, instantly silencing Shi Zhong and the others, who had been showing some excitement moments earlier.

"From now on, your task is to cultivate the Cloud Settling Stake Technique. This will determine your future path in martial arts."

Hearing "future path in martial arts," Shi Zhong and the others exchanged glances, an involuntary fervor spreading across their faces.

Some among them had long known the assessment content was the Cloud Settling Stake Technique, and their expressions now brimmed with excitement. Those who hadn't known wore looks of zeal, suddenly taking the earlier routine very seriously.

Seeing the lively atmosphere, the Green-Robed Man's voice suddenly turned heavy.

"The Cloud Settling Stake Technique is a superior stake technique of the Lingyun Martial Arts School, profound and unfathomable, worthy of a lifetime of practice. But remember—under no circumstances may it be passed on to outsiders!

If discovered, a Martial Arts Instructor from the school will personally act. Even if you take it to the Yamen, you'll have no recourse!"

For a moment, Shi Zhong and the others held their breath.

They all understood that these words, though calm on the surface, concealed a deadly edge.

Techniques must not be passed on!

Especially the Cultivation Manuals of martial arts schools. To prevent rivals from studying their forms and countering them, every school enforced the strictest control over their own arts.

The Tiancong Kingdom flourished in martial arts, vast in land and resources, yet there had never been a widespread leakage of martial techniques among the people. This was no accident.

When a Martial Arts Instructor acted, it was to cleanse the sect—the terror of which was beyond outsiders' comprehension.

The crowd held their breath, responding in subdued voices.

His gaze sweeping the circle, the disciple nodded only after confirming everyone had taken his words to heart, the tension on his face easing slightly.

"During this period, you must practice the stake technique as much as possible. Even if you ultimately fail to enter the gate, it will still temper your Qi and Blood!

In half a month, senior brothers and sisters from the Inner Court will come to select. If you become their Living Stakes, it will greatly benefit your martial progress."

"Now... find your own spots to train. If you have questions, feel free to ask me anytime."

"Senior Brother..."

Shi Zhong stepped forward, cupping his fists, and offered a deep thanks.

Behind him, Wan Qing, Lin Yin, and the others also bowed with clasped hands.

"My name is Xu Chang. Just call me Senior Brother Xu."

Xu Chang's expression and tone softened slightly as he returned the gesture.

"From now on, we're one family. If you have any questions, you can come to me... or to Senior Brother Li."

Xu Chang paused, adding a supplementary note.

"Senior Brother Li is gentle-natured and always answers questions from junior brothers and sisters."

"Senior Brother Li... is that the senior brother who demonstrated the stake techniques earlier?"

Wan Qing, who had seemed somewhat nervous before, now glowed with excitement. Having entered the martial arts school, he was brimming with enthusiasm, so he couldn't help but boldly ask.

"Exactly. He is the Senior Disciple Brother of our Lingyun Martial Arts School. Trust me—if you can gain some guidance from him, the benefit to your martial path will be far from trivial."

"Senior Disciple Brother..."

Shi Zhong, Wan Qing, and the others showed reverence on their faces.

To become the Senior Disciple Brother of a martial arts school meant a martial realm so profound that they, mere Living Stake disciples, could only gaze up in awe.

"Alright, your time is limited. Go train now!"

Looking at these excited junior brothers before him, Xu Chang shook his head with a light laugh, urging them to start practicing.

As he was about to leave, he seemed to recall something.

"Oh, and if anyone comes looking for you to be their Living Stake in the next few days—if they're New Disciples of the school, agree to it. But if they're older senior brothers or sisters, remember... it's best to decline."

At this, Xu Chang's expression grew somewhat grave as he emphasized the point repeatedly.

Shi Zhong, Wan Qing, and the others, caught up in their excitement, nodded repeatedly, though how much of the deeper meaning they absorbed was unclear.

Among the crowd, Lin Yin wore a contemplative look. Only after Xu Chang had gone did he walk alone to a wooden stake and slowly begin to climb.

The movements appeared unfamiliar, yet unhurried, instantly snapping Shi Zhong and the others back to reality from their excitement.

Watching Lin Yin, who had already Ascended Stake and was earnestly mimicking the motions with some skill, their expressions shifted sharply.

The camaraderie and laughter from moments ago vanished, replaced by a sense of urgency.

They scattered, each climbing onto their own stakes and beginning to practice with loud grunts, whether to display their Aura or deliberately "disturb" others was unclear.

In a sense, they were now in competition with each other.

At the center of Fist Manor stood a Three-Story Pavilion, whose top floor offered an easy view of the Boxing Ground, Staking Ground, Training Ground, Dining Hall, and other areas.

At this moment, a group of young figures appeared in what should have been a quiet place.

"Ha, another batch of junior disciples has arrived."

A clear voice broke the silence as a young man in a long robe, his face carrying a warm smile, gazed curiously at the Staking Ground, clearly drawn by the lively atmosphere.

"Junior disciples? They're just Living Stakes. Senior Brother Li thinks too highly of them."

Among the group, someone responded with a sneer, his tone far from polite. If Lin Yin and the others were present, they would recognize him as the one who had mocked them earlier.

"Junior Brother Wan, you shouldn't say that. They may be Living Stakes, but they're still registered disciples of our Lingyun Martial Arts School, practicing the Cloud Settling Stake Technique!"

The young man in the Green Robe frowned as he spoke.

"At the very least, there's a promising seedling among this batch of disciples. I heard he's a Hunter's Son, who managed to master an advanced stake technique on his own and has already been taken away by Martial Uncle."

"Tsk... to have caught Martial Uncle's attention, that talent..."

The group exchanged glances, and a few showed interest, pressing the young man in the Green Robe for more details about this person's background.

Seeing the crowd gathered around him, Wan Li's expression shifted, a look of displeasure crossing his face.

"Junior Brother Wan, now that you've reached Bright Strength, you should also pick your own Living Stakes. I think you could occasionally go down and guide those junior disciples, leave a good impression."

At someone's sudden suggestion, Wan Li immediately showed disdain.

"Guide them? They might spend their entire lives unable to even grasp the basics of stake practice. Having me guide them would be a waste of my time."

"Well... that may be true, but there are capable ones among them, perhaps..."

"Enough, Senior Brother, I understand your meaning. My Wan Family certainly needs to build ties with new Martial Artists, but I won't stoop to choosing these Living Stakes. That Hunter's Son is worth my attention, but the rest... hah..."

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