Third: Choosing a Sect

"The second test: actual combat."

Zhao Tieshan pointed at the ten rings in the center of the square.

"Pair off and spar. Those who perform well may earn a sect's favor. Draw lots now to determine your opponents."

Lin Ye drew ring number three. His opponent was a tall, thin youth at the third level of Body Tempering, named Wang Hu.

"Lin Ye, sorry about this."

Wang Hu grinned. "We don't have any personal beef, but I can't afford to lose this match."

Lin Ye nodded. "I understand."

The two climbed onto the ring.

A crowd had gathered below. Zhou Ming was among them, arms crossed, wearing an expectant look.

"Begin!"

Zhao Tieshan gave the order.

Wang Hu let out a low shout and struck first.

He had also trained in the first three forms of the Basic Fist Manual, and threw a punch straight at Lin Ye's face.

Lin Ye slipped aside, his gaze calm.

In his eyes, Wang Hu's fistwork was riddled with openings.

Not wanting to reveal too much too soon, he merely toyed with him.

He deliberately left openings, letting Wang Hu nearly land a hit several times, drawing gasp after gasp from the spectators.

"So he really is a good-for-nothing."

Zhou Ming sneered aloud.

On the ring, Lin Ye reckoned enough time had passed. He found an opening and slammed a "Mountain Crushing Force" into Wang Hu's chest.

"Bang!"

Wang Hu staggered back three steps and fell to a seated position, his face pale.

"Lin Ye wins!"

Zhao Tieshan announced the result.

Lin Ye helped Wang Hu up and said quietly, "You were generous."

Wang Hu smiled wryly. "That punch just now—you held back."

Lin Ye smiled but didn't answer.

In the matches that followed, he used the same approach each time, winning every bout by a hair and advancing to the next round.

The jeers from the crowd gradually died down.

"This kid knows a thing or two."

On the raised platform, the red-robed beauty from the Chiyan Sect arched a brow.

"He just got lucky."

The black-robed middle-aged man from Heishui Fortress snorted.

Only the Qingyun Sect elder gave Lin Ye a glance.

The matches continued.

Lin Ye seemed to be in danger at every turn, but he advanced with steady, solid steps, forcing his way into the top ten.

Zhou Ming, meanwhile, advanced with ease thanks to his cultivation at the fourth level of Body Tempering.

"The final round: the top ten will compete for ranking."

Zhao Tieshan's voice rang out again.

"The rules are simple. Two contestants fight. The winner advances, and the loser is eliminated. Draw lots now."

Lin Ye drew lot number two.

His opponent was one of the favorites to take first place in this examination.

"It's over. Lin Ye's luck has finally run out."

"Li Yan's at the fifth level of Body Tempering, and he's mastered the Kaishan Palm. Last time, he even smashed the wooden training dummy at the martial arts school."

"Making the top ten is already impressive. He's only at the third level of Body Tempering, after all!"

Lin Ye's expression remained calm as he stepped onto the ring.

Li Yan was waiting there. He stood a head taller than Lin Ye, his muscles knotted across his body.

"Getting into the top ten was a stroke of luck, Lin Ye."

Li Yan spoke in a deep, rumbling voice. "But this is as far as you go. Admit defeat yourself, and spare yourself an injury."

Lin Ye shook his head. "Please, show me what you've got."

Li Yan frowned. "Then don't blame me."

The moment he finished speaking, he strode forward, shaking the ring beneath his feet.

"Kaishan Palm!"

His palm came crashing down, its wind howling, carrying the faint force of splitting mountains and shattering stone.

I can't take that head-on.

Lin Ye's gaze sharpened.

His footwork shifted, and his body slid away like a darting fish.

"Huh?"

Li Yan's palm struck empty air, and he paused in surprise.

He hadn't expected Lin Ye to dodge.

"Again!"

Li Yan growled and unleashed a rapid succession of palm strikes. Layer upon layer of shadows sealed off every escape route.

This time, Lin Ye didn't dodge.

He drew a deep breath, lowered his stance, and slowly pulled his right fist back to his waist.

He began with the opening stance of "Mountain Crushing Force," then changed from "Mountain Crushing Force" to "Layered Wave Force," before shifting again to the fifth form he had derived: "Army Breaking Force."

"Ha!"

Lin Ye drove his fist forward.

Fist clashed against palm!

"Bang—!"

Li Yan reeled as if struck by a sledgehammer. He stumbled back three steps, his blood and qi surging.

Lin Ye retreated only one step and stood firm.

The entire arena fell silent.

The third level of Body Tempering had met the fifth level head-on and held his ground?!

"This..."

Zhou Ming stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it.

On the raised platform, several sect representatives sat up straight.

"That punch just now..." A glint flashed in the Chiyan Sect beauty's eyes. "Three forms linked together, their force building on itself. This boy's understanding of fistwork..."

The black-robed middle-aged man also nodded slightly. "His cultivation is low, but his combat awareness is impressive."

Elder Xu finally opened his eyes fully. A trace of interest entered his gaze as he looked at Lin Ye.

On the ring, Li Yan shook out his numbed arm, his expression turning grave.

"I underestimated you."

He spoke in a low voice. "From here on, I'm giving it everything I've got."

Lin Ye said nothing. He merely assumed his stance.

"Mountain-Splitting Strike!"

Li Yan roared. His muscles bulged as he thrust out his palm. The force of it seemed almost tangible, and a piercing whistle split the air.

This was the killing move of the Kaishan Palm. It was said that, at its peak, it could split mountains and shatter stone.

Lin Ye's gaze sharpened.

He could only meet force with force.

His thoughts flashed like lightning. His blood and qi surged as he layered the power of "Mountain Crushing Force," "Layered Wave Force," and "Army Breaking Force" one atop another, finally fusing them into the sixth form he had derived: "Sun Piercing Force."

This form focused his strength into a single point. It was his strongest killing move at the moment.

"Come!"

Lin Ye charged forward instead of retreating and threw a punch.

Fist and palm crashed together!

"BOOM—!!"

Thunder cracked, and a wave of air swept up the dust.

When the dust settled, Lin Ye stood on the ring, blood at the corner of his mouth, his presence undiminished.

Li Yan crashed to the ground, utterly unable to fight on.

"I lost," Li Yan said bitterly.

"You were generous."

Lin Ye wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stepped down from the ring.

The crowd below was completely silent.

Everyone stared at the youth in plain clothes, their expressions complicated.

The third level of Body Tempering had defeated the fifth level across two levels?

"This young man belongs to the Chiyan Sect!" The red-robed beauty sprang to her feet.

"Bullshit. He belongs in Heishui Fortress!" The black-robed middle-aged man immediately challenged her.

The representatives from Tiejian Villa and Jindao Sect exchanged glances and smiled bitterly as they shook their heads. They knew a genius like this was beyond their reach.

Only Elder Xu of the Qingyun Sect still said nothing.

Zhao Tieshan took a deep breath and announced, "Lin Ye wins and advances to the top five."

Lin Ye won two more matches after that, ultimately placing third.

Zhou Ming took first. He was lucky enough to avoid anyone at the fifth level of Body Tempering, and with decent martial skills and an ordinary-grade longsword, he claimed the top spot.

"The examination is over."

Zhao Tieshan spoke clearly. "Now, the representatives of each sect may choose their disciples."

The beauty from the Chiyan Sect was the first to stand. She looked at Lin Ye. "Lin Ye, would you be willing to join my Chiyan Sect? I guarantee you'll enter as an inner disciple."

The black-robed middle-aged man stood as well. "Heishui Fortress can offer you the position of a core disciple. Take whatever cultivation methods and pills you want."

The crowd erupted.

An inner disciple! A core disciple!

For the youths of Qingshi Town, these were terms they could only dream of.

Everyone looked at Lin Ye, their eyes full of envy.

Zhou Ming clenched his teeth even harder. He had come first, and no one had even made him an offer!

Lin Ye fell silent.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the Qingyun Sect to speak.

Sure enough, Elder Xu of the Qingyun Sect slowly rose to his feet and looked at Lin Ye. "Would you be willing to join my Qingyun Sect?"

"Those who join my Qingyun Sect must start as outer disciples. If you fail to break through to the True Qi Realm within three years, you'll be expelled from the sect."

The crowd erupted again.

An outer disciple? And he had to break through to the True Qi Realm within three years?

Those terms were far worse than what the Chiyan Sect and Heishui Fortress had offered.

The Chiyan Sect beauty smiled. "Elder Xu, the Qingyun Sect's rules are too strict. Lin Ye, come to my Chiyan Sect. I guarantee you'll reach the True Qi Realm within five years."

The black-robed middle-aged man added, "Heishui Fortress can do the same."

Everyone assumed Lin Ye would choose the Chiyan Sect or Heishui Fortress.

But Lin Ye looked toward Elder Xu. "Does the Qingyun Sect have stronger cultivation methods?"

A note of approval flashed through Elder Xu's eyes. "The Qingyun Sect has three Profound-grade cultivation methods, nine Spirit-grade methods, and countless Mortal-grade methods. How many you can learn depends on your own ability."

Lin Ye drew a deep breath and clasped his hands, bowing.

"Disciple Lin Ye is willing to join the Qingyun Sect."

The entire arena fell silent.

Zhou Ming stared at Lin Ye as if he thought him a fool.

The Chiyan Sect beauty frowned. "Lin Ye, have you thought this through? An outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect doesn't get as good a deal as an inner disciple of the Chiyan Sect."

The black-robed middle-aged man asked as well, "Are you confident you can reach the True Qi Realm within three years?"

Lin Ye straightened, his gaze calm.

He had never wanted special treatment. He wanted stronger cultivation methods and a higher ceiling.

Only the Qingyun Sect was worthy of his ambition.

Elder Xu finally smiled. "Good. Come back to the sect with me in three days."

He paused, then looked at Zhou Ming and Chen Feng. "Would you two be willing to join the Qingyun Sect as outer disciples?"

Zhou Ming was overjoyed and nodded hastily. "Yes! I'm willing!"

Chen Feng clasped his hands. "I'm willing."

Elder Xu nodded and selected seven more youths who had performed well, bringing the total to ten. Then he chose no more.

The other sects also selected their own disciples.

"There will be even more cultivation methods at the Qingyun Sect."

A flicker of anticipation crossed Lin Ye's eyes. He looked at the string of conspicuous golden numbers, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint smile.

He had 201 points in hand.

Qingyun Sect, wait for me.