One in Heaven, One on Earth.

One in the heavens, one beneath the earth. With a heart full of unease.

The fourth day began.

Lin Tian arrived at the Martial Academy very early.

And as Zhao Cang gave Xiao Tian guidance more and more frequently, the chatter within the courtyard gradually shifted toward him.

For Lin Tian, that was actually a welcome bit of peace.

After all, though he did not care about those people's voices, being constantly discussed by everyone—and most of it belittling him—

became irritating after hearing it too much.

Now, things were much better.

And just as Lin Tian finished one round of the Mountain-Shaking Fist, a voice immediately came from the side. "Lin Tian, today it's your turn to clean the stables."

As he spoke, Cao Wei at the side immediately flung a broom at Lin Tian.

With the support of his nearly perfected Mountain-Shaking Fist, Lin Tian easily caught the broom that had come out of nowhere.

Then he frowned slightly.

Just now, the broom had been aimed at him with the base of the handle first. It was called a throw, but it was more like it had been hurled.

And the force behind it had not been small.

If he had failed to catch it just now, and it had struck a weak spot like the back of his head, even if it did not draw blood, it definitely would not have felt good.

This man...

Lin Tian's eyes narrowed faintly.

From the moment he had entered the Martial Academy, the other party had been targeting him.

And he was still doing the same now.

What did he want?

Seeing Lin Tian staring at him, Cao Wei showed not the slightest intention of looking away.

After all, in his eyes, this Lin Tian had only been in the Martial Academy for four or five days.

With that frail, wind-could-blow-him-over appearance of his, could he really do anything to him?

And the reason he had acted that way just now was very simple.

Naturally, it was also to suppress Lin Tian and tame him like a hawk, to take Lin Tian under him and turn him into a loyal dog.

He had never once given up on that goal.

Of course, that move just now had also been extremely calculated.

Even if it hit, it would not bring him any trouble.

Only, what he had not expected was

that Lin Tian had actually dodged it?

Heh, this mud-legged peasant had a bit of luck after all.

Looking at Cao Wei standing before him with his arms folded, Lin Tian immediately said, "Senior Brother Cao, are you mistaken? Didn't I just clean the stables yesterday? Why is it still me today?"

The disciples within the Mortal Courtyard

all had to help their master with chores when they entered the Martial Academy to practice martial arts.

Such miscellaneous tasks as washing clothes and cooking

were done by each disciple in rotation.

Yesterday had been his turn.

But why was it still him today?

And it was even the most exhausting odd job—cleaning the stables?

As for Cao Wei before him, because he had gathered a small clique in this outer courtyard, he had quite a bit of prestige among the disciples, and no one dared resist him.

So Zhao Cang had given him a position where he could arrange labor.

And now, faced with Lin Tian's question, Cao Wei had not the slightest intention of answering.

He merely said coldly, "If I tell you to do it, then do it. Where did all this nonsense come from?"

After saying that, the other party had no intention of explaining at all.

He immediately turned and left.

Watching his retreating back, Lin Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.

He knew what kind of person Cao Wei was.

Though there had been a few small frictions before, this was the first time he had been targeted so openly and brazenly.

Especially the arrogance in the other party's eyes just now.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Tian still turned and headed straight for the stables.

This was the most critical time for him, and he was unwilling to stir up extra trouble.

Besides, cleaning the stables was not anything difficult for Lin Tian.

It did not take much time either.

After cleaning in the stables for a while, Lin Tian heard several disciples nearby discussing something.

"Hey, hey, did you hear? That newcomer Xiao Tian supposedly managed to strike out the first ring of the Mountain-Shaking Fist after only three days at the Martial Academy. He's already been called into the inner courtyard by Master!"

"What? That newcomer Xiao Tian is actually such a genius? He could strike out the first ring of the Mountain-Shaking Fist in three days??"

"Shh! Keep your voices down. What Xiao Tian, Xiao Tian? You have to call him Senior Brother Xiao Tian now!!"

"I just heard Senior Brother Cao say that when Master tested Senior Brother Xiao Tian's root bones, guess what he found?"

"Superior root bones!"

"What!!"

When the others heard that disciple speak, their expressions changed at once as they cried out in shock.

"Right now, Xiao Tian has already been specially accepted by Master as an inner courtyard disciple! Don't even mention how glorious it is!"

After hearing those people's words, Lin Tian immediately came to a certain judgment in his heart.

So that was how it was. No wonder Cao Wei had looked at him like that.

In the Martial Academy, the miscellaneous chores were mostly assigned according to the order of entry.

Yesterday had been his turn, so today should have been Xiao Tian's.

But the other party had already become an inner courtyard disciple.

With a different status, he naturally no longer needed to do these things.

And if Lin Tian resisted over this matter, it would be far too easy for Cao Wei to pin a charge on him.

If he really caused trouble at a time like this, in serious cases, he might even be directly expelled from the Martial Academy.

Cao Wei... hehe.

At this moment, Lin Tian secretly marked this man down in his heart.

After he finished dealing with his elder sister's matter, he would settle accounts with him.

After he finished cleaning the stables, Lin Tian once again walked back into the outer courtyard.

Then he began practicing his fist technique.

At this moment, most of the disciples in the courtyard had gone to the inner courtyard to watch the ceremony of Xiao Tian entering the inner courtyard.

According to convention, entering the inner courtyard required another formal bowing to the master.

The process was naturally not as simple as the initial verbal change.

It was said there were also steps like offering tea and so on. He did not really understand it.

But he knew that in this world, the bond between master and disciple...

Was even tighter than the one with one's own birth parents.

And from what those disciples had said just now...

The meaning behind Xiao Tian's apprenticeship this time was even more solemn.

A closed-door disciple.

That was right—the final disciple Zhao Cang would take in.

Of course, this disciple was not like these outer court students of theirs, but someone who would truly receive the essence and mantle of the Mountain-Shaking Fist.

And in the future, he would be the kind to care for his master in old age and see him to his funeral rites.

The apprenticeship ceremony ended very quickly.

Afterward, the crowd of outer court disciples also returned to the outer court.

After their burst of excitement had passed...

The first thing they saw upon returning was Lin Tian, who was painstakingly practicing his fist technique.

At that moment, everyone could not help but once again compare Lin Tian before them with Xiao Tian.

Leaving aside the fact that both their names contained the word "Tian"...

Just the fact that the two had entered around the same time, and that both had been summoned into the inner court by Zhao Cang, was enough.

Yet the endings the two faced were utterly different.

One had become a cripple with inferior roots and no future.

The other had directly leapt like a fish over the dragon gate.

He had become their master's final closed-door disciple.

Heh, truly the difference between clouds and mud!

"Heh, look at him. He's actually still practicing there as if nothing happened?"

"I imagine his heart must be filled with jealousy to the extreme right now!"

"After all, that's the most, most highly valued closed-door disciple."

"Jealousy? What is there to be jealous about? The gap in talent already destined the two of them to be people of two different worlds. Senior Brother Xiao Tian only used three days for the first ring of the Mountain-Shaking Fist!"

"Look at him. In the same amount of time, look at him—has he ever produced a single ring?"

"Maybe in the future, when Senior Brother Xiao Tian reaches minor achievement and attacks Bright Force, he still won't even be able to make that first ring."

Not far away, Lin Tian finished another round of the Mountain-Shaking Fist.

In his mind, his fate sparkled with brilliant golden light.

Fate—Learning Leads to Success

Mountain-Shaking Fist (major achievement) 417/500

"Almost at major achievement. Just one more day, and I can bring the Mountain-Shaking Fist to major achievement! At that time, I'll step into Bright Force in a single stride!"

Lin Tian slowly said in his heart...