Pressure

"Liang Bo, let's find a place to settle in first, then go have a look around together. How about it?" Du Chi suggested with great interest after they left the registration office.

"Alright." Liang Bo nodded and took out the booklet Ma Wen had given him before. It contained a map of True Martial City, and he wanted to find the residential district.

Du Chi laughed. "No need to make it so troublesome. I know this place very well, so just follow me." As he spoke, he took the lead.

Liang Bo hurried after him and asked in surprise, "Du Chi, how are you so familiar with True Martial City? Did you often come here before?"

"Of course." Du Chi smiled, but offered no further explanation.

Liang Bo fell into thought. It seems Du Chi's background is far from simple. He could actually come here often even before joining the True Martial Sect. A certain possibility immediately came to mind.

Du Chi pointed at a plaza ahead. "See that place? Every quarter of an hour, sect-raised flying birds land there. They fly around the city in clockwise and counterclockwise routes, and there's a plaza like this every two li throughout the city. If you need to go anywhere in the future, just ride one of the flying birds."

Isn't this just a bus from Earth in my previous life? Liang Bo did not know whether to laugh or cry.

But it made sense when he thought about it. In this world, even Human Origin Realm and Earth Origin Realm experts could not fly. Only when one's cultivation reached the Heaven Origin Realm could one take to the skies. And True Martial City was so vast that traveling solely on foot or horseback would clearly be far too inconvenient.

Led by Du Chi, Liang Bo and the others boarded a flying bird and headed north along the counterclockwise route. Before long, they arrived at a district of palaces.

"Liang Bo, this is where us direct disciples live. There are fifty palaces in total. The ones with their formations activated are already occupied, while the rest are vacant for now." Du Chi spoke as he jumped down from the flying bird.

Liang Bo took a look. Of the fifty palaces, thirty-six were currently occupied, leaving fourteen vacant.

"Du Chi, why are only thirty-six palaces occupied? Does the True Martial Sect only have thirty-six direct disciples now?"

"That's right. According to sect rules, a sect tournament is held every five years. All martial artists below the Earth Origin Realm and under forty years old must participate. In the end, only the top thirty may retain their status as direct disciples; everyone else is demoted to inner disciples. In other words, of the current thirty-six direct disciples, thirty ranked in the top thirty during the last sect tournament. The other six joined the sect as direct disciples in the past few years and have not yet had the chance to participate in the tournament." Du Chi explained.

"When is the next sect tournament?" Liang Bo hurriedly asked.

Du Chi said gloomily, "The next tournament is in June next year. There's only a little over half a year left. Sigh, I'll probably be demoted to an inner disciple at the next tournament."

"Only a little over half a year? Those other disciples have cultivated for many years, while Liang Bo and the rest of you just joined the sect and already have to fight those veteran disciples. Isn't that far too unfair?" Zhao Wu cried out.

"Isn't that the truth?" Du Chi nodded vigorously. "Those veteran disciples who can break into the top thirty in the sect tournament are basically top experts of the Human Origin Realm. Their saber arts and sword arts have generally reached the level of sword and man as one, and some have even surpassed that level. We disciples still at the ninth rank of martial arts are no match for them at all. But rules are rules. The sect won't care whether it's fair or not."

Liang Bo also felt immense pressure after hearing this. In half a year, I'll have to clash with top Human Origin Realm experts? I wonder if I'll still be able to retain my status as a direct disciple by then.

Although he was confident in his own strength, he was by no means arrogant. Perhaps he possessed a cheat and his strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, but the problem was that no matter how much his cultivation improved over the next half year, it would be difficult for him to reach the Human Origin Realm.

Moreover, those veteran disciples had clearly possessed no weak talent to enter a top sect like the True Martial Sect. They had cultivated far longer than Liang Bo, and with their absolute advantage in cultivation and strength, defeating them would likely be no easy task.

Of course, he would not belittle himself either. After all, he had his cheat, which allowed him to rapidly modify the proficiency of martial techniques. If he concentrated all his skill points into one martial technique, he might not lack the strength to contend with them when the time came.

Du Chi waved a hand and pointed at an unoccupied palace in the distance. "Alright, those are matters for the future. Let's choose our residences first! I'm planning to take that palace on the east side. What about you, Liang Bo?"

"I'll take this one to the north. It looks nice and open!" Liang Bo pointed to another palace.

"Fine. Let's go in and settle our luggage first, then head out and look around together. Oh, and don't bring your three attendants later. There are many places in the city that only direct disciples and inner disciples can enter. Attendants and outer disciples cannot enter at all."

"Alright." Liang Bo nodded and walked toward the palace he had chosen.

This palace covered an enormous area, with formations spread all around it.

Liang Bo inserted his identity token into the groove on the gate, and the formation immediately activated, forming an invisible barrier. This way, outsiders could not enter the palace without permission, ensuring that he would not be disturbed while in seclusion.

Once they entered the palace, they saw pavilions and towers standing throughout the grounds. The spiritual energy was exceedingly abundant, far stronger than outside.

After taking a deep breath, Zhao Wu shouted excitedly, "Liang Bo, this is great! As expected of a top sect like the True Martial Sect. The spiritual energy is so much denser than in Wan City. No wonder martial artists everywhere scramble to get into sect forces, even if they have to crack their heads open! I reckon that cultivating in a place like this, I can reach the sixth rank in at most a month!"

Xiao Qing's eyes also shone brightly. Was this where they would live for the next few years? It really was much more comfortable than Liang Mansion.

As for Xie Jia, he maintained his aloof expression throughout. Even arriving in such a treasured cultivation ground failed to move him.

Liang Bo pointed at the surrounding side halls and laughed. "There are so many pavilions, yet only a few of us will be living here. It's truly extravagant. Alright, go find yourselves a pavilion to live in."

"What about you, Young Master?"

"Of course I'll live in the main hall." Liang Bo smiled.

The main hall also contained a Spirit-Gathering Formation, making its spiritual energy density much higher than that of the side halls. Unfortunately, it too had a formation set up within it. Only Liang Bo himself could enter; no one else, including Xiao Qing and the others, could step into the main hall.

After settling in, Liang Bo had Zhao Wu and the others remain in the palace to rest. Then he left the palace, preparing to explore True Martial City with Du Chi.