Inner City Martial School Test

The next day, at dawn, in the inner city.

A carriage rolled leisurely along the blue-brick road. Unlike the cramped streets of the outer city,

a broad flagstone road stretched before them, lined on both sides with shops selling salt and iron, medicinal herbs, weapons, silk, and more—a dazzling array of goods.

Lin Nan lifted the carriage curtain and looked around with great interest.

For the first time, the prosperity of the inner city unfolded vividly before his eyes.

He even spotted a medicinal herb shop selling martial arts medicines such as Blood-Qi Pills.

Fu Lin, seated across from him, said softly, "Blood-Qi Pills are rare secret medicines in the outer city, but they're quite commonplace in the inner city. They're practice pills for many novice pharmacists, so their sale isn't prohibited here. What's truly rare are Limit-Breaking Pills and other auxiliary pills."

"I see." Lin Nan nodded. The inner city's resources truly could not compare to those of the outer city.

"Let me tell you about the inner city martial schools. The three major martial schools here are Split Mountain, Clear Proclamation, and Black Serpent. The greatest difference from the outer city is that these three schools are affiliated with the four great families of the inner city. They're family-owned enterprises..."

"Affiliated?"

"You can think of them as branches under the families."

Fu Lin continued, "They are responsible not only for teaching martial arts, but also control other businesses such as taverns and medical clinics. They are among the inner city's major powers."

Split Mountain, Clear Proclamation, and Black Serpent...

The three great martial schools of the inner city were actually properties of the four great inner-city families...

Lin Nan pondered for a moment before asking, "Commander Fu, in your opinion, which martial school should I join first?"

"Black Serpent." Fu Lin answered without hesitation.

"Why?" Lin Nan was taken aback.

"Because the White Snake Martial School you trained in specializes in soft force. Its techniques share the same origins as the Black Serpent Martial School's Black Serpent Fist, so you won't need to relearn your stance technique and waste time."

"Besides, the master of your White Snake Martial School, Jie Liuyun, was once a true disciple of the Black Serpent Martial School. He was once known as the Silver Python Fist King and enjoyed boundless fame for a time. Unfortunately, he suffered a hidden injury in a martial contest that damaged his meridians. He had no choice but to leave the inner city afterward and establish a martial school in the outer city."

Fu Lin explained unhurriedly.

So there was such a history. Master Jie had actually been a true disciple of an inner-city martial school? At that level?

Lin Nan simply could not connect that shrewd old man with the goatee to the identity of an inner-city true disciple.

"Then let's go to the Black Serpent Martial School first!"

Fu Lin nodded, and the carriage picked up speed considerably.

Before long, a spacious, towering compound in the western part of the inner city came into Lin Nan's view.

Neigh!

The carriage came to a halt. Lin Nan and Fu Lin stepped down and found that quite a few young men and women had already gathered inside the compound.

Many well-dressed children of wealthy families stood in rows, quietly waiting for the Black Serpent Martial School's instructors to appear.

"So many people?" Lin Nan was somewhat surprised. Fu Lin had not told him there would be so many people before they came.

"Is that surprising?" Fu Lin smiled. "They're all children of prominent inner-city families and merchants. The Black Serpent Martial School has countless outer disciples. Only those who pass the four annual assessments can enter the inner sect. When has there ever been a shortage of applicants?"

Lin Nan nodded slightly. Outer disciples were little more than errand-runners, and their resources were completely incomparable to those of inner disciples. This was true not only in the inner city, but in outer-city martial schools as well.

"But don't worry. You fought your way up from the outer city with real ability. Compared with these inner-city children, passing the test should be no trouble for you at your level," Fu Lin said with a smile.

The two stood in the courtyard with the other applicants and waited for more than ten minutes.

A man dressed in a blue martial arts uniform, with white hair at his temples, emerged from the innermost part of the compound. Upon seeing him, Fu Lin quickly stepped forward and quietly exchanged a few words with him.

During their conversation, the man nodded and gave Lin Nan a few extra looks.

Before long, Fu Lin returned.

"You weren't originally an outer disciple, so you had no right to take the test. Just now, I made an exception and recommended you in my capacity as an outer-city commander. Do your best. If you pass, remember to treat me to a meal."

Fu Lin patted him on the shoulder, then left the courtyard.

After a while, only the youths waiting for the test remained in the courtyard.

"My name is Chen Yu. I am a true disciple of the Black Serpent Martial School, and I will be overseeing your test."

Chen Yu spoke indifferently.

"Take turns coming forward to pay the ten-tael testing fee and demonstrate your stance technique. Remember to exert your force with everything you have. Do not hold back in the slightest."

A ten-tael testing fee?

A trace of confusion flashed through Lin Nan's mind.

As if he had noticed the youths' confusion,

Chen Yu explained simply, "A martial school opening its doors to recruit students is a business. I'm not the one taking the testing fee—it goes to those above me. If you're unwilling, you may leave."

Put simply, martial schools needed to eat too. If you did not pay and he did not take it, how were the masters above supposed to get their share?

Besides, ten taels of silver was not much to inner-city children.

A youth at the front stepped forward first. After paying, he demonstrated his family's inherited stance technique.

Chen Yu narrowed his eyes at the youth. "Are you a disciple of the Mo Family?"

"Reporting to Senior Brother, I am Mo Dekai, a collateral disciple of the Mo Family."

"Your bones and aptitude are average. For the Mo Family's sake, you pass. Next."

Chen Yu casually took out a wooden token and tossed it over.

The youth caught it with delight and saw the words "Average Aptitude" written on it.

The other youths grew even more excited at the sight, stepping forward one after another to display their family stance techniques.

Many of them not only had mediocre aptitude, but their stance techniques were nothing special either. Quite a few were eliminated.

Among them, someone named Zhu Fan stood out. He was said to be a direct descendant of an inner-city salt merchant, with superior aptitude.

Even Chen Yu was surprised. He had not expected to find such a fine prospect today.

Soon, it was Lin Nan's turn.

He took a deep breath, pulled out ten taels of silver from his sleeve pouch, and quickly stepped forward. With a pained expression, he placed the silver in the designated spot.

Then, the qi and blood throughout his body surged as he assumed the Spirit Serpent Stance.

Among the youths, he was noticeably older and taller, making him particularly conspicuous.

Chen Yu was also somewhat surprised. It was rare for someone of this age to possess such abundant qi and blood.

But unfortunately...

Chen Yu fixed his eyes on Lin Nan as he circulated his stance technique.

"Come here. Hold out your hand."

Lin Nan nodded and stepped forward, extending his arm.

Chen Yu felt the bones in his hand for a moment, then shook his head. He casually threw out a wooden token and no longer looked at him.

Lin Nan caught the token in one hand and saw the words written on it:

Inferior Aptitude

"Senior Brother, I am a disciple of the outer city's White Snake Martial School, under Jie Liuyun..." Lin Nan had barely opened his mouth before Chen Yu cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Your qi and blood are impure. You broke through by taking powerful medicine, didn't you?"

Lin Nan's heart tightened. He had not expected Chen Yu to see through the fact that he had broken through by taking a Limit-Breaking Pill.

Chen Yu said indifferently, "Your aptitude was already abysmal, and you even used pills to break your limit. Taking you in would only waste resources. Why make trouble for yourself?"

With that, Chen Yu waved his hand impatiently. "For the sake of Senior Brother Jie, I can let you stay in the outer sect and work. But there will be no monthly pay, and you must hand over twenty taels of fine silver every month. If you perform well, you might be granted one or two external training techniques."

Lin Nan's heart turned cold at once.

Not only did the Black Serpent Martial School have no intention of taking him in, it even wanted to exploit him for free labor.

"What about the ten-tael testing fee I just paid..."

Chen Yu's expression turned cold. "What? You want it back? Didn't I test you just now?"

"In that case, farewell."

Seeing Chen Yu's attitude, Lin Nan said no more. He turned around expressionlessly and left.

Chen Yu sneered.

Another country bumpkin from the outer city, ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. He did not realize that heroes were as numerous as carp crossing a river. To a martial school, those without value were merely expendable resources. Being allowed to remain in the outer sect was already something to be grateful for!

Without a martial school's protection, what could a mere martial artist possibly do?

Fu Lin had been waiting at the entrance for some time. When she saw Lin Nan emerge so quickly, surprise flashed through her eyes.

"You didn't pass?"

Lin Nan nodded, not discouraged in the slightest.

"Come on, the next one!"