True Yang Temple

To Lin Nan's surprise, it was not just Black Serpent Martial School.

Split Mountain Martial School and Clear Proclamation Martial School had likewise rejected him in their tests. The only difference was that the other two schools did not charge such exorbitant testing fees—only three taels of silver—so even losing it did not hurt quite as much.

Thinking about it now, Black Serpent Martial School had clearly thought he was easy to bully.

The three martial schools of the inner city seemed to harbor an inexplicable obsession with bone structure, aptitude, and talent. They had not even bothered to examine his actual martial arts realm.

"It's all right. The inner city martial schools only care about geniuses and connections. Only those with real value can be accepted into their ranks."

Fu Lin comforted him softly.

"Thanks. That was very comforting."

Lin Nan was speechless.

Fu Lin had also stepped in twice earlier as an outer city commandant, but the inner city martial schools had not given her any face at all.

To be honest, even Fu Lin herself felt that, with his aptitude, reaching this level in martial arts cultivation was already a miracle.

"It's fine. You don't need to comfort me. If the martial schools won't take me, then I'll just stay in the outer city."

Lin Nan spoke in a low voice. He now had the Origin-Revering One-Qi Art, so he was not lacking a cultivation method for the time being. It was a pity to lose access to the inner city's resources, but for him, it merely meant slower advancement and a little less sense of security.

Fu Lin pondered for a moment before saying, "But it's not as though there's no other way."

"What do you mean?"

"The inner city is a vast town. The three great martial schools are indeed flourishing, but twenty years ago, Black Dragon City once had four great martial schools."

"There's another martial school?" Lin Nan's brows shot up.

"More precisely, the fourth was called a Taoist temple. Its name was True Yang Temple. It was said that its martial arts were especially effective against demons, and it was also the main force behind the demon-clearing missions in Black Dragon City's inner city."

Fu Lin explained patiently.

"Especially effective against demons?" Lin Nan was immediately intrigued.

Only he knew that whether it was the outer city martial schools or the inner city martial schools, the martial arts they taught could only rely on qi and blood to grind demons and evil entities to death by brute force.

If there truly were martial arts with special efficacy against demons, then dealing with them would undoubtedly take half the effort for twice the result.

"That's right."

Fu Lin said seriously, "In fact, True Yang Temple's martial arts are a notch stronger than those of the other three martial schools."

"But its location and duties are both rather awkward. For one, it is close to the Thin-Mist Defense Line in the south of the city, so it can be considered a second-line defense..."

"...For another, True Yang Temple has established a Demon Hunting Team. It is the main force in the inner city's demon-clearing missions, and those missions are also its main source of income."

"On top of that, the authorities have assigned True Yang Temple more and more demon-related missions in recent years. Many young martial artists have had their own cultivation affected because of this and cannot even be bothered to come for the entrance test..."

"Even among disciples who have joined, quite a few were injured while hunting evil entities and had their martial progress delayed. Gradually, inner city youngsters became unwilling to go there. Without fresh blood to replenish it, it steadily declined..."

Close to the Thin-Mist Defense Line... the main force in the inner city's demon-clearing missions... plenty of demon-related missions...

Wasn't that exactly what he wanted?!

Lin Nan felt a little excited at her words.

"If that's the case, let's go today!"

"Huh? So urgently?" Fu Lin froze for a moment.

She had merely mentioned it casually. Shouldn't normal people avoid Demon Hunting Teams, demons, and evil entities like the plague?

Why was he so excited? It was as if he had seen a woman.

All at once, Fu Lin's gaze at Lin Nan gained a strange flicker.

"Commandant Fu, you do not understand." Lin Nan sighed softly.

"My lifelong wish is to wipe out every demon and monster under heaven. Now that I have heard of such an organization, my heart can hardly bear it. My resolve is as solid as stone, indestructible!"

"Were your family killed by demons or evil entities?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"This is my ideal. Don't you have ideals too, Commandant Fu?"

Fu Lin laughed.

When people had nothing to say, they laughed.

"Since you have made up your mind, then come with me."

The setting sun sank low, dyeing the sky molten gold.

At a sunken stretch of land south of the city lay a wide ravine.

Two mountains faced each other, enclosing a long, narrow valley that connected to the regions beyond. It was the inner city's only gap.

All around above the ravine stood the tiled houses of the outer city.

Hidden within the valley was a Taoist compound, with gray tiles, upturned eaves, and a vermilion-painted mountain gate. Three characters were inscribed on its plaque: "True Yang Temple."

Fu Lin and Lin Nan stepped down from the carriage and hurried toward the Taoist compound.

Unlike the bustling three inner city martial schools, True Yang Temple did not even have someone guarding its entrance.

After entering, the two followed a bluestone-brick path blanketed in fallen leaves straight ahead.

At the end of the path stood a main hall. Two trees stood on either side of its entrance—one was a locust tree, and the other was also a locust tree.

"What brings you two here?"

A young woman in Taoist robes was sweeping the courtyard. She had a pretty face, delicate features, and an oval face. Seeing them, she asked in confusion.

Fu Lin frowned. "You're Yan Ling? Temple Master Yan's daughter? Why are you sweeping the grounds yourself?"

"Big Sister Fu?!" Yan Ling recognized Fu Lin at that moment, then let out a troubled sigh.

"We haven't received any new disciples for years. We do not even have any outer disciples. And with demon disturbances becoming more frequent lately, many of our inner disciples have been injured. The money from our missions is not even enough to cover their medical expenses. How could we have money to hire someone to sweep?"

Lin Nan was deeply shocked. Even White Snake Martial School could afford to hire a cook. How had True Yang Temple become even more destitute than he had imagined?

"Big Sister Fu, weren't you assigned to guard the outer city? What brings you here?" Yan Ling asked curiously.

"I brought a young friend here to join the temple."

"Join... join?"

Yan Ling's expression suddenly froze. A moment later, a warm smile burst across her face, and she shouted toward the doorway behind her.

"Mother! Hurry over! Someone has come to join us!"

The instant her voice fell—

Whoosh!

A figure shot out from behind the main hall like a ghost and landed swiftly.

She was a graceful middle-aged Taoist nun with a gentle smile. Her features were refined, and faint lines creased the corners of her eyes. Rather than making her look old, they gave her the unique charm of a mature woman.

"Temple Master Yan?!" Fu Lin was startled and hurriedly pulled Lin Nan into a bow.

Yan Jingqiu, the temple master of True Yang Temple in the inner city.

She knew very well how terrifying this seemingly ordinary Taoist nun was.

She had not expected that merely recruiting an inner disciple would alarm the temple master herself. Just how poor had True Yang Temple become?

"Who could it be? So it's little Lin. I even held you when you were little. What brings you here to look after your auntie?"

Temple Master Yan's face remained wreathed in a kind smile as she looked at Lin Nan.

"This young friend is the disciple who wishes to take the entrance test?"

"Greetings, Temple Master. This disciple is Lin Nan, this year's top newly promoted inner disciple of the outer city. I have come specifically to apply for the entrance test!" Lin Nan said solemnly.

"The top newly promoted inner disciple of the outer city wants to come to our True Yang Temple?!"

Yan Jingqiu's gaze upon Lin Nan grew ever gentler.

In previous years, even newly promoted inner disciples who failed to enter the three great martial schools would rather take up a position as a family steward.

Rare were the suckers... people who came knocking of their own accord.

"When will the test begin? How much is the testing fee?" Lin Nan asked solemnly with his hands clasped.

"We can begin now. The testing fee is two taels—no, one tael!"

Facing the mother and daughter's gazes, which nearly seemed ready to devour him alive, Lin Nan's scalp went numb. For a moment, he nearly thought he had wandered into northern Myanmar.

He took a deep breath, casually pulled out one tael of silver from his sleeve and stuffed it into Yan Ling's hand, then looked toward Temple Master Yan.

"Temple Master, we may begin."

At the sight of the silver, Yan Jingqiu's expression softened, and her smile broadened.

"True Yang Temple does not judge people by bone structure or talent as other martial schools do. The strength or weakness of one's physique is merely an inborn gift. So long as one's heart upholds the righteous path and one's spiritual platform is clear, one may enter our temple."

Joy appeared on Lin Nan's face.

"Therefore, the entrance test for True Yang Temple is actually very simple. One only needs to be a virgin."

The joy on Lin Nan's face receded like the tide, and he turned to leave.

"Hey, don't go! It's fine even if you're not a virgin! I was joking!"