Gu Hong's Tactics

Dian Jing was intercepted by Su Yan at the corner. As he looked at Su Yan, shock and shame mingled on his face, his expression utterly complicated.

How could Su Yan have such swift footwork and speed?!

By his reckoning, he would leave immediately after making his move. Even if Su Yan chased him, he should only have caught a glimpse of his shadow at most.

After all, he had reached major mastery in skin refining and hunted through Mountain Trekking. His proficiency in Monkey Leap Step was unquestionably among the best in the outer sect.

"Senior Brother Dian, tell me. Why did you throw this?"

Su Yan was holding the white object from earlier. He had picked it up on his way out in pursuit.

Only now did he discover that it was a small stone wrapped in paper.

He unfolded the paper. Scrawled crookedly across it were the words: "Be careful in the arena. Someone wants to stop you."

Dian Jing threw caution to the wind and said gravely, "I came to warn you. Someone wanted me to knock you out of the arena and stop you from entering the Inner Gate. I didn't dare refuse."

"The Little Mountain Society."

Barely had Dian Jing finished speaking when he heard Su Yan's icy voice.

He abruptly raised his head. "How did you know?"

Dian Jing knew nothing of Su Yan's conflict with the Little Mountain Society, so naturally he did not understand the reason.

But to Su Yan, it was all too simple.

Hunters ultimately lived off the mountains. Of those who could make Dian Jing so wary, the Little Mountain Society was the most likely.

Once he knew it was the Little Mountain Society, Su Yan actually felt much more at ease.

After all, it was better for Gu Hong and his people to make their move than to keep nursing their wicked schemes.

"You agreed to help them? Why come warn me, then?"

"I don't want to offend someone for no reason."

Dian Jing offered no lofty justification, instead getting straight to the point. "Everyone in my village makes a living by trekking through the mountains and hunting. The Little Mountain Society controls most of those mountains. If I refused, I could make a living in the city, but I couldn't let my fellow villagers suffer because of me. Besides, you're talented. I don't want to offend you."

Although Dian Jing was straightforward by nature, that did not mean he lacked a shrewd mind.

Stopping Su Yan from entering the Inner Gate was not the same as killing him.

With talent like that, once Su Yan had cultivated a little longer, dealing with Dian Jing would probably be effortless.

How could he afford to offend someone like that in advance?

Was a mere promise to bring him into the Little Mountain Society later supposed to be enough?

"Who else did they approach besides you?"

Su Yan raised his brows slightly. Dian Jing thought for a moment, then said hesitantly, "I'm not sure who else they approached, but there's one person I can be certain of. Li Shun recently came into another source of income, and I haven't heard of him catching any Treasure Fish at White Reed Lake."

Li Shun was at odds with Su Yan, and he was petty. He would certainly interfere in the arena.

Now that he had inexplicably gained another source of income, someone had probably arranged a few tasks for him as well.

"What a coincidence."

Su Yan actually laughed. "Let's pretend you never came today. Go ahead and make your move, but you'd better not be the first one up."

He tossed the note back to Dian Jing, leaving him utterly bewildered.

He had expected Su Yan to demand an explanation, yet he had simply walked away?

Could he really have reached major mastery?

Su Yan returned to his room, pondering, Gu Hong doesn't dare touch me directly. Instead, he wants to stop me from entering the Inner Gate. It seems being an Inner Gate disciple really does count for something.

He arranged his bedding, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. The Blood Shifting Realm is two realms above mine, but if I enter the Sinew and Bone Realm, and the Darkwater Centipede and Velvetfire Scorpion break through to maturity or an even higher realm, I might find an opportunity to strike.

Besides, according to Elder Song and Elder Xu, once I enter the Inner Gate, I can learn the Golden Ape Jade Body Art, a supplementary art for external body tempering. My abilities will rise another level. There's a chance.

Nothing happened that night after Su Yan moved in, though his roommates were no longer Zhou Yong, Hu Qing, and the others from before.

Early the next morning, Su Yan went to a corner of the courtyard to practice his standing stance, as was his habit.

He assumed the ape stance, standing firm as he breathed long and slow.

Two streams of Insect Essence entered his body, following his qi and blood into his skin membranes, while a portion split off and merged into the sinews and bones throughout his body.

He had only practiced for half an hour when a sneering voice suddenly rang out. "Hey, you mountain bastard. You're in my spot."

Su Yan slowly released his stance. Two young men were already standing beside him.

They wore short hemp jackets and had dark skin, aggressive eyes, and arrogant expressions.

"Are you from a mountain household, registered at the lake, or from a city household?"

Su Yan's tone was calm, but his gaze put immense pressure on the man.

Zheng Chuan was startled by that gaze, but anger soon surged up inside him. This was just some mountain brat. What was there to fear?

He would even get half a tael of silver for beating him up. Why be afraid?

"What's it to you whether I'm from the mountains or the lake? Are you leaving or not?"

Zheng Chuan stepped forward to shove Su Yan. The confrontation might have appeared accidental, but he was anything but gentle, putting real force into the push.

Su Yan stepped forward. A crack sounded as he snapped Zheng Chuan's hand.

A howl of pain shattered the courtyard's peace.

Everyone looked over, only to see Zheng Chuan on the ground with his arm bent out of shape.

"Come at me together. Let's see what you're capable of."

Su Yan's voice remained calm, as though no one else were there.

"This brat's bullying people! Get him!"

The men following Zheng Chuan panicked at the sight and tried to swarm Su Yan and take him down.

But in the next instant, Su Yan had already struck.

His long arms moved like an ape's. A catch, a grab, a wrench—with just a few movements, he laid them all flat.

Su Yan swept his gaze across everyone in the courtyard. "Anyone else want to fight? If you're impatient, there's no need to wait until the assessment."

"Su Yan, how dare you! You actually struck them so viciously!"

Zhou Hui stepped forward and rebuked Su Yan.

Su Yan merely looked at him coldly. "Senior Brother Zhou, the Martial Arts Hall doesn't prohibit sparring. Have the rules changed? Is your word law now?"

Those words made Zhou Hui's face darken.

"Zhou Hui, why are you still quibbling with a junior brother? People who provoke their fellow disciples like this deserve a beating. All they do is dream up crooked tricks."

Gao Zheng had entered the courtyard at some point.

"Gao Zheng. Hmph."

Zhou Hui snorted and turned to leave. Seeing this, the injured Zheng Chuan and the others could only slink away in disgrace.

After that display, everyone knew whose side Gao Zheng was on. Besides, Zheng Chuan had reached minor mastery in skin refining.

Yet his hand had been broken in a single move. With Su Yan so formidable, who dared provoke him?

"Thank you for stepping in, Senior Brother Gao. Otherwise, I would've been in trouble."

Su Yan smiled and thanked him, but Gao Zheng did not take the bait.

"Flattering me again? I heard you defeated Wei Kang just a few days after joining. Now even someone at minor mastery is no match for you. Your aptitude and comprehension must be even better than I first thought."

Gao Zheng approached Su Yan and said, "Competition in this Inner Gate assessment is fierce. Be careful. This time, it won't just be the True Disciples coming to offer guidance. Master Bai will attend in person and preside over the assessment."

Su Yan's eyes flickered slightly. "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."

Gao Zheng glanced around and said, "Come with me."

The two left the courtyard one after the other and found a spot outside with few people around.

"Only the True Disciples and Master know the exact reasons, but one thing is certain: Master Bai wants to nurture young disciples, especially those under twenty or thirty."

Gao Zheng gently hinted at his meaning. "There are quite a few Inner Gate disciples now, but they're either approaching that age limit or already a little beyond it. Master Bai has reservations. Only our junior sister among the True Disciples meets the requirements, but that's still too few people."

"Do you think I can enter the Inner Gate, Senior Brother?"

"Can't you?"

Gao Zheng laughed. "Don't worry, Junior Brother. I'm not asking for anything else. Once you enter the Inner Gate, I only hope we can support each other a little, and you can help me become one of the True Disciples."