The Inner Gate Examination

"Senior Brother, I'm only at the Skin Refining Realm. How could I help you become a True Disciple?"

Although Su Yan phrased it as a question, he was really probing for more information.

Gao Zheng was the one who had brought Su Yan into the hall. He knew Su Yan had considerable talent and backing from the Hundred Herbs Hall.

Now, after just one short month, Su Yan appeared to have reached major attainment in skin refining. Surely the Hundred Herbs Hall had lent him no small amount of help.

Someone so promising was naturally worth winning over.

"There's something you don't know, Junior Brother."

Gao Zheng said, "True Disciples are all Master Bai's trusted followers, and they're among those who control the Martial Arts Hall's resources. Strength and connections are both indispensable. You have mountain trekking skills and backing from the Hundred Herbs Hall. If you're willing to support me, that alone would put me well ahead of the others."

Hearing this, Su Yan began to understand. He considered, Inner Gate disciples are true members of the Martial Arts Hall. True Disciples probably serve much like stewards or shopkeepers, only with closer ties. Senior Brother Gao Zheng thinks I have backing and talent, and wants me to lend him a hand in the Wild Mountains.

With someone helping him earn merit, and with further progress in his cultivation, Gao Zheng would naturally have a chance to become a True Disciple.

Gao Zheng was laying the groundwork for his own future.

I might as well agree. I have nothing to lose, and I may need his help in the Wild Mountains.

Su Yan said, "You've helped me so much, Senior Brother. If you ever need anything within my power, I'll certainly lend you a hand."

Gao Zheng's face lit up with delight. He nodded and said, "Thank you, Junior Brother. Once you've entered the Inner Gate and gone into the Wild Mountains, come find me if anything happens. You won't have to fear Zhou Hui making trouble for you, either."

Su Yan raised his brows slightly. "That's precisely something I wanted to ask you. Zhou Hui looks down on mountain and lake households, but he never paid us much attention before. Why did he step forward today?"

Gao Zheng said disdainfully, "Zhou Hui is on good terms with the Little Mountain Society. He probably heard about your conflict with them and wanted to do them a favor."

"Don't worry, Junior Brother. The Martial Arts Hall's affairs and personal affairs are separate. However close he is to them, he wouldn't dare openly break the rules."

"I understand."

Gao Zheng gave Su Yan a few more reminders, all concerning affairs within the Martial Arts Hall.

It was just as the saying went: wherever there were people, there would be strife. Though they all belonged to the same Martial Arts Hall, there was never any shortage of people pursuing their own designs.

Zhou Hui was friendly with the Little Mountain Society, and sometimes their affairs overlapped. With one exchange after another, their interests had become bound together.

In his eyes, Su Yan was merely a brat he could twist around his finger.

How things would ultimately turn out, however, remained to be seen.

Over the next two days, no one dared come looking for trouble with Su Yan again.

Even Li Shun and his companions merely snorted coldly when they passed him, without attempting any further tricks.

For one thing, Su Yan was genuinely strong. Ordinary people could not deal with him.

For another, although Li Shun wanted to deal with Su Yan, he did not want anything to go wrong with his own examination.

"All Outer Gate disciples, assemble! Master Bai is here!"

All the Outer Gate disciples had been gathered early. More than a hundred of them stood in the large yard of the Middle Courtyard, backs straight and eyes eager.

The Inner Gate disciples stood in the front row. Only a dozen or so were present; not all of them had come.

At their head stood the tall, powerfully built Gao Zheng.

"They're here."

Someone murmured those words as several figures slowly emerged from the Inner Courtyard and stepped through the Middle Courtyard's gate.

Among them was a man in his early fifties, lean and muscular, with fathomless eyes and a presence as deep and imposing as a mountain.

His hair was graying, and he wore a white robe patterned with tigers, a white jade belt, and indigo boots bearing beast motifs. Upon entering the Middle Courtyard, he swept his gaze over everyone. No one dared meet his eyes.

What a powerful presence.

Su Yan was among the crowd as well. This was his first time seeing Bai Changlin.

He had heard how Bai Changlin had carved out this foundation in Cloudcang Town with his own two iron arms. Clearly, the man possessed formidable ability.

Beside him were two somewhat older men in pale gray robes. One was a short, thin elder with a pale, beardless face and both hands tucked into his broad sleeves.

The other was an elder of average build with a short beard along his cheeks, tigerlike eyes, and a stern face.

The remaining two looked young. The older was only in his early thirties, with a square face and thick brows. He was the eldest disciple, Li Jinshan, whose fists resembled iron towers.

The other wore white and was somewhat leaner, dressed much like Bai Changlin. He was the second disciple, Zhao Tianwen.

Both were True Disciples, and their standing was no lower than that of the elders.

"Most of you already know that today's summer examination is unusual, so I won't beat around the bush. The rules for today's examination will have to change."

Li Jinshan strode forward. At the sound of his steady voice, the expressions of all the Outer Gate disciples shifted slightly.

"Those who have not reached minor attainment in Stance Training or Fist Technique, step out. Junior Brother Gao Zheng and Martial Uncle Li will guide your training today."

Today was a day for assessing their progress, but more importantly, it was the Inner Gate examination. With everyone's minds unsettled, instruction would achieve little. It was better to divide them into two groups outright.

At these words, many disciples' faces fell. Although they had known they had no hope, having it pointed out so plainly still left them dejected.

Those who failed to meet the requirement trickled back to the Outer Courtyard to wait. Only thirty-seven people remained.

Of more than a hundred people, only thirty-seven had reached minor attainment in Stance Training or Fist Technique. That proportion was hardly high, especially since not everyone among them had necessarily reached minor attainment in skin refining.

Li Jinshan swept his gaze over those who remained and said solemnly, "The Golden Ape Martial Arts Hall was founded thirty years ago. From the beginning, we opened our doors to teach martial arts, accepted disciples far and wide, and gathered them into a force. Although you paid silver to study here, you have also received a share of the bond passed from teacher to student."

Paying to learn might be an exchange of silver for martial instruction, but as the years accumulated, a bond within the same school naturally formed. That was not something they could disavow.

Even after leaving these doors, addressing a fellow student of the same arts as a senior or junior brother carried a measure of fellowship.

"The Martial Arts Hall is not without feeling, and it offers a path to advancement. Pass the examination and become an Inner Gate disciple, and you will receive two taels of silver a month. You may take posts in the hall's businesses, with further rewards for work well done. You may also study a supplementary art and a Fist Technique. If you advance in martial cultivation, there will be further benefits."

Li Jinshan spoke plainly, seemingly much like his own nature. "As Inner Gate disciples, the Golden Ape Martial Arts Hall will be your mountain to lean on, and you will be its future. Before the examination begins, I have only one question: are all the junior brothers present willing to join the Golden Ape Martial Arts Hall?"

The Outer Gate disciples were merely part of a transaction, using silver and the bonds of instruction to gather people and earn some money.

Some disciples might also become workers in the Golden Ape Martial Arts Hall's businesses, but that was no different from employment. Only the Inner Gate disciples were different.

Everyone understood this.

When Li Jinshan finished speaking and saw no sign of wavering, he nodded. "Master, shall we begin the Golden Ape Stance?"

"Begin."

Bai Changlin nodded, and Li Jinshan called out, "Take the Golden Ape Stance!"

As his voice fell, all the disciples, Su Yan included, shifted their feet and assumed the Golden Ape Stance.

Outer Gate disciples who had reached minor attainment naturally knew the Golden Ape Stance Art by heart. Once they settled into their stances, they truly resembled old apes in the mountains.

Li Jinshan, Bai Changlin, and the others surveyed them and nodded. No one dared falsely claim minor attainment in stance training here. Their performance was acceptable.

Suddenly, the two noticed Su Yan standing in a corner. He resembled a ferocious mountain ape, form and intent united. Though he was merely holding a stance, it seemed as if a savage beast lurked within him.

"Someone has actually reached major attainment in stance training!"