Volume One, Chapter Fourteen: The Reassessment!
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“Damn Chu Tianxing! He’s been hiding so many secrets from me! Who knows whom else he knows?”
Mu Yuyao was consumed by resentment, cursing him inwardly without end. At first, there had only been Su Xiaowan, whom she and Xing Bufan could still suppress by joining forces.
But now a second core disciple had appeared—Murong Ao—openly claiming to be acquainted with Chu Tianxing!
In a two-against-two confrontation, Mu Yuyao knew full well that she and Xing Bufan would lose.
“Chu Tianxing, even with their help, I have plenty of ways to deal with you!”
Xing Bufan cast Chu Tianxing a contemptuous glance, then turned toward the Great Elder of the Inner Sect.
“Great Elder, since Chu Tianxing has already entered the Spirit Profound Realm, according to the Holy Land’s rules, he must undergo the advancement examination. Am I right?”
“And the advancement examination may be attempted only once. If he fails, he will lose the opportunity to become a core disciple forever. Am I right about that as well?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Elder of the Inner Sect hurriedly clasped his fists.
“Senior Brother Xing is correct.”
“Good. Then please follow the Holy Land’s rules and conduct his advancement examination.”
Xing Bufan curled his lips into a cold smile. “If any injuries or deaths occur during the examination, I trust no one will dare hold you responsible.”
“This…”
The Great Elder of the Inner Sect instinctively glanced at Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan, naturally understanding the hidden meaning behind Xing Bufan’s words.
Xing Bufan had already made his intentions perfectly clear: he wanted to use the advancement examination as an opportunity to deal with Chu Tianxing.
However, Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan were both core disciples—Murong Ao ranked second among them, and Su Xiaowan fourth.
Even if the Great Elder acted strictly according to the Holy Land’s rules, no one present could find fault with him. Yet doing so would mean provoking Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan.
On the other hand, if he refused to obey Xing Bufan, he would offend both Xing Bufan and Mu Yuyao, making it equally impossible for him to survive in the Holy Land in the future.
Thus, the Great Elder of the Inner Sect wore a bitter expression, his heart filled with helplessness. He was caught between two impossible choices.
“If you ever find yourself in difficulty, you may come to the Core Academy and look for me,” Su Xiaowan suddenly declared.
Murong Ao followed. “You may come to me as well.”
At these words, the Great Elder immediately relaxed. What he needed was an attitude—a clear indication that he could choose one side without having to fear retaliation from the other.
Since Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan had made their position clear, the Great Elder naturally had a choice.
“Senior Brother Xing, as the Great Elder of the Inner Sect, I must place the Holy Land’s rules above all else. I cannot allow myself to be influenced by outside considerations.”
His meaning was unmistakable: the advancement examination would proceed, but he would not use it as an excuse to deal Chu Tianxing a serious blow.
“Is that so?”
Xing Bufan’s gaze darkened. He had never expected that a mere Inner Sect elder would dare refuse him and publicly disregard his authority!
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“Great Elder, are you truly content to remain an elder of the Inner Sect?”
Mu Yuyao suddenly blinked her beautiful eyes and spoke with a half-smile.
“My younger cousin has already been summoned by the Holy Lord and will soon be promoted to a personal disciple. The Holy Lord also said that I need not undergo further evaluation and will be promoted to a personal disciple by special exception. Since you once took care of my cousin in the Inner Sect, once he and I, Mu Ping, become personal disciples, we certainly will not forget your kindness. At that time, we will surely recommend you for promotion to a core elder.”
Whoosh!
The moment she said this, the Great Elder’s expression changed dramatically. His eyes shone brightly, and delight overflowed across his face.
“Senior Sister Mu, rest assured. I will place the Holy Land’s rules above all else and will never disappoint you.”
The Great Elder bowed respectfully. He had already decided to help Mu Yuyao and seize this opportunity to deal with Chu Tianxing.
After all, being promoted to the Core Academy as an elder was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity for an Inner Sect elder of ordinary aptitude.
“I was summoned by the Ancient Personal Disciple today, and I too will soon be promoted to a personal disciple.”
Xing Bufan looked displeased as he regarded the Great Elder, then said coolly, “At that time, Yuyao and I will recommend you together in our capacity as personal disciples.”
“Ah! Thank you for your favor, Senior Brother Xing! In truth, I knew long ago that Senior Brother Xing was destined for greatness, with a boundless future ahead of him!”
“A useless crown prince from a fallen kingdom like Chu Tianxing, who took two years of cultivation merely to enter the Inner Sect, is unworthy of becoming Senior Brother Xing’s enemy!”
The Great Elder became extraordinarily obsequious. He bowed repeatedly, lowering his head as he apologized again and again.
“Please, Senior Brother Xing, do not take offense at my earlier conduct.”
“Heh heh, well said! Now go and do what you ought to do.”
Seeing how servile the man had become, Xing Bufan felt both contempt and satisfaction.
Having risen from humble origins after being promoted by Chu Tianxing, Xing Bufan understood better than anyone that everything ultimately depended on strength and status.
Thus, he no longer cared that the Great Elder had initially refused him. It was enough that the man had lowered his head and recognized reality.
“You do not possess such authority, do you?”
Mu Yuyao looked triumphantly at Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan.
For a moment, both Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan frowned. As core disciples, they naturally wielded less authority than personal disciples.
If Xing Bufan and Mu Yuyao were both promoted to personal disciples, then whenever they met in the future, Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan would have to bow and respectfully address them as Senior Brother and Senior Sister.
“Ha ha ha! Chu Tianxing, let’s see who can save you now, you worthless wretch!”
Mu Ping lay on the ground, laughing loudly as he looked at Chu Tianxing.
“Don’t worry. I’ll merely break all four of your limbs and cripple your cultivation, turning you into a cripple!”
“Once I become a personal disciple, I will personally return to take your life!”
The moment he finished speaking, Mu Yuyao waved her hand.
“Ping, we must let him live and give him a chance.”
“Oh, right, right!”
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Mu Ping came to his senses and changed his words.
“Chu Tianxing, as long as you agree to return to the Chu Kingdom and have the Chu imperial family abandon its resistance…”
Before Mu Ping could finish, Chu Tianxing impatiently cut him off.
“A cripple who can only lie on the ground has no business spouting nonsense here! You are unworthy!”
“You!”
Mu Ping immediately gnashed his teeth in fury, humiliated beyond endurance.
Chu Tianxing coldly swept his gaze over Mu Yuyao and Xing Bufan before finally turning to the Great Elder of the Inner Sect.
“You may begin the examination.”
“Junior Brother Chu, are you certain you can handle this? Or should I find some excuse to help you postpone the advancement examination?”
Murong Ao suddenly sent him a secret transmission.
“You have only one chance at the advancement examination. If you fail, you will have no possibility of recovering.”
At the same time, Su Xiaowan also transmitted secretly.
“You had better not force yourself. Just stand aside obediently and let me handle this! Though personal disciples possess greater status and authority, they are not personal disciples yet. And even personal disciples are no more than useless curs before the Holy Maiden!”
Hearing this, Chu Tianxing was certain that Su Xiaowan had been sent by the Holy Maiden, Ye Qingxuan, to help him.
But how could he rely on others for everything? Would that not make him a true weakling?
With that thought, Chu Tianxing clasped his fists toward the two of them.
“Thank you both for your assistance. I can handle what comes next myself.”
“Hm?”
Murong Ao and Su Xiaowan exchanged a glance, their faces filled with surprise and disbelief.
Could Chu Tianxing truly be this confident? Was he unwilling to trouble others, intent on throwing his life away, or did he genuinely possess the ability to deal with the situation?
At that moment, the Great Elder of the Inner Sect said calmly, “Chu Tianxing, since you have entered the Spirit Profound Realm, the examination has only one requirement.”
“You must fight any Inner Sect elder and withstand three moves. If you do so, you will pass.”
“Since I happen to be here today, I will personally examine you. There is no need to trouble the other elders.”
“However, you are different from the others. After all, you obtained the Demon-Sealing Tower. Therefore, you must withstand ten moves from me to pass!”
The instant his words fell, everyone present held their breath.
Ten moves?
The Great Elder of the Inner Sect was at the ninth level of the Spirit Profound Realm. With Chu Tianxing merely at the first level, even surviving three moves against him would be difficult—let alone ten.
After all, there was an entire eight minor realms between them!
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