Chapter 15: Rival
The backyard of the first courtyard for one hundred strongest new disciples occupied hundreds of mu[1] of land. It was planted with various rare plants. The scenery was spectacular.
A silhouette could be seen there, with the sword dancing in the air.
The radiance from the sword flashed past as if magic.
"Abundant Wealth!"
A voice resounded. The silhouette wielded his sword as if raging waves.
He withdrew his sword and sheathed it back.
The identity of this silhouette was none other than Lin Yi.
"Hu!"
Lin Yi exhaled lightly and wiped away the sweat on his forehead then took a look at his martial arts panel. Seeing that both silver grade martial arts, Huashan Swordplay and Huashan's Arts of Lightness, had reached advanced stage, with addition to another extra ten thousand combat experience points, he let out a smile.
A few days had passed since he defeated Han Bai and took down the number one title among new disciples.
After he moved into the courtyard, Lin Yi didn't even have time to take a look at his new residence carefully as he directly inspected the harvests he gained.
He gained a lot from challenging the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples this time. Each of them contributed one thousand combat experience points. One hundred individuals meant one hundred thousand combat experience points.
In five days, he gained one hundred thousand combat experience points.
Even in the game, to obtain equivalent amount of experience points by hunting monsters, Lin Yi still needed fifteen days.
Obviously, Lin Yi was now living inside the great pugilistic world so he couldn't hunt any monsters. To obtain one hundred thousand combat experience points wasn't something could be accomplished in a short time.
Amidst the green willows and blooming flowers another village appears[2]. Just when Lin Yi was distressed on how to obtain more combat experience points, he came to know that he could obtain it by challenging the ranks of one hundred strongest disciples.
This had also allowed him to gain deeper understanding on how to obtain combat experience points.
To be able to cause some impact would enable him to gain achievement, then he could obtain achievement rewards.
"In other words, I can obtain combat experience points by grinding reputation?"
Lin Yi was quite surprised as he somehow managed to develop a way to level up.
By continuously grinding reputation, he would be able to become more well-known and he would be able to obtain more combat experience points.
Naturally, though grinding reputation was a must, he couldn't slack off in practising martial arts either.
No matter how high a skill mastery was, if one didn't have deep comprehension towards it and didn't know how to execute it properly, it was all in vain.
Back then in the game, Lin Yi had encountered numerous of these kinds of players. They thought they could be stronger just by grinding experience from monsters and owning top grade martial arts, however, they couldn't exhibit the true strength they had in the end.
They could still bully weak players, however, in the case they faced strong players, they could only become a target to be hit without any means of retaliation.
This was also the reason why there were only five players who obtained the "God-ranked" title among millions of players.
There were a lot of players who managed to cleared twelve standard meridians, eight extraordinary meridians, forming internal circulation by hunting monsters and clearing quests. However, facing a God-ranked player, they only had the choice to be slaughtered!
This was also the reason why Lin Yi wouldn't drop his martial arts practice. Though he had reached advanced stage for both Huashan Swordplay and Huashan's Arts of Lightness, and his brain had also filled with the knowledge of the profoundness of this stage.
But there was a great difference between only knowing and how to execute them properly.
This was the reason why Lin Yi practised diligently. He was consolidating his mastery.
He had also gained quite a harvest when he was consolidating his mastery. Both silver grade martial arts had increased by ten thousand experience points.
To reach perfection stage from advanced stage, he needed one hundred thousand experience points.
Thus Lin Yi wouldn't be able to reach the perfection stage within a short time.
However, he still maintained the habit of practising every day as he could increase his experience points every day. Though the speed of obtaining combat experience points through practising couldn't be compared to those obtained from achievement rewards, but many a little made a mickle.
With both silver grade martial arts had reached advanced stage, Lin Yi's attack and speed had reach 40 points.
The distance from being a third-rate martial artists' threshold at 70 points, he was only at 30 points away.
He wasn't that far away from being a third-rate martial artist.
He could be counted as someone almost at the top existences in lower courtyard.
But Lin Yi didn't become proud because of this. He didn't even loosen himself up.
His goal was to become the head disciple of Huashan. The current him was still too far away from that seat.
If he remembered correctly, the biggest rival whom could contend the position of head disciple with him was a core disciple named Linghu Feng.
Back in the game, it was precisely Linghu Feng who ascended to the seat of head disciple.
Linghu Feng, a member of Linghu Clan, was a second-rate martial artist now. He practised Primary Chaos Skill, a superior internal strength culvation manual of Huashan. He also practised superior sword arts and arts of lightness, with both of them belonged to gold grade martial arts.
After he became the head disciple, he was awarded two supreme martial arts, Nine Swordplays of Dugu and Violet Mist Divine Skill.
Soon after, he became a first-rate martial artist.
With two supreme martial arts accompanying him, he became a peak expert with astonishing speed.
When he had became a peak expert, Lin Yi was still an ungraded martial artist.
After he had travelled through time and space into great pugilistic world, his most powerful competitor was Linghu Feng. Facing a lot of pressure, Lin Yi didn't dare to feel proud. He was only the number one among the new disciples, moreover he was still an ungraded martial artist. Yet, Linghu Feng had already became the well-known Young Hero Linghu in pugilistic world, a second-rate martial artist.
With none of peak martial artists appeared and rarely seen first-rate martial artists, second-rate martial artists were the strongest existencess.
Moreover, Linghu Feng was born in Linghu Clan!
Six hundred years ago, Linghu Chong appeared. Relying on two supreme martial arts, Nine Swordplays of Dugu and Star Absorbing Skill, he dominated the pugilistic world and became a supreme martial artist. It was him who pulled Huashan which was on the verge of collapsing back into its pinnacle.
He was also the chief of Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance!
Due to Linghu Chong, Linghu Clan had a high status within Huashan.
Though six hundred years had passed, but Linghu Clan could still exert quite an influence in Huashan.
Wanting to become the head disciple of Huashan and compete with Linghu Feng.
Lin Yi had to face a lot of challenges and obstacles!
However, Lin Yi was determined to win the position of head disciple!
By becoming the head disciple of Huashan, he wouldn't only get to gain two hundred thousand combat experience points.
By becoming the head disciple of Huashan, he would be able to have great authority, thus increasing his chance of taking Huashan in charge.
Taking charge of such a big sect like Huashan would provide great sense of security during the upcoming chaotic warring period. This was something Lin Yi would never let go.
As someone who had personally experienced the warring period, he was deeply aware with the cruelty and brutality of that era.
The lives of human were akin to weeds. He didn't even know how many martial artists of pugilistic world, from sect leaders to their ungraded martial artists disciples, who died.
The number of annihilated sects were numerous.
The disciples of big sects were even more difficult to stay alive!
It was because they were the main target of the evil cults.
Only a sect leader of a big sect, relying on numerous disciples under him, could protect themselves and fight back against the evil cults.
In addition, by becoming the head disciple of Huashan, one would be able to obtain two supreme martial arts —- Nine Swordplays of Dugu and Violet Mist Divine Skill!
These two martial arts were the one Lin Yi didn't want to let go the most.
Only by owning these two supreme martial arts, he could dominate the pugilistic world and obtain the eligibility to become the ‘chess player' in the upcoming warring period.
"The position of Huashan's head disciple, I will definitely obtain it!"
He lifted his hands towards the peak of Mt.Hua while gripping his sword with bright shone eyes.
…….
"Young master, Young master Jiang has come again. He is waiting for you in the hall."
Lin Yi held his sword and walked back to frontyard. A maid with delicate looks came forward and helped him carry his sword. This maid was one of the welfare provided by the first courtyard who was responsible for his daily needs. Other than that, there were also some servants responsible for doing chores.
This was the benefit of entering the ranks of one hundred strongest disciples. Not only one would get to live in luxurious villa, there were also people responsbile for cooking and doing laundry. One didn't need to do anything and could just focus on practising.
"Jiang Xiaoyu? He came again?"
Lin Yi raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly. Since he had moved into the courtyard, Jiang Xiaoyu would come everyday to ask Lin Yi to guide him in practising martial arts. Because he wanted to groom him, Lin Yi also happily agreed to him.
As long as he came, Lin Yi would guide him meticulously.
He seemed to be stimulated by Lin Yi who managed to defeat the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples and moved into the courtyard as he became more diligent in practising martial arts.
Within a short time, he had progressed by a huge leap!
He had reached novice stage for both Huashan Swordplay and Huashan's Arts of Lightness. Due to Lin Yi's reminder, he had also immersed himself in basic martial arts which he never put into his heart previously.
With solid foundation and determination to improve, as well as guidance from such a good teacher like Lin Yi, his strength had increased by leaps and bounds.
In this regard, Lin Yi was quite satisfied.
There were a lot of good seeds in lower courtyard.
What was lacking was guidance of a good teacher. The training system in Huashan was simply like herding sheeps, seemingly not to care about lower courtyard's disciples at all.
Those instructors were also hard to meet once the practice session ended. Even if one met them, it would still be hard to ask for guidance from them.
The disciples in lower courtyard numbered more than ten thousand. However how many instructors were there?
With this, one could imagine just how rare for someone to be able to get guidance from instructors.
The vast majority of lower courtyard disciples were like herd of sheeps.
"Haha, Senior Brother Lin Yi!"
Lin Yi had just walked to the hall's entrance. Jiang Xiaoyu who heard his footsteps ran to him while laughing wildly, "I have entered it, haha, i have entered the ranks of one hundred strongest disciples!"
Seeing that smug face made Lin Yi to have the impulse to punch him in the face.
One could imagine just how smug Jiang Xiaoyu looked at that moment.
Nonetheless, these were the facts. Due to the relationship between Jiang Xiaoyu and Lin Yi, he would go to first courtyard everyday and ask for Lin Yi's guidance. What made others to feel jealous, envious, or hate was Jiang Xiaoyu's strength had increased significantly each time he walked out from the first courtyard.
The first day, he defeated all the people who defeated him before.
The second day, his strength was nearing the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples.
The third day, he had entered the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples.
One had to know, the current hundredth seat was the previous ninety-ninth seat.
The difficulty to enter the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples was harder!
In spite of this, Jiang Xiaoyu still managed to enter the ranks.
This caused many people to stare stupidly.
Even someone like Jiang Xiaoyu could enter the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples. Just how formidable Senior Brother Lin Yi was?
Numerous people were itching in their hearts, wanting to swap with Jiang Xiaoyu and obtain guidance from Lin Yi.
"Mm, you have entered the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples? It's pretty well, but you can't be proud yet. Wait until you have managed to become one of the ten strongest new disciples before you get proud!"
Lin Yi glared at the excited Jiang Xiaoyu.
"One of the ten strongest?"
Jiang Xiaoyu who was still laughing previously immediately froze. He stroked his head with a bitter face, "All of the ten strongest new disciples have perverse strength, how could it be so easy to enter it?"
"Junior, do not despair. With me as your guide by your side, don't you have the confidence of realizing it?" Lin Yi laughed while patting Jiang Xiaoyu's shoulder.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaoyu's eyes suddenly brightened. The thought of how powerful Lin Yi was, who managed to let him to increase his strength by leaps and bounds in three days, from an inconspicuous disciple to someone who was able to enter the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples.
He was suddenly filled with confidence. As if injected with chicken's blood[3], he lifted his head and puffed out his chest and shouted, "Senior Brother Lin Yi, just you wait for the day I enter the ranks of ten strongest new disciples!"
He was thinking of doing the same thing as his Senior Brother Lin Yi, to challenge the ranks of one hundred strongest new disciples and shock the entire lower courtyard.
"Mm, Senior Brother Lin Yi is too powerful. I, Jiang Xiaoyu shall lower the requirement and just defeat the rear ninety strongest new disciples!"
[1] 亩 (mu), approximately 0.6 hectare.
[2] 柳暗花明又一村, it has the same meaning as "there's always light at the end of the tunnel".
[3] 打鸡血, meaning very excited.