The Eternal Heart - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Inner Sect Disciple
The top 10 in the Great Tournament were released in order.

Based on the usual practice in previous tournaments, a few higher-ups in the sect had a fixed quota in their hands. They could directly take those they thought highly off into the inner sect in advance so that they enjoyed the treatment of inner sect disciples.

Those ranked as Elders had one place each every three years. Those ranked as Hall Masters had one place every six years.

Naturally, the person who got first place in the Great Tournament disregarded this restriction. Even if no one took them in as their disciple, the individual would automatically become an inner sect disciple as well.

Chen Yu was already an inner sect disciple.

Other than that, one could become an inner sect disciple by ascending to the Visceral Tempering stage before they turned 25.

In short, there were only three ways to become an inner sect disciple.

The easiest way was to rely on one’s relations.

Next, one could similarly become an inner sect disciple if they possessed good natural endowments.

If one didn’t possess natural endowments? Then they would have to rely on absolute strength to firmly attack and obtain first place, just like Chen Yu.

The final method was the most difficult one amongst the three methods.

In the pavilion, a group of Elders and higher-ups swept their gazes across a few disciples ranked in the top 10.

“Duan Xiaolong, this sect sees that you have impressive comprehension abilities and is a man of great potential. Are you willing to be my disciple? This sect will confer the qualifications of an inner sect disciple to you,” said a middle-aged man dressed in blue robes with a smile.

The person who spoke was the Sect Master of Yunyue Sect.

There was a commotion when everyone saw this scene, which caused one to feel envious.

“I’m willing to do so.”

Duan Xiaolong promptly stepped forth and made his salutations with a happy expression on his face.

In reality, it wasn’t considered too difficult if Duan Xiaolong wanted to ascend to the Visceral Tempering stage right now. The Duan Clan behind him was a large and influential family in the state of Chu.

However, the rare honor to become a disciple of the Sect Master of Yunyue Sect was too great.

“Le Feng, I see that you have pretty good aptitudes in martial arts. You have a certain potential. Are you willing to become my disciple?” asked a kind Elder in plain cotton clothing.

“I’m willing to!”

Le Feng was pleasantly surprised. He never thought that an Elder would take him in as their disciple since he was ranked fifth.

After that, a few Elders and Hall Masters in the pavilion fell silent.

Amongst the top three, Chen Yu was already an inner sect disciple, but his natural endowments were too ordinary. It wasn’t essential to waste a quota on him now. If someone fancied him, they could take him in as their disciple in private.

The Sect Master already received Duan Xiaolong as his disciple.

As for Nangong Li, he was Elder Nangong’s grandson, so it was only natural that his grandfather was going to nurture him personally.

“Nangong Li, I’m going to bestow the title of ‘True Disciple’ on you.”

After contemplating it, the old man with the white beard made a decision.

True Disciple!

Everyone, including the Sect Master of Yunyue Sect, looked at Elder Nangong in astonishment.

“Only those ranked as Elders are allocated places to assign disciples as True Disciples. Moreover, there’s only one place every 20 years that can immediately promote any disciple to the rank of a ‘True Disciple’.”

“Wow! True Disciple! The treatment and privileges one can enjoy in the sect are too great.”

A wave of discussions could be heard.

“Elder Nangong, are you certain you want to bestow the only position of True Disciple you have in 20 years to Nangong Li? Once this quota has been used, it will automatically be used up completely and you can only possess another one in the next 20 years,” the Sect Master of Yunyue Sect asked with a serious tone.

The quota for True Disciples was really valuable.

A few higher-ups with shallow experience and those who just became Elders for a short period didn’t have such allocations assigned to them. For example, Fairy Xia Yu was the youngest Elder in Yunyue Sect so she didn’t have this scope of authority.

“I’m certain.”

Elder Nangong didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

As his biological grandson, Nangong Li had extraordinary aptitudes. He didn’t manage to grab the rewards for the first place, so he couldn’t waste any more time.

He simply allocated the position he had once every 20 years callously to his biological grandson.

After this, the higher-ups in the pavilion didn’t issue any more statements.

First, there were a very limited number of places. Secondly, there weren’t any candidates that they were very pleased with amongst the remaining disciples.

“Unfortunately, I think that Tong Yuling isn’t bad, but there aren’t any more places left,” Fairy Xia Yu softly sighed.

She fancied Tong Yuling’s fortune and temperament so it might be possible for her to give it a go and nurture Tong Yuling. However, she used her quota on Mu Xueqing in advance.

The remaining disciples in the top 10 of the Great Tournament looked disappointed and gloomy.

“Next, we’ll give out the rewards for the Great Tournament.”

The loud and bright voice came from that old man in the dark robes in front of the Array Board.

The rewards from the Great Tournament!

Numerous disciples felt their minds shake.

Chen Yu, in particular, felt his heart race. The reward for number one in the Great Tournament this year far exceeded that in the past.

At this moment, Elder Nangong sighed gloomily as his gaze flitted across Chen Yu and Nangong Li.

The reward for being the “Champion of the Great Tournament” was the reason why Nangong Li deliberately retained himself in the outer sect. Elder Nangong Li exerted himself in this respect as well.

But in the end, he was just contributing all of this to Chen Yu’s enormous success.

“We’ll give out the rewards for the top 10 first.” The old man in black robes waved his hand.

Soon, seven women walked onto the tournament stage holding seven trays with both their hands respectively.

Le Feng, Tong Yuling, Hu Yiba, namely those in the fourth place up until the tenth place, got on stage to receive their reward.

[The reward for the top 10]: 10,000 Contribution Points, a high-ranked martial arts technique, and a low-ranked Profound Body Pill.

These rewards were significant helping hands in cultivation to disciples at the Connective Meridian stage.

“Top two and three, come and receive your reward.”

Two more women walked up, holding a tray each with both of their hands.

These women were all at the Visceral Tempering stage and were also members of the bottom level in the sect.

In Yunyue Sect, there was an age limit to being called a disciple.

Outer sect disciples couldn’t exceed 25 years old. If they reached the upper bound in age and still hadn’t entered the inner sect yet, they would no longer be disciples, but could still stay in the sect and take up a few low-leveled posts.

If they hadn’t even broken through to the Visceral Tempering stage, they could just barely remain either as workers who did odd jobs or as female attendants.

Inner sect disciples couldn’t exceed 25 years old either. Once they were over 25, they would similarly be stripped from the ranks of disciples and be arranged to other middle-ranked posts.

[The reward for top three]: 20,000 Contribution Points, a top-ranked martial arts technique, and a mid-ranked Profound Body Pill.

The reward for the top three was more bountiful. Many outer sect disciples might not have such strokes of luck even if they struggled for ten years.

Duan Xiaolong and Nangong Li received their rewards expressionlessly.

The two of them were originally brimming with confidence in strongly contending for first place. Naturally, their expectations weren’t reached now that they got the reward for the top three.

“First place, come and receive your reward.”

Chen Yu mounted the stage under a lot of envious, jealous, and unwilling gazes.

[The reward for first place]: 30,000 Contribution Points, a saint-ranked martial arts technique, one Profound Qi Pill, and a treasured item.

This reward was more than two times better than that of the top three!

The discrepancy was far too great!

The top three didn’t have a treasured item as a reward and even more than that, they couldn’t choose a saint-ranked martial arts technique.

“With these rewards, I can also have a pretty good starting point in the inner sect.”

Chen Yu was happy.

There was a jade bottle on the tray in front of him, as well as three talismans.

There was a mysterious pill with twinkling light green ripples in the jade bottle. It was approximately the size of a thumb.

“This is the Profound Qi Pill?”

Chen Yu picked up the jade bottle curiously and fixed his eyes on it.

In that split second, he suddenly felt rapacious and prying gazes on him.

These gazes came from a few sect members at the Visceral Tempering stage, including inner sect disciples, as well as a few attendants and Law Enforcers.

“Is the value of the Profound Qi Pill so high? It attracted so many peeping gazes.”

Chen Yu felt his heart tremble with fear.

He only faintly heard about the effects of this pill before. It was said that it established a good foundation for breaking through to the Qi Transformation Realm. To those at the Visceral Tempering stage, this was a precious spirit medicine that wasn’t easy to obtain.

“You can go to the Sect Affairs Hall, Heavenly Martial Pavilion and Heavenly Weapons Building to receive your other three rewards with the three talismans respectively,” that old man in black robes added.

A hint of rumination hung on the corner of his lips as he glanced at the Profound Qi Pill in Chen Yu’s hands.

When Chen Yu walked off the stage, he felt many gazes peeping at him. Cold sweat seeped out of his back as a wave of faint unease washed over him.

“Boy, you have to keep the Profound Qi Pill in your hands safe. That pill is a precious medicine those in the middle to late Visceral Tempering stages yearn for even in their dreams.”

The familiar voice of an old man rang beside Chen Yu’s ears.

Chen Yu glanced out of the corner of his eye. The person who transmitted his voice came from the old man with the reddened face. It was Elder Mao who recommended the [Bronze Statue Technique] to him.

Once the rewards were distributed, heavy curtains fell over this year’s Great Tournament.

The group of disciples dispersed one by one.

As the current number one in the outer sect and a precious inner sect disciple, Chen Yu received the attention of numerous people.

“Martial Brother Chen, congratulations on obtaining first place.”

Many people greeted him.

“Martial Brother Chen, we’ll meet again in the inner sect,” Le Feng said as he cupped one fist in his other hand.

Even though he wasn’t ranked in the top three in the Great Tournament this year, he was accepted as an inner sect disciple.

“Me too. We’ll meet in the inner sect!” Tong Yuling said with a smile.

Hmm?

Chen Yu and Le Feng looked at Tong Yuling in astonishment.

It seemed as if not a single one of the higher-ups had taken Tong Yuling in as their disciple, right?

Fortunately, Chen Yu knew the answer not long after that.

…

Early the next morning.

Chen Yu walked into the central hall to register as an inner sect disciple.

In the end, he saw Tong Yuling when he was registering for his position in the inner sect.

However, Tong Yuling was emitting a berserk fluctuation of Inner Breath from her. It seemed as though she just made a breakthrough.

“Visceral Tempering stage?”

Chen Yu looked at Tong Yuling in shock.

What fortune did this Tong Yuling have that she could actually ascend to the Visceral Tempering stage so quickly? It was no wonder that she had such confidence in entering the inner sect.

Tong Yuling smiled brilliantly. “Please take care of me, Younger Martial Brother Chen.”

“Elder Martial Sister has already ascended to the Visceral Tempering stage. How is it that you still need a Connective Meridian stage like me to take care of you?” Chen Yu said with a smile.

The duo obtained their new identity tokens, as well as two regulated gowns in the central hall.

The regulated gowns of the disciples under Yunyue Sect were impeccable clean clothes and gowns that were green in color.

After becoming inner sect disciples, their clothes were even more exquisite as hazy pictures of mountain ranges and clouds would be embroidered on the front and back.

As a woman, Tong Yuling could choose a delicate skirt like that.

After receiving their tokens, Chen Yu and Tong Yuling entered the inner sect encampment together.

The inner sect encampment was in an even deeper region of the Yunyue Monastery. The environment here was more graceful than in the outer sect. Pavilions, buildings, and water flowing below a small bridge could be seen from time to time.

“The two of you can each choose one small independent courtyard.”

A middle-aged attendant brought the two of them to a level region.

A few small courtyards that were scattered about appeared before their eyes.

Lone two-storied buildings were occupying one to two fields in every courtyard.

Chen Yu and Tong Yuling happily chose a small lone courtyard each.

Sure enough, the treatment of the inner sect far surpassed that of the outer sect. One could see a speck of it merely from the residence of the inner sect disciples.

Other than that, every inner sect disciple could enjoy the servitude of one male servant and two maidservants in their residence.

“Greetings, Master.”

A middle-aged man and two servant girls bowed their heads and respectfully made their salutations in Chen Yu’s courtyard.

“There’s no need to be overly courteous in the future.”

Chen Yu waved his hand.

This male servant and two maidservants were responsible for his food, drink, and everyday life including trivial matters such as running errands for him.

In the future, he didn’t need to go to the dining hall as he did in the outer sect for his meals and whatnot. This trio took care of such matters directly.

After confirming his residence, Chen Yu planned to receive the treasured item, Contribution Points, and saint-ranked martial arts technique in the afternoon.

“Is Younger Martial Brother Chen here?”

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At this moment, two unfamiliar youths walked into the courtyard.

“I am him.”

Chen Yu glanced at the two youths, who were both inner sect disciples.

Due to the senses the mysterious heart gave him, he could sense the fluctuations of Inner Breath within the bodies of the duo. These two were at the Visceral Tempering stage. One of them was even at the middle Visceral Tempering stage.

“Younger Martial Brother Chen, my Master summons you,” said one of the short-haired youth with a smile on his face.