The Eternal Heart

Two days later.

Under Ding Jiuhui's lead, Chen Yu arrived in front of a small courtyard in the northern corner of the outer sect.

There were two outer sect disciples squatting down at the entrance to the courtyard. They were cracking jokes and making fun of one another and actually resembled gatekeepers a little.

"Martial Brother Ding, you're here…"

The two outer sect disciples got up in a hurry and greeted Ding Jiuhui.

"This is?"

One of the outer sect disciples looked at Chen Yu.

In the circle of veteran disciples, Chen Yu was still a fresh face since this was the first time he participated in the social gathering.

"Huh?! You're the one living off of a woman? Chen… Chen Yu?"

The other outer sect disciple actually recognized Chen Yu and blurted out.

"Shoot! He's Chen Yu? He's that pretty boy who got his hands on Mu Xueqing? Looking at him, he's not that much more handsome than I am."

The prior outer sect disciple had an enormous reaction as he stared at Chen Yu directly.

It was as though these two were looking at some rare animal as they examined Chen Yu a few times.

Living off of a woman? Pretty boy?

Chen Yu's face twitched quite a bit.

Ever since Mu Xueqing walked hand in hand with him, he hadn't been able to remove the hat of "living off of a woman" he was wearing. Even if he had already ascended to the Connective Meridian stage and became an official disciple, he still couldn't remove it.

"Humph! Save your nonsense here! Younger Martial Brother Chen's strength is not inferior to mine. I brought him here to participate in the social gathering this time."

Ding Jiuhui glared at the duo.

"Heh! Martial Brother Ding, you guys head in first."

The duo smiled mischievously as they raised their hands and allowed Ding Jiuhui and Chen Yu to enter the courtyard.

The duo naturally didn't believe in Ding Jiuhui's evaluation of Chen Yu's strength. They thought that Chen Yu was relying on his relationship with Ding Jiuhui to enter this circle.

When they entered the courtyard, the first thing Chen Yu saw was a spacious martial arts practice field.

Huo! Huo!

Two disciples at the Connective Meridian stage were currently swapping pointers with one another in boxing and kicking techniques.

Even though the duo seemed to be at the middle Connective Meridian stage, their true strength was on an equal level with ordinary martial artists at the late Connective Meridian stage outside.

After all, sects had a significant superiority with respect to martial arts foundation and workmanship.

A few outer sect disciples were standing here and there around the martial arts practice field. They were currently watching the battle, conversing in a low voice from time to time.

"Tsk, tsk. I'm afraid it's impossible for these two to reach the top twenty in the Great Tournament with their standard."

A round-faced young man, who was obscenely fat, said in a rather disdainful manner. He stood on the flight of steps while biting the apple in his hands as he looked down at the duo fighting on the martial arts field.

That plump young man had a rather ear-piercing voice as everyone present could hear him.

When a few people nearby heard this, they looked at that plump young man with some restraining fear.

That rather plump young man held an impressive position in the outer sect and even had people flattering him by his side.

"Elder Brother Huang is right!"

"You have the nerve to make an exhibition of yourselves with this kind of strength?"

The duo, who were currently swapping pointers, on the martial arts practice field had incomparably angry expressions on their faces after hearing that.

This match of swapping pointers also came to a halt.

"Huang Yuan! Don't think you can hold us in contempt just because you ranked seventh in the last Great Tournament."

The two young men in the martial arts practice field were unbearably furious.

As it turns out, this plump young man was called Huang Yuan, an elite amongst the outer sect disciples. He was placed in the top ten in the Great Tournament last year.

Seventh in the Great Tournament?

Chen Yu looked surprised and grew interested in this Huang Yuan.

"Brother Chen, you have to be vigilant against this Huang Yuan. This person is temperamental, and is rather fond of choosing pushovers to step on," Ding Jiuhui said in a low voice.

Chen Yu nodded. He distinctly realized that the disciples nearby, including Ding Jiuhui, somewhat feared that fat young man.

At this moment, there was a sharp change in the conflict on the martial arts practice field.

"Just the two of you?"

"Young master can beat the two of you down alone in three moves. Do you believe me?" sneered the plump young man.

Two against one?

Beating them down in three moves?

The outer sect disciples nearby looked bewildered.

"I don't believe it!"

The two young men in the martial arts practice field were enraged.

Defeating one of them in three moves was already a kind of humiliation, let alone one beating two?

"Where did this Huang Yuan's great confidence come from?"

Ding Jiuhui was somewhat shocked.

In terms of cultivation, the two young men on the field were at the middle Connective Meridian stage like Ding Jiuhui and had similar strength.

Huang Yuan was a small rank higher than them at the late Connective Meridian stage.

The main point was, was it possible for him to fight two-on-one and defeat them in three moves as well?

Thump!

When everyone had their misgivings, that Huang Yuan had already disappeared from his original position and entered the martial arts practice field.

"Careful!"

The two young men at the middle Connective Meridian stage looked vigilant. If they really let Huang Yuan succeed, how could they have any face anymore?

A smile was plastered across Huang Yuan's face as he walked leisurely and confidently on the martial arts practice field.

Go!

The duo exchanged a glance and launched a pincer attack from the left and right as they charged at Huang Yuan at the same time.

"Flying Eagle Leg!"

One of the young men actually jumped high up in the air and launched a flying kick with astonishing strength.

"Metal Cloud Claw!"

The other young man actually launched the same [Metal Cloud Claw] as Wang Lingyun. He pounced over and attacked with his claw, throwing icy wind right in front of Huang Yuan's face.

"Hahaha..."

Huang Yuan laughed heartily after seeing this. His fat figure turned into a blur on the spot with a whoosh as he easily dodged the [Metal Cloud Claw] attack from the young man behind him.

The expressions of those present watching the battle changed.

Huang Yuan seemed fat, but he was actually so quick, particularly in that instance when his speed exploded when he transitioned from standstill to movement!

Chen Yu realized that Huang Yuan had only dodged that Metal Cloud Claw, but hadn't dodged the other person.

This wasn't because he couldn't dodge both of them at the same time.

"Lie down!"

A vicious glint burst forth in Huang Yuan's eyes. His palm resembled a cattail-leaf fan with a violent strong wind as he slapped the leg of the young man using the [Flying Eagle Leg] all at once.

Ah!

The young man, who launched a flying kick from high up in the sky, let out a stifled cry. A wave of intense pain shot through his leg as it almost broke.

Bathump!

The young man, who utilized the kicking technique, fell on the ground on the spot as he cupped his leg with his hands, crying out in pain.

The other young man looked immensely startled. He didn't dare to fight Huang Yuan head on and tried to have a ranged battle with him instead.

However, that Huang Yuan had an astonishingly quick martial arts form as his figure rapidly approached the other young man.

"Ao!"

In the instant the palm and claw collided, the young man, who unleashed the [Metal Cloud Claw], felt his arm go numb as a powerful Inner Breath caused him to be unstable on his feet.

He knocked them down again!

Huang Yuan didn't wait for him to react as he unleashed a palm at lightning speed and sent him a few meters away. The other party smashed on the ground and couldn't get up for a long time.

Ss!

A few disciples present, who were watching the fight, couldn't help but suck in a cold breath of air.

It took less than ten breaths adding everything that happened from the beginning until the end. In a total of three moves, Huang Yuan beat two disciples at the middle Connective Meridian stage to the ground right away,

"This Huang Yuan cultivated a kind of restraining physical technique. Not only is his cultivation of martial arts profound, his physical defenses far surpass ordinary disciples at the same rank as well," Ding Jiuhui said in a low voice.

So that was the case.

Chen Yu already noticed that Huang Yuan was like him, in that his strength and physique exceeded that of ordinary Connective Meridian disciples.

Based on his evaluation, this Huang Yuan's strength had reached the rank of the Great Fiend Chu Lifeng at the very least. Even if the maturity of his techniques were slightly inferior to the Great Fiend's, his strength and physique comfortably surpassed the Great Fiend.

"This is the power of the outer sect's top ten?"

Chen Yu felt a hint of pressure.

With Chen Yu's current strength, his odds of success against those at the Great Fiend's rank wasn't 100%.

It was difficult to imagine how powerful the outer sect's top three and even number one was.

Based on past experiences, only the top three had greater hope in entering the inner sect, aside from the number one of the outer sect who could steadily do so.

That also meant that Chen Yu had to charge past the top three and even the number one if he wanted to enter the inner sect!

"If any one of you Tom, Dick, or Harry participate in the Great Outer Sect Tournament, you'll only make a fool of yourself."

Huang Yuan dusted his hands and walked out of the martial arts practice field with disdain on his face.

…

In the courtyard, many disciples were filled with restraining fear and dread toward the fat young man's silhouette as they remained at a respectful distance from him.

"Hehe. Fatty Huang. With your ability, you can only bully the weak."

A burst of laughter that seemed to have no respect for the fat young man broke the silence on the field.

Chen Yu was apprehensive. Who was this person who actually dared to use a mocking tone to call Huang Yuan "Fatty Huang"?

Everyone stared at who said that.

An elegant young man holding a folding fan walked out from the garret in the middle of the courtyard.

This young man had fair and clear skin, as his appearance could be said to be elegant. If it wasn't for his sloppy appearance, he would have somewhat of an educated appearance.

"It's him! The number one genius of the outer sect!"

"Nangong Li! He's ranked second in strength in the outer sect."

The expression on the faces of a group of disciples in the courtyard changed once more.

If Fatty Huang gave rise to restraining fear and dread to everyone, then this young man with the folding fan gave everyone a kind of formless respect and subduction.

Nangong Li?

He was that Nangong Li!

Chen Yu stared at this young man as he assessed him since he had heard of Nangong Li's past achievements.

The title outer sect's number one genius could even be said to be like thunder piercing the ear.

"Nangong Li has already reached the peak of the Connective Meridian stage. It is said that he already has the qualifications to become an inner sect disciple with his innate skill. Even ascending to the Visceral Tempering stage is not difficult for him," Ding Jiuhui was in the process of explaining.

What?

Chen Yu was really shocked this time.

This Nangong Li could already become an inner sect disciple and could even ascend to the Visceral Tempering stage effortlessly, so why was he still in the outer sect?

Could it be he was staying after eating his fill?

One had to know that many disciples were like Chen Yu. They were still striving and working hard to become an inner sect disciple.

"Once an individual ascends to the Visceral Tempering stage, they would automatically be upgraded to the position of an inner sect disciple. There would even be people amongst the higher-ups in the sect willing to take them under their wing as their disciple, but I heard that Nangong Li wants to take the title of 'outer sect's champion' once. One is because it has some kind of glory and benefit. The other is because it is said that there is a rather generous reward from the sect for the 'champion' and 'top three' of the Great Tournament."

Ding Jiuhui explained the reason behind it.

When Chen Yu heard this, he couldn't help but be curious about what generous reward the champion of this year's Great Tournament would get that would even make Nangong Li not hesitate in staying in the outer sect.

In the previous years, there was a certain reward for the top ten of the Great Tournament in order to encourage competition between disciples.

"I know who you are! Nangong Li, you've already eaten your fill, yet you haven't left the outer sect. You insist on snatching a place amongst these unfortunate disciples such as we," Huang Yuan casually said, piling smiles on his face.

He could be domineering in front of the others, but he had to welcome Nangong Li with a smile when he met him.

"Boring! It seems like only Duan Xiaolong can have a fight with me in the outer sect."

Nangong Li couldn't help but shake his head.

Irrespective of whether it was in strength or his nature of the powerful bullying the weak, he held an opponent at Huang Yuan's rank in contempt.

At this moment, a few outer sect disciples entered the courtyard in turn.

"Martial Brother Yang! Martial Brother Wang..."

There was a share of respect in the voices of those two disciples guarding the door.

A young man with short hair holding a silver spear, in particular, had a gaze so fierce that people didn't dare to look him straight in the eyes.

The young man in green garments with a pleasant countenance beside him was a person that Chen Yu was incomparably familiar with.

"Wang Lingyun."

Chen Yu's face abruptly sank as he recalled the situation where he was ambushed that day.

When he thought about that, he took large strides and approached Wang Lingyun without another word.

"This is bad… it's Chen Yu!"

Wang Lingyun quivered as his expression changed greatly. Looking at that attitude, Chen Yu was definitely looking for him to settle the score with him!