Dian Jing was cornered by Su Yan. His expression was a complex mix of shock and shame. 'How did Su Yan move so fast?!' He had planned to leave immediately after throwing the object. At best, Su Yan should have only seen his shadow, as Dian Jing was a Great Accomplishment in Skin Refining practitioner from the hunting trade, making his Ape Leap Step proficiency one of the best among the Outer Door Disciples.
"Senior Brother Dian, explain yourself. Why did you throw this?" Su Yan held the small white object he had snatched mid-chase. It was a small stone wrapped in paper. He unwrapped the paper. On it, scrawled in clumsy handwriting, were the words: "Be careful on the platform; someone intends to stop you."
Dian Jing sighed, deciding to be honest: "I came to warn you. Someone asked me to defeat you on the platform to prevent you from entering the Inner Door. I couldn't refuse."
"The Small Mountain Association." Dian Jing had barely finished speaking when Su Yan's cold voice cut in.
Dian Jing jerked his head up: "How did you know?" Dian Jing was unaware of Su Yan's feud with the Small Mountain Association, so he didn't know the connection. But for Su Yan, the answer was simple. The hunting trade relied on the mountains. For Dian Jing to be so constrained, the Small Mountain Association was the most likely culprit.
Knowing it was the Small Mountain Association actually relieved Su Yan. Gu Hong and his gang making a move was better than them holding back some hidden scheme.
"You agreed to their request? Then why are you warning me?"
"I don't want to needlessly offend someone." Dian Jing offered no grand reason, speaking plainly: "My village consists of mountain-men and hunters. The Small Mountain Association controls most of the peaks. If I refuse, I can still make a living in the city, but my refusal could harm my villagers. Besides, you have talent, and I don't want to offend you." Dian Jing, though outwardly blunt, had a shrewd mind.
The request was only to block Su Yan's entry into the Inner Door, not to kill him. Given Su Yan's talent, if he continued training, dealing with Dian Jing later would be effortless. Offending such a person preemptively was foolish. Why rely on a vague promise to join the Small Mountain Association one day?
"Besides you, who else did they recruit?" Su Yan raised an eyebrow.
Dian Jing hesitated: "I'm not sure who else they recruited, but one person is confirmed. Li Shun (Senior Brother Li) has had new income lately, and I haven't heard of any Treasure Fish caught in White Reed Lake." Li Shun and Su Yan already had bad blood, and Li Shun was prone to petty vengeance. His sudden wealth likely meant he had also been recruited.
"What a timely coincidence." Su Yan smiled. "Today is as if you were never here. Perform your best on the platform, but you'd better not be the first one up." He tossed the note back to Dian Jing, leaving the latter completely bewildered. Dian Jing had expected an interrogation but was simply dismissed.
'He couldn't have really reached Great Accomplishment already, could he?'
Su Yan returned to his room. 'Gu Hong dares do not confront me directly but wants to stop me from entering the Inner Door. This means the Inner Door Disciple status is indeed important.' He smoothed his bedding, a sharp glint in his eyes: 'The Blood Circulation stage is two realms above me, but if I enter the Tendon-Bone stage and my Dark Water Centipede and Velvet Fire Scorpion Bug break through to the Mature Stage or higher, I might find a chance to strike.'
'Furthermore, as Elder Song and Elder Xu said, entering the Inner Door means I can learn the Golden Ape Jade Body Art, a supplementary art that would take my strength to a whole new level. I have a chance.'
No incidents occurred during Su Yan's first night. The people sharing his room were different from Zhou Yong and Hu Qing. The next morning, Su Yan followed his routine, heading to a corner of the courtyard to practice his stance.
He adopted the ape's posture, his breathing long and deep. He absorbed two threads of Bug Essence into his body. The energy seamlessly merged with his blood energy into his skin membrane, with a portion separating to temper his tendons and bones.
He had only practiced for half an hour when a mocking voice interrupted him: "Hey, you low-caste mountain bastard! You're standing in my spot."
Su Yan slowly finished his stance, then turned to face two young men. They wore coarse hemp shirts, their skin was dark, and their eyes were aggressive, their faces arrogant.
"Are you mountain-folk, lake-dwellers, or city folk?" Su Yan's tone was calm, yet his gaze put immense pressure on the speaker.
Zheng Chuan flinched under the gaze but grew angry. He was just a mountain kid; why should he be afraid? He had been promised half a tael of silver for beating him up.
"What business is it of yours, mountain-folk or lake-dweller? Why aren't you leaving?" Zheng Chuan stepped up to shove Su Yan. The seemingly casual move was intended to be painful.
Su Yan took a step forward. He heard a sickening crack. Zheng Chuan's hand was instantly broken. The painful scream shattered the peace of the courtyard. Everyone looked over to see Zheng Chuan on the ground, his arm bent at an unnatural angle.
"Come at me together. Let's see what you've got." Su Yan's voice was calm, as if no one else were present.
"This brat is a bully! Hit him!" The men with Zheng Chuan panicked, intending to swarm Su Yan.
But in the next moment, Su Yan acted. His arms moved like a long-armed ape. With just a few quick motions—a grab, a twist, a break—he took them all down.
Su Yan's gaze swept across the courtyard: "Does anyone else want to try? If you're eager, you don't have to wait until the assessment."
"Su Yan! How dare you strike so viciously!" Zhou Hui stepped out, reprimanding Su Yan.
Su Yan looked at him coldly: "Senior Brother Zhou Hui, the academy does not forbid sparring. Or have the rules changed, and now you are in charge?" This retort turned Zhou Hui's face black with fury.
"Zhou Hui, why are you squabbling with your junior brother? Anyone who provokes a fellow disciple like this deserves to be beaten. Stop supporting those who rely on deceitful tricks." Gao Zheng suddenly appeared in the courtyard.
"Gao Zheng, hmph." Zhou Hui snorted and turned to leave. Zheng Chuan and the others, seeing this, could only limp away in shame.
This action clearly showed everyone where Gao Zheng's loyalties lay. Furthermore, Zheng Chuan was a Minor Accomplishment in Skin Refining disciple. To have his hand broken in a single move showed Su Yan's immense power. Who would dare provoke him?
"Thank you for intervening, Senior Brother Gao. Otherwise, I would have been in trouble." Su Yan thanked him with a smile. Gao Zheng ignored the flattery.
"You flatter me. I heard you defeated Wei Kang just days after joining. Now even Minor Accomplishment disciples are no match for you. Your Root Bone and Aptitude must be better than I first judged." Gao Zheng approached Su Yan and said: "The Inner Door assessment is fiercely contested. Be careful. Not only will the formal masters be present, but Master Bai will also personally preside over the examination."
Su Yan's eyes flickered: "Please give me some guidance, Senior Brother."
Gao Zheng glanced around and said, "Follow me." The two left the courtyard and found a quiet spot outside.
"The specific details are only known by the True Disciples and Master, but one thing is certain: Master Bai wants to cultivate young disciples, especially those under thirty."
Gao Zheng implied, speaking cautiously: "Although there are many Inner Door Disciples now, most of them are either nearing that age limit or slightly over it. Master Bai is hesitant. Only the youngest True Disciple sister meets the age requirement, but that's not enough people."
"Senior Brother, do you believe I can enter the Inner Door?"
"Why wouldn't you be able to?" Gao Zheng smiled. "Junior Brother, don't worry. I have no ulterior motives. I just hope that once you enter the Inner Door, we can support each other, and you can help me become one of the True Disciples."