Chapter 37 Crazy wave of challenges
7 days passed in a blink of an eye.
Yu Zecheng had just ended his seclusion, and sensing the increase in his internal strength, his eyes revealed a glint of joy.
Internal arts was the foundation of a martial artist.
In Jianghu, other than a small minority who practised external arts, the remaining majority practised internal arts.
The ranking of power in Jianghu was also done according to the state of internal arts one possessed.
Internal arts required clearing the 12 standard meridians, 8 extraordinary meridians and finally clearing the path between the 2 sets of meridians in order to develop internal circulation, which was then considered the state of great success in internal arts.
Those who had cleared 1 to 6 standard meridians were considered third-rate experts.
7 to 12 standard meridians cleared were considered second-rate experts.
Further clearing the 8 extraordinary meridians were considered first-rate experts.
Finally, those that developed internal circulation and therefore achieving the state of great success in internal arts were considered peak experts.
Third-rate experts enjoyed minor fame in Jianghu, possibly holding influence in a small area.
Second-rate experts were major existences in Jianghu, becoming the subject of fear and respect wherever they went.
First-rate experts were rarely seen about in Jianghu, only appearing during major events.
As for peak experts, they appeared even more rarely, and every time they interfered resulted in huge changes in the state of Jianghu. They were the overlords of the entire Shenzhou.
Above the peak experts existed the peerless experts.
However, these people usually existed in myths and legends of Jianghu, and even Yu Zecheng was unsure of whether they truly existed.
It was said that peerless experts had even managed to achieve external circulation, and every move they made contained immense power.
Even a casual fist or palm strike from them was superior to a move from peak experts using peerless martial arts.
With a sense of yearning, Yu Zecheng shook his head.
He was still incredibly far from achieving that kind of strength,
Internal arts was something that was very difficult to train and improve.
Increasing one's internal strength, then using internal strength to clear the meridians.
He almost never slept every night, using the time to train his internal strength.
However, he achieved limited success.
Arriving at the hall of internal affairs and taking a seat at his place, he tilted up one leg lazily and asked: "Xiaoliu, 7 days has passed. Is there any activity from Junior Brother Lin? How goes his internal art training?"
Xiaoliu said with a strange expression on his face: "Junior Brother Lin only went into seclusion for 3 days."
"3 days? What does that mean? Did he succeed or not?" Yu Zecheng asked with a frown.
Xiaoliu's expression became even stranger, seemingly speaking while holding his breath: "After he came out of seclusion, Junior Brother Lin no longer went into seclusion again. He started to challenge the top 100 in the lower courtyard. This Junior Brother Lin is really something, in just 3 days, he already reached the 81st rank."
"What?!" Yu Zecheng jumped up from his chair, not from curiosity or acknowledgement, but from great anger, berating loudly: "Lin Yi this chap got obsessed with challenging the top 100? What time is it already? He's still challenging the top 100? Does he think that by defeating all those in the top 100, his entry into upper courtyard is guaranteed?"
"Too naive, even if he did that and ranked first in the lower courtyard, without internal arts, he is less than a fart!"
"He will be the death of me!"
Yu Zecheng angrily slapped the table and leaped onto his feet, his face full of disappointment.
"Senior Brother Yu, how about I make a trip to persuade Junior Brother Lin?" Xiaoliu was surprised that Senior Brother Yu would value Junior Brother Lin so much, and raised his head to look at Yu Zecheng.
"Don't go!" Yu Zecheng halted him angrily and yelled: "Let him do what he wants! We don't have to interfere so much, this Lin Yi is too disappointing. Let's just give him 3 months. Once the time is up, we will examine the results of his training."
"Hmph, if he succeeds in training his internal art, we'll take it that he's just playing around."
"If not, hehe..." Yu Zecheng smiled coldly, his eyes glinting with icy coldness.
What value was there in a genius who didn't have internal arts?
"I understand." Xiaoliu stuck out his tongue, shaking his head in his heart. This Junior Brother Lin has truly upset Senior Brother Yu greatly.
He was able to understand the thoughts of Senior Brother Yu.
Excitedly rushing here to ask about Junior Brother Lin's progress, thinking that he might have achieved some success. To think that, instead he was fooling around, going off to challenge the top 100!
Even if he managed to become ranked 1 in the lower courtyard, so what?
Without internal arts, one wouldn't amount to anything.
Xiaoliu sighed, and began to think badly of Lin Yi.
No matter who it was that only had 3 months to succeed in learning internal arts would find it to be an urgent task and use every bit of time available for training.
Who would fool around like Lin Yi and use the time to challenge the top 100 instead?
Similar situations happened all over Huashan.
Sect Master nearly accepting Lin Yi as a core disciple naturally attracted many people's attention. The 3 month test was also discovered by many others.
All of them were waiting for the result of the test, and when they learned that Lin Yi went to challenge the top 100 instead of working hard to learning internal arts, they all shook their heads and coldly waited to see the joke Lin Yi would become in 3 months' time.
Some of them shook their heads disappointedly and no longer looked well upon Lin Yi.
......
In contrast to the upper courtyard, it was a sea of excitement in the lower courtyard at this moment.
Everyone's faces were full of excitement and joy, as if they were celebrating the new year.
It was because something that shocked the lower courtyard had happened in front of the lower courtyard top 100 residences.
The rookie Lin Yi who had just made it into the top 100, obtained the Huashan Sutra and was supposed to focus on his internal art training, instead left seclusion after just 3 days. Not because he had succeeded, it was unexpectedly for the sake of challenging the top 100!
When everyone heard that he was going to challenge the top 100 to improve his rank, everyone was stunned.
Nearly everyone was thinking out loud, Lin Yi must be crazy!
Which one of the top 100, after obtaining an internal art manual, wouldn't go into seclusion for 3 or 4 months to work hard on learning the internal art?
Only if one had utterly failed to do so and given up completely would one appear to challenge the top 100.
But what about Lin Yi?
He exited seclusion after merely 3 days.
Could it be that 3 days was enough to make him completely give up on learning internal arts?
Countless people cursed at him in jealousy.
If they were the ones who obtained the internal art manual, no matter how difficult it proved to be, they wouldn't give up before trying for at least 3 to 4 months.
Going into seclusion for only 3 days, what was the meaning of this?
However, even as they cursed, they started to grow excited at the thought of watching Lin Yi challenge the lower courtyard top 100 just like he did to the rookie top 100.
Each of them who were here to watch the fighting started to cheer excitedly.
When has the lower courtyard ever been this lively?
When has the top 100 ever been belittled like this?
The spectators cheered incessantly, while those in the top 100 had their faces pale in fury, cursing Lin Yi for looking down on them.
This was forcing them to the edge of the cliff!
Did he really think that they were just like the rookie top 100?
Each one of them swore to teach Lin Yi a good lesson!
To pulverize him, make him run away with his tail tucked between his legs and stay low profile from then on.
However, once the challenges started, Lin Yi gave a heavy slap to the top 100 ranked.
After a 3 day seclusion, Lin Yi was stronger than ever.
His Huashan Swordplay and Huashan Movement Art had reach the stage of perfection.
With these 2 skills at perfection stage, Lin Yi was able to unleash an extraordinary amount of power.
Merely one move of the sword, and he was able to instantly defeat the ranked 99 disciple who similarly had trained his Huashan Swordplay to perfection stage.
Countless people watched with their eyes wide and mouth open.
During the 3 days of seclusion, Lin Yi never even practised internal art at all, only focusing on training his Huashan Swordplay and Huashan Movement Art.
One by one, the top 100 ranked were challenged and then promptly defeated.
Using 3 days, Lin Yi defeated 19 of them, achieving rank 81.
The top 100 ranked were astounded.
This rookie was like an unstoppable force.
Many lower courtyard disciples watched as their blood grew hot and cheered excitedly, each of them wishing they could also go forward and be the one fighting.
The rookies were the most happy bunch among the lower courtyard disciples, as they could now hold their head high up!
Who would still dare to look down on them rookies?
Be careful of getting a beating by Senior Brother Lin!
The wave of challenging initiated by Lin Yi became a joyous event for the lower courtyard disciples.
"Hahaha, he's here! Lin Yi is going for the top 80!"
A loud yell instantly attracted everyone's attention.
In front of the top 100 residences, countless heads turned towards a direction.
In that direction, there was a figure with his hands holding a sword at his chest, calmly looking ahead.
Ahead, the ranked 80 disciple who used to be full of pride, now walked towards the platform with heavy steps.
His heart felt very heavy, and he looked at Lin Yi with a complicated gaze.
It was this youth, a lower courtyard rookie, who had upheaved the entire lower courtyard.
It was he, who led the wave of challenging!
Rookies challenging the seniors, seniors challenging the top 100...
There were even rookies who viewed Lin Yi as a role model and wanted to challenge the top 100 as well!
The rank 80 disciple had complicated emotions and felt heavy pressure on his shoulders.
The remaining 80 of the top 100 had unanimously decided to completely shut down this wave of challenging.
Otherwise, if it continued, all the lower courtyard top 100 would no longer have any peace.
After taking down one Lin Yi, there would be thousands more Lin Yi appearing.
The dignity of the top 100 in the lower courtyard would cease to exist.
The seniors' dignity would become worthless in the eyes of the rookies.
This kind of outcome terrified them!
They were determined to uproot the source of this crazy wave: Lin Yi.
......
Lin Yi calmly looked at the senior walking towards him with heavy steps and seemingly with a heavy heart.
The corners of his smile slightly curved upwards, while a hint of ridicule flashed in his eyes.
With him leading the way, the lower courtyard disciples started a crazy wave of challenging.
Along with Han Bai, Yu Hai and Jiang Xiaoyu also leading by example, many rookies started to emulate their actions.
In 3 days, not only Lin Yi had reached rank 81, Han Bai also made it to the top 100, while Yu Hai and Jiang Xiaoyu managed to defeat several seniors who were somewhat famous.
The results were awe-inspiring.
Subsequently, many seniors also rode on the wave and started challenging those stronger than themselves.
In just a short amount of time, with the guidance of Lin Yi, a source of life was injected into the lifeless lower courtyard, livening up the atmosphere in the lower courtyard.