The sun rose over Azure Sky Sect, golden light spilling across the peaks. For once, Li Ming woke early—not from discipline, but because he couldn’t sleep.
He tossed and turned all night, grinning to himself. Inner Disciple! Li Ming, you’re no longer a nobody. Haha! Look at you now, future Heavenly Emperor!
He strutted into the outer disciples’ courtyard, robes fluttering dramatically... except they were the same wrinkled robes he always wore.
The crowd of outer disciples froze, then erupted.
"Senior Brother Li Ming!"
"Congratulations on becoming an Inner Disciple!"
"Please, accept my respect!"
A group of disciples actually bowed. One even presented him a steaming bun on a tray like it was a priceless treasure.
Li Ming teared up dramatically. "Ah... you guys finally understand my greatness. Don’t worry, I’ll remember you when I’m the Heavenly Emperor!"
The disciples clapped, though some were clearly holding back laughter. Still, his status had changed—nobody dared mock him openly now.
But as he marched toward the Inner Disciple quarters, things were... different.
The Inner Disciple courtyard was larger, cleaner, with stone pavilions, medicinal gardens, and glowing training formations. A faint fragrance of pills and spirit herbs lingered in the air.
Inner disciples in fresh azure robes trained with elegance. Their qi was thicker, their movements sharper. They looked at Li Ming the moment he stepped in.
Then came the whispers.
"That’s the guy who barely passed the puppet trial."
"He only got in because of some weird luck."
"Can’t believe they let a clown like him wear Inner robes."
Li Ming stood tall, hands behind his back, pretending not to hear. Heh. Let them laugh. I’ll show them soon enough.
But his act didn’t last long.
A tall Inner Disciple with sharp eyes stepped forward, folding his arms. "You must be Li Ming."
Li Ming grinned. "Wow, news travels fast. That’s me! Handsome genius, chicken slayer, bun enthusiast—pick your favorite title."
Snickers spread through the crowd.
The tall disciple sneered. "Don’t get arrogant. You may have fooled the outer disciples, but here, among Inner Disciples, your clown act won’t save you."
"Yeah," another chimed in. "We train day and night to reach this level. And you? You waltz in with a stupid smile. Pathetic."
Li Ming shrugged. "Pathetic? Funny, I don’t remember pathetic people winning against ten puppets. Maybe you should try harder."
The tall disciple’s qi flared, cracking the ground beneath his feet. "Careful, boy. You’re not the only one who can fight."
The tension grew, until—
A calm voice cut through the air. Lan Yue stepped into the courtyard, her azure robes fluttering like flowing water. The disciples instantly straightened.
"Senior Sister Lan!" they greeted, their earlier arrogance melting into respect.
Li Ming waved cheerfully. "Oh hey, Senior Sister Lan! Feeling better after yesterday? No poison today, right?"
"Did he just... talk to her like they’re friends?!"
Lan Yue gave him a faint look, her expression unreadable. Then, to everyone’s shock, she nodded. "I am well. Thank you, Junior Brother."
The entire courtyard went silent.
The tall disciple’s face darkened, veins popping on his forehead. She... acknowledged him?!
Li Ming puffed his chest, turning to the others. "See? Even Senior Sister Lan respects me. You guys might want to start lining up to curry favor before it’s too late."
"Bastard..." the tall disciple growled.
Later that day, Li Ming was shown his new quarters. It was much nicer than his old dorm: a private courtyard, a meditation pavilion, and even a small herb garden.
He sprawled on the bed, kicking his feet in joy. "Ahh, this is the life! From chicken coop to palace suite. Li Ming, you’ve made it!"
The jade slip pulsed faintly, whispering again:
> "Do not grow complacent. This is only the beginning."
Li Ming snorted. "Relax. I’m not just strong, I’m humble too. The most humble genius you’ll ever meet."
He rolled over and munched a bun, grinning. Still... the Inner Disciples aren’t welcoming me yet. Hmph. Fine. I’ll make them respect me. One cool moment at a time.
Outside, rumors spread quickly. Updates are released by novel※fire.net
"Li Ming actually talked to Senior Sister Lan casually!"
"Even she acknowledged him!"
"But the Inner Disciples hate him..."
And somewhere in the shadows, Wu Jian clenched his fists tighter. No matter how high you climb, Li Ming, I’ll drag you back down.
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