Inner Disciple

Before we even stepped in I spotted a number of people already standing inside, waiting. Behind the crowd of people a wooden platform was set up.

I was slightly dreading the feeling of being stared at when walking in, but the relatively small number of people calmed me down a bit. I could almost hear the typical phrases heard in the cultivation novels when the MC appears with anything good in public.

We still had around ten minutes left until the ceremony officially started, but it looks like basically everyone had already made it.

Peering in I saw the people inside are just gathered around and chatting. The atmosphere of the courtyard was joyous as people chatted and got to know their fellow qualifying candidates.

No one sat alone anywhere, everybody looked happy as they made connections with each other.

Oh wait it seems like Chen Huang hasn't made it yet. Besides him I count the nineteen people who around including us. Even that 'young master' dude is here.

Looking at the scene I feel relieved as at least nothing bad is happening on the surface.

'I'm glad nothing happened, but did something happen to that young master? I feel like he should of made trouble for me already and he doesn't even look like he's showing off over there, what the hell happened?

He still has his servants cheering him on though I'm pretty sure I heard them during the matches he appeared. Whatever happened it's a good thing that it did.'

Before I could even take a step inside I heard a shout coming from the down the stairs.

"Hey! Brother Ip is that you? Wait for me let's go in together."

Hearing the call I turn over to see the final qualifier waving at me while smiling only around a dozen steps down. A second after though he stopped in his tracks as a shocked expression surfaced.

After two full seconds of silence he still frozen like that- finally realizing what might be the problem I turn my head to the right to look at the girl still tightly wrapped around my right arm- and her head leaning against my shoulder smiling with shut eyes.

Turning my gaze back to the frozen Chen Huang I asked "Brother Chen?"

"A-Ah.. Um how did you do it? She's known to be cold to many of her fellow disciples except a select few who came in with her."

'Chen not you too! I suppose it is at least a little shocking to learn that one of your friends would know the most well known people in the area though.

What does he mean by cold though? I haven't seen her act like that at all while we've been here- well except that one time someone came to my home and she just happened to be there. I wonder what happened to those people though, it's like they disappeared I haven't seen them since.'

"Brother Chen come up here, would you like to meet her? Look she isn't acting cold at all, in fact she's one of the nicest and warmest person I know! Where have you heard these rumors?"

"Well they've been circling around in the sect ever since she arrived. Are you really just hearing about it now? But of course I'd like to meet her who in the sect wouldn't want to know her if only a little." He said quickly climbing up the stairs.

Once he reached our area near the entrance he immediately walked up to Yao Ya and extended his hand out.

"I'm Chen Huang, nice to meet you Sister Yao!"

"I'm Yao Ya, nice to meet you too, Brother Chen." She smiled at him without shaking his hand.

He held his hand up for another few awkward seconds before putting them down- without her even retracting her arms from around my arm. She just completely ignored his hand.

"Maybe she is a little cold to others, she's probably only like that to strangers, don't work about it too much."

"Ha.. ha.. ha, Well nice to meet you."

Turning back to the gate I see the seventeen people inside looking towards us. A small group of three came over to us.

"Hey there Brother Ip, Sister Yao! Come on over Rao Nuan, Qiu Tu and I have been waiting for you! I see you've made a new friend as well." Liang Jia waved at us while approaching us.

Seeing them come over I moved in as well. At this time Yao Ya finally detached from me, but still stayed by my side.

"I'm glad you guys made it into the qualifiers. Did you guys prepare anything?"

"Speaking of those qualifiers where were you after you lost? We didn't see you for the remainder of the tournament."

"I went to the city and discovered the information the small realm ever since then I've been preparing for it. I bought a-"

Chen Huang interrupted "Wait what did you just say a small realm?!"

"Yeah, I over heard from another sect that we would be participating in a small realm exploration."

"So how do you know that we would even be selected? We're new Inner disciples after all."

'... Shit he's right, wouldn't all my preparation be for nothing if we weren't chosen to go in?'

When we made it to the main group they swarmed Yao Ya separating her from my side and our group. They began bombarded her with questions and requests to become her friend. Looks like they had all their focus on her and probably didn't even hear about the small realm.

All except the young master, you stood to the side and watched the whole thing play out. Did he really change, how is that possible? They normally only have negative personalities in novels: like arrogant, show-off, and fearful.

At some point it some how even started getting physical and a few people started throw punches at each other. They were thrown out of the encirclement to continue their battle.

'How did escalate so quickly? They separated us for only a minute.

I guess this is just what would happen to those heroines of cultivation novels if they had no background. Most of the time their backgrounds are as high as the sky during their parts of the story. They would normally be protected by servants or something so this kind of encirclement wouldn't happen.

Now that it is it feels weird witnessing it. It's kind of like being in school and watching the popular kids get all the attention.'

On the outer edges of the encirclement a few women seemed to think it would be too much of a hassle to even speak to her instead they turned around and came towards me.

"Hello there Brother Ip, would you mind telling us your relationship with Sister Yao? We all saw you come in with her by her side." The woman at the front of the group asked

"Oh, we were childhood friends and lived near each other."

She ran her eyes up and down me before smirking. Before she could say anything a thunderous voice rang out.

"STOP!"

Everyone turned toward to voice, elderly man appeared was atop the wooden platform from earlier. His eyebrows were slightly slanted downward as he peered toward the small group of people that were fighting amongst themselves.

"Since you three dare to cause such troubles before the ceremony even took place you three shall be excluded from the upcoming small realm exploration!" He spoke with his arms behind his back.

"What small realm?! Elder Fan please reconsider! Us three brothers were just sparring! Isn't that right?" He said elbowing the other two beside him.

"T-That's right! It was just a friendly spar!"

"We just wanted to get to know our fellow brothers better! Please, don't exclude us from the exploration team we didn't even know about it!"

The elder held up his hand "That's enough. I said you're excluded so you're excluded, you understand? If you truly wish to join now you'll have to earn it through contribution points like the other Inner disciples. This was originally a gift to the new Inner Disciples, but I don't believe you deserve it anymore."