Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
Yet within those short fourteen days, the atmosphere inside the Lin Family Training Center had changed drastically.
The calm and curiosity from the first days of training had slowly disappeared, replaced by pressure, competition, and desperation.
Everyone understood one thing clearly now.
Talent alone was not enough.
The ranking competition was approaching.
And once the rankings were established, future resources, status, and opportunities would begin separating people into entirely different levels.
Some rose rapidly under the pressure.
Others collapsed beneath it.
During these two weeks, several trainees from the outer courtyard became too impatient after seeing Grade A trainees progress into the 2nd rate realm.
Some forcefully tried generating internal energy despite their Qi Blood not being stable enough.
Others consumed unknown medicines bought secretly from rogue merchants outside the market.
The consequences came quickly.
One boy from Grade C forcibly condensed internal energy after taking an impure medicinal pill. The unstable energy immediately damaged his dantian and meridians, causing him to cough blood on the spot during meditation class.
Another trainee tried forcefully guiding internal energy through a blocked meridian without properly stabilizing his foundation first.
The result left half the meridian ruptured.
His right arm became permanently crippled.
The entire training center was shaken after those incidents.
Mentor Gu stopped acting gentle afterward.
Instead, Mentor Xu personally arrived at the outer courtyard the next morning.
No one knew when he had appeared.
One moment the trainees were whispering amongst themselves.
The next moment, the old man was already standing before them with cold eyes.
The pressure alone made countless trainees lower their heads instinctively.
The crippled trainees were brought out publicly.
Mentor Xu's expression remained indifferent.
"Martial cultivation values talent, perseverance, and intelligence."
"But foolishness is unforgivable."
His calm voice echoed throughout the courtyard.
"You were warned repeatedly not to seek shortcuts."
The two injured trainees trembled heavily.
One of them started begging for forgiveness.
Mentor Xu ignored him completely.
"The Lin Family invested resources into nurturing all of you."
"Yet you damaged your own foundations out of impatience."
"That is not bravery."
"That is stupidity."
The atmosphere became deathly silent.
Then Mentor Xu ordered both trainees expelled from the training center permanently.
Additionally, the rogue merchant responsible for secretly selling impure medicinal pills was captured by the enforcement guards later that same day.
Rumors spread that his cultivation had been crippled publicly before being thrown out of Cloud Mist Market.
After that incident, everyone became much more cautious.
At the same time, the gap between talents slowly became more obvious.
All ten Grade A trainees had already stepped into the 2nd rate realm.
Some progressed faster than others, but every single one had successfully opened at least one main meridian.
Meanwhile, the majority of Grade B trainees remained stuck at the peak of 3rd rate.
Only a few exceptionally hardworking or talented individuals managed to step into 2nd rate successfully.
As for Grade C and below, most were still struggling to stabilize their internal energy accumulation.
The differences between talent grades were beginning to show clearly.
And with those differences came increasing envy.
The benefits of the inner courtyard also became more obvious during these two weeks.
Only inner courtyard trainees were allowed free access to the library.
That privilege alone made countless outer courtyard trainees jealous.
Martial techniques.
Meridian knowledge.
Historical records.
Combat experience manuals.
All of them were priceless resources for growing martial artists.
Many outer courtyard trainees could only listen enviously whenever inner courtyard disciples discussed techniques they had discovered inside the library.
Because of this, the position of an inner courtyard trainee became increasingly desirable.
Not only for resources.
But for future status as well.
At the same time, the pressure inside the inner courtyard also quietly intensified.
No one wanted to lose their position.
Especially with the upcoming ranking challenges.
Inside the library, Lin Sheng spent much of these two weeks studying various books regarding meridians, movement techniques, medicinal knowledge, and combat theory.
Naturally, he did not openly display excessive interest in advanced topics.
Instead, he maintained a calm and steady image.
But inwardly, the chip was continuously recording and categorizing massive amounts of information.
•[Recording In Progress...]•
•[File Updated: Martial Path]•
•[File Updated: Medicinal Knowledge]•
•[File Updated: Meridian Studies]•
The chip's storage capacity had become terrifying after the update.
As long as books entered his mental perception range, the information could be recorded almost instantly.
To outsiders, Lin Sheng merely appeared to be quietly reading.
Only he knew how much knowledge he was accumulating daily.
At the same time, his cultivation also progressed steadily.
His secondary meridian plan had already begun showing results.
During these two weeks, Lin Sheng successfully opened twelve secondary meridians while simultaneously stabilizing his first main meridian.
His internal energy reserves had become far denser than ordinary 2nd rate martial artists.
Yet externally, he deliberately maintained a cultivation speed only slightly above the other geniuses.
Fast enough to remain impressive.
Not fast enough to become terrifying.
That balance was important.
Very important.
At the training grounds of the inner courtyard, soft footsteps echoed repeatedly across the stone floor.
Shing!
A white sword flashed through the air like flowing silk.
Its movements appeared light and graceful, yet every strike carried astonishing sharpness.
Lin Xiaolu moved silently beneath the cold winter sky.
Her white robes fluttered alongside the sword movements, making her appear almost like a drifting snowflake.
Heat rose faintly from her body despite the cold surroundings.
Sweat dripped slowly from her forehead.
Yet her expression remained calm and focused.
Lin Sheng stood nearby watching quietly.
He immediately recognized the sword art she was practicing.
"The Feather Sword Technique."
One of the few sword manuals stored inside the library.
A difficult martial technique that combined movement and swordsmanship together.
It emphasized lightness, precision, and concentration.
When mastered, one's movements became as light as feathers while their attacks became sharp enough to pierce through weak points effortlessly.
Lin Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Proficient stage already..."
That level of comprehension was genuinely impressive.
Especially considering the short amount of time.
Lin Xiaolu's sword suddenly shifted direction mid strike.
Her body rotated lightly.
The blade cut through the air with a soft whistle.
For a brief moment, her figure seemed almost weightless.
Then—
She stopped.
The sword lowered slowly.
Lin Xiaolu exhaled softly while strands of hair stuck slightly to her forehead from sweat.
Only then did she notice Lin Sheng nearby.
Her cold eyes glanced toward him briefly.
"You've been standing there for a while."
Lin Sheng nodded lightly.
"The technique suits you."
Most people would probably assume she ignored the compliment.
But after a brief silence, she replied quietly.
"It's difficult."
Lin Sheng smiled faintly.
"Good techniques usually are."
Lin Xiaolu looked at him for a moment before speaking again.
"You've also started practicing martial techniques."
It was not a question.
Lin Sheng did not deny it.
"A little."
The corner of Lin Xiaolu's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
She clearly did not believe that answer.
Within the inner courtyard, everyone knew Lin Sheng cultivated frighteningly fast despite appearing calm and ordinary most of the time.
Even Mentor Gu paid special attention to him now.
Still, she did not continue questioning him.
She simply wiped the sweat from her forehead before walking toward the resting area.
Lin Sheng watched her leave thoughtfully.
Among all the Grade A trainees, Lin Xiaolu was probably the most dangerous opponent in terms of combat talent.
Her concentration and discipline were abnormal.
At the same time, another room within the inner courtyard remained completely silent.
Inside, Lin Shou sat cross legged in meditation.
Sweat dripped continuously from his forehead.
His face occasionally twitched from pain.
Within his body, internal energy repeatedly crashed against the barrier of his second main meridian.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Each collision sent waves of pain through his body.
But Lin Shou endured silently.
Hatred burned fiercely inside his chest.
The humiliation.
The betrayal.
The mocking laughter.
Those memories constantly pushed him forward.
He refused to remain weak forever.
Another surge of internal energy struck the blockage.
Crack.
A tiny opening finally appeared.
Lin Shou's breathing became heavier instantly.
Without hesitation, he guided more internal energy forward.
The cracks spread rapidly.
Then suddenly—
The barrier shattered completely.
Warm internal energy surged through the newly opened meridian.
Lin Shou's body trembled slightly.
A powerful sensation spread throughout his limbs.
His muscles tightened slightly while the circulation of internal energy became smoother than before.
After stabilizing the meridian carefully, he slowly opened his eyes.
A sharp light flashed within them briefly.
He stood up slowly before clenching his fists.
The increase in strength was obvious.
A faint smile finally appeared on his face.
"One step closer..."
One step closer to revenge.
One step closer to surpassing everyone who once mocked him.
The image of Su Yun briefly appeared in his mind.
Then came the image of that young master standing beside her.
Lin Shou's expression gradually turned cold.
"When I become strong enough..."
"No."
He corrected himself immediately.
"When I reach the Innate Realm... no, even beyond that..."
"I'll return."
"And when that day comes..."
"They'll regret everything."
The room fell silent again.
Only the faint circulation of internal energy echoed softly through the air.