50: Promoted to Inner Sect!

The morning sun once again bathed every corner of the Qingyun Sect's Outer Sect.

But today's sunlight seemed exceptionally warm and exceptionally… eye-catching.

When Lin Ye walked out of the cramped and dilapidated wooden hut he had lived in for over three months, the entire courtyard, and even the entire Outer Sect, was stirred into a silent commotion by his appearance.

Countless gazes, from all directions, converged on him.

In those gazes, there was no longer any contempt or disdain, nor pure jealousy or ridicule. What remained was a profound feeling from the depths of their hearts, mixed with awe, envy, and a hint of unattainable fanaticism.

Lin Ye.

This name, within just a few days, had transformed from a bullied good-for-nothing, a laughingstock reliant on luck, into a living legend! An existence that all Outer Sect Disciples had to look up to!

He still had that slender figure, still wore those faded coarse cloth clothes. But at this moment, in everyone's eyes, his seemingly thin back seemed to contain a majestic divine mountain capable of suppressing everything!

“Lin… Brother Lin!”

Fatty Wang had long been waiting outside. He looked at Lin Ye as he walked out of the house, his chubby face filled with excitement and reluctance, his eyes red as if he had cried.

“You… are you really leaving?” he said in a muffled voice, full of the sadness of parting.

Lin Ye looked at his only friend, a gentle smile appearing on his face. He stepped forward and lightly punched Fatty Wang’s sturdy chest: “There’s no banquet that doesn’t end. The Inner Sect isn’t some Dragon’s Den or Tiger’s Lair; we’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet again.”

“But… that’s not the same!” Fatty Wang sniffled. “You’ll be a high and mighty Senior Brother in the Inner Sect! I… I’m still a handyman struggling in the Outer Sect. We… we’re already from two different worlds.”

As he spoke, his eyes dimmed.

Lin Ye was silent for a moment. He didn’t say empty words like “we’ll always be brothers.” He simply took out a small Storage Pouch from his embrace and put it into Fatty Wang’s hand.

“This is…” Fatty Wang was stunned.

“Inside, there’s half of the contribution points I received as a reward from this Minor Competition, and a bottle of qi and blood pill.” Lin Ye’s voice was calm, yet filled with an undeniable power, “Take it, exchange it for a Cultivation Technique that suits you, and Cultivate well. Don’t let me see you next time still worrying about a meal.”

“No! No way! This is too valuable! I can’t take it!” Fatty Wang quickly tried to return the Storage Pouch as if his hand had been burned.

Lin Ye, however, held his hand, his dark eyes looking at him earnestly: “Take it. You deserve it. Without that piece of dried Yao Beast meat you gave me back then, I might not have lasted until the day the Minor Competition began.”

“I…” Fatty Wang opened his mouth, his eyes instantly turning red again. A thousand words ultimately condensed into a heavy nod.

“I’ll wait for you in the Inner Sect.” Lin Ye finally patted his shoulder, then, without further delay, turned and strode towards the Deacon Hall.

Fatty Wang stood rooted to the spot, clutching the heavy Storage Pouch in his hand, watching the distant, slender but incredibly resolute figure, and shouted with all his might:

“Brother Lin! Don’t worry! I, Wang Defa, will definitely come find you in the Inner Sect!!”

...From his residence to the Deacon Hall.

Lin Ye had walked this path for three months.

For the first two months, walking this path brought him indifference, disdain, and neglect.

But today, wherever he passed, all Outer Sect Disciples bowed in salute, clearing a path for him.

He walked past the familiar mountain path that had once made him collapse from exhaustion, walked past the bustling dining hall that had once given him a touch of warmth, walked past the cold Martial Arts Training Ground that had witnessed his rise... Finally, he once again arrived before the grand gate of the Deacon Hall, a symbol of authority and power.

This time, no Law Enforcement Disciples came to “apprehend” him.

The Deacon guarding the gate, upon seeing him, immediately put on a respectful smile and personally ushered him in.

Inside the main hall, Elder Liu had long been waiting.

He looked at Lin Ye as he walked in, and a gentle, heartfelt smile appeared on his stern, naturally imposing face.

“Lin Ye, you’ve arrived.”

“Disciple greets Elder.”

After a simple exchange of pleasantries, the formal promotion ceremony began.

Elder Liu personally took out two items from a wooden box crafted from millennium-old nanmu wood.

A token and a brand new set of attire.

The token was entirely made of an unknown warm jade, smooth to the touch. The front was engraved with a flowing “Cloud” character, representing the Qingyun Sect, and the back bore two ancient characters—Lin Ye.

As for the attire, it was a world apart from the coarse hemp clothes of the Outer Sect.

It was moon-white, woven from an unknown type of silk, light as a feather yet exceptionally tough. The corners of the clothes and the cuffs were embroidered with delicate flowing cloud patterns in silver thread, subtly shimmering in the sunlight, clearly imbued with some basic defensive and cleansing runes.

“Lin Ye,” Elder Liu solemnly placed these two items into Lin Ye’s hands, “From today onwards, you are a true core member of my Qingyun Sect—an Inner Sect Disciple!”

“Everything in the Outer Sect is now a fleeting cloud. Entering the Inner Sect marks the true beginning of your Cultivation path!”

“Disciple… will respectfully heed Elder’s teachings!”

Lin Ye took the token and attire symbolizing his new status, his heart filled with emotion.

He had finally escaped that quagmire and stood on a new, higher starting point!

As he left the Deacon Hall, he saw a familiar figure at the entrance.

It was Senior Sister Yun Shu.

She still had that gentle and serene demeanor, standing far away, holding a hand-stitched brocade pouch embroidered with a few elegant orchids.

“Junior Brother Lin, congratulations.” She handed over the pouch, her clear eyes filled with pure blessings, “The Inner Sect is treacherous and far more complex than the Outer Sect. This pouch contains a peace charm I personally sought for you; I hope it can… bless you with a smooth journey.”

Lin Ye took the pouch, which still carried a trace of the maiden’s body warmth, and his heart warmed.

“Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Having bid farewell to his old acquaintance, Lin Ye did not look back.

He held the token and attire in his hands, step by step, ascending the white jade steps leading to the Inner Sect.

With each step upwards, he could feel the surrounding air becoming purer.

With each step upwards, he could feel the clamor and noise behind him growing more distant.

When he finally completed the ninety-nine steps and stood before the majestic mountain gate of the Inner Sect, looking back—

The entire Outer Sect was already beneath his feet, shrouded in a faint mist, appearing so small, so… distant.

Three months of struggle, three months of forbearance, three months of enduring hardships… everything, at this moment, had turned into a fleeting cloud.

The events of the Outer Sect concluded here.

Lin Ye slowly turned around, looking at this new world full of vitality and unknown challenges.

With a thought, he brought up the System panel that only he could see.

["Wind Control Art", Proficiency: 80/100 (Approaching 入門)]

["Wind Chasing Sword Technique", Proficiency: 80/100 (Approaching 入門)]

“And new challenges…”

He took a deep breath of the Inner Sect’s air, rich with pure Spiritual Qi, feeling an unprecedented sense of comfort spreading through his limbs and bones.