Duan Ri walked slightly ahead of Duan Xi and Su Jun who walked on each of his two sides; he led them out of the arena area, and to the place where Su Jun and Duan Ri appeared after taking the teleportation formation. Duan Ri moved his head to Su Jun and opened his mouth, saying, “Su Jun, your next step is to qualify for the province competition, and it will be much harder than it was to win this outer sect competition. Are you prepared?”

Su Jun moved his head to Duan Ri, and he nodded his head seriously in affirmation, “Yes, elder. But you don’t have to explain to me on how to qualify for the province competition. Duan Xi has already explained it to me,” he glanced at Duan Xi as he finished speaking, and raised the corners of his lips, smiling gently.

Duan Ri turned his head to Duan Xi, and Duan Xi turned her head to Duan Ri, and she nodded her head in confirmation. Duan Ri, seeing her nod, nodded his head to himself. “I see,” he mumbled; then he turned his head to its normal position, looking into the distance. “Then you already know that the only way for you to qualify for the province competition is to either become a disciple with a strongest cultivation base or have the most contribution points in the entire inner sect.” He turned his head to Su Jun, “Now tell me. Which of these two paths are you going to take?”

Hmm… I haven’t thought about this yet.

Su Jun shook his head, “I haven’t decided yet, but when is this province competition, elder?”

Duan Xi turned her head from Duan Ri to Su Jun, “The next province competition is in 2 years and 10 months,” she said with a serious expression on her face.

Duan Ri nodded slightly, “That’s right. So what did you decide you will do?”

“Mhm… I am not sure yet,” Su Jun said and shook his head.

Duan Xi said earlier that the strongest inner disciples are between rank 7 martial mortal and rank 2 martial grand core. That means that the strongest disciple is rank 2 martial grand core realm. I have to see how swiftly I progress.

“Your best and only chance to qualify for the province competition is to increase your cultivation base, and become the disciple with the highest cultivation base. As you see, the disciples with weaker talents have been accumulating sect contribution points for many years, and you won’t be able to compete with them, even if you do sect missions every day until the province competition,” Duan Xi said.

Su Jun turned his head to Duan Xi and nodded his head in understanding, “I see.” He turned his head to its normal position, looking ahead, “I will focus on increasing my cultivation base then.”

Duan Xi and Duan Ri nodded their heads, and Duan Ri said, “A good choice.”

…

Su Jun, Duan Xi and Duan Ri reached the place where Duan Ri was leading them to, and they saw the formation in front of them; they walked up to it. Duan Ri extended his hand, and in it a talisman appeared, “Inner Sect!” he said, and the talisman burned up in his hand, “Let’s go.” Su Jun and Duan Xi both nodded their heads, and they walked into the formation after the elder Duan Ri. Their surroundings changed and they appeared in the inner sect.

“We are here,” Duan Ri said; then he turned his head to Su Jun, “Like in the outer sect, there is only one rule – you can't kill any disciple for any reason. Do you understand?”

Su Jun turned his head to Duan Ri, and he slightly bowed his head, “I understand, elder.”

Duan Ri nodded and turned his head to Duan Xi, “Go report to your father, the sect master.”

Duan Xi furrowed her eyebrows hearing Duan Ri’s words, but then unfurrowed them, a quarter of the second later. She turned her head to Duan Ri and nodded as she let out a heavy sigh, “Yes, elder.” She turned her head to Su Jun, “I will see you around,” she said; then she raised the corners of her lips, slightly smiling. Su Jun turned his head to her, but before he could reply, she vanished into thin air.

Duan Ri turned his head to Su Jun, “Let’s go.”

She is gone… Well I am sure, I will see her in no time. We are both in the inner sect after all.

Su Jun thought and turned his head to Duan Ri, “Alright, elder.”

Duan Ri nodded, and he led Su Jun into the sect; as Su Jun followed Duan Ri, the elder spoke, “The inner sect’s floating island is identical as the outer sect’s floating island. And like in the outer sect, in the inner sect you will find: the mission building, the martial skill library, the elder building, the disciple housing area, the restaurant building, the arena area and the profession area. The locations of these areas are the same as in the outer sect.”

Su Jun nodded his head in understanding,

that makes it easy to navigate.

He thought, and after a few more minutes of walking they stopped, “This is the disciple housing area. Take claim to a house, and work on becoming the disciple with the highest cultivation base. Don’t bother with the competitions held here, but do go take a few missions every once in a while. I will see you later, Su Jun,” Duan Ri said.

Su Jun nodded his head, “Alright, see you later, elder.”

Duan Ri walked away, and at the same time, Su Jun walked into the housing area. Entering the housing area, he looked around, and saw one house with an open door, he walked to it, but just as he reached it, a voice sounded behind him, “Stop right there, that house is mine!”

Su Jun turned around, and he saw a youth that was older than him by a few years and he saw that the youth wore an arrogant expression on his face. He looked above his head, and saw his name, level and cultivation base.

<Cui Ni, Level 106 (Rank 1 Martial Core)>