"Don't boast, kid, or we'll be utterly embarrassed if you lose!"
Lin Yichen and the other two naturally knew about Zhang Ergou's various bizarre skills.
But he was challenging a cultivator at the early Golden Core stage, which was a real and solid level of cultivation.
Being able to enter the inner sect rankings, even at the hundredth position, was not something one could achieve easily.
The Misty Sect had numerous inner disciples, and every single one whose name appeared on the rankings was a chosen one.
They naturally had their own pride.
To be challenged by a Foundation Establishment stage disciple, especially one who had only been in the inner sect for half a year.
It sounded like an insult.
The experts on the inner sect rankings showed varying reactions to this audacious youngster.
But most of them scoffed at Zhang Ergou, waiting for Li Xu, who was at the bottom of the list, to teach him a good lesson.
They also wanted to make the restless newly promoted disciples settle down, to let them know that the inner sect rankings were not to be challenged lightly.
...
The next day, before dawn, the battle stage specially designated for disciples to challenge each other was already surrounded by people.
On a giant stone pillar beside the stage was carved the names of the top one hundred disciples in the inner sect rankings.
Everyone's face was filled with curiosity and excitement. Although they didn't think much of Zhang Ergou, watching a match was something they welcomed in their monotonous cultivation life. Sudan Novel Network.
"I say, what's gotten into this Zhang Ergou? He actually dares to challenge a master on the inner sect rankings. I've been in the inner sect for two years and I don't have this courage!"
"How so? I heard that Zhang Ergou was a troublemaker in the outer sect, making the place a mess."
"How so?"
Hearing someone mention Zhang Ergou's history, the surrounding people quickly gathered around.
That person proudly tossed his head and recounted the insider information he had overheard.
"It's said that Zhang Ergou has only been in the sect for less than a year in total. When he first joined, he was only at the early Qi Refining stage."
"Ah?" All the inner disciples who heard this were shocked.
"This isn't the most legendary part. The most incredible thing is that when Zhang Ergou tested his spiritual roots, he was found to have a Heavenly Grade initial five-element spiritual root!"
"Wow, no way, that's too abnormal?"
"It's largely related to his monstrous talent that this kid could break through from early Qi Refining to late Foundation Establishment in half a year."
"But, Zhang Ergou's cultivation has remained at the late Foundation Establishment stage for the past half-year in the inner sect. This seems a bit unreasonable?"
"That's unclear. I heard that Zhang Ergou hasn't been allowed to leave Lingyu Peak since entering the inner sect, so perhaps that's related."
As the inner disciples were discussing animatedly, a young man in a blue daoist robe walked along the road in the distance.
"Li Xu is here!"
Someone shouted, and the disciples looked up to see the young man in the blue daoist robe slowly walking towards the battle stage.
The young man had fair skin and his hair was tied up with a hairband. His expression was blank, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
Since hearing that Zhang Ergou wanted to challenge him, Li Xu had treated it as a huge joke.
Although he was ranked last on the list, he was still a solid early Golden Core cultivator, a whole major realm higher than late Foundation Establishment.
Had this Zhang Ergou gone mad from cultivation deviation, had his brain been flooded with water, to think of challenging an early Golden Core stage with his late Foundation Establishment cultivation?
What a joke. Today, he would teach this junior brother a good lesson, and let this ignorant young man know why the flowers were so red!
Li Xu walked towards the battle stage with a blank expression, unwilling to greet the inner disciples around him.
"Senior Brother Li is here!" The disciples on both sides of the road parted to make way.
Looking at Li Xu's upright posture, they couldn't help but show envy. To be among the top hundred on the inner sect rankings, even at the bottom, was something these disciples could only dream of.
"Look, isn't that Zhang Ergou? Carrying a steel spear?"
A sharp-eyed disciple quickly spotted Zhang Ergou at the end of the crowd.
Zhang Ergou had resumed his usual appearance of carrying the steel spear, Tianwen, on his back, which had become his trademark.
While many might have a vague impression of Zhang Ergou, the mention of the strange young man carrying a steel spear would elicit a look of realization from everyone.
Zhang Ergou slowly walked through the parted crowd. The young man's expression was calm and serene, as if he were the Golden Core stage cultivator being challenged.
He was followed by his close group of mischievous friends: Lin Yichen, Xiao Qingyu, Wang Teng, and others.
Lin Yueru and Lu Xiaoyu had also come. They had naturally heard about Zhang Ergou challenging a master on the inner sect rankings.
When they first heard that a disciple who had only been in the inner sect for half a year was challenging the rankings, they were naturally taken aback. But when they learned it was Zhang Ergou, they were somewhat relieved.
Zhang Ergou had surprised them too many times, and he had achieved so many impossibilities. Even the most outrageous things seemed reasonable when attributed to Zhang Ergou.
"Ergou, why don't you just not go up? I think that Li Xu is not weak!"
"Yeah, maybe you should just go up and admit defeat. Admitting defeat isn't shameful, after all, we're only at the Foundation Establishment stage, it's not embarrassing."
Behind him, Wang Teng and Xiao Qingyu, his two mischievous friends, egged each other on, trying to persuade Zhang Ergou to give up.
Zhang Ergou naturally knew he couldn't give up. This was a task assigned to him by his master, Chi Yu. Moreover, he also wanted to see what his combat strength had reached after his hard training.
Although he was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, Zhang Ergou felt that his combat ability had more than doubled since entering the inner sect.
How could he give up such a good opportunity to test his abilities so easily?
Besides, he, Zhang Ergou, wasn't that kind of person.
...
"Kid, you're arrogant! I admire that about you. When I first entered the inner sect, I was as arrogant and reckless as you. But as I spent more time in the inner sect and was taught lessons by my senior brothers, I learned what it means to be low-key."
As Zhang Ergou stepped onto the battle stage, Li Xu, who had arrived earlier but remained expressionless, suddenly spoke.
"Senior Brother, what you say is true. However, whether it's arrogance or genuine strength, we'll only know after we fight."
Zhang Ergou replied calmly. He didn't dislike this Li Xu.
There was no deep hatred between them. In fact, before this, neither of them had even known of the other's existence.
But if Zhang Ergou wanted to challenge other experts on the rankings, he had to step on Li Xu's shoulders.
This was an unavoidable fact. No matter what, he had to do this. This was also what Chi Yu had instructed him to do: not to challenge higher realms directly.
He needed to challenge his way up from the bottom of the list...
Zhang Ergou felt bitter but couldn't say it. Who told him he had such an unreasonable master!