Chapter 1, The Sweeping Servant

Yang Kai, do not break the rules you have set for yourself!" someone reminded aloud

A single sentence left that person speechless, as everyone knew why they had gathered here, and why they were fixated on Yang Kai. They were now waiting for that moment to arrive. The deadline was approaching, and leaving now would be too regrettable. If they could seize the opportunity, today would be another gain.

The way this is said suggests that Yang Kai should have been quickly defeated by them, making it seem as though Yang Kai's current recovery of strength is a form of disrespect towards them

One could say that Yang Kai is currently both a trial disciple of the Lingxiao Pavilion and a humble servant sweeping the floors. However, this sweeping work sometimes fails to sustain Yang Kai's basic needs, leading to a life of intermittent hunger and fullness, with no one to care for him in the cold winds, resulting in a bleak and lonely existence. Despite this, Yang Kai has never considered retreating; in life, one lives for decades, and having chosen this path, he must continue to walk it. Abandoning it halfway is not the behavior of a man.

Other sects may still have some camaraderie and brotherly bonds among their disciples, but there is none within the Lingxiao Pavilion! If one wishes to ascend, one can only do so by stepping on the shoulders of those so-called brothers, treading over their blood, thus earning the qualification.

Yang Kai was naturally aware of the movements around him, yet his expression had remained unchanged. Such a spectacle was something he had to endure once every five days, six times a month, so there was really nothing to be overly surprised about. Moreover, it seemed that the number of people present was slightly fewer, likely because not everyone had arrived yet.

The front of the broom pointed towards a tall and sturdy youth in the crowd

Yang Kai remained indifferent, akin to an old monk in meditation

Having been kicked out once, how could it happen again this time

A chorus of lamentations arose, filled with resentment and unwillingness. In contrast, the burly young man stepped out of the crowd with a hearty laugh, clasped his fists, and said to everyone: "Brothers, I have secured victory in today's battle; I hope you will not hold it against me."

"Shut up! Choose me, and I will give you a quick end; with one punch, it will be over, absolutely no time wasted for everyone."

In the arena, the others had already dispersed, leaving only Yang Kai and the burly youth staring at each other.

The scene was bustling, akin to vegetable vendors in a market promoting the produce from their fields, competing to see who had the freshest offerings

Such poor treatment is difficult for an average person to endure, which is also the reason for the small number of disciples in the Lingxiao Pavilion's trials. Essentially, those who have passed the trial period without breaking through to the Body Refinement Realm will choose to leave the Lingxiao Pavilion. However, Yang Kai chose to stay.

The breath of the crowd suddenly ceased, their eyes fixed intently on Yang Kai, who was surrounded in the center. Yang Kai slowly rose, holding the broom in his hand, and cast a faint glance at the circle of people around him.

Unlike ordinary disciples, the living conditions of trial disciples are more severe, as at this stage, they must manage their own food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The sect will no longer waste any cultivation resources on them. Once demoted to a trial disciple, there is essentially no hope for advancement in this lifetime, unless there is a significant increase in strength within a short period, and the sect deems them to have investable potential.

"Why can't I be selected? I come here every five days, and I've been coming for a whole month. Yang Kai, are you doing this on purpose?"

At the sight of this commotion, all the people gathered around Yang Kai immediately dispersed, encircling him in the center. The tense atmosphere of competition suddenly escalated to a new level, as if even the air had ceased to flow.

Yang Kai possesses a tenacity that refuses to turn back until he has hit the wall

Ordinary disciple Zhou Dingjun, fifth layer of body tempering! The robust young man introduced himself.

In a situation where two out of three meals are insufficient, anyone living in Yang Kai's environment would not have good health

With no other options, Yang Kai could only take on a job as a janitor within the sect, struggling to make a living while diligently cultivating his skills

There is a rule in Lingxiao Pavilion: disciples under the age of fourteen, regardless of who they are, are considered to be in a trial period for three years from the moment they enter. During these three years, all aspects of their living, including food, accommodation, and travel, are the responsibility of the sect, allowing the disciples to focus solely on their cultivation. If they can break through to the Body Refinement stage within these three years, they will be qualified to become a disciple under the guidance of a master within the sect, who will teach them cultivation. Of course, they can also choose to cultivate on their own without a master, but the journey of cultivation is fundamentally different with a good teacher's guidance compared to self-exploration. In a certain sense, this rule of Lingxiao Pavilion offers a degree of freedom.

Senior brother, you are in a worse situation than I am

Damn, what a stroke of luck! Someone is extremely jealous

The fundamental reason why Yang Kai is being contested by countless individuals lies in another rule of Lingxiao Pavilion, which is the rule of challenge

The Lingxiao Pavilion is renowned throughout the entire Han Dynasty for its strict regulations. Although it may not be considered a super sect, the brutality of the conflicts among its disciples is unparalleled. Because of this, each disciple possesses a fierce martial spirit, and when they venture into the Jianghu, few dare to provoke them

Thus, he continued to sweep the ground, indifferent to those around him, sweeping as he walked along.

Don't mention it, I have been here for three months, and I have not been selected even once

Choose me

What is the point of restoring a mere three layers of tempering? In any case, defeat is inevitable, so why not be more straightforward? There is no need to struggle on like this

The core disciples are the hope of the next generation of Lingxiao Pavilion, and the sect regards these individuals as future successors to be cultivated

Dressed in simple blue attire, clean and unadorned, the mature color of the clothing made the young man appear a few years older. Yang Kai's posture was as straight as a javelin, and even while performing the most menial tasks, the expression on his face was meticulous. His movements were steady; the hands gripping the broom did not exert much force, and his body hardly swayed. With just the rotation of his wrists, the broom moved as if it were an extension of his arm, sweeping back and forth. As he walked, the accumulated dust and debris on the ground seemed to magically follow his movements, as if they had sprouted two legs.

The disciple ranking system of Senran appears to be unfeeling, yet it effectively stimulates the youthful spirit and competitive awareness of young individuals, which is also the foundation of the harsh system of Lingxiao Pavilion

As time passed, more and more people gathered around Yang Kai, with a rough estimate of at least thirty to forty individuals.

Yang Kai suddenly stopped, sitting right in the middle of the road, slowly taking a breath to recover the physical strength he had expended early in the morning

Everyone looked at each other with disdain, yet all gazed at Yang Kai with immense expectation

Although sweeping the floor does not require much effort, after working for such a long time early in the morning without eating or drinking, Yang Kai was also drenched in a cold sweat. This has nothing to do with strength; it is entirely due to his poor physical constitution

"Not tragic, not tragic, just enjoy the show." The two senior brothers exchanged a glance and smiled in mutual understanding

Yang Kai is a trial disciple of Lingxiao Pavilion. He began his cultivation three years ago upon entering the sect, yet to this day, he has only reached the third level of body tempering. His fellow disciples who entered the sect with him have long surpassed this stage, each seizing opportunities to study under esteemed masters within the sect and achieving great success, while he can only look on with a sense of helplessness.

Yang Kai, you might as well not bother. Just obediently wait for me to knock you down later, it will save everyone some time, won't it?" Some people looked at Yang Kai like this and immediately felt a bit disdainful.

Indeed, Yang Kai, you should at least consider the feelings of your fellow brothers. Everyone is not the same as you; after this battle, we still have to continue our cultivation.

A few months ago, after being demoted to a trial disciple, Yang Kai took on a job sweeping the floors within the sect to sustain his livelihood

It is exceedingly difficult for trial disciples to survive within the Lingxiao Pavilion, akin to an insurmountable challenge. Take, for instance, the small dwelling where Yang Kai currently resides; it is constructed by him, piece by piece, using wooden planks. The roof of the small house has several holes that he has no time to repair, and whenever it rains, water accumulates inside, making it hard to drain. The clothes he wears are purchased by himself, and the food he consumes is prepared by him; everything is his own responsibility.

Standing at the door, I stretched lazily and glanced at the faint fish-belly white appearing on the horizon. I closed my eyes, focused, and enjoyed a moment of tranquility. Then, I opened my eyes and began to sweep with the broom in my hand, diligently clearing the dust and fallen leaves from the ground

Trial disciple Yang Kai, third layer of body refinement! Yang Kai looked at the other party and said

Yang Kai chuckled lightly and casually tossed the broom he was holding into the air. Dozens of eyes turned upward in unison, filled with anticipation as they awaited the moment the broom would fall, fervently praying in their hearts: "Choose me, choose me!"

"Choose me, Brother Yang!" someone shouted loudly, "I am very gentle, I guarantee it won't hurt you!"

Those who do not break through the Refinement Stage within three years will either leave the sect or be demoted to trial disciples

Among the three thousand disciples of the Lingxiao Pavilion, how many are trial disciples? Just a handful, no more than ten fingers' worth! Yang Kai is fortunate to be one of them

Time continues to flow, and suddenly, a melodious and resonant chime rings out; it is the morning bell of Lingxiao Pavilion. The sound of the bell reaches everyone's ears, and the disciples gathered around Yang Kai all perk up with renewed spirit.

Among the disciples of the Lingxiao Pavilion gathered around Yang Kai, a tense atmosphere of competition was also spreading, as they warily scrutinized their fellow brothers, each with an unfriendly expression.

As dawn broke, Yang Kai awoke, and after a brief wash, he took the broom from the corner and stepped out of his solitary dwelling

Lingxiao Pavilion is a rather unique sect, and this uniqueness is reflected in the brutal competition among its disciples. Within this sect, those with abilities rise to power, while those without are eliminated. The iron law of the survival of the fittest is vividly demonstrated in Lingxiao Pavilion

If someone who is unaware of the truth were to witness this scene, they might think that the person surrounded by the crowd is an extraordinary master; otherwise, why would so many people be mobilized to deal with him? In reality, Yang Kai is merely a third-layer disciple of the Body Tempering Realm, and anyone present is more formidable than him

The disciples of Lingxiao Pavilion are also categorized into different levels, which from the lowest to the highest are: trial disciples, ordinary disciples, seated disciples, elite disciples, and core disciples. Zhou Dingjun stated that he is an ordinary disciple, which means he has not yet become a disciple under the guidance of a master in the sect and has not received proper instruction. If he were to break through to the Body Refinement stage and become a disciple under a master in the sect, he would then be elevated to the higher level of seated disciple. The next level, elite disciples, are all exceptional individuals selected from among the seated disciples.

At that moment, someone replied: "You think that even with many people, you can still leave; no one is asking you to stay."

Time seemed to slow down, the broom spun a few times in mid-air, then fell, bouncing slightly on the ground before coming to a standstill

Three years of tempering and three layers of refinement, such qualifications can no longer be described as merely ordinary; they can be said to be exceedingly mediocre

Even the location of the small cottage is in the most remote and least frequented area of Lingxiao Pavilion

The sky gradually brightened, and Yang Kai swept the floor for a while, leaving behind a clean and tidy space, free of any dust and debris.

A number of disciples from Lingxiao Pavilion gradually gathered around. Each of these disciples had risen early, yet instead of practicing their cultivation, they surrounded Yang Kai. Many of them were observing Yang Kai with great interest, while some gazed at him with a greedy look, as if he were a fragrant delicacy, completely unadorned and irresistibly alluring.

The bell tolls nine times, the eastern sun rises, and it is a new day once again

The trial disciple is the identity that Yang Kai currently holds! It is also a disgrace within the Lingxiao Pavilion

Among the crowd, someone showed a look of compassion and softly said, "There are so many people, this is a bit excessive."