Rise in the Martial Chaos: Starting From a Martial Arts School

Chapter 374: Chapter 144: Congratulations from Fellow Disciples, Paying Respects to the Peak Master

Zhao Hongxiang, Su Qingyue, Lin Wenxuan, and Cai He Kang stared blankly at Yang Jing, who stood before them clad in the white robes of an Inner Sect Disciple. Their minds went numb.

The scene was so shocking that they couldn’t process it.

The pristine white robes, a symbol of an Inner Sect Disciple’s status, were immaculate. The light green embroidery on the collar and cuffs was clearly visible. The robes complemented Yang Jing’s frame, making him appear even more upright and composed—a stark contrast to the taciturn figure who used to wear worn-out green robes. He looked like a completely different person.

They couldn’t believe that this disciple, who had suddenly appeared at the Ninth Courtyard in the attire of the Inner Sect, was the very same Yang Jing they had always looked down upon.

Su Qingyue’s eyes widened in disbelief, a look of astonishment quickly giving way to a surge of fury.

She subconsciously pointed at Yang Jing, her voice sharp. "Yang Jing? You have some nerve! How dare you wear an Inner Sect Disciple’s robes to pass yourself off as one? Aren’t you afraid of breaking the sect’s rules and being severely punished by a Steward?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed, and a cold, sharp glint flashed within them.

Without another word, he took a step forward, instantly appearing before Su Qingyue.

Before she could react, he raised his hand and viciously slapped her.

A crisp, loud SLAP echoed as his hand struck Su Qingyue hard across the cheek.

The sharp sound of the slap was particularly jarring in the quiet corridor.

Zhao Hongxiang, Lin Wenxuan, and Cai He Kang froze, their minds reeling even more. Their eyes went wide, and they subconsciously held their breath.

Su Qingyue stumbled from the force of the blow, her head snapping to the side. A clear red handprint instantly bloomed on her cheek. She stood there, completely stunned, her mind a total blank.

Yang Jing stared coldly at Su Qingyue as she clutched her face. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, his voice frigid. "Showing disrespect to a senior brother. Do I need to teach you the rules of the Xuanzhen Sect?"

He’d been tolerating Su Qingyue for a long time. Back at the Ninth Courtyard, she had often mocked him with cold, cutting remarks.

If not for the fact that they were fellow disciples, he would have taught her a lesson long ago.

’Now that I’m an Inner Sect Disciple, she still dares to be so insolent and speak so rudely in public. It’s like she’s courting death. Does she really think I won’t hit a woman?’

Although the Xuanzhen Sect explicitly forbade disciples from harming one another and prohibited private fights that caused injury, the sect’s hierarchy was strict. The difference in status between Inner Sect and Outer Sect Disciples was immense. Outer Sect Disciples were required to be completely respectful to Inner Sect Disciples and could not offend them in the slightest.

If an Outer Sect Disciple disrespected an Inner Sect Disciple, the latter had the right to teach them a lesson. As long as it wasn’t life-threatening and didn’t result in crippling injury, the sect would generally not get involved. That was simply one of the sect’s rules.

Su Qingyue clutched her stinging cheek. The astonishment on her face slowly faded, replaced by searing pain and utter disbelief.

She stood there dumbfounded, momentarily forgetting how to react.

The commotion in the corridor soon attracted the attention of many nearby Outer Sect Disciples. They stopped in their tracks and looked over curiously.

A small crowd quickly gathered, murmuring amongst themselves.

Among the crowd, a few disciples had just returned from Dragon Gate Plaza, where they had watched the Dragon Gate trials. They had personally witnessed Yang Jing’s stunning performance, sweeping four matches to pass the assessment with ease. Naturally, they recognized the white-robed Inner Sect Disciple before them as none other than Yang Jing.

Seeing this, they quickly pushed through the crowd and hurried to Yang Jing. They bowed respectfully and said with utmost sincerity, "Greetings, Senior Brother Yang! Congratulations on successfully passing the Dragon Gate trials and being promoted to the Inner Sect!"

Having been slapped by Yang Jing in public, Su Qingyue was already seething with shame and indignation. Rage churned in her chest, and she wished she could lunge at him and fight him to the death. She swore to herself that she would make him pay.

But in the next moment, she heard the other disciples step forward to greet Yang Jing respectfully, their words clearly stating that he had passed the Dragon Gate trials and become an Inner Sect Disciple. She snapped her head up to look at the impeccable white robes he wore.

It was as if she had been struck by lightning. A chill shot through her body, and the inferno of rage in her chest was instantly extinguished, replaced by ice-cold fear.

In her shock and anger, she had completely forgotten that Yang Jing was supposed to participate in the Dragon Gate trials today.

Now that someone had mentioned it, the memory came flooding back.

’Could it be... Could Yang Jing have really passed those perilous Dragon Gate trials and become an Inner Sect Disciple?’

As soon as the thought occurred to her, Su Qingyue’s heart sank. The color drained from her face, leaving it ashen white.

She knew perfectly well that if Yang Jing were still just an Outer Sect Disciple, she could have used her own influence and her family’s backing to find countless ways to deal with him, to teach him a harsh lesson and make him suffer.

But once Yang Jing became an Inner Sect Disciple, everything changed. Forget about a mere Outer Sect Disciple like her—even her family from the Prefecture City wouldn’t dare lay a single finger on him.

The Inner Sect Disciples of the Xuanzhen Sect held immense weight. Their status was revered, and they received the sect’s focused training and protection. No family would dare provoke the sect’s authority. Offending an Inner Sect Disciple was tantamount to making an enemy of the entire Xuanzhen Sect—a price far too steep to pay.

In fact, if Yang Jing decided to hold a grudge over her disrespect today and wanted to deal with her, it would be as easy as flipping his hand.

A single word from him would be enough to make her life in the Xuanzhen Sect impossible.

At this thought, Su Qingyue trembled, and a cold sweat broke out on her back. Her thoughts were in complete disarray.

She could never have imagined that Yang Jing—the man she had mocked so many times, the man she believed would be a low-level Outer Sect Disciple for the rest of his life—had actually passed the Dragon Gate trials and, in a single leap, become a lofty Inner Sect Disciple.