Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 373 Beneath the Pure White Lotus

"I know, I know." Han Yi nodded seriously, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Alright, you'd be better off thinking about the troubles your Nine-Bend Courtyard is causing instead of worrying about potential troubles outside." At this moment, Old Master Fu changed the subject, "In a while, the annual internal boxing competition of each courtyard in Jingtian Manor will begin again."

“Your Nine-Bend Academy was ranked seventh last time. If you don’t improve this time…” He had a look of amusement on his face.

Jingtian Manor has seven courtyards, and each courtyard has a boxing match, so naturally there are seven rankings.

The Nine-Bend Courtyard ranks seventh... its status within the entire Jingtian Manor is self-evident.

"What will happen?" Han Yi asked calmly. "We can't just kick Jiuquyuan out of Jingtianzhuang, can we?"

"That's definitely not the case," Elder Fu chuckled. "However, in each ranking, if an inner courtyard consistently ranks at the bottom for several years, the resources allocated to it will naturally decrease..."

The resources that each courtyard of Jingtian Manor receives each month are allocated and allocated by the manor lord's lineage.

The amount of resources allocated depends on two aspects.

One method is to allocate them based on the number of disciples and their average strength.

Secondly, the ranking should be based on this pair of boxers.

A lower ranking means fewer resources. Fewer resources mean fewer new disciples to attract, resulting in even fewer resources being allocated to them.

This creates a vicious cycle.

"I've heard about it," Han Yi said helplessly. "I can only do my best."

This internal court confrontation is ultimately a comparison of overall strength; his individual strength is ultimately limited. "Man proposes, God disposes. Do your best and have a clear conscience; that's enough." Elder Fu nodded. "Perform well."

After saying that, he waved his hand, got up and left.

Han Yi didn't ask any more questions. He picked up the secret manual he had chosen and walked out, preparing to continue his dual cultivation work.

......

......

Deep inside the Nine-Bend Courtyard, there is a small courtyard.

The courtyard gate slowly opened, and disciples dressed in black and gray robes, holding envelopes in their hands, respectfully entered and exited.

Inside the main house, it was warm and inviting, with bright yellow candlelight and yellow lamp holders hanging in the corners, each holding a lit yellow candle.

The yellow wood desk was neatly arranged, and there was a thick, warm gray carpet underfoot. Several white fleece coats were draped over the back of the chair.

Zhong Yunxiu sat in a chair, holding a roster of disciples in her hand, reading it carefully. "There are still too few usable people..." She flipped through the roster, her brows furrowed.

The roster contains information about each disciple, including their name, age, marital status, and most importantly, their cultivation level.

As the head of the Nine-Bend Academy, she has to rack her brains to handle many things.

To improve the status and ranking of Jiuqu Academy, resources must be allocated to its many disciples, and internal and external relationships must be properly resolved.

All of this... requires resources.

However, what Jiuquyuan lacks most right now is resources.

What troubled her during what should have been a joyous and peaceful Lunar New Year was, naturally, more melancholic worries.

The annual internal boxing match started ahead of schedule.

During this period, the manor lord, Zhao Ziyang, had already dispatched many elites from various departments to carry out missions.

There have never been many people in Jiuquyuan, and after several skilled people were taken away, the manpower shortage has become even more severe.

And this internal competition... if Jiuqu Academy is still ranked at the bottom...

Thinking of this, Zhong Yunxiu sighed softly.

Jiuqu Courtyard was originally the courtyard with the most disciples and the strongest strength within Jingtian Manor.

However, ever since Brother Tian left... Jiuquyuan has been declining...

First, they were ranked at the bottom, and the cultivation resources for the disciples in the academy were greatly reduced, causing many of the original elite disciples to leave.

The Cold Yin Nine-Bend Palm was already weaker than the true skills of other academies in the early stages, making it difficult to recruit disciples. After this incident, things got even worse.

With fewer resources than other academies, those geniuses naturally wouldn't choose to cultivate at the Nine Bend Academy. Lacking outstanding disciples to support them, they also lagged behind in fist-fighting rankings, creating a vicious cycle that worsened their situation. Fortunately, her daughter, Zhong Han, possessed exceptional talent, and after Zhong Han broke through to the sixth level of True Skill, she brought several victories to the Nine Bend Academy.

But Zhong Han was both his strength and his weakness.

Because Zhong Han was too outstanding, he caught the eye of Chen Ying's son from the Three Mountains Sect, which led to the matchmaking by the deputy head of the manor, Fang He.

However, Chen Ying's son was truly unruly and incorrigible, even after she resolutely refused.

Fang He secretly suppressed Jiuquyuan. Many of its due benefits and privileges were secretly withheld or hidden. His aim was to force it into submission.

Because of this incident, Jiuqu Academy has been ranked poorly in the boxing matches for two consecutive years. Even this time, the boxing match was brought forward, leading Zhong Yunxiu to suspect that Fang He was secretly targeting them.

If the Nine-Bend Academy falls behind again in the fistfight rankings, and the number of flesh fields is halved, many disciples will not be able to guarantee their cultivation resources...

Therefore, we must find a way to improve our ranking. The requirement isn't high; just not being last is fine.

Zhong Yunxiu's gaze fell on the last of the list of disciples who had entered the Jin realm, and there was Han Yi, who had recently broken through to the first level of true skill and entered the Jin realm.

This newly initiated disciple is quite good; he has a clean background, is honest and kind, unlike the others in the Nine-Bend Academy who have some ulterior motives.

Most importantly, this person treated her with respect and genuine emotion, without any pretense.

But... what's the use?

He's only been practicing for a year at most, and to break through to the third level of true skill in a year is considered above average talent. However, this person has also practiced other martial arts, and after his skill was dissipated, his body was damaged, his potential was reduced, and it will be difficult for him to even master the third level.

Not to mention, there is the even more difficult final stage.

The rules of the Nine-Bend Academy stipulate that one must break through four levels within three years. Perhaps, before three years have passed, he will leave in disappointment because he is unable to break through.

Even if he can break through to the fourth level in three years, the upcoming fistfight will soon begin. True skill level three is still the very beginning level three, which is not useful at all.

Zhong Yunxiu sighed, stood up and went to the side of the main house, looking out through the wooden window.

Outside the window, bright red "Fu" characters hang on the big trees, the paper "Fu" characters covered with snowflakes, and strings of icicles hang from the thick tree trunks, like cold, sharp daggers.

She just stared at it quietly, lost in thought.

......

......

A side courtyard on the outskirts of Jiuquyuan.

Han Yi took the package from the little girl Qingye who delivered the letter, gave her a few pieces of silver as a reward, and then turned and went home.

The package was opened, and there were two parts inside.