Chapter 47: Meaning

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“I am confused, Boss.”

“What a coincidence. I am confused as well. We can be confused together.”

Liu Jin and Su An have left the Xiao Sect’s compound, something that proved to be much more troublesome than anticipated. Several Outer and Inner Disciples lay in wait for Liu Jin, eager to know the results of the match. It is a good thing he had Su An accompanying him. Her loud and often brash ways are excellent at scaring others away.

The two are in a food booth located in the commercial district of Eastern Port City. It is not the first time the two have gone there. Su An introduced the place to Liu Jin almost a year ago. She discovered it when she was still an Outer Disciple and found the food to her liking, an opinion Liu Jin now shares. The soup, in particular, is quite excellent.

Liu Jin hums in thought as he looks at the steam rising from the thick, heavy broth, his finger tapping against the counter. The soup warms his body but does nothing to ease his mind, not with the armband reminding him of his new status. No longer is Liu Jin an Outer Disciple but an Inner Disciple instead.

He’ll get his official robes later, Xiao Nan told him. For now, the armband will do. Liu Jin feels his life would be easier if he hid the armband, yet such a thing would be dishonest.

A hot spoonful of soup goes down his throat.

“I was not expecting this.”

“Truly? This Su An can at least understand part of it.”

Liu Jin looks at Su An in surprise and motions her to keep talking.

“Boss winning against the Young Master is a huge achievement. With all due respect, it is not something that can be expected of an Outer Disciple, which, officially, Boss was until a few moments ago.”

Liu Jin frowns, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Another spoonful of soup goes into his mouth as his tapping picks up speed.

“It is not as if I defeated Xiao Fang.” Even as he says it, he knows the excuse is weak. “I merely lasted three moves against him.”

“Boss, do you think there is a single Outer Disciple capable of lasting three moves against the Young Master right now? Even some Inner Disciples wouldn’t be capable of something like that! The Young Master is someone who is already close to the late stages of the Nascent Realm even though he’s only thirteen! That Boss managed it is all that needs to be said.” Su An nods, completely sure of her words. “If there is any surprise, it is not that Boss was promoted. Rather, the surprise is how quickly it happened.”

She is right.

Liu Jin sighs. A piece of meat goes into his mouth.

He had been so busy preparing for the spar that he completely neglected to take into account what would happen if he won. Liu Jin cannot even object to this outcome by saying he does not have the qualifications to be an Inner Disciple because…

Well, that wouldn’t be true, would it?

He had been too busy trying to get his power under control at first. Then he had been nervous about his spar with Xiao Fang. However, now that Liu Jin thinks about it, he is no longer in the First Level of the Inner Realm. The level he was stuck at for three years is a thing of the past.

He is now in the Seventh Level of the Inner Realm, and even that is but a temporary state. Liu Jin knows his body will not be content to remain this way for long. He can feel it in his veins. He will reach the Eighth Level of the Inner Realm soon.

Regardless, whether it is the Seventh or Eighth Level of the Inner Realm, it makes no difference.

Either way that is not the level of an Outer Disciple, especially not one so young.

It is, without a doubt, the level of an Inner Disciple.

“Xiao Nan…” Liu Jin sighs before grabbing his bowl and bringing it to his lips. He has already eaten all the meat, noodles, and vegetables, so all that is left is the broth. “He probably foresaw this.”

Even if he had lost, his improved cultivation level would be more than enough to force the change. Xiao Nan probably thought of it like that. No, it wasn’t just him. This was probably his father-in-law’s idea. As strong as Xiao Nan is, he does not have the authority to promote someone to Inner Disciple.

“As I thought, Boss was lying about just being in the First Level of the Inner Realm all this time.”

A quick glance to his side shows Liu Jin that Su An is eating her meal with a big pout on her face.

“I did no such thing,” Liu Jin corrects even as he orders another bowl. He has not eaten anything in a month. Though his body now has less need for such things, the feeling of eating is pleasing all the same.

“If I told you I was in the First Level of the Inner Realm all the times you asked, it is because that was the truth back then. I was at the First Level of the Inner Realm for three years. Now I am not.”

“B-But that’s not possible!” Su An protests. Unlike his bowl, her plate is still half full. It is going to get cold if she doesn’t eat. “That would mean Boss went up six levels a single month.”

It was actually much less time than that. Half an hour at most. Controlling his improved Qi was what took most of his time.

“I may have received the benefits of a three-year-long training method.”

It is as simple as he can put it without delving too much into the fine details of it. Explaining the existence of something like Nine-Headed Snake God sounds like too much of a headache. Liu Jin wouldn’t even know where to start.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Does that mean Senior Brother Nan already knew about it then?”

As expected, Su An puts the pieces together quickly. If the steps had already been taken to promote him to Inner Disciple, it means that Xiao Nan more than expected his sudden rise in power.

“He did.”

“Boss told Xiao Nan.”

“I did.”

“Boss never told this Su An about it.”

“If I told you about it, would you have been able to stop yourself from boasting in my name?” Liu Jin asks as a new bowl of soup is placed before him. He nods his thanks to the owner.

“… this Su An acknowledges the wisdom of Boss’ choice.” She says it with a pout on her face, grumbling under her breath because she clearly does not like how true Liu Jin’s words are. “Still, is Boss sure Senior Brother Nan mentioned the tournament?”

“He mentioned it while giving me the armband,” Liu Jin says with a serious look on his face. The effect is ruined by him slurping down some noodles a second later. “He implied I’d be chosen for it.”

The Eastern Port City Tournament.

It happens every two years, although the exact date varies depending on various factors. For example, if the Eastern Port City Tournament had been scheduled to take place close to his wedding, the Xiao Sect would have arranged for the tournament to be pushed back a few months. Things like that have happened quite a few times in the history of the tournament.

This year, it was the Yun Sect who asked for it to be held later than usual.