Monarch Night
Chapter 170 - 128: Falling Behind [Extra - for the Navigator Alliance Hierarch 1]

Chapter 170: Chapter 128: Falling Behind [Extra Chapter for the Navigator Alliance Hierarch 1]

...

Fang Che fainted.

Due to the Ancient Jade incident, several students from the Baiyun Martial Academy were taken away for investigation and were found to be members of the Demon Sect. They were uniformly examined, and many were directly exposed and killed.

This led to a beginning of family examinations.

Surprisingly, several small families were also found to be vassals of the Demon Sect.

This resulted in utter chaos.

The very next day, trouble arose with Ding Jie Ran’s Ding Family, as the three major families of the city abruptly joined forces to suppress and attack them on all fronts.

The Ding Family found themselves isolated and were forced to pull back.

Then, several families from neighboring cities also severed business relations with the Ding Family.

The Ding Family suddenly suffered overwhelming difficulties, and at the same time, the annual task list from the Guardian Hall was issued.

The Ding Family found themselves in despair, with no chance to complete the tasks.

Seeing as it was already the fourth quarter, they couldn’t complete any tasks from all fronts.

Meanwhile, several experts within the family were challenged by other families, resulting in injuries.

The Guardian Hall attempted to mediate the conflicts between the families, only to discover deep-rooted animosities spanning generations that couldn’t be resolved.

Thus, it was strictly prohibited to engage in large-scale martial conflicts.

Additionally, personnel were sent to station at the Ding Family to ensure local safety.

These measures were entirely reasonable, as per past practices.

In such circumstances, the Yemo Sect didn’t dare to make any moves and could only watch as the Ding Family continued to decline step by step.

They were on the verge of falling out of the eighth-level Family rankings, slipping down to the ninth level.

And perhaps, the ninth level wasn’t even the endpoint.

...

Then, the triennial martial academy competition registration began.

Competition content: Each fifth-level team fields five martial artist representatives for the competition.

Competition time: December 15 to 30.

Rules: Arena format, the victor becomes the king.

Location: Kyoto Heavenly Martial Arts Institute.

Once the rules were released, each martial academy immediately began their internal competitions.

If they win a top three spot in the competition, the academy’s resources for the year would increase by 30%; if they take first place, it would double.

There are also rewards for those ranked fourth to eighth.

Moreover, the number of positions for the Guardian Hall after graduation would also be relaxed.

For students who performed outstandingly in the competition, the Guardian Hall would record their files, and they would be directly recruited upon graduation.

This is equivalent to directly passing the civil service exam.

Therefore, everyone was filled with enthusiasm.

Without discussing the other grades, in the first year, Mo Gan Yun and others were all dispirited.

Currently, only the five of them were sparring together, and Xie Gongping sometimes joined, but he could only practice alone from afar.

All alone, extremely lonely.

But Xie Gongping resolved fiercely.

Whenever he was free, like a lone wolf, he would go out daily to complete tasks, earning credits to enter the Spiritual Energy Gravity Cultivation Room.

Every day, he trained himself until he was on the brink of collapse.

If he had any spare time, he would go to the small training field to participate in duels.

Even though their small group ignored him, it didn’t prevent him from challenging them.

Every time he challenged them, he no longer used the term "Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother"; although he was always brutally beaten, he never backed down.

On the contrary, he increasingly became more ruthless.

If no one responded to his challenge, he would directly start the battle, swinging his fists aggressively until they accepted!

Now, yet another day had passed.

During break time, Yu Zhongge said with a somber look, "Boss Fang has been lying there for three days now. When I went to check on him, I heard there was no improvement."

The others also bowed their heads.

"We’ve sent all our medicines over, and they’ve been taking them rigorously, but... there’s been no effect."

"Even the Mountain Master and others have brought out suitable Heavenly Treasures, yet those had no effect either."

"Sigh..."

Qiu Yunshang sighed, "And then there’s the martial academy competition. Have you all passed?"

"Yes, we have. It’s just a minor issue; within the same level, there’s no one stronger than the five of us."

Jing Shuanggao said calmly, "It’s basically just us five, there should be no objections to this."

"What about him?"

Mo Gan Yun pursed his lips, casting a sidelong glance at Xie Gongping.

"He’s improved rapidly recently, but... he’s still not there yet," Yu Zhongge said with a faint smile.

"So what do we do?"

"We wait until Boss Fang recovers before we discuss it. None of us have the right to forgive him."

"True, but what if Boss Fang never recovers?"

"Then Xie Gongping will never be allowed back in!"

"Even if Boss Fang recovers, whether Xie Gongping can rejoin is still uncertain."

"Yes." Yu Zhongge gently exhaled, "It’s useless to talk about him; in any case, he’s not coming back in."

"Why?" everyone asked.

"Because of the various martial academy competitions, it’s basically settled that we will participate. So, from now until the competition starts, the academy will open up all resources for us along with special training. All of this Xie Gongping cannot enjoy, and that’s one reason."

Yu Zhongge said, "Once the competition begins, it will be even more apparent. This is a martial academy competition across the whole continent. Through each round of brutal battles, we’ll face all sorts of strange moves and cultivation techniques, with over three battles a day, and every match demands our full strength."

"One could say that our abilities will soar every day."

They all nodded silently, agreeing with this statement.

This was true.

In such an environment, even when injured, one’s skills would increase rapidly.

Experience, lessons, combat awareness, and constantly pushing one’s own limits, along with a vast amount of Heavenly Treasures replenishing throughout the battles...

Each day truly becomes a brand new world, as the saying goes.

"When we return after this competition, how can Xie Gongping catch up to us? He’s already falling behind, and by then, the gap will be even wider."

"Right now, he can still flatteringly come to spar, and lose within a few moves or a dozen, but at that time, he won’t even last a move under us! Or half a move!"

"How could he ever come back in?"

Yu Zhongge sighed lightly, "The path of martial arts is exactly like this."

"Sometimes, you must think, it’s not us refusing him, but him rejecting himself. As our strength increases, so do the intensity of the tasks we undertake; we can handle it, but can he?"

"Do you want him to die outside trying, or should we just become his babysitters?"

Yu Zhongge sighed, "That’s why I decisively kicked him out that day, not entirely because of Boss Fang."

"Making him leave later would hurt far more than it does now."

"He’s just falling behind."

Falling behind.

These words left the other four in unified silence.

Yes, this situation is harsh.

But it has to be faced.

No advancing team would stop moving forward and wait for any individual member falling behind!

Yu Zhongge slowly said, "The path of martial arts requires companions, but not all of them will accompany you to the very end."

"People will constantly fall behind, and new ones will join. This constant surge washes away everything, and when you finally reach the peak of martial arts, you’ll find that countless people have been replaced by then!"

He looked at Mo Gan Yun and Qiu Yunshang, saying faintly, "And including us, as we move forward, some of us will inevitably fall behind too. Initially, Heavenly Treasures can make up for the deficit and everyone can support each other, but as time passes, the one lagging behind will eventually be impossible to catch up with."

Yu Zhongge continued slowly:

"When you can’t catch up, you can only stand still, watching others become more and more distant."

"And alone in the back, working hard to catch up; like Xie Gongping is doing now. But soon, he will find that the harder he tries, the further he falls behind, until he can’t even see our shadows in the distance."

"Even we might not always be able to walk side by side to the very end."

Yu Zhongge smiled faintly, "Let’s see how far we can go."

They nodded with emphasis.

Yu Zhongge turned to Ding Jie Ran, "Speaking of this, it’s about you now."

Ding Jie Ran looked up woodenly.

His cold eyes met Yu Zhongge’s gaze.

Yu Zhongge said softly, "You are on the verge of falling behind now."

Ding Jie Ran remained expressionless.

He was aware of this.

Due to the lack of family foundation issues, he grew up without any foundational support, nor did he have such conditions.

He relied solely on his talent to rise steadily.

Just like identical seeds and saplings, some seeds are planted in miles of fertile land, while others sprout tenaciously among the rocks, gathering nutrients from the wind-blown soil to grow step by step.

The talent is the same talent.

But the development differs entirely.

Just like Mo Gan Yun and Yu Zhongge, planted on extremely fertile land serving as their foundation, any missing stones would be thrown around as they grew to solidify the base, and in the end, others would see a mountain.

It would seem like this tree sprouted from the mountain.

But no one would notice that the roots of this tree on the mountain extend into miles of fertile land.

Nutrients flow continuously.

"With Boss Fang absent, you are ranked fifth, and sixth is Jing Shuanggao. But Jing Shuanggao might surpass you even before the major martial academy competitions begin."

Yu Zhongge said, "But you possess the Sword Bone that none of us have."

He took out two books from his chest and handed them over, "These are the two swordsmanship techniques I had someone from the family copy for you. One is the Left Handed Sword, the other is the Right Hand Sword, paired with specific mental methods, footwork Techniques, and different Sword Intents."

Ding Jie Ran looked up abruptly, "What do you mean?"

Yu Zhongge said, "Don’t misunderstand, I have no other motives. I will never ask anything of you regarding my family. I just hope that we as brothers can go further together."

"Even if you eventually fall behind, you could do so... from a higher place."

Ding Jie Ran lowered his head.

The hair in front fell down, covering his eyes; he remained still for a long time.

Mo Gan Yun sighed.

He could have done the same, but firstly he feared hurting Ding Jie Ran’s pride, and secondly, because Yu Zhongge beat him to it.

Mo Gan Yun said, "Old Ding, just take it. It has nothing to do with family, nothing to do with favors, nothing to do with future choices, and nothing to do with the path ahead. It’s merely a gift among brothers."

"In the future, if you have something good, you can give it to us too. There’s nothing about owing."

Jing Shuanggao also laughed casually.

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