Lou Yi found it a bit strange, as he followed the guard into the hall.

Presented before him was a remarkably spacious bluestone path.

Both sides were lined with evergreen cypresses, occasionally birds would fly over, and after walking a stretch, he saw a meandering corridor bridge ahead and heard the sound of flowing water.

Rather than a Martial Arts Hall, it was more like a garden.

Lou Yi first went to a small house, where in front of a ledger-keeping elder, he registered his personal information, paid two taels of silver, received some grey standardized clothing, and a waist token representing his entry.

Then he arrived at a rather secluded courtyard, similar to a courtyard house from his previous life.

Pointing to a room, the guard said flatly, "You'll stay here from now on."

After saying this, the guard turned eagerly and left.

Lou Yi walked into the room and found that there were no facilities inside.

Apart from the blue bricks to stand on, there was a huge hemp mat bedspread inside, more than two and a half meters long, with five neatly folded quilted blankets.

"Oh, a newcomer?"

A surprised voice came from outside the door, followed by several figures appearing in front of the house.

They wore the same style of grey cloth garments, all around fifteen to sixteen years old, with fine hairs at the corners of their mouths, clearly younger than Lou Yi by a notch.

Their faces were covered with sweat, indicating they had been through intensive exercise.

"Hello everyone, I am Liu Yi, just arrived today."

"Hello," someone responded politely.

"The spot by the wall is taken." Someone else said as they turned and walked off, reminding Lou Yi not to have any ideas about the bed by the wall.

Lou Yi shook his head and chuckled, deciding he wouldn't stay crammed on the communal bedding with them for long.

Having just asked the guard at the entrance, living at the Martial Arts Hall wasn't mandatory.

If you had the money, you could totally rent a place outside.

Compared to the outer city, the rental cost in the city was quite expensive, but it didn't matter much to Lou Yi at present.

Once Lu Yang and Liu Yuan had sorted out the courtyard, he would move out to live there.

Since he just arrived, Lou Yi still hadn't figured out many things.

He struck up a conversation with one of the people who had just been friendly to him.

This person was about the same height as Lou Yi, over 1.8 meters, with dark skin, broad shoulders, a sturdy back, and an honest-looking face, by the name of Jin Feng.

"Brother Jin, I am new here, and have some questions I'd like to ask."

"Haha, go ahead, I'll tell you all that I know."

"Where do we train daily, and who is in charge of teaching?"

"There's a specially designated Martial Arts Training Ground in the Martial Arts Hall..."

As the two conversed, Lou Yi gradually cleared many doubts.

Every year, the Extreme Fist Sect recruits Registered Disciples, and according to their background and natural talent, they are assigned to live in either the side courtyard or the main courtyard.

Those in the side courtyard are mostly from ordinary families, either scraping together the entry fees or pulling strings to get in, crowded onto communal bedding.

Those in the main courtyard mostly come from prominent families in the main city, with notable backgrounds. Each of these disciples has their own room, with accommodation conditions far superior to the side courtyard.

Nonetheless, whether from the side or main courtyard, they are uniformly called Outer Disciples or Registered Disciples, though the living conditions differ.

All martial arts training is scheduled at the Martial Arts Training Ground, with someone responsible for the instruction each day.

You only get one hour; what you learn within that time is entirely up to your own ability.

Once training is done, no one restricts whether you stay in the Martial Arts Hall or go home.

But there is one condition.

After entering, there will be periodic assessments.

If you fail the assessment, you'll be expelled, no amount of silver or strong connections will help.

Only after breaking through and becoming a Martial Artist are you qualified to become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall.

"Thank you, Brother Jin."

"It's nothing, haha. I'm too tired today; I gotta rest quickly, or I won't be able to train tomorrow." Jin Feng sighed, then entered the house.

By this time, the sun had just set.

Lou Yi thought to himself, they sure sleep early, and he turned and went inside, becoming the last one to enter.

Five people were already lying on the communal bed, and having removed their shoes, the smell was quite strong, causing Lou Yi to wrinkle his nose.

The good spots near the left and right walls were naturally occupied.

Jin Feng slept in the second position from the left; in the third position was a small-eyed youth he had just met.

The second person on the right was sprawled out, with hands and legs spread in a star shape, occupying most of the originally adjacent empty space.

Seeing this, Lou Yi forcibly adjusted the person's arms, squeezed into the space, which made the person open his eyes and glare but not daring to say anything.

Listening to the increasingly frequent snores surrounding him, and enveloped in quite moving various scents, Lou Yi struggled to fall asleep.

The next morning, at the crack of dawn.

Lou Yi, together with his five roommates and other side courtyard disciples, proceeded to the Martial Arts Training Ground.

The training ground used by the Registered Disciples was located deep within the Martial Arts Hall, a vast, open land measuring over 400 to 500 square meters.

In the center of the field were various martial arts apparatuses, like stone locks, iron rings, stone plates, and stone hammers.

Approximately thirty young men from the side courtyard, all around fifteen to sixteen years old, with their hair let loose, wearing the same grey cloth garments and cloth shoes, stood at the western part of the grounds.

Nearby, a few steps away, stood another group of young men, though fewer in number, fewer than ten.

Though they also wore grey cloth garments, their hair was tied in buns, with hairpins inserted.

Some had silk belts over their clothes, wore cloud-patterned shoes, and some embroidered patterns on them, clear indicators they were disciples from the main courtyard.

Both groups stood on either side, distinctly separated, conversing with their respective circles, ignoring the other side.

After some time, as the sound of footsteps arose, the conversation quieted, and many people lifted their heads to look, with not a few eyes gleaming.

The arriving group of five or six were actually young women.

Their blue clothes clung tight, outlining their graceful figures, unlike the loose fit of the men's, causing the young men's eyes to widen instantly.

One girl among them was particularly striking.

Her skin was fair, her figure tall and slender, especially her smiling eyes, bright like peach blossoms, leaving a favorable impression on anyone who gazed.

"That's Jia Hong, attractive isn't she?" whispered the small-eyed youth who slept next to Lou Yi.

"She's alright," Lou Yi responded, giving him a sideways glance.

"Hehe, many here have an interest in her," the small-eyed youth chuckled, somewhat lewdly.

Suddenly he straightened his face and ceased talking.

Lou Yi followed his gaze, where a tall young man was striding over.

The man wore white clothes, with a notable black 'Extreme' character embroidered on the chest.

He looked about twenty years old, with a square face, well-defined features, and piercing, bright eyes.

His arms hung almost to his knees, walking with the grace and power of a stalking wolf or tiger, conveying an imposing demeanor.

Strong, very strong!

Lou Yi's sixth sense frantically warned him.

This was undoubtedly the strongest person he had ever encountered, posing a great threat to him.

Indeed, this was the main city; anyone picked out at random was a formidable Martial Artist.

Before mastering anything, he had to keep a low profile.

"Senior Brother Chen has come to teach," someone muttered, implying the man's identity.

...

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