Shun Long's interest was piqued as fatty Fu continued explaining
''In the 'floating cloud sect' there are 4 ways to become an inner disciple. The first way is to become a heaven grade expert and be below 100 years old.
The second way would be to be born in a big family like mine or Lu Wen's, then you can directly enter the sect as an inner disciple. However, although this is technically possible, even families like my Fu family or Lu Wen's Lu family can only send very few disciples to directly enter as inner sect disciples. So this method is the most uncommon of them all.
The third way would be for an Elder of the sect to take a fancy in you and accept you as a direct disciple. But because of how strict their requirements usually are, this method is almost as uncommon as the second one.
And the fourth and final way to become an inner sect disciple, is to reach the top100 ranks in the arena and get a chance to fight against an inner sect disciple.''
Shun Long then asked
''So if someone enters the top100 ranks, they can challenge an inner sect disciple?''
Lu Wen was the one who answered this time
''It's not exactly like this. However, being in the top100 in the arena, usually means that you are among the 100 strongest outer sect disciples. At the end of the year, you may be given the chance to fight against an inner sect disciple then, and depending on the results of the match, you may be promoted to an inner disciple and be allowed entry in the inner city.''
Shun Long looked around him as he exclaimed
''So that's the reason the arena is so full, even though it's just a match for the top100.''
''Just the top100? The sect has more than 200.000 outer sect disciples. Is it easy to become one of the top100?'' This time it was Fu Peizhi who spoke with unconcealed anger in his voice.
Shun Long understood that he had unintentionally belittled the top100 and that's why Fu Peizhi seemed to be angry, however he wasn't willing to back down as he answered
''Ah I see, so the top100 must be really amazing and untouchable by mortals like me in your eyes right? In that case, what are inner sect disciples to you? Gods?''
It wasn't that Shun Long was intentionally belittling the top 100 outer disciples, but that he himself had already set far loftier goals than that. There was no way he would stop in the 'floating cloud sect's' outer city. His goal was to become so strong that no one else could decide his fate for him, and he knew that he already had the means to accomplish that by training as hard as possible in the 'Monarch's Hourglass' technique.
As for people like Fu Peizhi who had already grown complacent by being in the top20 rankings in the arena? He would sooner or later be surpassed by others with that kind of mentality.
The 'cultivation world' was a cruel one and it wasn't that much different than the 'mortal world' in the sense that you will either eat or you will be eaten. If you didn't strive to become stronger, others would dictate your fate for you instead in the future.
''Exactly! In my eyes you and everyone else from the 'mortal world' are all ants. Even that Xiao Juyan is just a slightly bigger ant in my eyes. I only aim to become stronger as I climb through the arena ranks, and my only opponents are those in the top 15 rankings. I don't put any of you in my eyes as you aren't even fit to talk to me. I don't know what the young master sees in you, but in my eyes you will never amount to anything more than an ant.''
After he finished speaking, Fu Peizhi stood up and left.
''Brother Shun, please forgive me. He is usually arrogant but this time he went over the line. Although I'm not strong enough to teach him a lesson just yet, I'll make sure he gets what he deserves after we return to the family.''
Fatty Fu's eyes were almost spitting fire at this point as he looked at Fu Peizhi's back.
However Shun Long just shook his head
''It's not your fault so what are you apologizing about? It is obvious that he is too arrogant and he doesn't place anyone here in his eyes however I will make sure to teach him in the future, just how wrong his words from today were.''
''Right, with brother Shun's talent you won't take too many years to reach the late stages of the earth grade since you are already at the peak of rank 6 in qi condensation already.''
Before Shun Long could respond to fatty Fu's words, sudden exclamations were heard from the crowd as 2 young men had already stepped in the center of the arena.