Legend of Niyonika

Top Ten Outer Disciples (Ch.14)

~A philosophical problem has the form: I don't know my way about~

-Ludwig Wittgenstein

"In addition to this, big sister's cultivation speed is naturally slow hence should big sister dedicate all your effort to cultivation, the only possibility within this one year would be to breakthrough to the high level of the first level of the elemental novice realm which in itself is still not a considerable achievement."

Raila's words although hesitant were honest, not with any intentions of putting Niyonika down but simply giving her a realistic assessment out of deep concern and Niyonika appreciated this quality in the petite female. Such characters were quite rare.

"This is quite a saddening revelation, is this perhaps why you are also hesitant to participate in the ranking contest?" Niyonika asked curiously, Raila lowered her gaze in shame indicating that Niyonika's words were right.

"Three years is a long time Raila, you entered the Heavenly Sage Pavilion with the dream of becoming a true disciple and perhaps even an inner disciple and not just remaining as a 'one-foot-in-the-door' kind of disciple, giving this opportunity up even for this reason is unreasonable." Niyonika commented when she realized Raila would not respond.

"Big sister... I... I... I am only at the high level of the first level of the Elemental novice realm, with this level of cultivation, I'm not in any better position than big sister, with all these outstanding talents of the outer disciples, how can I dare participate?" Raila exclaimed sadly.

"If you put it that way, this naturally means I also should not dare participate, however I have every intention of participating in this ranking contest." Niyonika informed the petite female, measuring her reaction.

Raila's eyes widened in shock at Niyonika's declaration, her expression of shock quickly converting to one of horror when she took in Niyonika's expression and realized Niyonika was actually serious.

Niyonika found this female who's every expression was so obviously displayed on her face to be quite amusing.

"Ah! Big sister cannot mean that! Big sister should not, big sister absolutely should not!" Raila discouraged fervently, Niyonika chuckled quietly as the petite female's reaction was exactly as she had expected it to be.

"Why not? I would rather try and fail than not to try at all. Whatever the outcome, there's no harm in making an attempt. If I participate in the ranking contest, no matter how small, there is still a possibility of being selected by a sage master however if I do not participate this time, I will surely have to wait three more years for another opportunity, when that time comes, I fear I can only live in regret." Niyonika insisted calmly.

"But...but, big sister! The ranking contest is dangerous! I heard people get paired up against powerful outer disciples of high levels and can only be beaten on and tossed about like a rag doll, with no possible methods of fighting back! I even heard some people sustain life threatening injuries at the ranking contest! Big sister does not recall the brutality of this contest, big sister certainly should not participate!" Raila also did not back down, she seemed to be utterly horrified by the mere idea of Niyonika participating in the ranking contest.

"Sustaining injuries or not are all left to one's fate. All these is part of a cultivator's journey, as elemental cultivators, we must be prepared to risk this much. As an elemental cultivator, I do not believe you would be this terrified of the possibility of sustaining physical injuries. I truly do not understand why you are so against this idea, what is your true reason?" Niyonika asked suspiciously, Raila's fervent disagreement was quite suspicious.

"This is... this is, Yana is determined to make big sister's life a living hell, she even tried to kill big sister by pushing you off a cliff! This Yana is truly too scary, and she already harbors a great grudge against big sister, big sister should not get anymore on her bad side than this, this is for big sister's own safety! If big sister still insists on participating in the ranking contest, this Yana will definitely find a way to create difficulties for big sister." Raila finally revealed, Niyonika regarded the petite female quietly for a while.

"So you are suggesting I hide away in fear of what this Yana might do? Even when that means wasting away for three years?" Niyonika asked, Raila winced slightly at Niyonika's hard tone.

"It's just... I just, I don't want big sister to be in danger again, this Yana already made an attempt on big sister's life, she might do something like that again, what shall we do then?" Raila explained with a sigh, Niyonika shrugged casually.

'Indeed she might try another attempt, but how can it be so easy for this Yana this time? The one who she shall be confronting is no longer Niyonika of the Elemental god continent but Niyonika of 2099, if I allow this Yana have her way so easily, wouldn't that be a shame to my name?' Niyonika thought amusedly

"Calm yourself Raila, we will be fine, you just need to trust me. Do you trust me?" Niyonika asked calmly, Raila glanced up at Niyonika warily but nodded in affirmation.

Niyonika smiled, nodding in approval.

"Then Raila, please lead the way to the contest grounds, I reckon we are already late."

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Niyonika followed beside Raila as they arrived at a section of the outer disciples mountain.

There was a large open space and in the center of the space, a wooden stage had been built. Upon that wooden stage was a weird looking rock and engraved on the surface of the wooden stage surrounding the rock were strange drawings Niyonika assumed were runes.

The entire space was already crowded with the outer disciples and an elderly man dressed in white robes with a brown coloured sect insignia engraved on the arm and lower parts of the robe, the elderly man stood on the top stairs leading up to the stage.

Niyonika figured this elder was an earth elemental based on what she had been told about the difference in colours of the sect insignia.

Niyonika and Raila moved forward to join the crowd of disciples awaiting the commencement of the ranking contest.

Upon Niyonika's arrival, Niyonika was stunned to see the crowd of outer disciples parting to allow her pass through to the front.

The outer disciples closest to her all said words of greeting with friendly smiles.

"Junior sister Niyo is here."

"Junior sister Niyo, please don't stand behind and strain your vision or hearing, please move to the front."

"Junior sister Niyo hasn't been around for a few days, I was getting worried."

"Junior sister Niyo is doing well, I trust?"

Niyonika took a step back at the strange attention and friendliness, she glanced at Raila who returned her stare with an 'I told you so' look.

"Why are they being this way?" Niyonika asked Raila in slight apprehension, as someone who was naturally solitary in nature and always preferred her own company, the attention from the outer disciples was strange.

"I believe I mentioned big sister is quite popular among the outer disciples, junior sister's popularity is only second to the top ten outer disciples." Raila reminded, Niyonika swallowed slowly, she absolutely did not like the sound of this.

"Simply because of my looks?" Niyonika asked as she moved through the space created to the front.

"Certainly not, big sister does not recall but there is also another reason why big sister is so popular." Raila informed quietly, Niyonika turned to face her in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" Niyonika asked in apprehension, the look on Raila's face made Niyonika feel unsettled.

"The thing is, big sister's family has an association with the family of the disciple ranked No2 in the top ten outer disciples. Hence the outer disciples all naturally have to treat big sister with respect to avoid incurring his wrath." Raila said, Niyonika raised a brow.

"And why have you not mentioned this earlier?" Niyonika whispered due to the fact that the elder was about to begin speaking and the arena had quietened down.

"It is a fact that big sister has always detested, being the one to remind you of it again left me feeling unsettled." Raila said guiltily.

"The ten top outer disciples are here!" A voice exclaimed in the crowd. The atmosphere went absolutely quiet even more so than when that elder had tried to calm them.

Niyonika moved her gaze to the gates of the grounds the ranking contest would be taking place and noticed the disciples arriving.

Although they all arrived separately and did not look to have come together, there were ten of them in total who arrived one after the other.

Each one of them moved with confident strides and emitted an oppressive and intimidating aura.

First arriving was a female dressed in white robes like every other outer disciple but her sect insignia was a deep blue color signifying her water element.

The young female had sharp features and a cat like gaze, there was a slight scar across her left eye that gave her a fierce and dangerous look, however she equally had an air of elegance around her.

"It's Senior sister Lila... it's really senior sister Lila."

"Ah... when was the last time senior sister Lila showed her face to us normal disciples?"

"Senior sister Lila is as powerful as ever, perhaps the rankings of the top ten outer disciples will change this time?"

The disciples all around murmured quietly upon the female's arrival but did not dare speak too loud.

"Big sister, that female is Lila, the disciple ranked No 3 among the top ten outer disciples and equally the most powerful female water elemental among the outer disciples. At the age of eighteen, she is at the high stage of the fifth level of the elemental novice realm, a truly powerful force!" Raila helpfully supplied when she noticed Niyonika's somewhat confused gaze.