Third Place in Points

When that person shouted, everyone else present turned to look.

Sure enough, they saw the name "Chen Changqing" had risen to the top three on the Scoreboard.

"What?"

"What's going on? I remember Chen Changqing was still outside the top fifty before."

"In such a short time, he's charged into third place on the Scoreboard?"

"Could he be cheating?"

"Impossible! The Void Realm has strict rules—who would dare cheat?"

"..."

While the crowd hesitated, the disciples of the Seven Courtyards saw this and burst into cheers one after another.

"Haha!"

"Is that Senior Brother Chen?"

"Truly impressive!"

"I knew he could break into the top ten!"

"He's really bringing honor to our Seven Courtyards!"

"..."

At the same time, the elders of the outer courtyards also took notice of Chen Changqing.

"When did the Seven Courtyards produce such an outstanding disciple?"

"Before this, I'd never heard of him!"

"To rank in the top three at this stage, as long as nothing unexpected happens, he should be able to make it into the top twenty by the end of the first round."

"I didn't expect old Willow Wood to have hidden Chen Changqing up his sleeve."

"..."

The elders murmured quietly among themselves. Seeing a Seven Courtyards disciple's name in the top three of the Scoreboard was a refreshing sight.

When Elder Willow Wood saw the situation on the Scoreboard, his mind shook violently.

"Chen Changqing?"

"Third?"

He could hardly believe it and quickly rubbed his eyes, afraid he had misread.

Though he had held high expectations for Chen Changqing before this, for Chen Changqing to have surged to third place on the Scoreboard at this point far exceeded his predictions.

"My judgment was right!"

"I wonder if this kid can bring even greater surprises later?"

Elder Willow Wood was stirred with excitement, his eyes full of anticipation.

Meanwhile.

Inside the Void Realm, Chen Changqing had no idea that his points had already placed him third on the Scoreboard.

Nor did he know about the commotion it had caused.

At this moment, he was focused entirely on his "plundering enterprise"!

"Boom!"

Suddenly, intense battle fluctuations came from afar.

"Hm?"

Chen Changqing heard this and quickly looked toward the source. Even from a great distance, he could see Sword Qi crisscrossing and spiritual power surging wildly!

"Is someone fighting a Realm Beast?"

"Or are disciples from the Seven Courtyards fighting each other for points?"

"This fluctuation is no small matter!"

Chen Changqing muttered to himself, then raised an eyebrow and flew out directly on his sword.

For him, no matter who was fighting ahead, there was profit to be gained.

If a disciple was killing a Realm Beast, he would snatch their points.

If it was a fight between disciples, he would also snatch their points!

As long as he encountered them, their points would become his.

Before long, Chen Changqing had flown on his sword to the location of the battle.

"Hm?"

Chen Changqing couldn't help but frown as he took a look.

"Senior Sister Liu?"

He could see Liu Ruyan being surrounded and attacked by a group not far away. The leading youth, clad in an Orange Robe, struck with terrifying aura—he was actually at Foundation Establishment cultivation. The others were also uniformly dressed in orange robes, their strength not weak, at the Eighth or Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. At that moment, the leading youth forced back Liu Ruyan's attack with a single sword strike and sneered, "Junior Sister Liu, hand over your points obediently, and spare yourself the pain!" Liu Ruyan had blood at the corner of her mouth, clearly injured. A long sword hovered before her, its cold light sharp. She snorted coldly, "Hmph! Want my points? Dream on!" Hearing this, the leading youth's face suddenly darkened, a vicious look flashing across it. "You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Form the formation!" With his command, the several disciples surrounding Liu Ruyan instantly formed a formation, their spiritual power weaving into a net that pressed down on her relentlessly. Just as Liu Ruyan was about to collapse, a voice suddenly rang out, "Yo! A bunch of grown men bullying one woman—no shame at all?"

Hearing this, the youth and his group were startled and quickly looked toward the source. They saw Chen Changqing strolling forward lazily. "Junior Brother Chen?" Liu Ruyan's eyes lit up with joy at the sight of Chen Changqing. She had gone with him to Qingxi Village on a mission before and had witnessed his strength firsthand. So many Demon Cultivators from the Demonic Sect had died at his hands. But then, thinking it over, a trace of worry crept onto her face. This group before her belonged to the Second Courtyard. Their leader, Cui Hao, had even reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. Although she couldn't see through Chen Changqing's cultivation, she wasn't sure he could defeat a Foundation Establishment cultivator in battle! As Liu Ruyan was lost in thought, Cui Hao narrowed his eyes and gave Chen Changqing a few more glances. "I thought it was someone important—turns out it's just another from the Seven Courtyards. Only at the Qi Refining level, and you think you can save your Senior Sister?" As he spoke, Cui Hao relaxed his brow, his gaze toward Chen Changqing filled with contempt and disdain. In his view, as long as it wasn't Qing Yang from the Seven Courtyards, no one else was worth fearing. Chen Changqing paid no attention to Cui Hao's mockery. He had never fought a Foundation Establishment cultivator before. Today, he could use Cui Hao to practice. At that moment, Cui Hao looked at a disciple beside him with a playful expression and said, "Kong Ning, this kid is yours." Kong Ning nodded. "Don't worry, Senior Brother! I'll make him regret sticking his nose in!" With that, Kong Ning stepped forward, a vicious grin on his face as he looked at Chen Changqing. "Kid, if you want to play the hero saving the beauty, you need the strength to back it up!" "Noisy!" Chen Changqing said coldly, glancing at Kong Ning dismissively, then made an extremely provocative gesture by curling his finger at him.

"Grr..." Kong Ning ground his teeth in rage. "You're asking for death!!" With a furious roar, Kong Ning said no more. His aura exploded violently, his Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivation laid bare. In the next moment, he had turned into a streak of light charging straight at Chen Changqing. Chen Changqing stood still, his expression utterly calm. As Kong Ning closed in, he didn't hold back—he threw a punch straight out in response.

"Boom!"

Accompanied by a deafening explosion of a punch ringing through the air.

As eyes focused, Kong Ning's attack crumbled instantly under the force of Chen Changqing's fist.

The surging fist power, its residual might undiminished, pierced straight through the wind and slammed solidly into Kong Ning's chest.

"Pfft!"

The next moment, Kong Ning violently spat out a large mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a snapped string.

Witnessing this scene, everyone present was stunned.

No one had expected that Kong Ning, with his Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivation, would be sent flying by a single punch from Chen Changqing.

"This... how is this possible?"

"Am I seeing things?"

"Senior Brother Kong just... got knocked back by one punch from him?"

"What's going on?"

"What level is this kid at?"

The Second Courtyard disciples stood dumbfounded, their faces full of disbelief.