After finding the Primordial Chaos Stance Technique in the Technique Hall, Chen Changqing headed straight for the Mountain Gate.
At this moment, Ran Hua was standing guard before the Mountain Gate, bored out of his mind.
Seeing Chen Changqing approach, Ran Hua casually glanced at him.
Then his brows suddenly rose, and a flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes.
"Senior Brother Chen, you broke through?"
Ran Hua looked Chen Changqing up and down, his tone carrying a hint of surprise.
Chen Changqing smiled faintly and nodded.
"Yes, I was fortunate enough to make a breakthrough."
Ran Hua scrutinized Chen Changqing a few more times, then grinned and patted his shoulder.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Chen!"
"Heaven does not disappoint those with determination. You've finally raised your cultivation to the Late Qi Nurturing Stage."
"From now on, I'll leave this gatekeeping duty to Senior Brother Chen."
Chen Changqing paid no mind to Ran Hua's words and merely cupped his hands.
After all, Ran Hua had entered the sect later than he had, yet he was already at the Late Body Tempering Stage.
Meanwhile, Chen Changqing had been in the sect for over a year and had only just broken through to the Late Qi Nurturing Stage.
Such a rate of improvement naturally would not attract much notice from Ran Hua.
After completing the handover, Ran Hua stretched lazily and left on his own.
Once Ran Hua had gone, Chen Changqing took out the copied Primordial Chaos Stance Technique and began studying it.
"This Primordial Chaos Stance Technique is a stillness technique that unites form and intent."
"It emphasizes the cultivation principle of 'relaxed and naturally tranquil, empty yet spiritually upright.'"
"Through standing-posture positions, it guides the circulation of qi and blood, achieving the effect of consolidating one's foundation and nourishing one's vitality."
"The first essential of cultivation is the basic posture."
"Keep both feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, curl the toes into the ground as though fastening roots into the earth, and let the heels hover as if stepping on ants to activate the Three Yang Meridians of the Foot."
"Bend the knees slightly without passing the toes, sit the hips as though perched on a tall stool, and keep the waist and back straight like a pagoda stacked layer upon layer."
"Hold both hands in an oval before the chest, palms cupped inward as though cradling a ball, with the finger joints pushing outward and drawing inward."
"..."
Chen Changqing did not merely read it. He immediately prepared to cultivate according to the technique's instructions.
He slowly rose to his feet and assumed the standing-posture stance.
Just as he was about to examine the breathing and qi-circulation methods in the following section, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind:
[Ding!] [Detected technique Primordial Chaos Stance Technique. Begin AFK Cultivation?]
"Hm?"
Chen Changqing's mind trembled at those words.
"This... I didn't hear that wrong, did I?"
"Techniques can also be AFK cultivated?"
Chen Changqing was utterly shocked, his head buzzing.
He had originally thought that the AFK Cultivation System could only help him cultivate spiritual qi.
Who would have thought that techniques could also be AFK cultivated?
Still stunned, he did not think further and hurriedly responded.
"System, AFK cultivate the Primordial Chaos Stance Technique."
[Ding!] [AFK cultivation of technique Primordial Chaos Stance Technique has begun.] [AFK cultivation time: 1 second (flashing, continuously increasing).]
With Chen Changqing's confirmation, the Little Golden Figure on the system panel before him immediately began to move.
From its initial cross-legged seated position, it quickly changed its posture into the standing stance depicted in the Primordial Chaos Stance Technique.
The Little Golden Figure stood as steady as a mountain, its feet rooted in the earth, its arms embracing as though gathering the sun and moon. Qi and blood circulated throughout its body, carrying a faint air of primordial unity.
Beyond that, Chen Changqing also discovered something else.
The Little Golden Figure seemed to be breathing.
It was actually following the technique's instructions as well, performing cyclical breathing and qi absorption.
Seeing this, Chen Changqing was astonished beyond measure.
"I never expected this!"
"This AFK Cultivation System can even AFK cultivate techniques."
"Then could it be... Divine Abilities too?"
At that thought, Chen Changqing was filled with excitement, his eyes brimming with anticipation.
"I'd better not aim too high."
"Steady and sure, one step at a time."
Chen Changqing took a deep breath and calmed his surging emotions.
On the surface, he stood guard at the Mountain Gate, but in truth, his mind was immersed in the system space, observing the Little Golden Figure's movements.
Although the system could cultivate for him while AFK,
Chen Changqing felt that idle hands were idle hands. By observing it himself, perhaps he could gain a deeper understanding of the technique.
"So that's how it is..."
After watching for a while, Chen Changqing nodded in realization, comprehending the details of operating the Primordial Chaos Stance Technique.
As the Little Golden Figure continued cultivating,
Chen Changqing's own understanding of the technique also deepened.
Outer Disciples occasionally passed through the Mountain Gate. Some hurried along with anxious faces, while others traveled in groups of three or five, laughing and talking, but almost no one spared Chen Changqing a second glance.
I'm just a tiny nobody!
Chen Changqing mocked himself inwardly, yet he was more than happy to enjoy the peace and quiet.
He also knew that no one would care about a mere Mountain Gate guard like him.
Still, he did not mind too much.
After all, having no one pay attention to him only made it more convenient for him to cultivate while AFK.
Time passed, and before long, it was the fourth quarter of the Rooster Hour.
Seeing that it was time to close the gate, Chen Changqing skillfully shut the Mountain Gate and turned to leave.
When he returned to his residence, Ran Hua was nowhere to be seen.
Chen Changqing did not care. He entered his room, shut the doors and windows, then impatiently extracted his AFK cultivation results.
"System, extract the AFK cultivation results!"
Soon, a system notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding!] [AFK cultivation time: 5 hours.] [Practiced Primordial Chaos Stance Technique ×10 times.] [Extract AFK cultivation results?]
"Extract!"
Without further thought, Chen Changqing directly chose to extract them.
In an instant, a streak of golden light flew from the Little Golden Figure and merged into Chen Changqing's body.
Boom!
Immediately afterward, a surging force of qi and blood erupted within Chen Changqing's body. His limbs and bones felt as though they had been tempered by blazing fire, while his muscles and tendons gave off faint tremors.
The essential principles of cultivating the Primordial Chaos Stance Technique flooded rapidly into his mind.
It was as though Chen Changqing himself had practiced the technique ten times.
The next moment, Chen Changqing abruptly opened his eyes and clenched his fist. He felt the strength in his arms surge explosively, enough to shatter three hundred jin!
"Hu!"
Chen Changqing threw a punch at the air.
A savage fist wind howled.
The air itself crackled with a series of popping sounds.
"What powerful fist strength!"
"And... I broke through again!"
"Early Body Tempering Stage!"
Chen Changqing muttered to himself, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as he could not help but shout, "This feels incredible!"
From then on, Chen Changqing began his day-after-day routine of AFK cultivation.
Standing guard each day, going AFK, extracting the results—over and over again.
Before he knew it,
a month had passed, and Chen Changqing opened the system panel.
Then a system notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding!] [AFK cultivation time: 10 days.] [Practiced Primordial Chaos Stance Technique ×300 times.] [Extract AFK cultivation results?]
"Three hundred times?"
Chen Changqing's heart shook, followed immediately by wild joy.
He discovered that as he continuously AFK cultivated the Primordial Chaos Stance Technique, his proficiency was also increasing, while the system's time required to practice the technique once kept shrinking.
"At this rate, breaking through to the Mid Body Tempering Stage is just around the corner!"
He took a deep breath, blazing fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.
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