The Top Twenty in Points Can Advance to the Inner Sect!

Hearing this, everyone turned their gaze toward the portal to the Void Realm shimmering in the sky.

As the light flickered, figures emerged one after another.

Qing Yang, Li Yang, Wen Liang, Meng Zhou, Cui Hao...

The disciples who came out of the Void Realm each flew back to their respective courtyards and landed.

At the same time, the light pillar not far away—the Scoreboard—finally settled, displaying the top twenty disciples.

Chen Changqing was prominently listed among them.

Though not in first place, he firmly held second.

Besides him, Qing Yang, Li Yang, and others were also on the top twenty list.

In the Second Courtyard's area.

Cui Hao hung his head in dejection, grinding his teeth in anger.

Because his score hadn't made it into the top twenty.

And that meant not only would he fail to enter the Inner Sect, but he would also lose his eligibility for the subsequent competition.

"Damn it!!"

Cui Hao fumed with rage.

"Junior Brother Cui, no need to be so angry. If you didn't make it to the next round this time, just work harder next year!"

Wen Liang glanced at Cui Hao and offered this consolation.

"Senior Brother, I... I can't accept this!"

Cui Hao vented in frustration.

"Hm?"

Wen Liang frowned slightly at this. He too found it surprising that Cui Hao hadn't ranked in the top twenty.

After all, Cui Hao, like him, was at Foundation Establishment.

Logically, securing a spot in the top twenty shouldn't have been difficult.

Then, Cui Hao didn't hide it and explained how he had been robbed of his points in the Void Realm.

"Someone dared to rob you, Junior Brother Cui?"

"Who has such nerve?"

Wen Liang was startled, looking incredulous.

Cui Hao's face darkened as he replied:

"I don't know his exact name, but that brat is from the Seven Courtyards. His cultivation isn't high—still at Qi Refining!"

"From the Seven Courtyards? Qi Refining?"

Hearing this from Cui Hao, Wen Liang's brow furrowed, and Chen Changqing's image involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

"Could it be that kid who snatched our opportunity?"

Thinking this, Wen Liang turned his gaze toward the Seven Courtyards' area.

Unfortunately, he didn't see Chen Changqing.

At the same time.

In the Seven Courtyards, Elder Willow Wood watched the returning disciples—Qing Yang, Liu Ruyan, and the others—his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

"Strange?"

"Where is that kid Changqing?"

Willow Wood muttered to himself. All the disciples from the Seven Courtyards who participated in the First Trial had come out, except Chen Changqing.

He was thoroughly pleased with Chen Changqing.

In this First Trial, he had directly climbed to second place on the Scoreboard, bringing great honor to the Seven Courtyards.

"Qing Yang?"

"Where is Chen Changqing?"

After a brief pause, Elder Willow Wood suddenly looked at Qing Yang and asked.

"Huh?"

Qing Yang was startled. He looked around but didn't see Chen Changqing.

"Elder."

"Has Junior Brother not come out yet?"

Hearing Qing Yang's answer, Willow Wood shot him a glare and said irritably:

"If he had come out, would I still be asking you?"

Qing Yang's face was full of embarrassment as he quickly said:

"Elder need not worry."

"Junior Brother Chen ranks second on the Scoreboard."

"He should be out soon enough."

Even as he spoke these words, Qing Yang's heart was deeply shaken.

He couldn't fathom how Chen Changqing had managed to earn so many points.

Beyond that, he was also curious about what opportunity Chen Changqing had snatched from him, Li Yang, and the others—what exactly was that opportunity?

Hearing Qing Yang's words, Elder Willow Wood said no more and simply continued waiting.

Liu Ruyan's beautiful eyes flickered as she stared fixedly at the entrance to the Void Realm.

"Why isn't Junior Brother Chen out yet?"

"Could something have gone wrong?"

The moment this thought crossed her mind, her heart grew restless.

Earlier, in that valley within the Void Realm, Chen Changqing had taken the opportunity from Li Yang and the others.

After that, she had not seen Chen Changqing again.

Although Chen Changqing's points remained, the Void Realm was home to Realm Beasts with strength comparable to Foundation Establishment.

If Chen Changqing had fallen to a Realm Beast, his Identity Token would still be there, and his points wouldn't reset.

The more she thought about it, the more unsettled Liu Ruyan became.

"What's going on?"

"Why... why am I so concerned about his safety?"

Liu Ruyan murmured to herself.

She didn't know why, but she had grown so worried about Chen Changqing.

Meanwhile.

Inside the Void Realm.

Deep within that valley, Chen Changqing's eyes snapped open, a brilliant gleam flashing through them.

"The First Trial's time is up."

"I should leave this Void Realm now."

Chen Changqing muttered to himself, then contacted the system:

"System, extract the AFK Cultivation results!"

Soon, the system's response echoed in his mind:

[Ding!]

[AFK Cultivation complete.]

[Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique comprehension progress: 3%.]

With the system's prompt, Chen Changqing saw that within his attribute panel, the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique now had a progress bar.

Seeing this, Chen Changqing's heart stirred slightly.

But after a moment's thought, he let it go.

"This Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique is completely different from other Divine Abilities and techniques!"

"Even after AFK cultivating for several days, I've only reached 3% progress."

Then, streams of golden light surged from the Little Golden Figure and poured into Chen Changqing's body.

In an instant, all the essential principles of the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique were etched into Chen Changqing's mind.

Having extracted the cultivation results, Chen Changqing smiled with satisfaction.

Just then, he suddenly noticed.

His cultivation base had somehow already broken through the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining and advanced to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

"I've... formed my Foundation?"

"Haha, what a pleasant surprise!"

Chen Changqing couldn't help but laugh.

Though he had only comprehended 3% of the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, even that small progress had massively boosted his strength.

Composing himself, Chen Changqing didn't linger. With a thought, he summoned the Chengying Sword and flew on it toward the Void Realm's exit.

On the other side.

On the square outside the Void Realm.

Disciples from every courtyard had already returned from within the Void Realm.

Only Chen Changqing of the Seven Courtyards had yet to emerge.

"What's going on?"

"Why hasn't Junior Brother Chen come out yet?"

"If the time limit passes, the Void Realm will close."

"Could something have gone wrong?"

The Seven Courtyards disciples murmured among themselves.

Willow Wood's brow was furrowed, his expression grim.

Liu Ruyan, meanwhile, was burning with anxiety.

Just then, ripples stirred at the Void Realm's gateway, and the void shimmered.

The next moment, a figure shot out from the portal on a flying sword.

The man's purple robe fluttered in the wind, his bearing elegant and handsome—who else could it be but Chen Changqing?

"Junior Brother Chen!!"

Seeing him, Liu Ruyan couldn't help but cry out in excitement.

The nearby Seven Courtyards disciples looked on in surprise.

After all, Liu Ruyan was known throughout the Seven Courtyards for her cold demeanor—why was she so warm toward Chen Changqing?

Soon, Chen Changqing landed in the area where the Seven Courtyards disciples had gathered.

Liu Ruyan was overjoyed, then noticed with astonishment that Chen Changqing had broken through.

"Junior Brother Chen, you... you've reached the Foundation Establishment Realm?"

Hearing this, everyone turned to look at Chen Changqing in disbelief.

Qing Yang's pupils narrowed slightly as he muttered to himself:

"Foundation Establishment?"

"Could it be because of that opportunity earlier?"

Chen Changqing smiled calmly and said:

"Just a fortunate breakthrough."

At that moment, True Person Tianbo's deep, commanding voice descended from above:

"The First Trial has concluded."

"Those ranked in the top twenty by points may advance to the Inner Sect."

"Next, we begin the Second Trial of this Outer Sect Competition."