Zhang Cong's Shock!

Zhang Cong was furious.

"Zhang Chu... you little brat, can you stop fooling around?"

"Go on, get out of here!"

"This has nothing to do with you. If you still refuse to leave, I'll personally send you to the Punishment Hall and have your sister pick you up from there..."

"Tch, who are you trying to scare? I'm not leaving. I'm telling you, I came here today to claim a reward too..."

"My Basic Stance Cultivation has reached the Initial Accomplishment Realm as well. You gave Li Yun a reward, so you can't possibly refuse to give me one, right?"

"You...?"

Zhang Cong laughed in anger. "You? How long have you even been in the sect? You fool around all day—how could your Zhuang Gong possibly have reached the Initial Accomplishment Realm so quickly?"

"See... looking down on me again, aren't you?"

"I knew you'd be like this. Today, I'll open your eyes."

With that said.

Zhang Chu eagerly walked to one side and began performing the Basic Stance Cultivation.

At first, Zhang Cong paid it no mind, assuming Zhang Chu was simply messing around.

But soon enough, Zhang Chu truly performed each stance smoothly, one after another. Zhang Cong was instantly stunned, his eyes widening into perfect circles.

His reaction was even more exaggerated than when he had learned that Li Yun's Zhuang Gong had reached the Initial Accomplishment Realm.

It was not that he looked down on Zhang Chu. How could he possibly not know the aptitude of someone from the same Lineage? But precisely because he knew Zhang Chu so well, his first impression had been that Zhang Chu was fooling around.

He had never imagined that Zhang Chu could truly bring his Zhuang Gong to the Initial Accomplishment Realm in such a short time.

Only after Zhang Chu had completed all Twelve Stances.

Did Zhang Cong say with a delighted expression, "Not bad! Your Zhuang Gong really has reached the Initial Accomplishment Realm. It seems you've been diligent in your studies and training this past month since entering the sect, and you've put plenty of thought into it too. That's very good. With your Second Grade aptitude, as long as you keep up this attitude, I won't dare say you'll advance to the Inner Sect within three years, but you have a very good chance of doing so within five."

Zhang Cong was not talking nonsense.

Under normal circumstances, for someone with Second Grade aptitude to achieve the Acquired to Innate Reversal within five years—meaning three years as an Outer Sect Disciple and two years as a Deacon—there was only about a fifty-percent chance.

But that was under normal circumstances.

Zhang Chu was no ordinary person. Behind him stood not only his biological sister, Zhang Ruohan, but the entire Zhang Family. As long as he showed upward momentum, the Zhang Family's resources would tilt toward him, helping him achieve the Acquired to Innate Reversal.

Who would have thought that Zhang Chu would be thoroughly dissatisfied?

"Tch, I don't need an old nephew like you telling me that. With my boss leading me, I'll definitely enter the Inner Sect, and it won't take five years either..."

"Right, Boss?"

Zhang Chu looked at Li Yun with a grin.

Li Yun: "..."

Boss?

This time, Zhang Cong seemed to catch on. His gaze shifted to Li Yun.

"Quit staring, old nephew..."

"With your eyesight, even when you're old and blind, you still won't know how to recognize people. What Proficient Realm? The Proficient Realm is worth jack shit... I'm telling you, my boss's Zhuang Gong reached the Minor Accomplishment Realm yesterday. Right in front of my sister, he had an epiphany and reached the Mastery Realm. By today, he'd gone straight to the Perfection Realm!"

"When have you ever seen such a peerless genius?"

"And you were still pinching pennies... rewarding him with just one Martial Skill and two Qi and Blood Pills. Hmph, if I were my boss... I'd head down the mountain overnight today and go offer myself to another sect tomorrow..."

"Zhang Chu, stop spouting nonsense."

Seeing Zhang Chu grow more and more outrageous, Li Yun hurriedly grabbed him and pulled him back.

Then he cupped his hands toward Zhang Cong in apology.

"Elder Zhang, please don't take offense... Zhang Chu simply likes fooling around."

Yet Zhang Cong was not angry. He merely stared fixedly at Li Yun.

"I know perfectly well whether Zhang Chu is fooling around."

"I'm asking you now: has your Basic Stance Cultivation truly reached the Perfection Realm?"

Li Yun smiled faintly and nodded calmly.

Since he had come, he had not intended to hide it.

In a major sect like the Celestial Martial Sect, if one wanted support—or special treatment—one had to display one's own value.

"Thanks to Deacon Xu Qing and Senior Sister Zhang, this disciple's Basic Stance Cultivation has indeed reached the Perfection Realm. At present, I have comprehended the Green Pine Intent of the First Stance!"

Boom!

The moment those words left his mouth, Zhang Cong felt his head roar, his face filled with shock.

Just over a month after entering the sect, his Zhuang Gong had reached the Perfection Realm, and he had even comprehended True Intent?

This was simply inconceivable.

Zhang Cong could not quite believe it.

"Li Yun, immediately perform the Zhuang Gong once for me to see."

"Yes."

Li Yun walked to one side. This time, Zhang Chu did not disrupt things again.

Instead, he deliberately winked at Zhang Cong, his face full of smugness. But Zhang Cong ignored him. How could he have the mood to pay attention to Zhang Chu right now?

At that moment, two more figures suddenly entered through the gates of Azure Cloud Residence.

"Old Zhang, what are you doing? Old Li and I came to drink with you. Why aren't you hurrying over to welcome us..."

Two elderly men who appeared to be around Zhang Cong's age entered Azure Cloud Residence with cheerful smiles. At the sight of others inside, however, their smiles immediately faded, and they looked at Zhang Cong in confusion.

"What... what's going on here?"

Zhang Cong did not explain. He only smiled. "Old Li, Old Huang... you came at just the right time. Don't say anything yet. Just stand to the side and watch with me."

"Li Yun, begin!"

"Yes!"

Without another word, Li Yun took a deep breath and immediately entered his state.

Starting from the First Stance, he performed the Basic Stance Cultivation on the spot. From that very first movement, Zhang Cong and the two elderly men who had arrived later all widened their eyes into perfect circles.

"Good heavens, this Zhuang Gong... it's as though Heaven itself had shaped it. This is the sign of the Perfection Realm?"

"A kid this young—could he be someone who only entered the sect in September?"

"He entered in September... it's only been a little over a month, yet his Basic Stance Cultivation has reached the Perfection Realm? Old Zhang... are you planning to give us a bombshell surprise?"

Zhang Cong said nothing. He merely stared fixedly at Li Yun.

He watched as Li Yun completed one stance after another, every one flowing like drifting clouds and running water, so natural it seemed formed by Heaven itself. It was like watching an incomparably beautiful performance.

They could barely bear to look away.

The Twelve Stances were completed in the blink of an eye.

He returned to the First Stance and stood motionless.

At that instant, an incomparably profound rhythm suddenly radiated from Li Yun's body.

"Green Pine Intent!"

"Green Pine Intent!"

"Green Pine Intent!"

The three men blurted it out in unison, their voices brimming with shock and delight.

Only when Li Yun withdrew his stance.

Did the three impatiently flash over to him, surrounding Li Yun from all sides as they scrutinized him with burning gazes.

"A genius, an absolute genius!"

"In just over a month, his Zhuang Gong reached the Entry Realm and he comprehended True Intent... In the eight hundred years since the Celestial Martial Sect was founded, we have never seen someone with such peerless talent!"

Zhang Cong was overjoyed.

On one hand, the Celestial Martial Sect had produced an extraordinary genius. On the other, Li Yun had practically been discovered by him.

Within a great sect like the Celestial Martial Sect, several factions lay hidden beneath the surface.

Having unearthed a genius like Li Yun through his hands would bring immeasurable benefits to his faction, and even to the Zhang Family.

Almost at the same time, the same thought arose in the hearts of Zhang Cong, Old Huang, and Old Li.

"This person must be cultivated with utmost priority!"