Xu Qing's Shock and Appreciation!

"I..."

Gu Yunzheng's face flushed crimson, his cheeks burning as if they were on fire.

Others had already achieved initial mastery of Basic Stance Cultivation, while he was still fumbling around at the seventh stance—yet he had suspected someone else of secretly learning from him?

He felt an embarrassment unlike anything he had ever known.

He truly had no idea how to respond.

Xu Qing paid him no mind. After shooting Gu Yunzheng a fierce glare, he grabbed Li Yun with a face full of delighted surprise.

"Your Basic Stance Cultivation has actually reached initial mastery?"

"In just one month?"

"A genius, a genius... I misjudged you before. Come, come with me right now."

Overcome with excitement, Xu Qing tugged Li Yun along and started heading out without another word.

Li Yun was a little bewildered.

He hurriedly asked, "Deacon Xu, where are we going?"

Xu Qing suddenly remembered something. He stopped and smacked his forehead.

"My fault!"

"This is my fault!"

"When you first entered the sect, I thought no one could break the record for the fastest initial mastery of Basic Stance Cultivation, so I didn't explain it clearly to you."

"In fact, the Outer Sect has rules. Anyone who breaks the record for the fastest initial mastery of Basic Stance Cultivation, or achieves initial mastery within three months, will receive a reward."

"Not only did you achieve initial mastery within three months, you also broke the record. So you won't just get a reward—you'll get two!"

"I'm taking you to the Outer Sect Elder right now to collect them."

Li Yun's eyes instantly lit up. There was such a good thing?

Then what was there left to say?

There were rewards to collect—who had time to bicker with Gu Yunzheng?

That would be a complete waste of time.

He immediately followed Xu Qing out in a hurry.

Watching the two of them leave in haste, Gu Yunzheng's face gradually darkened, turning incomparably grim.

"Bastard!"

"That damned Li Yun—what gives him the right?"

"It's only Basic Stance Cultivation. I refuse to believe that, with my First Grade aptitude, I can really lose to your Fifth Grade aptitude. Just you wait. Sooner or later, I'll make you pay!"

Ever since arriving at the Celestial Martial Sect, relying on his First Grade aptitude and on Xu Qing personally appointing him as the chief of Rank 95 Academy, who had not looked up to him?

But today, Li Yun's blow had made him feel humiliation unlike anything before.

The hatred in his heart directly transformed into a blazing inferno.

Grinding his teeth in secret, he swore that one day, he would take fierce revenge on Li Yun.

At the residence of Outer Sect Elder Zhang Cong.

"What did you say?"

"Initial mastery of Basic Stance Cultivation one month after entering the sect?"

"The record for the fastest initial mastery of Basic Stance Cultivation among Outer Sect Disciples throughout the years has been broken?"

"And the one who broke it is a disciple with only Fifth Grade aptitude?"

Zhang Cong looked at the excited Xu Qing.

No matter how he looked at it, Xu Qing seemed to be playing a joke on him.

"Xu Qing, do you think that just because I have a good temper, you can make up any old story to joke with me?"

"I think your guts have really grown!"

"Believe it or not, I can throw you out right now, end your two-year term as a Deacon early, and have you pack up and get the hell out of the Celestial Martial Sect overnight?"

Xu Qing said, "It's true, Elder. Please believe me. That disciple is called Li Yun—I brought him here."

"I truly saw with my own eyes that his Basic Stance Cultivation had reached initial mastery."

"This disciple wouldn't dare joke with you..."

"Is that so?"

Seeing Xu Qing's firm expression, Zhang Cong became somewhat doubtful yet inclined to believe him.

"Then bring him in and let me have a look."

"Yes!"

After receiving Zhang Cong's permission, Xu Qing hurried out.

At that moment.

Li Yun stood outside Zhang Cong's residence, casually surveying the surroundings.

An elder was an elder, after all.

Even if he was only an Outer Sect Elder, to Outer Sect Disciples, he still held lofty status and immense power.

His residence was directly a grand estate of at least five thousand square meters.

Above the gates hung a gilded plaque bearing the three words Azure Cloud Residence. They were especially bold and heroic; from the characters, one could faintly sense an imposing, majestic force.

Without realizing it, Li Yun's gaze was drawn to it.

He stared at it for a short while.

Then the system suddenly spat out a series of notifications.

Observing Martial Intent, Cognition Points +30

Observing Martial Intent, Cognition Points +30

Observing Martial Intent, Cognition Points +30

...

Only ten seconds had passed.

Yet his Cognition Points had already exceeded 200.

Li Yun was so startled that his eyes widened in disbelief, followed at once by wild delight.

"Holy shit!"

"This plaque contains Martial Intent? Just observing it can earn me so much Martial Intent?"

"Then if I stood here for two hours, wouldn't I..."

Li Yun felt as though he was about to strike it rich.

As long as he had enough Cognition Points, what the hell was initial mastery of Basic Stance Cultivation? He could max it out tonight.

Originally, he had been somewhat displeased that Xu Qing had brought him here, only to leave him alone outside.

Now, that displeasure was gone.

All of it vanished like smoke in thin air as his Cognition Points soared.

He hurriedly focused his mind and fixed his eyes on the plaque above the gates. His expression made it seem as if he wanted to glare the three words Azure Cloud Residence straight off the plaque.

Xu Qing, who had rushed out in a hurry, happened to see this scene and could not help laughing at his expression.

"With that look on your face, one might think you could understand the Innate Intent contained in that plaque."

"Stop staring. Without reaching that realm, you still won't understand it even if you stare your eyeballs out."

Li Yun came back to himself. Looking at Xu Qing, he really wanted to ask whether Xu Qing had three words he did not know whether he should say.

He had only just discovered that the words Azure Cloud Residence could bring him so many Cognition Points, and Xu Qing had come out already?

Couldn't he have come a little later?

"Come on, stop standing there. Elder Zhang Cong wants to see you."

"Hurry and come in with me."

"Fine."

Li Yun was helpless, but this was not up to him. He could only follow Xu Qing inside first.

Along the way, Xu Qing kept reminding Li Yun.

"Perform well."

"Be modest."

"Among the Outer Sect Elders, Elder Zhang Cong oversees the transmission of martial arts. One word from him can determine whether any Outer Sect Disciple stays or goes. But if you can win his favor, it will benefit you without end in the days ahead."

Li Yun naturally nodded again and again.

He understood one principle.

Sometimes, a person could show off, and sometimes they could even be arrogant, but they could never fail to know when to advance and when to retreat.

Xu Qing might not have thought much of him before, and might even have vaguely intended to stand up for Gu Yunzheng, whom he favored. But now, his recommendation to the elder was clearly sincere.

So there was absolutely no need to cling to that slight misunderstanding from before.

"Yes, I understand."

"Thank you for your guidance, Deacon Xu. Whether or not this disciple achieves anything in the Martial Dao in the future, I will never dare forget today's kindness."

Li Yun spoke solemnly.

Xu Qing's spirits immediately lifted at those words, and a trace of appreciation appeared in his gaze toward Li Yun.

Previously, he had believed that Gu Yunzheng's First Grade aptitude meant his future was boundless, so he had given him quite a bit of care both openly and subtly. Yet Gu Yunzheng had never said anything like this.

He accepted Xu Qing's care as though it were only natural, and nothing more.

No one knew whether Li Yun's words were sincere or false, but at the very least, the attitude was there.

Compared with Gu Yunzheng, the difference between them was as clear as day!