Attitude

"Senior Sister Zhou!"

"Senior Sister Zhou!"

"Junior Sister Zhou, has our Inner Courtyard gained a newcomer?"

The elite disciples in the core area also looked Jiang Chen over curiously.

"Let me introduce everyone. This is Junior Brother Jiang Chen, who entered the Inner Courtyard today. Junior Brother Jiang, this is Senior Brother Meng, this is Senior Brother Zhao, this is Senior Brother Qian..."

Zhou Yuqing smiled and introduced both sides.

"Greetings, Senior Brothers."

Jiang Chen set down his meal and cupped his fists in salute.

"Junior Brother Jiang, you're too polite."

"Junior Brother Jiang, there's an empty seat here."

The Inner Courtyard disciples returned his greeting one after another, their attitudes quite friendly and welcoming.

Though they did not know Jiang Chen's background, anyone Zhou Yuqing treated with such importance had to possess extraordinary talent.

Naturally, they were willing to befriend such a talented figure.

"Junior Brother Jiang, you share the surname Jiang. Could you be related to Junior Brother Jiang Xuan?"

After they had briefly gotten acquainted, Meng Wentao, who held considerable standing, suddenly asked.

Among the Inner Courtyard disciples, there were not many who made him feel pressured.

Sun Wu before his injury counted as one.

That ambitious Jiang Xuan counted as half of one too.

"That's right, Junior Brother Jiang Xuan is also surnamed Jiang."

"The Jiang surname isn't from a major clan in the Prefecture City. Perhaps they really are related."

The Inner Courtyard disciples came back to their senses and all looked at Jiang Chen.

If Jiang Chen and Jiang Chen were from the same clan, then the Jiang Clan might truly be about to rise.

"We are from the same clan."

Jiang Chen nodded.

"So you really are from the same clan. Then when did you enter the martial hall?"

The Inner Courtyard disciples were somewhat surprised.

Judging from Jiang Chen's appearance, he should be around fifteen as well.

Based on his age, he should have entered the martial hall in the same batch as Jiang Xuan.

But Jiang Xuan had entered the martial hall half a year ago.

Surely Jiang Chen had not entered half a year ago as well?

Seeing this, Zhou Yuqing had originally planned to interrupt the topic.

But after a second thought, she gave up on it.

Jiang Chen's circumstances could be learned with a little inquiry anyway, so there was no point in stopping them.

"More than half a year ago."

Jiang Chen did not hide anything.

"You really entered the martial hall in the same batch?"

Hearing Jiang Chen's words, the expressions of the Inner Courtyard disciples changed somewhat.

Quite a few disciples even looked at Zhou Yuqing, revealing traces of confusion.

It had taken more than half a year to step into the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Among Inner Courtyard disciples, that was considered rather mediocre.

With such talent, why did Zhou Yuqing value him so highly?

"Although Junior Brother Jiang entered the martial hall half a year ago, he only truly began cultivating a little over a month ago."

Seeing this, Zhou Yuqing revealed Jiang Chen's cultivation speed.

The disciples in this core circle were all proud and arrogant. If he wanted to fit in among them, he had to make them genuinely acknowledge him.

"A little over a month ago?!"

Hearing Zhou Yuqing's words, all those disciples turned solemn.

Could it be?

Was this another monstrous genius with Superior Bone Aptitude?

"Then Junior Brother Jiang's bone aptitude is..."

Even Meng Wentao, who had always been proud, looked serious.

There was no helping it.

Tang Mu's appearance had thoroughly shattered their pride.

Before Superior Bone Aptitude, their talents were utterly not worth mentioning.

"Junior Brother Jiang merely has Ordinary Bone Aptitude, but his comprehension is exceptional..."

The moment the words "Ordinary Bone Aptitude" came out, the disciples all relaxed, and some even took on faintly amused expressions.

As for what Zhou Yuqing said afterward about exceptional comprehension, they did not care in the slightest.

With the mediocre talent of Ordinary Bone Aptitude, no matter how strong his comprehension was, how strong could it possibly be?

Bone aptitude determined the upper limit of cultivation.

This was common knowledge in the martial world!

No one with Ordinary Bone Aptitude could cultivate to the Three Qi and Blood Gates in just over a month.

Either Zhou Yuqing had been deceived.

Or Jiang Chen had relied on external assistance.

For example, he had taken forbidden medicine or precious medicine of some sort!

And no matter which it was, it showed that Jiang Chen's potential was limited!

No, extremely limited!

With Ordinary Bone Aptitude, even if he swallowed endless resources, this would be the limit of his life.

Of course, though they thought so, they did not voice those opinions, nor did they mock Jiang Chen. Even their attitudes remained the same as before.

But invisibly, an unseen barrier had appeared between them and Jiang Chen.

It was a shared understanding that needed no words.

Those with the talent of Ordinary Bone Aptitude were not qualified to join their circle!

"Junior Sister Zhou, take your time eating."

Meng Wentao also breathed a sigh of relief and stood up with a smile.

Tang Mu alone had already caused his standing to plummet. If another person with Superior Bone Aptitude appeared, there might no longer be a place for him in the martial hall.

Fortunately, it had merely been a false alarm.

"Senior Sister Zhou, we'll be leaving first."

The other disciples followed him out as well.

"You all..."

Watching the core disciples leave one after another, Zhou Yuqing felt helpless.

Meng Wentao and the others had reacted just as she once had, judging him purely by his bone aptitude.

Of course, she could not blame them for that.

After all, this had always been common knowledge, deeply ingrained in everyone's hearts.

"Junior Brother Jiang, don't mind them. Let's eat."

Zhou Yuqing gathered her thoughts and smiled at Jiang Chen.

In the world of martial artists, strength had always been what spoke.

Once Jiang Chen entered the True Martial Realm, they would naturally change their attitudes.

"Alright!"

Jiang Chen smiled, not caring about the martial hall disciples' reactions.

What he wanted was the martial hall's recognition and the Zhou Clan's influence.

As for disciples of the same generation, he did not hold them in his eyes.

After lunch, Zhou Yuqing brought Jiang Chen to the Inner Courtyard Medicine Hall.

After the old physician of the Medicine Hall examined him, it was confirmed that Jiang Chen truly only had Ordinary Bone Aptitude and had indeed never taken any forbidden medicine.

After learning this, Zhou Yuqing regretted Jiang Chen's bone aptitude, but she thought even more highly of him.

Since he had not taken forbidden medicine, that meant Jiang Chen was absolutely worth cultivating.

In this year's Martial Exam, their martial hall would likely shine brilliantly.

"Cultivate."

Jiang Chen went to his private residence, sat cross-legged, and refined Primordial Pure Qi.

Outer Courtyard cafeteria.

"Luo Yang, did you see Jiang Chen today?"

A disciple carrying food found Luo Yang with an excited expression.

"Jiang Chen has been appearing and disappearing like a ghost lately. Who knows what he's been up to."

Luo Yang shook his head.

"Looks like the news from the Inner Courtyard is true."

Hearing that, the disciple let out an inexplicable sigh.

"What news?"

Luo Yang immediately asked.

"I heard Jiang Chen entered the Three Qi and Blood Gates and became an Inner Courtyard disciple."

The disciple spoke with immense excitement.

"Who? Jiang Chen? The Three Qi and Blood Gates?"

Luo Yang froze, wondering whether he had heard wrong.

Jiang Chen had entered the Three Qi and Blood Gates?!

How was that possible?

A month ago, Jiang Chen had only just entered the Second Qi and Blood Gate. How could he possibly...

Suddenly, his train of thought stopped.

Jiang Chen, who had once cultivated bitterly day and night, had not been seen at the Practice Field these past days.

He had thought Jiang Chen's laziness had flared up again.

Now that he thought about it... Jiang Chen had gone to challenge the Three Qi and Blood Gates?!

Once the Second Qi and Blood Gate was perfected, one had to break through and open the Seven Apertures.

There really was no need to cultivate at the Practice Field for that!

But was that possible?

Jiang Chen only had Ordinary Bone Aptitude!

"Who did you just say became an Inner Courtyard disciple?"

As Luo Yang stood stunned, an incredulous voice came from nearby.

"Junior Sister Wang."

The disciple turned toward the voice.

Wang Qingzhu had appeared at some point, staring at him in utter disbelief.

Behind Wang Qingzhu, Zhao Xiaoyue's mouth hung open as well.

That bootlicker Jiang Chen had actually become an Inner Courtyard disciple?

This, this, this... was far too surreal!

"Quick, tell me! Who became an Inner Courtyard disciple?"

Wang Qingzhu pressed.

"It's Jiang Chen! Jiang Chen broke through the Three Qi and Blood Gates and became an Inner Courtyard disciple!"

The disciple jumped in fright and hurriedly answered.

"Jiang Chen..."

After receiving confirmation, Wang Qingzhu felt her head buzzing.

Jiang Chen, whom she had looked down on, had now actually become an Inner Courtyard disciple?

Inner Courtyard disciples were reserve candidates for the True Martial Realm!

Barring any accidents, they had an extremely high chance of becoming True Martial artists!

How exactly had Jiang Chen done it?

Even if he had taken precious medicine, wasn't this far too fast?

"Qingzhu, do you think Jiang Chen might... not have Ordinary Bone Aptitude?"

At that moment, Zhao Xiaoyue came back to her senses and spoke quietly.

"Not Ordinary Bone Aptitude?!"

The moment those words came out, Wang Qingzhu's eyes lit up.

Right.

Jiang Chen cultivated so quickly. Perhaps there had been an error in testing his bone aptitude.

Tang Mu, who had entered the martial hall a few days ago, had initially been judged to have Medium Bone Aptitude, hadn't he?