Gifting a High-Grade Dharma Artifact, the Shadow-Bearing Sword! Why Was the Elder So Good to Him?

Hearing Liu Mu say this, Liu Ruyan and the others were all taken aback.

The few of them present were already the cream of the crop among the Seven Courtyards disciples.

"Could it be some senior brother from the Inner Sect?"

Someone muttered softly.

"Impossible. Why would the elder summon an Inner Sect disciple to come with us?"

"Then who could it be?"

"Other than us, who else in the Outer Sect is qualified to be personally summoned by the elder?"

Liu Ruyan frowned slightly, doubt rising in her heart.

"From the elder's expression, it's clear that there's something important going on."

"All the outstanding disciples of our Seven Courtyards are already here."

"Who else could he be waiting for?"

Thinking of this, Liu Ruyan grew even more curious.

Liu Mu paid no mind to their doubts and continued sitting there, calm and composed.

Just as everyone was puzzled, a figure slowly approached.

The newcomer wore a simple azure robe, his expression tranquil and his gaze indifferent.

Who else could it be but Chen Changqing?

When they saw Chen Changqing arrive, Liu Ruyan and the others all fixed their gazes on him.

"Who is this person?"

"I've never seen him before..."

"Qi Refining Fifth Layer? That's it?"

"The person Elder Liu Mu said he was waiting for couldn't be him, could it?"

The several disciples hesitated, their eyes carrying a hint of strangeness as they looked at Chen Changqing.

After all, the weakest among them was already at the Qi Condensation Eighth Layer.

Liu Ruyan was even half a step into Foundation Establishment.

Yet Chen Changqing was merely a Qi Refining Fifth Layer disciple.

"What does the elder mean by this?"

"After waiting so long, this is the person he was waiting for?"

Liu Ruyan narrowed her eyes, her gaze constantly sweeping over Chen Changqing.

That sharp gaze seemed as if it wanted to see straight through him.

Yet after examining him closely, she found nothing remarkable about him.

"Hm?"

"Qi Refining Fifth Layer?"

Just as Liu Ruyan and the others were hesitating, Elder Liu Mu's expression suddenly changed drastically!

"This... how long has it even been? He... he has already cultivated to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer?"

Liu Mu marveled inwardly.

The others present did not know.

But Liu Mu knew better than anyone.

Just over two months ago, Chen Changqing had only just broken through into the Qi Refining realm.

At that time, he had even given Chen Changqing a pouch of low-grade spirit stones as an investment.

What shocked Liu Mu profoundly was—

Not much time had passed, yet Chen Changqing's cultivation had already reached the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

"Even if he made full use of the low-grade spirit stones I gave him—"

"His cultivation speed should not be this fast."

"Could it be... could this child truly be a cultivation prodigy seen only once in a hundred years?"

This thought suddenly arose in Liu Mu's mind.

Other than that, he truly could not think of any other explanation.

While everyone was sizing up Chen Changqing, Chen Changqing was also observing them.

"These people have dense auras. Their cultivation is all above mine."

"The weakest is at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, while that woman in white is unfathomable... She even faintly carries the aura of Foundation Establishment."

"Why did the elder summon me?"

Ordinarily, Chen Changqing's cultivation was lower than Liu Ruyan's and the others', so he should not have been able to see through their cultivation.

But his Qi Refining realm was no ordinary Qi Refining realm.

It was a Qi Refining realm attained after breaking through the Ultimate Realm of Body Refining.

Furthermore, the Qi Refining cultivation art he practiced was the exceedingly difficult Nine Turns Qi Refining Art.

For an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator, the amount of refined qi within the dantian was only around nine thousand strands.

But Chen Changqing, though only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, already possessed a terrifying fifteen thousand strands of refined qi in his dantian.

As both sides observed one another, Elder Liu Mu finally recovered from his shock and said:

"Everyone is here now."

"This is also a disciple of our Seven Courtyards, Chen Changqing."

As he spoke, Liu Mu stroked his beard and smiled before continuing:

"I gathered you here because demons have recently been causing trouble in Green Creek Village, a hundred li away. The villagers have suffered heavy casualties."

"The sect has decided to have our Seven Courtyards handle this matter."

"So this old man has decided to bring you along. It will also be a good chance for you to gain some experience."

After Liu Mu explained, Liu Ruyan and the others finally understood, excitement appearing on their faces.

Slaying demons and eliminating devils, accumulating merit, and tempering themselves—what was not to like?

Chen Changqing nodded in understanding and muttered inwardly:

"So we're going to kill demons!"

At that moment, Elder Liu Mu's gaze fell upon Chen Changqing, and a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.

But in an instant, he returned to normal and did not reveal the shock in his heart.

One had to know that for an ordinary Outer Sect disciple, advancing from the Qi Refining First Layer to the Fifth Layer would take at least several years.

Yet Chen Changqing had done it in just over two months.

Elder Liu Mu was shaken, but his expression remained unchanged. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly swept his sleeve.

Whoosh!

A clear sword cry rang out. A longsword black as ink, its blade faintly gleaming with flowing light, immediately floated before Chen Changqing.

"Hm?"

Seeing this, Chen Changqing could not help frowning, his face full of confusion.

"Elder? What is this?"

Before Liu Mu could reply, Liu Ruyan and the others had already cried out in alarm:

"A high-grade dharma artifact."

"It's Elder Liu Mu's Shadow-Bearing Sword!"

"Why has the elder taken it out?"

Everyone present was astonished.

Even Liu Ruyan, who had always been cool and detached, had a trace of surprise flash through her beautiful eyes.

At this moment, Liu Mu smiled and said:

"Changqing, you are now a Qi Refining Fifth Layer cultivator."

"I imagine you do not yet have a dharma artifact of your own, do you?"

"This sword is called the Shadow-Bearing Sword. It is a high-grade dharma artifact, so I shall bestow it upon you!"

Hearing this, Chen Changqing's heart stirred.

Earlier, he had been wondering where he could obtain a dharma artifact.

He had not expected Liu Mu to directly give him the high-grade dharma artifact, the Shadow-Bearing Sword!

"Thank you, Elder!"

Chen Changqing said gratefully. With a light reach of his hand, the Shadow-Bearing Sword flew straight into his grasp.

The sword was icy cold in his hand, yet it faintly resonated with his aura.

When Liu Ruyan and the others saw this, every one of them revealed envious expressions.

After all, a high-grade dharma artifact was already something exceedingly extraordinary in the Outer Sect.

Even some Foundation Establishment disciples might not possess a high-grade dharma artifact.

"Elder Liu Mu is being far too considerate toward Chen Changqing, isn't he?"

"A Qi Refining Fifth Layer disciple actually received a high-grade dharma artifact as a reward?"

"What is so special about him?"

Liu Ruyan muttered softly, unable to understand why Elder Liu Mu treated Chen Changqing so well.

"Since everyone is here, let us depart!"

At that moment, Elder Liu Mu's voice rang out.

The next instant, he flicked his sleeve, and a longsword condensed into existence.

He rose into the air, riding the sword as he transformed into a streak of light that shot toward the horizon.

Seeing this, Liu Ruyan and the others also brought out their own dharma artifacts and chased after Elder Liu Mu.

Everyone brought out flying dharma artifacts and followed closely behind.

Liu Ruyan stood atop a White Jade Flying Sword, her robes fluttering around her like an immortal maiden descending into the mortal world.

She glanced indifferently at Chen Changqing and thought to herself:

"Although I can't see what is special about him—"

"He is probably not so simple."