Before long, the man had taken his stand in the training grounds.
He wore a flowing green robe, his features cold and stern, his gaze sharp as a sword. Faint Sword Qi coiled around him.
The terrifying pressure of his aura left many disciples struggling to breathe, as though they were about to suffocate.
"Hmm?"
"Foundation Establishment!"
Chen Changqing's pupils contracted as he immediately sensed the terrifying aura emanating from the man.
"Who is this man? How can he possess such imposing might?"
Chen Changqing was slightly startled.
To think the Seven Courtyards had someone like this.
He had originally thought Liu Ruyan was already the strongest disciple of the Seven Courtyards, but the man before him clearly possessed a far deeper aura than Liu Ruyan.
In terms of cultivation, he had even stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm.
Just as Chen Changqing was sizing up the man, the disciples of the Seven Courtyards had already bowed to him one after another.
"Senior Brother Qingyang!"
"Greetings, Senior Brother!"
"..."
The many disciples were all deeply respectful.
Even Liu Ruyan and the others lowered their heads slightly upon seeing the man arrive, showing their respect.
The man's expression remained calm and indifferent. He paid no attention to those gazes, walking straight to the front and standing there with his hands behind his back. His eyes swept across the crowd, yet no one dared meet his gaze.
"Qingyang? Who is this person?"
Chen Changqing muttered softly.
He could feel the powerful presence radiating from Qingyang.
Seeing this, Ran Hua immediately moved closer to Chen Changsheng and lowered his voice.
"Senior Brother Chen, you don't know him?"
"He is Senior Brother Qingyang, the number one man of the Seven Courtyards!"
"At the last Outer Courtyard Grand Competition, he fought his way into the top twenty. His strength is unfathomable!"
"Oh?"
Chen Changqing raised a brow.
He vaguely felt that this Outer Sect Grand Competition might not be as simple as he had imagined.
Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Qingyang had only made it into the top twenty of the Outer Courtyard Grand Competition.
"Although I'm only at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer."
"My true combat strength should not be beneath the Foundation Establishment realm, right?"
Chen Changqing pondered inwardly.
Since breaking through to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, he had not fought anyone, so even he was somewhat unsure of his exact strength.
But in Chen Qingfeng's view—
the cultivation art Chen Changqing practiced was the exceedingly difficult Nine Turns Qi Refining Art.
Even Situ Yun, the elder guarding the Technique Hall, had said so.
The art was indeed powerful, but those capable of mastering it were few and far between. Otherwise, it would not have gathered dust in the Technique Hall.
While Chen Changqing was lost in thought, Ran Hua beside him continued.
"Senior Brother Qingyang possesses extraordinary talent."
"But strangely, though he clearly qualifies to enter the Inner Sect, no one knows why he has remained in the Outer Courtyard."
"In this Outer Sect Disciple Competition, Senior Brother Qingyang is the greatest hope of our Seven Courtyards!"
As Ran Hua spoke, his gaze settled firmly on Qingyang, his eyes filled with admiration.
Chen Changqing did not pay much attention to this and merely nodded thoughtfully.
"He could enter the Inner Sect but chose not to?"
"This Qingyang is rather interesting."
Chen Changqing muttered inwardly.
With Qingyang's arrival, all the disciples of the Seven Courtyards had gathered.
Before long, three streaks of light descended from afar.
Boom!
A terrifying aura and pressure spread out at once.
This presence was far stronger than Qingyang's. Even a slight sense of it sent chills down one's spine.
Fortunately, once the arrivals came to a stop on the platform, they withdrew their pressure.
Looking closely, the leader had a kind and benevolent face. Who else could it be but Elder Liu Mu?
The two standing to Liu Mu's left and right were two Core Formation realm stewards of the Seven Courtyards.
The moment Elder Liu Mu and the other two appeared, all the disciples immediately fell silent.
Elder Liu Mu swept his gaze across the crowd and said lightly,
"Everyone."
"I trust you all know why you have been gathered here today."
"Three days from now will be the Outer Sect Grand Competition of our Mount Shu Sect!"
"You have been summoned today so that we may announce the list of ten who will represent the Seven Courtyards in this competition!"
As his words fell, the entire venue held its breath and waited for the result.
Being able to represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition was in itself an immense honor, signifying the Seven Courtyards' recognition.
Moreover, if one performed well in the Outer Sect Grand Competition and achieved a good ranking, one could obtain considerable rewards.
If some Peak Master of the Inner Sect took a liking to them, they could even directly join the Inner Sect.
At that point, they would be like a fish leaping through the Dragon Gate, ascending to the heavens in a single step.
After all, the treatment given to Inner Sect disciples was entirely beyond comparison with that of Outer Sect disciples. All manner of cultivation resources were available in abundance.
Then Elder Liu Mu casually waved his hand, and a Jade Slip appeared in his palm.
As the Jade Slip slowly unfurled, Liu Mu announced in a clear voice,
"Qingyang!"
"Liu Ruyan!"
"Zhao Wuji!"
"Lin Xiao!"
"Han Yue!"
"Fang Han!"
"Chu Feng!"
"Xiao Yun!"
"Wu Xiujie!"
The first nine names were all renowned genius disciples of the Seven Courtyards. Upon hearing them, everyone nodded, having no objections.
"Who will the last person be?"
"They must be another pride of the Seven Courtyards."
"..."
Just as everyone wondered who the final spot would go to, Elder Liu Mu directly announced it.
"Chen Changqing!"
The moment Liu Mu spoke the name "Chen Changqing," the entire venue erupted!
"What?"
"Chen Changqing? Who is that?"
"Does the Seven Courtyards even have someone like that?"
"The first nine are all top geniuses. Where did this Chen Changqing come from?"
"What is going on?"
"I've never heard that the Seven Courtyards had a Chen Changqing."
"..."
For a time, the disciples of the Seven Courtyards burst into discussion.
They had no objections to the first nine people Liu Mu announced, since their reputations were well known.
But as for the name Chen Changqing, this was the first time many of the disciples had heard it.
At that moment, countless puzzled gazes searched throughout the grounds, yet they could not find the person they sought.
They all wanted to see exactly who this Chen Changqing was, to have been chosen to represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition.
When Ran Hua heard Liu Mu's announcement, his entire body went numb.
"Chen... Chen Changqing?"
He muttered in stunned disbelief, his head buzzing.
One had to know that every disciple chosen to represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition was a favored child of heaven among the Seven Courtyards.
Ran Hua had never expected Chen Changqing to be selected.
Still dazed, Ran Hua finally came back to himself. He abruptly turned his head, widened his eyes, and looked at Chen Changqing beside him.
"Senior Brother! You... you were actually selected?"
The moment Ran Hua said this, the disciples of the Seven Courtyards all turned to look.
Every gaze focused in unison on Chen Changqing.
Whoosh!!
In that instant, Chen Changqing became the center of attention.
"So this is Chen Changqing?"
"Never seen him before!"
"Why does he deserve it?"
"He looks completely ordinary, yet he can represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition?"
"That's it?"
"Could there have been some mistake?"
"If someone like him participates, I'm afraid he'll bring shame upon the Seven Courtyards!"
"..."
Before you continue