Gatekeeper Disciple? The Entire Audience Was Shocked, Doubts Arose Everywhere!

For a moment, the disciples of the Seven Courtyards were filled with indignation.

In their eyes, Chen Changqing was utterly unremarkable.

Before this, they had not even heard his name.

How could such a person be chosen to represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition?

Facing the surrounding chorus of doubt, Chen Changqing remained indifferent, paying it no mind at all.

He had vaguely suspected this earlier.

He felt that Elder Liu Mu would choose him.

Elder Liu Mu really thinks highly of me!

Chen Changqing sighed inwardly.

At the very beginning, Elder Liu Mu had not paid him much attention.

But after he broke through to the Qi Refining stage, things changed.

Elder Liu Mu first gave him a bag of low-grade spirit stones, telling him to seize the time to cultivate.

Several months ago, during the mission to Green Creek Village, Elder Liu Mu had even brought Chen Changqing along, and before leaving, he had bestowed upon him the high-grade magic tool, the Shadow-Bearing Sword.

The intention behind this favor was self-evident.

Meanwhile, the disciples who had been selected earlier all fixed their gazes upon Chen Changqing.

Liu Ruyan narrowed her beautiful eyes, lost in thought.

"Strange."

"Why... why can I not see through his cultivation level?"

Liu Ruyan muttered softly.

When they went to Green Creek Village together earlier, she had been able to tell at a glance that Chen Changqing was at the fifth level of Qi Refining.

But seeing him again this time, she discovered that she could no longer read him.

Could it be that he has some magic tool on him that conceals his aura?

Liu Ruyan guessed to herself.

Qingyang swept a faint glance over Chen Changqing, his expression calm and without a ripple.

"I didn't expect the Elder to give the final spot to him!"

Zhao Wuji exclaimed, involuntarily recalling the scenes in Green Creek Village where Chen Changqing had slain the Demon Sect cultivators.

"Although his cultivation is not high, this person's combat power is quite formidable."

"Back in Green Creek Village, he did kill quite a few Demon Sect cultivators."

"..."

At the same time, Chu Feng, Xiao Yun, and other disciples who had been to Green Creek Village also spoke up one after another.

They still had a rather deep impression of Chen Changqing.

Elder Liu Mu, standing on the platform, did not offer any further explanation for Chen Changqing; instead, the corners of his mouth curled into a meaningful smile.

Just then, a disciple suddenly remembered something.

The look in his eyes as he turned toward Chen Changqing changed instantly, and he couldn't help but cry out in shock:

"I... I remember now!"

"Isn't this Chen Changqing the gatekeeper disciple who guards the mountain entrance?"

"I met him at the mountain gate before, and at that time, the kid was leaning against the gate, dozing off and slacking on the job!"

As these words left the disciple's mouth, the scene erupted into chaos once again!

Upon learning that Chen Changqing was an obscure gatekeeper disciple, the crowd became even more dissatisfied.

"What?"

"He's actually a gatekeeper disciple?"

"Did I hear that right?"

"On what grounds is he representing our Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition?"

"He isn't even an official disciple; where does he get the qualifications?"

"Has the Elder made a mistake?"

"Has our Seven Courtyards really fallen so far that we must send a gatekeeper to fight?"

"..."

For a time, the many disciples voiced their outrage.

The skepticism toward Chen Changqing reached its peak.

In their eyes, what right did a mere gate-guarding disciple like Chen Changqing have to represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition?

Hearing these discussions, the few disciples who had previously gone to Green Creek Village on a mission with Chen Changqing smiled with profound meaning.

They had witnessed Chen Changqing's strength and held him in high regard.

"These guys have no idea how formidable Junior Brother Chen is!"

"Even though he is a gate-guarding disciple, his strength cannot be underestimated."

"Aside from us, he can be considered one of the best within the Seven Courtyards."

Zhao Wuji said with a faint smile.

Upon hearing Zhao Wuji's words, a look of surprise appeared on Qingyang's previously calm face.

Just a moment ago, he hadn't paid much attention to Chen Changqing.

It was only after hearing other disciples identify Chen Changqing as a gate-guarding disciple that Qingyang became interested.

Now, hearing the undisguised praise for Chen Changqing in Zhao Wuji's words, Qingyang couldn't help but take a few more looks at him.

A mere gate-guarding disciple, yet he has gone on missions with the likes of Zhao Wuji.

And by the looks of it, he seems to have performed quite well.

What exactly is so special about this Chen Changqing that he could earn such favor from Elder Liu Mu?

Qingyang pondered secretly.

The last time Elder Liu Mu led a group out on a mission, Qingyang had been in seclusion, so he hadn't accompanied them.

He was very unfamiliar with Chen Changqing, but he could draw his own conclusions.

For Elder Liu Mu to take Chen Changqing along while leading the outstanding disciples of the Seven Courtyards was enough to show how much he valued him.

Furthermore, Chen Changqing was among the candidates selected to represent the Seven Courtyards in the Outer Sect Grand Competition.

Elder Liu Mu's expectations for Chen Changqing were self-evident.

After thinking it over, Qingyang became even more curious about Chen Changqing.

Just then, a man stepped out from the crowd.

He was burly and broad-shouldered, and after glaring fiercely at Chen Changqing, he looked toward Elder Liu Mu on the stage.

"Elder, I, Zhang Hu, am not convinced!"

"By what right does a mere gate-guarding disciple represent the Seven Courtyards? I want to spar with him!"

"If I can defeat him, he should yield this spot to me!"

Zhang Hu said indignantly; he possessed the cultivation of the seventh level of Qi Refining.

He had originally thought he was a shoo-in for selection and might even have a chance to enter the inner sect, but he hadn't expected the spot to be snatched away by a gate-guarding disciple!

Following Zhang Hu's words, many disciples present began to chime in:

"That's right, Elder!"

"A gate-guarding disciple, what right does he have?"

"I want to challenge him too! If I can beat him, give the spot for the Outer Sect Grand Competition to me."

"It's not your turn yet, let me go!"

"Chen Changqing, do you dare to fight me?"

"Aren't you guys bullying him? Chen Changqing, how about this, I'll fight you with one hand tied behind my back, how about that?"

"..."

In an instant, the disciples of the Seven Courtyards were filled with indignation; in their eyes, Chen Changqing had become a soft target.

After all, how strong could a gate-guarding disciple really be?

If they could defeat Chen Changqing and secure the spot for the Outer Sect Grand Competition, wouldn't that be a massive windfall?

Seeing that many disciples wanted to spar with Chen Changqing, Zhang Hu became displeased and quickly said to Elder Liu Mu on the stage:

"Elder, I was the one who first proposed to spar with Chen Changqing!"

Elder Liu Mu smiled faintly and slowly raised his hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

Then, his gaze shifted to Chen Changqing.

"Changqing, Zhang Hu has some doubts about you and wishes to spar with you."

"What is your intention?"

Chen Changqing's expression remained calm as he slowly stepped forward, looked Zhang Hu straight in the eye, and said, "I am willing to accept the challenge!"