Once Chen Changqing drew near.
The Seven Courtyards disciples swarmed around him like stars surrounding the moon.
"Senior Brother Chen, that sword strike of yours just now was ridiculously cool!"
"Our Seven Courtyards finally got to hold our heads high this time."
"It was all thanks to Junior Brother Chen!"
"..."
The disciples praised Chen Changqing without end.
Chen Changqing wore an indifferent expression and did not pay it much mind.
At that moment, Liu Ruyan walked beside him and said softly:
"Junior Brother Chen, I truly have to thank you for this."
Liu Ruyan's face was full of gratitude.
She knew very well that if Chen Changqing had not helped her in the Void Realm earlier, there was no way she could have earned so many points.
Her own points might even have been snatched away by Cui Hao, the Foundation Establishment disciple from the Second Courtyard.
It could be said that her qualification to enter the Inner Sect this time had been entirely bestowed by Chen Changqing.
"What are you saying, Senior Sister?"
"We are both from the Seven Courtyards. Shouldn't we help one another?"
Hearing Chen Changqing's humble response, Liu Ruyan smiled gently.
When the other Seven Courtyards disciples saw this scene, they were all astonished.
After all, Liu Ruyan was famously aloof in the Seven Courtyards, yet when facing Chen Changqing, her smile bloomed like a flower.
One by one, they secretly wondered.
Could Liu Ruyan have taken a liking to Chen Changqing?
"Changqing, this time you have truly brought great honor to our Seven Courtyards!"
"The Seven Courtyards have not taken first place in the Outer Sect Grand Competition for who knew how many years."
Liu Mu looked at Chen Changqing with a smile, his eyes filled with gratification.
"Elder."
"This is what a disciple ought to do."
Chen Changqing replied with a smile.
After that, the Seven Courtyards group did not linger any longer. Under Liu Mu's lead, they flew away on their swords.
With the conclusion of the Outer Sect Grand Competition,
news of Chen Changqing taking first place spread through the Seven Outer Courtyards without wings.
"Have you heard? Chen Changqing from the Seven Courtyards defeated Shi Tian, who possessed the Stone Spirit Physique, with a single sword strike!"
"The Stone Spirit Physique? A special constitution?"
"There is actually someone in the Outer Sect with such a rare constitution!"
"So what? He still lost to Chen Changqing."
"Shi Tian was even a body cultivator at Foundation Establishment Late Stage, yet even so, he was no match for Chen Changqing."
"The key is that Chen Changqing is only at Foundation Establishment Early Stage!"
"Who would have thought the Seven Courtyards had been hiding such a monstrous genius?"
"..."
For a time, Chen Changqing's name resounded throughout the Outer Sect.
Furthermore, because of Chen Changqing, the Seven Courtyards' standing among the Seven Outer Courtyards had risen considerably.
Even when Seven Courtyards disciples walked down the road, their backs were straighter than before.
When they encountered disciples from other courtyards, they strode with heads held high, their faces radiant with pride.
Times had changed.
The Seven Courtyards were now the champions of this Outer Sect Grand Competition!
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, two days went by.
Chen Changqing came to where Liu Mu, an Outer Sect elder, resided.
Liu Mu was not particularly surprised by Chen Changqing's arrival. Chen Changqing's status in Mount Shu would likely surpass his own in the future.
"Elder, I would like to give this to you."
Chen Changqing presented that portion of Nascent Soul Insight. Liu Mu was already a Golden Core cultivator, so such insight would undoubtedly be of great benefit to him.
Liu Mu looked at the portion of Nascent Soul Insight and did not know what to say for a moment. Naturally, the item would benefit him, but it would also be useful to Chen Changqing.
"Please take it, Elder. I am only at the Foundation Establishment realm now, so this insight is still too far beyond me." Chen Changqing understood what Liu Mu was thinking. "By the way, Elder, could you perhaps make an imprint of a trace of its insight? I would like to give a portion to Junior Brother Ran Hua."
"Then I will not refuse. Imprinting a trace will not be a problem."
Liu Mu replied.
He then took that portion of Nascent Soul Insight from Chen Changqing. In less than a moment, he imprinted a trace from it. This trace alone was immensely useful to cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm. Naturally, completely reproducing it was impossible, as Liu Mu was only at the Golden Core level.
"Thank you, Elder. Then I will be going back."
Chen Changqing accepted the imprinted trace of Nascent Soul Insight and left the courtyard.
At this time, within a Half-Mountain Cottage in the Seven Courtyards,
Chen Changqing summoned Ran Hua.
Over the past two days, Ran Hua had naturally heard quite a few stories about Chen Changqing's exploits.
When he thought of how Chen Changqing had actually won first place in the Outer Sect Disciple Competition, Ran Hua found it unbelievable.
After all, although he had entered the sect later than Chen Changqing, his cultivation had always surpassed Chen Changqing's.
The two of them had also both been gatekeeping disciples of the Mount Shu Sect.
Yet afterward, for some unknown reason, Chen Changqing's cultivation had soared by leaps and bounds, advancing at an unbelievable speed.
He had even outshone a host of Outer Sect prodigies in this competition and claimed first place.
"Junior Brother Ran, I am giving this Jade Slip to you."
Chen Changqing casually tossed a Jade Slip to Ran Hua.
"What is this?"
Ran Hua hesitantly asked. Looking at the Jade Slip floating before him, even the slightest sense of the spiritual energy fluctuations on it made his heart pound in alarm.
"This is the Nascent Soul Insight that True Person Tianbo awarded me after I took first place in the Outer Sect Disciple Competition."
After hearing Chen Changqing's words, Ran Hua was completely dumbfounded!
"This?"
"Senior Brother, this... this is far too precious. I cannot accept it!"
Ran Hua repeatedly shook his head.
He knew very well that the Nascent Soul Insight within this Jade Slip would make even Golden Core powerhouses green with envy.
Yet he had not expected Chen Changqing to give it to him.
Chen Changqing smiled indifferently and said:
"Just accept it."
"This is merely a trace of the Nascent Soul Insight. I have already given the complete one to Elder Liu Mu."
"But it will be of great use to you."
To others, this Nascent Soul Insight would be regarded as a priceless treasure.
But to Chen Changqing, it truly was of little use.
He had the AFK Cultivation System. Why would he need such things?
Here in the Outer Sect, Ran Hua had been a fellow gatekeeping disciple, and the two had a good relationship.
Now that Chen Changqing was about to enter the Inner Sect, he wanted to leave this Nascent Soul Insight to Ran Hua, which could be considered giving him a stroke of fortune.
As for how far Ran Hua could cultivate in the future, that would depend on his own fate.
Hearing Chen Changqing's words, Ran Hua's eyes reddened. With trembling hands, he took the Jade Slip floating before him and bowed deeply.
"Senior Brother, I, Ran Hua, will never forget this great kindness for all eternity!"
Chen Changqing patted his shoulder and said with a smile:
"Do not spread word of the Jade Slip."
"Junior Brother Ran, you should know that a common man is innocent, but possessing a jade makes him guilty!"
Ran Hua nodded. Naturally, he understood Chen Changqing's meaning.
Afterward, Chen Changqing did not linger any longer. He turned and pushed open the door, stepping outside.
At the same time, two figures stood waiting outside the courtyard gate.
Liu Ruyan wore a robe of green, while Qingyang stood with a sword in his arms.
Today was the gathering day for heading to the Inner Sect. As fellow Seven Courtyards disciples, the three naturally intended to go together.
"Junior Brother Chen, it is time to go."
Qingyang said softly.
Chen Changqing nodded. Without further delay, he lightly formed a hand seal, and the Shadow-Bearing Sword immediately soared into the air.
The three did not linger. They promptly transformed into three streaks of light and flew away on their swords.
At the boundary between the Outer Sect and Inner Sect of Mount Shu,
quite a few Outer Courtyard disciples were already waiting before an ancient grand formation.
These disciples were naturally the top twenty from the previous Outer Sect Grand Competition.
Shi Tian, Li Yang, Wen Liang, Meng Zhou... all of them were present.
As Chen Changqing and the other two arrived, everyone's gazes snapped toward them in unison.
There was reverence, jealousy... and several concealed, chilling looks.
Chen Changqing's expression remained unchanged, and he paid them no heed.
Before long, several more disciples who had obtained qualifications to enter the Inner Sect arrived one after another.
Once everyone had arrived, an old man descended before the teleportation formation.
The old man's sleeves stirred without wind, and his cultivation was unfathomably deep.
He was the Inner Sect elder who had come to guide Chen Changqing and the others.
"This old man's surname is Zhao. I am responsible for guiding you into the Inner Sect."
The old man's gaze swept over the crowd, lingering briefly on Chen Changqing.
It was not difficult to see that he had likely received word beforehand and knew that Chen Changqing was the first-place winner of this Outer Sect Disciple Competition.
The next moment, Elder Zhao did not delay. With a sweep of his concealed hand, he took out an ancient token and tossed it into the grand formation.
"Boom!"
As the token entered, the grand formation was immediately activated, suddenly blazing with dazzling light.
Amid the flow of countless runes, a gateway slowly appeared.
"Follow me into the Inner Sect!"
Having said that, Elder Zhao took the lead and shot toward the gateway.
Seeing this, Chen Changqing and the others followed closely behind and stepped through the gate of light!
Before you continue