In a residence somewhere in Divine Capital Changluo.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle.
In a corner of the secluded cultivation chamber, a golden incense stick burned, constantly giving off strange, faint sounds.
A handsome, tall youth in black sat cross-legged on a jade cushion, with starlight faintly surging behind him.
After a long while:
The youth slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air, the starlight receding from his eyes.
I'm getting closer and closer to the Golden Bridge Realm.
Within a month, barring any accidents, I'll advance to the Golden Bridge Realm as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
As he thought this, a trace of regret appeared on his face despite himself:
Unfortunately, the eighth floor is too difficult.
Even after perfecting my cultivation, I might not clear the eighth floor of the [War God Tower] and catch up to Zhou Chenlong, even if I slogged away for another ten years.
He shook his head, a trace of resolve appearing in his eyes:
If I can't catch up, then I won't chase him.
Cultivation isn't a contest decided in a single day; as long as I keep improving, one day I'll surpass everyone!
Conversely, if Zhou Chenlong insists on challenging the ninth floor and keeps refusing to advance to the Golden Bridge Realm, one slow step will make every step slow. His future achievements might not even match mine.
Having made his choice, he felt much lighter. He immediately rose and left the secluded cultivation chamber.
"Third Young Master!"
An old servant outside the door seemed to have been waiting there for some time. Upon seeing him, he hurriedly bowed in greeting.
"Uncle Chen, please rise."
The youth in black helped the old servant up and asked:
"What happened? Sorry for the trouble of having you wait here for me in person."
"Well..."
A trace of difficulty appeared on the old servant's face:
"Something major did indeed happen today."
"But this old servant can't explain it clearly on such short notice. Miss Qingju, Young Master Qingjian, and the others are all waiting for you in the side hall."
"Once you see them, you'll understand."
"Is that so?"
The youth in black raised an eyebrow:
"If it brought all of them here to discuss it with me together, it must indeed be something major."
"Then I'll go see them."
"Very well."
The old servant answered and followed the youth in black toward one side of the courtyard.
A short while later, inside an elegant side hall.
"Greetings, elder cousins."
The black-clad youth, Chen Qinggu, walked into the hall and calmly offered a greeting.
"Greetings, Cousin Qinggu."
The young men and women dared not slight him and all returned his greeting.
Although Chen Qinggu was the youngest among them, he clearly held the highest standing.
"Please, everyone, sit."
Chen Qinggu nodded to them, then sat in the seat of honor and asked:
"What happened? Why were you in such a hurry to find me?"
They exchanged glances, and a tall young woman said gravely:
"Cousin Qinggu, you've been in seclusion lately, so you don't know."
"Just today, a prodigy named Chen Shaojun emerged from nowhere within our clan."
"He possesses heaven-bestowed talent, far beyond any of us. Upon first entering the Supreme Void Dao Realm, he cleared the seventh floor of the War God Tower and went straight to first place on the [Divine Capital Changluo] War God Rankings."
Hearing this, Chen Qinggu's expression immediately changed:
"Cousin Qingju, is that true?"
What concerned him was not clearing the seventh floor of the [War God Tower], but taking first place on the War God Rankings.
That meant the other youth had cleared the seventh floor more easily than he had, with an even greater advantage!
"Of course it's true!"
Chen Qingju held her head high, her tone solemn:
"Most importantly, this person is clearly using a false name and identity."
"We know absolutely nothing about his true identity, how many years he's cultivated, whether he comes from the main line or a collateral branch, or his genealogy. We've been left completely on the back foot."
After hearing her out, Chen Qinggu couldn't help laughing:
"Why are you concerning yourselves with all that?"
"As long as we can confirm he comes from our Chen Clan, that's enough. He's one of our own, after all."
The young men and women exchanged glances at his words, and one young man said hesitantly:
"But we're afraid... afraid he'll ruin our plans..."
Hearing this, Chen Qinggu gave them a long, searching look without speaking.
The Supreme Void Dao Realm was a very curious place.
There, peerless prodigies who shone with boundless brilliance were admired by the masses, naturally gaining tremendous influence and the power to rally others, thereby becoming leaders of the clan's younger generation.
All of this was important capital for holding key positions and wielding authority within the clan once their cultivation bore fruit.
And this was precisely what they were anxious about now.
An even more monstrous, more powerful peerless prodigy had emerged from nowhere, easily dimming their brilliance and rapidly robbing them of attention and influence.
What made it especially stifling was this:
They did not even know his true background. Whether they wanted to win him over, entice him with benefits, or even throw in their lot with him and become his followers, they had no way in.
"Cousin Qinggu, we absolutely cannot let this Chen Shaojun keep acting so arrogantly."
Chen Qingju suddenly spoke, a trace of disgust appearing on her face:
"'The Chen Clan's young lord'-he really has gall enough to cover the heavens!"
"What right does he have to call himself the young lord? Even you haven't called yourself that, Cousin Qinggu."
"Exactly!"
The others all chimed in:
"Only you deserve to be called our Chen Clan's young lord, Cousin Qinggu."
"Cousin Qinggu, please step forward and make this Chen Shaojun restrain himself a little."
"That's right. Everyone in the clan is comparing him with you now. If you don't step forward, people will say you're afraid of him for no reason."
Faced with their clamoring, Chen Qinggu frowned and waved a hand:
"Enough."
"There's no need to put on an act in front of me. If you want to goad me into taking action, you needn't resort to such crude methods."
As his words fell:
A trace of embarrassment immediately appeared on the faces of Chen Qingju and the others, but it soon vanished without a trace.
Chen Qinggu said mildly:
"Naturally, I'll take action and have a meeting with him."
"But not for your sake. I'm simply very interested in him and want to exchange blows with him once."
Hearing this, Chen Qingju's brows immediately lifted with delight, and she said at once:
"Then I'll arrange for someone to spread the word right now-"
"There's no need."
Chen Qinggu smiled faintly:
"This Chen Shaojun is likewise a peerless prodigy, first on the War God Rankings, and not the slightest bit inferior to me."
"Sending someone to deliver a message to such a person would make me seem overbearing."
As he spoke, he paused before continuing:
"Send someone to keep an eye out. If he appears in the Supreme Void Dao Realm, notify me immediately."
"I'll personally invite him to fight me."
At the residence of Chen Qingyu and his father.
Chen Zhengxing had gone into seclusion. Chen Qingyu ate lunch alone, then practiced martial skills for another four hours.
Boom, boom!
In the Martial Practice Ground, Chen Qingyu's feet crossed and shifted, his punches flowing one after another as his True Qi surged ceaselessly, producing low, muffled booms.
"Phew!"
He drew back his fists and slowly took a few breaths, his expression darkening.
In the real world, even with endless True Qi to squander, my progress in martial skills is still too slow.
Age and time really are my greatest shortcomings right now.
Those prodigies at the top of the War God Rankings and Combat Victory Rankings are all in their teens or early twenties, and most are at the ninth heaven of the Blood Sea Realm.
They've spent at least ten years honing their martial skills, reaching minor accomplishment at the very least, or even major accomplishment.
He, however, had cultivated so quickly that he had simply had no time to hone his martial skills.
The only thing that can solve this problem is the Martial Practice Hall.
With my talent and the formidable power of [Qi Absorption in Nine Breaths], even one day of cultivation outside is worth a month for an ordinary person.
If I can make use of the Martial Practice Hall's power to accelerate time, my martial skill attainment will surely advance by leaps and bounds.
Thoughts churned ceaselessly in Chen Qingyu's mind:
Several hours have already passed. The crowd should have mostly dispersed by now.
It's time to enter the [Martial Practice Hall].