Li Yun looked up at Zhao Chuanfeng.

The guy wore a look of cold disdain; his attitude was truly arrogant, and the contempt deep in his bones was unmistakable.

However, it didn't matter.

Li Yun was equally straightforward. Picking up the yellowed booklet, he stood up and walked away.

Before leaving, he even made a point of thanking Zhao Chuanfeng, his politeness leaving Zhao Chuanfeng momentarily stunned—how the hell was this guy not angry?

After being humiliated to his face like that, he actually hadn't flown into an embarrassed rage?

Hmph, the Outer Sect is just the Outer Sect.

A destitute background breeds spineless cowards. Someone like him will never achieve anything great in his lifetime.

How could he possibly understand Li Yun's logic?

In Li Yun's view, getting angry when one lacked strength was utterly pointless.

Even shouting 'thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank' would only make him look all the more incompetent; it was completely meaningless.

It was far better to take whatever advantages he could get first, then settle the score once and for all after he gained enough strength.

Li Yun left the Azure Dragon Courtyard that very night.

As he departed, he glanced once more at the Azure Dragon stone stele at the entrance of the Azure Dragon Courtyard. He had originally wanted to harvest a few more martial cognition points while no one was around; after all, entering the Inner Sect wouldn't be so easy after today.

Unfortunately...

Soon after he stopped, when his martial cognition points had only increased by about six thousand, someone emerged from the Azure Dragon Courtyard, casting an unmistakably hostile glare his way.

To avoid trouble, Li Yun had no choice but to leave first.

By the time he returned to the Outer Sect's Courtyard 95 of the Ren Branch, the compound was completely silent. Most rooms were dark, their occupants clearly asleep.

Since there was no one around anyway,

Li Yun simply sat down in a corner of the courtyard.

He called up his System Panel.

【Host: Li Yun】

【Age: 16】

【Aptitude: Grade Five】

【Identity: Heavenly Martial Sect, Courtyard 95 of the Ren Branch Outer Sect Disciple】

【Realm: Acquired, Body Tempering Second Layer】

【Martial Arts: Basic Stance Training (Proficient, 1%)】

【martial cognition points: 240,565】

Looking at the 240,000-plus martial cognition points on the panel, a smile involuntarily surfaced on Li Yun's face. This was where his confidence lay.

Liu Ningkong, Zhao Chuanfeng... compared to martial cognition points, all of them were pure bullshit!

"Just you wait!"

"Soon, you will learn that crossing me is the biggest mistake you've ever made in your lives."

"System, add points!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yun immediately consumed points to comprehend 【Basic Stance Training】 once more.

This time, it cost a full ten thousand points.

A quarter of an hour later.

Li Yun awoke from his comprehension; 【Basic Stance Training】 had advanced from Proficient 1% to Great Mastery 1%.

Li Yun was still not satisfied and continued his comprehension.

Another twenty thousand points were deducted.

Half an hour later, 【Basic Stance Training】 reached Perfection directly!

Reaching Perfection in 【Basic Stance Training】 meant he had cultivated it to its limit—though, of course, that was only the conventional limit.

According to Zhang Ruohan, 【Basic Stance Training】 contained twelve kinds of Martial Dao True Intents corresponding to the twelve Stance Trainings, which were the true origins of Martial Arts.

Only after reaching Perfection would one have the opportunity to comprehend these twelve Martial Dao True Intents.

Comprehending each one would provide an immense boost to Body Tempering.

At this moment, beneath the Perfection Realm of 【Basic Stance Training】 on the panel, three words indeed appeared: 'Can Sublimate'.

Li Yun guessed that this so-called sublimation pointed directly to the twelve Martial Dao True Intents contained within 【Basic Stance Training】.

He decided to give it a try immediately.

However, the moment the thought crossed his mind, Li Yun's expression changed.

With just that single attempt, the martial cognition points on the panel instantly plummeted by fifty thousand!

First, it had taken thirty thousand points to push 【Basic Stance Training】 to Perfection, and now another fifty thousand... His martial cognition points dropped straight to 160,565!

"Fuck..."

"Why do these martial cognition points burn up so fast?"

Li Yun felt a pang of heartache, but the deduction of points could not be undone.

He could only face reality.

And now, the sublimation began.

In the next second, he felt as if his soul was undergoing Soul Emergence, drifting dizzily into a wondrous Realm.

It felt as if he were lost in a great dream.

In the dream, he was no longer human, but had transformed into an ancient pine.

Standing towering in the mountains, through drifting wind and lashing rain, or buried beneath frost and snow, it remained ever proud and erect.

Between heaven and earth, faint traces of profound, vibrant Qi seeped into his body, making his life all the more vigorous.

"Phew..."

"What a Pine True Intent... Truly wondrous and unfathomable!"

He did not know how much time had passed.

When Li Yun came back to his senses, dawn was already breaking.

In Courtyard 95 of the Ren Branch, several diligent Outer Sect Disciples had already risen to cultivation their Stance Training; however, from time to time, someone would cast a peculiar glance at him.

Li Yun was instantly astonished.

"An entire night has passed... Hiss, good grief, cultivation truly knows no time..."

"This was only the first true intent of Basic Stance Training. If I encounter higher-level Martial Arts in the future, comprehending them will surely take even longer..."

Li Yun took a deep breath.

Looking around the courtyard, now that people were awake, it was no longer suitable to practice Martial Arts here.

He simply stood up and walked straight out the main gate.

He intended to find a deserted place to properly experience the Pine True Intent he had spent the night comprehending, to see if it truly provided immense benefits to Body Tempering.

No sooner had he left

than the disciples in the courtyard began whispering amongst themselves.

"Hey, what do you think happened to Li Yun? Has he lost his mind?"

"Sitting in the courtyard the whole night without sleeping?"

"He looked completely dazed and foolish!"

"Heh, what do you know? He's acting all cryptic; maybe he's comprehending the Stance Training true intent..."

"Tch, give me a break! With his mere Grade Five Aptitude, he'd be lucky to reach Initial Success in a year, let alone comprehend true intent... If he can comprehend true intent, I'm willing to do a fucking handstand and swallow dog shit."

"Hold on, no need to be that extreme. If he can achieve Initial Success in Stance Training right now, I, Wang Erdong, will do a handstand and swallow dog shit right here and now."

Creak!

Just then, another door nearby opened.

Gu Yunzheng stepped out with a peculiar expression on his face.

"Wang Erdong, what did you just say?"

"Ah, it's Senior Brother Gu! My apologies for waking you..."

Upon seeing Gu Yunzheng, Wang Erdong immediately turned fawning.

"Don't try to butter me up."

"I'm asking you: what did you just say?"

Wang Erdong didn't catch his drift, and blanking for a moment, Said, "Senior Brother Gu, it was really nothing... I just said that if that fellow Li Yun has achieved Initial Success in Stance Training right now, I'd do a handstand and swallow dog shit... It was just a joke, please don't take it to heart."

Gu Yunzheng smiled.

"No, why would I take it to heart?"

"I don't mind at all."

"However, you might have taken this joke a bit too far. Truth be told, who knows what method Li Yun used, but he achieved Initial Success in Stance Training several days ago, witnessed firsthand by the Martial Arts Deacon. So you..."

Gu Yunzheng chuckled and walked away before finishing his sentence.

The fellow named Wang Erdong was instantly dumbfounded.

The bystanders were also completely shocked, and the looks they directed at Wang Erdong quickly turned peculiar.

"I..."

Wang Erdong was so embarrassed he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole. In a flustered hurry, he blurted out, "I just remembered I have business in Courtyard 97... I'm leaving!"

Then, he hurriedly ran out of Courtyard 95 of the Ren Branch.

Seeing this, the others gathered around Gu Yunzheng one after another.

"Senior Brother Gu, is what you just said true or false?"

"Has that fellow Li Yun really achieved Initial Success in Stance Training?"

It had to be said that the news Gu Yunzheng suddenly dropped was a massive shock to everyone present.