Chapter 127: Chapter 126: Inner Courtyard Genius
Wang Chong let out a breath of relief, then fixed his eyes on Wen Qingye like a viper. He now loathed Wen Qingye with every fiber of his being. If it weren’t for Wen Qingye, how could he have been so thoroughly humiliated? He had almost been forced to kneel before thousands of people.
Wang Chong had already shifted the blame for his own arrogance and conceit entirely onto Wen Qingye.
Nie Qinglan walked up to Wen Qingye and nodded. "Mm, not bad. I hope you’ll shine even brighter after entering the Inner Courtyard."
Wen Qingye nodded but remained silent. Sensing Wang Chong’s stare, he glanced over, his gaze passing through him as if he were invisible before returning to the front.
Wang Chong’s face turned livid. ’Wen Qingye is actually ignoring me?’
Nie Qinglan gave a small nod; she was aware of Wen Qingye’s personality. She then spoke a few words to the others before leading the group away.
After Nie Qinglan left, Wang Chong’s expression was so gloomy it looked like water might drip from it. He led Wen Qingye and the others toward the Inner Courtyard.
The Outer Courtyard was, in reality, just the main gate to the Inner Courtyard. The Inner Courtyard itself was nestled among four mountains. It wasn’t populous, with only seventy to eighty students in total. However, it was rare for them to see each other. Even for lectures and sermons, attendance was sparse, with usually only about half the students showing up.
The Inner Courtyard was full of talented disciples who preferred to figure things out on their own or go out for real-world training.
The Inner Courtyard contained several mountain peaks, each dotted with a number of pavilions. Each pavilion served as the residence for a single Inner Courtyard student, and this very system led to a clear division of power among them.
The Duyun Mountain that Wang Chong had mentioned was the largest faction in the Inner Courtyard. Besides Duyun Mountain, there was also Cliff Mountain. In total, the Inner Courtyard only had these two major factions.
Of course, some people disliked being constrained. They gathered spontaneously, paid no mind to the Inner Courtyard’s affairs, and focused solely on their cultivation. Among them were a number of powerful experts.
Wang Chong led Wen Qingye and the others to Duyun Mountain. Pointing, he said, "This is our Duyun Mountain. It’s one of the locations in the Inner Courtyard with the most abundant Primordial Qi. If any of you wish to live here, I can even offer you a bit of guidance from time to time."
After he finished speaking, Wang Chong secretly glanced at Wen Qingye. His hatred surged like a torrential river, and his eyes were bloodshot. If others hadn’t been present, he would have gladly struck Wen Qingye down right then and there.
Wang Chong’s words were clearly very enticing, and many of the students who had just entered the Inner Courtyard were swayed.
"Can I?" Tang Long asked cautiously.
Wang Chong nodded. "Of course."
Tang Long was overjoyed. Following his lead, several others also asked to reside on Duyun Mountain.
Wei Qiutong sneered and turned his head away. Those who had agreed couldn’t help but feel awkward. Just moments ago in the Heaven-Reaching Martial Pavilion, Wang Chong had mocked them for being Outer Courtyard students, yet now they were turning around to join him. The thought left a bad taste in their mouths.
A smile touched the corners of Wang Chong’s lips. He turned to a few Inner Courtyard students behind him and said, "Go on, take these new brothers and get their residences sorted out."
After Tang Long and the others had gone, Wang Chong turned his attention to Wen Qingye and the remaining students.
Yann Xiangyang spoke coldly, then stood up and walked away. "I’m heading to Cliff Mountain, so I’ll take my leave."
Wang Chong knew Yann Xiangyang wouldn’t stay. He then shifted his gaze to Wei Qiutong and Ren Hua.
Ren Hua took a deep breath and said, "Since the academy has put you in charge of the arrangements, we will follow them. We just hope that you will be impartial."
Upon hearing this, Wang Chong glanced at Wen Qingye, only to find him looking completely serene, his expression as placid as an old well. Wang Chong’s brow furrowed slightly. ’This kid is certainly composed.’
Wang Chong nodded. "Fine. Since none of you wish to remain here on Duyun Mountain, I’ll take you to the other peaks."
Next, Wang Chong led Wen Qingye, Ren Hua, Wei Qiutong, and Guu Lei to another of the Inner Courtyard’s peaks. "This is Luoxia Mountain," he announced. "There are a few empty pavilions here. Pick one for yourselves."
With that, Wang Chong turned and left.
The Primordial Qi on Luoxia Mountain was noticeably thinner. The peak was also quite remote from the center of the Inner Courtyard, located much closer to the Outer Courtyard instead.
Wei Qiutong watched Wang Chong’s retreating back and scoffed, "What a petty little man."
"It’s the same no matter where we are. What matters is that we cultivate diligently. Let’s just choose our own," Ren Hua said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
The group then quickly chose their new residences and went their separate ways.
In the Inner Courtyard, a special lecture on the Dao was held every five days. As it happened, one such lecture was scheduled for the day after Wen Qingye and the others arrived.
Only twenty or so people were in attendance, all of whom possessed impressive cultivation. As for the rest, they were presumably absent due to other commitments. Wen Qingye listened for a short while before finding it all rather dull.
Three double-hours later, the lecture concluded, and the audience hastily departed.
On the way back to Luoxia Mountain, Wei Qiutong said with a frown, "I’ve heard that the Inner Courtyard has four great geniuses. One of them is named Wang Jie, who is the leader of Duyun Mountain and also Wang Chong’s older brother. I hear his strength is incredible—he’s already at the Refining Spirit Second Layer Heaven, making him the number one expert in the Inner Courtyard."
Ren Hua’s eyes widened in realization. "No wonder," he said. "So that’s why Wang Chong is so arrogant."
"Actually, Wang Chong’s own strength is nothing to scoff at," Guu Lei added, frowning.
Wen Qingye nodded. "And the other three?"
Wei Qiutong continued, "Another one is Yann Chuxue. I’m sure you’ve all heard of her—she’s hailed as the greatest beauty in the Celestial Martial Country. Her cultivation is also at the Refining Spirit Second Layer Heaven, making her exceptionally skilled. Then there’s Luu Fangliang. He’s a lone wolf, but his strength is also formidable. Rumor has it his cultivation level is not far behind Wang Jie’s."
"The last one is Shen Yanxing. He’s extremely powerful and one of the few top disciples in the Inner Courtyard who hasn’t openly amassed followers, yet he is deeply respected by the other students. Some say he’s a master of playing both sides, an opportunist who goes wherever the wind blows. Others claim he is open and honorable, a true gentleman."
Wei Qiutong added worriedly, "Since Luu Fangliang and Shen Yanxing don’t like getting involved in management, the Inner Courtyard’s affairs are generally handled by Wang Jie and Yann Chuxue. This month is the distribution of cultivation resources, and I’m afraid Wang Chong will use the opportunity to make things difficult for us."
Wen Qingye just smiled and shook his head, saying calmly, "I’m rather curious to see just how he intends to make things difficult."
With that, Wen Qingye continued strolling forward.
Wei Qiutong shook his head and sighed. "Sigh, everyone in the Inner Courtyard has profound cultivation. Wen Qingye’s strength might not even place him in the middle ranks. It looks like we’ll have to work hard."
Ren Hua remained silent, his eyes fixed on Wen Qingye’s back. After a long moment, he let out a sigh. "Wen Qingye is truly remarkable. What I admire isn’t his strength or talent, but his composure. Wang Chong is obviously a petty man. We’d best be careful."
