Meet Shen Yun again, the Qinglong Stele!
“Lin Dong greets Elder!”
Lin Dong arrived at the Inner Courtyard Disciple registration hall, bowed to an Elder of the Inner Courtyard, and explained his purpose.
“Hmm?”
“You are Lin Dong?”
The Inner Sect Elder put down the beauty catalog in his hand, looking surprised, and scrutinized Lin Dong from head to toe.
This was the first Disciple in the Inner Courtyard’s history to have Hua Hai Realm Cultivation the moment he entered.
Lin Dong’s reputation had already spread throughout the entire Seven Stars Academy; even the Inner Courtyard Elders were very interested in this Prodigy.
“Indeed, this Disciple it is!”
Lin Dong replied neither subserviently nor arrogantly.
The Elder nodded slightly: “As expected, he possesses a dignified demeanor and is approachable, lacking a bit of arrogance.”
Breaking through to the Hua Hai Realm at such a young age, such talent would be considered a top-tier Prodigy even in the Azure Province Main Academy.
This child has the potential for greatness.
If this Elder knew that Lin Dong was not in the Hua Hai Realm, but in the Tiangang Realm, he would surely be shocked.
“This is your Inner Courtyard identity token!”
“You can go to the Inner Courtyard to claim a Cultivation Technique Divine Ability.”
The Elder took out the Inner Courtyard token he had already prepared, handed it to Lin Dong, and then enthusiastically resumed looking at the beauty catalog.
“Oh, right, as the first place in the Outer Courtyard, you are entitled to an independent Immortal Cave!”
As if remembering something, the Elder reminded him: “If there’s nothing else, hurry to your Immortal Cave. Going late might lead to unexpected incidents.”
“Thank you, Elder!”
Lin Dong took the Inner Courtyard token and headed to the Inner Courtyard.
He didn't take the Elder's kind reminder to heart.
This was an Academy; what could happen to an Immortal Cave left there?
The Inner Courtyard was located at the center of the Academy, where Spiritual Qi was dense, mountains rose majestically, and countless halls and pavilions were nestled among the clouds.
“The Spiritual Qi in the Inner Courtyard is actually two to three times denser than in the Outer Courtyard.”
As soon as he entered the Inner Courtyard gate, Lin Dong felt a rich Spiritual Qi assailing his nostrils, a little surprised, and curiously surveyed the scenery of the Inner Courtyard.
This was the Cultivation ground that countless Outer Courtyard Disciples yearned for.
In front was a large plaza, and around the plaza were countless bluestone steps leading in all directions, some of which had Spiritual Plants growing on them.
Lin Dong didn't know which way to go for a moment.
Just as Lin Dong was in a daze, he heard a familiar voice, “Greetings, Senior Brother Lin…”
Lin Dong turned around and saw a familiar figure, none other than Shen Yun, the Outer Sect Deacon and Inner Sect Disciple.
Lin Dong was momentarily stunned.
The Shen Yun before him was somewhat uneasy and apprehensive, unlike when he first met him, when he was condescending; instead, he bowed his head and saluted him.
“It’s you, Senior Brother Shen!”
Lin Dong grinned: “What a coincidence, running into an old acquaintance right after entering the Inner Courtyard.”
“Still saluting?”
“Why is Senior Brother Shen so polite?”
Lin Dong’s neat, white teeth showed, making him look like a sunny young man, completely unlike the terrifying individual who had annihilated the Bai Clan and torn apart a Demon King!
Speaking of which, the two didn't have any deep-seated enmity, at most just a minor friction.
At the time, Lin Dong thought that once he entered the Inner Courtyard, Shen Yun would surely seek trouble with him, but he never expected that the other party would salute him right after he entered the Inner Courtyard.
He must clearly see the situation.
Since Shen Yun bowed to him, Lin Dong would not be relentless.
If the other party respected him an inch, Lin Dong would return a smile.
Shen Yun gave a wry smile: “Senior Brother Lin, what happened before was Junior Brother’s immaturity…”
He merely knew Bai Han and favored the two Bai Clan brothers, giving Bai Hao a bit more care.
But after hearing that Bai Han had died and Lin Dong had torn apart a Demon King, earning the title of 'Great Fiend,' he hadn't been able to sleep well these past two days.
As for… such a coincidence?
What coincidence? Even if such coincidences existed in the world, everything was due to someone's silent effort…
Ever since he received the news of Lin Dong tearing apart a Demon King, he had been on tenterhooks, unable to sleep all night, fearing that Lin Dong would hold a grudge against him.
So he chose to take the initiative.
He had waited here for two days and two nights, finally getting Lin Dong, and immediately went forward to apologize, hoping that Lin Dong, being a magnanimous person, would not pursue the matter…
Lin Dong waved his hand, “What happened before is in the past!”
Shen Yun was overjoyed, and his eyes, as he looked at Lin Dong, showed a hint of admiration: “Thank you, Senior Brother Lin!”
Shen Yun still remembered that a few days ago, when Lin Dong fought Bai Hao, he had intervened and exchanged a punch with Lin Dong, resulting in an even match.
But after a few days apart…
Lin Dong had advanced rapidly in the Outer Courtyard, breaking through to the Hua Hai Realm, defeating Bai Han, and slaying a Demon King, becoming so powerful that he inspired awe!
The two were no longer on the same level.
From now on, whenever he saw Lin Dong, he would need to respectfully address him as Senior Brother Lin!
“Senior Brother Lin, you’ve just arrived at the Inner Courtyard.”
“You must be unfamiliar with everything here, right?”
“Junior Brother happens to be free; do you need Junior Brother to show you around the Inner Courtyard?”
Shen Yun patted his chest, volunteering enthusiastically, striking while the iron was hot, wanting to seize this opportunity to leave a good impression on Lin Dong.
“Thank you, Senior Brother Shen!”
After a moment of silence, Lin Dong nodded.
He was troubled by this very thing; free labor was not to be refused.
Shen Yun smiled: “Senior Brother Lin, please don’t be polite; this is what Junior Brother should do!”
The two spoke, each addressing the other according to their own seniority.
But Shen Yun’s expression turned somewhat solemn: “Senior Brother Lin, from now on, please call me Junior Brother, and I will call you Senior Brother.”
Lin Dong frowned: “Is there a particular reason?”
Shen Yun said: “Senior Brother Lin, you may not know, but the Inner Courtyard is different from the Outer Courtyard; strength is respected, and seniority is not determined by the order of entering the Inner Courtyard.”
The rules here were somewhat similar to the outside world.
If you are strong, you are a Senior Brother in the Academy; outside, you are a Dao Brother.
Lin Dong said: “It seems the competition in the Inner Courtyard is more brutal than in the Outer Courtyard.”
Shen Yun felt this deeply: “Indeed, if the Outer Courtyard is a greenhouse for flowers, then the Inner Courtyard Disciples face a brutality comparable to the outside world.”
“All the Cultivation resources one needs must be competed for with strength.”
Disciples could Cultivate in the Inner Courtyard for a maximum of ten years, after which they would have to go out into the world. The Inner Courtyard encouraged competition among Disciples, not wanting them to remain greenhouse flowers once they left.
It would weaken the prestige of the Seven Stars Academy.
Everything here was vastly different from the outside world, except that they must not harm each other.
Shen Yun asked: “Senior Brother Lin, is there anywhere you’d like to go first?”
Lin Dong: “Let’s go to the Scripture Pavilion first!”
The two walked and chatted.
But as they walked to a certain place, Lin Dong saw many people gathered, and was curious: “Junior Brother Shen, what is this place, and why are so many people gathered?”
“This is the Azure Dragon Stone Tablet!”
Shen Yun pointed to the ten-zhang-tall azure stone tablet.
The stone tablet was ancient and exuded a profound sense of age. An Azure Dragon was coiled upon it, majestic and solemn, its claws and every inch of its Physical Body filled with power.
It was named the Azure Dragon Stone Tablet!
It was said that the Azure Dragon Stone Tablet was forged by a powerful being from the Academy’s Main Academy using great Magic Treasure and powerful means.
Each branch academy would have an Azure Dragon Stone Tablet, the purpose of which was to test the Physical Body strength of Disciples and encourage them to strengthen their Physical Bodies.
Disciples could step forward and unleash their strongest Physical Body power against the stone tablet.
If a record was broken, generous rewards from the Academy could be obtained.
It was said that a predecessor once obtained a move or two of Dragon Clan Divine Ability from this, and subsequently dominated the Nine Provinces!
Boom!
Just then, an earth-shattering roar came from the Azure Dragon Stone Tablet, and the ground vibrated, showing the immense force.
“So strong!”
“Senior Brother Yang actually broke his Physical Body limit again!”
“Six hundred thousand jin, although it hasn’t broken the Hua Hai Realm record, it’s not weaker than some Tiangang Realm experts. As expected of one of our Inner Courtyard’s Ten Great Prodigies.”
The terrifying Physical Body power reverberated in all directions.
The surrounding Disciples exclaimed in awe, looking respectfully at the figure in green before the stone tablet.
Lin Dong nodded slightly; the Inner Courtyard Disciples were not just a little stronger than the Outer Courtyard Disciples.
A Hua Hai Realm combat power not weaker than ordinary Tiangang Realm experts—is this the Academy’s true Prodigy? If the branch academy is like this, how strong must the Main Academy be?
“Lin Dong, I’ve been looking for you!”
Suddenly, Lin Dong felt a hostile gaze directed at him, coming from Yang Dianfeng, who had just struck the Azure Dragon Stone Tablet.
…