Chapter 407: Second Half

Seeing her reaction, the smile on Yi Chen’s face widened subtly.

Nodding to her the next moment, he soon turned towards the exit and made his way out along with the rest.

"See you during the dinner then, Senior Sister Yun Xi." Yi Chen said, waving his hand at Yun Xi, whose eyes were still focused on them.

"Mhm." Yun Xi nodded back while exchanging a warm smile with the entire group as the eight of them finally made their way out of the dining hall.

"Let’s hurry a little, as we only have ten minutes left before the class starts." Yi Chen reminded them while glancing at the rest of them.

"Yes, Brother Chen." Zhou Mei and the rest responded and increased their pace accordingly.

While moving, Zhou Mei couldn’t help but glance at Yi Chen from the corner of her eye again and again as a smile remained plastered on her face.

’Brother Chen is so thoughtful and kind...’ she thought while looking back on how he had stood up for Yun Xi back then.

Since Zhou Mei had a noble clan’s backing, there weren’t many things she was afraid of.

Therefore, if Yi Chen hadn’t stepped up earlier, she would have personally done and taught that bastard a lesson.

’No one has the right to degrade a person in that manner!’ she snorted while thinking back on how Liu Shen had treated Yun Xi. Just thinking of it made her blood boil with fury.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but look forward to Liu Shen challenging Yi Chen to a duel and losing face in front of the entire sect.

’I can’t wait to see him be beaten to a pulp by Brother Chen!’ she clenched her fists in anticipation, with the desire to savour each second of it.

However, not everyone’s thoughts in the group were positive. There was one exception.

’I-I... how could I be so gutless...’ Dong Yun sighed internally as a bitter expression formed on his face.

He clearly remembered the scene when Liu Shen had arrived behind Yun Xi and had started pressing his hand onto her shoulder. The obnoxious tone with which he talked down to her was still replaying in his ears.

At that time, he wanted to stand up with all his might and teach Liu Shen a lesson, but realising that he was a Senior and someone much stronger than him, he was forced to swallow his anger.

’Didn’t I decide to pursue Sister Yun Xi with all my heart just a few minutes before that incident took place? ...I-In the end, I wasn’t even able to stand up for her when she needed me the most... How laughable. With what face shall I pursue her now?’

Dong Yun scoffed at himself as his eyes went towards Yi Chen, who was walking a little ahead of him.

Looking at his firm back, he was instantly reminded of how Yi Chen had stood up for Yun Xi back then, not caring about the consequences at all.

’Does my back also look this reliable from behind?’ he asked while clearly knowing the answer to that question.

’The one who had stood up for Sister Yun Xi should have been me... For what use is it for me to become a cultivator if I can’t even confront my fears and stand up for those whom I want to protect? ... I hate this! Why... Just why am I like this?’

The longer he thought over his actions, the more intense the guilt that had been gnawing away at his heart became, forcing him to a crossroads where he was met with two decisions.

He could either accept that he was a coward and would always remain the way he was or choose to become a person he could feel proud of...the one who wouldn’t be drowned in guilt because of his own actions.

Tightly clenching his fists, Dong Yun intently stared at Yi Chen’s back for a few seconds as the direction he needed to walk in became apparent to him soon after.

’I can’t remain like this... Brother Chen’s actions made me face to face with what I’ve been lacking all along. I refuse to run away from it any longer.

Instead, I must develop it further. Develop it to the point I no longer have to go through this guilty feeling...to the point where my back also looks as reliable as Brother Chen’s to the ones who are close to me..."

Dong Yun made a silent promise to himself as the reverence his eyes carried while looking at Yi Chen’s figure reached an entirely new level.

Meanwhile, Yi Chen, who had no idea as to what was going on in the minds of his group members, kept walking forward while trying hard to think of an answer to the question Elder Hong Lie had asked earlier.

’Since it’s called a Qi Absorption Art...then I’ll naturally side with the Qi Absorption Stage cultivators being the ones who create it the most...However, I’m still unable to think of an accurate reason to justify this assertion...’

He kept muttering to himself as their group soon entered the Learning Pavilion before arriving inside the hall where their Orientation class was happening.

"This..."

"Our seats are already taken??"

"Strange... this didn’t happen in the last class though..."

They muttered, seeing the seats they had been sitting in during the previous class already taken by disciples, and the only seats that were empty were the ones at the back.

Seeing Yi Chen and his group’s arrival, the disciples sitting in their seats avoided meeting their gaze, with a desperate expression evident on their faces.

"Let’s sit at the back then," Yi Chen muttered, not thinking much about their actions and making his way towards the last set of seats.

"I wonder why they suddenly took the first seats...I thought no one wanted to sit there in the last class. That’s why they were empty."

Qin Yao muttered while taking his seat.

Hearing this, Dong Yun answered in an obvious tone, "Brother Qin, look at their desperate faces. It’s clearly evident that they want to listen more carefully to the class and be able to correctly answer the questions.

Didn’t Sister Yun Xi tell us that Elder Hong Lie asks a question carrying contribution points in each session? Since we have only a few more classes left, it’s only natural for them to start acting desperate after understanding everything."

"Ah..."

Qin Yao nodded his head in realisation, knowing that they weren’t the only ones who were interacting with the Senior Outer Sect Disciples in the dining hall.

When Yi Chen heard this, a carefree smirk appeared on his face.

’Well, even if I don’t earn any points now or even later from the missions, it doesn’t matter much to me. I already have enough spirit stones with me that even if I don’t earn a single contribution point, I’ll still be able to manage comfortably in the sect,’ he thought while thinking of Gao Zhen, who was the reason for all this.

’I wonder what she’s doing now...’

Just then, Elder Hong Lie entered the class, which pulled Yi Chen out of his thoughts, and without wasting a single second, he began the next part of the class.

"The question which I had asked at the end of the previous class. Was anyone of you able to think of an answer? Raise your hand if you did."

The moment he asked that question, all the disciples inside the class raised their hands the very next second, causing Elder Hong Lie to lightly chuckle.

He randomly chose a few of them and listened to their answers.

"It’s the Qi Absorption Stage cultivators. They create the most Qi Absorption arts."

"Qi Absorption Stage cultivators."

"Qi Absorption..."

Everyone answered the same thing, which soon made Elder Hong Lie nod his head as he gestured for the remaining disciples to put down their hands.

"All right. It seems that everyone in the class agrees that it’s the Qi Absorption Stage cultivators who create the maximum number of Qi Absorption arts.

That’s the correct answer.

Qi Absorption arts are indeed largely created by Qi Absorption Stage cultivators. However, does that mean that the ones created by cultivators in the higher stages are inferior?

No, it’s the complete opposite. The higher the cultivation of the cultivator who created the Qi Absorption art, the more profound it is and therefore more highly sought after.

Like the Qi Absorption Art of our Sect, the Azure Incineration Art. Just like the Qi Absorption Arts of the ten noble clans, the Azure Incineration Art is also created by a Core Building Stage cultivator.

I believe many of you would have accepted the absorption art from the Registration Hall yesterday."

Yi Chen noticed many heads nodding at the mention of the Azure Incineration Art as he was reminded of the blue book he was given the option to choose yesterday.

Already having decided that he was only going to use the Crimson Fire Arts, he naturally refused to accept the Qi Absorption art and, in return, was granted a martial technique from the sect.

’I totally forgot to go through that new martial technique yesterday...’

He thought in realisation before focusing his attention back on the class.

"...Now here’s the next question for everyone. If you answer it right, you’ll be directly getting 50 Contribution Points." Elder Hong smiled and stated the question the very next moment.

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