“You are the Disciple Xu Qing mentioned who has achieved initial success with the Basic Stance Exercise?”
“Greetings, Elder. Disciple Li Yun from Ren 95 Courtyard.”
“Li Yun? Not Gu Yunzheng, nor Zhang Chu?”
Elder Zhang Cong's eyes flashed.
“I remember Ren 95 Courtyard has one first-grade Aptitude and one top-tier second-grade Aptitude, but I don't recall you?”
“Elder, when Disciple entered the Sect, my Aptitude was fifth-grade.”
“Fifth-grade Aptitude, hehe... A fifth-grade Aptitude and you managed to achieve initial success with the Basic Stance Exercise within a month?”
“Are you trying to tell me that there was an error in the Aptitude test when you entered?”
“No, no... Elder, you've misunderstood.”
“Disciple... sigh, Disciple honestly can't explain the reason either, but when I was comprehending the Basic Stance Exercise, it was indeed a bit smoother. Perhaps it was... luck?”
“Luck?”
“Ha...?”
Elder Zhang Cong was momentarily speechless, then burst into laughter.
“If mere luck can allow a person with fifth-grade Aptitude to achieve initial success with the Basic Stance Exercise within a month, breaking the Tianwu Sect's record for the fastest initial success among Outer Sect Disciples, then your luck is truly extraordinary.”
“Alright, I won't waste any more words with you.”
“Perform it for me to see.”
“Yes!”
Li Yun wasn't nervous at all. Since he had come with Xu Qing, this was bound to happen.
He directly stepped back a few paces.
Finding a suitable spot, he immediately began practicing the 【Basic Stance Exercise】.
From the first stance to the twelfth stance.
Each stance was performed smoothly.
Without any pauses.
Perhaps in Elder Zhang Cong's eyes, it still seemed a bit unpolished and hadn't reached the level of seamless execution, but initial success was initial success.
There was no faking it.
What was remarkable was that the twelve stances of the 【Basic Stance Exercise】 performed by Li Yun were all standard, with almost no flaws to be found.
If he continued practicing with this momentum, he could reach the proficient realm in at most a month, and it was truly possible for him to reach the perfect realm within a year in the future.
“Could he really be a hidden gem?”
“Or was there indeed an issue with the Aptitude test upon entry?”
Amidst his surprise, Elder Zhang Cong couldn't help but harbor some doubts.
Of course, he wouldn't really make Li Yun undergo another Aptitude test just because of this slight suspicion.
One must know, he wasn't the only Outer Sect Elder.
He wasn't the one in charge of Aptitude testing either.
Suddenly having Li Yun re-tested for Aptitude a month after entering the Sect wouldn't that be like slapping someone else's face? He wouldn't do something that would offend others.
Most importantly, if there truly was a problem with Li Yun's Aptitude test, the trouble would be immense.
This year, a total of forty thousand new Outer Sect Disciples were recruited, and they would all have to be re-tested. This would likely alarm the higher-ups of the Sect.
With one strike, a whole string of people would be in trouble.
And this kid, Li Yun, was indeed somewhat out of the ordinary and couldn't be ignored.
Therefore, after considering the matter without revealing his thoughts, Elder Zhang Cong decided not to alarm others for now, but instead to observe him secretly for a while longer.
“Alright, very good.”
“Being able to Cultivate the Basic Stance Exercise to initial success within a month proves that you indeed have some talent and are sufficiently diligent.”
“The Sect will not be stingy with rewards for Disciples like you.”
Elder Zhang Cong smiled.
He then took out a white jade porcelain bottle.
“Here are two qi blood pills. One is a reward for achieving initial success in Basic Stance within three months, and the other is a reward for breaking the record.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
Li Yun gratefully accepted the white jade porcelain bottle, not forgetting to express his thanks to Elder Zhang Cong.
Elder Zhang Cong nodded in satisfaction.
“However, do not become arrogant.”
“The Basic Stance Exercise is just the very foundation of the Martial Dao foundation. The path ahead is still long. I hope you continue to persevere and Cultivate diligently.”
“I will give you a promise here: if you can Cultivate the Basic Stance Exercise to the proficient realm within half a month, you can come directly to me without going through Xu Qing.”
“At that time, I will not only give you two more qi blood pills as a reward, but I can also make an exception and teach you a Martial Skill.”
“This teaching will not be counted as one of your selections from the Martial Repository; it will be my personal instruction!”
As soon as these words were spoken.
Both Xu Qing and Li Yun were full of shock.
Especially Xu Qing.
He had also come up from being an Outer Sect Disciple, and he knew the experiences of Outer Sect Disciples all too well.
All Outer Sect Disciples begin cultivating the 【Basic Stance Exercise】 upon entry, and no one is an exception.
Only when the 【Basic Stance Exercise】 reaches the minor success realm are they allowed to enter the Martial Repository to select a true Martial Skill.
How could ordinary people achieve minor success in Basic Stance in a short period?
Therefore, the first year is basically spent painstakingly cultivating the Basic Stance. For those with slightly inferior Aptitude, it could take a year and a half, or even two years.
This means that the three-year period would not leave much time to reverse to Innate.
Li Yun only needed to make a little more effort and Cultivate the Basic Stance to the proficient realm within half a month, and he might be able to obtain a Martial Skill in advance.
What is this called?
This is called being a step ahead.
In Martial Dao cultivation, being fast by one step means being fast by every step.
Within three years, it is truly possible for Li Yun to successfully reverse from Postnatal to Innate, like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, and become an Inner Sect Disciple.
More importantly, the Martial Skill is not counted as a selection from the Martial Repository; it is a private instruction from Elder Zhang Cong. This is equivalent to Elder Zhang Cong having a half-mentor relationship with Li Yun. If this gets out, others who want to harm or suppress Li Yun will have to think twice.
All in all, the benefits are enormous.
So great that Xu Qing was filled with envy.
He thought back to that year, if he had had such an Opportunity at the beginning of his entry, perhaps he would be an Inner Sect Disciple now.
Why would he have to painstakingly struggle for three years before barely becoming a Deacon, and his Deacon term is only two years? This is already the second year. If he can't break through again, he can only leave the Tianwu Sect.
“Li Yun, you must seize this Opportunity well!”
“Listen to me, for those without Spiritual Roots, it is truly too difficult, too difficult to reverse from Postnatal to Innate. If you can truly gain the favor and guidance of Elder Zhang Cong, it can save you a lot of detours!”
After leaving Elder Zhang Cong's residence.
Xu Qing once again solemnly instructed Li Yun, his expression earnest, truly hoping from the bottom of his heart that Li Yun could obtain this Opportunity.
Afterward, he also took Li Yun to his own residence.
As a Deacon Chuan Wu, he would have his own independent residence in the Outer Sect, though not large, it was sufficient for sleeping, daily living, and storing some personal belongings.
Upon returning to his residence, Xu Qing rummaged through boxes and cabinets, and from a wooden box, he found a yellowed booklet.
“As a Deacon Chuan Wu, I do not have the right to privately teach you other martial arts.”
“However, I have here a set of Basic Stance notes that I purchased from an Inner Sect Disciple at a high price back then. I will give it to you!”
“I have no other intentions. I just want to help you as much as possible. Remember, you must not reveal this to anyone outside.”
Li Yun took the notebook and flipped through it, his eyes immediately lighting up.
Because the System reacted quite strongly!