First in Qingyun Pavilion

Qingyun Pavilion. The little fatty had arrived here early in the morning. He had heard at home that Qingyun Pavilion would announce its rankings today. On the way, he had also heard that the Six Pavilions would announce their overall rankings. Naturally, the Three Towers would post their overall rankings as well. However, the little fatty did not care about that side. After all, he did not know anyone over there. Qingyun Pavilion was a completely different story. Brother Jiang was among those competing this time. He was the legend of the Sixth Courtyard. So he was eager to see just how high Brother Jiang could place. "You came too, little fatty?" a voice called out from beside him. In the Sixth Courtyard, Song Qing was the only person who would greet him. Ordinary student cultivators avoided the dead-last like the plague, considering them bad luck. Turning to see a begrimed and disheveled Song Qing, the little fatty asked in surprise, "What have you been up to?" "Going around asking everywhere if they'd take me on as a guard," Song Qing said helplessly. "Unfortunately, I'm too weak, so they won't take me at all. But there are still plenty of places I haven't asked, so I plan to give them a try. What if I run into someone kind? Even though it's unlikely. But don't worry, if I find a decent patron, I'll definitely recommend you. When the time comes, we can be guards together." The little fatty said with disdain, "I'm not becoming a guard. My family isn't poor." Song Qing solemnly cautioned, "Even so, you can't just sit and eat away a mountain of fortune. You have to anticipate hardship. Your family might be earning quite a few spirit sources right now, but no one can say how long this good run will last. Once this window passes, earning this many spirit sources won't be easy again. You need to be cautious." Just then, he saw Luo Xuan and the others arriving. Immediately switching the topic, he asked the little fatty, "Do you think Luo Xuan is having a rough time lately? Does she still need a guard?" "Even if she did, she wouldn't look for you," the little fatty replied bluntly. After a pause, he added, "And if she actually came looking for you, you'd better watch out. You know your own strength. If a woman like that comes knocking on your door, nothing good could possibly come of it." Song Qing sighed, then looked ahead and asked, "Where do you think Jiang Man will rank this time?" "Top five guaranteed, contending for top three," the little fatty said with conviction. The wait was far too dull, so the little fatty had Song Qing tell the stories of how he had been rejected. Naturally, he provided snacks. The latter immediately launched into his tales. It went on until the afternoon. While Song Qing was still rattling on eloquently, someone came onto the stage and began posting the rankings. Nearby, Cheng Yu asked Luo Xuan, "Where do you think Jiang Man will place?" Luo Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Judging by his progress in the Sixth Courtyard, he'll likely break into the top three. His strength is one thing, but more than that, he's full of surprises. He always gives people the feeling that he far exceeds whatever we imagine." Cheng Yu sighed as well. "Who would have thought that someone who was never noticed before would suddenly have an epiphany and soar into the sky?" "They're done posting! Let's see where Jiang Man ended up," Cheng Yu said with great curiosity. Yet very quickly, she froze. Not just her—everyone around them did the same. Because many noticed an unfamiliar name appearing at the very top of the board. *Qingyun First: Sixth Courtyard, Jiang Man.* These characters were noticeably larger than anyone else's. It forced itself starkly into everyone's view. Many did not even know who he was. Why would a Qingyun Pavilion first place emerge from a place like the Sixth Courtyard? As for second place in Qingyun Pavilion, that was the person they were all familiar with: *Qingyun Second: First Courtyard, Fang Tianyi.* Cheng Yu and Luo Xuan exchanged glances, both visibly surprised. "First in Qingyun?" Luo Xuan simply could not reconcile this person with the sparring partner she had hired for seventy spirit sources not long ago. "Let's go check the Six Pavilions rankings," Cheng Yu said immediately. Originally, they had not cared much about the Six Pavilions rankings. But Jiang Man had taken first. That meant he had reached at least the top ten across the Six Pavilions. Perhaps even the top five. Meanwhile, Chang Qiwen, who was supposed to be working, had also dropped by during his break out of curiosity. He happened to see Cheng Yu and Luo Xuan heading toward the Six Pavilions ranking board. That surprised him. Then he spotted Song Qing and the little fatty. Curious, he had no choice but to ask. And the answer he received shook him to the core. Jiang Man, first in Qingyun Pavilion? In an instant, he channeled the Divine Travel Step. He dashed over and swiftly appeared before the Six Pavilions rankings. There were not many people here yet, as most were busy checking their respective pavilion rankings first. Very quickly, Chang Qiwen saw the rankings at the top. *Six Pavilions First: Tianyuan Pavilion, Cheng Moyang.* *Six Pavilions Second: Qingyun Pavilion, Jiang Man.* *Six Pavilions Third: Yeming Pavilion, Yang Ling.* *Six Pavilions Fourth: Tianyuan Pavilion, Yang Feng.* Just as Chang Qiwen stood in shock, someone beside him suddenly asked, "Where did this Jiang Man pop up from?" "What do you mean, 'pop up from'? Do you know how he cultivates?" Chang Qiwen challenged. As for his tone, the other person's ranking was unlikely to be higher than his anyway. The man beside him looked puzzled. "How does he cultivate?" "How much do you sleep each day?" Chang Qiwen asked. "A full night, of course." "He doesn't sleep at night. He spends every night cultivating. While you've cultivated for three years, he's cultivated for six." "No sleep? How is that possible?" "At such a young age, if you're not cultivating, how can you sleep?" With that, Chang Qiwen turned and walked away; it was time to get back to work. His break was almost over. — The Gao residence. Having seen off Old Chen, Gao Cunfeng looked at the little fatty's cultivation manual with deep feeling. "The more I look at this book, the more it truly feels like something no human could cultivate." Setting down the manual, he hesitated over whether to destroy it outright or hide it away. His initial thought had been to hide it, but he worried the boy might cultivate himself into ruin. Something written by someone who merely took first place in a courtyard carried little real value. With a shake of his head and a sigh, he decided to leave the little fatty some leeway after all. Then he had someone find a place to stow it away. Yet not long after the servant left, someone suddenly came running in from outside. It was an errand boy delivering news. He reported respectfully, "Family Head, Qingyun Pavilion's rankings are out, and the Six Pavilions rankings are out as well." "Oh?" Gao Cunfeng lifted his teacup and asked casually, "Who is first in Qingyun Pavilion?" "Sixth Courtyard, Jiang Man," the boy replied at once. Hearing this, Gao Cunfeng paused just as he was about to take a sip. "Who?" "Sixth Courtyard, Jiang Man," the boy repeated. Gao Cunfeng could hardly believe his ears. He remembered that this person had previously been ranked fourteenth in Qingyun Pavilion. Without any resources provided, his ranking should have fallen back. How could he possibly be first? Pausing, he asked, "Who are the top three across the Six Pavilions?" The boy answered truthfully, "Six Pavilions First: Tianyuan Pavilion, Cheng Moyang. Six Pavilions Second: Qingyun Pavilion, Jiang Man. Six Pavilions Third: Yeming Pavilion, Yang Ling." Gao Cunfeng set down his tea, a tempest raging in his heart. He recalled that this Yang Ling was at the Qi-Linking eighth layer. In other words, someone who had been languishing at the very bottom alongside his son had, in a mere six months or so, vaulted into an expert of the Qi-Linking eighth layer. Such talent? Or did he possess some extraordinary method of cultivation? In an instant, his thoughts flew to the cultivation manual that had just been swapped out. In his panic, he immediately shouted toward the door, "Someone come here!" An attendant entered at once. "Quick! Have Xiao Gao bring that book right back, and go to the young master's quarters to swap out the earlier manual!" "Return the original book to where it belongs!" First in Qingyun Pavilion, second across the Six Pavilions in a single stroke. There truly might be something extraordinary about this cultivation method. He had to let the little fatty keep cultivating with it.