Chapter 522 - 522: Beginning to Strike

Everything was resolved quickly.

Before long, someone arrived, controlling two Flying Demon Beasts that landed in the largest courtyard outside, ready to take them back to the sect.

To Chu Qingyun's surprise, besides the three of them, Zhou Jianxiong and Qi Hao were also returning to the sect with them.

Among all the new recruits from the past month, only Chu Qingyun's group of three got to ride Flying Demon Beasts back to the sect with Zhou Qian and the others.

The rest had to travel to the sect on their own.

Watching the two Flying Demon Beasts take to the sky, the dozens of new disciples were left with complicated feelings.

When they had first seen Chu Qingyun's group being driven out by Elder Huang and the others, some of them had gloated over their misfortune.

They never expected such a dramatic reversal of fortune in just a few short days.

The tides of life were truly fickle and unpredictable.

Moreover, it was easy to imagine that with Chu Qingyun's strength and potential, he was destined to soar to great heights and have a limitless future after entering the sect.

At this thought, a faint sense of regret crept into their hearts. They had missed the best opportunity to befriend Chu Qingyun...

Aboard one of the Flying Demon Beasts, Qi Hao sat with Chu Qingyun and his two companions.

"Junior Brother Chu, I'm really riding on your coattails this time. It's thanks to you that I could get away from that miserable chore of patrolling the Blood-soaked Land and return to the sect, haha..."

Qi Hao said to Chu Qingyun with a laugh.

"You're too kind, Senior Brother Qi. But why is Zhou Jianxiong also returning to the sect with us?"

Chu Qingyun asked with a smile.

"Of course, it's because you drove Zhou Wushang out. All the Secret Manuals and Secret Techniques that Zhou Wushang obtained in the Blood Sect ruins were handed over to Zhou Jianxiong. He's probably supposed to turn those things in to the sect along with you."

Qi Hao replied.

Chu Qingyun understood and nodded.

And a strange sense of anticipation began to build within him.

'I wonder what kind of expression Zhou Jianxiong will have when he sees me take out so many Imperial-level Secret Manuals and Secret Techniques... and "sell" them to the sect.'

Along the way, Qi Hao gave Chu Qingyun and the others a brief overview of the sect.

For its disciples, the Saint Extreme Sect was mainly divided into three parts.

The Outer Sect, the Inner Sect, and the Pill Institute.

Only Alchemists with a Tier Four Flame Attribute Martial Soul could enter the Pill Institute. It was a rather independent and special branch, so Qi Hao didn't know much about it and only mentioned it briefly.

As for the Inner Sect, it was still a distant goal for Chu Qingyun's group, so Qi Hao didn't elaborate much on it either.

His explanation focused mainly on the situation in the Saint Extreme Sect's Outer Sect.

The Outer Sect was where all new disciples had to stay.

Regarding the Outer Sect, Qi Hao highlighted two key events: the first attempt at clearing the Saint Extreme Road, and the Inner Sect Qualification Tournament.

According to Qi Hao, it was crucial to get as far as possible on one's first attempt at the Saint Extreme Road, ideally clearing it completely.

This was because the result of the first attempt determined the highest floor one could access in the Saint Extreme Tower.

The Saint Extreme Tower was an extremely important place within the Saint Extreme Sect.

However, Qi Hao didn't say much more about the Saint Extreme Tower, only that it was a place that could accelerate one's cultivation. He said Chu Qingyun and the others would understand once they went inside.

The Inner Sect Qualification Tournament was also a very important matter.

There were two ways for a Saint Extreme Sect disciple to advance from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect.

The first was to break through to the Martial King Realm, which would automatically grant them the status of an Inner Sect Disciple.

The second way was, upon reaching the ninth-level Martial Spirit, to suppress one's breakthrough and instead place in the top twelve of the Inner Sect Qualification Tournament. Only after entering the Inner Sect this way would one break through to the Martial King Level.

Those who entered the Inner Sect through the first method would only be Ordinary Disciples.

But those who entered via the second method would receive special attention and cultivation from the sect. Their starting point in the Martial King Realm would be much higher than others.

The first attempt at the Saint Extreme Road and the Inner Sect Qualification Tournament—Chu Qingyun and Mu Xiaoxiao both silently committed these two matters to memory.

The beast Chu Qingyun and the others were riding was a Tier Four Flying Demon Beast that had been raised and tamed since birth.

A Tier Four Flying Demon Beast was incredibly fast. The journey from Celestial Martial City to the Saint Extreme Sect took little more than a day.

The Saint Extreme Sect's headquarters was built within a continuous, isolated mountain range.

Standing on the Demon Beast's back and looking into the distance, they could see the entire mountain range covered with all sorts of buildings, grand halls, pavilions, and towers. It was a truly spectacular sight.

As one of the Three Major Sects in the Northern Domain, the Saint Extreme Sect's vital grounds were naturally protected by a Sect Protection Array.

However, Chu Qingyun and the others were all carrying sect Tokens, so they passed directly through the Sect Protection Array without feeling a thing.

The two Flying Demon Beasts also had special marks refined into their bodies, allowing them to pass through the Sect Protection Array unhindered.

After entering the Saint Extreme Sect's territory, the two Demon Beasts parted ways.

The members of the Pill Institute who had participated in the Celestial Martial City's Pill Battle Conference flew toward the Pill Institute on one beast.

Meanwhile, Chu Qingyun, Zhou Qian, and the others headed to a different location, planning to take advantage of everyone being present to settle the matter of the Secret Manuals and Secret Techniques from the Blood Sect ruins.

After the Demon Beast landed, Zhou Qian and the two Inner Sect Elders went to make preparations.

Meanwhile, Chu Qingyun, Qi Hao, Zhou Jianxiong, and the others waited in a side hall in the Inner Sect.

"Qi Hao, you really got lucky this time. You went to the Blood-soaked Land and still managed to stumble upon a fortuitous event like the emergence of the Blood Sect ruins. I suppose you'll get some credit for it."

Zhou Jianxiong said with a smile as he looked at Qi Hao.

However, his words carried a hint of condescension.

Zhou Jianxiong was born into the royal family of the Qianshui Dynasty. After joining the sect, his powerful background ensured a smooth journey for him.

That air of superiority had long been ingrained in his very bones.

Qi Hao just smiled. "Pure luck, that's all."

"Heh, it certainly was luck. But Qi Hao, you need to understand something. The amount of credit you get is directly related to what the sect gained from the Blood Sect ruins," Zhou Jianxiong said with a light chuckle.

"What do you mean by that, Senior Brother Zhou?"

The cryptic words left Qi Hao confused.

"My meaning is that you, Junior Brother Qi, should learn to see situations clearly in the future. You need to recognize which side holds the real power."

"Take this trip to the Blood Sect ruins, for example. My Qianshui Dynasty already had superior numbers and was acting under the sect's official authority, leading its members."

"But those three were isolated and alone. Who do you think had the greater harvest? And who do you think can bring you more credit?"

As soon as Zhou Jianxiong said this, Qi Hao, Chu Qingyun, and the others instantly understood his meaning.

So, Zhou Jianxiong was already starting to move against Chu Qingyun's group, making his first move to undermine them.

And his first target was, surprisingly, Qi Hao.