The name of Mo Qingcheng

The name of Mo Qingcheng...

Bailu Yi swept her gaze across the crowd, her voice commanding attention. "Now, each of you will choose a Divine Inscription from the stone wall and attempt to inscribe it yourselves. If your performance impresses me, I shall be your instructor for this group."

The crowd's eyes lit up at Bailu Yi's words. No one doubted her mastery of the Dao of Divine Inscriptions despite her youth. As the most exceptional Divine Inscriptionist among the younger generation, Bailu Yi's expertise was nothing short of terrifying. Plus, her striking beauty made everyone more than eager to participate, especially the young men, who were already indulging in fantasies of capturing her heart.

If this was their chance to catch her attention...

"Are these folks for real?" Leng Ning couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes shifting to the enthralled crowd. They were brimming with anticipation. Fan Le was among them, of course. "The White Deer Institute is searching for a talented young man to be Bailu Yi's partner. Sadly, she has one requirement – the man who wishes to win her as his wife must surpass her in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions."

"Is her expertise truly that extraordinary?" Qin Wentian asked, his face revealing astonishment.

Leng Ning shot him a look. "What do you think? The White Deer Institute specializes in Divine Inscriptions, and she possesses a forging-type Astral Soul. How could she not be an expert? Don't tell me you're interested in courting her too?" Leng Ning scrutinized Qin Wentian. Men were all the same, driven by their desires. There wasn't a single exception among them.

Witnessing Leng Ning's somewhat unkind gaze, Qin Wentian felt thoroughly deflated. Beautiful women naturally attracted admirers. Whether he had any intention of courting Bailu Yi or not, there was no need for Leng Ning to scrutinize him in this manner, right?

"I'm already in love with someone," Qin Wentian said, shaking his head with a smile. Leng Ning finally ceased her probing.

"Yep, his girlfriend is the hottest thing in the Pill Emperor Hall, the number one beauty," Fan Le chimed in. Leng Ning's gaze froze as she stared at Fan Le. "Why not just say his girlfriend is Mo Qingcheng?"

"How did you know?" Fan Le was taken aback by Leng Ning's reply. He had casually thrown that name out there, and yet she had guessed it.

Leng Ning looked at Fan Le with a stern expression and uttered one word, "Leave."

Fan Le was utterly shameless.

"Are you acquainted with Mo Qingcheng?" Qin Wentian asked quietly, his heart racing.

Leng Ning stared at Qin Wentian with an odd look in her eyes before responding icily, "A few months ago, the Pill Emperor's daughter, Luo He, returned with a disciple she discovered during her travels. Major powers came to congratulate her, causing quite a stir across the Moon Continent. The rumor mill went wild, claiming that this new disciple was named Mo Qingcheng and possessed beauty capable of toppling kingdoms and empires. Now, there's not a soul here who hasn't heard of Mo Qingcheng."

"But you guys have no shame, speaking of her like this."

Qin Wentian drew a deep breath, a bitter smile on his lips. It seemed he needed to quickly establish himself within this branch of the 'hidden' Azure Faction. Otherwise, he wouldn't even be qualified to meet Qingcheng. Even a stranger like Leng Ning saw him as a daydreaming fool.

However, this branch had remained hidden for thousands of years. Qin Wentian knew next to nothing about the White Deer Institute, so he had to take it one step at a time. He had to enter the institute first and become a core member.

"Enough chatter. Go and inscribe your chosen Inscriptions on these stone monuments over here," the elderly man next to Bailu Yi instructed. He led the prospective students to a place with numerous stone tablets, each displaying countless attempted Divine Inscriptions. This was where previous candidates had inscribed their attempts.

The crowd made their way to their chosen stone monuments. Fan Le and Chu Mang flanked Qin Wentian, scratching their heads in confusion. They had no basic understanding of comprehending Divine Inscriptions.

Qin Wentian had already chosen the Divine Inscription he intended to inscribe. Focusing his Astral Energy, he channeled it into his finger, and a tiny mote of starlight emerged. With unbroken rhythm, he began inscribing the outlines of his chosen Divine Inscription—an elegantly crafted flying sword on the stone monument. He completed the task in a single fluid attempt.

"I'm finished. Could Miss Bailu please take a look?" A voice broke the silence. It was Yan Kong, who had finished his inscription at roughly the same time as Qin Wentian. As the crowd's attention shifted, they beheld the outline of a majestic eagle soaring through the skies. An aura radiated from the stone monument, prompting involuntary sighs of admiration from onlookers. This freshly inscribed Divine Inscription had already surpassed the one on the original stone wall in terms of quality.

"Indeed, he's a member of the Yan Clan. His talent in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions is exceptionally high," many murmured to themselves. The Yan Clan was renowned in this region for good reason.

Leng Ning's gaze turned somewhat unpleasant. After some time, she also completed her inscription. Though it wasn't bad, there was a noticeable gap between her work and Yan Kong's. She had put in her best effort and just barely managed to inscribe a second-ranked Divine Inscription. Her limits were apparent, and she stared blankly at her own inscription, a tinge of melancholy in her heart.

"Once you've finished your inscription, please move to the other side."

"Did you successfully inscribe a second-ranked Divine Inscription?" Leng Ning appeared distracted as she turned to Qin Wentian. He had chosen a flying sword, a relatively straightforward Divine Inscription.

"Yes," Qin Wentian replied with a casual nod.

"Barring any unforeseen issues, he should secure the top score," Fan Le remarked confidently. He was intimately familiar with Qin Wentian's proficiency in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions. Qin Wentian could already inscribe flawless third-ranked Inscriptions, let alone second-ranked ones.

Once everyone had completed their inscriptions, the elderly man and Bailu Yi strolled among the stone monuments, examining the students' work. As they observed Yan Kong's inscription, the elderly man smiled and whispered to Bailu Yi, "Yan Kong's skills in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions are truly exceptional. With some time at the White Deer Institute, his proficiency will only grow. This batch of students has several talented individuals, but Yan Kong stands out as the strongest."

"Hmm, you're mistaken," Bailu Yi declared suddenly, stepping forward to halt in front of a stone monument.

The old man's expression shifted as he followed her gaze to the stone monument that had captured Bailu Yi's attention. On it, an inscription of a sword was visible. The outline seemed exceedingly simple. While it emitted a sense of sharpness when observed, it was, after all, one of the easiest Divine Inscriptions to inscribe.

Bailu Yi extended her index finger, channeling Astral Energy into the Divine Inscription.

Chichi~ The sensation of sharpness heightened. Cracks rang out, accompanied by the sound of a sword's keening. In the next moment, the stone monument split apart, leaving behind a deep sword scar.

"Returning to its natural state, this individual's proficiency has, at the very least, reached the advanced stage of the second level," Bailu Yi remarked, her eyes gleaming. She turned to the old man. "Who inscribed this one?"

"I don't know him. I've never seen this young man around here before. Bailu Yi, will you take on this group as your students?" the old man asked.

"Yes, I will," Bailu Yi confirmed. "Once you collect their Yuan Meteor Stones, bring them to the institute."

"Understood." The old man left to make the necessary arrangements.

Inside the institute, there were numerous stone desks and stone seats. In front of them was a stone wall adorned with various types of Divine Inscriptions. Qin Wentian sat beside Leng Ning, while Fan Le and Chu Mang sat behind him.

Bailu Yi stood at the front of the stone desks, her back to the stone wall. Gazing at the students, she began, "Some of you have little to no concept of what Divine Inscriptions are, yet you've chosen to invest your time here. Since you've made your decision, I won't dwell on that matter. Among you, at least one individual has attained the advanced stage of the second level. I hold this person in high regard."

Chu Mang fidgeted uncomfortably, rubbing his head with an expression that seemed to say, 'I've been caught.' Meanwhile, Fan Le, sitting beside him, displayed no shame at all. He continued to gaze intently at Bailu Yi, openly admiring her features.

Upon hearing Bailu Yi's words, many in the crowd turned their gazes toward Yan Kong. The person Bailu Yi was referring to had to be Yan Kong, right?

Feeling the weight of the stares from others, Yan Kong straightened up, a proud smile gracing his face.

Leng Ning couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat as her expression grew cool.

"Divine Inscriptions are the most enigmatic sources of energy in this world. With Divine Inscriptions, one can forge Divine Weapons, establish Formations, and even use the Divine Inscriptions themselves in combat. The Dao of Divine Inscriptions encompasses the Dao of Heaven and Earth. The power it holds is limitless," Bailu Yi lectured.

"Are Divine Inscriptions truly that powerful? Even if your level of proficiency in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions is higher than mine? As long as my cultivation is stronger, I could defeat you easily," Fan Le remarked. Bailu Yi glanced at him before replying, "Take a look at what you've inscribed, or should I say, drawn. It's a picture of a white puppy. Impressive drawing skills indeed."

"HAHAHA!" The crowd burst into laughter. Fortunately, Fan Le had thick skin and didn't mind the teasing.

"Have you ever heard the story of a Yuanfu Cultivator defeating a Heavenly Dipper Sovereign?" Bailu Yi asked Fan Le.

"Isn't that impossible?" Fan Le questioned.

"Naturally, it's impossible for ordinary cultivators. However, powerful Divine Inscriptionists can achieve it by harnessing the power inherent in Heaven and Earth. Here on the Moon Continent, there's a grandmaster in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions with a Yuanfu Realm cultivation who defeated an awe-inspiring Heavenly Dipper Sovereign. Moreover, this event was witnessed by many. You can inquire about it," Bailu Yi casually explained, and the crowd maintained serious expressions. It appeared that they were all aware of this event.

"That strong?" Fan Le grinned.

Leng Ning rolled her eyes at Fan Le, shaking her head in disbelief. This guy had no idea just how formidable the White Deer Institute truly was.

In the realm of Divine Inscriptions, the White Deer Institute stood as the most renowned and formidable power throughout the Moon Continent. Their expertise encompassed Divine Inscriptions for crafting Divine Weapons, setting up Formations, and for use in combat. They were masters of all facets of the art.

Fan Le's comment hung in the air, unanswered by Bailu Yi, who continued her lecture. Qin Wentian listened attentively, fully aware that his talent in Divine Inscriptions could be deemed extraordinary, but his knowledge of the Dao of Divine Inscriptions was sorely lacking. These inscriptions were the key that would unlock the doors of the White Deer Institute for him.

The lesson spanned four hours, during which Qin Wentian felt he had gained valuable insights. Afterward, they left the White Deer Institute.

Leng Ning turned to Qin Wentian and inquired, "How do you feel?"

"Not bad at all. Bailu Yi's expertise in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions is truly impressive. Her explanations have given me new perspectives," Qin Wentian replied with a smile.

Leng Ning was left speechless. Qin Wentian's words seemed increasingly boastful, perhaps that was simply his nature? Unbeknownst to her, his confidence stemmed from his genuine proficiency in the Dao of Divine Inscriptions. She had mistakenly assumed his skill was ordinary, leading her to perceive him as a braggart.

"Miss Leng, we arrived here hastily and have no place to stay. Would it be too much trouble if we stayed at your residence for a few days?" Fan Le chimed in, walking over to Leng Ning's side.

"...Surely not," Qin Wentian muttered, momentarily flustered, before adding, "It's alright, we can find an inn. Little Rascal, come here."

However, Little Rascal remained nestled contentedly against Leng Ning's chest, refusing to move an inch. This behavior left Qin Wentian speechless. It appeared that this little creature was just as lecherous as Fan Le.

"Don't worry about it. My home isn't far, and there are plenty of vacant rooms. You're welcome to stay for a few days," Leng Ning offered. She had developed a soft spot for Little Rascal. Despite Qin Wentian's penchant for boasting, his character wasn't bad. Perhaps he believed that bragging would make him more appealing to women?