I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

Qin Yuan left the still-noisy martial arts arena with Zhou Qingxuan and the other Taiyi Immortal Sect members. Instead of heading directly to the Taiyi Sect's mountain gate, which was rumored to be connected to the heavens and the earth in the heart of Qingzhou, Qin Yuan first arrived at a Taiyi Sect-owned residence in Tianxuan City.

This is a vast complex of palaces, with flying eaves and bracket sets, shrouded in spiritual energy, far more magnificent than the Xuan Yuan Sect's headquarters. Clouds and mist swirl between the palaces, and one can vaguely see spirit birds flying about, with hidden array patterns, showcasing the profound foundation of the foremost sect.

In a quiet side hall, Zhou Qingxuan dismissed everyone except Qin Yuan. With a warm smile on his face, he said, "Qin Yuan, now that you have joined my Taiyi Sect, there are some things I need to clarify with you."

"Please speak, Elder," Qin Yuan said, bowing.

"Your victory in the Heavenly Pride Tournament is not only a personal honor for you, but also a great achievement for your sect, the Xuan Yuan Sect," Zhou Qingxuan said slowly. "According to tradition, superior sects reward outstanding disciples and their sects that emerge from their subordinate sects. Because of you, the Xuan Yuan Sect will receive a very generous allocation of resources, including but not limited to spirit stones, pills, cultivation technique copies, and even the long-term exploration rights to a small, low-risk secret realm. In addition, the sect's status and rights within the Hundred Sects Battlefield will also be enhanced."

Qin Yuan listened quietly; this was expected. When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven—this was a common practice in the cultivation world.

"Therefore, before you return to the sect with me to formally enter the sect, you may first return to the Xuan Yuan Sect," Zhou Qingxuan continued. "Firstly, to handle some worldly affairs and bid farewell to old acquaintances; secondly, to personally witness the benefits the sect has gained because of you, thus fulfilling this bond of kinship. I will send a message to the sect in advance to inform them."

As he spoke, Zhou Qingxuan took out a token that was neither gold nor jade, engraved with a yin-yang symbol, and a jade slip, and handed them to Qin Yuan.

"This is my token. Holding it will prove your status as a prospective Daoist disciple of Taiyi. Within Qingzhou, ordinary forces will not dare to neglect you. This jade slip records the details of the rewards the sect has given to Xuanyuan Sect, as well as some precautions before entering the sect. You can use this to travel freely. You only need to reach Taiyi Mountain Gate within three months."

"Thank you for your understanding, Elder." Qin Yuan accepted the token and jade slip. They felt warm to the touch and faintly emitted spiritual energy.

Zhou Qingxuan nodded, offered a few more words of encouragement, and said he would wait for him at the mountain gate. Then, with a slight movement, he transformed into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared into the hall, clearly heading back to the sect to handle some affairs.

Qin Yuan didn't delay. He set off from Tianxuan City that very day, summoned his flying sword, and transformed into a streak of azure light, speeding towards the Xuan Yuan Sect.

Several days later, the Xuan Yuan Sect's mountain gate came into view. Compared to when he left, the mountain gate seemed to have not changed much, but Qin Yuan's divine sense was sharp, and he could sense that the protective array of the mountain seemed to have been strengthened, and the spiritual energy was also slightly richer.

He had just lowered his sword and landed in front of the mountain gate when the gatekeeper was taken aback. Upon seeing the newcomer's face, he became so excited that his face turned bright red, and he shouted incoherently, "Senior Brother Qin... Qin Yuan is back! The champion is back!"

The sound, like a pebble thrown into a lake, quickly spread throughout the sect. Soon, the bell tolled nine times—a courtesy reserved for welcoming the most distinguished guests or disciples who had rendered extraordinary service.

Sect Master Lu Xuanfeng led the way, bringing with him all the elders, deacons, and disciples from both the inner and outer sects, in a grand procession to welcome them out of the mountain gate. Everyone's face was filled with pride, excitement, and elation.

"Qin Yuan!" Lu Xuanfeng strode forward. This usually dignified and composed late-stage Nascent Soul sect leader had slightly moist eyes at this moment. He patted Qin Yuan's shoulder forcefully, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, "Good! Good lad! Well done! You've earned tremendous merit and honor for our Xuan Yuan Sect!"

"Welcome back, Senior Brother Qin Yuan (Uncle-Master)!" Behind him, a sea of ​​disciples bowed in unison, their voices echoing through the valley. Their eyes were filled with boundless fervor and reverence as they looked at Qin Yuan. They had already heard through various channels about Qin Yuan's unparalleled prowess at the Grand Gathering of Prodigies, where he broke through three realms in succession, crushed all rivals, and ultimately won the championship, causing the five major sects to vie for him in a frenzy. Now, witnessing this legend's return in person, how could they not be excited?

Back in the sect's main hall, Lu Xuanfeng still couldn't hide his excitement. He said to Qin Yuan, "Qin Yuan, you may not know what you brought. The sect's reward list arrived the day before yesterday!" He took out a jade slip similar to the one Zhou Qingxuan had given him. He activated his spiritual power, and a light screen appeared, listing a dense array of resource items. The number of high-grade spirit stones alone was astronomical, and there were also many pills, materials, and cultivation techniques that Xuan Yuan Sect had never even dared to dream of before.

"With these resources, the foundation of our Xuan Yuan Sect will skyrocket! Within ten years, we will surely be among the top-tier sects! Within fifty years, we will have a great chance of becoming a superior sect!" Lu Xuanfeng said, beaming. "All of this is thanks to you! You are an unparalleled hero of the entire sect!"

"As a member of the Xuan Yuan Sect, this is my duty," Qin Yuan said calmly, without any hint of arrogance.

Seeing this, Lu Xuanfeng was even more impressed. Then, his expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Your contributions will be remembered by the sect. It's time to settle accounts with those fools who were blind to the truth in the past."

He waved his hand, and immediately, disciples escorted more than a dozen people into the main hall. Most of these people were pale-faced and trembling, their eyes filled with endless fear and pleading as they looked at Qin Yuan. Qin Yuan's gaze swept over them, and he recognized several of them—there was an outer sect steward who had withheld resources from him when he was still a nobody, an inner sect disciple who had mocked him and even secretly tripped him up in the early stages of his rise to power, and two of them were confidants of an elder who had colluded with the Crimson Flame Sect to assassinate him in the Hundred Sects Battlefield.

"These people are short-sighted, jealous of talent, and even colluded with foreign enemies, almost destroying the pillars of our sect! According to the sect rules, their cultivation should be abolished and they should be expelled from the sect! Considering the great joy of Qin Yuan's return, and to avoid bloodshed, I will grant them a quick death!" Lu Xuanfeng's tone was icy and left no room for doubt.

The disciples of the Enforcement Sect swiftly struck, their blades flashing or swords piercing hearts; in an instant, the dozen or so people lay lifeless in pools of blood. A faint stench of blood permeated the hall, yet no one found it amiss; instead, they considered it perfectly natural. Such was the world of cultivation: past causes, present effects.

The rest of the disciples, whether they were old acquaintances of Qin Yuan such as Zhou Ming and Zhao Tiezhu, or newly joined disciples, all looked at Qin Yuan with pure reverence and admiration.

Old acquaintances were filled with emotion, never imagining that the silent and resilient young man from back then could reach such heights; it was almost like a dream. New disciples, on the other hand, saw him as a legend and a role model—a genius among geniuses.

Lu Xuanfeng then took out a storage ring and personally handed it to Qin Yuan: "This is a small token of our sect's appreciation. Although it cannot compare to even a fraction of the rewards from the upper sect, it is still a token of our gratitude. You will need resources to manage things while you are away."