After dark, Chen Ming finished today’s registration work and glanced at the panel on his way back.

[Level: 41]

[Current Points: 80789]

[Cultivation Technique: "Iron Horse Stance" (Fifth Level Perfection), "Three Yang Body Refining Skill" (Ninth Layer Perfection), "Six Yang Qi Cultivation Skill" (First Layer 36999/100000)]

[Martial Skill: "Three Talents Fist" (Mastered), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastered), Zhuang’s Flying Knife (Mastered), Swallow Returning Sword Technique (Mastered), "Vermilion Bird Swordsmanship" (Proficient 32/200000)]

There were about forty thousand experience points.

"There are actually a thousand people."

To improve efficiency today, Chen Ming called for two more accountants. Two people could be registered at once, anyway, the assessment would only require one move and would not take long.

"Unfortunately, there was no encounter with a sixth grade."

He thought with some regret.

A sixth grade had at least one or two thousand points, equivalent to a hundred ninth grades.

"Is that Chen brother’s carriage?"

Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice came from outside.

Chen Ming lifted the carriage window to look, and sure enough, he saw an acquaintance and said with surprise, "Weihao brother? Why are you here?"

On the adjacent carriage was Zhou Weihao.

"It really is Chen brother."

With a loud laugh, Zhou Weihao gracefully leapt onto his carriage, opened the door, sat inside, and said, "Changed your carriage again. If not for seeing the Chen Family’s mark on it and recognizing those two riders, I wouldn’t have known it was you inside."

Chen Ming laughed, "It’s been months, and Weihao brother, you’re still in good spirits."

Zhou Weihao looked him up and down and said, "Not long ago, I got a letter from my cousin, saying that shortly after I left, you broke through to sixth grade. Is it true?"

"What do you think?"

Zhou Weihao suddenly seemed a bit deflated, "My cousin wouldn’t lie. Sigh, I thought my cultivation was deeper than yours and I would definitely reach sixth grade before you. How vexing, that you overtook me."

Despite having decent talent himself and admiring Chen Ming’s saber technique, it didn’t mean he would admit defeat. He assumed he could outpace him in cultivation level.

Yet, this person was truly unconventional, breaking through from seventh to sixth grade in just over half a year.

Such progress speed was truly astonishing.

Chen Ming smiled, "You’re probably not far from sixth grade yourself?"

Zhou Weihao seemed not to hear him and asked, "Do you know why families are called prestigious families?"

"A family that has produced a third-grade can be called a prestigious family."

"That’s not entirely correct." Zhou Weihao shook his head, "It’s because the family produced two or more third-grades that they qualify to be called prestigious."

"I see."

"And do you know what the foundation of a prestigious family is? It’s cultivation techniques!" Zhou Weihao said seriously, "Why are Qin Family, Wang Family, and Su Family the Three Great Families of Jiangzhou? Standing above all other families?

"Because their techniques can cultivate beyond first grade. The supreme experts from their lineage never end, and such techniques are called Supreme Divine Skills!

"The techniques of upper-echelon families are, at most, first grade.

"In equally prestigious families, the ones that have never produced a first grade imply their techniques top out at second or third grade. These are called second-rate techniques.

"As for those that cannot even reach third grade, they are third-rate."

Zhou Weihao continued to ask, "Then do you know where the difference between these levels of techniques lies?"

Chen Ming shook his head. These knowledge points were never mentioned to him before.

"It’s the True Qi!"

Zhou Weihao said in a deep voice, "The range from ninth to seventh grade is just the foundational stage, preparing for cultivating True Qi. What height you reach in the future depends on the quality of the True Qi you cultivate, which in turn depends on the cultivation technique you practice."

"Chen brother, you’re too impatient, and it’s my fault. I didn’t expect you to reach Qi Blood Mastery so quickly and forgot to remind you. But fortunately, your True Qi is still shallow. Changing to another cultivation technique is still possible, although it would require more time to rebuild the foundation..."

"Pack up; you’ll come with me tomorrow. I know a first-grade saber master in Jiangzhou who is looking for a disciple. With your talent in the Sword Dao, you should have a chance."

Zhou Weihao said all this in one breath.

Chen Ming was taken aback, feeling somewhat complex.

He truly didn’t expect that Zhou Weihao had come specifically out of concern that he learned some third-rate technique and even secured an opportunity for him to apprentice under a first-grade expert.

To be honest, he had always considered Zhou Weihao just an ordinary friend.

In the end, Zhou Weihao genuinely saw him as a brother!

Seeing Chen Ming’s unusual look, Zhou Weihao felt a bit uneasy and coughed, "Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t think I came specifically for you, of course not. I’m here to see my cousin. It’s just that, before coming, I heard a first-grade expert was looking for a disciple... approaching you was just on the way."

The more he explained, the more it sounded like hiding something that isn’t there.

Chen Ming, holding back his amusement, said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I really don’t need it."

Seeing him speak thusly, Zhou Weihao frowned immediately, worrying, "Did you get your cultivation techniques from the Seven Great Sea Merchants? Don’t trust them easily. These merchants are sly; they would never easily pass on advanced techniques to you. What you got won’t be any good. Don’t be fooled by them."

Seeing he was worried on his behalf, Chen Ming explained, "In truth, I have another lineage. It’s just inconvenient to disclose."

Zhou Weihao was stunned, then his face twitched sharply, feeling embarrassed, he glared at him angrily, "Why didn’t you say it earlier?"

Without a word, he pushed open the door and jumped back into his own carriage, feeling he couldn’t stay here anymore.

Chen Ming suppressed his laughter and shouted loudly, "Brother Weihao, I really didn’t mean to keep it from you."

He watched as Zhou Weihao’s carriage suddenly accelerated, quickly disappearing from sight.

...

Chen Ming returned home in a good mood, seeing two carriages parked in the front yard, he asked, "Do we have guests?"

Old Li, the gatekeeper, replied, "It’s two elderly gentlemen, one named Jin and the other named Cao, both with quite an extraordinary presence. The master has been entertaining them in the living room."

Chen Ming roughly guessed who they were, secretly laughing to himself, they really couldn’t hold their nerves.

He entered the living room and, sure enough, saw the two elder gentlemen sitting inside. He spoke, "Old Jin, Old Cao, what distinguished guests we have."

Jin Jianxiong, an old Sixth Grade, in his sixties, runs a small gang. He has three sons, none weak in their cultivation, all wanting to register for the discipleship conference but are held back by him.

The other is Cao Jiahui, who runs a transport company. Similarly, he has two sons wanting to register but failed.

These two are sworn brothers and clearly here today to plead for their sons.

As expected, after a few pleasantries, the two directed the conversation to that topic.

Chen Ming looked troubled, "The standards for selection are naturally set by the seniors, I can’t decide that."

The two secretly cursed in their hearts, having heard that many with less talent and strength than their sons have qualified, while their sons are eliminated. Still saying it’s not deliberately targeted?

Jin Jianxiong, long accustomed to being domineering, now being troubled by this young fellow couldn’t help but say angrily, "Chen, if we spar with you, will you agree not to trouble my sons?"

Having wasted so much breath, finally getting to the crux of the matter.

Chen Ming was also tired of pretense, so he said, "That’s right."

"Then let’s do it!"

Jin Jianxiong’s temper was explosive to begin with, now brimming with anger, he immediately struck, his large hand like a palm fan attacking Chen Ming’s chest.

This palm struck with anger, containing powerful true qi.

Chen Ming felt his breath slightly catch, knowing its power, he didn’t take it head-on, grabbing the long sword beside him, not bothering to unsheathe it, slashed towards the opponent’s palm, the true qi poised but not released.

Jin Jianxiong didn’t even regard this recently broken through young fellow in his eyes, not dodging, he grabbed the sword sheath.

"Let go——"

He was about to snatch Chen Ming’s sword, when the next instant, a scorching aura spread from the sword sheath, burning his palm intensely.

This——

Jin Jianxiong was shocked, instinctively releasing his grip as the sheath, like a venomous snake, struck, unable to dodge, his chest was already pierced by the sword. All he felt was intense pain at the point of impact, collapsing to the ground.

"Second brother!"

Beside him, Cao Jiahui was shocked and furious seeing his sworn brother defeated in one move, fearing Chen Ming might take his oath brother’s life, he immediately attacked, a dagger in hand, aiming straight for Chen Ming’s side.

This move attacking the point to be saved, could be said to be quite ruthless.

Hmph!

Chen Ming let out a cold humph, his figure retreating violently, avoiding this dangerous stab.

True qi moving, with a clang, the long sword was unsheathed, one move Fire Dance of the Prairie, the sword stance enveloped Cao Jiahui entirely.

Cao Jiahui was no ordinary figure, amidst dozens of sword shadows, accurately pinpointed the sword’s true form, thrusting his dagger out, the tip meeting the long sword.

With a ding, the long sword was deflected, Chen Ming stepping back several paces.

Cao Jiahui sneered coldly, knowing this young man’s weakness was insufficiently potent true qi——

Oh no!

Suddenly, his face changed dramatically, feeling fiery strands of true qi invading his meridians at his hand.

"This true qi——Supreme Divine Skill?"

Cao Jiahui felt his heart shatter, suddenly throwing his dagger and disappearing in a flash.

Chen Ming sidestepped, dodging the flying dagger, turning to find the man already gone.

He was stunned, "He actually just ran away?"

[You defeated a level 48 enemy, gaining 5500 experience points.]

Since he gained experience points, he naturally wouldn’t pursue. Just puzzled, despite the man having more potent true qi, why did he flee?

Then, Chen Ming looked at Jin Jianxiong, lying on the ground and staring at him with terrified eyes, asking, "Why did he run?"

Originally heavily injured, Jin Jianxiong, hearing this, in a fit of rage, vomited blood on the spot.

Killing someone is one thing, but attacking their spirit is another!

PS: Three updates requesting monthly votes.