Chen Ming knew she was cultivating, and he could faintly sense the immense true qi within her, making her resemble an iceberg.

Earlier at the Six Gates, he had already experienced it firsthand. This Lord Du’s true qi attribute was icy, countering his own.

What she was cultivating was clearly an extremely advanced cultivation technique. Judging by her age, barely over thirty, her cultivation was already at the fourth grade, her talent was quite remarkable.

Zhao Xiyan mentioned that this Lord Du might reach the third grade within ten years. By then, she would be able to govern a region.

In any faction, high-level combat power is scarce. Even at the Six Gates, they wouldn’t hinder the path of advancement for a third-grade expert. Once the cultivation reaches the third grade, one can obtain a third-grade official position.

At that time, sent out to a certain county, one would become the chief officer of that area, wielding the power of life and death.

Soon, people came flooding in to register.

Chen Ming didn’t have much time to think, began harvesting experience points, even though one person only provided forty points, the sheer number of people made up for it.

The number of people registering today was even greater than yesterday.

Soon, he heard a familiar name, "Gao Chenghao." This was the grandson of Gao Mingchuan; this person’s strength was considerable, at level thirty-four, providing him with four hundred experience points.

By afternoon, the sons of Jin Jianxiong and Cao Jiahui also arrived.

Chen Ming kept his promise, allowed them to pass, and gave them number plates.

...

A day quickly passed, and it was almost dark.

Du Caiyue sat there all day, not moving a bit, neither eating nor drinking, like a stone. Her perseverance impressed Chen Ming greatly.

In any case, he couldn’t manage that.

Until it ended, Chen Ming called her to leave, only then she opened her eyes, stood up, and returned to the carriage with him.

After the carriage had been moving for a while, Du Caiyue suddenly asked, "What is the point of doing this?"

This question showed that although she was practicing, she was paying attention to Chen Ming.

Chen Ming smiled and said, "To you, perhaps this matter is pointless. But to Chen, it is quite different."

Du Caiyue looked at him with a cold gaze, awaiting his explanation.

Chen Ming opened the carriage window, watching the trees outside swiftly retreat, slowly said, "Maybe you don’t know, when I first began learning martial arts, I couldn’t grasp it at all, back then Sun Shicai taught me, considered me mediocre, and thus ignored me. I wasted several years because of this.

"It wasn’t until I was twenty that I returned to Huo Mansion to become a sparring partner for those who had just started learning martial arts. By exchanging blows with different people, I gradually grasped the mysteries of the Martial Dao, and my cultivation progressed.

"I think there must be many like me who learn martial arts, so I try my best to recruit many young people, spending time helping them start their exploration of the Martial Dao.

"What I’m doing now is the same; I hope those with talent and perseverance, even if they lack cultivation, won’t be overlooked, and I wish they can find a worthy teacher, that’s all."

Du Caiyue sneered, "Do you think that by doing this they’ll be grateful to you? If they truly become disciples of those two third-grade masters, given the chance they’ll definitely trample you underfoot."

Chen Ming said calmly, "If the initial intention of doing something is to gain gratitude, then don’t do it. I help them, what does that have to do with them?"

This statement made Du Caiyue look deeply at him, her sneer finally vanished, and she became serious, "I will definitely advise Yan’er to stay far away from you. People like you are either genuinely benevolent and altruistic or treacherous villains masked as loyal men."

"..."

Women in their thirties are not so easily fooled, such a waste of breath.

Chen Ming was just making up a reason to cover the fact that he had a system, not expecting to receive such an evaluation.

He was about to speak when he suddenly saw a sharp look in Du Caiyue’s eyes, a warning.

What does it mean?

Though puzzled, Chen Ming complied and didn’t speak further.

The surroundings were so quiet!

Even the wind had stopped.

His heart tightened; he realized something, softly warning, "Mingkai, be careful!"

At that moment, accompanied by the shrill sound of horses’ whinnies, the carriage suddenly overturned.

Chen Ming reacted quickly, smashed the carriage window, landed on the ground, and saw seven or eight black-clad figures emerge from the surrounding woods, surrounding him.

These figures wore masks, only exposing a pair of blood-red eyes.

One of them spoke with a raspy voice, "This person is required by the demon lord; remember, take him alive."

Demon lord?

What the heck is that?

Chen Ming tightly gripped his sword hilt, his face stern, joining up with Wang Mingkai who had just dismounted.

"You must have mistaken me for someone else? Chen Ming acknowledges no enmity with you. Why ambush me here?"

As he spoke, he allocated all the experience points he had gained today to his cultivation technique.

Altogether, more than forty-two thousand points.

[Level: 42]

[Current Points: 0]

[Cultivation Technique: "Iron Horse Stance" (Fifth Level Perfection), "Three Yang Body Refining Skill" (Ninth Layer Perfection), "Six Yang Qi Cultivation Skill" (First Level 79652/100000)]

[Martial Skill: "Three Talents Fist" (Mastery), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastery), Zhuang’s Flying Knife (Mastery), Swallow Returning Sword Technique (Mastery), "Vermilion Bird Swordsmanship" (Proficient 91321/200000)]

Chen Ming only felt that the true qi within him erupted like lava, his body trembling uncontrollably, his skin visibly turning red.

The person who spoke earlier said sinisterly, "Once you’re in Hell, ask King Yan why, now attack!"

The eight black-clad men immediately lunged at the two of them.

"All of them are sixth grade!"

Chen Ming’s heart sank; just by observing their body technique, he judged their cultivation.

Sending eight sixth-grade practitioners to deal with him, they really overestimated him!

At this moment, he couldn’t even consider Du Caiyue still hidden in the carriage, facing eight enemies leaves no room for distraction.

The only thing he could rely on was the sword in his hand!

In the midst of lightning-fast light and fire, the two quickest enemies had approached, and through those blood-red eyes, he could see the madness and hunger lurking within.

Like two ravenous wolves.

At this moment, the surging true qi within Chen Ming hadn’t completely settled; he forcefully circulated his true qi, swept his sword horizontally, executing a move "Flowing Fire Shocking Sky" towards the foremost two.

Clang!

The sword deflected one of their swords; then, thrust into the chest of the other.

At the same time, his shoulder was slashed.

"Ah!"

A cry of agony came from nearby Wang Mingkai.

In just an instant, he died tragically on the spot.

Chen Ming hardened his heart, focusing entirely on the enemies before him.

[You have killed an LV40 enemy, gaining 20000 experience points]

"Add points!"

He didn’t have time to check the experience points; he directly allocated them to the "Vermilion Bird Swordsmanship."

Once the points were added, his mind roared.

Chen Ming braced himself, swinging the sword again, using the move "Blazing Soul Dragon Binding," blocking the swords from the third and fourth opponents, his foot delivering a swift and fierce upward kick.

Bang!

This kick, infused with his true qi at full force, sent the second opponent flying.

[You have killed an LV40 enemy, gaining 20000 experience points]

One hit, one kill!

Meanwhile, the fifth opponent arrived, and his back was slashed, burning with pain.

"Add again!"

Chen Ming roared frantically, once more allocating the newly gained experience points to the "Vermilion Bird Swordsmanship."

For a moment, he felt his brain was bursting with comprehension of sword techniques coming out of nowhere.

His eyes also turned crimson, becoming crazed.

PS: Took care of something in the morning, after lunch, coded five thousand six hundred words, two Chapters combined, requesting monthly votes.