"It’s just a small matter."

Chen Ming didn’t take it to heart. In a large forest, there are all kinds of birds.

In this world, there are people like Zhou Weihao, who are warm-hearted and keep their friends’ matters in mind. But there are also people like Li Qingchang, who get a bit of success and start showing off, eager for the entire world to know.

For people like this, he doesn’t even have the interest to slap them in the face.

Chen Ming changed the topic, "Brother Feng, your family has deep roots. Do you know anything about the Celestial Dao Alliance?"

He had just asked Gu Yuantao earlier, but Gu Yuantao didn’t know much either, just some common information he’d heard before.

Feng Siyuan clapped his hands and said, "You’ve asked the right person. There have been rumors recently that the Celestial Dao Alliance would send disciples to deal with the demon people of the Longevity Sect. I specially asked someone to inquire, but unfortunately, the disciples of the Celestial Dao Alliance never showed up. I didn’t get a chance to meet them."

There was a hint of regret in his tone.

Chen Ming thought to himself, in fact, the disciples of the Celestial Dao Alliance had not only come, but he had also met them.

"Although the Celestial Dao Alliance is the leader of the nine major sects and renowned throughout the world, most of the rumors about them are hearsay. Have you ever heard of any deeds of the Celestial Dao Alliance’s disciples in Jiangzhou?"

A few people in the yard, except for Gu Yuantao who was still daydreaming. Chen Ming and Zhang Mingyu listened intently, as if trying to recall, and then shook their heads.

They couldn’t recall any such specific rumors.

Feng Siyuan lowered his voice and said, "It’s said that the Celestial Dao Alliance’s actions are too domineering, making too many enemies. So for the past three hundred years, as long as disciples of the Celestial Dao Alliance went out for training, they would be ambushed by mysterious people. Even if the strong ones of the Celestial Dao Alliance retaliated afterwards, they couldn’t deter those people."

"These ambushes against the disciples of the Celestial Dao Alliance continued for many years. As a result, there were many battles between strong individuals of the Divine Treasure Realm, fighting until the sky and earth were dark."

"Later on, the high-level members of the Celestial Dao Alliance, in order to deter potential enemies, went on a killing spree, executing all those who participated in the ambushes, along with their sects and families. During that time, the entire Great Jin was covered in blood, and countless sects and families were wiped out."

"Such bloody massacres finally provoked a few old monsters who had been in seclusion to come out and battle the strong ones of the Celestial Dao Alliance. That battle was earth-shattering, turning mountains and rivers upside down. Numerous civilians were killed or injured. Eventually, the Great Jin royal family mediated and stopped the earth-shattering war."

Chen Ming and Zhang Mingyu looked at each other, feeling like they were listening to a myth, somewhat unreal.

Seeing their reaction, Feng Siyuan guessed their thoughts and chuckled, "I had the same reaction as you when I first heard this story. Then I specifically went to check the chronicles of various counties."

"Guess what? Many county chronicles recorded that three hundred years ago, there were several years of frequent natural disasters, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and rivers changing courses... causing the population of some counties to be halved. More terrifyingly, these disasters affected more than half of the provinces and counties of the Great Jin. If you don’t believe it, you can check."

Chen Ming pondered, with the Celestial Dao Alliance’s style, making enemies worldwide doesn’t seem surprising.

Zhang Mingyu couldn’t help but ask, "What happened afterwards?"

Feng Siyuan said, "Later, the Celestial Dao Alliance added a sect rule, never to intervene in the grievances among people of the martial world. Moreover, since then, the Celestial Dao Alliance’s disciples have acted extremely low-key, like a dragon that shows its head but not its tail." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

At this moment, Zhang Mingyu couldn’t help but ask, "Why must the disciples of the Celestial Dao Alliance go out for training? Can’t they just stay in the sect, perfect their martial arts, and come out later?"

Feng Siyuan said mysteriously, "Do you know why the Celestial Dao Alliance is so powerful, able to stand against the world with the strength of just one sect?"

Zhang Mingyu hurriedly asked, "Why?"

Feng Siyuan said, "Because the Celestial Dao Alliance is favored by the Dao of Heaven. They act as agents of the heavens, so they can harness the power of the Dao."

"Huh?"

Feng Siyuan continued, "However, not everyone can gain the favor of the Dao of Heaven. It must be someone impartial and selfless, with a sincere heart, who can master the Supreme Technique of the Celestial Dao Alliance. Moreover, once you’ve reached a certain level in cultivation, you must experience life in the mundane world to progress further."

Zhang Mingyu was dumbfounded, "In this world, is there really such a technique?"

Chen Ming suddenly remembered the changes in Su Zhining earlier that morning, and her serious gratitude afterwards. It seemed she had really made a breakthrough.

What is this, Heart and Nature Flow?

As long as the mind state improves, can strength also follow?

At this moment, Feng Siyuan said, "Haven’t you noticed? In Jiangzhou, most families are only a few hundred years old, with very few exceeding three hundred years. Even the Three Great Families and the Four Major Sects have all risen in the past two hundred years..."

At this point, Gu Yuantao finally finished his review, came over and suddenly said, "The Gu Family also only started to rise two hundred and fifty years ago."

This indirectly verified Feng Siyuan’s words.

...

After nightfall, Feng Siyuan and the other two had already left.

Chen Ming was looking at the "Divine Form Illusion" book, but after a while, he started to drift off. Finally, he shook his head and closed the book.

He could barely learn an Inner Strength technique from a manual. But a Body Technique was too complicated, with too many movements and various terms related to the Eight Trigrams Position, it was like reading a celestial book.

Just then, footsteps sounded from outside.

Chunxiang whispered, "Young master, Young Master Zhao is here."

Chen Ming got up and went out to see Zhao Xiyan standing in the yard, dressed in men’s clothes, holding her folding fan. The moonlight fell on her, and her gaze carried an unusual charm.

Compared to the first time they met, she had grown taller and older, her figure had become slender and tall, no longer a flat chest.

She stood in the yard, not entering the house, and said, "Are you going to deal with the Qi Family?"

In fact, although she had been to his house many times, she never entered his room, always staying in the yard with her personal maid.

This shows that she has a certain sense of propriety in some aspects.

Chen Ming sat down at the table and said, "They jumped out themselves, just in time to take care of them."

Zhao Xiyan said softly, "My father is taking me to Jiangzhou to meet an elder tomorrow. It might take ten days to half a month."

Zhao Shouchang’s decision to take her to Jiangzhou at this moment showed a clear attitude of not wanting her to get involved in the grievances between Chen Ming and Jin Yuansheng.

Chen Ming smiled, "No worries, go without concern."

Zhao Xiyan was a bit worried, "Qi Yanxiong is not simple, with many connections behind him. Can you handle it? Actually, if you could wait a bit, it would be easier when you reach the Fourth Grade."

"Qi Yanxiong is not stupid, how can he just sit and wait for death?"

"That’s true. In that case, be careful in everything. If it really doesn’t work, make peace with the Qi Family."

"Don’t worry, I have a plan."

"I have to go, I snuck out. If my father finds out, he’ll put me under house arrest again."

"Yes, go back."

Chen Ming watched her leave, the smile on his face slowly fading.

Suddenly, Su Zhining’s voice sounded from behind, "She suits you well."

"Thank you."

Chen Ming didn’t turn around; he was long used to her coming and going mysteriously.

"You don’t seem too happy?"

"No?." Chen Ming turned around and changed the topic, "I have many questions about ’Divine Form Illusion’. Could you offer some guidance, Miss Su?"

"Sure."

...

At the Qi Mansion, Qi Xingdong had just returned home when the butler stopped him, saying that the master wanted to see him.

He went straight to the study and asked anxiously as soon as he entered, "Father, how did it go?"

Qi Yanxiong sat in the grandmaster chair, his expression heavy, "Young people are hot-blooded and don’t even give face to a Third Grade expert."

Hearing this, Qi Xingdong’s heart sank halfway, and he asked, "Then, what should we do next?"

Qi Yanxiong saw his useless appearance, felt a burst of anger inside, but could only suppress it.

He had many sons, but none were successful. This third son was the only one he could rely on.

He said seriously, "Admiral Zhao will go to Jiangzhou tomorrow to report to his post, along with his daughter."

Qi Xingdong’s eyes lit up and he said excitedly, "So, the Lord Admiral doesn’t favor that brat? Haha, I told you, how could someone from such a poor background catch Lord Zhao’s eye?"

Qi Yanxiong’s face was indifferent as he said, "The situation is like this now; we have no other way out. I’ve contacted your fifth uncle, and you shouldn’t leave the house for the next few days."

Qi Xingdong was shocked when he heard "Fifth Uncle", "Do we really need Fifth Uncle to deal with that brat?"

"Fifth Uncle" was their Qi Family’s ultimate move, kept hidden for over a decade. Exposing Fifth Uncle just for Chen Ming seemed a bit not worth it.

Qi Yanxiong said, "Dong’er, remember, when a lion attacks a rabbit, it must use all its strength. Once you decide to act, you must use thunderous means; you can’t give the opponent any chance to breathe."

Although Qi Xingdong didn’t agree, he couldn’t oppose it either.