Chapter 161: Chapter 155: Mingfeng Sword (Part 2)

Yu Haitang held the Mingfeng Sword without withdrawing her hand and said, "Because you are different from him."

"What’s different?"

Chen Ming was genuinely curious. It is said that "three’s a charm." He couldn’t figure out why she was so insistent on giving him a sword, even though he had already refused her twice.

Is this how you recruit a subordinate?

Normally, people would think, if a treasure sword can’t win you over, I’ll try another method. But she insisted on giving it, stubbornly refusing to back down.

Yu Haitang said, "Because within you lies the ’Profound Fire True Skill.’

What?

Chen Ming was a bit confused and was about to refute her when he heard her say, "Oh, it also goes by another name, the ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill.’"

He shook his head and said, "What ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill’? You must be mistaken, young lady. The cultivation technique I practice was obtained by chance, and it’s called ’Six Yang Qi Cultivation Skill.’

Yu Haitang smiled slightly, her slender fingers lightly raised, and a wisp of light green True Qi gathered at her fingertips, giving off an aura full of vitality.

This is—

Chen Ming’s eyes slightly narrowed. When that wisp of True Qi appeared, the True Qi within his body became a bit restless and was actually affected by her True Qi.

Seeing his shock, Yu Haitang’s smile on her lips became more evident, "Don’t be surprised, what I cultivate is the ’Profound Wood True Skill.’ It shares the same origin as your ’Profound Fire True Skill’ and will naturally resonate. When I first saw you, I sensed the True Qi within you."

"..."

Suddenly, Chen Ming thought of the ’Taiyin Scripture,’ a Pure Yin Technique that can merge with the ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill’ to become a new Cultivation Technique, the ’Yin Yang True Skill.’

Could the ’Profound Wood True Skill’ she cultivates also merge with the ’Yin Yang True Skill?’

Seeing him remain silent, Yu Haitang continued, "I guess that the Third Grade always by your side, and that Celestial Dao Alliance disciple, are both after your ’Profound Fire True Skill.’

Chen Ming was genuinely surprised by this.

She even knew about Su Zhining and that mysterious woman in red?

This woman was truly unpredictable.

Suddenly, Yu Haitang said somewhat coyly, "My lord, how long do you want me to present this?"

Chen Ming looked at the sword in her hand held before him, hesitated no longer, and reached out to take it.

Since the conversation had reached this point, he didn’t mind making the waters a bit murkier.

After all, the ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill’ within him had already attracted a Shang Jianfei, a top-grade strong practitioner from the Celestial Dao Alliance, and a mysterious woman in red. One more Yu Haitang wouldn’t matter.

It’s like having so many lice that the bites no longer matter.

As he grasped the sword, a peculiar feeling surged in his heart, as if the sword was directly connected to his bloodline, and the True Qi within was jubilant.

"It seems she wasn’t just making up stories. This sword might really have some connection to the Phoenix Divine Bird."

His True Qi was of Fire Attribute, perfectly compatible with the sword.

Just like Fan Dongsheng’s ’Flaming Dragon Spear,’ this Mingfeng Sword seemed tailor-made for him, enhancing his swordsmanship power by one or two levels.

Within the Fifth Grade, there might not be many who could match him.

Chen Ming couldn’t help but feel a surge of heroic spirit.

Seeing he finally accepted the sword, Yu Haitang’s face showed a satisfied smile and said, "Once the Cyan Cloud Ranking competition is over, you can come to find me."

"Thank you, young lady, for the gift of the sword."

Chen Ming bowed and was about to leave when he stopped suddenly.

Yu Haitang had already lifted her tea, asking, "Anything else?"

He asked, "May I ask, were those two maids punished?"

He had noticed upon entering that the two maids were not by her side.

Yu Haitang said indifferently, "If they failed in their tasks, they naturally need to be punished."

She gently put down the teacup and looked up, her eyes exuding authority, "Why, do you wish to plead for them?"

"I—"

"It’s too late. They’ve already had their legs broken and were sent to a farm outside the city to be slaves."

Her casual tone sent a chill through Chen Ming. Despite leaving the tavern, that chill lingered.

He had always known that in such a class-stratified world, those at the top wouldn’t view those at the bottom as people. Still, it was shocking to see the celestial-like Yu Haitang be so cold and ruthless to her closest maids.

The two maids merely failed to deliver the sword; was that really a crime?

Moreover, they were her closest maids. Even with pets, after long companionship, feelings develop, right?

Chen Ming felt deeply uncomfortable. After stepping out of the tavern door, he suddenly turned back, calling out to Ji Qianxing, "Brother Ji, could I ask a favor?"

Ji Qianxing looked at him, eyes indifferent.

...

Night had fallen.

Outside Jiangzhou City, about a dozen miles east, there was an estate, with two riders swiftly approaching under the cover of darkness.

One of the riders was a middle-aged manager, and the other was Chen Ming.

"Open the door!"

After the middle-aged manager knocked on the large gate, he took the lantern from the gatekeeper and led Chen Ming into the estate.

The middle-aged manager called over the estate manager and asked, "Where are the two female slaves sent over last night?"

"In the back courtyard."

"Bring them here."

Chen Ming interjected, "No need, take us there."

The middle-aged manager quickly corrected himself, "Lead the way."

The estate manager led them to the back courtyard, to a woodshed where Chen Ming saw two figures lying on firewood, clothed in coarse fabric.

He could hardly recognize the two pale-faced, disheveled, bloodstained figures as the radiant maids he had seen the previous days.

The eyes of the two girls on the ground slowly moved to Chen Ming, finally showing some light, their lips moving slightly, "Chen... my lord—"

"Don’t speak."

Chen Ming took off his cloak, tore it in half, and covered them. He turned to the manager and said, "Arrange for a carriage, I want to take them away."

Tears the size of beans rolled down the cheeks of the two girls upon hearing this.

...

A carriage slowly headed toward Jiangzhou City.

Inside the carriage, the two maids had been cleaned, changed into new clothes, and their hair had been neatly combed. Splints were fastened to their legs.

Their leg bones had been broken and reset, and Chen Ming had prepared the splints for them to prevent displacement.

Chen Ming sat in the carriage, looking at the two girls whose faces still had traces of tears, and sighed internally.

If he couldn’t help, he could harden his heart and remain ignorant.

But now that he had accepted the sword Yu Haitang gave, they could be seen as part of the same faction, and rescuing them was just a matter of words; he couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

Seeing their stabilized emotions, Chen Ming asked, "What are your names?"

"This servant is Lan’Er."

"This servant is Zhu’Er."

"I’ve told your lady that I’m taking you in. Would you be willing to follow me?"

Chen Ming intended to set them free. However, Yu Haitang wouldn’t agree, as they had been with her too long and knew too much. The options were either death or staying by his side, with no other choices.

The two girls attempted to rise but were restrained by him.

"We are willing, my lord." Tears began to fall again from their eyes.

"Very well."

Chen Ming knew they didn’t want to return to the farm to be slaves and said, "In that case, you cannot use your previous names any longer. I’ll give you new ones."

He pointed to the girl in blue, "From now on, you’ll be called Qiuxiang."

Then he pointed to the girl in yellow, "You’ll be called Dongxiang."

"Thank you, my lord, for giving us names."

...

Jiangzhou City’s gates were never closed, as there was a top-grade strong practitioner stationed inside, making it unnecessary to close them.

Any who dared to invade must be of the same level of strength, and to them, the gates were mere decoration. As for small-time thieves who could be stopped by the gates, they were simply heading to their deaths if they came.

This was quite different from Qingfeng City.

By the time Chen Ming returned to the Feng Mansion, it was nearly midnight.

Feng Siyuan hadn’t slept yet. Seeing the two beauties on the carriage, he couldn’t help but laugh, "I thought Brother Chen had a heart of stone. Turns out he’s also someone who appreciates beauty."

The implication being, why hadn’t he acted sooner?

Chen Ming ignored him and settled the two newly acquired maids in the adjoining courtyard, instructing them to recover well.

Just as he returned to his small courtyard, he saw Su Zhining in white clothing, her presence exuding a clear and transparent aura, like a treasure sword unsheathed, waiting for him within.

She looked directly at Chen Ming and earnestly said, "Let’s have another match."