Chapter 55: Seventh Grade
The wine was almost finished.
After putting down his cup, Guan Peng, riding on the warmth of the alcohol, said boldly, “Brother Chen, our last spar was already a year and a half ago. Today, I’d like to seek your guidance again.”
“Nothing could please me more.”
Chen Ming smiled.
Immediately, the two of them moved to a more spacious courtyard nearby and assumed their stances.
Chen Ming said, “Brother Guan, please.”
Guan Peng’s gaze sharpened. “Brother Chen, be careful. This ‘Wave-Splitting Saber Technique’ of mine emphasizes unstoppable momentum. When I was at sea, every time great waves approached, I’d leap off the ship and face them head-on. That’s how I developed this technique.”
Hearing this, Chen Ming grew interested and said, “Come, then.”
“Watch the blade!”
Guan Peng stepped forward, raising his long saber high overhead before chopping down with it.
Even before the blade arrived, Chen Ming felt an oppressive aura rushing at him.
He praised, “Good technique!”
It seemed Guan Peng had been completely reborn during those months at sea.
Just that one strike alone would already place him among the stronger Eight Grade martial artists.
Moreover, his saber carried a murderous edge.
That meant—his blade had tasted blood!
No one knew what he had gone through during his two sea journeys.
Chen Ming, ever rich in combat experience, understood one thing clearly—he must not let Guan Peng build momentum.
Otherwise, once that force kept accumulating, Guan Peng himself wouldn’t be able to stop, and blood would inevitably be shed before it ended.
Thus, he broke from his usual style and chose to meet it head-on.
He lifted his saber to intercept.
Clang!
A loud clash rang out as the two blades collided violently, sparks flying.
Guan Peng was pushed back a step, battle spirit surging even higher in his eyes. His saber form shifted again—Wave-Breaking Style!
His momentum climbed another level.
On the sidelines, Deng Ziyang and Zhuang Xiaotian watched with wide eyes, their hearts filled with an indescribable sense of loss.
Back then, the two of them had passed the martial examination, while Guan Peng had unexpectedly failed.
To be honest, they’d felt both sympathy and a bit of superiority. Yet over a year had passed, and Guan Peng had advanced to the Eighth Grade ahead of them, even mastering such a formidable saber technique—leaving them far behind.
One could imagine how disheartened they felt.
Clang!
Another loud impact snapped them out of their thoughts.
They focused their gaze again and saw Guan Peng retreating two steps. His long saber buzzed, a noticeable chip on the blade’s edge.
Guan Peng sighed and smiled bitterly. “I lost.”
Neither of them expected him to concede so easily. But upon closer look, they saw the webbing of his hand had split open, blood seeping out—he couldn’t even grip his saber properly anymore.
This clearly showed how great the gap in their strength was.
Deng Ziyang and Zhuang Xiaotian looked at Chen Ming, a question forming in their minds:
Just how strong has he become?
Chen Ming said, “I merely have a slightly higher cultivation than you and used brute force to suppress you. Your saber technique is too aggressive—either the enemy dies, or I do. I couldn’t afford to let your momentum build. Otherwise, even I wouldn’t be confident in taking it head-on.”
Guan Peng admired him. “You saw through the core of my saber technique the moment I made a move. That insight is truly impressive.”
Zhuang Xiaotian tried to smooth things over. “You probably didn’t know this, but ever since Brother Chen broke through to the Eighth Grade, he’s been challenging others left and right. He’s earned a reputation as a martial arts fanatic. The number of Eighth Grades who’ve sparred with him is at least twenty or thirty.”
Guan Peng suddenly said, “Brother Chen, you must be close to reaching the Seventh Grade, right?”
At these words, both Deng Ziyang and Zhuang Xiaotian were taken aback.
They instinctively turned to look at Chen Ming.
They saw him smile slightly and say, “Brother Guan, your insight is accurate.”
The two were momentarily stunned.
He didn’t deny it.
Which meant—he really was close to breaking through to the Seventh Grade.
It had only been a few months?
Seven months? Or eight?
Less than a year, and he was about to leap another grade?
This was just too outrageous.
Guan Peng was also stunned. He had merely been testing, yet Chen Ming admitted it outright.
Seventh Grade…
He spoke hoarsely, “Brother Chen, you truly are bold and diligent. Your rate of progress is no less than that of the core disciples from the great sects.”
“You flatter me.”
…
Near dusk, Chen Ming left the Deng Residence and was on his way home when he unexpectedly got stuck on the road.
He asked the coachman, “What’s going on up ahead?”
The coachman replied, “I heard that Lord Prefect is hosting a banquet at Snow Goose Tower for the newly appointed Inspector-General. Too many people came for the feast and blocked the road.”
Chen Ming could only shake his head. In this world, a traffic jam was even harder to clear than on Earth.
All he could do was wait.
He opened his panel.
【Level: 29】
【Current Points: 100】
【Cultivation Techniques: Iron Horse Stance (Fifth Level – Perfected), Three Suns Body Tempering (Sixth Level – 29576/30000)】
【Martial Skills: Three Talents Fist (Mastered), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastered), Zhuang’s Flying Knife (Mastered), Swallow Returns Sword Technique (Proficient – 434/10000)】
This was the result of his past half year of effort.
He had advanced from the Fourth Level of Three Suns Body Tempering to the Sixth, and now was just a hair’s breadth away from the Seventh Level.
Once he broke through, he’d immediately step into the Seventh Grade.
Over the past six months, as his social circle expanded, he had gotten to know more and more Eighth Grade martial artists and had more opportunities to spar.
On average, he earned three to four hundred experience points a day.
In half a year, he had accumulated nearly sixty thousand points.
Thinking back now, it hadn’t been easy.
Now, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say he had friends all over the city.
There wasn’t a single Eighth Grade martial artist in all of Qingfeng City he didn’t know.
Oh—there was now.
The newly appointed Inspector-General of the Six Doors would surely bring his own entourage.
“Isn’t this Brother Chen’s carriage?”
Just as Chen Ming was thinking that, he heard a familiar voice outside. Lifting the curtain, he saw someone and greeted him with a smile. “Ah, Brother Wang! How have you been?”
The man was named Wang Wentao, an illegitimate son of the nominal head of one of the maritime merchant families.
He was twenty-five years old, an Eighth Grade cultivator, and apprenticed under a Fifth Grade expert. He was someone who enjoyed making friends.
Wang Wentao’s carriage wasn’t far away. He disembarked and boarded Chen Ming’s carriage, asking, “Are you also on your way to Lord Zhao’s banquet?”
“I’m not. I was on my way home and got stuck here.”
“Want to come with me and take a look?”
“No need. I’d rather not join that crowd.”
Chen Ming wasn’t very interested.
They weren’t part of the same social circle, and he didn’t want to force his way in.
People called it social climbing, but honestly, wasn’t it just sucking up? And even if you wanted to be some big shot’s lapdog, they might not even care to look at you.
He had never taken the initiative to befriend those from other social classes.
Wang Wentao knew his nature and didn’t press the issue. Instead, he brought up another matter. “Do you remember your fiancée? I heard she’s about to marry into the Su Family.”
Chen Ming asked in surprise, “Didn’t she already get married a long time ago?”
“You didn’t know? Half a year ago, a gang of pirates broke into the Zhang Family. Only a few servants were injured, but the old madam of the house was so frightened that she passed away shortly afterward. Because of the mourning period, the wedding was postponed. But just a few months into mourning, her uncle rushed to marry her off to the Su Family.”
“Oh.”
So that was what had happened.
Chen Ming hadn’t really paid attention to the Zhang Family’s affairs and was hearing about this for the first time. He felt no particular emotion.
Wang Wentao grinned. “Want me to step in and wreck their marriage plans?”
“No need. It’s not worth it.”
Chen Ming declined the offer.
Mainly because he didn’t want to owe someone a favor over something so trivial.
Wang Wentao responded cheerfully, “Alright. But if you ever change your mind, just say the word. I’ll make sure that ungrateful woman never gets married in her lifetime.”