Outside the Chen Mansion, in the alley, Zhong Shuyu, who couldn’t move, saw the young lady stop speaking again, feeling even more anxious.

What does a breakthrough during a confrontation mean?

Why not continue talking?

What’s happening inside?

She was so worried she could die; suddenly, her vision blurred, and the young lady disappeared into thin air. She was shocked. What is the young lady doing?

Instinctively, she wanted to shout, but found the restrictions on her were still there, unable to move or make a sound.

A sense of foreboding grew within her...

...

In the courtyard, Sword Qi was everywhere.

Third Brother Wan felt like he was in a furnace; with each slash breaking through Sword Qi, a strand of scorching True Qi invaded his body, burning his meridians.

At first, his strong internal True Qi could easily dissolve this foreign True Qi. But as time passed, he realized things weren’t so simple.

More and more True Qi invaded his body, and he realized how insidious and troublesome the opponent’s True Qi was. Unbeknownst to him, some of his meridians were already damaged.

He was both shocked and angry, thinking, "What cultivation technique has this brat been practicing?"

Third Brother Wan’s real surname wasn’t Wan but Qi. His father and Qi Yanxiong were distant cousins, originally not acquainted.

His family was poor, losing his father at a young age. To make a living, he went to work on a ship in his teens, only to encounter pirates on his first voyage. Due to his young age, he was taken to the pirate’s lair.

Later, he relied on his cleverness and outstanding Martial Dao talent, becoming sworn father to a pirate leader.

Years passed, and he became a small leader among pirates. When he returned home to visit his mother, he learned his mother had been receiving help from a distantly related uncle. He went to express thanks.

That uncle was Qi Yanxiong, and since then, Qi Yanxiong secretly supported him, providing information, cultivation techniques, martial skills...

Third Brother Qi’s achievements today were inseparable from Qi Yanxiong’s tremendous support. If not for the excellent cultivation technique Qi Yanxiong provided, he wouldn’t have broken through to the fifth grade at less than forty years old.

It was thanks to his immensely thick True Qi that he rarely encountered defeat at sea, even beating fellow martial artists of the same rank, gaining quite a reputation. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Who would have thought he’d be suppressed by a youngster who just broke through to the fifth grade today?

How could he not be shocked?

Now, Third Brother Wan—no, Third Brother Qi no longer thought of capturing the opponent, only thinking of finding an opportunity to escape.

Things were different on land compared to the sea.

The sea is vast; when encountering enemies, once engaged, there are only two outcomes—death or submission. There’s no place to run, even if your Lightweight Skill is high.

But now, on land, there must be a chance!

Third Brother Qi was full of ambition; how could he accept dying here?

At a moment of distraction, a sword light sliced from an unexpected angle.

Startled, he hurriedly withdrew, but at the critical moment, the damaged meridian slowed the flow of his True Qi, causing his movement to delay slightly.

This brief moment cost him dearly.

In a flash of sword light, his right hand holding the knife was cut off at the wrist.

"Ah—"

Third Brother Qi let out a painful howl, like a wounded beast.

Just when he thought he was doomed, the sword paused at his throat, and Chen Ming said, "You lost!"

Third Brother Qi felt a renewed hope, using a hoarse voice to say, "I acknowledge defeat! I’m at your disposal."

As a pirate, submitting to strength was not shameful; since becoming a pirate, he had submitted to seven or eight people.

Then, he saw a satisfied smile on Chen Ming’s face, who said, "Good, I want to fight you again, pick up the knife."

"Ah?"

This request left Liu Old Three stunned, unable to comprehend.

...

On the rooftop, the red-dressed woman stared intently at Chen Ming in the courtyard, eyes blazing as if looking at a rare treasure.

"That’s it, he must be concurrently practicing the ’Taiyin Scripture,’ otherwise, it’s impossible for him to progress so quickly, the fifth level of the ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill’... no wonder Uncle Shang valued him so highly..."

Her emotions surged within her, momentarily uncontrollable.

Previously, she had never pinned her hopes on Chen Ming because of one simple reason, solitary yang does not last. The ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill’ is a Supremely Yang and Firm cultivation technique and is extremely difficult to practice.

It wasn’t evident at the Body Refining Stage, but once reaching the sixth grade, cultivating Pure Yang True Qi often takes a long time to break through to the next level, sometimes even a lifetime without breaking through.

The last person to practice the ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill’ to the third grade was Divine General Xu, who was exceptionally talented and had used cleverness to barely reach the third grade. As a result, his cultivation couldn’t progress any further.

To master this cultivation technique requires a naturally Pure Yang body; ordinary people can’t possibly master it.

For this reason, when the red-dressed woman discovered Chen Ming had broken through to the fifth grade, she was so excited.

In fact, she had already found someone with a Pure Yang body, keeping him around for nearly ten years. After acquiring the ’Fiery Sun Divine Skill,’ she immediately sent it over for him to start cultivating.

The progress in the past few months has been rapid.

At this speed, breaking through to the third grade within ten years is promising.

Of course, she had placed all her hopes on this person.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ming gave her such a significant surprise. Even after cultivating True Qi, his progress was astonishing.

From sixth grade to fifth grade, he took less than a year.

Previously, she thought the kid had switched to another cultivation technique, which is why she came in person to confirm this.

Seeing with her own eyes, Chen Ming indeed had Pure Yang True Qi in him.

This was simply a huge surprise, leaving her somewhat unable to control her emotions.

"With his current progress, maybe in less than five years, he’ll have a chance to reach the third grade!"

Thinking of this made the red-dressed woman’s heart race even more.

She suddenly regretted not trying to recruit him last time; in a moment of hesitation, she didn’t take action.

Fortunately, it’s not too late now.

While the red-dressed woman’s thoughts fluctuated, she saw Chen Ming below cut off ’Third Brother Wan’s’ left hand in just a dozen moves.

The gesture was as if a cat toyed with a mouse. Clearly, he intended to slowly play his enemy to death, the smile on his face looked so cruel.

This personality was very much to her liking.

"Kill me—"

With both hands severed, ’Third Brother Wan’ was utterly hopeless, knowing the opponent was toying with him.

Chen Ming thrusted his sword into his chest, ending his evil life.

[You killed an LV56 enemy, gained 50,000 experience points]

Fifty thousand points!

Plus, defeating him twice before, one thousand each time, and one five hundred, totaling up to sixty-five thousand points. Quite a bit.

Chen Ming wiped the blood off his sword, sheathed it, and looked at the roof opposite, finding it empty.

He was somewhat puzzled, "I clearly felt someone was there just now."

Could it be Du Caiyue?

Since there was no attack, it was naturally not an enemy. Most likely, Zhao Xiyan requested Du Caiyue to protect him before leaving.

Chen Ming asked, "Did Miss Su see the person on the roof just now?"

After a moment, when he thought Su Zhining wouldn’t respond, she finally spoke, "That was a third grade."

Third grade?

Chen Ming was stunned.

...

In the alley, Zhong Shuyu, who had been waiting anxiously, finally saw the young lady return, "Miss—"

Upon speaking, she realized she could talk again.

"Let’s go."

The red-dressed woman flicked her sleeve, using True Qi to lift her, and flew away from this place, not giving her a chance to speak.

In the air, Zhong Shuyu couldn’t make a sound.

A moment later.

The two returned to the courtyard.

Suddenly, the red-dressed woman said, "I want you to go by his side and accompany him, do you want to?"

"Ah?"

Zhong Shuyu was initially stunned, then her breath became rapid, face full of anticipation and anxiety, "Miss... he... he... he’s okay?"

"He’s not dead, and killed ’Old Third Wan’ and the others. There’s a powerful expert by his side."

Zhong Shuyu couldn’t help but cry tears of joy.