I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 155 The Phoenix Sword

This battle made it clear to everyone present that Chen Ming's strength was unparalleled among the seven, and no one could match him.

If he defeats the other three undefeated players, he will become the sixth person of the younger generation in Jiangzhou City.

When Chen Ming left the field and heard the comments from others, he almost couldn't hold back. His lips twitched. "I became the best six?"

This statement isn't entirely wrong, since among the peers in Jiangzhou City, there are five even more extraordinary individuals, including a 25-year-old fourth-rank cultivator who is a realm higher than everyone else present.

The difference is just too great; they're not even on the same level.

However, the term "sixth man" sounds awful; it must be dropped in the future.

The rest of the match was rather uneventful.

Anyone with a discerning eye who has watched a few days of matches will have a good understanding of each player's abilities and can generally guess who will win even before the two players face off.

The only match worth watching is Chen Ming's, who will face Li Yuqi of the Wushan Sect in his next match. Neither of them has ever been defeated, making it a true clash of the strongest.

Li Yuqi uses a sword technique that is wide and sweeping, and he is the same person who defeated Fan Dongsheng before. His strength can be said to be top-notch.

Everyone thought this battle would be somewhat suspenseful, but it turned out to be no different from Chen Ming's previous battles. From the scene, the two seemed to be evenly matched, and Li Yuqi even seemed to have a slight advantage.

In reality, Chen Ming firmly controlled the rhythm of the battle, and after more than thirty moves, he won by a narrow margin.

It was as if Li Yuqi was no different from his other opponents.

Only then did everyone realize that his strength was truly unfathomable, probably far surpassing that of Li Yuqi and the others.

……

When all the matches were over today, only two players remained undefeated: Chen Ming and Jiang Shihua.

Huang Zhuochen met Ji Qianxing today and narrowly lost by one move.

After three days of competition, the situation has become clearer. The three people with the best chance of making it onto the Qingyun List are Chen Ming, Jiang Shihua, and Ji Qianxing.

Ji Qianxing has only lost one match so far, but he didn't play in that match and voluntarily conceded. It's said that it was because his brother owed the other party a debt, so he didn't want to fight him.

There's also some gossip about Ji Baichuan, who was the top-ranked contestant on the previous Qingyun List. Rumor has it that the woman was engaged to Ji Baichuan, but he broke off the engagement a few years ago.

That's why Ji Qianxing didn't have the face to fight back.

On their way back, Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao were chatting about this gossip.

"It is said that after Ji Baichuan topped the Qingyun Ranking, he went out to train and met a woman of extraordinary talent and beauty. He fell in love with her at first sight. After returning, he broke off his engagement with the He family and has remained unmarried ever since."

"Who exactly is that woman? Some say she's one of the most beautiful women on the list, while others say she's a noble lady from a prominent family in the capital."

"Who knows..."

As the two were talking, the carriage suddenly stopped. Before the driver could speak, Ji Qianxing's voice came, "Young Master Chen, my master invites you to come and meet him."

The people on the bus fell silent and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Previously, they thought Ji Qianxing had fallen into depravity by acknowledging someone else as his master, and they found it quite distasteful. However, after witnessing his strength, they no longer dared to underestimate him.

Instead, they were more curious about his master.

What kind of person could make him willingly acknowledge him as his master?

Chen Ming pushed open the carriage door, stepped down, and said politely, "Thank you for leading the way, Brother Ji."

Ji Qianxing remained aloof, clutching the sword in her arms, and walked towards the nearby restaurant.

This restaurant is not the same one as last time; it's much bigger and more luxurious.

It was already evening, and there was no one in the shop.

Chen Ming noticed that there were four people guarding the entrance of the restaurant, preventing others from entering. These four men were capable and clearly not weaklings.

Upon entering the restaurant, it was found to be completely empty.

He followed Ji Qianxing up to the second floor and arrived at the door of a private room.

Ji Qianxing stopped at the door and reported, "Miss, the person has been brought."

"Invite him in."

"Yes."

The door opened, and Chen Ming saw the stunningly beautiful woman again. Today, she was wearing a light blue dress, and her beautiful eyes looked at him, causing his heart to pound uncontrollably.

Even though it wasn't the first time he'd seen it, he was still incredibly amazed.

He cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, young lady. May I ask what brings you here, young lady?"

Yu Haitang stared at him for a while, then suddenly reached for a sword on the table and said, "I sent someone to deliver the sword to you a couple of days ago, but you refused to accept it. I've thought about it and I think you must feel that I wasn't sincere enough. So, I'm personally delivering the sword to you today."

Before he could speak, she continued, "This sword is named Mingfeng. It was forged by the Shenyuan Pavilion at the behest of the previous dynasty's royal family a thousand years ago. It is said that the soul of a phoenix was incorporated into it, and it was once ranked first on the list of divine weapons by the number one shop in the world. Unfortunately, in the Battle of Shenjing five hundred years ago, the sword's primordial spirit was destroyed, and the sword broke in two. Later, a princess of this dynasty ordered a master craftsman to reconnect the two broken pieces. I obtained this sword by chance and quite like it. Today, I will give it to you."

After she finished speaking, she handed over the sword.

Chen Ming said somewhat helplessly, "Miss already has someone as talented as Brother Ji under her command. Why bother looking for me?"

Yu Haitang held the Mingfeng Sword tightly, saying, "Because you are different from him."

"What's the difference?"

Chen Ming was genuinely curious. They say things shouldn't happen more than three times, and he really couldn't understand why she was still so insistent on giving him a sword the third time, even though he had already rejected her twice.

Is this how you take over subordinates?

A normal person would think, "Since the sword can't move you, I'll try another way." But she wouldn't; she insisted on giving it to him, stubborn as a mule.

Yu Haitang said, "Because you possess the 'Mysterious Fire True Skill'."

What the hell?
Chen Ming was a little confused and was about to refute when he heard her say, "Oh, it also has another name, something like 'Blazing Sun Divine Skill'."

He shook his head and said, "What 'Blazing Sun Divine Skill'? Miss, you must have mistaken me for someone else. The skill I practice was obtained by chance, and it's called 'Six Yang Nourishing Qi Skill'."

Yu Haitang smiled slightly, raised her slender fingers, and a wisp of light green true energy condensed at her fingertips, giving people a sense of vitality.

This is--

Chen Ming's eyes narrowed slightly. When that wisp of true energy appeared, the true energy within his body stirred slightly, actually being affected by her true energy.

Yu Haitang noticed his shock, and her smile widened. "Don't be surprised. I cultivate the 'Mysterious Wood True Skill.' It shares the same origin as your 'Mysterious Fire True Skill,' so we can sense each other naturally. I sensed the true energy within you the first time I saw you."

"..."

Chen Ming suddenly thought of the "Taiyin True Scripture," a pure Yin technique that could be combined with the "Blazing Yang Divine Skill" to create a new technique called "Two Elements True Skill."

Could her cultivation of the "Mysterious Wood True Skill" also be integrated with the "Two Elements True Skill"?
Seeing that he remained silent, Yu Haitang continued, "I guess that the third-rank cultivator who has been following you, and that disciple from the Heavenly Dao Alliance, are both here for the 'Mysterious Fire True Technique' that you are cultivating."

This time, Chen Ming was genuinely surprised.

She actually knows about Su Zhining and that woman in red?
This woman is truly unfathomable.

Suddenly, Yu Haitang said with a touch of coquettishness, "How much longer do you want me to hold it, young master?"

Chen Ming looked at the sword in her outstretched hand, and without hesitation, reached out and took it.

Since things had come to this point, he didn't mind making the water even muddier.

In any case, his "Blazing Sun Divine Skill" had already attracted Shang Jianfei, a first-rank expert from the Heavenly Dao Alliance, and a mysterious woman in red. Adding Yu Haitang wouldn't make much difference.

This is called "when there are too many lice, they don't bite anymore." As soon as he grasped the sword, a strange feeling welled up in his heart, as if the sword in his hand was connected to his bloodline, and the true energy in his body was somewhat joyful.

"It seems she wasn't just making up a story. This sword might actually have something to do with the phoenix."

His true energy is fire-attribute, which is a perfect match for this sword.

Just like the "Flaming Dragon Spear" in Fan Dongsheng's hand, this Mingfeng Sword seems to have been tailor-made for him. With it, the power of his swordsmanship can be increased by 10% or 20%.

Within the fifth rank, there are probably few people who can rival him.

A surge of heroic spirit welled up in Chen Ming's heart.

Seeing that he had finally sheathed his sword, Yu Haitang smiled with satisfaction and said, "Come find me again after the Qingyun Ranking competition is over."

"Thank you for the sword, young lady."

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

Yu Haitang had already picked up her teacup and asked, "Is there anything else?"

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

He noticed when he entered that the two maids were not with him.

Yu Haitang said calmly, "If someone fails to perform their duties effectively, they should naturally be punished."

She gently put down her teacup, then looked up, her gaze revealing an air of authority. "What, you want to plead for them?"

"I--"

"It's too late. I've already broken their legs and banished them to a farm outside the city as slaves."

Her nonchalant tone sent a chill down Chen Ming's spine. That chill lingered even as he left the restaurant.

He had long known that in this rigidly class-based world, those at the top wouldn't treat those at the bottom as human beings. But the fact that the stunningly beautiful Yu Haitang was so cold and ruthless towards her two personal maids still shocked him.

The two maids only failed to deliver the sword; they didn't do anything wrong. Was it really necessary?

Besides, they were Yu Haitang's personal maids. Even cats and dogs develop feelings for each other after spending a lot of time together, right?
Chen Ming felt very uncomfortable. After walking out of the restaurant, he suddenly turned around and called out to Ji Qianxing, "Brother Ji, could you do me a favor?"

Ji Qianxing looked at him with a cold gaze.

……

it's dark.

Outside Jiangzhou City, a dozen miles to the east, there was a manor. Under the cover of night, two riders were galloping towards it.

The two men on horseback were a middle-aged man who looked like a manager and Chen Ming.

"Open the door!"

After the middle-aged steward knocked on the door, he took the lantern from the gatekeeper and led Chen Ming into the manor.

The middle-aged steward summoned the manor's steward and asked, "Where are the two female slaves who were sent over last night?"

"In the backyard."

"Bring people here."

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

The middle-aged man quickly changed his tune, "Lead the way quickly."

The manor steward led them to the backyard, where Chen Ming saw two people dressed in coarse linen clothes lying on firewood in a woodshed.

He could hardly believe that the two pale-faced, disheveled, and blood-stained women were the same two beautiful and glamorous maids he had seen yesterday and the day before.

The two girls on the ground slowly shifted their blank gazes to Chen Ming, their eyes finally lighting up, and their lips moved, "Young Master Chen...

"Stop talking."

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

Upon hearing this, large tears rolled down the cheeks of the two girls.

……

A horse-drawn carriage slowly headed towards Jiangzhou City.

Inside the carriage, the two maids had already washed themselves, changed into new clothes, and had their hair combed again. Splints were placed on their legs.

Both of their legs were broken, but they have been reattached. Chen Ming put the splints on them so they wouldn't have to worry about them shifting.

Chen Ming sat in the carriage, looking at the two girls whose faces were still wet with tears, and sighed inwardly.

If he can't help, he can harden his heart and pretend he doesn't know.

But now that he has accepted the sword from Yu Haitang, they can be considered to be on the same side. Saving them is just a matter of a word, and he cannot bear to watch them die.

Seeing that they had calmed down, Chen Ming asked, "What are your names?"

"My maid, Lan'er."

"My maid, Zhu'er."

"I've already spoken to your young lady and asked her to come with you. Are you willing to come with me?"

Chen Ming's original intention was to set them free. However, Yu Haitang disagreed. These two maids had been with her for too long and knew too much. They had only two options: die or stay by his side.

The two girls tried to get up, but he held them down.

"We are willing." The tears they had just stopped flowing again.

"Well."

Chen Ming knew they didn't want to go back to the farm as slaves, so he said, "In that case, you can't use your previous names anymore. I'll give you new names."

He pointed to the woman in blue, "From now on, your name will be Qiu Xiang."

Then he pointed to the woman in yellow, "Your name is Dongxiang."

"Thank you for bestowing a name upon me, sir."

……

Jiangzhou City does not close its city gates. There are top-level experts of rank 1 or above guarding the city, so there is no need to close them.

Those who dare to invade must be powerful figures of equal caliber; to them, the city gate is merely a decoration. As for those petty thieves who can be stopped by the city gate, they would only be throwing their lives away if they came.

This is quite different from Qingfeng City.

When Chen Ming returned to the Feng residence, it was almost midnight.

Feng Siyuan was still awake. Seeing the two beauties in the carriage, he couldn't help but laugh, "I thought Brother Chen was truly heartless. It seems he's quite the chivalrous one."

The implication is, why didn't you do this sooner?
Chen Ming ignored him and settled the two newly acquired maids in the courtyard next to his, instructing them to take good care of their injuries.

As soon as he returned to his courtyard, he saw Su Zhining, dressed in white, waiting for him inside. She exuded a clear and transparent aura, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

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

(End of this chapter)