I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 177 What kind of thought process is this?

“Madam, as you can see, my friend’s meridians are all severed. I’m protecting her heart meridian to save her life. I really can’t spare any more hands.”

Chen Ming explained with a wry smile.

Before Madam Yu arrived, she had already heard a brief account of the situation from Elder Sun. She learned that a woman was in a similar situation to E Niang, who had forcibly attacked when breaking through to the third rank, causing her internal energy to explode and almost tearing her meridians apart, leaving her barely clinging to life.

When she arrived, she overheard Chen Ming's conversation with that third-rank official. Upon learning of their relationship, she immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

Since the seriously injured woman was his lover, he naturally prioritized saving her.

Judging from what he just said, this man is loyal and devoted; even in such a perilous situation, he was unwilling to abandon his lover to live alone. It seems that neither coercion nor bribery will be effective.

Madam Yu's expression shifted, and she looked at the white-clad woman sitting on the bed. She saw that the woman's face was pale, her lips were bloodless, and she exuded an aura of death.

She remembered what Old Sun had said: Chen Ming had brought this woman to him three days ago.

He actually managed to keep her alive until now, which shows that he is indeed capable.

Madam Yu took a deep breath, as if she had made a decision, "Young Master Chen, today I will arrange for my niece to be betrothed to you. That old man is the betrothal gift."

"..."

Chen Ming stared blankly at Madam Yu, who was standing at the door loudly announcing the matter, completely dumbfounded.

No, he just wanted to make more demands. But she, completely unpredictable, actually wanted to marry Yu Haitang to him. What was she thinking?

She must have overheard his words, knew he had a lover, and still wanted to force her niece to marry him. Her thought process truly shocked him.

On the bed, Su Zhining, who had already closed her eyes, couldn't help but open them and look at the beautiful woman standing at the door. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she held back.

Yu Haitang, in Madam Yu's arms, was also stunned for a moment. She wanted to refute, but when she opened her mouth, she found that she could not speak.

“You’ve already accepted the betrothal gifts, which means you agree to this marriage. You absolutely must marry my niece. But you can’t just ignore her injury, can you?”

Madam Yu gently pushed her niece in her arms, and as if lifted by an invisible force, she also landed on the bed, sitting side by side with Su Zhining.

“I only have this one niece, so you must treat her well. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you.”

After saying that, she turned and left, and the door creaked shut behind her.

The remaining three people in the room were both amused and exasperated.

Chen Ming looked at Yu Haitang and saw that she was also looking at him, her eyes carrying a warning, "Don't take my aunt's words seriously."

"Rest assured, young lady is a goddess-like figure, I would not dare to presume to be worthy of her." Chen Ming immediately stated, "Madam Yu said this only to ensure that I do not slack off or show favoritism."

Madam Yu has already made her point very clearly.

If we're talking about it, the three of us should live together.

If Yu Haitang dies, then the two of them will be buried with her.

This Lady Yu is just like her niece—quite domineering, leaving no room for refusal. The difference is that her methods are not as ruthless.

If she had started with threats, she might have escalated the situation if she had encountered someone with a strong backbone. Her move, seemingly a joke, actually broke the deadlock, allowing her to advance or retreat as needed.

This could be true or false; it all depends on whether the person is ultimately saved.

Yu Haitang's expression softened slightly, and she asked, "What stage have you reached in your cultivation of the Mysterious Wood True Skill?"

Chen Ming did not answer, but slowly reached out and placed his hand on her back.

Yu Haitang felt a surge of familiar yet completely different true energy flow into her body, gurgling and continuous, eventually settling deep within her body and sealing a certain opening.

She was taken aback and exclaimed, "You've reached the fourth rank?"

"Ah."

Chen Ming didn't want to talk. Now, with his hands on the backs of the two women, he couldn't even read. His inner energy had to be split into two streams, doubling the energy consumption.

Whether he can hold on until they recover is still unknown.

The only good news is that with Lady Yu around, there's no need to worry about enemies coming to our door.

Yu Haitang turned around, facing him sideways, a position that allowed her to get closer to Su Zhining.

She looked at Chen Ming with a scrutinizing gaze, "Do you know that reaching the fifth rank is a slow and steady process? There are almost no bottlenecks between the fifth and fourth ranks. As long as you can reach the fifth rank, given enough time, you will definitely be able to advance to the fourth rank."

"so what?"

He knew this basic common sense.

The reason he thought of adding experience points to "Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens" to achieve cross-level challenges and fight against fourth-level opponents with fifth-level skills was for this reason.

Because there are very few, if any, "renowned masters" at the fifth rank. The vast majority of fifth-rank individuals cultivate in seclusion, honing their true energy in order to break through to the fourth rank as soon as possible.

He couldn't find anyone to spar with.

Yu Haitang said, "That's why there are almost no shortcuts at the fifth rank. The more profound the technique, the longer it takes to reach the fifth rank. No matter how high your aptitude is, if you are cultivating a peerless technique like the 'Mysterious Fire True Technique,' it is absolutely impossible to reach the fourth rank in just a few months."

Her expression was serious, her face practically saying, "Tell me the truth, what secrets do you have?"
Chen Ming wanted to scratch his head, but when he thought about the consequences of letting go, he could only suppress the thought.

He said, “Speaking of which, I have to thank you, young lady. A few days ago, I was studying the ‘Mysterious Wood True Skill’ and suddenly had an enlightenment. I completely integrated these two skills, and the two kinds of true energy generated and destroyed each other and transformed into one another. In this way, I naturally stepped into the fourth rank.”

"..."

Yu Haitang's eye twitched slightly. Chen Ming's words reminded her of the time when she went into a state of demonic possession.

Actually, things went quite smoothly at first; a wisp of Xuanhuo True Qi was generated within her body. However, just as she was strengthening this wisp of True Qi to a certain extent, the two types of True Qi clashed, causing the True Qi within her body to instantly go berserk, almost causing her to explode on the spot.

No one knew better than her how difficult it was to fuse these two kinds of true energy. Yet, he spoke of it as if it were a natural process.

She tasted the frustration of being outmatched once again, being crushed by others in her most prized talents and comprehension...

Yu Haitang didn't know what kind of transformation would occur after the two kinds of true energy merged, so naturally she couldn't determine whether he was lying.

We can only assume it's true for now.

……

In the same courtyard of Tianxiang Tower, Qin Changyuan was drinking with a courtesan when the coachman barged in and whispered a few words in his ear.

"What? He's dead too?"

Qin Changyuan was shocked and furious. He had been in a hurry to find a third-rank official, so he could only give away a divine weapon to persuade one of them.

As a result, it failed again!
How could he not be angry?
"How could this be?"

"It was Madam Yu who made the move," the coachman whispered. "It is said that Miss Yu suffered a qi deviation during her cultivation and was on the verge of death. Many renowned doctors were unable to help her. For some reason, Madam Yu took Miss Yu to find that Chen Ming, and they happened to run into him and eliminated him."

"what?"

Qin Changyuan was taken aback. "Her cultivation has gone mad? Is she seriously injured?"

"I heard that he doesn't have long to live."

"Why didn't you say so sooner!"

Qin Changyuan flew into a rage and slapped him across the face.

The coachman was sent flying, but he quickly got up and blocked Qin Changyuan's path. There was some blood at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Young master, it would be best if you didn't go."

"Go away."

Qin Changyuan made a move as if to strike.

"Miss Yu is currently at Chen Ming's home. It is said that Madam Yu has already betrothed her to Chen Ming."

Qin Changyuan was struck dumb, and suddenly grabbed his collar, his eyes bloodshot and his face contorted with rage. "What did you say?"

"I said, Madam Yu has already betrothed Miss Yu to Chen Ming, so that she can be with her beloved before she dies..."

"Do not--"

Chun Changyuan threw the coachman away with such force that it knocked down the courtyard wall.

"I do not believe!"

He rushed outside, his pace slowing more and more. Before he even left Tianxiang Tower, he stopped, looking utterly lost and muttering, "Why?"

Unfortunately, he will never get an answer.

……

Tuk Tuk.

Qiu Xiang knocked on the door from outside.

"Enter."

Chen Ming said lazily.

Qiu Xiang pushed open the door and entered, carrying a tray in her hands. She said, "These are two bowls of thousand-year-old blood ginseng soup sent by Madam Yu. There is also a bottle of the finest Jade Dragon Pill for you, young master."

As expected of the Lady of the Cangyue Sect, the Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng is a rare treasure that money can't buy. And the Jade Dragon Pill is the finest medicine for restoring Qi.

This is made using a secret method by the Cangyue Sect, unique to them and nowhere else. It's unknown how many precious medicinal herbs were used in its production; even the Cangyue Sect themselves don't have enough, let alone buy more.

Madam Yu sent a whole bottle as a gift.

Chen Ming also benefited from Yu Haitang's fame.

He said, "Give me a Jade Dragon Pill to try first."

Qiu Xiang stepped forward, uncorked the bottle, and poured out a snow-white pill, immediately releasing a fragrant aroma. Just smelling it was enough to invigorate one's spirits.

She fed the pill into Chen Ming's mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth. In a short while, a wisp of heat arose within his dantian, quickly transforming into pure true qi. It circulated through his meridians, becoming strands of true qi that merged into his dantian, replenishing his depleted true qi.

As time goes by, the rate at which true qi is replenished becomes faster and faster.

"Madam said that this one Jade Dragon Pill is enough for the young master for one day. Here are five pills, and more will be sent over after they are used up."

"Ah."

Chen Ming thought to himself, "This Madam Yu really went to great lengths to save her niece."

Qiu Xiang then asked, "Ladies, should this blood ginseng soup be drunk while it's hot? Would you like me to feed you?"

“No need,” Yu Haitang said.

"No need, thank you," Su Zhining declined.

Chen Ming said, "Get some food over here, I'm hungry."

"Yes, son."

(End of this chapter)