I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 55 Seventh Grade
After drinking to their hearts' content, Guan Peng put down his glass and, emboldened by the wine, said proudly, "Brother Chen, it's been a year and a half since we last sparred. Today, I'd like to ask you for another lesson."

"I can't ask for it."

Chen Ming smiled.

Immediately, the two moved to a more spacious courtyard nearby and got into position.

Chen Ming said, "Brother Guan, please."

Guan Peng's eyes sharpened. "Brother Chen, be careful. My 'Wave-Slaying Saber Technique' emphasizes an indomitable spirit. When I was at sea, whenever there were big waves, I would jump off the ship and fight against the giant waves in the crest. That's how I developed this saber technique."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming became interested and said, "Come on."

"Look at the knife!"

Guan Peng took a step forward, raised his long sword high, and slashed down.

Even before the blade arrived, Chen Ming sensed a terrifying aura.

He exclaimed, "Excellent swordsmanship!"

Guan Peng has truly undergone a complete transformation during his months at sea. With just this one strike, he is not weak even among eighth-rank martial artists.

Moreover, his swordsmanship carried a murderous aura.

This means that his knife has seen blood!

I really don't know what he went through on those two voyages.

Chen Ming had extensive combat experience and knew that he absolutely could not let him gain momentum. Otherwise, as his momentum continued to build, he would lose control and would not stop until blood was drawn.

Therefore, contrary to his usual practice, he chose to take the hit head-on.

He swung his long sword upwards.

With a clang, the two knives clashed violently, sending sparks flying.

Guan Peng took a step back, his fighting spirit intensifying, and his longsword technique changed again, now known as the Wave-Breaking Style!

Their momentum actually reached a new level.

Deng Ziyang and Zhuang Xiaotian, who were watching from the sidelines, felt their eyelids twitch and a sense of indescribable disappointment well up in their hearts. Back then, the two of them passed the martial arts examination, but Guan Peng unexpectedly failed.

To be honest, while they felt sympathy, they also felt a sense of superiority. Unexpectedly, over a year later, Guan Peng had advanced to the eighth rank ahead of them and even mastered this incredibly powerful sword technique, leaving them far behind.

The disappointment of the two can be imagined.

when!
Another loud bang interrupted their thoughts.

The two looked closely and saw Guan Peng take two steps back, his long sword humming, and a nick appearing on the blade.

Guan Peng sighed and said with a wry smile, "I lost."

Neither of them expected him to admit defeat so easily. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that he had a cut on his hand with blood flowing out, and he could no longer even grip the knife tightly.

This shows the vast difference in their abilities.

Deng Ziyang and Zhuang Xiaotian looked at Chen Ming, wondering to themselves, "Just how strong is he?"

Chen Ming said, "I'm just a little stronger than you in cultivation, so I'm using brute force to suppress you. Your swordsmanship is too aggressive; it's either you or me who will die. I dare not let your momentum get going, otherwise, I'm not confident I can withstand it."

Guan Peng was somewhat impressed, "You saw through my swordsmanship the moment I made a move; your insight is truly remarkable."

Zhuang Xiaotian smoothed things over, "You don't know this, do you? Ever since Brother Chen broke through to the eighth rank, he's been going around seeking out people to spar with. He's earned the reputation of a martial arts fanatic. He's fought at least twenty or thirty eighth-rank opponents."

Guan Peng suddenly said, "Brother Chen, you're not far from reaching the seventh rank, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Deng Ziyang and Zhuang Xiaotian were both taken aback and instinctively looked at Chen Ming.

He smiled slightly and said, "Brother Guan's discerning eye is spot on."

Both of them were stunned for a moment.

He didn't deny it.

In other words, he is really close to breaking through to the seventh rank.

It's only been a few months!

Seven months? Or eight months?
In less than a year, he's about to advance to the next rank?

Isn't this too exaggerated?
Guan Peng was also stunned. He was just testing the waters, but he didn't expect Chen Ming to admit it so readily.

"Seventh rank..." he said in a hoarse voice, "Brother Chen is truly courageous and diligent, his progress is no less than that of the true disciples of those great sects."

"you flatter me."

……

As evening approached, Chen Ming left the Deng residence, intending to go home. On the way, he was stuck in traffic.

He asked the driver, "What happened up ahead?"

The coachman replied, "I heard that the prefect is hosting a banquet at Xueyan Tower for the newly appointed governor, and so many people have come that the road is blocked."

Chen Ming could only shake his head; traffic jams in this world are much harder to clear than on Earth.

All we can do is wait.

He opened the panel.

【Level: 29】

Current points: 100

[Techniques: Iron Horse Stake (Fifth Level Perfection), Three Yang Body Forging Technique (Sixth Level 29576/30000)]

Martial Arts: Three Talents Fist (Mastery), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastery), Zhuang Family Flying Knife (Mastery), Swallow Return Sword Technique (Proficiency 434/10000)

This is what he has gained in the past six months.

The Three Yang Body Forging Technique has progressed from the fourth level to the sixth level, and is only a little short of the seventh level. Once it breaks through to the seventh level, it will immediately advance to the seventh rank.

In the past six months, as his social circle has expanded, he has met more and more eighth-rank martial artists, and the opportunities to spar with them have also increased.

On average, I could gain three to four hundred experience points a day. In six months, I accumulated nearly sixty thousand points. Looking back now, it really wasn't easy.

It's no exaggeration to say that he has friends all over the city. There isn't a single eighth-rank martial artist in the entire Qingfeng City that he doesn't know.

Oh, now we have it. The new governor of the Six Doors will definitely bring some of his staff with him.

"Isn't this Brother Chen's car?"

As Chen Ming was thinking, he heard a familiar voice outside. He lifted the curtain, smiled, and greeted him, "It's Brother Wang! How have you been?"

This man is named Wang Wentao. He is the illegitimate son of the nominal owner of one of the maritime merchants. He is twenty-five years old this year, with an eighth-rank cultivation level, and is a disciple of a fifth-rank master. He is a person who loves to make friends.

Wang Wentao's carriage was not far away. He got off his carriage, boarded Chen Ming's carriage, and asked him, "Are you also here to attend Lord Zhao's banquet?"

He said, "No, I was just on my way home and got stuck here."

"Would you like to come with me and see for yourself?"

"Forget it, I won't go and join in the fun."

Chen Ming wasn't very interested; they weren't in the same circle, so there was no need to force it.

Climbing the social ladder sounds nice, but isn't it really just about currying favor? The problem is, even if you want to be a lackey for those big shots, they might not even look at you.

He never takes the initiative to make friends with people from different circles.

Knowing his temperament, Wang Wentao didn't press him. Instead, he brought up another matter, "Do you still remember your fiancée? I heard she's about to marry into the Su family."

Chen Mingqi asked, "Wasn't she already married?"

"Don't you know? Half a year ago, a group of pirates broke into the Zhang family and only injured a few servants. The old lady of the house was so frightened that she passed away not long after. She was in mourning, so the wedding was postponed. Who knew that less than half a year into the mourning period, her uncle was in a hurry to marry her off to the Su family."

"Oh."

It turned out to be the case.

Chen Ming hadn't paid much attention to the Zhang family's affairs, and this was the first time he'd heard about it, so he wasn't particularly bothered.

Wang Wentao said with a smile, "Do you want me to stand up for you and ruin their wedding?"

"Forget it, there's no need."

Chen Ming declined his offer.

The main reason is that I don't want to owe others a favor over such a small matter.

Wang Wentao readily agreed, "Sure, just say the word whenever you change your mind, and I guarantee that ungrateful woman will never be able to get married."

(End of this chapter)