I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 86 Martial Arts Fanatic
After entering the mansion, Chen Ming found it even more desolate inside than outside. Weeds were sprouting from the cracks between the bricks, and the large trees in the yard were covered with vines.

However, one can still vaguely see that this place is of a high standard, and it is indeed larger and more magnificent than the governor's mansion that I visited once before.

The buildings inside looked dilapidated due to years of neglect.

Does anyone actually live in a place like this?

With these questions in mind, Chen Ming followed Zhou Weihao inside until they entered the backyard.

After walking for another ten minutes or so, a neatly tidied courtyard suddenly appeared before us.

There were no vines on the walls, nor were the doorways covered with plants. It was as if a barrier existed here, preventing the plants from encroaching.

"senior."

Zhou Weihao walked into the yard first, where he saw many potted plants growing in an orderly fashion. They looked like some kind of flower, but unfortunately it wasn't the flowering season; the yard was all green, just leaves.

An elderly, hunched over, was squatting there tending to the flowers and plants. He didn't react at all to the two people barging in, completely ignoring them.

Zhou Weihua walked over and stopped when he was about a meter away. He said with a fawning expression, "It's me, Zhou family's seventh son. I've come to see you again."

The old man still didn't react at all. He carefully pulled a weed from the ground and put it into the basket on his back. Then he stood up unsteadily and limped inside.

Chen Ming observed from behind, and no matter how you looked at it, this was a frail and disabled old man, not at all like a senior expert.

Of course, he felt that although Zhou Weihao was sometimes unreliable, he wouldn't joke about something like this. He didn't say anything, just stood quietly to the side.

Undeterred, Zhou Weihai caught up with him and said, "I brought a friend with me today to introduce him to you. His name is Chen Ming, and he lives in Qingfeng City. He's a reliable person, and I'll have him come to visit you often in the future."

Chen Ming couldn't help but glare at him, but didn't refute him.

The old man limped into the house.

Zhou Weihao didn't go in; he just stood at the door and waited.

After a while, two hoes were thrown out from the group and landed at his feet.

Zhou Weihao picked up a hoe, pulled Chen Ming along, and said, "Let's get to work."

……

That day, Chen Ming and Zhou Weihao spent half a day weeding in the ruins of the house, clearing away all the weeds around the courtyard.

They worked until dusk.

Zhou Weihao then led him back to the small courtyard and returned the hoe.

At this moment, the old man was sitting under an old tree, playing a mournful tune with two slender leaves. From the melody, one could tell that this was an old man with a story to tell.

"Senior, we'll take our leave now."

Zhou Weihao pulled Chen Ming away.

Only after leaving the mansion and getting into the carriage did Chen Ming speak expressionlessly, "So, you brought me here today to do chores?"

He's a rank seven martial artist, earning only a few hundred experience points a day, and he's actually here pulling weeds for others. Shouldn't he be given an explanation?
Zhou Weihao said matter-of-factly, "Do you think just anyone can weed for this senior? So many people would love to have such an opportunity but can't get one."

Chen Ming said, "Alright, then tell me, what kind of expert is this senior?"

Have you ever heard of the King of Zhenhai?

"Nonsense, who in Qingfeng City doesn't know the King of Zhenhai? Don't tell me that senior is the King of Zhenhai."

“Of course he isn’t, but in terms of strength, this senior is still above the King of Zhenhai.” Zhou Weihao said slowly, “That mansion just now was the former King of Zhenhai’s mansion!” Chen Ming nodded; he had guessed this to some extent as well.

After all, who else, besides the Prince of Zhenhai, could have a courtyard even more magnificent than the Governor's Mansion?

Zhou Weihao continued, "As everyone knows, there were five top experts under the King of Zhenhai back then. Among these five experts, four of them have left behind their deeds. They are Xu, Li, Wang, and Zhang. There is one more person, but he is mysterious and unpredictable. No one knows anything about him, and some people even doubt whether he even exists."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming understood. "You mean, this person is the most mysterious expert under the King of Zhenhai? But how could he have survived?"

Logically speaking, those people killed four of the top fighters under the King of Zhenhai, so there's no reason for them to let him go and leave him as a threat.

Zhou Weihao said, "It's not that I didn't want to kill him, it's that I couldn't. Back then, this person was incredibly talented, just one step away from reaching the supreme pinnacle. He fought four first-rank experts alone with his sword, killing two of them before leaving. He has since disappeared without a trace."

First-class?
Chen Ming's eyelids twitched. The withered old man from before was actually a first-grade expert?
Zhou Weihao chuckled and said, "I'm afraid no one would have guessed that he was actually hiding in the former Zhenhai Prince's Mansion."

He then went on to introduce the life of this senior, "This senior's surname was Shang. He was from Jiangzhou and came from an ordinary family that ran a wine business. He was exceptionally talented and showed extraordinary swordsmanship at a young age. Later, through an introduction, he joined a sect and from then on, he was unstoppable. At the age of thirty, he reached the third rank and became famous throughout the world."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming knew there would be a twist. He was also very curious: how could such a brilliant and talented person have fallen to such a state?

Zhou Weihao glanced at him and said, "Brother Chen must be wondering why this senior has become like this. It all started when he was twenty years old."

"At that time, Senior Shang wanted to break through to the sixth rank, so he went to Jiangzhou to make his mark. There, he began to show his talent. Soon after, he met a woman surnamed Jiang. This Miss Jiang was extremely beautiful and came from a prestigious family. She greatly admired Senior Shang and helped him out of trouble several times, even saving his life. Later, she also helped him join a sect."

Zhou Weihao sighed, "Brother Chen, just think about it, how can we ever repay such a deep kindness from a beauty?"

As Chen Ming listened, he sensed that something was amiss.

This story sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Zhou Weihao continued, "Not long after, Miss Jiang was betrothed by the Emperor. A royal decree was hard to disobey, and even if she was unwilling, she had no choice but to marry him to avoid implicating her family. By the time Senior Shang received the news and rushed there, it was too late. What could be done?"

He sighed and said, "I believe you have guessed it as well. The man who married this Miss Jiang was none other than the Prince of Zhenhai. Later, the Prince of Zhenhai was ordered to come to Qingfeng City to suppress the pirates, but he encountered great obstacles. He was assassinated several times, and once even the princess was in danger. At that time, Senior Shang had already achieved the rank of third grade. After hearing about this, he transformed himself into a gardener in the Prince's mansion to protect the princess."

"After that, Senior Shang often saw the Princess looking worried. When he found out that the Prince of Zhenhai was in trouble, he couldn't help but step in to solve the problem for the Prince, just to win a smile from the beauty."

"Later, the Prince of Zhenhai quelled the pirates. Senior Shang then retired after achieving his goal. Not long after, he heard about the Prince of Zhenhai's death and felt something was amiss. Worried about the Princess, he rushed to the capital, but it was too late. He could only fight his way out with the Princess's body. After the Princess's death, he was heartbroken and buried her in the Prince of Zhenhai's mansion, where he stayed alone for more than twenty years."

"Alas, Senior Shang's affections were so deep, it is truly both sad and lamentable."

Chen Ming realized that this guy had gone through all that trouble to subtly point out his true intentions.

Zhou Weihao probably saw himself and Zhao Xiyan as a carbon copy of Senior Shang and that Miss Jiang. He feared he would suffer the same fate as Senior Shang, which was why he came to see Senior Shang today, hoping to take the opportunity to tell their story.

He thought to himself, "You're overthinking it. I'm not love-struck."

Chen Ming said, "If you were Senior Shang, what would you do?"

Zhou Weihao chuckled, "Me? I've already made it a fait accompli, I won't give her a chance to get married. What about you? If you were in my shoes, what would you do?"

Chen Ming said, "If it were me, I would focus on cultivation and, once I have enough strength, kill all those who harmed her back then and avenge her."

"And then what?"

"Continue to practice."

Zhou Weihao laughed heartily, "You really are a martial arts fanatic."

P.S.: Requesting monthly votes.

(End of this chapter)