I Only Know How to Bully Noobs

Chapter 101: Why did he run?

After nightfall, Chen Ming wrapped up the day’s registration duties and glanced at the panel on his way back.

【Level: 41】

【Current Points: 80789】

【Cultivation Methods: 《Iron Horse Stance》（Fifth Level Perfection）, 《Three Suns Body Tempering》（Ninth Level Perfection), 《Six Suns Qi Nurturing》（First Level 36999/100000）】

【Martial Arts: 《Three Talents Fist》（Mastery）, Eight Trigrams Saber Technique（Mastery）, Zhuang’s Flying Knife（Mastery）, Swallow Returns Sword Technique（Mastery）, 《Vermilion Bird Sword Technique》（Proficient 32/200000)】

He had accumulated nearly forty thousand experience points.

"There were actually a thousand people."

To boost efficiency today, Chen Ming had summoned two additional clerks. They could register two people at a time.

After all, the assessment required only a single move and wouldn't take long.

"Unfortunately, still no Sixth Grade Martial Artist."

He thought with some regret.

A single Sixth Grade Martial Artist could yield at least one or two thousand points, equivalent to a hundred Ninth Grade Martial Artists.

"But is that Chen Bro’s carriage?"

Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice sounded from outside.

Chen Ming lifted the carriage window and, sure enough, saw an acquaintance. Delighted, he said, "Weihao Bro? What brings you here?"

It was Zhou Weihao in the neighboring carriage.

"Indeed, it’s Chen Bro."

With a hearty laugh, Zhou Weihao leaped agilely onto his carriage, opened the door, and sat inside, saying as he did, "Another new ride, huh? If it weren’t for the insignia of your Chen Family on the carriage, and those two riders looking familiar, I wouldn’t have guessed it was you inside."

Chen Ming smiled. "It’s been months. Weihao Bro still looks as sharp as ever."

Zhou Weihao sized him up and asked, "Not long ago, I received a letter from my cousin. It said that shortly after I left, you broke through to the Sixth Grade. Is it true?"

"What do you think?"

Zhou Weihao suddenly looked deflated. "That cousin of mine doesn’t lie. Sigh, I thought I had deeper cultivation and would certainly step into the Sixth Grade before you. Damn it, you actually surpassed me."

His talent wasn’t mediocre either. Though he admired Chen Ming’s mastery in saber techniques, it didn’t mean he was willing to concede. He had believed that in terms of cultivation, he would certainly have the upper hand.

In the end, this man truly defied common reasoning.

In just over half a year, he had broken through from Seventh Grade to Sixth Grade.

Such progress was truly astonishing.

Chen Ming smiled and said, "You shouldn’t be far from Sixth Grade yourself, right?"

Zhou Weihao seemed not to hear him and asked, "Do you know why aristocratic families are called aristocratic families?"

"A family that has produced a Third Grade Expert can be called an aristocratic family."

"Not quite." Zhou Weihao shook his head. "It’s when a family has produced more than two Third Grade Experts that it qualifies as an aristocratic family."

"So that’s how it is."

"Then do you know what the foundation of an aristocratic family is? It’s the cultivation method!" Zhou Weihao said with a serious face. "Why are the Qin Family, the Wang Family, and the Su Family the Three Great Aristocratic Families of Jiangzhou? Why are they above all other aristocratic families?

"Because their cultivation methods can be cultivated beyond the First Grade. Supreme experts have never ceased to appear from their line. These cultivation methods are also known as Peerless Divine Arts!"

"The top-tier aristocratic families have cultivation methods that can reach at most the First Grade."

"If a so-called aristocratic family has never produced a First Grade Expert, it means their cultivation method’s upper limit is Second or Third Grade. Such methods are second-tier."

"As for those that can’t even reach Third Grade, they’re merely third-tier."

Zhou Weihao then asked again, "Do you know where the difference between these various Levels of cultivation methods is most evident?"

Chen Ming shook his head.

No one had ever told him these key details before.

"It’s true qi!"

Zhou Weihao said gravely, "From Ninth Grade to Seventh Grade is merely the foundational phase, a preparation to cultivate true qi. The heights you can reach in the future depend on the kind of true qi you cultivate. And the kind of true qi you cultivate depends on your cultivation method."

"Chen Bro, you’ve been too eager for quick success. It’s also my fault—I didn’t expect you to master your qi and blood so quickly and forgot to warn you. But it’s not too late. You just broke through not long ago. Your true qi is still shallow. Switching to another cultivation method is still possible. It’ll just take more time to rebuild your foundation..."

"Pack your things and come with me tomorrow. I know a First Grade saber expert in Jiangzhou who’s currently looking for a disciple. With your talent in the saber path, you might have a chance."

Zhou Weihao said all this in one breath.

Chen Ming was momentarily stunned, feeling a bit conflicted.

He truly hadn’t expected that Zhou Weihao had come all this way out of concern that he might randomly learn some third-tier cultivation method.

Not only that, he had even sought out an opportunity for him to apprentice under a First Grade Expert.

To be honest, he had always regarded Zhou Weihao as an ordinary friend.

But it turned out Zhou Weihao truly treated him like a brother!

Zhou Weihao was unnerved by the strange look in his eyes and coughed. "Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t think I came here just for you, do you? Of course not. I came to visit my cousin. It just so happened that before I left, I heard about a First Grade Expert seeking a disciple… Coming to you was purely incidental."

The more he tried to explain, the more guilty he appeared.

Chen Ming suppressed a smile and said, "Thanks for your kindness, but I really don’t need it."

Hearing this, Zhou Weihao frowned immediately and said anxiously, "You got your cultivation method from the Seven Great Maritime Traders, didn’t you? Don’t trust them too easily. These merchants are always cunning. How could they willingly pass down any profound techniques to you? Whatever they gave you, it can’t be anything good. Don’t fall for it."

Seeing his concern, Chen Ming explained, "Actually, I have another inheritance. It’s just inconvenient to reveal it."

Zhou Weihao was stunned, and then his face twitched violently, unable to maintain his composure. He glared at him in anger, thinking—why didn’t you say so earlier?

Without saying another word, he pushed open the carriage door and jumped back onto his own, clearly too embarrassed to stay.

Chen Ming stifled his laughter and called out loudly, "Weihao Bro, I really didn’t mean to hide it from you."

Zhou Weihao’s carriage suddenly accelerated and quickly vanished from sight.

……

Chen Ming returned home in high spirits and, seeing two carriages parked in the front courtyard, asked, "Are there guests?"

Old Li the gatekeeper replied, "Two elderly gentlemen, one surnamed Jin and one surnamed Cao, both with quite the imposing presence. The young master has been accompanying them in the parlor."

Chen Ming already had a pretty good idea who it was and chuckled inwardly—they really couldn’t hold back.

When he entered the parlor, he indeed saw two elderly men seated inside. He greeted them, "Old Jin, Old Cao, what rare guests."

Jin Jianxiong, a veteran Sixth Grade Martial Artist in his sixties, ran a small gang. He had three sons, all decently skilled, who wanted to register for the disciple selection but were stopped.

The other was Cao Jiahui, who owned a carriage and horse business. His situation was similar, with two sons also unable to register.

These two were sworn brothers, and it was clear they had come today to plead for their sons.

Sure enough, after a few pleasantries, they began steering the conversation that way.

Chen Ming showed some difficulty on his face. "The selection criteria are naturally set by the seniors. I have no say in the matter."

Both men were inwardly cursing him.

They had heard that many candidates with worse strength and talent than their sons had been accepted, yet theirs were rejected. And he said it wasn’t deliberate?

Jin Jianxiong, known for his domineering temper, couldn’t stand being obstructed by this young brat and snapped, "Chen brat, are you saying that if we spar, you’ll stop giving my sons a hard time?"

After all that chatter, they had finally gotten to the real reason.

Chen Ming couldn’t be bothered to act anymore and said, "Exactly."

"Then let’s do it!"

Jin Jianxiong, already boiling with anger, lashed out immediately. His massive palm, like a banana leaf fan, struck at Chen Ming’s chest.

This strike came with rage and powerful true qi.

Chen Ming felt a brief suffocation and knew better than to take it head-on. He grabbed the longsword nearby—without even unsheathing it—and slashed toward the oncoming palm, his true qi still held back.

Jin Jianxiong did not take this newly advanced brat seriously and neither dodged nor flinched, reaching straight for the scabbard.

"Let go—"

Just as he was about to snatch the sword away, an intensely hot sensation burst from the scabbard, burning his hand with searing pain.

This—

Jin Jianxiong was shocked and instinctively released his grip.

The scabbard, like a venomous serpent, darted forward.

Caught off guard, he was struck in the chest, and pain exploded at the point of impact as he collapsed to the floor.

"Second Brother!"

Cao Jiahui, seeing his sworn brother defeated in one move, was both shocked and furious.

Afraid Chen Ming would take the chance to kill him, he struck immediately.

A dagger in hand, he lunged toward Chen Ming’s ribs.

This attack targeted a critical point—ruthless and precise.

Hmph!

Chen Ming let out a cold snort and retreated swiftly, evading the deadly strike.

With true qi surging, the longsword rang out as it finally unsheathed. A move of Fire Dances Across the Plains erupted, his sword momentum engulfing Cao Jiahui entirely.

But Cao Jiahui was no ordinary opponent. Among dozens of sword shadows, he precisely pinpointed the real blade and jabbed his dagger forward, the tip striking the longsword.

Clang!

The longsword was deflected, and Chen Ming staggered back several steps.

Cao Jiahui sneered, knowing this kid’s weakness—his true qi wasn’t strong enough—

Wait!

His face suddenly changed drastically. He felt wisps of flame-like true qi invade his meridians through his palm.

"This kind of true qi—Peerless Divine Art?"

Cao Jiahui was struck with terror. In a flash, he hurled his dagger and vanished.

Chen Ming tilted his body, dodging the flying dagger, and turned around—only to find the man already gone.

He froze. "He actually ran off just like that?"

【You have defeated an LV48 enemy and gained 5500 experience points.】

Since he gained the experience, he naturally didn’t pursue. But he was puzzled—this man’s true qi was clearly far stronger than his. Why did he flee?

Then, Chen Ming looked at Jin Jianxiong, who lay on the ground, staring at him in fear, and asked, "Why did he run?"

Already seriously injured, Jin Jianxiong was so infuriated by the question that he spat a mouthful of blood on the spot.

Killing the body was one thing—this was cutting into the heart!