Zhou Heng’s perception was extrely sharp, especially after his insight increased by 1.
Even when he was focused on cultivating his inner strength, he could imdiately detect any movents nearby.
Now, soone was standing on the roof of his house.
However, after Zhou Heng’s low shout just now, there was no response, nor were there any follow-up sounds.
"Could it be a thief?” he muttered with a slight frown, subconsciously pushing the silver notes deeper into his embrace, thinking, “Could soone have seen exchanging gold at the gold shop earlier?
"Soone wants to steal my gold?!”
At this thought, Zhou Heng imdiately beca angry, grabbed the steel sabre beside his bed, rushed out, and shouted sternly,
“Who is there, show yourself imdiately!”
"Your landlord is here! Zhou Heng, won’t you sleep??” An angry shout suddenly ca from the main house, warning,
“This is your last chance. If it happens again, old lady will raise your rent! Go to sleep!”
Zhou Heng shivered at these words.
Feeling a bit panic-stricken.
Yet, he didn’t go back directly but looked toward the nearby wall.
There stood a black-clad, masked person, holding a longsword, gazing down at him from above.
"Who are you?” Zhou Heng frowned and said.
Clang!
The sound of a sword rang out.
The masked person, without a word, directly attacked Zhou Heng with the sword.
The sword light cut through the night sky, aiming straight for Zhou Heng’s head.
Clang!
The sabre t the sword, and Zhou Heng blocked the masked person’s attack with his blade.
"Hmm?”
The masked person let out a light exclamation, clearly surprised that Zhou
Heng was able to catch his sudden attack.
At this mont, Zhou Heng’s heart was even more shocked.
Because as he parried the attack of the black-clad masked person, he received a system prompt.
"Kong Chengshun is using the martial arts technique ‘Thirty-Seven Forms of Nightshade Sword Technique’[Ninth Grade]to attack you. Your successful defense has increased your proficiency by 0.2.”
This was the true disciple from Longxing Sect that Lin Cang had ntioned, who had co to Huangtong Mansion City to recruit outer disciples.
The Ninety-Ninth on the People’s List,
“Sunset Flying Sword” Kong Chengshun!
"Wasn’t he supposed to arrive tomorrow?”
Zhou Heng was full of doubts and couldn’t understand why this person had co to attack him. He also felt that there was another strange aura contained in his opponent’s sword.
Clang!
Another sword strike ca, and Zhou Heng again perfectly parried it, following the opponent’s sword montum with a turn of his blade edge, transforming defense into attack and slashed down with force!
Kong Chengshun seed to not have expected such a variation in Zhou Heng’s saber technique, which caused a montary pause in his swordsmanship, revealing a faint flaw.
But how could Zhou Heng, with his insight increased by 1, fail to see this flaw? He imdiately seized the opportunity, attacking with his blade edge!
And so, under the moonlight, Zhou Heng’s blade edge was tinged with a thread of blood.
Although Kong Chengshun managed to dodge at the last mont, his backhand was still cut by Zhou Heng’s blade.
This slash made him fully aware of the level of Zhou Heng’s saber technique.
"Hmph!”
With a cold snort, he stopped fighting Zhou Heng, swiftly retreated, jumped over rooftops, and escaped into the distance under the cover of night.
Zhou Heng did not continue the pursuit.
For one thing, the opponent’s movent was highly skilled, and even with his agility 1 attribute, he might not catch up with just a Ninth Grade technique like ‘Swift Grass Eight Steps’.
On the other hand, he was sowhat wary of the strange aura he had sensed during their exchange.
"Ghostly energy? No, it seems not. And the special attack against yin spirits didn’t take effect during the confrontation, so he hasn’t been possessed by a ghostly entity. But what exactly is that aura?”
The black-clad, masked Kong Chengshun sprinted beneath the night sky.
He was heading back to his carriage that was still on the road.
Tomorrow, as Kong Chengshun, for the first ti, he would be entering Huangtong Mansion City.
Kong Chengshun, holding the bloody mark on the back of his right hand, had a gloomy expression under his mask.
This bloodstain was not even significant enough to be called an injury; it would heal on its own in a few days.
But the significance of this single bloodstain was sothing he couldn’t overlook.
"His saber technique reached the state of transformation; he actually managed to cultivate such a diocre martial arts technique as the twelve-form ‘Cleaving Mountain Saber Technique’ to that extent!” Kong Chengshun found it unfathomable rembering how Zhou Heng wielded his sabre just now.
A Ninth Grade saber technique had been cultivated to such a level by that guy!
How old was he!?
Under normal circumstances, a martial artist reaching the perfection of a martial arts technique would basically be the end of progress for that technique, with almost no way forward.
Only those who are extrely dedicated to one martial arts technique, investing countless efforts and concentrating solely on cultivation, might be able to break through that bottleneck and surpass the original level of perfection, reaching the so-called
“state of transformation.”
Once the martial arts achieve the state of transformation, it effectively ans the technique has been improved by half a rank!
Power greatly increased!
But who would spend so much effort on a Ninth Grade martial art?
From Perfection to Transformation, the required ti is extrely long, at least two to three years, and at most five to six years, perhaps even longer. One may also be limited by innate talent, and never be able to reach the Transformation stage.
Yet this Zhou Heng had only been practicing martial arts for a total of two years!
"A genius, truly a genius,”
Kong Chengshun’s eyes narrowed slightly as he sneered,
“But the Chang Xing Sect doesn’t need a genius right now, at least not until the Master obtains the position of sect leader!”
At that mont, he gave the longsword in his hand a flick.
The seemingly ordinary longsword instantly transford into an ancient sword with a simple design and spots of rust.
Kong Chengshun’s gaze filled with respect as he looked at the ancient sword, thinking to himself, “I really owe it to the senior. If it weren’t for the senior instructing to test this young man, I’m afraid I would have really recruited him into the Chang Xing Sect.
"Such talent, with undoubtedly a rapid growth rate, would add unpredictable variables to the Master’s struggle for the position of sect leader… Fortunately, fortunately.”
Hum!
The ancient sword trembled slightly, emitting a faint light, as if responding to Kong Chengshun’s emotions.
Kong Chengshun pretended to listen intently, his expression changing slightly as he said in amazent,
“Should it be like this? Such a talent might also be valued by other sects, and rashly creating enmity doesn’t seem wise.”
The faint light on the ancient sword flickered again.
Kong Chengshun hesitated for a mont, then nodded,
“Alright, I understand, senior.”
The next morning.
Kong Chengshun’s carriage slowly entered through the great gate of Huangtong Mansion City.
The heads of the three martial halls affiliated with the Chang Xing Sect— Tongchang Martial Arts Hall, Changsheng Martial Arts Hall, and Longxing Martial Arts Hall—all ca to greet him, accompanied by a host of Ninth Grade trainers.
Zhou Heng was not there; he had to concentrate on martial arts training.
Huang Jingfu, Hong Kang, and Lei Xiuyan, the three heads of the halls, were at the forefront.
Trainers followed behind them.
And behind the trainers were many people who ca to watch the excitent.
A large part of the crowd was there purely to see Kong Chengshun, wanting to see what a young outstanding figure capable of making it onto the ranked list of fighters looked like.
Although Kong Chengshun was only ninety-ninth on the ranked list, being on the list ant that one’s strength surpassed most of their peers in the sa generation.
It didn’t matter if it was ninety-ninth or one hundred; those were hard-fought achievents.
He would beco a hot topic of interest to countless people.
"Wow! Is this the ranked list’s outstanding youth? He is so handso!”
"I wish I could have his children!”
"Rosy Clouds Flying Sword! Rosy Clouds Flying Sword!!”
The crowd cheered incessantly, especially the young won.
However, so young won who had seen Zhou Heng and Sun Zhengping’s martial contest were shaking their heads secretly, feeling that this Rosy Clouds Flying Sword was not as handso as Zhou Heng.
As for strength?
Is strength as important as good looks?
Moving past this lively crowd,
Huang Jingfu, Hong Kang, and Lei Xiuyan along with the trainers welcod Kong Chengshun into the local Martial Administration Office.
By this ti, the head of the Martial Administration Office, Tian Chong, had already prepared a banquet.
After a short rest, Kong Chengshun took his seat.
But even at the banquet, he was still holding his beloved longsword, never letting it out of his sight.
Seeing this, Huang Jingfu said in complint,
“There’s an old saying, ‘A stick for a year, a saber for a lifeti, a lance for a year, a treasure sword always at your side.’ Very few can actually do it. Young Master Kong with a treasure sword at his side, nourishing your spirit with the sword, it’s no wonder that you have already made it onto the ranked list at such a young age.”
"Yes, yes!” Hong Kang also nodded and chid in,
“It’s evident that Young Master Kong has the makings of a grandmaster!”
In the martial path, a Fifth Rank is known as a grandmaster.
Lei Xiuyan was obviously not very comfortable with this kind of scene, but since the other two hall heads had lavished such praise, he couldn’t be too discordant.
Since Huang Jingfu and Hong Kang had already used up most of the flattering remarks, what new complints could he co up with?
After thinking for a mont, he said,
“Young Master Kong has boundless prospects. In the future, this sword will beco famous all over the world for your reputation. It’s truly its good fortune.”
But as soon as he spoke, Lei Xiuyan couldn’t help but shiver, sensing a sudden chill in the air around him.
What’s going on?
Did I say sothing wrong?
That’s impossible.
Lei Xiuyan was puzzled.
Kong Chengshun glanced at him and said indifferently,
“We need to discuss the rules for testing Zhou Heng tomorrow. Hall Master Lei, you should recuse yourself and leave for now.”
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