The Flowing Cloud Saber, as a Medium Grade Yellow Rank Martial Skill, fully demonstrated its value; its attack speed and trajectory were unmatched by Low Grade Martial Skills.
The ethereal saber technique was elusive, making it hard to predict. It swept down swiftly, then suddenly feinted, catching three black-clad men on the right off guard, and they were pierced by the Flowing Cloud Saber.
“Chh chh chh!”
Blood spurted, leaving a thin cut on the necks of the three men. They clutched their necks and fell unwillingly.
“Again!”
He stomped his foot, turning into an afterimage. After several battles, he had accumulated a bloody Aura. Only through the baptism of blood and fire could one truly grow.
With three fewer opponents, Chen Zheng's pressure greatly reduced. With his current strength, he should be able to contend with an Acquired Fifth Realm Martial Artist.
He continued to hone his skill. The proficiency of the Flowing Cloud Saber still needed improvement. What seemed like a single strike contained changes far beyond Chen Zheng's expectation.
He feinted a step, avoiding the pincer attack of the three black-clad men on his left. The long sword almost grazed his body, making him break out in a cold sweat.
“Do you really think I can't do anything to you?!”
With a burst, Chen Zheng stepped on the seven stars. Ghost Shadow Seven Steps was fully mastered, turning him into afterimages. The black-clad men could no longer catch Chen Zheng's shadow.
“Crack!”
One man's head was severed, blood spurting over three meters high, staining Chen Zheng's clothes. The hot blood stimulated Chen Zheng's brain nerves.
His body swayed like a swift leopard. The long saber in his hand suddenly slashed diagonally downwards, forming an arc that blocked the path of the three black-clad men. Chen Zheng's control over the battle was becoming increasingly refined.
“Chh chh!”
Two more men died beneath the long saber. Blood was everywhere on the ground, and four black-clad men remained.
He looked tired. Continuous high-intensity combat had severely depleted his physical strength.
“I'll risk it all!”
Chen Zheng was going mad. In three days, he planned to Breakthrough three Realms consecutively.
He felt a raging fire burning in his lower abdomen.
His meridians transmitted tearing pain. Enduring the intense pain, only by fighting could all the previous medicinal effects be fully integrated into his body.
He raised his saber and charged. This time, his Aura was even stronger, getting closer and closer to the Acquired Fifth Realm.
Two days had already passed. If an ordinary person had engaged in such high-intensity combat, they would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.
The remaining liquid transformed into a clear spring, cleansing his meridians. Even some tiny meridians hidden in the dark were tempered. The eight extraordinary meridians had already emerged. Once all were opened, he could step into the Kai Mai Realm.
Chen Zheng was not in a hurry to kill the remaining four men. Instead, he used them to continue honing his saber technique.
The speed of his saber attacks became faster and faster, and the angles became more cunning. With each strike, the black-clad men couldn't tell where Chen Zheng was aiming, making them constantly caught off guard.
With a strange arc, a black-clad man behind him had his legs severed and fell into a pool of blood.
He twisted his waist, passing between the three black-clad men, appearing behind them. A horizontal slash of his long saber sent three crimson heads flying.
Just then, his Aura suddenly erupted.
A surging power burst from within his body. He wanted to roar to the sky; this was the strength of the Acquired Fifth Realm.
In just three days, from a waste, he had become a true Martial Artist. Chen Zheng's eyes were somewhat moist.
The scene vanished, and Chen Zheng returned to his room. Unbeknownst to him, three days had already passed.
He checked his body and suddenly burst into laughter. His meridians had widened like a surging river, with blood flowing incessantly within them. Compared to a day ago, it was a world of difference.
“Not bad. Although I'm only at the Acquired Fifth Grade, with my widened meridians and the Flowing Cloud Saber, an Acquired Seventh Grade Martial Artist might not be my opponent,” a smile appeared on Chen Zheng's lips.
He put away his long saber, changed his clothes. His body was covered in grime cleaned from his meridians, which made him feel somewhat uncomfortable... Tian Family!
In a side hall, three people stood.
“Tell me, what happened?!”
Tian Jingyi questioned the young man on his right. How could such a thing happen?
“Father, I really hit the back of his head, a fatal blow. Who knew he could still survive after that?”
Upon hearing this news, Tian Tong was very confused. That day, he provoked Chen Zheng, forcing him to fight on the arena, and shattered the back of his head with a punch, which should have been fatal.
“Father believes you. If he didn't die this time, it really is a problem.”
Tian Jingyi trusted his son very much; he wouldn't lie or deceive him.
“Father, has Chen Yu returned? Being able to defeat Butler Cao and force him to apologize is very unusual.”
The Tian Family had already received news about the Peng Family threatening the Chen Family. Chen Zheng was not only alive but also lively, making the situation somewhat strange.
Tian Yilin frowned, stating his opinion.
The Tian Family of Yan City was the ancestral Family of Prime Minister Tian of the Imperial City. The Family Head, Tian Buwei, had three sons: the eldest son Tian Jingyi, the second son Tian Wuji, and the youngest son Tian Lie.
All major and minor Family matters were managed by Tian Jingyi. He had four sons: the eldest son Tian Shan, who was studying at Xuanlin Garden and had already Broken Through to the Kai Mai Realm.
The second son, Tian Tong, had killed Chen Zheng in the arena three days ago.
The third son, Tian Yue, was essentially a waste, spending his days eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring.
The youngest son, Tian Yilin, had exceptionally high talent, on par with Peng Yu. He had already been admitted to Xuanlin Garden without needing an assessment, just waiting for the Autumn Hunt to conclude.
The Autumn Hunt was held annually in the thirty-six Great Cities. Only those who ranked in the top ten were qualified to study at Xuanlin Garden.
“Your uncle sent back information that Chen Yu should still be on the frontier. It seems a major incident occurred, preventing him from leaving. The specific details are still unclear. We need to speed up. Only by killing his son can we force him to rebel, and with the Human Emperor's hand, eliminate Marquis Chiye. From then on, our Tian Family will dominate the imperial court.”
The 'uncle' they spoke of was Tian Wuji, who possessed exceptionally high talent in both civil and military affairs. In just a few years, he had risen to such a high position, truly an extraordinary individual.
He was the second-ranked in the Tian Family. Even Tian Jingyi treated his second brother with courtesy.
“Father, the rumor is that Marquis Chiye died. Is it true or false?”
Tian Yilin was very curious. It had been three years, and rumors of Marquis Chiye's death persisted, but there was no accurate news.
“Your second uncle didn't tell me the specific information. Do not ask too many questions about this matter. What we need to do is to force him to rebel as much as possible.”
Tian Jingyi pondered for a moment. He didn't know much about Marquis Chiye's news either.
“If Marquis Chiye is really dead, wouldn't what we're doing be superfluous?”
Tian Tong interjected. Even his second uncle didn't know Marquis Chiye's exact whereabouts, so killing Chen Zheng might not be very significant.
“Even if he truly died, we must proceed according to the plan. His million-strong army only obeys his command. If that little bastard successfully inherits the title, he can control a portion of the military power. We absolutely cannot let him succeed.”
Tian Jingyi emphasized the key point: the Chen Family's army only obeyed Chen Yu. As long as Chen Zheng obtained the title, he could take over his father's military power, which was not good news for the Tian Family.
“Father, I heard that the Human Emperor is old, and his only son is a waste. As long as we destroy the army under Marquis Chiye, from then on, the entire Da Yuan Kingdom will fall into our Tian Family's hands.”
Tian Yilin actually uttered such treasonous words. The father and two sons showed no trace of guilt, instead feeling it was only right.
“This matter must not be leaked. The most urgent task at hand is to force Marquis Chiye to rebel.”
Tian Jingyi waved his hand, telling Tian Yilin to be careful and not to speak carelessly. A lean camel is still bigger than a horse. No matter how old the Human Emperor was, he had cultivated a large number of confidants during his decades on the throne. Although Tian Wuji had been trying to win them over in recent years, it was still not enough.
The biggest obstacle was Marquis Chiye, who commanded a million troops.
“Father, should I go and eliminate him again?”
Tian Tong stepped forward, wanting to make a second attempt to kill Chen Zheng.
“Not yet. Tomorrow, Qingge Auction House will hold an auction. I heard there will be Body Tempering Liquid for sale. This is an opportunity. Yilin has already been admitted to Xuanlin Garden, and your second uncle's child has long since Broken Through to the Late Stage Kai Mai Realm. You also need to hurry.”
Who doesn't want their son to become a Dragon? His eldest son was already beyond worry, having Broken Through to the Kai Mai Realm.
His third son was a waste and had already been given up on.
Tian Yilin had exceptionally high talent, so there was no need to worry about him. The only one he worried about was Tian Tong.
If they Acquired the Body Tempering Liquid, they would strive to help Tian Tong Breakthrough to the Acquired Seventh Realm in the last month.
Body Tempering Liquid was undoubtedly the best medium for improvement. Hearing about its sale, he abandoned all his current matters to participate in the bidding.
Upon hearing about the Body Tempering Liquid, Tian Tong's eyes lit up. He had been stuck at the Acquired Sixth Realm for some time, lacking a crucial opportunity. To enter Xuanlin Garden, he needed to reach the Acquired Seventh Realm, making Body Tempering Liquid extremely important to him.
There were only twenty spots in total, to be divided among the Peng Family, Shi Family, and Tian Family. After deducting a few pre-determined spots, this year's competition would be particularly fierce.