Zhao Sheng still smiled and said, "Third Brother, don't laugh. My martial arts have greatly improved recently. Be careful not to lose to me later!"
With that, Zhao Sheng drew his longsword, discarded the scabbard, and pointed the tip of the sword at Zhao Zhijing.
"Come on!"
Seeing that his Ninth Brother was serious, Zhao Zhijing shook his head helplessly. He raised his sword, assumed the 'Phoenix Arrives' stance, and said indifferently, "Come on, feel free to use all your strength!"
Zhao Sheng saw the other party's careless and negligent demeanor and intended to teach him a profound lesson.
With a shift of his feet, Zhao Sheng's figure suddenly vanished from his original spot. The next instant, he abruptly appeared beside Zhao Zhijing, his right hand making a swift, lightning-fast move to seal his throat with the sword.
Zhao Zhijing only felt a blur before his eyes and immediately cried out inwardly, "Not good!"
However, before he could raise his sword to change his move, a chillingly bright, snow-white longsword was already resting on his neck.
"You lost!"
Zhao Sheng looked at Zhao Zhijing with a smile, then casually put his Hundred Refinements Sword away.
Fast, it was simply too fast!
So fast that it left people dumbfounded.
Their Third Brother lost without even making a single move; everyone could hardly believe their eyes.
Zhao Zhijing was extremely surprised and couldn't help but ask, "You... how could you be so fast?"
"I just said, my martial arts have greatly improved recently," Zhao Sheng replied calmly.
"Could it be that you had an epiphany?" someone nearby suddenly shouted.
"Hmm," Zhao Sheng nodded, tacitly confirming it.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone, including Zhao Zhijing, had eyes filled with envy and jealousy.
Rumors in the pugilistic world said that epiphanies were rare and unseekable.
Once someone had an epiphany, their martial arts would greatly improve afterward, and their cultivation would advance a Thousand Li a day.
How could such a great fortune fall upon the lazy Ninth Brother? Heaven is truly unfair!
"I don't believe it! Ninth Brother, come and spar with me!"
Sixth Brother Zhao Zhiping jumped out at this moment. He was tall and burly, and among his peers, he was one of the most skilled martial artists, excluding the other two.
Seeing this, Zhao Zhijing silently stepped aside, the meaning of this action being self-evident.
"Sixth Brother, feel free to attack!"
Zhao Sheng was here to establish his prestige today and was not afraid of any challenge.
Besides, none of the Zhao family members here today were worthy of his attention; they were all good-for-nothing individuals.
Good!
Zhao Zhiping roared and then thrust his sword. With a 'White Rainbow Piercing the Sun' move, the sword tip went straight for Zhao Sheng's chest.
Fool!
As soon as the opponent made his sword move, Zhao Sheng couldn't help but curse inwardly.
The 'White Rainbow Piercing the Sun' was supposed to be light and swift, but in Zhao Zhiping's hands, it was used with fierce dominance and a roaring force, which was completely off the mark.
The Zhao Family had been too smooth these past years, truly slacking off in the education of their younger generation.
Alas, it must change!
Zhao Sheng sighed inwardly as he swung his sword. The back of his sword rested on the opponent's sword body, and then the sword body vibrated slightly. With a tremor and a release, Zhao Zhiping's strength was easily neutralized.
Then,
Suddenly, a sword shadow, like light smoke and thin mist, seemingly slow but actually fast, easily broke through Zhao Zhiping's defense, and the sword tip rested firmly on his chest.
"Sixth Brother, this is how 'White Rainbow Piercing the Sun' is used!" Zhao Sheng said calmly and composedly.
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Zhiping's face flushed crimson, and he retreated with shame and indignation.
"Who else wants to come up and try?"
Zhao Sheng looked around, his expression calm, his Hundred Refinements Sword in hand slightly raised.
Impossible!
In just two days, Ninth Brother's skills had become so profound.
Is enlightenment truly that powerful? To transform a person in just a few days!
But the facts were laid out here, and others also tried to enter the arena, all without exception being defeated.
In fact, the defeat of several Zhao family disciples was not unfair at all.
Let alone them, if the enhancement of inner qi was removed, and only martial arts techniques were considered, there were no more than Thee people in total who could last more than a hundred moves against Zhao Sheng.
After this incident, the news of Zhao Sheng's great improvement in martial arts quickly spread throughout Zhao Family Fortress.
Some young masters and ladies who didn't believe in evil proactively came to challenge him, but in the end, they all left covering their faces.
Three days later, Zhao Sheng's treatment quietly returned to what it had been before, and his monthly allowance even increased to two hundred taels.
He was very satisfied with this; the First Madam was indeed worthy of being the mistress of the house, intelligent and pragmatic, handling matters with precise judgment.
Two days later, Zhao Sheng, carrying his sword, proactively sought out Zhao Heta, the head of the Third House. What did the two discuss in secret? No one knew except the parties involved.
However, that very evening, Zhao Heta suddenly sought out the Family Head, Zhao Hexing.
After a brief conversation, Zhao Hexing proactively convened the heads of each house and the elders for a secret meeting.
A few days later, all discussions about the Ninth Young Master ceased abruptly. From then on, no one ever spoke of the events of those past few days.
Within a family, if someone acts as the 'face,' then someone must act as the 'lining.' The 'face' cannot be sullied in the slightest; if it bleeds, the 'lining' must absorb it. If it cannot be contained and spills onto the 'face,' it could be a major matter of ruin for the family.
Zhao Sheng chose to secretly become the 'lining' of the Nanyang Zhao Clan.
Having lived Three lives, he had long passed the stage of seeking fame and fortune. What good was a life of glory? Could he attain eternal life?
In this life, he had only one goal: to produce a Cultivators.
...
Spring turned to autumn, time flew by, and another Three years passed in a blink of an eye.
As the reputation of Zhao Zhijing, the 'Jade Sword Young Master' of the Zhao Family, spread throughout the martial arts world of Ganzhou, an ordinary carriage slowly drove into Moling City through the city gate and finally stopped in front of a Three-story inn.
"Young Master, we've arrived," Zhao Xiaobao jumped off the carriage and respectfully said to the carriage compartment.
After Three years, Zhao Xiaobao had changed greatly, growing into a handsome young man.
And his master, Zhao Sheng,
As the carriage curtain was rolled up, a handsome young master with a jade-like face, tall and slender figure, and elegant demeanor stepped down from the carriage.
"Go in!"
After speaking, Zhao Sheng took a step and entered the inn.
This inn was called Yuelai Inn, a secret outpost established by the Zhao Family in Moling City.
As soon as the master and servant appeared, they were quickly led into a secret room by the innkeeper.
In the secret room, as soon as Zhao Sheng took his seat, the innkeeper, Zhao San Chong, was about to kneel and bow.
Zhao Sheng extended a hand, and a verdant blue True Qi emerged in response, supporting the other party, and said, "Dispense with it. Let's get to the main business first."
"True Qi emission?!" Zhao San Chong's heart was greatly shaken. He never expected the Ninth Young Master's cultivation to have advanced so much before he even reached adulthood.
It should be known that in the pugilistic world, True Qi emission required at least a first-rate master to achieve.
Even more terrifying was that the Ninth Young Master was only eighteen years old this year!
"The Zhao Family has hope for revival!" Zhao San Chong's heart surged with emotion.
Over two hundred years, countless martial artists emerged from the Zhao Family, with experts appearing endlessly. However, there were only two true Grandmaster: the High Ancestor and the fifth-generation Family Head.
The difficulty of advancing to Grandmaster status was imaginable!
Thinking of this, Zhao San Chong became even more careful and respectful towards the Ninth Young Master.
"Young Master, your subordinate has found a highly suspicious place. Fifty Li south of Moling City, there is a mysterious canyon called Fangyan Valley.
This place is shrouded in dense fog year-round. However, woodcutters often see people appearing in the valley. Occasionally, they even see Immortals flying into the valley from the sky. Therefore, your subordinate believes there is an eighty percent chance that Fangyan Valley is the Wang Family's stronghold."
Zhao Sheng nodded in satisfaction and said, "You've done very well. Once the matter is confirmed, you may return to Zhao Family Fortress to report on your duties. At that time, I will reward you with thirty mu of prime farmland, and your monthly salary will increase by twenty taels. Additionally, I will allow one of your sons to be listed in the family genealogy."
"Thank you for your generous reward, Young Master!" Zhao San Chong's eyes welled up with tears of excitement upon hearing this.
Putting aside everything else, allowing one of his sons to be listed in the family genealogy was enough to make him dedicate his life.