I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 49: You go out first

Zhou Heng’s perception was extremely sharp, especially after his insight increased by +1.

Even when he was focused on cultivating his inner strength, he could immediately detect any movements nearby.

Now, someone 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 someone have seen me exchanging gold at the gold shop earlier?

"Someone wants to steal my gold?!”

At this thought, Zhou Heng immediately became angry, grabbed the steel sabre beside his bed, rushed out, and shouted sternly,

“Who is there, show yourself immediately!”

"Your landlord is here! Zhou Heng, won’t you sleep??” An angry shout suddenly came from the main house, warning,

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 met 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 moment, 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 mentioned, who had come 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 come to attack him. He also felt that there was another strange aura contained in his opponent’s sword.

Clang!

Another sword strike came, and Zhou Heng again perfectly parried it, following the opponent’s sword momentum with a turn of his blade edge, transforming defense into attack and slashed down with force!

Kong Chengshun seemed to not have expected such a variation in Zhou Heng’s saber technique, which caused a momentary 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 immediately 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 moment, 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 movement 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 somewhat 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 time, 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 something he couldn’t overlook.

"His saber technique reached the state of transformation; he actually managed to cultivate such a mediocre martial arts technique as the twelve-form ‘Cleaving Mountain Saber Technique’ to that extent!” Kong Chengshun found it unfathomable remembering 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 extremely 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 means 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 time is extremely 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 moment, he gave the longsword in his hand a flick.

The seemingly ordinary longsword instantly transformed 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 me 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 amazement,

“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 moment, 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 came 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 came to watch the excitement.

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 meant that one’s strength surpassed most of their peers in the same generation.

It didn’t matter if it was ninety-ninth or one hundred; those were hard-fought achievements.

He would become a hot topic of interest to countless people.

"Wow! Is this the ranked list’s outstanding youth? He is so handsome!”

"I wish I could have his children!”

"Rosy Clouds Flying Sword! Rosy Clouds Flying Sword!!”

The crowd cheered incessantly, especially the young women.

However, some young women 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 handsome 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 welcomed Kong Chengshun into the local Martial Administration Office.

By this time, 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 compliment,

“There’s an old saying, ‘A stick for a year, a saber for a lifetime, 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 chimed 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 compliments could he come up with?

After thinking for a moment, he said,

“Young Master Kong has boundless prospects. In the future, this sword will become 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 something 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.”