Jiang Tao's Shock

A Cultivation Chamber like this only cost 20 yuan an hour—quite cheap.

That was one of the reasons Chen Mo and Jiang Tao came here to cultivate.

It was easier to get into the zone here.

After entering the Cultivation Chamber, Jiang Tao walked up to the Strength Tester and said, "Mozi, since you've broken through too, come test how much strength you have."

"Sure!" Chen Mo walked over. Seeing Jiang Tao itching to try, he did not begin immediately, instead letting him test first. "You go first!"

"Alright!"

Jiang Tao did not stand on ceremony. He took a small step back and adjusted his breathing.

Then he adjusted his stance, drawing his right foot back half a step, bending his knees slightly, turning his body slightly to the right, pulling back his clenched right fist to gather strength. He drew a deep breath, then suddenly threw a punch at the Strength Tester.

Bang!

After a thunderous boom, the numbers on the Strength Tester's display began to leap rapidly:

"100 kilograms!"

"289 kilograms!"

"457 kilograms!"

"..."

They did not stop until they reached 605 kilograms.

"605 kilograms. So you really did break through to Sixth-grade Martial Disciple. Your Qi and Blood is probably around 60 points. You really only broke through recently."

"Don't gather strength. Throw a few more punches in a row and test it."

Chen Mo spoke calmly.

One point of Qi and Blood translating to ten kilograms of force was only an estimate. Some people were born with divine strength and could strike with power exceeding that estimate at lower realms.

But after surpassing Fifth-grade Martial Disciple, the strength people could exert did not differ much.

So Chen Mo estimated it using this method.

"Alright!" Jiang Tao did not hesitate either, throwing punches with both hands in quick succession.

Bang bang bang...

The sounds of impacts rang out one after another.

The numbers on the Strength Tester's display jumped wildly. Every reading was above 600 kilograms, with an average of 603 kilograms. He was undoubtedly a Sixth-grade Martial Disciple.

"Mozi, your turn!"

Seeing the numbers on the display, Jiang Tao nodded in satisfaction and gave up his spot to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo stepped into the testing area and glanced at Jiang Tao.

"Taozi, do you believe my strength is greater than yours?"

"How is that possible? You only broke through today. How could you be stronger than me?"

Jiang Tao did not believe it at all. He had broken through a day before Chen Mo, and only after stabilizing his realm had his strength exceeded 600 kilograms.

Someone like Chen Mo, who had just broken through and whose realm was not yet stable, might not even be able to exert the strength appropriate to his realm.

"Just wait and see!"

Chen Mo knew his own situation. With 62 points of Qi and Blood, his strength had long since surpassed Jiang Tao's.

"Then test it. I refuse to believe you can be stronger than me!"

Jiang Tao still did not believe him. Chen Mo did not waste words either; without even adjusting his stance, he directly began striking with alternating fists.

Bang bang bang...

The sounds of impacts rang out one after another. Chen Mo threw ten consecutive punches before stopping.

Jiang Tao stared fixedly at the display. The moment he saw the number exceed 605, his eyes widened.

When the number stopped at 625, his pupils shrank sharply and his mouth fell slightly open. He simply could not believe his eyes.

The next nine readings were all above 620, with an average of 623 kilograms.

Even after seeing all the numbers, Jiang Tao still could not believe it, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him.

He rubbed his eyes and looked carefully again. The numbers had not changed, and only then did he confirm that he had not seen wrong.

"Holy shit! Mozi! You lied to me!"

Jiang Tao came back to his senses, suddenly grabbing Chen Mo by the shoulders and shaking him hard.

"You said we were breaking through together, but your Qi and Blood has already reached 62! And you said you'd only just broken through!"

"How could your Qi and Blood shoot up to 62 right after breaking through? When I broke through, I even took a Qi and Blood Pill, yet my Qi and Blood still didn't exceed 61!"

"Did you lie to me? Did you actually break through long ago, and only say you'd just broken through so I wouldn't feel bad?"

After Jiang Tao finished, Chen Mo hurriedly broke free from his grip before slowly saying:

"Just as you thought, I actually broke through nearly half a month ago. I just didn't say anything because I was afraid you'd feel bad."

Chen Mo could only go along with Jiang Tao's explanation. Otherwise, he had no way to explain how his vitality and blood had reached 62 points so quickly.

There were many factors involved in condensing vitality and blood. At Chen Mo's original pace, he could only condense 1–2 points in a month.

"I knew it! That makes sense!"

Jiang Tao habitually slung an arm over Chen Mo's shoulder again and continued, "Mozi, there's really no need for you to hide it. If you break through first, I'd be happy instead."

"It gives me a goal to chase. I'm not the kind of person who fears his brother doing poorly, yet also fears his brother being a genius."

"I know. I won't hide it anymore! Come on, let's spar with sabers."

"Alright!"

The two went to take Wooden Crossblades from the weapon rack.

They were only sparring, and they were friends, so naturally they did not use bladed weapons. It would be bad if either of them accidentally hurt the other.

Weapons in hand, the two stood ten meters apart and took their stances.

"Begin!"

The moment the words fell, they rushed toward each other. In an instant, their sabers collided with a clang.

When Jiang Tao came within three meters of Chen Mo, Chen Mo activated his Spiritual Perception. He instantly predicted where Jiang Tao's strike would land and responded accordingly.

The instant their blades collided, Chen Mo had already changed moves. Riding the motion, he slipped to Jiang Tao's right and slashed toward his waist.

Jiang Tao naturally would not sit still and wait for death. He instinctively twisted aside and retreated, swinging his saber at the same time to block Chen Mo's attack.

However, that move had only been a feint. The instant Jiang Tao changed moves, Chen Mo's saber tip had already struck his body.

The mighty, heavy blow sent Jiang Tao staggering back two steps.

"Taozi, I'll take the win! Hehe!"

Chen Mo said with a grin. Under his Spiritual Perception, every rustle of wind and stir of grass within three meters was completely under his control.

At the same time, a notification drifted across the System Panel:

Used Basic Saber Technique in actual combat once. Basic Saber Technique proficiency +2.

None of Jiang Tao's movements could escape Chen Mo's perception, so naturally, Chen Mo could defeat him with ease.

Even though Jiang Tao's saber technique realm was higher than Chen Mo's.

"No way, Mozi, has your saber technique reached Major Accomplishment too? Just how much have you been hiding?"

Jiang Tao could hardly believe it. When he had sparred with Chen Mo before, it took dozens of exchanges before he could bring Chen Mo down.

Now Chen Mo had defeated him in fewer than three moves. It was simply unbelievable.

"My saber technique hasn't reached Major Accomplishment yet. My eyes are just sharp enough to predict your moves and catch your openings, that's all."

"We know each other so well. We both know each other's habitual moves, so you get it!"

Chen Mo explained with a smile. As for Spiritual Perception, there was no way he would reveal that.

Nor was that explanation wrong. Ever since his Spiritual Power had reached 100, his eyesight had improved by a whole level, allowing him to see mosquitoes ten meters away.

Hearing that explanation, Jiang Tao reluctantly believed him.

"Fine, I was careless just now. Let's keep sparring."

After that, Jiang Tao began to doubt his life.

Again, in fewer than three moves, Chen Mo defeated him.

Refusing to concede, he continued sparring.

This time, afraid that Jiang Tao would become depressed, Chen Mo held back. He stopped using Pre-cognition and simply sparred with him.

After more than a dozen exchanges, Jiang Tao still lost, but not only was he not upset, he was overjoyed!

Because his Basic Saber Technique had reached Major Accomplishment!