Sparring

Zhao Hongming was not exaggerating or joking on purpose.

As far as he knew, Chen Xuerong was still stuck at Aperture Opening Seventh Grade, with no sign of breaking through for the time being.

After days of arduous, diligent cultivation, his own cultivation had advanced another step. He was now at Aperture Opening Fourth Grade.

Only three minor realms below Chen Xuerong's Aperture Opening Seventh Grade cultivation.

But because of National Luck Suppression, it was difficult for members of the Imperial Family to achieve much in cultivation.

In Chen Xuerong's eyes, after cultivating for so long, he was probably little different from some petty street thug who knew only three-legged-cat kung fu. From her opening stance and breathing, he could tell that she was using only ten percent of her strength.

With one side rising while the other fell under such conditions, if Zhao Hongming truly struck with all his strength, Chen Xuerong might not necessarily be able to receive his blade.

When martial experts exchanged blows, victory and defeat were often decided within a few breaths.

If things went badly and he caught her off guard, he might cleave her in two with a single stroke, just like that Assassin.

However, under the Jian'an Emperor's deliberate encouragement, Chen Xuerong had been interacting with him more and more frequently, and their exchanges had grown deeper as well.

Previously, they had merely discussed theoretical details of Martial Arts. Now, she had begun teaching him hand by hand.

Sparring was something he could not avoid.

Zhao Hongming drew a deep breath, weighing his options. Should he play deaf and dumb to muddle through, or make a stunning debut and make her see him in a new light?

He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Because either choice had its drawbacks.

Chen Xuerong, as a Martial Arts Talented Woman, possessed an exceptionally solid theoretical foundation. It would not be easy to fool her.

One lie would require more lies to cover it up.

The latter option, meanwhile, did not suit his current style of keeping a low profile and proceeding steadily.

When he counted it all up, he had only met Chen Xuerong a few times. They were nowhere near a level of trust.

Moreover, her father was the Minister of Works. Zhao Hongming had no clear idea what position he held in court.

Revealing his true hand rashly was indeed a risky move, but with the arrow already on the bowstring, he had no choice but to let it fly.

He would take one step at a time.

Zhao Hongming raised his blade, stomped fiercely forward, and slashed down at Chen Xuerong, using the first move of Heaven and Earth Severing Slash.

This move was merely a simple downward chop. It relied only on the unified force of waist and stance, concentrating the strength of his entire body onto the blade to achieve the effect of killing with one strike.

"What a textbook-perfect move!"

Chen Xuerong's eyes lit up. She discovered that Zhao Hongming had executed the move with incomparable cleanliness and decisiveness, as though he had completely grasped the essence of Heaven and Earth Severing Slash, without a single superfluous motion.

Seeing this, her expression turned serious. Her right foot traced a circle, and her body, seemingly soft and boneless, slipped around the slash.

Then she drew back the Wooden Sword in her hand, shifted her body slightly, and slashed at Zhao Hongming's arm with a reverse grip.

This was a killing move among the Martial Skills she had learned, called Drawing Blade Slash.

It involved changing one's grip after sheathing the blade, then drawing and striking at high speed.

The sheathing motion was meant to distract the opponent and disrupt their train of thought.

The swift draw that followed was the true killing move, a pure Martial Skill much like Heaven and Earth Severing Slash.

Yet in actual combat, as long as one could swiftly shift into a reverse grip, there was no need to sheath the blade and move one's feet to complete it.

Taking Zhao Hongming's cultivation into consideration,

Chen Xuerong adjusted her breathing and used mostly pure physical strength, while the True Qi within her body remained as steady as a boulder.

Zhao Hongming's gaze sharpened.

A Martial Arts Talented Woman's attacks truly were different. With merely one variation, she had immediately dismantled his move.

But he was not without room to maneuver.

With the boost of Heaven's Reward Martial Arts Panel, he had long since mastered Heaven and Earth Severing Slash to the point of consummate perfection.

He had even thoroughly integrated many of its moves.

He pulled back the descending Wooden Sword and neatly blocked Chen Xuerong's long blade.

"Your Highness, that was a clever way to break the move." Chen Xuerong said appreciatively.

The moment her words fell, she stepped sideways like a flying swallow, circling behind Zhao Hongming and intending to strike from his blind spot.

The first time Zhao Hongming had killed someone had been through a sneak attack from behind, and afterward, he had thoroughly reviewed it.

He was exceedingly familiar with such unexpected tactics.

The instant he saw the direction of Chen Xuerong's sidestep, he reacted and heightened his vigilance.

Just as he had expected, Chen Xuerong followed through by slashing at his back.

Because he had anticipated it beforehand, Zhao Hongming's blade reached behind his back before hers did, once again blocking Chen Xuerong's killing move.

After having two consecutive moves easily neutralized, Chen Xuerong suddenly felt the urge to use True Qi.

But she knew this was a spar, so she forcibly suppressed that impulse and focused on exchanging moves.

Both were considering the other, and without speaking, neither used True Qi. They fought using only physical strength.

This made all Zhao Hongming's previous concerns about his first sparring match vanish like smoke in thin air. He completely cast off his mental burden and began sparring boldly with Chen Xuerong, letting loose with his Martial Skills.

The two fought fiercely in the small courtyard.

The clashing of Wooden Swords rang without end, while splinters flew in every direction.

As they continued exchanging moves, Chen Xuerong became increasingly astonished by Zhao Hongming's performance.

Without using cultivation, relying solely on Martial Skills, she actually could not completely suppress Zhao Hongming.

There were even several ways he dismantled her moves that she herself could not have thought of. His combat experience was remarkably seasoned, entirely unlike someone who had trained for barely over a month.

She had needed one or two years of practice to reach this level.

Chen Xuerong marveled inwardly.

The Fifth Prince's talent in Martial Skills is actually this terrifying.

Both were the quiet sort in battle. Aside from the incessant sounds of collisions, only the howling of blades cutting through the air remained in the courtyard.

"Your Highness, Commandant Wan Youqing requests an audience."

Just as the two were locked in fierce combat, a Little Eunuch rashly came to report.

Zhao Hongming was distracted for an instant.

Bang!

Chen Xuerong's Wooden Sword landed on Zhao Hongming's right arm.

As their exchange had already reached a fever pitch, the already battered wood shattered under Chen Xuerong's force, turning into fragments scattered across the ground.

Zhao Hongming gave a muffled groan and staggered back several steps before steadying himself.

He panted heavily and looked down. A bloody wound had appeared on his right arm.

Chen Xuerong cried out in alarm, "Your Highness!"

She threw aside the broken Wooden Sword, hurried to Zhao Hongming's side, and pressed twice above the wound on his arm to stop the bleeding.

The Little Eunuch who witnessed this scene was completely dumbfounded. He vaguely felt that he had caused a tremendous disaster.

Zhao Hongming glared at him and said, "You dog servant, shouting and screaming like that—are you trying to murder This Prince?"

The Little Eunuch hurriedly knelt on the ground and wailed to heaven and earth, "This servant deserves ten thousand deaths! This servant deserves ten thousand deaths!"

Chen Xuerong hurriedly pleaded guilty as well. "This subject's daughter did not control her strength properly. Your Highness, please forgive me."

"This matter has nothing to do with Miss Chen. It is this dog servant who has been too rude." Zhao Hongming said coldly. "Where is Wang Bao? Where is Wang Bao?!"

Wang Bao immediately ran over upon hearing himself summoned. "Your Highness!"

"Drag him out and give him twenty strokes of the cane. Let him learn his lesson." Zhao Hongming stared at him. "This Prince remembers the many years of hard work you have put into serving me, but you have failed to keep your subordinates in line. Ten strokes of the cane."

Seeing that Zhao Hongming had no intention of pursuing his responsibility any further, the personal Eunuch hurriedly said gratefully, "Thank you, Your Highness, for bestowing punishment."

Please recommend the new book and keep reading~