Women Only Slow Down My Sword Drawing

The Dao Academy cultivators whose thoughts had been thrown into turmoil by Xue Yao's advancement were not limited to Jiang Yue alone.

Nearly all cultivators had felt the gap in talent and been stirred by it.

Among them, Zhuang Yi and Yi Yunya were naturally the most affected.

Their talents were the same as Xue Yao's. Yet she had broken through while they had not advanced, and that naturally left them with complicated feelings.

Of the two, Zhuang Yi quickly calmed down.

"So she broke through ahead of me? Heh, good. But I won't fall behind. At most, I'll break through tomorrow as well."

He was full of fighting spirit, even somewhat eager.

As for Yi Yunya, her gaze was deep as she pondered something.

After a long while, she gave orders to her subordinate.

"Youlan, how has the investigation into Zhong Ming gone? Is he truly capable, or merely a highly skilled fraud?"

"The former."

As she answered, Youlan's figure appeared as well.

She was a young girl with a somewhat cold and aloof appearance.

If Zhong Ming had been nearby, he would have discovered that the girl named Youlan was no ordinary servant. She was also a Dao Academy student, and her Spiritual Root grade was as high as Second-Class.

Having a Dao Academy student with a Second-Class Spiritual Root as a servant was enough to show the Yi Family's wealth and extravagance.

Yi Yunya asked, "What is the basis for your judgment?"

"His swordsmanship." With an indifferent expression, Youlan calmly recounted her observations. "Zhong Ming began practicing swordsmanship yesterday afternoon. What he practiced was the Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique."

"At first, his swordsmanship was very immature, but in merely the time it took to burn one stick of incense, his Sword Drawing Technique had already entered the hall."

"After that, he continued practicing until the hour of Hai, after nine at night."

"By then, his swordsmanship was already quite presentable even among those at the second realm..."

At this point, Youlan, who had always been aloof by nature, gave Zhong Ming an extremely high evaluation. "With such resolute character and outstanding talent in the sword path, his future achievements will not be low. Jiang Yue must have noticed this as well, which is why he values him so highly."

Yi Yunya said, "For you to praise him, his talent in the sword path must indeed be impressive... Arrange for him to meet me at dinner."

"Yes, Miss."

Xue Yao's advancement and the discussions outside had not affected Zhong Ming in the slightest.

With gratitude in his heart, he focused wholeheartedly on practicing the Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique.

"Heaven Rewards Diligence, thank you. You have given me the chance to change myself through hard work..."

Knowing that this opportunity was hard-won and something others could only dream of, Zhong Ming did not slack off in the slightest while cultivating.

"With such conditions, if I still relax in my cultivation, I'll be struck down by heaven..."

This conviction lent even a touch of devotion to Zhong Ming's training.

Every slash, every sword draw, every time he rose from a half-squat... he tried to make each one perfect.

As he drew and slashed his sword again and again, knocking down pebble after pebble, Zhong Ming's understanding of the Sword Drawing Technique and the gentle, winding intent of flowing water deepened more and more.

At the same time, as his insights accumulated and his swordsmanship grew stronger, Zhong Ming's hit rate also rose.

Now, whenever he drew his sword, he never missed.

Unfortunately, the further I progress, the higher Heaven Rewards Diligence's demands become. Now, even if I hit a pebble—or slash several pebbles apart in one strike—my proficiency only increases by +1.

Zhong Ming felt only a trace of regret over his current progress and had no real complaints.

One strike, one point of improvement—this was already a wonderful thing that others would not dare dream of.

Most of the time, others had to slash a thousand times, ten thousand times, before their proficiency could increase by a single point.

If they went without training for two or three days, their proficiency would even decline.

Compared to them, Zhong Ming's circumstances were already far better.

Clang!

After drawing his sword once more, Zhong Ming cut down every pebble scattered through the air like celestial maidens scattering flowers.

After knocking them down, Zhong Ming saw Dong Hai panting heavily, while his own arm was sore, numb, and powerless. He temporarily stopped his training.

"Dong Hai, let's stop for now. Let's go eat first."

"Huff, huff... alright..."

"Brother Zhong, come with us."

It was Jiang Yue calling out.

At this moment, he was even more enthusiastic than before.

Ever since he had developed the intention to recruit Zhong Ming, he had paid even closer attention to him.

Although he had soaked in medicinal baths since childhood and his meridians could withstand more than Zhong Ming's, he still could not cultivate for an entire day.

Afterward, what he practiced was not much different from Zhong Ming's: swordsmanship.

Of course, what he practiced was the Dragon Creek Swordplay, which balanced offense and defense.

He had trained this swordplay to the beginner stage.

Though his own realm was not high, he possessed discernment.

As he watched Zhong Ming, he saw with his own eyes how Zhong Ming's swordsmanship improved all the way from being battered into a sorry state by the pebbles to shattering every pebble raining down from the sky. In total, it had taken only one day.

Though he did not wish to admit it, he had no choice but to acknowledge that in terms of pure talent for swordsmanship, Zhong Ming far surpassed him.

That makes sense. Without sufficient comprehension, he could not have sensed the Flood Dragon True Intent from the Mountain Stream Diagram.

That morning, Jiang Yue had still felt that Zhong Ming, with a Third-grade Spiritual Root and little in the way of resources, was somewhat unqualified to marry his younger sister.

—Others believed Zhong Ming had resources, but Jiang Yue did not see it that way.

Cultivation did not end with the Hundred Day Assessment. There was what came after as well.

The resources in Zhong Ming's hands were indeed more than enough for the Hundred Day Assessment, but they were utterly insufficient for his later cultivation. This was the fundamental reason Jiang Yue felt Zhong Ming was not qualified to marry his sister.

But the sword path talent Zhong Ming had displayed changed everything.

If he joins me, he will be my best helper on Dragon Stream Peak.

With that in mind, Jiang Yue naturally wanted to draw closer to Zhong Ming.

Zhong Ming... accepted the invitation.

He had no idea what Jiang Yue was thinking. He assumed Jiang Yue was inviting him out of gratitude for telling him about the Dragon Flood True Intent.

Jiang Yue's Spirit Meal could not only replenish Spiritual Energy, but also restore a person's strength, endurance, and injuries. That was precisely what Zhong Ming urgently needed right now, so naturally he would not refuse.

This counts as owing Jiang Yue a favor. When I have the chance, I must repay him... Though perhaps I needn't wait until later.

Once my Sword Drawing Technique reaches the third realm, I can offer him some guidance. That way, I can repay the favor of this meal.

With a way to repay him in mind, Zhong Ming became even more at ease.

When they reached the dining hall and Jiang Yue politely told him to order a few dishes as well, Zhong Ming did not hesitate to order a bowl of Spirit Restoring Lotus Root Soup, which was highly effective at helping the body recover.

This did not make Jiang Yue think less of Zhong Ming. Instead, Zhong Ming's free and unrestrained bearing made the smile on Jiang Yue's face grow wider.

Jiang Yue was pleased, and Zhong Ming was satisfied, but Jiang Xiaoyu... was in no beautiful mood.

—Because Zhong Ming was unfamiliar with Jiang Yue, he had not noticed anything unusual about the invitation and Jiang Yue's subsequent attitude.

Jiang Xiaoyu was different. Having been with her brother for years, she had already noticed what he was thinking.

And that made her bristle.

"Brother is acting like this... He wants me to marry Zhong Ming."

After realizing her brother's intentions, Jiang Xiaoyu found it unbelievable, incomprehensible, and deeply embarrassing.

Brother, have you lost your mind? Zhong Ming has some ability, but he is not qualified to stand on equal footing with us, is he?

You want me to marry a subordinate.

Even an important subordinate was still a subordinate.

And marriages in this era still followed the rule that daughters of high families married upward, while sons of low families took wives downward. Jiang Xiaoyu simply did not believe Zhong Ming was qualified to marry her.

Her uncooperative attitude did not affect Zhong Ming. He had always known that Jiang Xiaoyu was spoiled and willful, and that she did not like him very much.

He had no thoughts about her either, so Zhong Ming did not pay much attention to Jiang Xiaoyu's attitude.

The one who has a good relationship with me is Jiang Yue, and he can make the decisions... As long as his sister does not say anything to my face, I'll ignore it.

Jiang Xiaoyu was embarrassed and angry, while Zhong Ming ignored her. This was not what Jiang Yue wanted.

Having sensed Zhong Ming's talent, he wanted Zhong Ming to become his most important right-hand man.

—Well, even Jiang Yue did not believe Zhong Ming was qualified to stand on equal footing with him.

It could only be said that having a Third-grade Spiritual Root and no family support was such a major flaw that Zhong Ming had never been seen as a threat in the eyes of the "true prodigies."

Don't make trouble. I'm doing this for your own good.

What good? I will never marry that crude fellow.

Once the food arrived, Zhong Ming busied himself eating.

While he was busy eating, Jiang Yue and Jiang Xiaoyu, the sibling pair who knew each other so well, began communicating through their eyes.

But with Zhong Ming present, they could not lay everything out in the open. Thus, their argument ultimately came to nothing.

Just as Jiang Yue frowned and prepared to properly persuade his younger sister after the meal, someone who brought him both surprise and delight arrived.

"Young Master Jiang, Little Sister Xiaoyu, and Young Master Zhong, it has been a long time."

The gentle and elegant voice belonged to Liu Wanyu. Behind her followed Wei Jie, whose mood was clearly poor.

Her arrival made Zhong Ming glance at her, but only for a moment.

Zhong Ming knew very clearly that for hot-blooded young men, beautiful women could make them impulsive, and that meant trouble.

At this moment, Zhong Ming only wanted to practice his sword. He did not want anything to do with any trouble.

Women only slow down my sword drawing.

Thus, before Liu Wanyu arrived, Zhong Ming had been eating. After she arrived, Zhong Ming continued to eat with full concentration.

"..."