In the Bamboo Sea, Luo Yu thrust his sword at Chen Chong.
It was a Bamboo Sword, a little over three feet long. Its joints had been polished smooth, its surface dark with the sheen of years of handling. The tip cut through the air without a sound, like a bamboo leaf falling in the wind. Chen Chong met it with his own weapon, a Bamboo Saber.
They used only bamboo weapons when sparring in the Bamboo Sea. The two struck with a crisp crack that echoed through the grove. Chen Chong kept parrying, blocking left and right, sweeping up and chopping down.
Now and then, he even seized a chance to counterattack, sliding his Bamboo Saber along Luo Yu's blade toward his wrist. To anyone watching, the exchange looked evenly matched.
But Chen Chong knew Luo Yu was deliberately controlling the pace to train him. His master held back part of his strength, moved half a beat slower, and left one variation out of every move. If Luo Yu had fought at full strength, Chen Chong's Bamboo Saber would have been knocked away ten times over.
"Not bad. You're still making steady progress at this level. You really do have talent."
Chen Chong scratched his head, embarrassed by Luo Yu's praise. It's all thanks to the panel.
Over the past few months, the numbers on the panel had climbed day by day. His proficiency in Ravine-Returning Profound Severance had risen from twenty-five points to more than two hundred. Though he had long since perfected the Profound Abyss Dragon-Tiger True Canon, the fusion with the Marrow-Cleansing Essence-Hiding Record had deepened his foundation further.
He improved every day, never retreating, never stalling. That was the beauty of the panel: as long as there was a road ahead, the ground would never