Jiang Yue wasn't the only Cultivator at the Daoist School disturbed by Xue Yao's advancement.
Nearly every Cultivator felt the gap in Talent and was deeply affected.
And among them, the ones most deeply affected were, naturally, Zhuang Yi and Yi Yunya.
Both had the same level of Talent as Xue Yao. Her breakthrough, while they had yet to advance, naturally made them feel unsettled.
Among the two, Zhuang Yi's emotions quickly calmed.
"So she broke through first, has she? Heh, very good. But I won't be left behind. I'll have my breakthrough by tomorrow at the latest."
He was filled with a competitive spirit, even seeming somewhat eager.
As for Yi Yunya, her gaze was profound as she contemplated something.
After a long moment, she began to give orders to her subordinate.
"Orchid, what's the status of the investigation on Zhong Ming? Is he the real deal, or just a highly skilled fraud?"
"The former."
As she answered, the figure of Orchid materialized.
She was a young woman with a somewhat cold and aloof appearance.
Had Zhong Ming been nearby, he would have realized that the young woman named Orchid was no ordinary servant. She was also a student of the Daoist School, and her Spiritual Root was of the high second grade.
To have a Daoist School student with a second-grade Spiritual Root as a servant was a testament to the Yi Family's immense wealth.
Yi Yunya: "What is the basis for your judgment?"
"His Swordsmanship." With an impassive expression, Orchid calmly relayed her observations. "Zhong Ming began practicing Swordsmanship yesterday afternoon. He is cultivating the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique."
"Initially, his Swordsmanship was quite unrefined, but within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, his Sword-Drawing Technique had already reached the level of Insight."
"Following that, he continued to practice until after 9 p.m."
"By that time, his Swordsmanship could already be considered respectable among those in the Second Realm..."
At this point, Orchid, whose disposition was typically indifferent, gave Zhong Ming an extremely high evaluation. "With such a resolute nature and outstanding talent in the Sword Dao, his future achievements will not be insignificant. Jiang Yue must have perceived this as well, which would explain why he holds him in such high regard."
Yi Yunya: "To earn your praise, his talent in the Sword Dao must truly be impressive... Arrange for me to meet him at dinner."
"Yes, My Lady."
...
Xue Yao's advancement, and the discussions swirling around it, had no effect on Zhong Ming whatsoever.
Filled with a sense of gratitude, he was completely engrossed in practicing the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique.
'Heaven Rewards Diligence, thank you. You've given me a chance to change my own fate through hard work...'
Knowing that his current opportunity was hard-won and something others could only dream of, Zhong Ming dared not slacken his cultivation in the slightest.
'To have such an advantage and still relax my training... that would be inviting heavenly wrath...'
This philosophy lent his cultivation an air of pious devotion.
Every slash, every draw, every rise from a semi-squat... he strove to make each movement perfect.
And with each Sword Draw Slash, with each pebble he struck from the air.
Zhong Ming's comprehension of the Sword-Drawing Technique, as well as the intent of flowing water, deepened.
At the same time, as his comprehension grew and his Swordsmanship strengthened, Zhong Ming's accuracy also increased.
Now, whenever he drew his sword, he no longer missed.
'Unfortunately, the more advanced I become, the higher the requirements of Heaven Rewards Diligence get. Now, even if I strike a pebble—or even several pebbles in a single blow—my Skill Level only increases by +1.'
[You have completed one full practice session of the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique. Skill Level +1]
[You have completed one full practice session of the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique. Skill Level +1]
[You have completed one full practice session of the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique. Skill Level +1]
...
Zhong Ming felt only a slight sense of disappointment at his current progress, with no major complaints.
One slash, one point of improvement. This was a wonderful reality that others wouldn't even dare to dream of.
Most of the time, others had to slash thousands, even tens of thousands of times, just to increase their Skill Level by a single point.
If they went two or three days without practice, their Skill Level would even drop.
Compared to them, Zhong Ming's situation was far, far better.
"CLANG!"
After drawing his sword once more, Zhong Ming slashed down every last one of the pebbles that scattered through the air like a goddess strewing flowers.
After striking them down, he saw Dong Sea gasping for breath, and his own arm was sore and numb. Zhong Ming temporarily paused his training.
[Second Realm Insight (1936/3300)]
"Great Sea, let's take a break. We should go eat."
"HUFF... HUFF... HUFF... Alright..."
"Zhong, let's go together."
It was Jiang Yue who called out.
He was acting even more enthusiastic than before.
Ever since he developed the intent to recruit him, he had been paying much closer attention to Zhong Ming.
And though he had been soaked in medicinal baths since childhood, giving him meridians that could endure more than Zhong Ming's, even he couldn't train for an entire day.
Later on, he had also practiced something similar to Zhong Ming—Swordsmanship.
Of course, he was cultivating the Longxi Swordsmanship, which was balanced for both offense and defense.
He had reached the Initiation stage in this Swordsmanship.
However, even though his own realm was not high, his eye for talent was sharp.
While watching Zhong Ming, he had witnessed his Swordsmanship steadily improve, from being overwhelmed by the pebbles to shattering every last one scattered through the air. And all of this had taken just one day.
Though he was reluctant to admit it, he had no choice but to acknowledge that in terms of pure talent for Swordsmanship, Zhong Ming far surpassed him.
'That's right. Without sufficient comprehension, he never would have been able to perceive the True Intent of the Dragon Flood Dragon from the Mountain Stream Flowing Map.'
That morning, Jiang Yue had still felt that Zhong Ming, with his third-grade Spiritual Root and lack of resources, was not worthy of marrying his sister.
—Others might think Zhong Ming had resources, but Jiang Yue didn't see it that way.
Cultivation wasn't just about the hundred-day assessment; there was everything that came after.
The resources in Zhong Ming's possession were indeed more than enough to handle the hundred-day assessment, but they were utterly insufficient for the cultivation that would follow. This was the core reason he felt Zhong Ming was not worthy of marrying his sister.
But the talent for the Sword Dao that Zhong Ming displayed had turned everything around.
'If he pledges his loyalty, he will be my greatest asset on Longxi Peak.'
With this in mind, Jiang Yue naturally wanted to grow closer to Zhong Ming.
To this invitation, Zhong Ming... agreed.
He was unaware of Jiang Yue's thoughts and assumed the latter was inviting him out of gratitude for being told about the True Intent of the Dragon Flood Dragon.
Jiang Yue's Spiritual Meals could not only replenish Spiritual Qi but also restore one's physical strength, endurance, and even heal injuries. This was precisely what Zhong Ming desperately needed, so naturally, he wouldn't refuse the invitation.
'I suppose this means I owe Jiang Yue a favor. I'll have to repay him when I get the chance... actually, maybe I won't have to wait.'
Zhong Ming recalled that the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique and the Longxi Swordsmanship originated from the same source and shared many similarities.
'Once my Sword-Drawing Technique reaches the Third Realm, I can give him a few pointers. That should be enough to repay the favor for this meal.'
With a way to repay the debt, Zhong Ming felt much more at ease.
Upon arriving at the dining hall, when Jiang Yue politely invited him to order a few dishes, he unhesitatingly ordered a bowl of Guiyuan Spirit Lotus Soup, which was highly effective for physical recovery.
This action didn't cause Jiang Yue to look down on Zhong Ming. On the contrary, his nonchalant and uninhibited air made the smile on Jiang Yue's face grow even wider.
However, while he was pleased and Zhong Ming was satisfied, Jiang Xiaoyu... her mood was not nearly as bright.
—Zhong Ming, being unfamiliar with Jiang Yue, didn't notice anything unusual about the invitation or his subsequent attitude.
Jiang Xiaoyu, however, was different. Having spent years by her brother's side, she had already sensed her brother's intentions.
And this sent her into a fury:
'Brother's attitude... He wants me to enter a marriage alliance with Zhong Ming.'
Upon realizing her brother's intentions, Jiang Xiaoyu was in disbelief, unable to comprehend the situation, and grew intensely indignant.
'Brother, have you gone mad? Zhong Ming has some ability, I suppose, but he's hardly worthy of being our equal.'
'You want me to marry a subordinate.'
An important subordinate was still a subordinate.
And marriages in this era were all about matching status—high-ranking families married their daughters into other prominent families, while lower-ranking families took wives from their own station. Jiang Xiaoyu simply did not believe Zhong Ming was qualified to marry her.
Her uncooperative attitude didn't affect Zhong Ming in the least. He had always known that Jiang Xiaoyu had a spoiled, arrogant personality and didn't particularly like him.
Since he had no interest in her either, Zhong Ming paid little attention to her attitude.
'My good relationship is with Jiang Yue, and he's the one in charge... As long as his sister doesn't say anything to my face, I'll just ignore her.'
Jiang Xiaoyu's indignation and Zhong Ming's indifference were not the situation Jiang Yue had hoped for.
Having sensed Zhong Ming's talent, he wanted to make Zhong Ming his most important right-hand man.
—Alright, even Jiang Yue didn't believe Zhong Ming was qualified to stand on equal footing with him.
It could only be said that a third-grade Spiritual Root and no family backing were such major "flaws" that in the eyes of the 'true geniuses', Zhong Ming was never considered a threat.
'Don't be ridiculous. I'm doing this for your own good.'
'For my good? I will never marry this boorish lout.'
Once the dishes were served, Zhong Ming got busy chowing down.
And while he was busy eating, the familiar brother-sister pair, Jiang Yue and Jiang Xiaoyu, began to communicate through glances.
But clearly, with Zhong Ming present, they couldn't speak openly. As a result, their silent argument ultimately fizzled out.
Just as Jiang Yue was frowning, preparing to have a serious talk with his sister after the meal, a person whose arrival was both surprising and delightful appeared.
"Young Master Jiang, Sister Yu, and Young Master Zhong, it's been a while."
The gentle and elegant voice belonged to Liu Wanyu. Trailing behind her was Wei Jie, who was clearly in a foul mood.
Her arrival made Zhong Ming glance over, but only for a moment.
Zhong Ming knew very well that for hot-blooded young men, a pretty woman was an invitation to act impulsively, and that meant trouble.
Right now, all Zhong Ming wanted to do was practice his sword; he had no desire to get entangled in any trouble.
'Women will only slow the speed of my sword draw.'
Thus, before Liu Wanyu's arrival, Zhong Ming had been focused on eating. After her arrival, Zhong Ming remained focused on eating.
"..."