I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 110 The True Skill of Yin and Yang
[The "Taiyin True Scripture" and "Six Yang Nourishing Qi Gong" have been detected as the same practice. Should they be merged?]

Chen Ming stared at the prompt and fell into deep thought.

It seems his guess was correct; these two techniques do indeed originate from the same source. They could even be directly merged into one technique.

The question now is, should we merge them?

What changes will occur after the merger?
These are unknown.

After considering it for a few minutes, Chen Ming made a decision.

"Yes!"

He chose to trust the system.

[The techniques are currently being combined and are expected to take six hours. During this time, please do not use your inner energy. Find a place to sit still and do not move around.]

Chen Ming called Chunxiang and Xiaxiang over, gave them a few instructions, and then closed the door again.

……

Six hours passed in the blink of an eye.

[The cultivation techniques have been successfully merged!]

Upon seeing this notification, Chen Ming immediately opened the panel.

【Level: 43】

Current points: 100000

[Techniques: Iron Horse Stake (Fifth Level Perfection), Two Elements True Skill (Fourth Level 120652/600000)]

Martial Arts: Three Talents Fist (Mastery), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastery), Zhuang Family Flying Knife (Mastery), Swallow Return Sword Technique (Mastery), Vermilion Bird Sword Technique (Mastery 21/500000)

The panel has undergone a major change. The "Three Yang Body Strengthening Exercise" and "Six Yang Qi Nourishing Exercise" have disappeared and merged with the "Taiyin True Scripture" to become the "Two Elements True Exercise".

After the merger, even the realm changed, becoming the fourth level. Correspondingly, the total experience points increased sixfold.

After a moment's thought, Chen Ming understood. This corresponded to his cultivation level. The sixth rank was the fourth level, the fifth rank was the fifth level, and the fourth rank was the sixth level.

So, when you calculate it this way, the required experience points haven't actually increased.

The previous "Six Yang Nourishing Qi Gong" had three levels corresponding to one realm. According to the calculation of 100,000 for the first level, 200,000 for the second level, and 300,000 for the third level, it is exactly 600,000.

Chen Ming's biggest worry is that the experience points required after the cultivation techniques are combined will also double.

Fortunately not.

Next, let's see how the true qi changes.

With a thought, Chen Ming circulated his internal energy, which condensed in his palm, and that energy remained incredibly hot.

Soon, the temperature gradually dropped. As it grew colder, water vapor condensed above my palms.

At this moment, the nature of his true energy had become icy cold.

"So that's how it is. The 'Two Elements True Skill' means that my true energy can change its nature at will, from extreme yang to extreme yin."

After understanding this, he was overjoyed.

The ability to freely change the nature of true energy means that, in the future, as long as he deliberately disguises himself, no one will be able to recognize him from the characteristics of his true energy.

Chen Ming extended his left hand, simultaneously condensing a second ball of true energy, which was completely opposite in nature to the ball in his right hand—it was extremely yang true energy.

"They actually managed to do it!"

He was shocked to discover that he could simultaneously unleash two completely opposite types of true energy.

When facing an enemy, first strike with a palm of blazing Yang True Qi, then strike with a palm of Taiyin True Qi; it's estimated that this could cripple the opponent's meridians on the spot.

After a while, he dispersed the two wisps of true energy.

"Only a system could do that."

Based on his understanding of martial arts, Chen Ming could roughly guess the state of the internal energy in his body. Rather than "Two Elements True Skill", it was more like "Tai Chi Skill", where extreme yang and extreme yin were perfectly integrated, each containing the other.

This is a state that only exists in an ideal.

To cultivate this kind of true energy, both techniques need to be practiced simultaneously, and the amount of each type of true energy must be exactly the same; too much or too little will not work.

Special techniques are needed to harmonize the two types of true energy, preventing them from conflicting and allowing them to blend perfectly together.

In this process, if even the slightest problem or imbalance occurs in any link, it will lead to a state of extreme depravity.

Just like the laws of physics, they can only be met under experimental conditions.

It's simply impossible to achieve in reality.

Only someone with the system could "master" this bug-like technique.

Next, Chen Ming experimented with different types of true qi to demonstrate the power of the Vermilion Bird Sword Technique.

This test took half a day.

……

The next morning, Chen Ming finally got into the carriage and went to Zhuang Xiaotian's house.

It was Zhuang Xiaotian who opened the door. At this time, he would usually be on duty at the Six Doors.

"I'm afraid I'll be dismissed," Zhuang Xiaotian said with a bitter expression, and asked his wife to bring him the wine.

Not only was Chen Ming implicated by Deng Ziyang, but Zhuang Xiaotian, as Deng Ziyang's sworn brother, would only suffer even more. However, he was usually good at interpersonal relationships and had never made enemies, so naturally no one wanted to kill him.

At most, he'll be dismissed from his post.

"I never expected that my elder brother would do something so significant without making a sound. You must have heard about it, right? He even dared to join the Longevity Cult..."

"I'm lucky. His brothers were all implicated because of him; they were all arrested and imprisoned. The Giant Tiger Gang is completely finished..."

"By the way, did anyone from the Six Doors come looking for you?"

"..."

Zhuang Xiaotian was unaware that Li Guangjie had tried to kill Chen Ming that day. Du Caiyue had given a gag order, and no one dared to spread the news.

Chen Ming drank with him, occasionally chiming in with a few words. It was clear that he was indeed very depressed due to being suspended from his job and confined to his home.

There was nothing that could be done about it. In feudal times, collective punishment was the norm. If someone in the Six Doors was willing to support him, he wouldn't have been kicked out.

From this perspective, being adept at navigating social situations does prevent offending anyone, but without firmly taking sides, no powerful figure will consider him one of their own.

The two jars of wine were almost finished, and Zhuang Xiaotian was quite drunk.

As Chen Ming chatted with him, he casually asked, "Last time you mentioned a master thief who got old and lived in seclusion in the city. Where does he live now?"

Zhuang Xiaotian mumbled, "It's in... Yihonglou... He has a lover... named Aunt Wen... Last time, I went with Lord Hu to see her... I met her..."

After Chen Ming asked what he wanted, he sat for a while longer until he was so drunk that he was lying there unconscious, before he finally said goodbye to Madam Zhuang.

……

After nightfall, Chen Ming changed into a set of night clothes, quietly left home, and went to Yihonglou.

He had been here once before, and as the most upscale entertainment venue in Qingfeng City, it truly lived up to its reputation. The courtesans were all exceptionally beautiful.

This time, he didn't go in through the front door, but waited at the back door.

That Aunt Wen was neither a girl from Yihonglou nor a madam, but the head of the kitchen. As a high-end entertainment venue, the kitchen was also quite important.

Customers may not come here for the food, but if the food is too bad, it will affect the reputation.

Aunt Wen, who was in charge of the kitchen, was an important figure in Yi Hong Lou.

Chen Ming patiently hid in the back alley and waited.

They waited until the third watch of the night, and the entire Yihong Building fell silent. Except for a few particularly restless guests, most people had already gone to sleep.

People started coming out of the back door, mostly from the kitchen.

Chen Ming quickly identified a middle-aged woman who still retained her charm. Judging from her clothing and the way others treated her, she should be Aunt Wen.

He quietly followed her, passing through several alleys, until they arrived at a secluded courtyard. He pushed open the door and went inside.

"May I ask which friend has graced us with their presence?"

Suddenly, an old voice came from inside.

This person is at least a sixth-rank official.

Chen Ming made a judgment in his mind and said, "I heard that you are living in seclusion here, so I came to pay my respects."

"I have sworn never to see anyone from the martial world again. My friend, please return."

"Senior, have you ever heard the saying, 'Once you're in the martial world, you're no longer in control of your own destiny'? This martial world isn't something you can just leave as easily as you want."

The person inside sighed softly, "Alas, why force me?"

Chen Ming suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Without thinking, he leaped into the air and drew his sword mid-air.

A cold light suddenly appeared in the dark alley. Before he knew it, another person had appeared behind him, holding a dagger and about to launch a sneak attack.

when!
This sword strike sent the attacker flying.

As expected, he is a sixth-rank cultivator, but his true energy is somewhat weak.

"Humph!"

Chen Ming, not one to back down, struck with his second sword, aiming straight for the vital point.

"Spare your life!"

The man loudly begged for mercy and threw away the dagger in his hand.

The sword tip stopped just ten centimeters from his throat.

Chen Ming stared at the thin, unremarkable old man and said calmly, "Good methods."

Just now, the old man's voice clearly came from inside the house. Yet, the person silently crept up behind him and launched a sneak attack. That's truly an extraordinary tactic.

The old man looked bitter. "Sir, my hands have been crippled. If you want me to help you steal something, I really can't help you."

"You've misunderstood. I'm not here to steal anything from you. I've heard that you're skilled in disguise, and I happen to be very interested in it. I hope you can pass on this skill to me."

Learn the art of disguise?
The old man breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but cursed inwardly, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

He said, "Disguise is just a minor skill. Since you wish to learn it, I will certainly teach you everything I know."

(End of this chapter)