I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 51 The Origins of Noble Families

"Brother Chen Ming."

Chen Ming's carriage hadn't gone far when he heard someone calling him. He lifted the curtain and saw a familiar face. "Master Liu?"

It was none other than Master Liu of the Wu Family Martial Arts School.

He told the driver to stop and let Master Liu get in the carriage.

Once the carriage started moving again, Master Liu looked at him with a strange expression. "Brother, you're just leaving like that?"

Chen Ming shook his head and said, "A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. When four-rank martial artists fight, it is best to stay away."

Master Liu suddenly burst out laughing, "It seems you really are unaware, brother."

"Oh?"

He was somewhat surprised. Was there something else going on here?

"Please enlighten me, Master."

Master Liu stroked his beard, which was already half white. "Have you ever thought about why the Gu family is called the number one family in Qingfeng County? In terms of strength, wealth, and influence, the Gu family is far inferior to those seven maritime merchant families."

Is it because this ancient family has a long history of tradition?

"Of course not. In fact, there has been an unwritten rule in every dynasty that only families that have produced a martial artist of the third rank or above are qualified to be called a prestigious family."

Is there really such a saying?

Chen Ming asked, "Master, why is that?"

Master Liu's gaze became even more peculiar. "You don't even know such basic common sense? Didn't the person who taught you martial arts teach you that?"

The implication was that he believed Chen Ming had a master teaching him martial arts.

Chen Ming said sincerely, "Please teach me, Master."

Master Liu was merely surprised and had no intention of delving deeper. He said, "Because a third-rank martial artist is beyond human capability. Without a third-rank martial artist of the same rank to restrain them, they can fight and retreat at will, no matter how many people surround them. On ancient battlefields, this is what it means to be able to fight ten thousand men."

"There are countless martial arts manuals in this world, but only those that can be cultivated to the third rank or above are called true martial arts skills."

"The Gu family once produced a third-rank martial artist, so naturally they have a genuine lineage of skills. Otherwise, do you think those fourth-rank pirates would personally go and rob the Gu family for mere gold and silver?"

Chen Ming suddenly realized that the pirates had gone to rob the Gu family because of their true martial arts technique.

Therefore, the reason why the Four Seas Merchant Guild suddenly summoned all the martial artists in the city to join forces with the Six Doors and also invited two sea generals of the Red Sea Lord to take action was also for the true skill manual in the hands of the three Flood Dragon Kings.

"I see, thank you for clearing up my confusion, Master."

Master Liu looked at him and asked, "What? You're not even tempted by the real martial arts manuals?"

Chen Ming chuckled, "How dare I, a mere eighth-rank expert, hope to snatch a cultivation technique from a fourth-rank master?"

Master Liu said, "In this world, people as clear-headed as you are ultimately a minority."

"Isn't Master Liu the same?"

"What use would I have for those martial arts manuals when I'm practically half-buried?"

Seeing the fleeting look of sorrow on his face, Chen Ming guessed that he must have experienced something terrible to be so dejected. He said, "Greed blinds the mind; this has always been the case."

Master Liu took out a leather wine sachet from his bosom, uncorked it, took a sip, and said, "Speaking of the true martial arts manual, I recall an old story."

"Thirty years ago, the King of Zhenhai was ordered to come to Qingfeng City to annihilate the Dragon King of the Overturning Sea. At that time, Qingfeng City was dominated by six major sea merchants who monopolized the profits of maritime transport. These six major sea merchants were extremely extravagant, and in order to show off their wealth, they were more luxurious than kings and nobles in terms of clothing, food, housing and transportation."

"It just so happened that at the time, the King of Zhenhai lacked ships and military supplies, so he arrested all the heads of the six major sea merchants and made them pay ransom. It is said that he extorted tens of millions of taels of silver from them. It was with this money that the King of Zhenhai bought ships and recruited soldiers, and in just a few years, he wiped out the Dragon King of the Overturning Sea."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming finally understood why the Seven Great Chambers of Commerce were keeping such a low profile these days.

It turns out that he was too high-profile and flaunted his wealth thirty years ago, and was exploited once. This is what they call "once bitten, twice shy."

Master Liu continued, "It's a pity that the Prince of Zhenhai offended too many people because of this. The people behind the six major sea merchants hated him to death. Not many years later, he died mysteriously."

"The subordinates of the King of Zhenhai were also purged. At that time, the King of Zhenhai had a deputy surnamed Xu who stayed in Qingfeng City. This person had the cultivation level of the third rank. He was arrested by the experts of the Six Doors and escorted to the capital. He died in prison not long after."

"His family also disappeared without a trace overnight. Some say they went back to the countryside to avoid trouble. Others say they were kidnapped in order to force them to reveal the true secrets of martial arts."

Master Liu said with a sigh, "I was about your age back then, and I once saw the demeanor of that Lord Xu. He practiced a technique called 'Blazing Sun Divine Skill.' When he circulated his energy, his whole being was like a blazing sun, like a god or demon."

"It is said that this 'Blazing Sun Divine Skill' is divided into three parts: 'Three Yang Body Forging Skill', 'Six Yang Qi Cultivation Skill', and 'Nine Yang Spirit Nourishment Skill'. Unfortunately, after Lord Xu died, this divine skill never appeared again."

Chen Ming was listening with great interest until he heard "Three Yangs Body Forging," at which point his smile almost froze.

Fortunately, Master Liu was looking out the car window, seemingly reminiscing about the past, and did not notice anything unusual about him.

He quickly composed himself and tentatively asked, "The curator seems to know a lot about that Lord Xu?"

Master Liu said, "It's all just hearsay."

I believe you.

He even knows the name of each of the three parts of the divine skill they cultivate. It would be strange if he had no connection with the Xu family.

While thinking this, Chen Ming changed the subject, "Who do you think will win this great battle, Master?"

Master Liu sighed, "I don't know who will win, but this time, I'm afraid many more people will die."

His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, returning to Qingfeng City thirty years ago, where he saw the scenes of flashing swords, corpses strewn everywhere, and blood staining the rivers.

Thirty years later, the same scene unfolded again in Qingfeng City.

For some unknown reason, he suddenly let out a cold snort, "After the death of the King of Zhenhai, those maritime merchants were worried that another figure like the King of Zhenhai would appear, so they bribed officials in the court with silver. They made the highest-ranking official of the Six Doors in Qingfeng City a fifth-rank captain. Since then, Qingfeng City has had no third-rank expert in charge. The calamity that Qingfeng City is in today is the result of the sins committed by those maritime merchants."

Chen Ming timely changed the subject, "I'm afraid Qingfeng City will be in chaos for a while longer. What are your plans, Master?"

Master Liu said, "Naturally, I'll keep my doors closed. I suppose with so many wealthy families in this city, those pirates wouldn't even look at my shabby martial arts school."

Chen Ming extended an invitation, "How about the master bring his esteemed disciple to stay at my house for a while? That way, even if pirates come to attack, you and I together can protect them."

Master Liu remained silent, simply staring at him.

Chen Ming's gaze was sincere.

"If you don't mind my old bones, then of course it's no problem."

(End of this chapter)