My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Liang Cheng was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected his senior brothers to be so friendly and quickly expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, senior brothers."

Chen Xuanfeng stroked his beard as he watched, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes. He spoke up, "Alright, that’s enough pleasantries. Liang Cheng, let me see the progress you’ve made this past month."

The monthly assessment began.

Liang Cheng demonstrated, in turn, the True Essence circulation of the Broken Wave Technique, the defense of the Mixed Element Gang Body, and both the Wind and Thunder Slash and the Profound Yin Sword Technique.

He did not reveal that his Profound Yin Sword Technique had reached Perfection, only demonstrating it to the level of Great Success Peak. Even so, it was enough to make Chen Xuanfeng nod repeatedly in approval.

Finally, he began to demonstrate the Mountain-Breaking Saber.

Although it was only a single Horizontal Slash at the Beginner Level, the nascent "breaking" Mental Realm it contained made the very air in the room seem to congeal.

"The Mountain-Breaking Saber... you’ve reached the Beginner Level?"

A look of surprise flashed in Chen Xuanfeng’s eyes, quickly turning into gratification.

"Excellent, excellent! Your comprehension is truly astonishing. To have grasped the basics and made some progress in just one month is far beyond what an ordinary person could achieve."

Lu Zheng and the other two disciples also wore looks of astonishment.

Although they each practiced different Combat Techniques, they all knew that their master’s Mountain-Breaking Saber possessed a profound Mental Realm and was extremely difficult to even begin learning. ’This junior brother’s comprehension is truly astonishing,’ they thought.

Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t help but laugh. "Looks like our branch is in for a good show at the mid-month academy competition. Little Junior Brother here is probably going to make a stunning debut."

Chen Xuanfeng looked at Liang Cheng and said seriously, "There’s a competition within the academy every month. The winners are placed on the Hero Ranking, and your rank determines your reward in Contribution Points. The higher your rank, the more you get."

"For this mid-month ranking competition, remember to go all out and display your true strength. But unless it’s absolutely necessary, don’t injure anyone too badly or make a mortal enemy."

"Disciple understands."

Liang Cheng agreed, then took the opportunity to ask a question that had been on his mind for a long time. "Master, there is one thing this disciple does not understand. At the Martial Arts Academy, the competition was ruthless, almost like a brutal culling."

"Why is it that here in the Main Courtyard, things seem so different among fellow disciples?"

Chen Xuanfeng glanced at him, then at his other three disciples, and said slowly, "That was then, this is now."

"The Martial Arts Academy is a screening process. Resources are limited, so we need to find the absolute best to invest in. That’s why we use that culling method—survival of the fittest. It’s simple and direct."

"But the Main Courtyard is different. It is supported by the Four Islands Alliance, so resources are relatively abundant. Our goal is to send as many geniuses as possible to the Penglai Sect."

"For every additional prodigy selected by the Penglai Sect, the Main Courtyard, and indeed the entire Four Islands Alliance, receives more in return and greater protection in the future."

At this, his gaze grew distant. "So, why would we allow these geniuses among geniuses to be needlessly worn down by internal strife?"

"The Main Courtyard has no need for a brutal culling. We only need to create the right environment, nurture them carefully, and let them push one another to grow together."

Hearing this, Liang Cheng had a moment of sudden realization.

’The logic is actually just like in my past life,’ he thought. ’Those at the bottom struggle with scarce resources, fighting tooth and nail for every single opportunity.’

’Meanwhile, the upper class has more resources and is more willing to invest in the future, creating a virtuous cycle. It’s a classic case of the lower class fighting for survival while the upper class enjoys life.’

"I understand now."

’A different environment means different rules.’

’I’ll have to change my own approach as well.’

After the assessment was over, Chen Xuanfeng gave a few more pointers on the finer points of cultivation before dismissing everyone.

Before leaving, Lu Zheng said to Ye Zhiqiu, "Third Brother, our junior brother has been training nonstop since he arrived. He’s probably not familiar with Yunhai City yet. You should take him for a walk around the city. A little relaxation is important for balance."

Ye Zhiqiu readily agreed. "I was just about to suggest that."

...

「Yunhai City, West Market.」

Ye Zhiqiu proved to be an excellent guide, leading Liang Cheng through streets and alleys and pointing out the local sights.

He pointed out everything one by one: restaurants, teahouses, weapon shops, herb stores, and even some secret spots where Martial Artists gathered to exchange information.

"Up ahead is the Treasure Pavilion. They happen to be holding an auction today. I hear they’ve got some good stuff. Want to go take a look?"

Ye Zhiqiu suggested.

Intrigued, Liang Cheng nodded.

The auction hall of the Treasure Pavilion was resplendent and magnificent.

Ye Zhiqiu clearly had some status. After he revealed his identity, an attendant respectfully led the two of them to a private booth on the second floor, which offered a panoramic view overlooking the entire hall.

The auction was already underway. Various elixirs, materials, weapons, and even incomplete cultivation techniques were brought out one after another, as the sounds of bidding rose and fell throughout the hall.

Liang Cheng’s gaze, however, fell upon someone near the main seats below the stage: a portly, middle-aged man with a slick, smooth-talking demeanor, who was chatting and laughing quietly with another person.

Qian Wanjing.

As if sensing Liang Cheng’s gaze, Qian Wanjing looked up, his eyes meeting Liang Cheng’s.

The smile on his face clearly froze for an instant, and a hint of surprise flashed through his eyes. He quickly recovered his composure, however, and even gave Liang Cheng a distant, amiable nod.

Liang Cheng’s expression remained calm. He gave a slight nod in return before looking away.

Before long, a weapon at the auction caught Liang Cheng’s eye.

A Sleeve Sword.

The sword was less than a foot and a half long, forged a thousand times from Deep Sea Cold Iron. Its blade bore no ornate markings; only when the light shifted did a dark, water-like sheen become visible, as if it could absorb the very light around it.

’My Profound Yin Sword Technique has reached Perfection; this sword is a perfect match for it. I’d wanted to have a sword forged back in Lin Wu City, but one thing after another happened, and I still haven’t found a suitable Short Sword.’

"You like it?"

Ye Zhiqiu suddenly asked. Liang Cheng nodded.

"Third Senior Brother, I don’t have enough silver taels on me. Could I possibly borrow some from you?"

"Junior Brother, you’re underestimating the Main Courtyard. Our Contribution Points are accepted at every merchant house in the Four Islands Alliance."

"One Contribution Point is worth one gold!"

"If you like it, just start bidding. You can simply transfer the Contribution Points afterward."

Liang Cheng was taken aback. "They’ll accept them?"

"Of course. It’s a privilege of being a Main Courtyard disciple. Besides, there’s no open market for them, so these merchants are desperate to get their hands on Main Courtyard Contribution Points."