Chapter 55: How Is This Not Late-Blooming Greatness

You briefly demonstrated your prowess, caught attention, and earned a high ranking in the sect’s competition at age seven, becoming known throughout the sect.

Task completed: caught attention. Reward calculation in progress.

Task rating: C.

Obtained 20 achievement points!

Just as Li Rui thought the reward calculation was finished, another line of text popped up.

Congratulations, host! Completed achievement: “Divine Couple — Initial Plot — Woman Admires Hero.”

With a heroine by your side, wandering the martial world brings joy and freedom. At seven, you stood alone among peers, winning the heart of a girl who adored you — who wouldn’t be drawn to a spirited young lad?

Task “Woman Admires Hero” completed. Reward calculation in progress.

Task rating: B.

Obtained 30 achievement points!

Name: Li Rui

Age: 7

Talent: Martial Bone, Exceptional Comprehension

Technique: White Ape’s Slashing Blade

Achievement: 50/100

Li Rui’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

He received a B for the “Divine Couple” task — even higher than “Caught Attention.”

And this time, he gained a full “50” achievement points at once.

His progress jumped past the halfway mark.

Huge profit!

A smile curled at Li Rui’s lips — more of this would be welcome.

He was beginning to understand the system’s pattern.

Roughly speaking, gaining recognition earned achievements, but surviving after drawing attention depended entirely on personal skill.

A naive youth might go all out to show off.

But Li Rui, seasoned by experience, preferred seven-tenths.

Too rigid breaks easily.

Seven-tenths was just right.

“Peace and safety are true fortune.”

He had heard too many tales of brilliant youths who dazzled early but died young.

If talent cannot be converted into cultivation, no matter how great, it is all empty.

Walking steadily to seventy — how is that not late-blooming greatness?

Until midday.

The matches gradually drew to a close.

All eyes turned to the former deputy helmsman, Qian Cai.

The contest among deputy helmsmen had just begun.

Qian Cai squinted slightly and stepped slowly onto the stage: “Brother Zhou, please.”

Deputy helmsman Zhou Rui rose, cursing: “Qian, you think I’m a soft target, do you?”

Among the deputy helmsmen,

his badge number was the largest: “5.”

Meaning he had ranked last among deputy helmsmen in the last major competition.

Qian Cai choosing him clearly aimed for safety.

After all, if Qian Cai lost again, the position of deputy helmsman would be forever out of reach.

But Zhou Rui, as the chosen opponent, felt insulted.

“My apologies.”

Qian Cai looked equally helpless.

He and Zhou Rui had gotten along fairly well; originally, his target had been Zhang Yang’s badge number “2.”

But Ge Hong had interfered, disrupting his plan.

Now he had no choice but to pick the weakest: Zhou Rui.

In the face of profit, there are no friends.

Zhou Rui strode to the center of the arena, where only he and Qian Cai remained.

He raised his right hand and rubbed his shiny bald head.

“I’ll make you regret this!”

Qian Cai knew he had offended Zhou Rui; without a word, he drew his sword and charged.

The duel between two deputy helmsmen was naturally impressive.

Previously suppressed by Ge Hong’s willow-leaf blade, his swordplay had been hidden; now facing Zhou Rui, each move was precise and cunning, truly remarkable.

Zhou Rui had not reached deputy helmsman by accident.

He wielded a massive blade with fierce, roaring power.

Moreover, his Iron Head Skill kept Qian Cai from closing in.

Both fought with extreme caution, circling each other for a full half-hour, until Zhou Rui finally lost, wounded in the right shoulder by Qian Cai’s blade.

Zhou Rui’s face was filled with bitter resentment.

Qian Cai bowed: “Brother Zhou, my apologies. Next time, I’ll treat you to drinks.”

He had finally secured his position as deputy helmsman.

Below the stage, Zhou Shulin scowled angrily.

“That Qian guy’s dishonorable — if he’s got guts, fight Ge Hong again!”

His fury stemmed from one reason:

Zhou Rui was his maternal uncle.

As the saying goes, when one man rises, even his dogs ascend — since Zhou Rui became deputy helmsman, even the Zhou family’s dogs had become guards of the Heaven and Earth Alliance.

Who wouldn’t want such a relative?

Liang He comforted him: “Even if Uncle Zhou doesn’t become deputy helmsman, he’s surely qualified to be a senior elder.”

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Zhou Shulin could only nod reluctantly.

But the authority of a senior elder paled beside that of a deputy helmsman.

At least now, Zhou Rui could no longer easily place his people into the Heaven and Earth Alliance.

After Qian Cai and Zhou Rui’s match ended,

Zhao Wei finally stepped forward.

He looked confidently at Zhang Yang: “Zhang deputy helmsman, how about we test each other?”

Zhang Yang rose without expression.

He had expected to be Zhao Wei’s target all along.

After all, his badge number was “2.”

Zhao Wei, the youngest and most promising among the deputy helmsmen, had long coveted that position.

“Want it? Prove you can take it!”

Zhang Yang snorted.

He held the top deputy helmsman position not just by seniority.

He picked up a long spear forged entirely of pure iron and stepped onto the arena.

“Zhao Wei, if you want to rise, ask my Silver Dragon Spear if it’ll allow it!”

Below the stage,

Li Rui’s brow twitched slightly.

He had never seen Zhang Yang fight before—he never expected him to use a spear. As the saying goes: a staff takes a month to master, a sword takes a year, but a spear takes a lifetime.

Though the spear resembles the staff, its techniques differ vastly.

In one word: thrust.

It demands exceptional eyesight and arm strength — otherwise, you cannot wield it well.

Thus, spear techniques are common among soldiers but rare among martial artists.

Zhao Wei grinned, drawing his long saber.

“Old man, let’s see how you boast today!”

He felt the surge of qi rising from his dantian.

The Golden Strength Pill was truly the supreme elixir for Bronze Bone cultivators — swallowing it saved at least ten years of hard training!

Zhao Wei felt terrifyingly strong.

Had he not sought safety, he might have even challenged Helmsman Dao Xiong.

The tension between them was thick.

After all, they had never gotten along — Zhang Yang had repeatedly sabotaged Zhao Wei, and petty conflicts never ceased.

Today is the perfect day to settle both new and old accounts.

Zhang Yang gripped the spear’s tail with both hands, powered up with his waist and abdomen, and shook his arms.

Even the iron spear shaft trembled into a flurry of speckles.

Those below watched and cheered continuously.

Zhao Wei snorted: “Just flashy, empty moves.”

He strode forward with dragon-like steps and tiger-like strides, raising his blade high to slash at Zhang Yang’s head.

Zhang Yang, using his longer weapon against the shorter blade, managed to hold his own.

On the fighting platform.

The clashing of long blade and iron spear rang incessantly, like blacksmithing, making listeners’ teeth go weak.

Had either weapon not been infused with spiritual material, they would have long since bent or snapped.

Li Rui watched intently.

“No wonder he’s deputy helmsman—he’s truly formidable.”

But soon, he narrowed his eyes slightly, then sighed:

“He’s lost.”

(End of Chapter)