The 20th Level

"Your Highness, if you keep up the hard work with your marvelous gift, you are expected to be a first-class weapon refiner within five years," Zuo En said with high praise.

The Eighth Prince became even more arrogant.

Zhang Ruochen and Shan Xiangling walked over to the Eighth Prince and Zuo En.

"My Lord Zuo En, I'm Shan Xiangling from the Red Cloud Sect. Here is a letter from my father." Shan Xiangling handed him the letter.

Zuo En opened and read the letter. He glanced at Shan Xiangling from head to toe and said, "Your father mentioned that your Spiritual Power has reached the 16th level. Is that true?"

Shan Xiangling nodded with consent. "Yes, that's correct!"

Zuo En folded the letter and said, "Your father, Master of the Red Cloud Sect, and I are good old friends. Since you have such talent, I'll take you as my disciple. From now on, you are my 19th disciple."

Shan Xiangling was delighted. She hurriedly bowed and said, "Mr. Zuo, please accept my respect!"

"That's wonderful! Junior sister apprentice, I'm also one of the disciples of Lord Zuo En. We can practice Spiritual Power, learn how to carve inscriptions, and refine weapons together!" the Eighth Prince said with excitement.

Shan Xiangling ignored the Eighth Prince and introduced Zhang Ruochen to Zuo En. She said, "My Lord, this is the Ninth Prince of the Yunwu Commandery. He wants to ask you questions about the inscriptions."

Zuo En glanced at Zhang Ruochen and said, "If you want to be my disciple, you have to meet the following requirements. First, you must be aged under 20. Second, your Spiritual Power must reach at least the 20th level. It doesn't matter if you're a prince, if you can't meet these two requirements, you are not qualified to be my disciple."

The Eighth Prince sneered. In his opinion, no doubt Zhang Ruochen had a great talent for practicing Martial Arts. Yet, his talent for Spiritual Power was not as strong as his.

Zhang Ruochen looked at Zuo En and said, "Wait! You misunderstand me! I just want to ask you a few questions about the inscriptions rather than apprentice to you."

When other warriors saw Zuo En, they all had always behaved respectfully, which made him get used to being a superior. He felt annoyed as Zhang Ruochen stood himself upright to talk to him.

Zhang Ruochen was not being arrogant. He just wanted to communicate with Zuo En in an equal manner. In fact, his Spiritual Power was much stronger than Zuo En's, and he did not need to look up to Zuo En.

Zuo En groaned. "Hmph! You're aiming too high, young man! Listen, if you want to carve the inscriptions, you have to practice your Spiritual Power. The higher level of your Spiritual Power, the higher possibility to carve the inscriptions. Yet, you will not succeed if your Spiritual Power is under the 15th level.

"Young man, have you reached the 15th level?"

Zhang Ruochen asked, "Do you mean that once I cultivate to the 15th level, you'll help me out with carving inscriptions?"

"Haha! Only warriors who cultivate to the 15th level can be my disciples. Unless you've reached the 20th level, don't even think about communicating equally with me about inscriptions!" Zuo En said arrogantly.

In fact, the person whose Spiritual Power had reached the 20th level usually became a second-class weapon refiner.

Every upgrade was extremely difficult after reaching the 15th level. It was as difficult as climbing into the sky as it was to reach the 20th level. That explained why the second-class weapon refiners were rare. Even the Red Cloud Sect could not hire one.

"The 20th Level? Let me try."

Then, Zhang Ruochen stared at the Sacred Testing Stone. He headed over to it and put his hands on it.

"The 20th level? He has never practiced Spiritual Power, how could he have reached the 20th level?" the Eighth Prince sneered and thought.

Zuo En said, "You're crazy! Even a talented genius of Spiritual Power can't reach the 20th level before 20 years old."

Shan Xiangling was curious but she believed that Zhang Ruochen would only do things that he was sure of.

"Is his Spiritual Power really that incredible?"

Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes and injected his Spiritual Power into the Sacred Testing Stone.

"Boom...!"

There were circles of light streaks that appeared on the surface of the Sacred Testing Stone.

One circle, two circles, three circles...

Every circle represented a level of Spiritual Power.

When Zuo En saw 20 circles on the rock surface, he was so shocked and stared at Zhang Ruochen with surprise, as if he was a monster.

"It can't happen, it's impossible..." the Eighth Prince murmured as his face turned pale. He could not believe what he just saw.

Shan Xiangling was also shocked. She stared at Zhang Ruochen with adoration in her eyes.

When the circles had added up to 20, Zhang Ruochen stopped releasing his Spiritual Power and withdrew his palms.

Zuo En knew that Zhang Ruochen did not do his best because his Spiritual Power was definitely higher than the 20th level.

He had changed his attitude immediately. He welcomed Zhang Ruochen and said, "Your Highness, you are definitely a master of Spiritual Power, please forgive my offense."

"At the age of 16, his Spiritual Power could advance past the 20th level! His future achievements are going to be beyond imagination. Who knows if I'll need his help in the future." Thinking about this, Zuo En immediately showed his kindness to Zhang Ruochen.

Zhang Ruochen said, "I just want to consult you about the inscriptions and skills of carving."

"No problem! Your Highness, please follow me. Let's go to a quiet place to share the knowledge of Spiritual Power and inscriptions," Zuo En said happily.

Zhang Ruochen nodded and headed for the audience hall of the Federation of Inscription with Zuo En, followed by Shan Xiangling.

...

The Eighth Prince walked out of the Federation of Inscription. His face was gloomy and his heart was filled with anger.

"How irritating this is! In the past, Zhang Ruochen was a waste who didn't dare to hit me back when I slapped him. But now, he is stronger than me unexpectedly. How could his talent be so high? How could it be?"

The Eighth Prince was gnashing his teeth in anger when he saw an ancient roan antelope ancient carriage outside the Federation of Inscription.

That was the carriage of Zhang Ruochen.

At the moment, Yun was silently sitting in the carriage waiting for Zhang Ruochen and looking at the Federation of Inscription now and then.

Seeing the Eighth Prince walking toward her, she was so scared that she saluted immediately and said, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

He looked cold-blooded and said, "Take me back to the palace."

Yun felt reluctant and embarrassed and said in fear, "But... but this is the Ninth Prince's carriage."

"Bang!"

The Eighth Prince slapped Yun so hard that it made Yun fly three meters away.

Yun's face was swollen and bloodshot with a five-fingered handprint appearing on her face immediately. She was spitting blood constantly with a dizzy head and a dislocated jaw. And she felt like she was going to die.

The Eighth Prince stomped on her and said with a fierce look, "The Ninth Prince is a prince, am I not a prince? You are just a maidservant, how dare you refuse to follow my order? Believe it or not, I can make your parents become the food of savage beasts and make you turn into a worthless prostitute with just a word."

After that, the Eighth Prince got on the carriage and said, "Drive, or I will make your life a living hell."

Yun felt so frightened. As she was just a maidservant, her whole family would be destroyed by one word from the Eighth Prince.

She stood up hard, sat on the carriage enduring the pain on her face, and drove back to the palace.

Sitting on the carriage and wringing his hands with grim eyes, the Eighth Prince thought, "Zhang Ruochen, you have surely gained some kind of precious treasure. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to become so excellent in three months."

"As long as I have control over Concubine Lin and make use of her life to force him to hand over the treasure, I have a chance to make huge progress in my cultivation and become a master of Martial Arts."

"After I become a Martial Arts master, Zhang Ruochen will definitely be the first person who I kill. By that time, Shan Xiangling, that dishonorable woman, will become my plaything. Haha!"

The street was desolate at night, passersby became fewer and fewer.

Two men in black stood on the roof beside the street and stared at the roan antelope ancient carriage passing below.

"Is that the carriage of the Ninth Prince?" the taller and thinner man whispered.

He was carrying a wire bow and 10 Thunder Arrows on his back and exuded a murderous coldness.

The chunky one sneered and said, "It must be him. Look at the maidservant who is driving, she looks exactly the same as the portrait given by Miss Han. She is the maidservant of the Ninth Prince. The Ninth Prince must be in the carriage right now."

"Haha! It is so exciting to assassinate a prince. Once we have finished the mission, Miss Han will surely give us a generous reward."

The taller and thinner man in black drew a Thunder Arrow and fitted it to his bow. Then, he aimed at the carriage, ready to let it fly!