Although the "Dublic Magic Martial Arts Academy" had numerous training grounds, they were always packed. During class hours, it was nearly impossible to find one that was free. Even if one was available, it would invariably be occupied by other students practicing.

Zhong Shenxiu preferred quiet for his research, so he didn't stop his search but continued looking.

Surprisingly, he managed to find a training ground in a rather secluded spot. This particular facility was small and looked somewhat dilapidated, as if it had been abandoned.

But that hardly mattered anymore; what was important was that the surrounding barrier enchantment was still intact.

Zhong Shenxiu peered inside and saw a young man diligently practicing his sword swings. There was no one else present.

It could be said this was the quietest training ground of them all!

Zhong Shenxiu didn't immediately begin his research but watched the young man practicing with rapt attention, completely lost in his movements. He recognized the youth; he was one of those who had ventured into the Beast Forest for training, though he didn't know his name.

Reese didn't notice Zhong Shenxiu and Robin behind him, continuing his mechanical sword swings, seemingly counting under his breath.

"Lead. Be. Earl,"

It was clear he had been practicing here for quite some time.

Reese was an incredibly diligent person. Every time he didn't have class, he would sneak over here to practice, often for half the day. What frustrated him endlessly, however, was that no matter how hard he tried, he saw no results; his strength remained stuck at the "Apprentice Swordsman" level.

Whenever he thought of how someone as smug as Jieladin had already reached "Advanced Swordsman," he felt deeply resentful. Yet, he couldn't cross that barrier; he had tried every method, but simply could not break through the "Apprentice Swordsman" threshold!

Sometimes, he would think self-deprecatingly: Am I truly useless, to have made no progress at all?

But his stubborn nature refused to accept that fact. Even if he lacked innate talent, he could compensate for his deficiencies through sheer effort. By putting in several times the practice volume of ordinary people, he was sure he could catch up to them!

However, gradually, he began to doubt this notion. No matter how much he increased his training load, his strength simply wouldn't improve. Did a lack of talent truly mean a lifetime of mediocrity?

Although the doubt in his heart grew stronger, Reese had never given up practicing. This action wasn't foolishness; it should be called tenacity!

"Hey, is there any point in doing those sweeping sword exercises?" Zhong Shenxiu's voice finally broke the silence.

Reese startled, instinctively stopping his movements. He was somewhat surprised that someone would venture into such a secluded place! Turning around abruptly, when he saw Zhong Shenxiu and Robin, his expression froze. He felt a faint sense of familiarity; thinking harder, he finally recalled: weren't these the two kids they encountered in the Beast Forest?

Why were they here?

Zhong Shenxiu seemed to understand his confusion, smiling faintly, and spoke again, "Judging by your form just now, you are only at the strength of an 'Apprentice Swordsman,' right?"

Although it was phrased as a question, his expression conveyed absolute certainty!

Relying on his powers of observation and deduction, Zhong Shenxiu could assess a person's strength simply by observing their Dou Qi state and the momentum of their sword swings!

Reese's expression faltered again, slightly shocked at how Zhong Shenxiu knew.

Zhong Shenxiu stopped looking at Reese and scanned the surroundings. Although the place was old and dilapidated in many areas, the barrier enchantment was unaffected, which was somewhat unexpected.

"What are you two here for?" Reese finally couldn't contain his curiosity and asked.

However, Zhong Shenxiu didn't answer immediately, instead crouching down in a corner to observe. He was an expert in array formations, and after studying so many introductions to "Magic Arrays" in the past few days, he instantly recognized the key directional points of this barrier.

It had to be said that the person who set up this barrier was also an expert. They had cleverly integrated it with the terrain, making the enchantment blend seamlessly with the training ground, as if they were one entity. What was even more commendable was the excellent positioning they chose, which significantly reduced the load on the barrier. This was likely the crucial reason the barrier remained in such good condition!

Seeing that Zhong Shenxiu wasn't answering, Reese didn't press further and resumed his practice after standing still for a moment.

Perhaps the sounds he made broke Zhong Shenxiu's concentration, as Zhong Shenxiu rose from the ground.

"Hey, do you know why you are still only an 'Apprentice Swordsman'?"

Zhong Shenxiu's question exploded in Reese's heart like a bomb, shattering his composure.

Reese turned his head back toward Zhong Shenxiu, asking in a highly skeptical tone, "You know?"

Zhong Shenxiu gave a mysterious, knowing smile and then said, "Perhaps I do!"

Reese's expression initially froze, then shifted to disdain. He utterly detested pretentious people, and this instantly reminded him of Jieladin!

His expression did not escape Zhong Shenxiu's notice, but Zhong Shenxiu wasn't angered. Instead, he smiled: "Kid, how about we strike a deal? I'll help you break through the 'Apprentice Swordsman' level, and in return, you must vacate this training ground for me. What do you say?"

Zhong Shenxiu certainly had faster ways to make Reese disappear from the vicinity, but he chose not to. Instead, he offered to help Reese improve his strength, and there was a small reason for this: he saw a shadow of his own past in Reese.

In reality, Zhong Shenxiu wasn't born this smart or powerful. He, too, had endured a period of helplessness!

Reese’s pupils dilated slightly; he was clearly stunned by Zhong Shenxiu’s words. After a long pause, he asked, "Do you really have a way to make me break through the 'Apprentice Swordsman' level?"

When a person is drowning in despair, they will cling to even the slightest flicker of hope. Although Zhong Shenxiu's appearance wasn't particularly convincing, Reese was still tempted.

"You can try it; you won't lose anything anyway!" Zhong Shenxiu didn't give a direct answer. This statement was also a small test for Reese: whether he could seize the opportunity depended entirely on his own choice.

Reese fell silent for a long time. After an intense internal struggle, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "If you can truly help me break through the 'Apprentice Swordsman' level, forget letting you have this place—I'd even follow you around from now on!"

He yearned to become stronger so desperately that his mind was racing wildly at that moment!

To his surprise, Zhong Shenxiu shook his head repeatedly and quickly corrected him: "I only require you to temporarily yield this place to me. As for you as a person, I have no interest whatsoever!"

Reese nodded. Since Zhong Shenxiu had put it that way, he wouldn't rush to tie himself down either.

"How do we do it?" Reese asked, genuinely concerned about the method.

"It’s simple!" Zhong Shenxiu smiled again and proceeded to explain the exact procedure in detail.

One Xuan-Hour passed.

Reese stared blankly at his own hands, his expression as astonished as if he had been struck by lightning and then reborn.

He never imagined that in such a short time, he had actually broken through the "Apprentice Swordsman" level and reached "Advanced Swordsman"!

It all happened too suddenly, too incredibly. A dream that had seemed perpetually out of reach had materialized in such a brief span—how could this not shock him?

"'Advanced Swordsman.' I am finally an Advanced Swordsman too!" Reese shouted excitedly in his heart. All his past hardships seemed to transform into sweet nectar, bringing him close to tears.

Looking at Zhong Shenxiu now, his gaze had completely changed. It had shifted from initial disdain and doubt to sheer admiration and gratitude!

He could never have guessed that such a small boy could be someone so profoundly hidden in skill!

Compared to his shock, Zhong Shenxiu's expression was far more placid. He hadn't actually done much; the reason Reese had been stalled was entirely due to the turbulence in his Dou Qi. Simply put, it was an ailment, understandable as a mild case of Qi deviation!

The cure was straightforward: he just needed to unblock the congested acupuncture points to allow the Dou Qi to flow freely again.

Of course, calling it "simple" was only true from the perspective of a "genius" like Zhong Shenxiu. If an ordinary person were in this situation, they wouldn't only fail to find the root problem, but even if they did, they certainly wouldn't resolve it as effortlessly as Zhong Shenxiu did.

To them, Reese’s ailment could be considered an intractable disease.

"There. I've helped you break through the 'Apprentice Swordsman' level. Don't forget our agreement; you can leave now!" Zhong Shenxiu stated calmly.

However, Reese didn't leave; instead, he pleaded, "Could you perhaps offer me some guidance in my practice?"

As the saying goes: Ambition is not determined by age, and formidable strength is not dictated by youth!

From the Dou Qi that erupted when Zhong Shenxiu cleansed his meridians, Reese knew this boy was absolutely an expert, and one of the highest order!

More importantly, this young boy possessed extraordinary abilities!

Such a person was a rare find. Reese wasn't foolish; he knew that if he could secure this boy's assistance, his own growth in strength would advance by leaps and bounds, just as it had moments ago!

Zhong Shenxiu glanced at him, slightly impatient: "I hate people who deceive me the most. Hurry up and disappear before I lose my temper, or else..." The latter part of his statement needed no clarification.

Reese now understood that Zhong Shenxiu was not someone he could afford to provoke. He had no choice but to leave, yet he couldn't help turning back every five steps, looking profoundly unwilling.

Zhong Shenxiu paid him no more attention and truly began his research on the barrier enchantment.

Time trickled by, and it was unclear how long had passed.

Unexpectedly, Reese, who had already departed, returned, dust-covered and hurried.

Zhong Shenxiu hadn't anticipated that the kid would dare to come back. He was about to tell Robin to toss him out when Reese spoke first.

"I... I have something to say!" Reese said nervously. His expression was akin to saying, "Captain, don't shoot, it's me!"

At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu noticed that Reese was clutching a thick, ancient-looking book in his hands.