“If Uncle Jiu learns of this matter, he will tear Ling Xiao alive.” Ling Fei sneered.
“Uncle Jiu might not make a move in person. After all, once he acts, this matter will become a chance for other people to mock him. The reputation of bullying the small while being big and bullying the weak while being strong is not good. The spit of others will drown him! However, Ling Chong has a cousin named Ling Tieshou! In the Elite Hall, he is slightly inferior to Ling Feng and is ranked eleventh. However, he has a cultivation of Peak Rank Three Martial vein. I guess he will make a move.”
……
After returning to his residence, Ling Xiao requested the doctor to examine his grandfather’s body.
Treating broken ribs was not actually difficult, but it required some relatively precious medicinal herbs that were quite expensive.
The ninety taels of silver that had just fallen into his hands instantly went toward medicinal herb expenses.
However, he had no regrets. Treating his grandfather’s injuries was not a loss.
“Okay, noble son, go and bring back these medicinal herbs! Apply them externally and have him eat them as I have written here. After a month, he should fully recover.”
After sending off the doctor, Ling Xiao went out to buy the medicinal herbs. He then gave his grandfather the medicine after simmering it in a pot and made his grandfather rest after returning. Afterward, he left once more.
He was very clear that since he had severely injured Ling Chong, more troubles would surely follow one after another. He had to continue improving his strength.
Now, he had already cultivated <Rush Steps> to great success. It was finally time to practice <Soaring Cloud Steps>’s first heavenly step.
To avoid being disturbed by others, Ling Xiao directly climbed over the border wall and left the Ling Clan. He quickly arrived at a forest seven or eight hundred meters away from the Ling Clan’s periphery.
“<Rush Steps> coordinated with <Violent Qi Formula> can already defeat Ling Fei. I wonder how powerful <Soaring Cloud Steps> will be?”
Ling Xiao was excited imagining his future.
Via his Landscape Martial Soul, Ling Xiao used <Soaring Cloud Steps>’s first heavenly step.
However, this was only the beginning. If he wanted to master it, he had to practice. Merely, cultivating with his martial soul’s help would become relatively simple.
Since this technique’s difficulty was so great in addition to its numerous requirements, its result would certainly not be lacking.
After such thoughts, Ling Xiao was motivated to cultivate.
Because he already had the foundation of <Rush Steps>, when coupled with the effect of his Landscape Martial Soul, Ling Xiao needed only two hours to grasp <Soaring Cloud Steps>’s first heavenly step.
Although <Soaring Cloud Steps> had nine heavenly steps in total, and this was just the beginning, after testing <Soaring Cloud Steps>, Ling Xiao realized that it truly was not unjust no matter how hard it was to master.
The final conclusion was—–
Even without using <Violent Qi Formula>, the result of this <Soaring Cloud Steps>’s first heavenly step equaled the perfected <Rush Steps>.
When using <Violent Qi Formula>, it was much stronger than <Rush Steps> even when it too was under the effect of <Violent Qi Formula>.
This was tonly he first heavenly step!
Was it possible that this <Soaring Cloud Steps> was not an advanced martial art but actually a peak martial art?
Otherwise, how could its results be so outstanding?
Thinking this, Ling Xiao’s motivation to cultivate <Soaring Cloud Steps> vastly increased.
He chose to cultivate <Soaring Cloud Steps> before <Bull Demon Technique> because this movement technique was not only good for combat but also useful for escaping foes.
He only had one life. Only by preserving his life, could he continue to grow stronger.
While Ling Xiao was busy improving his strength, Ling Chong had already been sent to the clan’s Medicine Hall.
The Ling Clan’s Medicine Hall was a place of life-saving dedicated to refining medicines as well as treating illnesses and other injuries.
“Who injured my son!?”
Ling Jiu and Ling Teishou had already arrived at the Medicine Hall. Upon seeing his son’s miserable appearance, Ling Jiu was so angry that he broke a stone bench into two with a palm.
“Ling Xiao!”
The disciple who had carried Ling Chong to the Medicine Hall revealed while trembling in fear.
“Ling Xiao? That trash Ling Xiao?”
Ling Jiu was dumbfounded. He had mistakenly thought that this was the work of an expert, but how could it have been Ling Xiao?
“Really, it was that Ling Xiao! That fellow seems to have grasped various martial arts and used a unique technique to coordinate them. His strength is terrifying. In just one move, he beat senior apprentice brother Ling Chong to this state.”
“Trash!”
Ling Jiu cursed.
“Yes, yes, yes! That Ling Xiao is indeed trash.” The disciple emphatically nodded his head, hoping to receive Ling Jiu’s favor.
“Not him, I meant my son Ling Chong!” Ling Jiu was vexed in his heart.
He hadn’t hesitated to violate the clan’s rules and obtain an advanced martial art as well as a large number of pills for his son, but in the end, his son not only failed to enter the top ranks of the Elite Hall but also lost to Ling Xiao.
He had been defeated twice in a row. Moreover, he hadn’t even lasted a single move. How stupid was he?
“Uncle Jiu, don’t get angry. No matter what you say, Ling Chong is also your son. As for that Ling Xiao, I’ll help you sort him out!”
Ling Tieshou said with a smile.
“Tieshou, you are so reassuring. Ai, why weren’t you my son? You are only one year older than Ling Chong, but you have already mastered 60% of <Giant Spirit Divine Palm>. In addition, you’ve reached Peak Rank Three Martial Vein. Hmph! If you deal with that Ling Xiao, it will be as easy as swatting an ant to death.”
Ling Jiu clearly regarded Ling Tieshou highly.
“Uncle Jiu, I have always regarded you as my birth father. My trash father died early. If it were not for your shelter, I wouldn’t have reached these heights today.” Ling Tieshou humbly replied..
“Good! Good! Hereafter, you are my biological son! Whatever you want, feel free to ask for it. I will definitely satisfy your wishes! However, you have to show who is the master before beating the dog. That Ling Xiao, he must be taught a lesson, but the annual competition is near at hand. There’s no need to be impatient. At that time, in front of all the disciples of the Ling Clan, put him in his place!”
……
Ling Xiao naturally was unaware of this conversation, but even if he ha known, what he planned to do wouldn’t change.
After the first heavenly step, the requirements only grew. He would have to cultivate two intermediate movement techniques before initiating the second heavenly step.
Without any other choice, Ling Xiao temporarily stopped practicing <Soaring Cloud Steps> and switched to <Meteorite Fist> and <Pure Yang Technique>.
He planned to cultivate <Meteorite Fist> and <Pure Yang Technique> to perfection before choosing two intermediate movement techniques to cultivate.
After all, when all was said and done, he couldn’t just run around in a fight, he needed sufficient combat power.
Moreover, to reach Peak Rank Two Martial Vein as soon as possible, he had to cultivate <Pure Yang Technique> and <Meteorite Fist>.
In the aspect of improving strength, martial skills and internal energy core laws were better than movement techniques.
Moreover, secret techniques didn’t help in the advancement of cultivation in any way.
Therefore, common martial artists didn’t cultivate too many martial arts, instead concentrating on polishing internal energy core laws and martial skills.
After a day, Ling Xiao made abundant gains!
<Pure Yang Technique> was cultivated to the fifth layer!
In addition, he finally comprehended <Meteorite Fist>’s Ninth Style—-Meteorite Drop!
He was only lacking a bit of enlightenment from achieving the pinnacle of the technique. This was not something cultivation could provide; he had to temper himself through actual combat.
From a brief check, he could clearly see that his true qi was no less than 50% thicker than it had been the day before via his Landscape Martial Soul’s display.
The thicker his true qi, the more times he could use <Violent Qi Formula>, and the greater the might of his <Meteorite Fist>.
In the Landscape Painting, the most obvious change was that the flame in the altar was more vigorous than before.
Ling Xiao vaguely sensed that everything inside this Landscape Painting corresponded to his own body, but he wasn’t exactly clear on what that meant.
