Chapter 17: Another Move!

"Cut the nonsense. If you want to fight, then fight!"

Ling Xiao didn't like looking for trouble, but he wasn't afraid of it either. Moreover, Ling Chong was no longer someone he took seriously.

Combined with the fact that Ling Jiu had constantly obstructed his cultivation, Ling Xiao thought to himself: *I might not be able to beat you, but can't I still teach your son a lesson?*

"Heh, interesting. You're actually not afraid?"

Ling Chong sneered coldly. "Don't think that just because you've broken through to the second level of the Martial Vein, you can act tough in front of this young master. Today, you must kneel!"

He had the capital to look down on Ling Xiao—he had been at the peak of the second level of the Martial Vein for nearly half a year.

Add to that his high-grade martial arts, and he was confident.

"You talk too much. I still have to go treat my grandfather's injuries."

Ling Xiao looked at Ling Chong; at this moment, Ling Chong appeared to him like nothing more than a clown.

"You brat, you're too arrogant!"

Realizing that he, the person Ling Jiu had treated like trash for nearly a year, was being looked down upon, Ling Chong's anger flared. True Qi surged into his palms.

Over the past few days, his *Giant Spirit Palm* had received personal guidance from his father, making it incomparably stronger than before.

Coupled with the numerous Qi-enhancing pills his father had procured for him, he was brimming with confidence.

As he struck out with a palm, it truly felt as if a giant deity had descended. The wind from the strike blew through, causing Ling Xiao's hair to flutter incessantly.

"Good heavens, Ling Chong has actually comprehended the *Giant Spirit Palm* to this extent. He must have reached at least thirty percent mastery."

High-grade martial arts were difficult to master after all. For someone at the peak of the second level of the Martial Vein to achieve thirty percent mastery was already quite impressive.

Even Ling Yixue showed a look of surprise, followed by a hint of annoyance.

Ling Chong's talent and effort were inferior to hers, yet he could obtain a large quantity of pills and high-grade martial arts. It was simply too unfair.

Ling Yixue was currently nearing the fourth level of the Martial Vein, and she had only obtained a single high-grade martial art through her own natural talent.

She knew very well how difficult high-grade martial arts were to cultivate, and she knew exactly how powerful they were.

Even at only thirty percent power, a high-grade martial art would crush all mid-grade martial arts; that was the gap in tier.

"That momentum! That power! That speed! He really is at least twice as strong as last time! Having a good father truly pays off!"

Although Ling Xiao did not hold Ling Chong in high regard, he would never underestimate an opponent in battle.

As the Mountain and River Martial Soul activated, all of Ling Chong's information was displayed.

Thus, he was certain that although Ling Chong's realm had not broken through, his actual combat capability was at least twice as strong as before!

It was just somewhat unstable.

It lacked foundation!

The reason was likely that he had consumed too many pills.

"Heavenly Fire Raid!"

Using the Mountain and River Martial Soul to pinpoint Ling Chong's weakness, Ling Xiao no longer hesitated. He activated the *Red Sun Art*, his fists turning a deep crimson, and then executed the *Tiger Descending the Mountain Step*, pouncing toward Ling Chong like a fierce predator.

Today, Ling Xiao did not intend to dodge the *Giant Spirit Palm*. He wanted to meet it head-on and forcibly crush Ling Chong!

This would deal a much greater psychological blow to his opponent!

He wanted to ensure Ling Chong wouldn't come looking for trouble again; he didn't have the time to deal with this guy.

Facing Ling Xiao's counterattack, Ling Chong was visibly shocked. He hadn't expected Ling Xiao to know such a fierce fist technique.

However, on second thought, his *Giant Spirit Palm* was a high-grade martial art, while the opponent's *Meteor Fist* was merely a mid-grade one. There was no need to fear.

However, what happened next terrified Ling Chong.

*Qi Bursting Technique!*

To completely crush Ling Chong, Ling Xiao utilized the *Qi Bursting Technique* once more. This time, he held nothing back, completely erupting the True Qi within his body.

*Meteor Fist, Eighth Form—Heavenly Fire Raid!*

Under the terrifying enhancement of the *Qi Bursting Technique*, the power of this move increased several times over.

In that instant, what appeared before Ling Chong's eyes was no longer Ling Xiao, but a burning meteor!

It was a fierce tiger flying from the heavens!

*BOOM!*

There were no flashy flourishes; the fist and the palm collided head-on.

The advantage of the high-grade *Giant Spirit Palm* was power and momentum!

The advantage of the *Meteor Fist* was also power and momentum!

It was a collision between a giant deity and a meteor!

With the assistance of the *Qi Bursting Technique*, Ling Xiao pushed the eighth form of the *Meteor Fist* to a level that would make even high-grade martial arts hesitate.

To put it simply, high-grade martial arts were just more powerful, but if the power of a mid-grade martial art was increased several times over, the gap almost vanished.

*Crack... crack...*

"Aaaah—!"

Ling Chong let out a miserable scream. His arms were actually snapped directly by Ling Xiao's terrifying strength, and the resulting impact sent his body flying backward, unable to withstand the force.

*Thud!*

The flying Ling Chong slammed into a wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his eyes turning glazed and unfocused.

"You're not dead, are you?"

Even Ling Xiao was startled by this level of power; he was genuinely afraid he might have killed Ling Chong.

If he actually killed him, Ling Jiu would definitely come to kill him. After all, killing someone and injuring someone were two very different concepts.

"No! Impossible! How could my high-grade martial art lose to you? How!"

Ling Chong was not dead. His body slid to the ground, and he struggled to stand up, but his arms hung limp at his sides, unable to be lifted.

He shook his head frantically, completely unable to believe the outcome.

Once again!

Ling Chong had been defeated in a single move by Ling Xiao!

The Ling family disciples on the scene all held their breath in tension.

They truly found this result difficult to accept.

In a battle between martial artists of the same level, while the outcome is unpredictable and anyone can win, losing in a single move was simply too hard to swallow.

Especially when the loser had practiced a high-grade martial art known for its strength.

"As long as you're not dead, then I won't stay to keep you company!"

Once Ling Xiao confirmed Ling Chong was alive, he hurriedly led the doctor away.

At this moment, his True Qi was truly exhausted. If anyone else came to provoke him, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

Watching Ling Xiao leave, Ling Yixue's lips twitched slightly.

This was a result she had not anticipated either.

"To think that the *Qi Bursting Technique* combined with the *Meteor Fist* could exert a power even more terrifying than the high-grade *Giant Spirit Palm*! This Ling Xiao might actually cause a sensation at the annual grand competition."

"Senior Sister, what kind of demonic art did that Ling Xiao use? How could he defeat Ling Chong in a single move?"

Watching Ling Chong being carried away for treatment, Ling Fei felt intense jealousy.

Because Ling Xiao had defeated Ling Chong in a single move in front of Ling Yixue, it had left a very deep impression on her.

"Demonic art? Humph, I advise you to focus on your martial arts instead of letting your mind wander. Your aptitude is good; if you were more focused, you wouldn't have lost the lightness skill competition today!"

Ling Yixue said coldly, "Although they are both at the second level of the Martial Vein, Ling Xiao's True Qi is much more profound than Ling Chong's. Furthermore, he is skilled at coordinating different martial arts. That single punch incorporated the *Meteor Fist*, the *Tiger Descending the Mountain Step*, the *Qi Bursting Technique*, and the *Red Sun Art*. Tell me, who else besides him could do that?"

"This! How can Ling Xiao be so powerful? Has he been playing the fool all this time?" someone asked.

"Probably not. Perhaps he had a sudden moment of enlightenment!" Ling Yixue shook her head.

"But where did he get so many mid-grade martial arts?" someone else asked.

"I'm not quite sure about that. However, mid-grade martial arts can be bought at auction houses. The ones he practices aren't exactly unique secret techniques, so it's quite normal."

Ling Yixue was also somewhat puzzled, but Ling Xiao's prowess was beyond doubt.