Chapter 18: Continued Improvement

"If Ninth Lord finds out about this, he will surely tear Ling Xiao apart alive," Ling Fei sneered.

"Ninth Lord likely won't act personally. After all, once he makes a move, it becomes ammunition for others to attack him. Being accused of bullying the weak and using superior strength to oppress the small is a bad reputation to have; the backlash would be overwhelming! However, Ling Chong has a cousin named Ling Tieshou. In the Elite Hall, he ranks eleventh, right after Ling Feng. He is at the peak of the third level of the Martial Vein; I expect he will be the one to act."

...

Returning to his residence, Ling Xiao had a physician examine his grandfather's condition.

Broken ribs were not actually difficult to treat, but they required some precious medicinal herbs, and those herbs were quite expensive.

The ninety taels of silver Ling Xiao had just obtained instantly turned into money for medicine.

However, he did not regret it; treating his grandfather was never a loss.

"Alright, Young Master, go and fetch these herbs. I have clearly written down the instructions for both external application and internal consumption. If used consistently for a month, he should make a full recovery."

After seeing the physician off, Ling Xiao went to collect the medicine. He returned, decocted it for his grandfather, and after ensuring his grandfather was resting well, he went out again.

He knew very well that since he had injured Ling Chong, trouble would surely follow in succession. He had to continue increasing his strength.

Now that his *Tiger Descending Step* had reached Great Completion, it was time to unlock the First Heaven stage of the *Cloud Soaring Step*.

To avoid being disturbed, Ling Xiao climbed directly over the wall and headed to a forest located seven or eight hundred meters away from the Ling family estate.

"The *Tiger Descending Step* combined with the *Qi Bursting Art* is already enough to defeat Ling Fei. I wonder just how powerful the First Heaven stage of the *Cloud Soaring Step* will be?"

Ling Xiao felt a surge of excitement.

Through the Mountain and River Martial Soul, Ling Xiao unlocked the First Heaven stage of the *Cloud Soaring Step*.

However, this was merely the unlocking; to master it, he still had to practice. The only difference was that practicing would now be much simpler.

A miraculous technique was indeed a miraculous technique; despite the troublesome cultivation process and high difficulty, the results were bound to be exceptional.

It was precisely this thought that gave Ling Xiao the motivation to train.

Perhaps due to the foundation of the *Tiger Descending Step* and the effect of the Mountain and River Martial Soul, Ling Xiao mastered the First Heaven stage of the *Cloud Soaring Step* in just one hour.

Although the *Cloud Soaring Step* consisted of nine heavens in total and this was only the beginning...

After testing the effects of the *Cloud Soaring Step*, Ling Xiao felt that no matter how hard he worked, it would be entirely worth it!

He tested the effects of the technique within the forest.

His final conclusion was—

Even without using the *Qi Bursting Art*, the First Heaven stage of the *Cloud Soaring Step* could achieve the same effect as the Great Completion stage of the *Tiger Descending Step* without the *Qi Bursting Art*.

When used in conjunction with the *Qi Bursting Art*, it was significantly stronger than the *Tiger Descending Step* used with the same art.

This was only the First Heaven!

Could it be that the *Cloud Soaring Step* wasn't an ultimate martial art, but rather a high-level one?

Otherwise, the effects wouldn't be this good!

Thinking of this, Ling Xiao's motivation to practice the *Cloud Soaring Step* grew even stronger.

It was simple: he chose to practice the *Cloud Soaring Step* before the *Bull Demon Art* because movement techniques were not only good for combat, but also excellent for escaping.

He, Ling Xiao, had only one life; only by preserving it could he continue to grow stronger.

While he was busy cultivating to increase his strength, Ling Chong had already been sent to the family's medicinal hall.

The Ling Clan's medicinal hall was the place specifically responsible for refining medicine and treating the sick.

"Who injured my son!"

Ling Jiu and Ling Tieshou had already arrived at the medicinal hall. Seeing Ling Chong's miserable state, Ling Jiu was so enraged that he smashed a stone stool on the ground with a single palm strike.

"Ling Xiao!"

The disciple who brought Ling Chong to the hall said tremblingly.

"Ling Xiao? That useless Ling Xiao?"

Ling Jiu was actually stunned. He had thought it was some hidden expert; how could it be Ling Xiao!

"It really was that Ling Xiao. That fellow seems to have mastered a secret technique that allows him to combine multiple martial arts. His strength is terrifying; he defeated Senior Brother Ling Chong with just a single move."

"Useless!" Ling Jiu cursed.

"Yes, yes, that Ling Xiao is indeed a useless fellow."

"I wasn't talking about him, I was talking about my son, Ling Chong!" Ling Jiu felt both angry and humiliated in his heart.

He had gone as far as defying family rules to secure high-level martial arts and a large amount of medicinal pills for his son, yet in the end, his son not only failed to make a name for himself in the Elite Hall but even lost to Ling Xiao.

To be defeated twice in a row, both by a single move—just how stupid could he be!

"Ninth Uncle, please do not be too angry. No matter what, Ling Chong is your son. As for that Ling Xiao, I will deal with him!" Ling Tieshou said with a smile.

"Tieshou, you are the only one who puts my mind at ease. Sigh, why can't you be my son! You are only a year older than Ling Chong, yet you have already mastered sixty percent of the *Giant Spirit Palm* and reached the peak of the third level of the Martial Vein. If you were to deal with that Ling Xiao, it would be as easy as stepping on an ant."

Ling Jiu seemed to hold Ling Tieshou in very high regard.

"Ninth Uncle, for all these years, I have always regarded you as my biological father. My useless father died early; if you hadn't taken me in, I wouldn't be where I am today," Ling Tieshou said.

"Good! Well said! From now on, you are my biological son. Whatever you want, just say the word, and I will satisfy you! However, even when beating a dog, one must look at the owner. That Ling Xiao needs to be taught a lesson, but the annual competition is approaching soon, so there is no rush. When the time comes, we will make that boy lose face in front of all the Ling clan disciples!"

...

Ling Xiao, of course, was unaware of this conversation. Even if he had known, what he needed to do would remain unchanged.

After the First Heaven of the *Cloud Soaring Step*, the requirements became higher; he had to cultivate two intermediate movement techniques to unlock the Second Heaven.

Having no choice, Ling Xiao temporarily paused and turned to cultivate the *Meteor Fist* and the *Crimson Sun Art*.

His plan was to cultivate the *Meteor Fist* and the *Crimson Sun Art* to Great Completion before returning to choose two intermediate movement techniques.

After all, one cannot only think about running away in combat; one must also increase combat power.

Furthermore, to quickly reach the peak of the second level of the Martial Vein, he had to cultivate the *Crimson Sun Art* and the *Meteor Fist*.

In terms of promoting one's own strength, martial techniques and internal cultivation methods were superior to movement techniques.

Secret methods themselves provided no help in promoting cultivation levels.

Therefore, most martial artists did not practice too many different types of martial arts, focusing instead on the tempering of internal methods and combat techniques.

After spending a day, Ling Xiao's harvest was truly bountiful!

The *Crimson Sun Art* had reached the fifth layer!

He had also finally comprehended the ninth form of the *Meteor Fist*—the *Meteor Fall*!

What he lacked to reach Great Completion was merely experience, which could not be gained through mere practice but had to be honed through actual combat.

At this moment, through the display on the Mountain and River Martial Soul, he could clearly see that his true qi was a full fifty percent more profound than it had been a day ago.

The more profound the true qi, the more times he could use the *Qi Bursting Art*, and the greater the power of the *Meteor Fist* would be.

The most obvious change within the Mountain and River Map was the flame in the altar, which was much more vigorous than before.

Ling Xiao vaguely felt that everything within this Mountain and River Map seemed to have some kind of connection to his body, though he was not yet entirely clear on the details.

(End of Chapter)