Top-tier martial techniques are the pinnacle of martial arts!
They stand at the apex of ordinary martial techniques!
Among all martial arts below the extraordinary level, nothing can compare to them.
If Ling Xiao wanted to progress faster and become stronger, top-tier martial techniques were essential.
He had now realised that Bull Demon Technique wasn’t an internal cultivation method or a combat skill, it was more like an auxiliary martial art.
It could enhance the power, and even the level, of other martial techniques.
To keep evolving Bull Demon Technique and gain more offensive options, the best approach was naturally to learn higher-level martial techniques and let Bull Demon Technique absorb them.
For instance, his basic martial technique Barbarian Bull Strength could now unleash the power of an advanced martial technique.
And after absorbing the advanced martial technique Meteor Fist, it became one or two times stronger than typical advanced techniques, though it still fell short of top-tier martial arts, it was already quite impressive.
What kind of chemical reaction would occur if it absorbed a top-tier martial technique?
Would Bull Demon Technique evolve further?
Ling Xiao was very much looking forward to it.
So aiming for first and securing top three was his current goal.
With these thoughts, Ling Xiao returned home.
As he reached the door, he suddenly heard a bustling noise inside, startling him, but when he entered, he found his grandfather Hong Qi surrounded by a group of people offering congratulations.
“Old Master Hong, your grandson is incredible!”
“Indeed, first in the Elite Hall and cultivating gang qi, with such talent, he’ll surely be heavily nurtured by the clan in the future!”
“I think it’s more than that, Ling Xiao might even place in the grand finals!”
“A stunning rise!”
Ling Xiao didn’t recognise most of these people, because normally, no guests ever visited the rundown little house he shared with his grandfather.
But he didn’t feel any resentment.
That’s just reality!
When you’re weak, people ignore you or even bully you freely.
But when you’re strong, they can only try to curry favour with you.
It seemed his path was the right one, strength was the only way to earn respect!
Ling Xiao wasn’t the type to shut people out, though he disliked such scenes, he still helped his grandfather see these visitors off one by one.
The living room was filled with all sorts of gifts.
Some were even quite valuable.
“I never imagined, you little rascal, in just half a month, your cultivation would reach such heights, I almost thought I was hallucinating.”
Hong Qi had already held high expectations for Ling Xiao.
But he never expected his progress to be this immense.
From First Layer Martial Vein to peak Third Layer, with gang qi filling nearly three martial veins, such growth could only be described as monstrous.
“Grandfather, I’ll get even stronger in the future, no one will ever bully you again.”
Ling Xiao clenched his fists.
Though his progress was rapid, his strength still wasn’t enough, against a Fifth Layer Martial Vein expert like Ling Shisan, he’d still be outmatched.
So he had to keep working hard!
“Effort is good, but don’t overexert yourself. Among the gifts they brought today, there are lots of clothes and food, I’d like to send some to the beggar gang brothers, do you agree?”
Even with better days, Hong Qi hadn’t forgotten those he’d once begged alongside on the streets.
“Of course I agree, without their protection, I’d have taken a lot more beatings back then, why don’t we go together?”
Ling Xiao suggested after a moment’s thought.
It had been a while since he’d seen those brothers, it’d be nice to visit.
“No rush, the grand finals are coming up soon, you should focus on improving your strength, after the finals, I’ll take you to see them.”
Hong Qi shook his head.
Ling Xiao thought about it and agreed, the past few days of combat had yielded significant gains, he needed to properly process and comprehend them, time really couldn’t be wasted.
“Alright then, hire a carriage tomorrow.”
Ling Xiao handed Hong Qi a hundred taels of silver.
Though the elimination tournament didn’t offer other rewards, anyone in the top thousand received silver, just in varying amounts.
As first place, Ling Xiao’s reward was naturally higher, reaching ten thousand taels.
This money would sustain his household for quite a while.
After giving the silver, Ling Xiao locked himself in the training room, closed his eyes, and began recalling the battles and observations from the past few days.
At that moment, the Mountain River Diagram perfectly displayed scene after scene, as if replaying the entire tournament from the past few days.
Of course, he reviewed the key moments multiple times.
For example, his fights with Ling Yihang and Ling Yixue, he watched each one carefully several times.
No doubt, their combat skills were more numerous and refined than his, he needed to learn and apply them.
His own combat experience was sorely lacking, so absorbing others’ experience and improving his techniques was incredibly useful.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
Then he swallowed another gang qi pill.
He didn’t sit there to break through.
Instead, he extended his hands and began practicing his martial techniques.
From Barbarian Bull Strength to Meteor Fist, then to Hundred Steps Flying Sword Technique, and finally Soaring Cloud Steps!
During this process, he didn’t suppress the release of gang qi, using it fully in every technique.
He could feel himself immersed in a peculiar atmosphere.
Though he was training alone, it felt as if an opponent was sparring with him.
In his Mountain River Diagram, figures kept appearing and shifting.
One moment it was Ling Yixue, then Ling Yihang, then Ling Shisan, and then Ling Jiu.
The opponents grew stronger, and the pressure he faced intensified.
Ha—!
Suddenly, he let out a furious roar.
His voice thundered like an explosion!
His fists blasted out with overwhelming force!
The images in the Mountain River Diagram vanished.
Ling Xiao stopped attacking and sat cross-legged on the floor.
“Break for me!”
The final barrier shattered under his terrifying willpower.
The once-stagnant flow of gang qi became smooth and natural, all the true qi in his body fully transformed into gang qi.
Breakthrough to the Fourth Layer Martial Vein!
His current gang qi had reached twenty percent of the fourth martial vein.
Though the amount of gang qi hadn’t increased much, moving from peak Third Layer to Fourth Layer was an absolute qualitative leap.
With no trace of true qi impurities left in his body, everything had turned into gang qi, even Qi Recovery Formula now restored gang qi.
As long as he didn’t expend it too heavily at once, gang qi would recover slowly.
Moreover, opening the fourth martial vein further enhanced his body, his strength now reaching a thousand jin.
From Third Layer to Fourth Layer Martial Vein, though only one layer apart, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Below the Third Layer were martial students, cultivating true qi, known as the awakening stage.
Starting from the Fourth Layer were martial apprentices, cultivating gang qi, known as the gang qi stage.
The situation was completely different.
This was a true transformation, a monumental shift like a carp leaping over the dragon gate.
Possessing gang qi had once been a lifelong goal for Ling Xiao, a distant dream.
Because in the Northern Han Kingdom, a martial artist with fully transformed gang qi would receive decent treatment in any faction.
After all, in the Northern Han Kingdom, countless people were stuck at peak Third Layer, unable to break through.
It seemed like just a thin sheet of paper, but in reality, it was a vast chasm.
