Having obtained the Will of the Martial Path, Ling Xiao didn’t immediately rest, instead, he sat cross-legged in the training room, wanting to carefully experience what this Will of the Martial Path truly was.
How could it be applied to martial arts?
After all, willpower was an intangible thing, and there was still a vast gap between possessing it and truly mastering it.
Another two hours passed, and Ling Xiao exhaled a breath of turbid air.
A hint of excitement appeared on his face.
He had originally intended to keep Bull Demon Technique: Hundred-Step Killing Sword as his trump card, but now it seemed that the Will of the Martial Path was his greatest asset.
Still, this was a good thing, the more trump cards he had, the higher his chances of taking first place in the grand finals.
But it wasn’t enough yet.
Given the current situation, Ling Xiao felt his offensive capabilities were sufficient for now, and his lightness skills and movement techniques were decent too, however, there was one major flaw.
That was defence.
The human body was a wondrous thing, the more it was tempered, the stronger its defences became, and what he lacked now was a defensive martial art.
Although Barbarian Bull Strength could be used for defence, it wasn’t a defensive martial art by nature, it worked fine against weaker opponents, but against stronger ones, it was practically useless.
With this in mind, he stood up and left the training room.
Some things couldn’t be forced, he decided to rest for a bit first, as his mind was starting to feel groggy from continuous training.
Back in his room, Ling Xiao rested for about an hour before getting up.
A martial artist was, after all, a martial artist, especially one who had broken through to the fourth level of the Martial Veins, Gang Qi stage, their rest time could be drastically reduced, and their mental recovery was far faster than an ordinary person’s.
“Little one, someone’s looking for you outside!”
Hong Qi’s voice came from beyond the door.
“Coming, Grandpa!”
Ling Xiao got up, washed his face, then stepped outside, where he found a middle-aged man in luxurious robes sitting in the parlour.
The man was around forty, with a square face, dignified features, and an air of authority.
“Second Uncle!”
Ling Xiao was taken aback, this was Ling Xiaotian’s second son, a man whose martial prowess was nearly on par with Old Master Ling himself, widely regarded as the most formidable of Ling Xiaotian’s sixteen sons.
Even the Mountain and River Martial Soul couldn’t yet discern Second Uncle Ling’s true strength.
“Hahaha, so you’re Ling Xiao, not bad, not bad at all!”
Second Uncle Ling looked at Ling Xiao as if trying to see right through the young man.
To be honest, facing his gaze, Ling Xiao felt a bit nervous, but fortunately, the other party couldn’t pierce through the concealment effect of his strength template.
“Peak of Martial Vein Third Level, with Gang Qi refined to ninety-nine percent, it looks like you’re just a step away from breaking through to Martial Vein Fourth Level.”
“Thank you for the praise, Second Uncle. May I ask what brings you here today?” Ling Xiao asked respectfully.
He didn’t want trouble, offending Ling Shisan might still leave him a chance to survive, but offending this Second Uncle Ling would mean certain death.
“I’ve got my eye on you!”
Second Uncle Ling got straight to the point, “At thirteen years old, reaching this level of strength surpasses even Ling Feifan, so I want you to join my side.”
“What do you mean?”
Ling Xiao asked, puzzled.
“It’s simple, the old man has sixteen sons, all vying for the position of family head. I’m not asking you to do anything in particular day-to-day, just support me when it matters most,” Second Uncle Ling said with a smile.
“Second Uncle, you jest, I’m just at the peak of Martial Vein Third Level, how could I possibly help you?” Ling Xiao replied cautiously.
“I don’t misjudge people, you may only be at the peak of Martial Vein Third Level now, but I also know you went from Martial Vein First Level to this point in just half a month, your potential is so terrifying I’ve never heard of anything like it, so I’m convinced your future is boundless,” Second Uncle Ling said seriously, “Work with me, and you won’t lose out, if Ling Jiu or Ling Shisan want to touch you, they’ll have to get past me first.”
Ling Xiao thought it over carefully, though he now possessed the Mountain and River Martial Soul and had incredible potential, his current strength was still lacking.
If Ling Jiu and Ling Shisan truly ignored family rules and came to kill him, he could escape, but his grandfather Hong Qi would be in grave danger.
Having Second Uncle Ling’s protection wasn’t a bad deal, in the Ling family, one had to pick a side eventually, internal strife in such a large clan was fierce.
“Alright, since Second Uncle thinks so highly of me, I’ll agree,” Ling Xiao nodded.
“Good, straightforward!”
Second Uncle Ling slapped the table, “In that case, I’m at ease, besides offering you protection, you’ll also receive a monthly allowance of one thousand taels of silver from me for your training, with pills and martial arts calculated separately.”
“And about the house you were building, I’ve heard about it, I’ve already had them stop construction, that place isn’t worthy of you, later today you and your grandfather will move into a house I’ve arranged, it’s not only a better environment but also more suitable for cultivation!”
Hearing this, Ling Xiao couldn’t help but feel a jolt of surprise.
Second Uncle Ling really seemed intent on nurturing him.
Sure, a thousand taels of silver and a house might not mean much to someone like Second Uncle Ling.
But it was still a gesture of sincerity.
Before this, Ling Xiao hadn’t even been eligible to receive a single tael from the Ling family, let alone a house.
“With Second Uncle’s support, if there ever comes a day when you need me, I’ll do my utmost to assist!”
He wouldn’t sell himself to Second Uncle Ling, but if the man was in trouble, he’d naturally lend a hand.
“Good! In that case, no time to waste, you lot out there, help Ling Xiao move!” Second Uncle Ling called to the people outside.
He really meant business.
Ling Xiao didn’t object.
Soon, he moved into the new home with Second Uncle Ling’s help.
This place was far larger than the rented house from before, with much better facilities, not only that, it came with two servants and two maids specifically assigned to handle daily chores.
As for household items and furniture, everything was fully provided.
With this, Ling Xiao no longer had to worry about Hong Qi’s living situation.
The old man could finally enjoy his later years in peace.
Safety wasn’t an issue either, unless Second Uncle Ling was killed, no one would dare barge in here.
With his livelihood secured, Ling Xiao was free of worries, he could now focus entirely on improving his strength.
All this seemed like Second Uncle Ling’s patronage, but it really came down to strength.
It was precisely because of his immense potential that Second Uncle Ling valued him.
Even without Second Uncle Ling, someone else might have approached him, in a family like this, trying to stay neutral was the dumbest choice.
Ling Xiao agreeing to Second Uncle Ling naturally came with his own calculations.
At the very least, this Second Uncle Ling was among the strongest of Ling Xiaotian’s sixteen sons, and he had a bold, generous nature, somewhat reminiscent of Ling Xiaotian himself.
Unlike the narrow-minded Ling Shisan and Ling Jiu.
His Martial Vein Fourth Level cultivation had stabilised, now he needed to fully master Bull Demon Technique: Meteor Killing Fist to perfection.
The stronger he became, the better his odds of winning the grand finals.
Another day passed, with six days remaining until the finals.
Through relentless effort, Ling Xiao finally elevated Bull Demon Technique: Meteor Killing Fist to the realm of perfection.
Having reached perfection, the power of Bull Demon Technique: Meteor Killing Fist became even more terrifying, accompanied by thick Gang Qi, a single punch unleashed felt like a bull demon roaring or a meteor crashing down, its momentum utterly overwhelming.
