What’s more, give the Blood Skull a month, and he’ll undoubtedly devise a countermeasure for this technique.
But in that same month, how much could your cultivation advance, Ling Xiao?
At best, perhaps to the late stage of the First Line of Heaven.
Any ordinary person would think so.
They don’t understand Ling Xiao, nor do they grasp just how terrifying his alchemy skills truly are.
“Though he evaded Blood Skull’s pursuit today, it took merely three exchanges. One cannot truly gauge Blood Skull’s terrifying might from that.”
“Quite so. This Ling Xiao is rather presumptuous. He has no concept of Blood Skull’s true strength when unleashed.”
“The Blood Skull may be lacking in character, but his strength utterly crushes Ling Xiao’s. His cultivation has only just broken through and isn’t stable yet, hence his subpar performance. Give it a month, once he’s fully mastered his Five Elements Heaven cultivation, Ling Xiao will truly be finished!”
“To accept Blood Skull’s life-or-death challenge—that’s the only courage worthy of admiration.”
The teachers from the Security Office had initially thought Ling Xiao had narrowly escaped disaster and were feeling relieved. But upon hearing he’d accepted Blood Skull’s life-or-death challenge, they nearly leapt to their feet in fury.
“Have you no sense whatsoever, lad?”
“Just how reckless are you?”
“How could you possibly agree to such a thing?”
Fortunately, being teachers, they ultimately restrained themselves.
A cold sneer spread across Blood Skull’s previously ashen face.
Had Qingxu Academy pursued this matter to its conclusion, he might have faced severe punishment, and future opportunities to trouble Ling Xiao would likely vanish.
Unexpectedly, Ling Xiao had accepted his life-or-death challenge.
Thus, for this period, Qingxu Academy could not interfere with him. As long as he slew Ling Xiao within a month, Shenhuang Academy would still employ him.
Qingxu Academy would have no grounds to trouble him either.
After all, Ling Xiao would be dead.
Why not strike now?
Because he lacked the certainty to kill Ling Xiao at present.
Though Ling Xiao’s cultivation was weak and his innate strength inferior, his footwork was too elusive. He needed this month to cultivate a secret technique to counter Ling Xiao’s movements.
He also needed to adapt to his current cultivation level.
Thus, one month hence would be the optimal moment.
Like the onlookers, he saw little chance of Ling Xiao making significant cultivation progress in such a short span.
“Ling Xiao, in a month’s time, you’d do well not to choose flight. Otherwise, your sect and your academy shall both be shamed by your actions!”
Blood Skull declared coldly.
“So long as you don’t run!”
Ling Xiao replied indifferently.
“Hmph. Let’s be off!”
Knowing he couldn’t out-argue Ling Xiao, the Blood Skull saw no point in wasting breath. He signalled to his men and turned to leave.
No matter how humiliating today proved.
No matter how disgraceful today turned out.
He would endure it.
All for the sake of humiliating Ling Xiao thoroughly in a month’s time, turning that devil-may-care grin of his into a pitiful, sheepish expression.
Only then could he reclaim his dignity and restore his authority.
The onlookers dispersed, chatting and laughing among themselves.
In a month’s time, there would be even greater spectacle to behold.
Ling Xiao had already delivered more than enough surprises today. Such was his confidence – what astonishing prowess might he display in a month’s time?
And that Blood Skull, having suffered such humiliation today – what dreadful methods might it employ to make Ling Xiao wish he were dead?
They supported neither side, merely finding it all rather entertaining.
“Ling Xiao, do you realise what you’ve just done?”
After the outsiders departed, the security office instructor glared at him with exasperation. “You’re courting death!”
“Rest assured, teachers. In a month’s time, I shan’t bring shame upon the academy.”
Ling Xiao offered a faint smile.
“This lad… That Blood Skull is at the early stage of the Five Elements Heaven realm. Having just broken through, by next month he’ll be fully adapted to this cultivation level. With his talent, even a peak Five Elements Heaven martial artist would struggle to defeat him. But you? You’re only at the mid-stage of the First Heaven realm. How do you plan to overcome him in a month?”
Ling Xiao’s expression suddenly turned grave as he replied earnestly: Wolves living in the Gobi Desert may be lean, but they are ferocious. Wolves raised in captivity eventually become mere dogs. I dislike overly comfortable lives. Only in the face of crisis can I unleash my greatest potential!”
Ling Xiao had always grown amidst immense pressure. He believed these dangers and crises provided the impetus he needed to urgently enhance his strength.
If there was no crisis, then he would create one!
Too much ease would rust his blade, make him forget the art of killing.
Hearing this, the security officer had no reply.
After a long pause, he uttered only two words—
Madman!
Feng Yanran now finally understood why Ling Xiao was so formidable.
It wasn’t merely talent or potential.
It encompassed this terrifying wolfish instinct—facing danger without flinching, even charging headlong into adversity. Few could truly achieve such resolve.
Most would gradually have their sharp claws and fangs blunted by comfort, becoming obedient dogs. That would truly spell their ruin.
News of the incident before Qingxu Academy swiftly spread throughout the imperial capital.
The presence of the Blood Skulls had drawn immense attention to this duel.
Many began investigating Ling Xiao’s background, desperate to uncover the power behind him. How else could he possess such audacity to repeatedly provoke Shenhuang Academy?
The findings astonished them.
Ling Xiao’s rise resembled a shooting star, ascending from a bullied beggar boy to the chosen one of the Tianlong Continent within a mere year.
Upon arriving at the Shenhuang Continent, he had been personally invited by Feng Qingyan to join Qingxu Academy.
These details proved straightforward to uncover.
Yet details concerning Ling Xiao’s true origins and the forces backing him seemed utterly non-existent, leaving investigators utterly baffled.
Had someone tampered with the records?
Or was Ling Xiao truly alone?
This remained an enigma.
Some persisted in their inquiries, while others abandoned the pursuit altogether.
After all, in a month’s time, Ling Xiao would meet his end at the hands of the Blood Skull. What purpose did it serve to investigate the origins of a dead man?
Of course, Ling Xiao remained utterly unaware of these matters.
His rapid advancement to the mid-stage of the One-Line Sky realm within such a short span was largely due to his prior cultivation base—he had once attained this level before.
Now, he was merely recovering his former strength.
Yet advancing beyond the mid-stage of the First Heaven Realm proved far more challenging.
This required not only exceptional cultivation grounds like the Heavenly Yuan Pagoda, but also vast quantities of spiritual pills.
Lower-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills currently offered him the greatest benefit.
Thus Ling Xiao resolved to personally refine these pills.
