Elder Ling struck, executing four members of the Qin Mansion in succession.
From Qin Ming to Qin Gang, none of them had the slightest chance to fight back.
This...
This was an absolute rout!
It was like a Monarch carrying out a sentence.
"Elder Ling is incredible!" A commotion erupted at the entrance of Ling's Medical Clinic.
The scene today shook everyone to their core, showing them what a true expert was.
"Yes!" It was unclear who started it, but a cheer suddenly rang out.
"Qin Hong has been bullying the men and preying on the women of Longtan Town for years. His execution is a blessing for all of us!"
"That's right! My niece was one of Qin Hong's victims! That bastard... The Qin Mansion is too powerful, and they have several Divine Guards in their clan, so no one dared to interfere."
...
After the initial shock, voices denouncing the Qin Mansion rose one after another.
They had endured for far too many years.
The people from the Qin Mansion, however, were terrified. They looked at Elder Ling as if they were facing a Killing God.
"The Qin Mansion is dismissed!" Elder Ling's gaze sharpened, and his deep voice echoed. "If any of you continue to commit evil, don't blame this old man for being merciless."
"Yes, yes! Thank you for your mercy, Elder Ling!"
Hearing this, the Martial Masters of the Qin Mansion nodded in agreement.
They all felt as if they had just survived a disaster.
Then, the Martial Artists of the Qin Mansion retreated like a receding tide.
"It's finally over."
"The heavens have eyes! Elder Ling is unharmed." As the people from the Qin Mansion left, the residents of Longtan Town let out a deep sigh of relief.
At first, they had been worried about Elder Ling!
This outcome couldn't have been better.
"But Qin Gang was a Divine Guard. I'm afraid killing a Divine Guard will bring trouble for Elder Ling."
"So what if he was a Divine Guard? Elder Ling acted in self-defense. What crime did he commit?" someone said indignantly.
"If all Divine Guards are like Qin Gang, what hope is there for our Great Tang Empire?"
...
Amid the discussions, the crowd gradually dispersed.
「Ling's Medical Clinic」
"Uncle Ling, you're amazing!" In the living room, Huang Liang craned his neck to look at Elder Ling, who was seated in the main chair, and couldn't help but praise him.
Even now, he was still incredibly excited, his blood boiling.
Elder Ling's display of power just now had been truly eye-opening.
"Of course! How could Uncle Ling be compared to ordinary people?" Fatty Wu said, raising his eyebrows.
He had also come to the medical clinic after the incident settled down.
"The Martial Arts World is full of experts. Never think that being strong gives you the right to bully others, or you'll eventually bite off more than you can chew."
Elder Ling said faintly.
"Yes." Everyone nodded.
"Uncle Ling, since Qin Gang was a Divine Guard, I'm afraid this will cause trouble once word gets out," Huang Xiaoman said with a frown.
Furthermore, Qin Ming was a student at the Divine Academy.
The deaths of these individuals would naturally attract attention.
"If the people of the Great Tang Empire can't distinguish right from wrong and insist on causing trouble, then this old man will have no choice but to oblige them," Elder Ling said calmly, a glint in his eyes.
Within his calm tone, a terrifying will lay dormant.
It seemed as if he would dare to go on a killing spree if anyone dared to provoke him.
That aura made Huang Xiaoman flinch.
But she quickly stopped overthinking it.
Seeing the aura Elder Ling had displayed earlier, he had clearly surpassed ordinary experts.
She feared there were truly few who could contend with him.
"You youngsters can chat." After a brief conversation, Elder Ling left.
The younger generation was left alone in the living room.
"Brother Fei, how are you so fierce? You even took down Qin Hong!" Fatty Wu couldn't help but ask.
"As it happens, I broke through to the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering today and developed True Qi," Ling Fei said with a smile.
"Ninth Layer of Body Tempering? You're that strong just after developing True Qi?" Fatty Wu shrank back, looking at Ling Fei as if he were a monster.
"Just lucky," Ling Fei said, spreading his hands.
"Lucky?" Huang Xiaoman gave him a disdainful look, but her eyes glittered as she watched him.
'If this guy gets into the Divine Academy, he'll surely become a prominent figure, right? But we'll have to see what the Academy's attitude is toward the matter with Qin Ming.' While she was hopeful, she also worried this would affect Ling Fei's future. 'Then again,' she thought, 'if the Academy learns of Ling Fei's talent, they'll probably focus on cultivating him!'
"It's late. I'll come find you tomorrow." After chatting for a while, Huang Xiaoman left with Huang Liang.
Fatty Wu also went home.
"Brother Ling Fei, I've prepared your medicinal bath," Xue Xi's pleasant voice called out just then.
"Oh." Hearing this, Ling Fei's heart warmed, and he quickly ran over.
A moment later, Elder Ling also arrived at the medicinal bath chamber.
The Elder Ling of now no longer had that tyrannical aura about him.
He came leaning on a cane, like an elder entering his twilight years.
He looked at Ling Fei with a kind and gentle expression; no one would ever associate him with that decisive, ruthless expert.
"Adoptive Father!" When Elder Ling approached, Ling Fei's eyes lit up, and he immediately called out.
"Hehe, you carry on." Elder Ling waved his hand, signaling for Ling Fei to continue soaking in the medicinal liquid.
Ling Fei nodded, but he looked at his adoptive father, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Xue Xi also blinked her large, lively eyes and looked toward her adoptive father.
Even she was surprised by what had happened today.
Ever since she was young, her adoptive father had taught her basic Cultivation Techniques and medicinal knowledge. In Xue Xi's eyes, her adoptive father was a knowledgeable Martial Artist.
But she never expected him to be so powerful.
"If you want to ask something, just ask," Elder Ling said with a smile, sitting down in a Master's Chair nearby.
"Adoptive Father, did you know I've been cultivating in Dragon Pool Valley?" Ling Fei asked after a moment of contemplation, looking up.
"I saw you go there a few times, so naturally, I knew." Elder Ling smiled but didn't elaborate.
Ling Fei wasn't surprised. He had long felt there was a reason his adoptive father prepared these medicinal liquids for him. However, his body hadn't recovered back then, so he never asked. More than that, he wanted to give his adoptive father a surprise, so he never brought it up himself.
"Then, Adoptive Father, are you a Celestial Spirit Realm expert?" Ling Fei asked again.
"I suppose so," Elder Ling laughed.
"Adoptive Father, can a Celestial Essence Pill heal your injuries?" Ling Fei finally asked after some thought.
Previously, Ling Fei had thought his adoptive father was an Innate Realm expert.
That was why he had thought of obtaining a Celestial Essence Pill to heal his injuries.
But now, it seemed things weren't that simple.
After all, Celestial Spirit Realm experts were highly respected; obtaining a Celestial Essence Pill shouldn't be difficult for one.
'So why haven't his injuries healed?'
"A Celestial Essence Pill can nourish the essence and strengthen the foundation, but it's far from enough to heal my injuries," Elder Ling said.
'As I thought!'
Ling Fei's heart stirred. He then looked up, his gaze firm, and said, "Adoptive Father, I will definitely find a better elixir to heal you."
This became Ling Fei's goal.
"Haha, good child. I believe in you." Elder Ling smiled but said no more.
Ling Fei nodded to himself.
Although his adoptive father hadn't spoken about many things...
...such as why he was so heavily injured, or why he appeared in Longtan Town.
However, Ling Fei knew that his adoptive father certainly had his reasons.
The injury was most likely caused by a powerful enemy.
As for why his adoptive father didn't say anything, it was all because he still wasn't strong enough.
Once he was strong enough, everything would come to light.
Therefore, Ling Fei didn't press the issue.
"Brother Ling Fei, what book do you want to read today?" Xue Xi asked, blinking her eyes at him from the side.
"Adoptive Father, I've broken through to the Nine Layers of Body Tempering and developed True Qi, but I can't control it. Is there some trick to it?" This time, Ling Fei didn't ask for a book but instead inquired about cultivation. Controlling True Qi was crucial. If he could command it with ease, his combat prowess would improve significantly.
"There is indeed a knack for controlling True Qi. The qi must move with the will. Only then can you release and retract it freely," Elder Ling said.
"This is a Qi Manipulation Technique. You can take a look."
He then took out an ancient book.
Xue Xi took the book and handed it to Ling Fei.
'Qi moves with the will?' Ling Fei's eyes showed contemplation as he accepted the Qi Manipulation Technique.
The manual was thread-bound and quite exquisite. Ling Fei took it and carefully opened the first page.
"The will follows the spirit, the spirit enters the body. When the heart moves, the will moves, and the qi follows the heart..." A passage from the incantation appeared before Ling Fei's eyes.
Then, he began to try cultivating according to it.
'The "will" is a person's thoughts, and the "spirit" is a derivative of a person's soul... To control True Qi, I must let my willpower and Heart Spirit merge with my True Qi, becoming one with it in order to control it.' Ling Fei had a very high aptitude for comprehension and quickly grasped the basics of the Qi Manipulation Technique.
"Not bad." Elder Ling nodded slightly. "Even when you reach the Innate Realm and the Celestial Spirit Realm, controlling True Qi still requires a powerful will."
"Practice it well. Only by mastering the control of True Qi can you defeat your enemies in battle."
"Yes." Ling Fei nodded and then carefully studied the Qi Manipulation Technique.
'It's true. When my thoughts sink into my body and merge with my True Qi, it feels as if they are one and the same,' Ling Fei mused.
Moreover, by shifting his thoughts, he could finely control the True Qi within his body.
As for controlling how much True Qi to use when fighting an opponent, that would require constant practice.
「One hour later」
"Now that your body has recovered, you can go to the Cold Pool more often to absorb Cold Qi for Blood Refining," Elder Ling said meaningfully.
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Ling Fei's eyes lit up. His adoptive father was clearly telling him that he no longer needed to go to the Cold Pool only once every seven days.
He could now frequently go to the Dragon Pool to draw upon the Cold Chi Dragon Qi for his cultivation.
This brought a surge of joy to Ling Fei's heart.
It would undoubtedly accelerate his cultivation speed.