After Zhang Yunyi led everyone from the Azure Light Sect away from Bluestone Plaza, they didn't linger in Star Sword City. They even skipped the banquet that the Star Sword Sect was supposed to host.
Riding swiftly, they returned to the Azure Light Sect in two days. Four hours after Zhang Yunyi and the others returned, Lin Xiao also quietly came back.
The events of the Sect Exchange Tournament spread throughout the Kingdom of Chu in just two days. The fact that Peng Yue, the Senior Brother of the Azure Light Sect, was defeated by a single punch from the Ninth Prince shocked the entire kingdom.
This battle made the Ninth Prince's name famous, and countless young women began to see him as their dream lover. Rumors also spread that the Ninth Prince had taken a liking to Zhang Ruoling, the daughter of the Azure Light Sect's Sect Master, and would soon visit to propose marriage, sparking much discussion.
Lin Xiao, having returned to the Azure Light Sect, paid little attention to these matters. Upon his return, he headed straight to the sect's Library Pavilion.
The Library Pavilion housed all the sect's techniques and martial arts, numbering over a hundred. Ordinary disciples couldn't freely choose martial arts manuals from the pavilion. However, Lin Xiao was a direct disciple of the previous Sect Master and the only junior brother of the current Sect Master, giving him a special status.
Thus, regardless of his cultivation level, the elder guarding the Library Pavilion would not stop Lin Xiao.
"Phantom Step."
"Savage Bull Body."
Lin Xiao carefully selected two manuals. Phantom Step was a footwork martial technique that, when mastered, allowed one's body to move like a phantom, making it difficult for others to lock onto. Savage Bull Body was a body refining technique that could make the practitioner's physical body as tough as a demonic beast, with immense strength.
Both martial arts were top-grade Human-rank, and only true disciples and elders were qualified to practice them.
Watching the Sect Exchange Tournament made Lin Xiao realize the importance of both footwork and body refining, which were his weaknesses that needed addressing.
While selecting martial arts, Lin Xiao also found a technique called "Hold Breath Skill," a minor art of mid-grade Human-rank. Its method was relatively simple, and after observing it for half a moment, he memorized it.
"Granduncle Master, I've chosen these two martial arts!"
Lin Xiao placed the two manuals before the Library Pavilion Elder.
"Lin Xiao, both of these are top-grade Human-rank martial arts, with extremely high difficulty. Even true disciples may not succeed in practicing them. Are you sure you want to choose them?"
The Library Pavilion Elder was an old man with graying hair, the senior brother of the former Sect Master Zhang Yuanhong, with a high seniority. However, due to his advanced age, depleted vitality, and hidden injuries, his cultivation had regressed, and he now held the idle position of guarding the Library Pavilion.
"I'm sure!"
Lin Xiao nodded.
"Lin Xiao, I watched you grow up, so I must remind you: your current cultivation is too low. The urgent task is to improve your cultivation, not to aim too high!"
The elder sighed.
"Granduncle Master, my cultivation in the True Brightness Art is progressing slowly, so I want to try something different," Lin Xiao said with a smile.
"Alright, suit yourself!"
The elder said no more. After all, with Lin Xiao's talent, there wasn't much hope for him, so he let him be.
Soon, Lin Xiao copied the two martial arts and returned to the wooden house in the Back Mountain Cemetery.
"Phantom Step, body like a ghost, form like a phantom...!"
Lin Xiao studied the Phantom Step manual, memorized it, then took out the Creation Jade. With a thought, he entered the Creation Space to begin practicing the footwork. Follow the newest chapters on novelping dot com.
Initially, Lin Xiao's movements were clumsy, but after an hour, he had reached Beginner Mastery, and after another hour, he had achieved Minor Mastery.
With Phantom Step at Minor Mastery, his speed increased dramatically, leaving an afterimage in the void as he moved.
Lin Xiao continued practicing without pause, reaching Major Mastery after four hours, and by nightfall, Phantom Step had reached Perfect Mastery.
By the next evening, Phantom Step finally reached Transcendent Mastery. Lin Xiao's figure flickered, leaving ten afterimages in the void, moving with such speed that it was impossible to discern his true form.
Exhaling deeply, Lin Xiao exited the Creation Space. After nearly forty hours of continuous practice, even with his current cultivation, he felt exhausted and famished.
He cooked some food in a makeshift clay pot, quickly filled his stomach, and lay down to sleep.
At that moment, Zhang Ruoling knocked on his door.
"Ruoling, you're here!"
Lin Xiao opened the door.
"Junior Granduncle Master!"
Zhang Ruoling sat on a wooden stool, her face gloomy and unhappy.
"What's wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?"
Lin Xiao asked.
"Junior Granduncle Master, do you know about the Ninth Prince of the Kingdom of Chu?"
Zhang Ruoling sighed.
"I've heard of him!"
Lin Xiao nodded. "I heard he has taken a liking to you and plans to come to our Azure Light Sect to propose."
"Yes, and it's because of him that I'm so upset!" Zhang Ruoling said with a bitter face.
"Do you like him?"
"I don't like him at all!"
"If you don't like him, then don't marry him. Your father won't force you, will he?" Lin Xiao said solemnly.
"It's not that simple."
Zhang Ruoling shook her head and sighed. "The Kingdom of Chu has been suppressing the Four Great Sects for years. If the Ninth Prince really comes to propose, my father will be in a difficult position. If he refuses, the royal family might use it as an excuse to target our Azure Light Sect, or even start a war."
"Is it that serious?"
Lin Xiao was surprised. The Azure Light Sect was a top sect in the Kingdom of Chu, not weak. Would the royal family really start a war over this?
"My father says it's an open conspiracy. The royal family probably wants to eliminate our Azure Light Sect," Zhang Ruoling said worriedly.
She was only nineteen and didn't want to marry yet. Moreover, if she were to marry, it should be to someone she liked, not the Ninth Prince.
"I hope so."
Zhang Ruoling nodded lightly, thinking Lin Xiao was just comforting her, not taking it seriously.
"By the way, Junior Granduncle Master, have you been diligent in your practice? When will you reach the 3rd Layer Qi Condensation Realm?"
Zhang Ruoling asked, concerned about Lin Xiao's cultivation.
"Soon, I'm progressing faster than before!"
Lin Xiao smiled, unable to explain his rapid progress, so he kept it to himself.
"That's good. You must work hard!"
Zhang Ruoling encouraged him with a clenched fist.
...
After a night's rest, Lin Xiao resumed his practice the next day.
During the day, he practiced the True Brightness Art to improve his cultivation, and at night, he practiced Savage Bull Body to strengthen his physique.
As for the Hold Breath Skill, it was merely a technique for concealing one's aura and hiding one's realm, too simple to be of much concern. He learned it in just a quarter of an hour in the Creation Space.
As time passed, Lin Xiao's strength progressed rapidly.
Savage Bull Body, as a top-grade Human-rank body refining martial art, was much stronger than the True Brightness Art. This technique had seven layers, and mastering the first layer increased physical strength by a thousand pounds. Each subsequent layer doubled the body's strength.
By the time Lin Xiao reached the fifth layer, his physical strength was sixteen thousand pounds. Adding his True Qi cultivation, his strength was even more formidable.
One day, Lin Xiao left the Creation Space and stepped out of his wooden house.
"This Savage Bull Body not only increased my strength but also my defense!"
Lin Xiao examined the skin on his arm, which was now resilient like copper skin and iron bones, with defense comparable to a demonic beast.
With such a powerful body, combined with his current Meridian Opening Realm 9th Level cultivation, and the Transcendent Mastery of the Gale Saber Art and Phantom Step, Lin Xiao felt his strength was on par with the Grand Elder of the Azure Light Sect.
The Grand Elder was at the Spirit Transformation Realm 1st Layer, a renowned expert in the Kingdom of Chu for decades.
In short, Lin Xiao was very satisfied with his current strength.
"Hmm, it's been nine days since the last Sect Exchange Tournament. The Ninth Prince should be arriving soon, right?"
Lin Xiao mused, rubbing his chin.
Ruoling doesn't want to marry?
Zhang Yunyi finds it hard to refuse?
Then, if the Ninth Prince never reaches the Azure Light Sect, wouldn't that solve everything?