Chapter 4: One Move to Subdue a Foe
The training grounds
Seeing a determined Ling Xiao approach, Ling Chong sneered in disdain.
“What’s up trash? Do you want to avenge your grandfather?”
“Hahahaha!” Hearing Ling Chong’s mockery, the other clan disciples laughed heartily.
To them, Ling Xiao was truly overestimating his ability.
“You have humiliated me time and again, but I never argued with you because my ability was inferior to yours. However, you hurt my grandpa. I will not let you off!”
Although Ling Xiao was a little nervous in his heart, he still had great self-confidence.
The Landscape Martial Soul had opened new doors for him.
Today’s battle against Ling Chong would be his true test.
“You won’t let me off?”
Ling Chong guffawed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. Stilling his face, he warned with disdain, “Since I could break the ribs of that old beggar, I can also break your ribs!”
“Ling Chong, just settle this with a single palm. Like his old beggar grandfather, this kid is incompetent.” Someone shouted from the side.
“Hahaha, if I can’t deal with this trash with a single palm, what face would I, Ling Chong, have to stay in the Ling Clan?”
While laughing, Ling Chong made his move. Seeming to grow in size, he stared down at Ling Xiao.
A powerful aura suppressed Ling Xiao, forcing the breath out of his body.
Was this the strength of a Rank Two Martial Vein martial artist? Although it was only one level above Rank One Martial Vein, the gap was great.
The onlookers gloated at Ling Xiao’s shocked gaze.
For them, this match had never started. It was already over.
How could Ling Xiao be Ling Chong’s opponent?
Suddenly, Ling Chong’s palm thrust out. To spectators, this palm was the size of a normal person’s palm.
However, in Ling Xiao’s eyes, it turned gigantic, like the palm of a true giant.
This attack impressed upon Ling Xiao the image of a giant who could swat him to death with a casual move.
“This is <Giant Spirit Divine Palm>! If I’m not wrong, it’s an advanced martial art!”
Ling Clan’s clan disciples naturally had good eyesight. Quickly recognizing the palm technique, they involuntarily exclaimed in surprise.
“What sort of joke is this? No matter how strong Ling Chong is, he is still only a Rank Two Martial Vein martial artist. What qualifications does he have to learn an advanced martial art? I am as strong as him but can only choose an elementary martial art; I’m not even qualified to choose an intermediate martial art!”
“How can you compare to him? Ling Chong has a good father, our Ling Clan’s Uncle Jiu! In fact, his grandfather is our Ling Clan’s old Patriarch…”
“No wonder Ling Chong has always been arrogant! Now it makes sense that he didn’t receive any punishment for breaking the ribs of that old beggar.”
“Since the advanced martial art <Giant Spirit Divine Palm> has come out, Ling has no chance of winning.”
“Did you think he ever had a chance? Unless he were a peak genius, competing with those a level above is an absolute daydream.”
The huge advantage brought by the advanced martial art made even those with higher cultivations than Ling Chong feel great pressure.
Between each classification, the difference in might was significant! They could allow one to skip martial ranks.
If a Rank Two Martial Vein martial artist cultivated an advanced martial art, he could defeat a Rank Three Martial Vein martial artist.
“Ling Chong, it seems you think highly of me. Actually being willing to use an advanced martial art!”
Ling Xiao couldn’t help but sigh in his heart. If not for his obtaining the Landscape Martial Soul, he would have definitely broken a few ribs today.
People like him were not qualified to learn even elementary martial arts. With only basic martial arts, they had already lost from the start.
If there were no Landscape Martial Soul, it would have been very difficult for him to stand out among his peers.
Under the enormous pressure of the advanced martial art, Ling Xiao unexpectedly smiled.
Of course, he would smile.
Like he had expected, another Ling Chong appeared in his Landscape. This Ling Chong repetitively used Giant Spirit Divine Palm, exposing this technique’s weakness and flaws, one after another.
Naturally, no one else knew of this.
However, even if he knew Ling Chong’s flaws, he still had to seize an opportune moment to land a blow.
Fortunately, he had bitterly practiced this year. In addition, after being constantly bullied by Ling Chong, his combat experience was vast.
Moreover, the Landscape Martial Soul had transformed his body. All his senses had been improved several fold, exceeding the regular limits of a martial artist of his rank. This all caused his assurance in his own victory.
Upon seeing Ling Xiao’s smile, Ling Chong involuntarily felt a chill in his heart as if his opponent had completely seen through him.
“Mystifying me deliberately! Experience Destruction from Giant Spirit Divine Palm!”
Altogether, Giant Spirit Divine Palm had just four moves. Destruction had the greatest power and was used for killing people.
Although Ling Chong was unable to exert this move’s real might because of his limited strength, he felt that it was easily enough to deal with Ling Xiao, a Rank One Martial Vein.
This Destruction’s true form had the momentum required to destroy the heavens and exterminate the earth.
In spite of Ling Chong still being unable to achieve this, the watching disciples felt like Ling Chong had transformed into a phantom condensed of true qi as a huge golden palm shot towards Ling Xiao’s head.
“So fast! So fierce!”
The terrifying aura forced the onlookers to retreat, and their understanding of the fearsomeness of advanced martial arts improved a step further.
Seeing this move, they realized that Ling Xiao wouldn’t just lose; he would undoubtedly die!
The Ling Clan didn’t permit disciples to waste each other. It was fine if someone were injured, but if someone were killed, the perpetuator would be severely punished.
However, Ling Chong was Uncle Jiu’s son and the Old Patriarch’s grandson. Who would punish him?
As many people fear that Ling Xiao would undoubtedly die, Ling Xiao moved.
He seemed to transform into a barbarian bull as he directly crashed into Ling Chong’s chest.
Ling Chong didn’t even realize what had happened before flying away like a kite with a broken string. In actuality, the Landscape Painting had told Ling Xiao all he needed to know.
Hit the snake 7 inches below its head!
Although Ling Xiao ad only used a basic martial art, he had hit Ling Chong’s flaw, turning the powerful palm strike into a joke.
What had happened?
How come Ling Chong was the one sent flying?
Gazing in shock, the spectators were left guessing at what had happened because Ling Xiao’s movement had simply been too fast.
“My ribs!”
Crumpled on the ground, Ling Chong screamed.
“I said before, ‘those who hurt my grandfather will never be let off, You wanted to defeat me with one palm strike, but I defeated you in one move!”
Although Ling Xiao was nervous, his excitement allowed him to utter these brave words. He didn’t dare to believe this was real. Still as someone who had grown up among beggars, he calmed his roiling emotions before his peers could.
He knew how he had defeated Ling Chong.
The analysis of the Landscape Martial Soul and its perfecting of his skill coupled with his usual hard work had brought this result.
However, a small matter still puzzled him. When he had charged forward, his body had burst forth like a gale.
That speed had far exceeded his usual speed!
Could it be that that was more effects from the Landscape Martial Soul?
“Ling Chong lost! My God, are my eyes seeing wrong?”
“He really lost! Moreover, his ribs were broken!”
“What happened to Ling Xiao just now? Does Barbarian Bull Strength truly have such power?”
A boiling cauldron of voices erupted in shock. Ling Xiao, who all had thought would lose for sure, had unexpectedly severely injured Ling Chong with a single move.
……
“Ling Xiao, you are too vicious! I didn’t even use all my strength, but you still wanted my life!”
Ling Chong cared more about his face than the pain from his broken ribs. Therefore, he lied, blurting completely unreasonable nonsense.
However, some people truly supported this unreasonable reason.
“No wonder Ling Xiao could win! It turned out that Ling Chong had been holding back, and this Ling Xiao hadn’t known what’s good and what’s bad!”
The Ling clan disciples of Ling Clan among the crowd pondered for a bit before agreeing with Ling Chong.
Ling Chong had lost. However, in their view, Ling Chong represented the clan’s disciples. This defeat would shame all of them if they casually accepted it.
“Held back?”
Ling Ciao couldn’t help sneering. According to the Landscape Painting’s analysis, Ling Chong’s palm attack had itched to swat him to death. His so-called holding back was utter nonsense!