The insult still hung on Xiao Luzi's lips when Lin Ming's figure subtly moved.
He took a step forward. At the same instant, the four servants behind Xiao Luzi rushed in together. They required no signal; they were too practiced in oppression. One lunged from the left, one from the right, and the remaining two pressed straight on, clubs and fists swinging toward Lin Ming as if to shatter his body in a single flurry.
Yet, Lin Ming remained unmoving. His gaze swept over them, and his body tilted slightly. Just as the punch from the right swung in, he dodged half a step to the side, his left arm shooting out like a spear to stab the man's hip.
Thud!
A heavy, dull sound rang out. The servant was struck in the hip, his body curling like a shrimp before he was sent flying out, groaning in pain.
The man on the left hadn't even fully recovered when he felt a sharp pain in his wrist. Lin Ming used a cross-turn maneuver to lock his arm backward and thrust it forcefully behind his back. A knee strike, quick as lightning, slammed into his abdomen. The man spat out a mouthful of saliva, his body collapsing like a sack of sand.
The two men facing him now swung their clubs down together. Lin Ming did not retreat or attempt to parry immediately. He leaned to the side, his body lowering like flowing water, his left hand swatting the first club aside, then his right foot swept up to strike the opponent's shin.
The man lost his balance and sprawled onto the ground. The last man's eyes barely had time to blink when Lin Ming'sfist crashed straight into his jawbone, producing a heavy, muffled sound.
The entire sequence unfolded within a few breaths.
The four servants, despite their initial viciousness, were now either lying and groaning, clutching their stomachs, bleeding from the nose, or unconscious. None remained standing.
Xiao Luzi froze momentarily. The expression in his eyes visibly changed.
Giving him no time to consider, Lin Ming stepped directly toward him, his gaze as cold and clear as well water.
Xiao Luzi's eyes bulged. As a dignified Middle Stage Qi Condensation cultivator, he snarled, "Do you seek death?"
Without uttering a word, Xiao Luzi erupted with the aura of Middle Stage Qi Condensation. His fist swung out, the air whistling through the void like a whip.
Lin Ming neither dodged nor defended with his bare hands.
He reached out and captured the incoming fist completely.
The punch that could have cracked stone was held fast, without the slightest tremor.
From Lin Ming's body, a deep and stable aura emanated, like a strong wind blowing through a silent forest. At this, even those lying on the ground stared wide-eyed.
"That's the aura of... Middle Stage Qi Condensation?"
Xiao Luzi's eyes were wide, the corner of his mouth trembling: "You... when did you start cultivating?"
Lin Ming did not reply. He powerfully squeezed the opponent's wrist, forcing Xiao Luzi to take half a step back.
The Zhang family leader could not accept this. He, who was the only servant valued by the Zhang family with a Spirit Root, having cultivated to the Middle Stage of Qi Condensation!
He gritted his teeth, quickly retreated two steps, and drew the black wooden club etched with runes from his belt.
Xiao Luzi swung the club, sweeping it horizontally toward Lin Ming's chest. The wind from the club head stirred up the dust at their feet.
But Lin Ming shifted to the side, his movement as nimble as the wind gliding over leaves. The sweeping blow veered off course by an inch.
Before the club could be retracted, Lin Ming darted in, his left elbow driving hard into the opponent's shoulder, batting the club away, while his right hand struck his abdomen like a falling hammer.
Xiao Luzi stumbled backward. He awkwardly swung the club down from above, but Lin Ming tilted his head to the right, avoiding it. He seized the man's wrist, spun, and hurled Xiao Luzi onto the ground.
CRASH!
Dust billowed up. Xiao Luzi scrambled to rise, his face ashen, unable to utter a single word.
Lin Ming took another step, his eyes unwavering.
Seeing this, Xiao Luzi finally succumbed to fear.
He looked back at the remaining servants, who were either nursing their faces or crawling on the ground, then gritted his teeth.
"Retreat! Now!"
Without waiting, the entire group scrambled to drag each other away, stumbling and fleeing without daring to look back.
This entire spectacle left A Hung standing behind, jaw dropped in astonishment.
As soon as the Zhang family figures vanished behind the bamboo thicket, Lin Ming turned back and went straight to Xiao Gouzi, who was still huddled on the ground. His face was pale, one cheek severely swollen, his lip split, and his breathing was shallow.
Lin Ming sat down, gently lifted him, his left arm circling behind his back, his right holding the thin arm.
"Gouzi, wake up."
Xiao Gouzi opened his eyes, his gaze bleary, until he recognized the person in front of him, his voice trembling:
"A... A Long? Why... did you come...?"
Lin Ming helped him sit leaning against the tree trunk and quietly replied:
"If I hadn't come, I fear they would have beaten you into a cripple today."
Xiao Gouzi inhaled deeply, his eyes filled with gratitude mixed with barely concealed shock.
A Hung now stepped forward, helping to adjust Xiao Gouzi's clothes and brush off the dirt. He squatted down, looking closely at Lin Ming, then slowly asked:
"A Long… you… you have stepped into Qi Condensation?"
Lin Ming glanced at both of them, his voice calm and steady:
"There is no need to speak much of this matter. Just know that, for now, it should not be spread outside."
A Hung nodded without hesitation:
"Rest assured, if you do not speak, we absolutely will not open our mouths."
Xiao Gouzi, despite his pale complexion, also nodded:
"My life was saved by you. I would not dare breathe a word."
Lin Ming patted them both on the shoulder, then helped Xiao Gouzi stand up.
"Let's go home; the sky is turning dark. It's not safe here."
The three men supported each other as they followed the path back toward the Ma family compound.
At the Zhang Manor, the rear inner courtyard consisted of a series of wooden houses built in the Guo character shape, lavishly decorated inside, enveloped by a gentle spiritual aura—clearly the abode of cultivators.
In the main hall, Zhang Jun sat at a stone table, holding a cup of spiritual herbal tea, his eyes faintly closed. He was the eldest young master of the Zhang family. At just twenty years old, he was already a Late Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, considered the most prominent talent in Chao An Village.
Kneeling before him was Xiao Luzi, his hair disheveled, his face bruised, one eye still swollen shut. His voice was full of resentment:
"Young Master, that man is A Long, a servant under the Ma family. But today, he inexplicably broke through to the Middle Stage of Qi Condensation. He... he subdued me in just a few moves, causing the rest of the brothers to fear advancing..."
Zhang Jun did not react immediately. He merely slightly opened his eyes, his gaze as deep as unruffled water.
"A Ma family servant... broke through to Middle Stage Qi Condensation? This has never been mentioned before."
Xiao Luzi suppressed his pain and continued:
"Yes. He has never been guided, nor has he ever handled Dharma Artifacts or spiritual stones. His successful cultivation truly defied expectations..."
Zhang Jun fell silent, a sharp glint suddenly appearing in his eyes. He set his teacup down on the table, his voice even:
"An insignificant servant dares to strike a Zhang family member, and furthermore, dares to make me lose face before the entire village. Truly audacious."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his finger tapping gently on the stone table:
"But there's no need to hurry. My father is about to break through to Late Stage Golden Core. That moment will be our opportunity. The Ma family is already a thorn in our side; now that we have a reason for conflict, so much the better."
Night had fallen.
The three men arrived back at the Ma family.
Lin Ming entrusted Xiao Gouzi to A Hung, gave a few simple instructions, and quietly returned to his old room.
The room was still as simple and damp as before, the walls peeling, the wooden door creaking whenever the wind swept through the cracks. He sat down on the straw chair, and before he could even exhale, the familiar mechanical sound rang out in his mind.
[Ding!] [Host has completed the first mission: Defeat a cultivator of the same realm - Middle Stage Qi Condensation.] [Reward: One random combat skill summon attempt.] [Activating summon: Countdown begins.]
A faint light flashed in mid-air. Jade appeared, hands on her hips, her round jade eyes fixed intently on Lin Ming.
"Not bad. Such execution in your first real combat situation; you didn't lose any face for the System."
Lin Ming scratched his head, offering a wry smile:
"It was nothing. On Earth, I was fond of martial arts; I practiced punching and kicking on my own since childhood, so I knew a bit for self-defense. It's just that back then, my body couldn't fully exert it, but now…"
He lightly clenched his fist, clearly sensing the stable power transmitted from his muscles and the solidity of his joints. Every limb and every movement possessed stability far exceeding that of a normal person.
"...I have learned how to utilize it."
Jade nodded, a look of interest in her eyes:
"Good, you possess wisdom. Initiate the summon quickly; let's see what good fortune you can draw this time."
Without hesitation, Lin Ming commanded mentally:
"Begin combat skill summon."
A rotating circle of light appeared before his eyes, within which strange runes emerged, swirling in an incomprehensible orbit. Below the circle of light, a countdown clock appeared:
[500 seconds]
Lin Ming frowned slightly:
"Five hundred?"
Jade glanced over, her eyes shining brightly:
"Not bad, not bad at all. The longer the summoning time, the higher the grade of the combat skill. This one truly possesses great Destiny."
The clock slowly turned; every second seemed to stretch, and the light around the runic circle grew brighter with each moment.
Finally, when a faint tick sounded, the System slowly announced:
[Summon successful] [Received Combat Skill: Heavenly Bird] [Grade: Ninth-Level Supreme] [Attribute: Lightning] [Description: Heavenly Bird possesses unparalleled speed and extreme destructive power, carrying the penetrating characteristic of lightning tearing through the sky. It can only be executed by cultivators who have reached the Perfection Stage of the Tribulation Crossing Realm or above. When the move is launched, the lightning electricity sounds like a thousand birds singing, hence the name Heavenly Bird.]
In mid-air, a faint image appeared—a silhouette entirely enveloped in blue-violet electricity, launching an eagle-shaped bolt of lightning from its palm at extreme speed, piercing through a distant mountain range.
Lin Ming gasped:
"Ninth-Level?"
He was utterly shaken. In his mind, he only knew the common grades: Mysterious, Yellow, Earth, Heaven.
Jade crossed her arms over her chest, a rarely seen expression of awe in her eyes:
"Indeed. Besides the four basic grades, there are also Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth. But Ninth-Level... is something that only exists in ancient legends. Perhaps no one on this entire planet has ever truly comprehended it."
Lin Ming fell silent. At this moment, he felt as if a door had just been opened, but behind it lay an unfathomable abyss.
After a moment, he suddenly asked:
"Didn't it say... I have to reach Tribulation Crossing Perfection to use it?"