Chapter 729: Taking a Master

When Elder Chen spoke, Chen Lingxin instantly tensed. Her apricot eyes flicked nervously to the side of Lin Xiao’s face. She bit her cherry lips, worried he might refuse.

Lin Xiao frowned slightly, hesitating.

“Master Chen, is this really appropriate? If I take Chen Lingxin with me, the Chen Martial Hall will be left without an expert to hold the fort.”

“It’s fine. Although Tianxing is still recovering, his cultivation hasn’t diminished. He can handle the school just fine,” Master Chen said, glancing toward Chen Tianxing.

“Yes, don’t worry. I’ve got it covered,” Chen Tianxing added with a nod.

Lin Xiao looked at the girl beside him. “And Lingxin, what do you think?”

“I have no objections!” Chen Lingxin replied immediately, her eyes lighting up with joy. She couldn’t hide her excitement. “I’ve already decided. No matter where Master goes, I’m going with him.”

“In that case,” Lin Xiao said, no longer hesitating, “I accept.”

Master Chen and Chen Tianxing both let out a breath of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders.

Only Chen Tianli wore a bitter expression. He’d just realized that if Chen Lingxin left, the weight of running the school would likely fall on him.

“Although the two of you are already calling each other master and disciple,” Master Chen said, clearing his throat, “taking a master is no small matter. A formal ceremony is necessary.”

He turned to Chen Tianxing. “Start preparing the invitations. Invite fellow martial artists from Jiangnan Province to attend the master-apprentice banquet as witnesses. We’ll hold the ceremony two days from now.”

“Yes, Father. I’ll get to it right away.” Chen Tianxing stood. “How many people should we invite?”

Old master Chen tapped the armrest of his chair, thoughtful.

“With Brother Lin’s current strength, only a few in the entire South can compare. So let’s keep it small, just a handful of close acquaintances. There’s no need to invite the general crowd.”

“Understood.” Chen Tianxing nodded, then turned to Lin Xiao. “Any preferences on your end?”

Lin Xiao shook his head. He wasn’t familiar with ancient martial world traditions, and frankly, he found the whole thing troublesome. But this was important. A formal ceremony wasn’t just for appearances—it was a sign of respect to himself, to Chen Lingxin, and to the Chen family.

After some more conversation, Elder Chen retired to his room to rest, and Chen Tianxing left to arrange the preparations.

In the blink of an eye, the large living room was empty save for Lin Xiao and Chen Lingxin.

“Master, from now on, I’m your obedient little disciple,” Chen Lingxin said sweetly, clinging to his arm. Her smile was bright and playful. “You’ve got to treat me well.”

Now that no one was around, she dropped her proper demeanor and became her usual cheeky self.

Lin Xiao gave her a look. “And how exactly do you want me to treat you?”

Chen Lingxin tilted her head, eyes squinting in mock thought.

“You have to pamper me, love me, teach me martial arts, and spar with me all the time. That’s all.”

Lin Xiao’s mouth twitched. “That’s all, huh?”

“How is that too much? That’s just what a master should do.” She grinned. “Don’t worry—I’ll love you too, respect you, and listen to everything you say. If you tell me to go east, I won’t dare go west. If you tell me to chase a dog, I won’t even think about chasing a chicken.”

Lin Xiao pulled his arm away and flicked her forehead with a finger.

“Talk is cheap. Let’s see if you can actually follow through.”

“Of course I can!” she declared, patting her chest with pride. The slight bounce beneath her robe didn’t go unnoticed.

“This is my promise to Master. If I break it, I’m a little dog!”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Lin Xiao rose from the sofa. “Let’s go to the training hall. I want to see what kind of progress you’ve made.”

Chen Lingxin’s eyes lit up. Without another word, she grabbed his hand and led him excitedly toward the training area.

“I’m going to give Master a big surprise!”

***

Ten minutes later, in the training hall.

Lin Xiao and Chen Lingxin stood three meters apart, facing each other.

Chen Lingxin was still in her white training uniform. Her forehead was dotted with sweat, her back soaked through as if she’d been pulled from a river.

Lin Xiao, by contrast, was dry and composed. His black training uniform contrasted sharply with hers. He stood motionless, hands relaxed at his sides, his posture firm as a mountain. His gaze was calm, unreadable.

During the previous spar, Lin Xiao had thrown her twelve times in a row. Her bones ached, her body throbbed with pain, yet he hadn’t moved from his spot. He hadn’t even used inner strength.

The gap between them was vast—almost despairing.

But Chen Lingxin didn’t give up.

The stronger Lin Xiao was, the more fiercely her fighting spirit burned.

“Your progress is commendable,” Lin Xiao said, his voice echoing through the training hall. “You’ve learned to control dark force freely. That’s no small feat.”

He paused, then added, “But your integration of it into real combat still needs work. Your timing is off—sometimes too early, sometimes too late. Against a real expert, that flaw is fatal.”

“You need to think of dark force as a dagger, and yourself as an assassin,” he continued. “A skilled assassin kills silently—the target never sees it coming. But you… you’re charging in with your dagger waving for all to see. When the enemy is fully prepared, how can you expect to succeed?”

Something clicked in Chen Lingxin’s eyes. Her tense posture softened. Her movements grew looser, more fluid—yet her mind remained sharp, her intent focused.

Lin Xiao said no more. He waited.

Seconds passed. Maybe minutes.

Then, with a soft tap of her foot, Chen Lingxin sprang forward like an arrow. Her body glided low and fast, graceful as a crane skimming across a lake. Her hidden left hand suddenly lashed out—a five-finger thrust aimed precisely at Lin Xiao’s lower abdomen.

Shhh!

Her fingers turned a dark bluish-green mid-strike. Her nails extended slightly, slicing the air with a faint whoosh like miniature blades.

A gleam flashed in Lin Xiao’s eyes.

In that instant, his spine arched slightly. Inner energy surged through his body.

Just as her strike was about to land, both of Lin Xiao’s arms swept inward, embracing the full moon.