Chapter 91: The Ancient Martial World

“What?”

Everyone was taken aback, looking at Lin Xiao with faces full of surprise.

They had all initially thought that Lin Xiao was a disciple from a major power in the ancient martial world, coming to Jinghai City for experience. They hadn’t expected that Lin Xiao would have no affiliation with any school or sect.

One had to know that the practice of ancient martial arts was not a simple matter; it wasn’t something one could simply pick up by finding a secret manual.

Not only were the requirements for innate talent very high, but the consumption of resources was also substantial.

The old saying, “the poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts,” fit the situation perfectly. Becoming an expert in ancient martial arts required tremendous resources. And not just money, though wealth was certainly a factor.

More crucial were the rare natural treasures that money alone couldn’t buy.

This was also why the higher echelons kept the existence of ancient martial arts hidden from the public, and why true masters were so rare. Resources were scarce, and in recent times, those natural treasures had become even harder to find.

Given Lin Xiao’s age, with his level of cultivation, they believed that only the major forces in the ancient martial world could have nurtured him. But they hadn’t expected that he had no such connections.

“Master Lin, you… you truly are a prodigy,” Wang Jinxin had said, looking at Lin Xiao with a bitter smile.

He thought about his lifetime of cultivation, still hovering on the edge of the Bright Force stage. He suddenly felt as if he had squandered his entire life.

Not just him, Chen Tianxing, Chen Lingxin, and Fan Xucui all felt the same way.

Indeed, one should never compare oneself with others. Comparison truly was the thief of joy.

The shock in Chen Lingxin’s heart was the greatest. She had always been fiercely competitive, and though Lin Xiao had clearly defeated her, a part of her still refused to accept it.

She comforted herself that Lin Xiao’s high level of cultivation was because he was a disciple of a major power in the ancient martial world and had spent countless resources to reach his current level.

However, it turned out that Lin Xiao had no affiliation with any school or sect and achieved such a high level of cultivation solely by his own efforts. This realization filled Chen Lingxin with a mixture of surprise and shame.

She kept her head down, her mind swirling with unspoken thoughts.

Lin Xiao didn’t concern himself with her thoughts. He instead asked a question that had been on his mind for quite some time, “Uncle Chen, could you give me an overview of the ancient martial world?”

“Of course.” Chen Tianxing nodded in agreement, “The ancient martial world is overseen by three major powers, namely Penglai, Martial Alliance, and the Ling family. Penglai is a sect with a thousand-year legacy, the military is a representative of the Xia country’s government, and the Ling family also traces its lineage back thousands of years.”

“The military?”

Lin Xiao had already anticipated Penglai and the Ling family, given their long-standing history, which he’d already learned about. However, the mention of a military faction furrowed his brows, sparking a touch of doubt in his eyes.

“Exactly. While the ancient martial world remains hidden from the public, the high-ranking officials of Xia Country are well aware of it,” Chen Tianxing explained, addressing Lin Xiao’s confusion. “The military faction is largely composed of ancient martial practitioners who train in the military’s own systems.”

‘So I was kept in the dark simply because I never trained in those methods,’ Lin Xiao thought, piecing it together.

Then, a realization struck him.

The Dragon Sword Squad had endured some of the most dangerous missions imaginable—yet not all of its members would have died in the line of duty. Some must have survived and retired.

And if they had… it was very possible they were now part of this military faction.

Chen Tianxing, unaware of Lin Xiao’s thoughts, continued, “With technological advancement and the dwindling supply of natural treasures needed to cultivate ancient martial arts, the ancient martial world has gradually declined. Even so, the three major powers are each led by a Flowing Force master and remain unshaken, as immovable as Mount Tai.”

“Flowing Force?” Lin Xiao echoed, his brow furrowing.

Though he had expected the ancient martial world to surpass the underground circles in strength, he was still caught off guard.

Although the existence of Flowing Force masters in the underground world wasn’t as elusive as the legendary Transcendent Force, no one had ever seen such a master.

“Yes,” Chen Tianxing nodded. “Each of the three major forces has Flowing Force masters and not just one. There’s even a rumor that Penglai is home to a practitioner who’s reached the legendary Transcendent Force stage.”

His eyes held a trace of reverence as he continued, “Transcendent Force… in ancient times, those who reached that stage were seen as near-divine. It’s said they could rejuvenate their bodies, extend their lives, and live up to two hundred years.”

If hearing about Flowing Force masters had surprised Lin Xiao, then the mention of Transcendent Force left him stunned.

Chen Tianxing let out a soft laugh. “Don’t take it too seriously, it’s just a rumor. No one knows if it’s true. These days, the dominant cultivation level in the ancient martial world is Dark Force. Most who reach that stage are already the heads of major factions.”

He paused, his tone growing more reflective.

“My father once reached the brink of Dark Force. His energy deviation happened during his attempt to break through.”

Chen Tianxing sighed.

“Reaching the Dark Force stage is incredibly difficult. I’ve long given up hope of achieving it myself. I can only place my hopes on Lingxin now.”

Standing nearby, Instructors Wang and Fan chimed in.

“Master, please don’t speak of Dark Force as if it’s common. If we can reach Bright Force in this lifetime, we’d already count ourselves lucky.”

“But considering Master Lin’s cultivation and age… breaking into Dark Force may be just around the corner.”

They glanced at Lin Xiao, eyes tinged with envy.

“Haha, of course,” Chen Tianxing laughed. “Master Lin’s cultivation is no weaker than my father’s. He could break through at any time.”

“What? This… how is this possible?”

Both Instructor Wang and Instructor Fan were taken aback. They knew from their earlier spar with Chen Lingxin that Lin Xiao’s cultivation level was high, but they hadn’t expected it to be this high.

“This is what my father said himself,” Chen Tianxing added. Then he turned to Lin Xiao with a smile, his tone half-curious, half-confirming. “Right, Lin Xiao?”

Lin Xiao hesitated.

Was he supposed to just admit he’d already reached the peak of Dark Force? That he was on the verge of breaking through to the Flowing Force stage?

After a brief pause, he gave a simple nod but said nothing.

“Haha, Lin Xiao, you’re truly a prodigy!” Chen Tianxing exclaimed, clearly pleased.

Old Master Chen suspected that Lin Xiao’s cultivation wasn’t inferior to his own. It had been only a hunch—but with Lin Xiao’s silent confirmation, that hunch was now fact.

With someone like Lin Xiao aligned with them, the status of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall was finally secure.

After dinner, Lin Xiao politely bid everyone farewell.

Though Chen Tianxing and Old Master Chen tried to persuade him to stay longer, they eventually saw him off personally, walking him to the door and watching his figure disappear into the night.

As Lin Xiao left, Chen Jinsong let out a long sigh. “The Yangtze River pushes its waves forward, sweeping away the old with the new. So it is with people, too. Time waits for no one.”

Even though he had expected it, the confirmation of Lin Xiao’s strength stirred something quiet and bittersweet in him. The next generation had arrived—and it was already surpassing the last.

As Lin Xiao walked away, he hadn’t gone far when a clear voice echoed from behind him, “You… wait for me.”

Turning around, Lin Xiao saw Chen Lingxin charging toward him.

Clad in her Chen’s Martial Arts Hall uniform, with her short hair bobbing and her long, elegant legs carrying her swiftly, she stood in front of Lin Xiao. She radiated a spirited charm that was uniquely her own.

“Do you need something?” Lin Xiao halted, trying to guess the reason behind Chen Lingxin’s abrupt approach.