Chapter Five: The Boy Like a Dragon

Lin Hao returned to his room and shut the door. He took out the Heaven-Overturning Seal scroll and opened it with impatient anticipation. Tomorrow, he would step out of Tianbao City into a wider world, and entering the Taixuan Sect meant he would no longer be the master of his own destiny. Although the Heaven-Overturning Seal was a low-level combat technique, it was exactly what Lin Hao, currently only at the Pulse Opening Realm, needed most.

The moment the scroll opened, an ancient aura permeated the air, causing Lin Hao to tremble. It was an ancient scroll, weathered by time, with pale yellow characters inscribed upon it that seemed to leap like spirit snakes. At the very top, several large characters appeared before his eyes: "One palm turns the heavens, one seal covers the earth, suppressing the eternal!" These twelve characters were branded like divine hooks, grand and imposing.

"This Heaven-Overturning Seal isn't high-level, yet the tone is so arrogant. The Lin family is merely a small clan in Tianbao City; even if it is an ancestral technique, how strong could it really be? I shall try practicing it."

Lin Hao continued to read. Below were the incantations for practicing the Heaven-Overturning Seal, but they only consisted of a few introductory lines; further down, the writing faded away.

"A broken technique, then."

Lin Hao felt a sense of disappointment, but having no other choice, he decided to start with the introductory incantations.

*Hum…*

His six Supreme Divine Meridians began to pulse, and true energy flowed through his body in a constant stream. As he practiced according to the incantations, bolstered by his Supreme Divine Meridians, a crimson-gold seal manifested in his mind. This was his first time practicing a combat technique, yet wherever his consciousness moved, the seal took shape naturally, as if a master were standing before him, offering personal guidance.

In just a few breaths, after running through the technique once according to the incantations, a crimson-gold seal—flickering with dazzling, mysterious runes—appeared in his palm.

"It's done." Lin Hao was overjoyed. "Indeed, it is a low-level technique; it was so easy to master. I just wonder how powerful it is. I'll have to find someone to test it on later."

If an outsider had witnessed this scene, they would likely have coughed up blood on the spot. Combat technique training is notoriously difficult; for a beginner at the Pulse Opening Realm, even the most basic technique usually takes ten days or half a month to even catch a glimpse of the threshold. Yet, Lin Hao had mastered the technique after reading the incantation just once.

Compared to the Heaven-Overturning Seal, Lin Hao was more concerned with the God-Speed Technique. As Lin Zhennan had said, when facing danger, the ability to flee is of paramount importance. He opened the scroll for the God-Speed Technique; it, too, only contained the cultivation method for the first level, followed by blank space.

"Another broken scroll?" Lin Hao frowned. "Perhaps it is not broken, but my cultivation is too weak; my level is too low to peer into the subsequent techniques. Both the Heaven-Overturning Seal and the God-Speed Technique scrolls carry an ancient aura. The Lin family is not a hereditary sect; the Clan Head was likely humoring me. These techniques probably aren't ancestral to the Lin family either. No matter, I shall practice them regardless."

The first level of the God-Speed Technique: "Shadow Following!"

This movement technique focused on speed. Practitioners could unleash explosive mobility far beyond that of ordinary people in an instant, moving as fast as lightning and as swift as a meteor. Ordinary cultivators would only see a blurred afterimage, if they could catch it at all.

Throughout that night, Lin Hao constantly refined the Heaven-Overturning Seal and the God-Speed Technique. By the time morning arrived, he could appear anywhere in his room with a mere thought.

"What a wonderful God-Speed Technique! I have only mastered the first level, yet I already possess such powerful explosive bursts. With this technique at my disposal, I can preserve my life even if I encounter a practitioner of the Sea of Qi Realm."

Lin Hao was very satisfied with the movement technique. As for the broken sword Lin Zhennan had given him, he had tossed it into a corner of his Universe Ring without a second glance. It was too shabby; taking it out would be embarrassing.

"Huh? My cultivation has actually broken through to the seventh stage of the Pulse Opening Realm."

Lin Hao noticed the change in his cultivation and could not help but be overjoyed. A faint light shimmered on his skin. Throughout the night, while he studied the techniques, his Supreme Divine Meridians had unknowingly absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, opening the seventh meridian. With his meridians rotating on their own, it was as if he were constantly cultivating. The Supreme Divine Meridians truly lived up to their name. If he one day achieved a Supreme Body, it was hard to imagine how strong he would become.

Lin Hao pushed open the door. The morning sun fell upon his face. He stretched his arms, yawned, and walked out of the courtyard.

At the Lin family gate, a group of people was already waiting. The Clan Head, Lin Zhennan, the Great Elder, Lin Zhenxi, the Second Elder, Lin Zhenbei, the brothers Lin Yang and Lin Shuang, and beside them, Huang Liang, who had lost yesterday's arrogance.

Lin Hao wore purple robes, his black hair loose but neat. Over the years, he had secretly tempered his body, and his physique was well-developed. With his sword-like brows, star-bright eyes, chiseled features, and fair skin, he walked forward with one hand behind his back, giving the impression of a young dragon among men.

"Brother Hao." Seeing Lin Hao, brothers Lin Yang and Lin Shuang hurriedly hobbled over on their crutches, one on each side, grinning and laughing.

Huang Liang felt his heart break; these two were truly gifted at acting.

"Brother Hao, you're leaving for a long journey today. From now on, no one will fight us for the family inheritance, but for some reason, I feel so lost," Lin Yang said with a straight face.

"Brother Hao, all these years we have shared the hardships and built the reputation of the 'Three Young Masters of Tianbao City.' Now that you are leaving, the Three Young Masters are reduced to two. It is truly a misfortune for Tianbao City," Lin Shuang sighed.

Looking at his two good-for-nothing brothers, Lin Hao shook his head and sighed. He patted their shoulders and said earnestly, "Yang, Shuang, you must try to grow up slowly. After I leave, you must work hard on your cultivation."

"Brother Hao, parting is near, why say such things?"

"Brother Hao, you've changed. You used to say that cultivation is too bitter and that one should never suffer in this life. Now you are going to suffer, and you want your brothers to suffer with you?"

The two brothers went back and forth, their coordination flawless. Huang Liang couldn't bear to listen any longer and turned his head away.

Lin Hao said no more. Everyone had their own ambitions. The path of cultivation was difficult; it was fine for Lin Yang and Lin Shuang to be idle young masters and live carefree lives.

Lin Hao walked up to the Clan Head and the two elders, wanting to say something, but was interrupted by Lin Zhenbei: "A real man shouldn't be so wishy-washy. It's not a life-or-death parting. Go to the Taixuan Sect and cultivate well. If you can't make it, just come back; the Lin family can afford to support a loser."

Lin Hao: "..."

Since it had come to that, for Lin Hao to say anything more would seem overly sentimental. His view of the Second Elder had changed; ever since he saw him flip Wang Qingsong with a single slap yesterday, the Second Elder's stature in Lin Hao's heart had grown considerably.

Lin Hao cupped his fists toward the Clan Head and the others, then walked to Huang Liang's side and said, "Brother Huang, let's go."

Hearing this, Huang Liang, who had been facing away, turned around hurriedly, wearing a sycophantic smile never seen before: "Just call me Little Huang."

Lin Hao was stunned on the spot. Although Huang Liang had secretly taken healing pills, the bruises on his face had not fully faded, and the teeth he had lost could not possibly have grown back so quickly, making his speech whistle and slur.

"Brother Huang, your face?" Lin Hao asked.

"I suffered a qi deviation while practicing yesterday and accidentally bumped into something," Huang Liang explained. "Lin... no, Brother Hao, let's go. Just call me Little Huang from now on."

Lin Hao was bewildered. Was this really the same narcissistic and arrogant Huang Liang? How did he turn into a submissive sheep overnight? Why had his attitude changed so drastically? Didn't he come to the Lin family to kill him?

However, Lin Hao was not stupid. He turned around with lingering questions, but there was no one left behind him. The Clan Head, the two elders, and the two young masters had already slipped away without a trace. It was clear that Huang Liang must have received "special treatment" at the Lin family yesterday.

There had to be a reason for such a sudden change in a person. He could even feel that Huang Liang’s "Brother Hao" came from the heart, without a shred of reluctance. Was he... conquered?

Lin Hao and Huang Liang set off. Lin Hao did not reject him; whether he was sincere or fake, having an extra friend for the time being was not a bad thing for Lin Hao, as he would have many enemies ahead.

Leaving Tianbao City for the first time in so many years to walk the path of cultivation, he knew nothing about the Taixuan Sect and could learn about it from Huang Liang.

"Brother Hao, the Taixuan Sect is three thousand miles away. At our speed, we should be there in two or three days," Huang Liang said.

"Perfect, let's have a race," Lin Hao proposed.

"Alright." Huang Liang’s competitive spirit was ignited by this. He wanted to see what kind of genius could kill Wang Heng with one punch. To be honest, since arriving at the Lin family yesterday, Huang Liang had felt deeply aggrieved, suffering unprecedented blows. The two "young masters" of the Lin family were unfathomable, and he had no power to resist them. But he was a dignified ninth-stage Pulse Opening Realm cultivator; could he really not compare to Lin Hao?

Pulse Opening Realm cultivators could absorb the energy of heaven and earth and convert it into true energy, storing it in their meridians. As long as the true energy did not fade, their stamina would be abundant. Cultivators like Huang Liang, who reached the ninth stage, could move across mountains and rivers as if walking on flat ground, comparable to a thousand-mile steed.

Huang Liang put forth his full effort, shooting forward like an arrow from a bow along the mountain path. He considered his speed to be quite high, but in Lin Hao's eyes, it was no different from a snail's pace.

Lin Hao paused for a moment, channeled his true energy through his whole body, and after only three breaths, caught up to Huang Liang. The next instant, he left Huang Liang several yards behind. And this was only the speed generated by Lin Hao’s physical body and true energy; he hadn't even used the God-Speed Technique.

"The ninth stage of the Pulse Opening Realm is nothing special. My meridians are like dragons, and my true energy is endless. It seems that even if I encounter a Sea of Qi Realm expert, I dare to compete with them." Lin Hao made a simple assessment of his own strength.

Behind him, Huang Liang’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and he stumbled, nearly face-planting into the dirt.

"His cultivation has improved again; he's reached the seventh stage of the Pulse Opening Realm. Yet his body moves like lightning, his steps carry a mysterious rhythm. Even an expert of the Sea of Qi Realm cannot match such speed and physical coordination." Huang Liang sighed in disbelief: "The three losers of the Lin family—who on earth spread that rumor?"