Practicing the Flying Stone Technique, Sky-Shading Locust Swarm

A killing intent gleamed in Lin Xuankong's eyes, along with an unprecedented resolve.

An old swine-dog worse than pigs and dogs like Granny Wang, along with Zhang Wu and the others, had to be eliminated. They absolutely had to die!

Of course, Granny Wang had already entered Mortal Transformation Layer One years ago. Although her qi and blood had declined somewhat with age, he first had to find out whether she was in the early, middle, or late stage of the First Layer!

After pondering for a moment, Lin Xuankong looked at Li Xiaohu.

"For the time being, try not to go out, lest Granny Wang and the Black Tiger Gang harm you after you show your face!"

Li Xiaohu nodded.

Lin Xuankong gave a soft sigh. "Even burying your father will probably have to be done in secret!"

Li Xiaohu pressed his lips tightly together, his fists clenched until they turned somewhat white. "I understand, Uncle Lin!"

The two hastily buried Li Dahu.

After Lin Xuankong left, Li Xiaohu knelt beside the small mound of earth where his father had been buried. Turning to look in the direction Lin Xuankong had gone, a fiery light appeared in his eyes.

Uncle Lin's wondrous qi and blood, which could nourish one's body, was so powerful. He had to be a formidable Martial Cultivator, and he had probably cultivated for many years! He had actually hidden it for so long, pretending every day to be an old, weak, and frail man?

Ever since learning this, Little Tiger's heart had been surging with an overwhelming impulse.

He wanted to ask to become his disciple. He wanted to learn Lin Xuankong's martial arts.

He wanted to personally avenge his father. He wanted to become a mighty and imposing great figure like the other Martial Cultivators!

But after wandering the streets year-round, he knew only too well that martial arts were never lightly passed on. Even the most insignificant martial academy in Great Marsh Prefecture required Fifty Taels of Silver just to let one learn a tiny bit of their superficial knowledge!

For a mysterious and powerful Martial Cultivator like Uncle Lin, why would someone as poor as a ghost like him deserve to learn his martial arts?

Uncle Lin had already saved his life, and he owed him far too much. How could he still have the face to ask to learn his martial arts for nothing?

With those thoughts in mind, Little Tiger turned his head toward his father's small grave. A poor wretch like him would probably never have the chance to learn martial arts in this life!

But his father's vengeance had to be exacted! A frenzied hatred flickered in his eyes.

Standing in his own courtyard, Lin Xuankong considered what had happened today.

When he killed Ma Xiong and the others, no one had seen it, and he had cleaned up the traces extremely thoroughly.

But paper could not wrap fire forever. Once Ma Xiong and the others went missing, Zhang Wu would eventually suspect him. When that time came, he would surely face retaliation from the Black Tiger Gang and Zhang Wu.

He looked toward the second floor of his Wooden Building. What Zhang Wu currently feared was his Young Lady.

His support now lay in the fact that Zhang Wu likely did not know that the Young Lady had already left, nor did Zhang Wu know his current strength and therefore could not be certain whether he had killed Ma Xiong and the others!

Therefore,

Before he dealt with that old swine-dog Granny Wang and Zhang Wu,

Before he vented the foul breath lodged in his chest,

He absolutely could not let anyone enter his home. The fact that the Young Lady had left him many days ago absolutely could not be exposed to outsiders!

Having made up his mind,

Lin Xuankong pulled the Flying Stone Technique from his robes and carefully read through it.

"Martial artists place qi and blood first. When qi and blood are abundant, even flying flowers and plucked leaves can kill an enemy.

"The flying stone arts are mostly used for covert attacks, with speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness as the essentials.

"They may also be used in close combat. Throw a stone, and the opponent will surely defend himself. Seize that moment to strike with a weapon—this is a small technique put to great use."

The Flying Stone Technique recorded the force-generating secrets of several methods, such as flicking, hurling, throwing, and whipping. For example, flicking focused on the fingers, hurling on the wrist, throwing on the arm, while whipping required the coordinated force of the entire body.

It also recorded an exceedingly wondrous flying stone technique: Sky-Shading Locust Swarm.

With Sky-Shading Locust Swarm, one could use exceptionally exquisite and ingenious force to throw six flying stones at once. Not only could the six stones attack six parts of an opponent's body, they could also strike six opponents in different locations simultaneously. The subtlety of its force application was simply beyond imagination, remarkably wondrous!

After Lin Xuankong finished reading all the cultivation methods of the Flying Stone Technique, a line of large characters suddenly appeared in his mind.

[Flying Stone Technique: 1/600]

The Flying Stone Technique was not a martial cultivation method and had no realms, but cultivating it to profound heights still required an enormous amount of proficiency.

Lin Xuankong recalled his battle with Hu Lin.

When Hu Lin had thrown Locust Stones, while maintaining speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness, he seemed able to throw at most three at once.

By the standards of the Flying Stone Technique, though Hu Lin's technique had been skilled, he had been nowhere close to cultivating the Flying Stone Technique to its most exquisite realm. Such a powerful hidden weapon manual had been utterly wasted in his hands!

If Hu Lin had been able to accurately throw six at a time, with Locust Stones raining down from all over the sky, then even with his Spirit Crane Finger at the Initial Glimpse realm, Lin Xuankong would certainly have been struck a few times. Even if he could avoid vital areas, he would definitely have suffered some injuries.

If he then faced Hu Lin's Black Tiger Shattering Gold Claw while injured, victory or defeat would have been difficult to determine.

The Sky-Shading Locust Swarm within this Flying Stone Technique was absolutely fierce as an offensive method. It might even allow the few to defeat the many, and the weak to overcome the strong!

While cultivating the Green Pine Stance and Spirit Crane Finger, he could cultivate it as well, giving himself another exceptionally sharp means of attack.

Once the Flying Stone Technique reached great mastery, dealing with Granny Wang, Zhang Wu, and the others would be nothing to worry about, even if they had overwhelming numbers.

If a flick of his hand with Sky-Shading Locust Swarm could bring down six Black Tiger Gang members, how many gang members would they need for him to fight?

At that thought,

A powerful anticipation rose in Lin Xuankong's heart.

He focused his attention within his mind. The next moment, the four purple-gold characters [Old and Vigorous] flashed with light: [Flying Stone Technique: 1/12]

A faint smile appeared on Lin Xuankong's lips. It seemed he would not have to wait long before possessing the Sky-Shading Locust Swarm technique!

Closing his eyes slightly, he carefully recalled the contents of the Flying Stone Technique. Then he circulated his qi and blood into his right hand, while his right hand continuously changed gestures and formed all manner of strange hand seals as he began practicing in earnest.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick,

Lin Xuankong picked up several small stones from the ground. After sensing their shapes and centers of gravity, he looked toward the large bluestone several zhang away.

With a whoosh, a stone flew from his hand and accurately landed in one of the finger holes the Young Lady had poked into the rock.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Several stones shot out in succession, and every one of them landed inside.

Lin Xuankong nodded slightly. With the foundation of the Pine Crane Longevity Technique at Entry Level and the middle stage of Mortal Transformation Layer One, throwing a single stone with speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness came effortlessly to him.

But what about two, three, four, five, or six stones?

He looked toward the left and right sides of the large bluestone, which was about half a zhang wide. There were several notches there that he had made with the Spirit Crane Finger.

He picked up another handful of small stones, selected two of them, and hurled them forcefully according to the Flying Stone Technique's method. The two stones split apart, crossing several zhang as they flew toward two notches in different locations.

Pa! Pa! The two small stones struck the large bluestone at the same time.

Unfortunately, only one stone hit one of the notches. The other missed by four or five inches! Throwing two stones from one hand and striking two targets several feet apart was clearly no easy matter.

Lin Xuankong silently reflected on where he had gone wrong, then flicked his hand once more.