Old Jiang, That's Not Very Decent of You

Lin Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Ah, I can finally rest for a day. I instantly unleashed four Heavenly Skills—this young master's Spiritual Power is about to be drained dry. I need to get a good night's sleep." With that in mind, Lin Hao hurried after Jiang Tianhai and Jiang Weiwei.

Once they arrived at the Principal's office, the three of them sat down on the sofa.

"Lin Hao, I know you have your own secrets. I won't ask, and you don't need to tell me. What did you feel from today's practical combat?" Jiang Tianhai took a sip of tea, his gaze fixed on Lin Hao.

"General Jiang, I didn't really feel much of anything. Just tired." Lin Hao looked depressed.

"Hahaha!" Jiang Tianhai burst into laughter after hearing Lin Hao's answer.

"You brat, you instantly unleashed four Martial Arts in a row. Of course you'd be tired. You should know that an ordinary Gold rank martial artist only has three Martial Arts, while martial artists from great families only have four Martial Arts when they reach the Gold Stage, and one of those is a family-inherited Martial Art. You're only Bronze rank, yet you already have four Martial Arts. And from what I've observed, none of them are low-grade. You merely feel tired—if others heard you say that, they'd probably be angered into fainting. Even a Gold rank martial artist would have their Spiritual Power drained dry if they instantly unleashed four Martial Arts like you did."

"You're a decent kid. From now on, don't call me General Jiang anymore. Just call me Uncle Jiang."

Lin Hao's eyes lit up. "Uncle Jiang!" The words came out with pure delight.

Only a fool would refuse a thigh to cling to. From now on, this young master can swagger through the school. No, that's not right—this young master can swagger through the entire west.

Jiang Tianhai nodded in satisfaction. "Since you've called me Uncle, then Uncle will give you something." As he spoke, Jiang Tianhai took an extremely old book from his Storage Ring.

Jiang Weiwei was instantly shocked when she saw it. What was that? It was the Jiang Family's secret, never-passed-down Martial Art—the Concentration Method! The strength of this Martial Art did not lie in its destructive power, but in the accumulation it provided during cultivation. By using the Concentration Method to condense Spiritual Power, one's Spiritual Power reserves could be doubled. In other words, at the same Gold Stage, someone who cultivated the Concentration Method would possess twice the Spiritual Energy reserves of someone who did not. The power of their released skills would also increase.

"Dad!" Jiang Weiwei had just opened her mouth to stop him when Jiang Tianhai glared her into silence.

"Uncle Jiang, this gift is far too precious. I can't accept it." Lin Hao hurriedly declined. He was no fool; he understood the principle of not accepting rewards without merit.

"Hey, take it when I tell you to take it. That's an order!"

Left with no choice, Lin Hao accepted the Martial Art and sincerely thanked him again.

"This is a Handwritten Copy. Once you've fully mastered this Martial Art, remember to burn it. Do not pass it on to anyone else," Jiang Tianhai instructed.

"Alright, Uncle Jiang." Lin Hao put away the Martial Art.

"Also, Uncle Jiang has something to ask you." Jiang Tianhai now wore the expression of an old fox, while Lin Hao remained completely unaware. "Please ask, Uncle Jiang."

"How many people are in your family? What do they all do?"

Lin Hao froze for a moment. He had not expected Jiang Tianhai to ask such a question. Still, he did not think much of it and assumed it was just casual conversation. "I still have my Grandma and Aunt at home, as well as a Sister who just started elementary school this year."

"Oh? What about your parents?" Jiang Tianhai asked again.

Lin Hao's eyes dimmed for a moment. "My parents were rarely home even when they were alive. My Sister and I almost never saw them. Grandma said they died while resisting a Beast Tide."

Jiang Tianhai and Jiang Weiwei both stiffened at those words, then comforted him. "Poor child. From now on, Weiwei and Uncle will both be your family." Lin Hao was rather touched upon hearing this and did not feel that anything was strange. He nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Uncle Jiang."

But the words took on a different meaning in Jiang Weiwei's ears. Her little face flushed red as she struggled to speak but did not dare to. Her dad had given Lin Hao the Jiang Family's inherited Martial Art and even asked about his family circumstances. Even an idiot could tell what Jiang Tianhai meant. Only Lin Hao, that dense blockhead, was still in the dark.

The group chatted for a while longer before Lin Hao took his leave. Jiang Tianhai gave Lin Hao three days off and told him to return to the Training Ground three days later for the fourth stage of training.

After Lin Hao left, Jiang Weiwei finally could not hold it in any longer. "Dad, the Concentration Method is the Jiang Family's secret Secret Art. How could you give it to Lin Hao so casually?" Jiang Weiwei pouted, her face full of unhappiness.

To her surprise, Jiang Tianhai said something shocking. "Who said I gave it to Lin Hao casually? I think that kid Lin Hao is pretty good. He suits my taste perfectly. I've decided on this son-in-law!"

Jiang Weiwei stared at him in disbelief. "Dad, what are you talking about? Am I still your daughter?" Her little face was as red as a big apple.

"Of course you're my daughter. Feelings can be cultivated slowly, can't they? Do you dare tell me that you don't feel anything at all for Lin Hao?" As Jiang Weiwei's father, how could Jiang Tianhai not understand his daughter? Did she think those ten Silver-grade beast cores were so easy to swindle out of him? His daughter had even specially gone to the school Cafeteria to bring meals for Jiang Tianhai and Lin Hao. Jiang Tianhai said nothing on the surface, but he had seen it all. When had he ever received such treatment before? This time, he had benefited from Lin Hao's favor instead.

"I..." Jiang Weiwei only felt as if the entire world had abandoned her.

"Alright, after we arrange Lin Hao's final training assignment in three days, Dad should head back too. I've been out for a month already. If I don't return soon, your Mom will probably serve me the family discipline again."

"Then let her serve it! I'm going to tell Mom everything. I'll tell her you've been fooling around outside." Jiang Weiwei puffed up her little face like a tiny bun, utterly unwilling.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao returned to his dormitory and eagerly opened the Martial Art Jiang Tianhai had given him. He began secluded cultivation, determined to learn it as quickly as possible before cultivating it further.

Three days later, Lin Hao arrived at the Training Ground with breakfast, only to find it completely empty. Suddenly, a sense of danger rapidly rose in his heart. Lin Hao did not hesitate. Thunder Prison Instant Space Flash activated instantly. A pit more than a meter deep had already appeared where he had been standing. Then Jiang Tianhai, Jiang Weiwei, and five instructors emerged from the nearby shadows.

Jiang Tianhai nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. You didn't disappoint me, brat."

Lin Hao let out a long breath. Old Jiang, that wasn't very decent of you. I brought you breakfast, and you actually tried to murder me.

"General Jiang!" Lin Hao stepped forward and saluted. With outsiders present, he still had to call him General. Lin Hao handled that distinction perfectly.

Jiang Tianhai nodded, very satisfied with how Lin Hao addressed him. "For the next two months, your training will no longer take place here. It will take place in the Beast Zone within the forest outside the Fortress. I'm giving you two months. You must bring back not only twenty Silver-grade beast cores, but also five Gold-grade beast cores."

"During that time, you will not only have to face attacks from Fierce Beasts, but these five instructors will also attack you at irregular intervals. If you fail to complete the mission after two months, it will mean you have failed the Military Training Program, and the school will deduct one year's worth of your Academic credit scores. If you complete the mission, the school will award you an additional five hundred Academic credits on top of the Military Training Program. Do you understand?"

"Uh, General Jiang, what are Academic credits?" Lin Hao asked in confusion.

"Academic credits are a points system used by all Martial Arts Universities. At a Martial Arts University, you need Academic credits no matter what you do, including eating, cultivating, borrowing cultivation facilities, and so on. Students at Martial Arts Universities have to earn Academic credits by completing different missions. At a Martial Arts University, money is the most useless thing," Jiang Weiwei explained.

Lin Hao scratched his head. "Then is five hundred Academic credits a lot?"

Jiang Weiwei's mouth twitched. "Five hundred Academic credits are enough for you to eat in the academy Cafeteria for ten years."

Lin Hao's face darkened. Weiwei, I'm not some glutton. Don't use eating as the comparison.