Fists and feet met, colliding with each other. This was a test of one's power, which manifested in the force of attack and resistance to damage.
Xie Chong believed he had a significant advantage in this regard.
Practicing martial arts was a comprehensive and systematic endeavor. From childhood, Xie Chong had diligently honed his body daily, consumed medicinal diets, and bathed in medicinal concoctions to repair hidden injuries.
By now, Xie Chong had cultivated a formidable body-hardening technique. While not yet impervious to blades and spears, his resistance to damage was extraordinary.
To an ordinary person, a wooden stick striking him would feel like a mere tickle.
However, today, facing Ling Tian, he felt as if he had become an ordinary person!
Earlier, he had already been outmatched by Ling Tian in terms of technique. Ling Tian's ghostly footwork and speed offered him no advantage.
But now, facing Ling Tian again, he was even being suppressed in terms of strength!
This dealt a heavy blow to Xie Chong's confidence. Even more critically, with the continuous collisions, the numbness and soreness in his limbs were steadily accumulating.
He could feel that some of the soft tissues in his legs and arms had sustained severe contusions.
Furthermore, the meridians in his limbs had become obstructed due to prolonged impacts and collisions.
While these injuries might not be immediately apparent, over time, they would accumulate and erupt, making him unable to bear it!
Xie Chong threw a punch at Ling Tian, but this time, the injuries in his arm affected his speed.
This punch was just a fraction slower, and Ling Tian seized the opening. Ling Tian extended his arm and pulled, instantly causing Xie Chong to lose his balance, leaving his chest wide open.
Ling Tian suddenly moved forward, unleashing both palms, which struck Xie Chong directly on the chest!
A surge of immense force sent Xie Chong flying backward, crashing heavily onto the floor.
However, as he got up and checked himself, he realized he had only fallen and sustained no serious injuries.
It was then he understood that Ling Tian had held back and not exerted his full strength.
Ling Tian had merely pushed him away. Otherwise, with the power Ling Tian had displayed, it would have been easy for him to kill Xie Chong or inflict severe injuries with a single palm strike!
Ling Tian cupped his fists in a salute, "I concede!"
Xie Chong also got up from the ground and returned the salute to Ling Tian.
"I lost, Brother Ling Tian. Please forgive my rudeness. In the past, I was truly arrogant and underestimated the heroes of the world!
We will have many opportunities to cooperate in the future, so I ask for your guidance."
"Heh, Brother Xie is too kind!"
Seeing his nephew defeated like this, Xie Liheng was not annoyed but rather subtly pleased.
"You little brat, now you know the vast difference between you and him!
You've been so arrogant lately that you don't even know your own name!"
Xie Chong blushed, "Uncle, please stop. I know I was wrong, and I will change!"
Ling Tian walked to the edge of the training ground, opened a cabinet, took out a bottle, and handed it directly to Xie Chong.
"Brother Xie, when you get back tonight, use this liniment to massage your limbs for three consecutive days.
Otherwise, your next half a month will be quite difficult."
Xie Chong looked at Ling Tian with gratitude in his eyes. He was already experiencing the discomfort Ling Tian had spoken of.
His limbs were now sore, numb, and aching. He felt as if his arms and legs were no longer his own, and the discomfort would likely worsen by evening.
Xie Liheng called Ling Tian aside and explained in detail some matters concerning the Righteous Alliance and the nature of the unorthodox forces they might face.
Following this, they exchanged contact information. Xie Liheng also gave Ling Tian a credential with a number on it.
He told Ling Tian a phone number and instructed him to memorize it. By calling this number and reporting his credential number, he could contact the Righteous Alliance.
If he discovered any leads on unorthodox forces, he could use this channel to contact the Righteous Alliance and seek assistance.
Concurrently, if he wished to inquire about information on various sects and individuals in the Chinese martial arts world, he could also use this phone number to access the Righteous Alliance's intelligence system.
The Xie uncle and nephew finally thanked Dao Yuan Immortal Master and took their leave.
In the evening, after a sumptuous dinner, Wang Bingxia was settled in a guest room and went to sleep early.
The entire day had been filled with travel, climbing mountains, and encountering many novel things, leaving Wang Bingxia very tired.
Meanwhile, Ling Tian gathered with his six masters in a meditation room behind the Taoist temple.
Ling Tian harbored many secrets, such as the deep-seated family vendetta he carried. During the day, in front of Wang Bingxia, his masters had tacitly avoided mentioning this matter.
They knew that revealing these affairs to Wang Bingxia would not help and would only increase her worries.
Now, with only the master and disciples present, they could speak freely.
"Ling Tian, tell us, what are your plans for the new year?" Dao Yuan Immortal Master asked with a smile.
"Master, of course, it is to diligently improve my power and cultivation!
I have now chosen the auspicious location of the Hundred Dragons Converging Abyss in Wangjiazhuang and have set up a spirit-gathering formation, allowing me to cultivate wholeheartedly!"
"Good. Cultivation is the foundation. True strength lies in self-empowerment," Dao Yuan Immortal Master nodded.
"By the way, Ling Tian, I just examined Wang Bingxia's body. Her cultivation of the Profound Insight Heart Sutra has reached minor completion. You can now begin cultivating the Blazing Sun Art," said the Third Master, Gong Minghe.
Ling Tian hesitated, "Isn't it too soon? Let's wait a few more years."
Ling Tian knew what his Third Master was referring to: dual cultivation between him and Wang Bingxia.
This dual cultivation method involved the two individuals opening their hearts completely, allowing their spirits and internal meridians to fully merge.
Their true qi would be exchanged, thereby allowing Wang Bingxia's profound ice physique, with its cold true qi, to neutralize the fire poison generated by Ling Tian's cultivation of the Blazing Sun Art.
Conversely, the fire poison from the Blazing Sun Art would perfectly neutralize the Yin cold energy within Wang Bingxia's body.
Although Ling Tian could currently use his true qi to neutralize Wang Bingxia's Yin cold energy, doing so would only deplete both their true essence.
Dual cultivation, however, would not only prevent the depletion of true essence but would also allow both of them to gain more benefits through the harmonization of Yin and Yang, leading to a significant increase in their cultivation!
The only issue was that this dual cultivation method required the two individuals to be in close physical contact, completely unclothed. If they were not a married couple, how could they do such a thing?
Ling Tian was still somewhat shy, as his relationship with Wang Bingxia was still pure.
As soon as Ling Tian's hesitant expression surfaced, he received a hard slap on the back of his head.