Gao Wu: A centenarian old man, many children and good fortune! Chapter 091

The Lin family successfully “broke the ice” with their eldest legitimate daughter, Lin Yue, like prying open a crack in a previously tightly shut door. This gave hope to all forces coveting Xiao Yan, the Ninth-Rank General Star, but it also greatly increased the price and threshold of the “entry ticket.”

Seventh-Rank Warrior! Direct family descendant!

Once this benchmark was set, it instantly blocked most forces lacking sufficient strength or determination from entering.

One must know that cultivating a warrior requires immense resources. Reaching the Seventh-Rank realm means possessing remarkable talent and potential, making them a key cultivation target within a family or force. They are very likely to become a pillar of strength in the future, possibly even aspiring to higher transcendent realms.

Sending such a future cornerstone to “serve” or “discuss martial arts” with Xiao Yan was undoubtedly a huge gamble!

If they won the bet, and this woman successfully gained Xiao Yan’s favor, even bearing him children, then the entire family or force would be deeply bound to this endlessly potential Ninth-Rank powerhouse. The future benefits and returns would be immeasurable.

But what if they lost the bet? If Xiao Yan merely treated her as a subordinate or a tool, or simply grew tired of her, or if Xiao Yan’s future development fell short of expectations… then losing a future cornerstone would be a devastating blow to any family! Not to mention the loss of family prestige and other potential resources.

This required immense determination! It required an almost blind optimism regarding Xiao Yan’s future potential! And it required a high degree of consensus within the family!

For a time, the previously restless forces in Fourth New Nanjing City fell into deep contemplation and hesitation.

Those smaller families or emerging forces with weaker strength and shallower foundations were the first to retreat. They simply couldn’t produce a candidate comparable to Lin Yue. Even if they had one or two who barely met the standard, they would undoubtedly be the family’s future hope, and they couldn’t bear to risk them. Forcibly imitating the Lin family would only lead to an embarrassing and self-humiliating outcome. They could only quiet down, secretly lamenting the missed opportunity, or turn to seek other more stable ways to establish initial contact with Xiao Yan, such as business cooperation or providing intelligence.

As for the old martial arts aristocratic families or top-tier forces with strong foundations, they fell into even more intense internal struggles and deliberations.

They might not lack talented and powerful young women, perhaps even direct descendants more outstanding than Lin Yue. But what did sending such a person away mean? Where would the family’s prestige be? Would they be ridiculed by other competitors? What if Xiao Yan was just a flash in the pan?

To send, or not to send? Who to send? How to ensure her status and the family’s interests after sending her?

Each question was like a heavy weight pressing on the hearts of these decision-makers.

For example, the Chen family, who had previously shown goodwill towards Xiao Yan, even though Chen Yuyao had already given birth to a daughter for Xiao Yan, she was after all only a collateral relative. Now that the Lin family had sent their eldest legitimate daughter, if the Chen family wanted to consolidate or even elevate their relationship with Xiao Yan, should they also consider sending a more distinguished legitimate daughter? But would this cause dissatisfaction from Chen Yuyao? And would it cause internal division within the family?

Another example was the emerging Blue Ocean Technology Group. They were more interested in Xiao Yan’s special physique and the source of his strength. Sending women might not be their best option. Should they increase their investment in technological equipment and resources in exchange for the opportunity to conduct “in-depth cooperative research” with Xiao Yan? But would this cross Xiao Yan’s bottom line and incur his displeasure?

And then there were the families affiliated with the injured War King, whose relationship with Xiao Yan was already delicate. Should they now protect themselves and avoid getting involved in this new competition? Or should they seize the opportunity to show goodwill and seek a new patron for their family?

For a time, the upper echelons of Fourth New Nanjing City became turbulent and unpredictable due to Xiao Yan’s acceptance of Lin Yue. All forces were carefully observing, probing, and deliberating, trying to find the most suitable position and strategy in this new wave of “investment” centered around Xiao Yan.

And at the center of all this, Xiao Yan, seemed to be an outsider, still proceeding at his own pace with the “martial arts discussion” with his new “apprentice,” Lin Yue.

On the evening of the third day after Lin Yue moved into the new villa, Xiao Yan’s figure appeared punctually in the villa’s exclusive training room.

The training room was spacious and brightly lit, fully equipped with various advanced auxiliary cultivation machines. Lin Yue had already changed into a neat black training suit, outlining her well-proportioned and powerful physique maintained through years of exercise. She wasn’t waiting nervously like the previous five women; instead, she was practicing a set of the Lin family’s ancestral palm techniques—the “Layered Wave Palm.”

Her palm techniques were steady and powerful, with movements that subtly carried the momentum of waves crashing against the shore. True essence surged, creating gusts of wind. The strength of a Seventh-Rank warrior was fully displayed; her foundation was indeed much more solid than Lin Xueqing’s and the others’.

Xiao Yan did not disturb her, but stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching.

After completing a set of palm techniques, Lin Yue stopped, breathing slightly, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead. She turned around, saw Xiao Yan, and a bright light flashed in her eyes. She immediately stepped forward and respectfully performed a standard warrior’s salute: “Sir.”

Her attitude remained respectful, but it also carried a newfound frankness of a high-ranking warrior and a seriousness about martial arts discussion.

“The Layered Wave Palm?” Xiao Yan spoke, his voice calm. “The Lin family’s direct lineage palm technique, emphasizing layered force and long-lasting momentum, can indeed be considered exquisite. However…”

He changed his tone, his gaze sharp as he looked at Lin Yue: “Your palm force only has the form, not the essence. The momentum of waves lies in their continuous flow, one wave higher than the last, eventually converging into an overwhelming force. Your palm force, although layered, has noticeable intermittence and stagnation during transitions, like a tide that loses momentum halfway through its rise, naturally greatly reducing its power.”

Lin Yue’s eyes flashed with surprise upon hearing this, followed by understanding and admiration. Xiao Yan had only watched once, yet he had pinpointed the crucial issue that had plagued her years of arduous cultivation and prevented her breakthrough! Such insight and discernment were truly extraordinary!

“Sir’s insight is like a torch; Lin Yue is impressed,” she bowed again. “This very bottleneck has troubled Lin Yue for many years, and I have always failed to grasp the key. Please enlighten me, Sir.”

Xiao Yan nodded, saying no more, and slowly walked to the center of the training room: “Perform the core part of your palm technique’s force generation again, but at a slower speed.”

“Yes!” Lin Yue composed herself and began again. This time, she deliberately slowed down, showcasing every detail of the Layered Wave Palm’s true essence circulation, waist and hip force generation, and layered palm force as clearly as possible.

Xiao Yan observed carefully. When he saw Lin Yue at a specific force transition point, he suddenly spoke: “Stop!”

Lin Yue immediately froze, maintaining that slightly awkward posture.

Xiao Yan slowly walked forward, not directly touching her body, but standing beside her. He extended a finger and pointed through the air at an energy node between her waist and abdomen: “The problem is here. When your true essence flows to this point, you are too eager for the speed of the next palm, causing your qi to not settle properly and your waist and hip strength to not fully extend. The force naturally breaks. It’s like a wave hitting the sand, lacking follow-through.”

As he spoke, he simulated the unique energy circulation trajectory of the Layered Wave Palm with his own pure Emperor-level true essence, and at that critical node, he made a subtle adjustment and guiding demonstration.

“Do you feel it? Power is not about blindly rushing forward, but about a process of ‘accumulation’ and ‘settling.’ Like the tide receding, it is to gather greater strength to unleash a more astonishing wave.” Xiao Yan’s voice was calm, yet it seemed to contain the profound truths of martial arts.

Lin Yue closed her eyes, carefully sensing Xiao Yan’s guiding true essence, which, though faint, was incredibly pure. She experienced the completely different feeling of force generation brought about by that subtle adjustment… A moment later, she suddenly opened her eyes, which were filled with the light of sudden realization!

“So that’s it! I understand! Thank you for your guidance, Sir!” she saluted excitedly again.

“Understanding does not equal doing,” Xiao Yan said calmly. “Practice this set of palm techniques one hundred times using the method I just instructed. Until this way of generating force is completely integrated into your instincts.”

“Yes, Sir!” Lin Yue did not hesitate for a moment and immediately began her diligent practice.

For the rest of the time, only the whooshing sound of Lin Yue’s palms repeatedly cutting through the air and Xiao Yan’s occasional, concise yet pinpoint corrections echoed in the training room.

Xiao Yan did not overly interfere with Lin Yue’s practice. He only offered guidance or personally demonstrated the correct way of generating force when she made obvious mistakes or was confused about a certain detail. He was more like a strict examiner and guide, forcing Lin Yue to think for herself, to comprehend, and to transform theory into practice.

This method of “discussion,” although not as “in-depth” as the hands-on teaching with the other women, was more effective for a high-ranking warrior like Lin Yue, who had a certain foundation and understanding. She could clearly feel that her understanding and application of the Layered Wave Palm were deepening at an unprecedented rate! The bottleneck that had troubled her for years seemed to be loosening little by little!

Watching Lin Yue immersed in her cultivation, her eyes sparkling with passion for martial arts and the joy of progress, Xiao Yan secretly nodded.

This eldest legitimate daughter of the Lin family, although stuck at the Seventh Rank for some reason for many years, her character and comprehension were indeed not bad. Moreover, Xiao Yan greatly appreciated her dedication and seriousness towards martial arts.

Of course, appreciation aside, Xiao Yan had not forgotten the ultimate goal of his “guidance.”

However, this time, perhaps a more “natural” approach was needed.

Time quietly flowed by in focused “martial arts discussions,” and the night outside the window grew deeper…