Su Ming wasn't surprised when he heard about Yu Xiaogang's scheming. For the past few days, he had set up a spiritual sensing barrier around his training area, so whenever someone approached, he could immediately detect it. That's how he noticed Flender spying on them from the shadows and had subtly warned him.
While Flender didn't care much about Su Ming as a commoner soul master, he couldn't afford to cross Ning Rongrong, the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. If Flender disturbed her, the consequences would be beyond what he could handle—either of the two clan leaders could easily deal with him.
Su Ming suspected that Flender's behavior was likely under Yu Xiaogang's influence. Years ago, Yu Xiaogang had shown interest in Su Ming's techniques, but there had never been a good opportunity to ask about them.
Although Ling Bo Wei Bu wasn't the most powerful technique in Su Ming's repertoire, it was still incredibly advanced for the people in this world. Techniques from second-rate sects like the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Technique had turned into powerful tools for Tang San in this world, so it was no wonder that Ling Bo Wei Bu was so coveted.
Su Ming had put in a lot of effort over the past few days teaching Ning Rongrong, which is why she had learned so quickly. If he had only demonstrated the technique a few times and left her to practice on her own, she wouldn't have mastered it this fast. He wasn't entirely sure why she had a sudden breakthrough during their final practice session yesterday, but he chalked it up to luck.
After all, Ning Rongrong was a support-type soul master, and her combat foundation wasn't as strong as Xiao Wu's, who was a master of leg techniques.
"You two don't need to worry," Su Ming reassured them. "I've long known that the Grandmaster has had his eyes on my technique. He's been interested since years ago, but he's never had the opportunity to ask because we're not that close. Besides, I've already disproved some of his theories."
"Xiao Wu, you probably noticed it too back when we were at Nuoding Academy, right?"
Xiao Wu nodded slightly. Since they had been together constantly at Nuoding Academy, she knew many details of Su Ming's daily life, which made her keenly aware of how shameless Yu Xiaogang could be.
Turning back to Ning Rongrong, Su Ming continued, "That's why I told you not to tell anyone that you've already mastered the technique. Once the break is over, if Yu Xiaogang wants me to share Ling Bo Wei Bu, he'll have to pay a price for it."
"And even then, I won't be giving away the complete technique. As you've experienced, Ling Bo Wei Bu isn't easy to learn. You need someone knowledgeable nearby to guide you and demonstrate it properly."
"If you make a mistake while channeling your soul power through the specific meridians, it could lead to serious consequences, such as losing your cultivation or even risking your life."
Ning Rongrong nodded solemnly, understanding the seriousness. Remembering the 64 hexagrams wasn't difficult, but what Su Ming had taught her about meridians and the flow of soul power was far more complex. If she hadn't had Su Ming's guidance and the system's learning aids, one wrong move could have led to disastrous consequences.
Xiao Wu, looking curious, asked, "Brother, what are meridians?"
Seeing her curiosity, Su Ming didn't mind taking the time to explain it in detail. He wanted to make sure both of them had a solid understanding.
In truth, Xiao Wu already knew about meridians from her training with the Wind God Legs, which also required an understanding of meridian flow. She had taken longer to master it because she had relied solely on her own insight and the system's guidance, unlike Ning Rongrong, who had Su Ming's direct help.
After Su Ming's thorough explanation, both Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong had a deeper understanding of meridians.
Ning Rongrong had now completely abandoned the idea of teaching Ling Bo Wei Bu to her father. She hadn't realized how risky learning the technique could be. Even if Su Ming agreed, she didn't have the confidence to guide her father through it. And as for asking Su Ming to teach him directly, she didn't have the nerve to request that.
She was aware of her own position—while she and Su Ming were becoming close friends, they weren't lovers yet. Asking such a favor would be inappropriate.
Letting go of these thoughts, Ning Rongrong focused on the present. She and Xiao Wu were here to help Su Ming with his secret training, and they had already wasted enough time.
"Su Ming, can you tell us what this mysterious technique is now? You've been keeping us in suspense!" Ning Rongrong asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Instead of answering directly, Su Ming lightly tapped the ground, and a circle of wooden boards rose up, forming a large wooden house around them, enclosing the area.
Both Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong were shocked by this sudden action. What was Su Ming up to?
"Su Ming (Brother), what is this for?" they asked simultaneously.
Su Ming smiled and replied, "This is just to create a barrier. I'll be concentrating intensely on my spiritual power during this training, so I won't be able to sense if anyone approaches. This is just to block outside interference."
"As for the technique I'm about to practice, it's called Sage Mode."
Su Ming then explained the key points of Sage Mode training, emphasizing the risks. He told them that if he started transforming into a toad, they had to hit him with the Dog Beating Staff as hard as they could.
He handed them the Dog Beating Staff, which had been a reward from the system. The system had assured him that the staff could be split into two without losing effectiveness, allowing both Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong to help him simultaneously.
Since they could both help, Su Ming hoped to master Sage Mode more quickly. He wasn't about to foolishly train by himself when he could rely on some help!