This sword trial at Shishan had a profound effect on Ling Xiao. All this time, he had looked down on the sword skills of this world to some extent. Shushan was a sect that pursued the Sword Dao, so upon arriving in this secular world where the sword was paramount, he had subconsciously underestimated its sword skills and cultivation techniques.

After all, Ling Xiao’s mind held countless sword skills and cultivation techniques—the very quintessence of the entire Shushan Sword Sect, accumulated over eons! Although he was only in the Foundation Establishment Stage now, his strength was nothing like it had been in his past life at the same stage due to this body’s constitution. He couldn’t use many of the sword skills in his head for the time being, but any one of them he *could* use would be considered at least Saint-level in this world, if not a Divine-level Sword Skill!

Seeing his father’s earth-shattering strike today brought a sudden realization to Ling Xiao. ’In this world, there are no useless sword skills, only useless people!’

’That’s right. A good sword skill paired with a good cultivation technique can indeed multiply its power. But if an ordinary sword skill is cultivated to its peak, then... it can also unleash astonishing might!’

’Just like Ling Tianxiao’s strike—ten of me would have been instantly killed. So what if I have Divine Sword Skills?’

Ling Yun’Er was also deeply moved. After witnessing the immense power of their family’s Mid-tier Celestial-level Sword Skill, Hurricane Break, she was completely shaken. Driven by some strange impulse, she boldly told her father she didn’t like the technique. Then, using the Jade Maiden Swordsmanship, she instantly carved over twenty marks of varying depths onto the boulder that was now missing a chunk. Although their depth was nothing compared to the gash left by Hurricane Break, Ling Tianxiao was no ignorant fool. He could immediately tell that the sword skill his daughter was using was in no way inferior to his own family’s technique; in fact... it was much stronger! He was reluctant to admit it, but it was the truth. Ling Yun’Er’s strength was still low. Once she opened all the meridians in her body and reached the first rank of the Demon Swordsmen, her power with this technique would probably be no less than his own at the third rank!

Ling Tianxiao was startled by his own speculation. At the same time, he realized this sword skill was a much better fit for his daughter! He was a Martial Artist, not a slave to dogma. ’To have a better sword skill and not let my child learn it? Wouldn’t that be insane?’

However, Ling Tianxiao had one concern. He asked Ling Xiao, "Xiao’Er, this sword skill... did you teach it to Yun’Er?"

Ling Xiao didn’t deny it. With a faint smile, he nodded and said, "I felt this sword skill was a better fit for our younger sister than Hurricane Break. Unlike our older brother and second sister, who have practiced for many years and are set in their ways, her mind isn’t confined to a single technique yet. So, I took the liberty of teaching it to her. I hope you don’t mind, Father."

Ling Tianxiao burst out laughing. "Silly boy! Why would I mind? Do you take me for some old stick-in-the-mud?"

Ling Yun’Er grumbled to herself, ’Aren’t you an old stick-in-the-mud? You’ve been forcing me to practice Hurricane Break since I was little, and I told you ages ago I didn’t like it...’

After he finished laughing, Ling Tianxiao sighed softly. "Xiao’Er, I’m sure you have your own difficulties and things you can’t easily speak of. But for you to... to so casually pass a sword skill to your sister like this, won’t it...?"

Ling Xiao shook his head, a strange smile on his face. "They... they can’t control me."

’These are two different worlds, after all,’ Ling Xiao thought. ’Even if those mighty experts from Shushan could travel through time and space to get here, their first act would probably be to find a place to hide and frantically absorb this world’s Spiritual Qi for their cultivation. Who would care whether or not I taught someone an ordinary sword skill?’

Although Ling Tianxiao didn’t quite believe him, he was still incredibly pleased with his son’s achievements. A general’s gate breeds tiger cubs. ’Let’s see who dares to say my third son is useless now!’

「Several days later」

Ling Xiao appeared at the Imperial Academy once again. Although he looked the same as ever, the way others looked at him had changed dramatically. The looks of mockery and disdain, which had already started to fade, were now completely gone. What remained was mostly envy and... jealousy.

There were few secrets among nobles. Anything that happened would likely spread throughout their entire circle overnight, let alone a major event like this.

Students of the Imperial Academy had been granted noble titles before, but never, in anyone’s memory, had someone been made a Viscount directly. Most received a knighthood at best. For instance, when Lingzhi won the championship in the "First Sword of the Academies" competition, his reward upon returning to the Empire was merely the title of Baron, and even that caused quite a sensation at the time.

What made people even more green with envy was that Ling Xiao’s title of Viscount... was hereditary!

However, after hearing about Ling Xiao’s fief, many people finally felt a sense of schadenfreude. Penzes City! Ha! Of all places, it was Penzes, the port city on the verge of being ravaged by the Beastmen. This Viscount would probably never even get to visit his fief before it was razed to the ground.

No one believed the Southern King would help Ling Xiao fight off the Beastmen. Only a fool would do that!

Even if he wanted to win over the Ling Family, he wouldn’t do it so openly. Besides, everyone knew that Penzes City was one of the bases the Southern King had been developing for years, and now His Majesty the King had just given it away. It would be a miracle if the Southern King didn’t hold a grudge!

However, if Ling Xiao were smart, he could simply refuse to go to his fief for now. After all, he hadn’t come of age yet. No one could force him out of the Imperial Capital, especially since he was still a student at the Imperial Academy.

Ling Xiao continued to ignore the various looks people gave him. When he returned to his dormitory, Chunlan and Qiuyue, who had arrived earlier, had already cleaned the place and were waiting at the door to welcome him.

His first visitor was, surprisingly, the dean of the Imperial Academy, Qiu Jianhua. At this moment, Qiu Jianhua showed none of the airs of a dean. As soon as he saw Ling Xiao, he began fussing over his well-being. The reason such an important figure was acting this way had nothing to do with Ling Xiao’s new title or his bright future after breaking through to the Celestial Vein; it was because Ling Xiao had cured his father!

"I should have gone to the Ling Mansion to thank you personally and check in on Tianxiao, but with all the recent rumors, it’s not a good time for me to visit. But rest assured, as long as you’re back at the Imperial Academy, no one here will be able to lay a finger on you!" Qiu Jianhua promised with a proud expression.

"Thank you for your concern, Dean. However, I will be leaving in a few days to head for my fief, Penzes City," Ling Xiao said calmly with a slight smile.

"What?" Qiu Jianhua was startled, then shook his head. "No, you can’t go there now. It’s too dangerous. The threat from the Beast Race is too great. You’ve participated in the war against the Beastmen; you know it’s no child’s play. What’s more, you don’t have a single capable person under your command. Are you going to rely on that small garrison in Penzes City? The Southern King took all the elites long ago! Even if... even if the Second Prince intends to befriend your Ling Family, he can’t help you directly. After all, it’s your fief now." Qiu Jianhua trailed off, leaving some things unsaid.

Ling Xiao nodded. "I understand everything you’re saying, Dean. You’re right, it is my fief now. That’s precisely why I can’t abandon it. If I do, even though I’m still young, people will criticize me. I’ve already tarnished my family’s reputation once. I don’t want to do it a second time."

Qiu Jianhua looked at Ling Xiao, his mouth opening slightly, but no words came out. Ling Xiao was right. As a noble, one enjoyed countless privileges and a high station, but one also had corresponding responsibilities and duties. One of those was to protect the safety of the people within one’s territory!

Otherwise, if your fief had no people and you were the only noble left, you’d become a laughingstock!

"If you insist on going to your fief, then..." Qiu Jianhua said, taking a card from his pocket and handing it to Ling Xiao. "Don’t refuse this. There are one hundred thousand gold coins on here. That’s enough to hire a Mercenary Corps of two or three hundred people for a year. I’ll feel more at ease with some people protecting you."

Seeing that Ling Xiao was about to refuse, Qiu Jianhua adopted a sincere expression. "Ling Xiao, you must not turn this down. Listen to me. If someone else had treated my father’s illness, I would have paid them a reward of not just one hundred thousand, but millions, even tens of millions! My father’s health can’t be measured in money. I’m sure you agree with that, right?"

Ling Xiao nodded, and Qiu Jianhua continued, "If you weren’t going to the south, I would never have offered you this money. But you’re going alone, and many people are interested in your sword skills and cultivation techniques. Since you won’t be at the Imperial Academy... sigh... this is the least I can do!"

With the Dean being so insistent, Ling Xiao could only accept the card, handing it to Chunlan and Qiuyue for safekeeping.

Before he left, Qiu Jianhua gave Ling Xiao a long, meaningful look and said, "In a little over a year, the academies from all the nations on the continent will hold the ’First Sword of the Academies’ competition. You’ll be able to come back and participate then, won’t you, Ling Xiao?"

Ling Xiao nodded. He also wanted to take that opportunity to properly meet and test himself against the young experts of the continent. He had recently heard many legends about mysterious "thousand-year-old families" and "thousand-year-old sects." It was said that some of their disciples roamed the world to gain experience, and a competition like the "First Sword of the Academies" might just attract such people!

Ling Xiao had originally thought that Shangguan Yutong, Yisha, or Ye Wen Ni would be the first to come see him after hearing the news. Or, at the very least, that guy Li Tianluo would show up to say something about his new fief.

But to Ling Xiao’s surprise, the second person to visit him was... Xie Xiaoyan.