Chapter 2088 — Full of Anticipation

"Master Lin flatters me. This old man's paltry skills are hardly worth your notice..." Though Han Tianba was quite pleased with himself, he could not help thinking of Wei Zhao's outstanding talent—how the man could take a martial technique he had just obtained and channel it with perfect fluency, and even instruct others. That was the gap between them!

Still, Han Tianba had never once imagined he could catch up to Wei Zhao. Was there even any basis for comparison? Wei Zhao could slay an Earth-Rank late-stage expert in an instant; even if Han Tianba himself reached the peak of Earth-Rank late-stage, he might still be unable to instant-kill an opponent of that caliber!

"Hardly worth my notice? That's not it at all. Elder Han must have studied this martial technique before, which is why you could channel it on the first try. Xiaopo hasn't studied it, so his execution is still far from smooth!" Wei Zhao saw through to the essence at a glance.

"Indeed. This old man has studied it on his own several times, but without Master Lin's guidance I fear I would have taken many more detours—who knows how long the day of successful channeling would have been delayed!" Han Tianba was not one for pretense and spoke the plain truth.

"Mm. But Elder Han, pay attention here... right at the final instant when the technique is channeled..." As he spoke, Wei Zhao pointed out the small flaws and defects in Han Tianba's channeling of the martial technique.

Han Tianba mulled it over carefully and made the comparison, and at once he knew that what Wei Zhao described were indeed his shortcomings. If he could correct them, he would not be far from smooth channeling. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he said, "Master Lin, you are truly the great benefactor of my Han family!"

"That's right, Grandfather. Those hidden clans scheming against our Hidden Han Family probably still don't know that they will be drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing. We already have our leading trump card!" Han Xiaopo chimed in.

"Yes, just imagine their faces tomorrow, heh heh..." Han Tianba was almost looking forward to it. None of those hidden clans would ever guess that the Hidden Han Family could bring in outside aid—and that the aid they brought in was Wei Zhao!

The day passed swiftly. Under Wei Zhao's guidance, Han Xiaopo could now roughly, if clumsily, channel the first stance, the Forest of Ten Thousand Transformations, though its power was far inferior to Han Tianba's. Still, rough or not, he had successfully channeled it.

With Wei Zhao's guidance, both Han Tianba and Han Xiaopo progressed at astonishing speed. Deep into the night, they were still immersed in rehearsing and channeling the martial technique...

Besides, the moves those two channeled carried little power, so they seemed to expend no great stamina either. Wei Zhao had discovered that channeling a martial technique to its fullest, to the last drop, was what truly drained one's strength.

"Ah! It's already past nine at night, and we haven't eaten yet?" Han Xiaopo withdrew his technique and, sitting down on the stone bench to rest, glanced at the time. Finding it so late, he felt somewhat apologetic. "Boss, we got so immersed we lost track of time..."

"Ha... we're all cultivators. Missing a meal is nothing." Wei Zhao waved a hand dismissively.

"Even so, you must eat. I'll have a banquet arranged at once!" Han Tianba felt deeply embarrassed as well. "We'll have dinner on the table as fast as possible!"

"No need for all that trouble!" Wei Zhao waved his hand and said, "I'm tired too. Let's rest early tonight. Have someone cook some noodles and send them over—a simple bite will do. Forget the banquet!"

"Very well, then we'll do as Master Lin says!" Han Tianba nodded and strode quickly out the door, going in person to notify the kitchen as fast as he could. When the noodles were ready, he carried them over himself, intending to eat together with Wei Zhao.

Though it was only three bowls of egg noodles and a few delicate side dishes, everything was cooked superbly—clearly the Hidden Han Family's chef was a man of no small skill.

After finishing the noodles, Wei Zhao rested. Tomorrow was the Hidden World Clan Summit, and Wei Zhao meant to rest well and strive to win tomorrow's contest. After all, the stakes put up by the hidden clans were sure to be fine things—the kind one would be a fool to refuse. The more he could get, the better!

"Master Lin, the courtyard of these guest rooms is ruined. Shall we switch you to another room for the night's rest?" Han Tianba asked cautiously.

"No need to switch. It doesn't matter." Wei Zhao waved a hand and said, "If anything, I'm the one who should apologize for wrecking the courtyard wall!"

"Ha, Master Lin is too polite. For the sake of our Hidden Han Family refining this martial technique, never mind tearing down a courtyard—tearing down the whole house would be nothing!" Han Tianba laughed. "These are all mere worldly possessions; we'll have the disciples rebuild them later. What matters is mastering the martial technique—that is the foremost priority!"

The night passed without incident. The next day was the day of the Hidden World Clan Summit, and Han Xiaopo was waiting at Wei Zhao's door first thing in the morning.

As an Earth-Rank cultivator, Han Xiaopo naturally needed little sleep—a few hours were enough for him to recover fully. He waited at Wei Zhao's door because he feared Wei Zhao might wake and find no one about.

Wei Zhao had been cultivating in the jade pendant's space all along. Though cultivation there was not as fast as cultivating at Wang Xinyan's side, Wei Zhao let not a single second slip by, seizing every moment to cultivate.

"Xiaopo, since you're here, come in and sit. When do we set out?" Wei Zhao sensed Han Xiaopo's arrival and spoke.

"Ah, boss, you're already awake?" Hearing Wei Zhao's voice, Han Xiaopo stepped inside.

"I was cultivating," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"It seems the boss's success is no accident—cultivating so diligently, first thing in the morning!" Han Xiaopo said with admiration. "We'll set out around seven and go straight to the East Sea Hidden Zhao Family. The hosting clan this time is the East Sea Hidden Zhao Family!"

"Good. Just call me when it's time," Wei Zhao said, eyes closed.

In the blink of an eye, seven in the morning arrived, and Han Tianba came as well. Wei Zhao, sensing Han Tianba's aura, returned from his cultivation to the waking world, rose, and said, "Xiaopo, your grandfather is here. Let's set out!"

"Ah! My grandfather is already here?" Han Xiaopo was startled. He himself had not sensed his grandfather's arrival, yet Wei Zhao, sitting there with eyes closed in cultivation, could sense it. How marvelous!

In truth, the deeper Wei Zhao went into closed-eye cultivation, the farther his perception reached—such was the advantage conferred by the jade pendant and the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art.

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