Rise in the Martial Chaos: Starting From a Martial Arts School

Not far from his courtyard, Yang Jing saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance to Qing No. 4 Courtyard. The person was pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind his back, seemingly waiting specifically for him.

As he drew closer and got a better look, Yang Jing smiled and strode forward. ”Ziheng, what are you doing here?”

The man at the gate was indeed Lin Ziheng. When he heard Yang Jing’s voice, a hearty smile broke across his face as he hurried over. ”Senior Brother Yang, I came to find you. There’s something I’d like to discuss.”

Yang Jing nodded, pulled a brass key from his robes, inserted it into the lock, and gave it a light twist. Pushing the gate open, he stepped aside to let Lin Ziheng in. ”What’s so serious? Come on in and tell me about it.”

Lin Ziheng quickly stepped into the courtyard, his eyes casually sweeping over its contents. He couldn’t help but sigh to himself. ’Yang Jing is no longer the obscure, ordinary disciple he once was, yet the furnishings in his courtyard are still as plain and simple as ever.’

Yang Jing closed the courtyard gate and led Lin Ziheng into the main house. He motioned for him to sit at one side of the large square table, then took the seat opposite him.

The scent of sandalwood had not yet fully dissipated, leaving a faint, clean fragrance in the air that calmed the spirit.

After they were seated, Yang Jing picked up a teacup from the table, poured Lin Ziheng a cup of tea, and tapped his fingers on the tabletop. ”So, Ziheng,” he began with a smile, ”you came looking for me. What is it you wanted to discuss?”

Lin Ziheng accepted the teacup and brought it to his nose for a light sniff. Then he scratched his head, grinned, and said earnestly, ”Senior Brother Yang, we’ve known each other a while and have always been on good terms, so I’ll get straight to the point.

”Here’s the thing. My father would like to invite you to our home for dinner. He’s been wanting to meet you for a long time.”

”Your father? The Patriarch of the Lin Family?” A hint of surprise crossed Yang Jing’s face.

He was no longer the ignorant newcomer who knew nothing of Jintai Prefecture upon first joining the Xuanzhen Sect. Over the past six months, he had gained a fairly clear understanding of the prefecture’s balance of power.

Within Jintai Prefecture, aside from top-tier powers like the Five Great Sects and the Court and Government, the most influential forces were the three great families—Hong, Lin, and Su.

These three great families had been rooted in Jintai Prefecture for centuries, possessing profound heritage. Their wealth, connections, and martial prowess were not to be underestimated.

To ensure their long-term prosperity, these three families had a long-standing tradition of sending their most talented scions to the Five Great Sects to pursue their cultivation.

This served two purposes: first, it allowed the family’s younger generation to receive better Cultivation Resources and guidance; second, it forged close ties with the Five Great Sects, creating a relationship of mutual reliance.

Yang Jing had known for a while that Lin Ziheng was the son of the Patriarch of the Lin Family, one of Jintai Prefecture’s three great families. Whether he was a son of the main wife or a concubine, however, was something he never pried into, as it was a private family matter.

Seeing Yang Jing’s surprise, Lin Ziheng nodded emphatically and added, ”That’s right! My father made a special trip to Fushan Island to watch the finals of the Fushan Grand Tournament. He saw you fight Chu Yunhai to a draw with his own eyes and couldn’t stop praising your performance. After he returned, he brought you up multiple times, calling you a once-in-a-century prodigy. He’s been wanting to meet you in person ever since.”

A smile of understanding appeared on Yang Jing’s face. After a moment of thought, he readily agreed. ”Since the Patriarch of the Lin Family himself is inviting me, I’ll be shameless and go scrounge a meal.”

When Lin Ziheng saw Yang Jing agree, he breathed a sigh of relief. His smile grew even brighter as he said, ”For Senior Brother Yang to honor us with your presence would bring glory to our humble home! My father will be overjoyed when he hears the news.”

Yang Jing smiled, took a sip from his teacup, and asked, ”Ziheng, when is the dinner planned for? I’ll need to make arrangements.”

Lin Ziheng thought for a moment. ”How about tomorrow evening? I’ll go back and tell my father today, so our household can make the proper preparations. Tomorrow night, the entire Lin Family will be waiting to receive you, Senior Brother Yang.”

”Alright.” Yang Jing nodded. He was about to say more when something occurred to him. He looked at Lin Ziheng and asked, ”By the way, Ziheng, could I bring someone with me?”

A knowing glint flashed in Lin Ziheng’s eyes. He smiled and replied with a question of his own, ”Are you talking about Senior Sister Sun Ningxiang, by any chance?”

During both the Cyan Qilin Battle and the Fushan Grand Tournament, Lin Ziheng had often seen Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang together. Their comfortable rapport and familiar manner with each other made it obvious their relationship was anything but ordinary.

That was why the moment Yang Jing proposed bringing someone, Sun Ningxiang was the first person to pop into his head.

Caught out, Yang Jing broke into an open smile and nodded. ”That’s right, Senior Sister Ning Xiang. I promised her that after the Fushan Grand Tournament ended, we’d go explore Jintai Prefecture City together when we had the time. But I’ve been so busy with my cultivation these last few days that I haven’t been able to make good on that promise.

”This banquet at the Lin Family’s mansion is the perfect opportunity. I can accompany Senior Sister Ning Xiang for a walk around the Prefecture City, and that way, I can finally fulfill my promise.”

”No problem at all!” Lin Ziheng agreed instantly with a cheerful nod. ”We would be even more delighted if Senior Sister Sun comes along.

”If you have time after dinner, or if you and Senior Sister Sun want to explore the Prefecture City a bit more, I can show you around. I’m much more familiar with the best spots in the city than you are.”

After a bit more small talk about the sights in the Prefecture City and the location of the Lin Family Mansion, Lin Ziheng got up to take his leave. ”Senior Brother Yang, I’ll head back now to inform my father and have him start the preparations for the dinner. I’ll send someone to meet you and Senior Sister Sun outside Fushan Island tomorrow evening.”