Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 70: Chapter 66: Is Everyone a Man?

”Hall Master, since practicing the Palm Technique can accelerate the opening of eight acupoints in the upper body, what if I practice a Leg Technique?”

Lin Chen looked at Kong Yinglei. If Clear Wind Palm in Great Success can enhance the upper body’s eight acupoints, wouldn’t practicing Gale Leg to Great Success also speed up the breakthrough of the later eight acupoints?

”Don’t think about such shortcuts.”

Kong Yinglei understood what Lin Chen was thinking and said seriously, ”In the Opening Acupoints Realm, there are only two paths from beginning to end: one from top to bottom, and one from bottom to top. You’ve practiced Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm, and your Qi blood circulation method is already set. If you switch to a Leg Technique now, it would disrupt the circulation and only delay acupoint breakthroughs.”

”During the Opening Acupoints Realm, you either choose a Hand Technique or a Leg Technique, but you cannot practice both simultaneously. Remember this well.”

”Hall Master, what about Mountain Shaking Martial Arts Hall’s Iron Bone Skill?”

Lin Chen had sparred with disciples from Mountain Shaking Martial Arts Hall, and they not only had a stable lower body but also strong arm strength.

”This is also why Mountain Shaking Martial Arts Hall’s Iron Bone Skill is harder to practice than other techniques. It requires Secret Medicine to guide the circulation of Qi and blood, but the advantage is that in the late period of Opening Acupoints, the speed is slightly faster than other halls.”

After listening to Kong Yinglei’s explanation, Lin Chen finally gained a thorough understanding of the Opening Acupoints Realm.

Horizontal Training has high initial costs and difficulty, but the advantage is that it’s slightly faster than Palm or Leg Techniques in the later stages. However, the overall cost is still the highest.

”Hall Master Kong, if that’s the case, how does Mountain Shaking Martial Arts Hall recruit so many students each year?” Lin Chen was curious.

Kong Yinglei smiled slightly, understanding why Lin Chen had such doubts.

”For many students, their pursuit of the Martial Path is just the Opening Acupoints Realm; even Ten Acupoints is enough.”

”In the same realm, Iron Bone Skill is considered invincible. When recruiting guards, city escort agencies and wealthy families prefer those who practice Iron Bone Skill.”

Disciples from Mountain Shaking Martial Arts Hall are capable and resilient, recovering quickly from injuries, making them highly sought after.

After leaving the martial hall, they can serve as guards for merchants or escort agencies, or even join gangs, earning higher wages than students from other martial halls. Using wages to fund the Martial Path is the only way for most martial artists.

”Now, how are you planning your realm progression? I heard from the Martial Arts Pavilion that you bought three bottles of Nourishing Acupoints Pill this month,” Kong Yinglei inquired with concern.

Lin Chen nodded, ”Disciple aims to break through to Five Acupoints. Now with Clear Wind Palm in Great Success, Five Acupoints shouldn’t be a problem.”

”Breaking through five points is still somewhat unsure. If you can reach Six Acupoints, you’ll surely have a place in the top ten. Do not underestimate other martial hall students; you are not the only one hiding your true abilities.”

In previous years, the end-of-year new student competition among the Eight Great Martial Arts Halls offered slightly better rewards than the first round of challenges. In this context, many students are eyeing the top ten positions in this big competition.

”Every major martial hall aims for the top ten but doesn’t want to exceed their bearable extra expenses. Feigning weakness and hiding one’s true strength is the best approach.”

Kong Yinglei gave Lin Chen a meaningful reminder. The rewards for the top ten are tempting, but if everyone exerts all their efforts to compete for the top ten, it will ultimately lead to expenses going through the roof.

After so many years of martial hall existence, there is a rough standard for how much expenditure can improve the number of acupoints.

In a month, if one is willing to spend one thousand taels of silver to purchase pills and other resources for Opening Acupoints, up to four acupoints can be opened at once below eight acupoints.

But the real cost of such a strategy far exceeds the rewards for being in the top ten.

Even if some might break even upon entering the top ten, merely speeding up the training process, failing to get the top ten rewards results in significant losses.

The Martial Path is long and costly. Even the city’s wealthy, when planning their family’s disciples’ training, have it all laid out step-by-step.

If all the money is spent upfront, how will the future martial training expenses be managed?

Lin Chen understood Hall Master Kong’s hint. The last time he saw the realm list from various martial halls, the realms and strengths of these academies would surge in the days leading up to the official competition.

Everyone’s a seasoned player.

Looking at it this way, Five Acupoints indeed isn’t safe; reaching Six Acupoints is necessary.

”Disciple understands.”

Kong Yinglei smiled, ”Informing you of all this is to give you an idea. As for what decisions to make, it’s up to you. You have trained Clear Wind Palm to Great Success; even if you don’t compete this time, you can still enter the genius list. Senior Sister is currently looking for a suitable martial artist to help you train Clear Wind Palm to Perfection.”

”But advancing a technique from Great Success to Perfection depends more on your own comprehension. Once thoroughly comprehended, you can reach Perfection overnight. You should have noticed that progressing from Mastery to Small Success and then to Great Success is not due to diligent practice.”

”Yes, disciple noticed. If it were like before Mastery, I might not have even reached Small Success now.”

Lin Chen smiled knowingly. He had a panel that clearly showed the shortening of the progress bar, but even without it, he could sense that post-Mastery training depends more on comprehension.

”Why are Martial Arts Techniques more difficult as they progress? It’s precisely because everyone’s comprehension varies and cannot be verbally transmitted, only personally realized.”

Kong Yinglei pondered for a moment, ”There’s nothing more I can teach you about Clear Wind Palm. Since you’re here, let me demonstrate several rounds of Water Cloud Palm. But for now, you should continue to focus on Clear Wind Palm and refrain from practicing Water Cloud Palm until after the first eight acupoints.”

As the Vice Hall Master of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, she naturally hopes Lin Chen’s mastery of Water Cloud Palm surpasses Clear Wind Palm. Otherwise, even if Lin Chen appears exceptionally talented, there will still be gossip.

However, she is not such a selfish person. Great Success in a technique has a clear effect on the Opening Acupoints, especially the first eight acupoints. For Lin Chen, focusing solely on Clear Wind Palm is the right path.

Lin Chen retreated to the side, while Kong Yinglei stood in the center of the courtyard, calm and poised, immediately executing the first move of Water Cloud Palm: Cloud Ascending Dragon Soaring.

Kong Yinglei’s stature was akin to light clouds rising gently, her footwork nimble, as her palms moved, a continuous stream of palm force accompanied by the sound of gentle water flow.

At first, it sounded like a clear spring flowing, then like trickling stream water.

The next move, ”Flowing Water Circles the Stone,” was executed. The statue moved like flowing water, winding and turning with agility. The fingers slightly bent, and the palms gathered strength. Each strike avoided the enemy’s sharp edge, targeting only their weaknesses.

The unpredictable trajectory was like a trickling stream, circling when encountering stones, leaving opponents at a loss, unable to defend.

Lin Chen concentrated intently. He knew Hall Master Kong was enhancing step by step from mastery, just to allow him to comprehend it clearly.

Yet, even so, when Hall Master Kong performed to the end, Lin Chen still couldn’t follow the rapid transformations of his palm movements.

Water Cloud Palm, considered the most magnificent and intricate technique of the Eight Great Martial Arts Halls.

At this moment, Lin Chen personally experienced it on Hall Master Kong’s body.

At first like flowing water, then like menacing waves, and finally, as if seeing a lake in the mist, both illusory and mysterious.

Three consecutive rounds!

From Small Success, to Great Success, then to Perfection!

Only then did Kong Yinglei stop, looking at Lin Chen: ”Just remember this.”

”Thank you, Hall Master, for the guidance.” Lin Chen nodded, then cupped his fists and left.

...

...

Back at his courtyard.

Lin Chen didn’t rush to recall the Water Cloud Palm demonstrated by Hall Master Kong. Instead, he continued practicing Clear Wind Palm.

With Five Acupoints being insecure, he needed to break through to Five Acupoints quickly and see if there was a chance to reach Six Acupoints.

Giving up was absolutely not an option.

This practice continued for several days.

Fortunately, he no longer needed to test the power of Clear Wind Palm, but used its Great Success state to accelerate Qi Blood circulation and absorption efficiency. The camphor tree in the courtyard rarely shed more leaves.

[Realm: Opening Acupoints Realm (4/24): (65/100)]

[Realm: Opening Acupoints Realm (4/24): (80/100)]

[Realm: Opening Acupoints Realm (4/24): (95/100)]

This morning!

Lin Chen took a Nourishing Acupoints Pill. Moments later, he felt a heating sensation at the Danzhong position.

This was the location of the Fifth Acupoint.

Without hesitation, he executed the Clear Wind Palm!

Each palm strike tore through the air with a sharp whistle, while the Danzhong position on his chest grew even hotter.

One palm, two palms, three palms...

Dong!

With a resounding vibration from the Danzhong acupoint, the five acupoints on Lin Chen’s body all trembled in unison.

The Five Acupoints connected, and at this moment Lin Chen felt his power qualitatively enhance.

In the Opening Acupoints Realm, among the twenty-four acupoints, the difference between each is not equal. The Fourth Acupoint to the Fifth Acupoint marks a hurdle, as does the Eight Acupoint to the Ninth.

With the successful activation of the Fifth Acupoint, Lin Chen practiced the Clear Wind Palm several more times before stopping.

”The panel!”

[Host: Lin Chen]

[Realm: Opening Acupoints Realm (5/24): (1/100)]

[Clear Wind Palm: Great Success (0/1)]

[Water Cloud Palm: Mastery (2/10)]

”I have entered Five Acupoints. With the Great Success of Clear Wind Palm, I can contend with those of Six Acupoints and even Seven Acupoints. If I were still at Four Acupoints, the odds of winning against Five Acupoints would not be high.”

Only by stepping into Five Acupoints can one realize the difference between Five Acupoints and Four Acupoints, a gap that cannot be compared to that between Three Acupoints and Four Acupoints.

”I should visit the Martial Arts Garden again and try to spar with those Martial Artists at Six Acupoints, while also understanding the realm status of students from the various martial arts halls.”

With thirteen days remaining until the grand competition, those who attempted to conceal their strength in the various martial arts halls would soon reveal their true selves.