Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 105: Chapter 11: Though Silver Coins Are Many, They Are Not What I Desire

Early next morning.

Lin Chen bid farewell to his parents, and he and his elder brother quietly left by boat.

The excitement and joy of yesterday were over; starting today, he was setting out towards new goals on the Martial Path.

Disembarking, saying goodbye to his elder brother, Lin Chen headed straight for Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.

However, at the corner of the street where Jingshui Martial Arts Hall was located, Lin Chen stopped, looked at the figure in front of him, and greeted calmly, ”Instructor Chen.”

Standing before him was none other than Chen Chunfeng from Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.

He just couldn’t understand why Instructor Chen appeared here at this moment?

”Lin Chen, with your talent in the Clear Wind Palm, returning to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall would be better. Yesterday, the Hall Master removed Zhao Ce’s instructor position, and Vice Hall Master Qi also resigned from his position.”

Chen Chunfeng spoke, yesterday Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall was very oppressive.

Unlike other martial arts halls, they were more shocked by the strength of Jiang Qing and Lin Chen from Jingshui Martial Arts Hall and astonished by Lin Chen’s terrifying talent in the Clear Wind Palm.

All the instructors of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, even some old seniors who had left the hall, came last night.

Lin Chen, who had perfected the Clear Wind Palm, was not a disciple of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, which enraged these old seniors!

If Lin Chen was just practicing the Clear Wind Palm and wasn’t a disciple of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall from the start, which was rare but not unheard of in the history of Poyang County, it would still be a bit better.

But Lin Chen was originally a disciple of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, who was actively abandoned by the hall and given to Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.

This was the shame of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.

This shame couldn’t be appeased by ousting Zhao Ce, and everyone could foresee that the farther Lin Chen progressed on the Martial Path, the longer this shame would linger on the hall.

”What Instructor Chen mentioned has nothing to do with me, as I am not a disciple of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall,” Lin Chen said lightly, ”As for Instructor Chen saying that Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall suits me better, may I ask what more the hall can offer me?”

This rhetorical question left Chen Chunfeng at a loss for words.

Chen Chunfeng smiled bitterly; he forgot that Lin Chen had already perfected the Clear Wind Palm, and the hall could no longer offer him guidance in cultivation techniques.

The only guidance available would be on practical combat with the Clear Wind Palm, but judging by Lin Chen’s performance in the arena, his combat experience wasn’t lacking either.

”Lin Chen, return to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall; the seniors decided yesterday to jointly fund you a sum of silver coins, close to one thousand taels.”

One thousand taels of silver!

Lin Chen’s pupils contracted; this was an extremely extravagant amount, enough to cover all expenses for a martial artist in a martial arts hall for three years, unless one spent like Senior Sister Jiang.

”Come back, Junior Brother Yu also emerged from Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, and if he were here, he’d probably hope to see you become a disciple of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.”

Upon hearing Chen Chunfeng mention Instructor Yu, Lin Chen’s face turned cold; if Instructor Yu were here, he would have taken him to the gates of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall to curse vehemently on the day he was stripped of top-tier disciple privileges.

No, with Instructor Yu’s temperament, he wouldn’t resort to cursing, but he certainly wouldn’t bring him back to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall either.

Lin Chen’s eyes were bright as he stared at Chen Chunfeng, ”Instructor Chen, let me ask you this: without Jingshui Martial Arts Hall’s top-tier privileges, could I have opened the Seven Acupoints? If I hadn’t opened the Seven Acupoints, and without this kind of performance in the competition, would those old seniors at Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall still fund me with silver coins?”

Before Chen Chunfeng could respond, Lin Chen wore a mocking smile at the corner of his lips:

”Does Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall want me back because I suit it better, or because they need me to calm the public outcry?”

These two rhetorical questions expressed Lin Chen’s stance.

Without Jingshui Martial Arts Hall’s appreciation, he wouldn’t be who he is today. To betray Jingshui Martial Arts Hall now would make him, Lin Chen, nothing less than a treacherous backstabber.

”Instructor Chen, I have matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now.”

Lin Chen brushed past Chen Chunfeng, and even as Lin Chen walked far away, Chen Chunfeng didn’t try to call him back; he already understood Lin Chen’s position, and no words could change that.

Indeed, Jingshui Martial Arts Hall had aided Lin Chen in dire times.

Even if Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall provided a thousand taels of silver, it was merely icing on the cake.

This outcome he had already anticipated; if not for the senior brother insisting on him coming to find Lin Chen, he wouldn’t have planned to seek him out.

It wasn’t about fearing rejection from Lin Chen, but because sending the senior brother to personally find Lin Chen demonstrated Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall’s sincerity.

Yet the senior brother chose to send him instead, just as Lin Chen had said, mainly to quell the public criticism.

Watching Lin Chen’s departing figure, Chen Chunfeng knew that after today, Lin Chen would have no possibility of returning to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.

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Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.

Just like before, Lin Chen nodded in greeting with the gatekeeper as he entered the hall.

”Young Master Lin, you’ve brought glory to our hall.” The gatekeeper gave Lin Chen a thumbs up.

Lin Chen smiled softly, didn’t comment, and as he entered the hall, he encountered many senior sisters and junior sisters. Yet to his surprise, whether senior or junior, they merely smiled at him without a word.

It wasn’t that no one did greet him; some did, saying a quick ”Senior Brother Lin,” but then hurried away.

What’s going on here?

From his understanding of the hall sisters, upon his return today, they would celebrate him with a few compliments, yet not one spoke today?

Seeing Lin Chen’s receding figure, one female disciple stopped, ”Almost couldn’t resist making a mistake; the hall master’s order is really a hassle.”

”Isn’t it though? Senior Brother Lin getting first place is something to be happy about, yet the hall master ordered us not to praise him in front of Senior Brother Lin.”

”The hall master’s directive surely has reasoning behind it, so we just follow suit.”

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Lin Chen didn’t return to his dormitory; midway, a servant led him to the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Martial Arts Pavilion, Lin Chen was taken to a small courtyard at the back.

The courtyard is not large; it was here that he received the Opening Acupoints Pill, and at this moment, the door of the main house at the front of the courtyard was open. Lin Chen thought for a moment and stepped into the main house.

As soon as he entered the main house, Lin Chen was struck by the plaques hanging on the four walls of the room.

[Liang Year 294, County Examination Champion Zhang Fang]

[Liang Year 292, Prefecture Examination B-rank Fourth Place Qi Chudie]

[Liang Year 287, County Examination Champion Zheng Qin]

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...

One plaque after another recorded the brilliant achievements of the Jingshui Martial Arts Hall’s graduates over the years.

This was the honor exhibition room for the Jingshui Martial Arts Hall’s students.

”Since the founding of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, the worst rank to get a plaque hung here is County Examination Champion. As for the newcomers’ year-end competition, even getting first place doesn’t qualify one for a plaque.”

Kong Yinglei’s voice came from behind. Lin Chen turned back and saw Vice Hall Master Kong and Hall Master Zeng coming together, quickly bowing to them.

”Disciple greets the Hall Master and Hall Master Kong.”

Zeng Qingyao looked at Lin Chen with a satisfied expression in her eyes.

She was the one who ordered the martial hall’s trainees to stop praising Lin Chen.

The reason was simple: she was afraid Lin Chen would lose himself in the praises.

If Lin Chen were a girl, it wouldn’t matter, but Lin Chen was a young man, and facing a swarm of compliments from young girls, it was easy to grow conceited.

A compliment from the opposite sex can be worth as much as ten praises from the same sex.

Stopping female trainees from complimenting was the first step, and letting Lin Chen see the achievements of the hall’s past students was to make Lin Chen understand that the Martial Path is long, and what he has accomplished now is nothing special.

Since Lin Chen was at the martial hall this early, he must have left the village before dawn. This behavior shows that Lin Chen has not become complacent after securing first place.

”What do you think after seeing these plaques?” Kong Yinglei asked out loud.

”The senior sisters of the martial hall are too amazing. Compared to them, I have a long way to go,” Lin Chen said with emotion.

”No need to underestimate yourself. With your talent, having perfected the Clear Wind Palm, the martial hall will reward you, coupled with the Martial Affairs Office’s reward. As long as you maintain this dedication to martial arts, you will have the opportunity to have your name hung on this wall in the future.”

Kong Yinglei’s words brought Lin Chen joy; the martial hall had rewards as well?

He had thought this competition only came with the Martial Affairs Office’s reward, never expecting the martial hall to have surprises waiting for him.

”On your way here, did you happen to meet anyone from the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall?”

Hearing the Hall Master’s question, Lin Chen squinted his eyes. Without hesitation, he answered, ”Instructor Chen from the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall encountered me at the street corner near the martial hall.”

”Chen Chunfeng?”

A disdainful curve appeared at the corner of Zeng Qingyao’s mouth. The arrogance of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall was apparent. If Li Tianqi had come to find Lin Chen himself, she would have held Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall in higher regard.

So, is Li Tianqi approaching a breakthrough to Entering the Grade?

That’s why he doesn’t care about these matters; having Lin Chen return to the hall was just to quell the criticism of the other martial artists towards Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.

”What did Chen Chunfeng say to you?” Kong Yinglei didn’t think too much about it; she was just curious as to how Chen Chunfeng intended to persuade Lin Chen to return.

”Instructor Chen said if I return to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, those senior figures would sponsor me with a significant amount of silver coins, close to a thousand taels, but I directly refused. Without Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Even if it were ten thousand taels, I wouldn’t be tempted.”

As he said this, Lin Chen still harbored a small hope; wasn’t the hall going to reward him? He could use this as a reference.

Of course, he didn’t expect the martial hall to give him such a substantial reward, but mentioning the benefits offered by Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall might prompt the two Hall Masters to consider increasing it after some discussion.

This was a justified pursuit of personal interests, not a manipulation against the martial hall.

”Don’t think about it; our martial hall can’t afford such a large sum for you, but when you visit the Martial Affairs Office later, you might mention it to Lord Su.”

Zeng Qingyao saw through Lin Chen’s small thoughts at a glance and said softly, ”The martial hall is poor, but the Martial Affairs Office is not. Remember, whatever this Lord Su says, don’t easily agree to it.”

Lin Chen was taken aback; the Hall Master’s words carried deep meaning.

”Senior Sister, stop being mysterious; is there any news about Lord Su?” Kong Yinglei asked eagerly.

Zeng Qingyao didn’t respond to her own junior sister, instead just looking at Lin Chen, and said meaningfully, ”Our Lord Su currently needs achievements the most.”

Lin Chen pondered; the achievements of the Martial Affairs Office, isn’t it about nurturing students?

The more talented the students, the higher they rank in the Prefecture Examination, which means better achievements for the Martial Affairs Office.

He vaguely guessed the implication behind Hall Master Zeng’s words.

His perfect Clear Wind Palm is, in itself, an achievement for the Martial Affairs Office, isn’t it?

”Since your Clear Wind Palm is perfected, your future path of cultivation will inevitably be different from other students. When you reach the Martial Affairs Office, you can seek guidance from Lord Su.”

Zeng Qingyao didn’t hold back. The way the martial hall cultivated students follows a standard procedure, a so-called step-by-step approach.

But with Lin Chen perfecting the Clear Wind Palm so quickly, this was unprecedented for the martial hall, and Lin Chen’s ability to quickly advance from Opening three acupoints back then to now having opened seven must be related to the perfection of the Clear Wind Palm.

How much it relates, she couldn’t discern.

Hence, Lin Chen’s next steps, whether to proceed step-by-step like Fu Jingya and other students or to increase the resources, wasn’t something she could decide.

Coming from a fisherman’s family, Lin Chen’s achievements today did not come easily, and every subsequent step couldn’t afford mistakes. She couldn’t risk Lin Chen’s future for the martial hall’s honor.

There was something she hadn’t told her junior sister Kong, having thought the night before, if Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall were truly sincere, willing to provide ample martial arts resources for Lin Chen, she would persuade Lin Chen to return to the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.

But clearly, Li Tianqi had no sincerity!

At this moment, Li Tianqi cared more about whether he can break through to Entering the Grade himself.

As a martial artist, Li Tianqi is qualified, but as a Hall Master, Li Tianqi is extremely irresponsible.

Since this is the case, Lin Chen should not return to the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.