Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 137: Chapter 29: Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall Faces Life or Death

”Would I jest with Hall Master Tai about such matters?”

Hearing this, Tai Rubai took a deep breath, his expression changing to one of sorrow: ”Lord Su, my Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall is truly suffering!”

”Everyone in Poyang County knows that our Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall’s Iron Bone Skill is extremely difficult to cultivate and costly to sustain. Over the years, although the hall seems fine on the surface, we are in decline. Many students opt against choosing our hall. If this continues, the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall will cease to exist, and I am ashamed to face the hall, ashamed to face the past hall masters!”

Tai Rubai was anxious; if Lin Chen only reached a small success in the Iron Bone Skill, he could grit his teeth and give up, but it was a great success.

Great success, what a concept!

Lin Chen has the opportunity to reach perfection within three years.

No, with Lin Chen’s displayed talent, he might achieve perfection within a year, breaking the hall’s record!

In all the years since the establishment of the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, only one student ever achieved perfection in the Iron Bone Skill within three years.

”I am aware of the difficulties of the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, but that has no bearing on the matter I summoned you two to discuss. Hall Master Tai, do not be agitated.”

”Lord, it has everything to do with it!”

Seeing Lord Su raise his hand to interrupt, Tai Rubai disregarded everything else.

”If Lin Chen could join the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall and become a disciple, it would be an encouragement to our students and an inspiration to those young martial artists in Poyang County, directly affecting the hall’s survival!”

Zeng Qingyao, on the side, curled her red lips with disdain, thinking Tai Rubai really had no shame, speaking of life and death so lightly.

Without Lin Chen, would the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall have to close?

”Hall Master Tai, I asked you earlier which martial arts hall Lin Chen belongs to, and you stated that Lin Chen still belongs to Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.”

Zeng Qingyao added, ”The lord is right, Senior Brother Tai, you cannot deny what you asserted moments ago; Lin Chen is a disciple of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, which is a fact known throughout Poyang County.”

”I...” Tai Rubai’s neck stiffened: ”While Lin Chen is technically a disciple of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, he came to learn the Iron Bone Skill at the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, which does involve our teaching.”

If not for Lord Su being present, he would have immediately denied his earlier words.

Looking at Lord Su’s smiling face, Tai Rubai finally understood that Lord Su had laid a trap, and he had foolishly stepped right into it.

Lord Su is the Director of the Martial Affairs Office, overseeing all eight martial arts halls in Poyang County, not the master of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.

If Lord Su had informed him of Lin Chen’s Iron Bone Skill’s great success from the start, he would undoubtedly stage a melodramatic act, and Lord Su could not possibly refuse, nor let the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall down.

But because of his own previous words, Lord Su now had a justifiable reason to decline.

He’d been duped!

”Lord Su, you are the Director of the Martial Affairs Office, you cannot let the past masters, instructors, and students of the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall down.”

Tai Rubai once again played the part of the mourner, then looked toward Zeng Qingyao: ”Junior Sister Zeng, for Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, having one more Lin Chen is just icing on the cake, since your hall only accepts female disciples, but for the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, it determines the future survival or demise. I hope Junior Sister Zeng would lend a helping hand in the spirit of shared legacy belonging to Poyang County’s martial arts halls.”

Putting on airs of righteousness!

Tai Rubai played a clever hand but was confronted by Su Lingchuan and Zeng Qingyao.

The two were unmoved in the slightest.

Seeing neither respond, Tai Rubai clenched his teeth: ”Lord, since Lin Chen possesses such comprehension in the Iron Bone Skill, I will take Lin Chen to visit Lord Li, seeking his guidance for Lin Chen.”

Whoosh!

Su Lingchuan and Zeng Qingyao both showed signs of being moved, especially Su Lingchuan, whose intention was to think of ways for the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall to secure some funds for Lin Chen.

Initially, for the sake of retrieving Lin Chen, the seniors of the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall were willing to donate funds; the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall could do the same.

Tai Rubai hadn’t misspoken entirely; as the Director of the Martial Affairs Office, both Jingshui and Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Halls were seen equally in Su Lingchuan’s eyes.

Indeed, Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall’s students have not been as numerous in recent years, something he as Director needs to consider.

He hadn’t expected Tai Rubai to exhibit such resolve.

As the Director of the Martial Affairs Office, Su Lingchuan, upon assuming his position, reviewed the histories of the halls, particularly focusing on those who had entered the grade. The Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall once produced a powerhouse ranked sixth-grade.

A hint of pride appeared in Tai Rubai’s eyes. The Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall had produced a significant individual; that Lord Li, who was once situated in the Quzhou Prefecture, had spent half a year at the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall.

Lord Li still cherishes his connection to the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall; he visits annually during the year-end and would take time to receive him.

A sixth-grade powerhouse taking fifteen minutes to entertain him says it all.

It’s not out of respect for him, a viscera-refining martial artist, but for the cherished legacy of the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall.

Su Lingchuan was aware of Lord Li in Quzhou, a sixth-grade powerhouse in Horizontal Martial Arts, though he has aged; his qi blood is declining, but a thin camel is still bigger than a horse. If he is willing to guide Lin Chen, Lin Chen would greatly benefit in martial arts.

”Hall Master Zeng, given Hall Master Tai’s appreciation for talent, I shall take it upon myself to decide: Lin Chen will be considered a disciple of both your Jingshui Martial Arts Hall and the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, to be jointly nurtured by both sides. I will report this matter to the Military Affairs Department.”

Tai Rubai was taken aback; he intended for Lin Chen to be exclusively his hall’s, but seeing Lord Su’s expression and Zeng Qingyao’s gaze, he realized this was already the best outcome.