Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 300: Chapter 91: Senior Brother Lin Shines with Light (Part 2)

Everyone exchanged glances, joy in their eyes, but in the next moment, the gaze of these young people fell on the figure walking towards them.

Without Senior Brother Lin, they wouldn’t have made it this far and would have died at the hands of the Fish Monsters.

”Senior Brother Lin!”

”Senior Brother Lin!”

All the youths spoke up at once, and Lin Chen glanced at them: ”Although we don’t know why the Fish Monsters have retreated, we must not let our guard down. Senior Sister Jiang, I leave this place to you. I need to return briefly.”

Lin Chen’s words left everyone stunned. At this moment, Senior Brother Lin still wanted to leave?

”There are still three Junior Brothers in the Iron Vault, and I also want to see how the instructors are doing.”

Upon hearing Lin Chen’s words, Jiang Qing rolled her eyes internally. Junior Brother Lin, you’re really overdoing it.

”No need to check, we’re fine!”

Just as Lin Chen prepared to turn around and leave, Xu Li and the others emerged from the distant forest.

The sight of Xu Li and the instructors left the young people present in shock. Weren’t they supposed to have perished with the Fish Monsters?

How could they appear undamaged?

”Lin Chen, well done. I’m very impressed with you,” Xu Li said, not hiding his appreciation for Lin Chen, and the other instructors looked at Lin Chen the same way.

Lin Chen was visibly surprised: ”Lord of the Academic Platform, Instructor Min, what’s going on?”

”This was a test, the final test for you all at the Special Training Ground,” Xu Li explained directly, then glanced at the others: ”Most of you performed adequately, but a few... didn’t pass the test.”

Hearing Lord Xu’s words, Lin Chen wore a bitter smile, and those who thought they had narrowly escaped death stood speechless, mouths agape.

Is this how you test people?

The two students who had followed Lin Chen over now hung their heads like ostriches, knowing they were among the few Xu Li mentioned who failed.

”Fearing death is not wrong; no one doesn’t fear death, even I fear death,” Xu Li said, his expression turning cold. ”But if you fear death and only seek to save yourself when encountering Demon Beasts, then how are we any different from the previous dynasty?”

”You have disappointed me. From now on, pack your things and leave the Special Training Ground. You do not deserve to stay here.”

The two young men’s faces flushed with embarrassment as they remained silent, and Zhang Jiang sighed beside them: ”Follow me, you two.”

Lacking courage, hiding behind iron gates was one thing, but abandoning companions to save oneself at the last moment—such selfishness is not tolerated in Liang.

When Lord Xu reports this test’s results to the Military Affairs Hall, these two will no longer receive martial cultivation resources. They’ll have to rely on their families and themselves for future resources.

”Everyone else, return to your places and rest. Lin Chen... Jiang Qing, you two come with me,” Xu Li instructed.

All the students were led away by the instructors, while Xu Li took Lin Chen and Jiang Qing towards the shore.

”Do you have many questions?”

”Lord, what exactly is the matter with these Fish Monsters?”

Lin Chen indeed had many questions, especially about how Lord Xu controlled them.

”You’ll know soon enough,” Xu Li said with a slight smile, and as he spoke, figures emerged from the cabin of a boat on the lake, accompanied by angry shouts.

”Xu Li, do you realize how many Fish Monsters I lost this time?”

”This is the answer you wanted to know,” Xu Li said, stepping forward gracefully onto the boat’s deck, guiding Lin Chen and Jiang Qing, who used their lightweight skills to follow, though not as effortlessly as Xu Li, but steadily nonetheless.

”Old Su, don’t be angry. I’ve brought the culprit who killed your Fish Monsters here. Do as you please; I won’t stop you,” Xu Li laughed, while the old man, dressed as a fisherman, rolled his eyes, knowing he couldn’t do anything.

There was the Jiang Girl—a force to be reckoned with due to Jiang Duanchao—and if he dared challenge Lin Chen, Lord Jia might personally come to settle the score with him.

”Young man, how do you feel after killing hundreds of my Fish Monsters?”

”How do I feel?” Lin Chen pondered before answering, ”I feel great.”

That was his honest feeling. Being able to fight with all his strength, witnessing each Fish Monster fall before him in a spray of blood, was exhilarating.

Could it be that I have a violent streak in my bones?

”Great?”

The old man was momentarily stunned by Lin Chen’s answer, then burst into laughter. ”Indeed, killing these Fish Monsters is quite satisfying, but while you enjoyed it, I’ve wasted two years of effort.”

”Senior, did you cultivate these Fish Monsters?”

”These creatures are called ’Venomous Gobblers.’ Their mucus is toxic, used to catch prey, but under my control, they did not spray you. Otherwise, you could not have withstood it,” Su Dechang explained. ”The Military Affairs Hall and the external Pill Pavilion sell several pills that use Venomous Gobbler flesh and blood as ingredients. I raise these beasts to provide materials for making pills. Would you like to know how I raise them?”

Lin Chen nodded, genuinely curious if Demon Beasts could be raised.

”Venomous Gobblers live in colonies, with a queen in each. I capture a queen to lay eggs continuously, then control the gobblers through secret techniques. When a queen can no longer lay eggs, I skin and flay her, then raise a new queen. Do you think my methods are cruel?”

Su Dechang smiled at Lin Chen, who, without hesitation, replied, ”I don’t find your methods cruel. Lord Su once told me about the atrocities committed by the Demon Race against Liang, and I read a saying by an elder in a book once.”

”What saying?”

”Forgiving the Demon Race is the duty of those they harmed, but our task as descendants is to send the Demon Race to meet them.”

Upon hearing this, Su Dechang and Xu Li froze for a moment before both burst into hearty laughter.

”You resonate well with me. You’re right. Forgiving the Demon Race is for those people and the predecessors who sacrificed their lives fighting them to decide. Our role is to send the Demon Race to meet those predecessors,” Su Dechang said approvingly. Right now, the Demon Beasts in Liang were scarce, making some forget the harm they once caused.

”Lin Chen, the three-month Special Training Ground ends in three days. Have you thought about the future of your Martial Path?” Xu Li asked with a smile.

Lin Chen replied, ”After this, I should return to Poyang County and train diligently at the Martial Arts Academy.”

From what Lin Chen gathered, the Military Affairs Hall’s special care for students ends at the Training Ground. Future resources depend on personal effort, although students could stay at the Martial School for three years and compete in year-end matches and the Prefecture Examination for rewards. Still, these won’t be as abundant as the Training Ground’s limitless resource supply.

All rewards come with a standard.

”With your potential, you should be able to enter the Martial Arts Academy. Jiang Girl, have you mentioned it to Lin Chen?”

”No, I haven’t,” Jiang Qing shook her head. Initially, she meant to discuss the Martial Arts Academy with him at the lakeside but was interrupted by the Fish Monsters.

”We have the Five Great Martial Arts Academies in Liang, but they are separate from the Military Affairs Hall. Let Jiang Girl tell you the details. Old Su and I have some matters to attend to,” Xu Li concluded.

”Then I will take my leave,” Lin Chen said, understanding that the two had things to discuss, and departed with Jiang Qing.

”What do you think?” Xu Li asked, watching Lin Chen vanish, his smile fading.

”He is a rare martial talent with his own ideas. I will inform Junior Brother Ji,” Su Dechang responded.

”You’d better act quickly. I fear the other Academies will try to recruit him.”