Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Soul Departure Domain, Yan Family.

Following Deputy Dean Chen Shan on the way back, Lin Chen pondered over the five characters displayed on the jade wall he had seen.

It was obvious that Soul Departure Domain was a place name.

The Yan Family should refer to the ancestors of the Yan Kingdom Royal Family.

So the ancestors of the Yan Kingdom didn’t bear the surname Murong but Yan?

Yan Yan?

This name is a bit awkward.

But more than the surname of the Yan Kingdom Royal Family, what caught Lin Chen’s attention was the three characters ”Soul Departure Domain” in front.

Especially the character ”Domain”, which felt extremely familiar to him.

The regions within each of the Nine Kingdoms were either divided like Liang into paths, prefectures, counties... or into states, prefectures, cities... something like that.

All countries were more or less the same, but none used ”Domain” to segment their regions.

In contrast, the Flame Dynasty, as he knew, liked to distinguish regions by domains.

Canglan Sect is located in the Canglan Domain, Heaven-Supporting Sect in the Thousand Mechanism Domain...

Could it be that the Yan Kingdom Royal Family is also related to the power of the Flame Dynasty?

A bright idea flashed through Lin Chen’s mind: perhaps the Yan Kingdom Royal Family is a branch of the Yan Family in the Flame Dynasty’s Soul Departure Domain.

Chen Shan noticed Lin Chen’s thoughtful expression along the way but didn’t ask about what compensation the Yan Kingdom Royal Family gave Lin Chen.

A man becomes wise with age — with the Yan Kingdom Royal Family going through great lengths to invite Lin Chen to the Imperial Palace and offering compensation, there must be underlying inside truths, possibly even secrets related to the Yan Kingdom Royal Family. If Lin Chen thought it appropriate to share, he would speak up willingly. Since he remained silent, there must be a reason for it.

Returning to the other courtyard, Hou Zhantian dropped by but also didn’t inquire about what compensation Lin Chen received from the Yan Kingdom Royal Family. They just chatted briefly before he left.

Tomorrow marks the start of the Martial Academy ranking contest, he needs to consider the arrangements for the four martial academies of the Liang Kingdom, assigning tactics to each.

...

...

Han Kingdom martial artists’ residence.

Lu Qiguang held a secret letter in hand, and said to the middle-aged man beside him, ”Send this sealed letter back to the Capital, and deliver it to the State Preceptor as quickly as possible.”

”Yes.”

The middle-aged man took the letter and vanished like a ghost in the blink of an eye.

”Sir, are you going to?”

The elderly man beside was guessing.

”That Lin Chen’s strength exceeded my expectations, he’s likely not inferior to Bian Xinjie.”

”Sir, isn’t that a bit of an overestimation?”

Even though he had some guesses, hearing this from Lu Qiguang, the old man still found it hard to believe.

Bian Xinjie was third on the Celestial List, while Lin Chen was just ranked eighth on the Earth List before the ranking contest.

”If Lin Chen truly has such strength, why did Hou Zhantian refuse your proposed agreement, sir?”

The elder questioned. If Lin Chen’s strength approached Bian Xinjie’s, Hou Zhantian could use this opportunity to agree to the terms, deciding this Northern Border war by the ranking contest’s results.

For Liang Kingdom, there would be no harm, only benefits.

”Perhaps this is exactly Hou Zhantian’s cunning ploy, intending to make me underestimate him, not expecting Lin Chen’s youthful whims prematurely revealing his strength.”

In Lu Qiguang’s view, Lin Chen concealed his strength, but Hou Zhantian must have known, and yet Hou Zhantian didn’t agree to his proposed agreement, precisely to lull him into a false sense of security.

If he dropped his guard, and the Canglan Martial Arts Academy really attained first, it would greatly boost Liang Kingdom’s morale, even influencing the decisions of the other few kingdoms.

Among the Nine Kingdoms, excluding Zheng and Xiang Kingdoms which were firmly supporting Han Kingdom, the other countries were wavering in their stance.

Which is stronger, Han or Liang Kingdom, the other countries would favor.

Consistently, Han Kingdom had topped the Nine Countries Martial Arts Academy ranking contests, yet now as the two countries confront, if Liang Kingdom seized first, then these countries might wonder whether Liang Kingdom was hiding its strength previously, and now because of the thorough rupture with Han Kingdom, they no longer held back.

Once these countries had that thought, their requests to blockade and isolate Liang Kingdom from Han Kingdom might be fulfilled superficially but not genuinely.

As for the Northern Border Demon Race warfare...

Once the news is returned, with Liang Kingdom’s morale soaring, amidst this ebb and flow, various factions at home might harbor different intentions — whether Liang Kingdom and Han Kingdom would head into full war becomes unknown.

Lu Qiguang, a formidable figure within Han Kingdom, deeply understood where Han Kingdom’s vulnerabilities lay.

Even though Han Kingdom had dominated the Nine Kingdoms for years, domestic factions didn’t always align.

”Hou Zhantian intentionally left me room for maneuver, but caution will take us far, notifying the State Preceptor to dispatch Huo Ruohong is the surest course.”

Hearing ”Huo Ruohong,” the elder understood Lu Qiguang’s aim.

Huo Ruohong is the top-ranked on the Celestial List, with Huo Ruohong here, no one could snatch Han Kingdom’s first place.

Bear in mind, Huo Ruohong’s absence wasn’t due to indifference to the ranking contest, but due to being in closed-door cultivation, ready to break through. Once successful, he’d step into the Seventh Grade realm.

A Seventh-Grade Martial Artist under twenty would astound the whole Nine Kingdoms.

”Besides certainly securing the first position, having Huo Ruohong come will also display Han Kingdom’s depth to the Nine Kingdoms.”

Nurturing a Seventh-Grade martial prodigy under twenty wasn’t merely due to the disciple’s martial aptitude but required sufficient resources.

Outside Han Kingdom, which of the other Eight Kingdoms could match it?

...

...

Liang.

Lingxiao City.

Teahouses, inns, brothels.

”Everyone, have you ever heard of the Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition?”

”Is the Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition a battle among the disciples of the Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy?”

”Not at all. This Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition is a contest among all the martial arts academies of the Nine Kingdoms, and this year’s competition is being held in the Yan Kingdom. Our Great Liang has four academies sending disciples to participate.”

”In such a Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition, Han Kingdom should be the first, right?”

”Although it’s hard to admit, Han Kingdom indeed has more martial arts geniuses compared to our Liang. In previous ranking competitions, Han Kingdom always took the first place. In the most terrifying edition, Han Kingdom even swept the top four places.”

A martial artist who knew about the ranking competition spoke with a tone of helplessness.

”You’re right, Han Kingdom is indeed strong, but this year is different. Our Great Liang has also emerged surprisingly, especially one academy, which broke through as a dark horse and won first place in the first round of the competition.”

”If any of you are interested, let me tell you about it in detail.”

...

...

The Capital.

Still at teahouses, inns, brothels, and martial arts exchange places.

”Everyone, let me share an exciting piece of news. In this Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition, our Great Liang triumphed, surpassing the three great talents of the Han Kingdom’s four major academies, securing first place in the competition. And all this is thanks to a genius from our Liang. Can you guess who this genius is?”

”Dang Baixuan?”

”Dang Baixuan’s martial prowess is indeed commendable, but it’s not him. As soon as I mention the name of this genius, everyone will surely be familiar with it...”

Jiangnan Dao.

”Great Liang shines, Jiangnan Dao shines, Lin Chen shines!”

”In the Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition, Lin Chen surpassed Bian Xinjie, Ling Tianhao, and Lu Chuanning, the three great Celestial List powerhouses, to take first place.”

...

Guixi Dao.

Xichuan Path.

...

...

The entire Liang is now abuzz with the news of the first round of the ranking competition.

The Capital.

Military Affairs Department.

Kong Qifeng was currently playing chess with an elder, when a middle-aged man hurried over, saluted the two, and said, ”It’s been investigated clearly, there is the presence of Yan Kingdom behind the spread of information about the ranking competition.”

”Yan Kingdom?”

Kong Qifeng held the chess piece in his hand, with a pensive look on his face.

”What is Yan Kingdom’s intention in spreading the news of the competition?”

The elder opposite was also pondering. In just one day, the news about the Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition spread throughout Liang, something beyond the capability of just any ordinary force.

As the authorities in Liang, they wouldn’t overlook such a detail.

Yet, neither had anticipated that Yan Kingdom would be the one behind it.

Kong Qifeng and the elder were already aware of the happenings in the ranking competition, where Yan Kingdom did not favor Han Kingdom but instead somewhat stood by Liang’s side.

Now, Yan Kingdom is again spreading the current ranking competition’s situation across Liang, praising Lin Chen extravagantly, which, in a way, is merely doing what the Imperial Court should have done.

Both Kong Qifeng and the elder knew that informing the martial artists and people at home about the competition’s standings would significantly boost morale, especially during the crucial moment of the Northern Border battle, but the reason they had ordered otherwise was to avoid putting too much pressure on Lin Chen.

The ranking competition was just the first round; the subsequent knockout rounds would truly decide the ranking. If Lin Chen’s performance in the following knockouts wasn’t good, the current excessive praise could lead to a terrible backlash.

”Could this be Yan Kingdom’s purpose?”

Kong Qifeng shook his head, ”Yan Kingdom has no need to do this. According to Junior Brother Hou’s report, the Sixth Princess of Yan Kingdom has a close relationship with Lin Chen.”

”Sir, a flying message has arrived.”

Outside the room, a voice called out, and another middle-aged man walked in holding a sealed letter, which Kong Qifeng took, read, and handed to the elder opposite.

”Does the Yan Kingdom Royal Family seek something from Lin Chen?”

After reading it, the elder speculated, ”Is this their way of showing goodwill to Lin Chen?”

Kong Qifeng thought for a moment; he couldn’t fathom why the Yan Kingdom Royal Family would do this.

Unless the Yan Kingdom Royal Family was confident that Lin Chen would also surpass Han Kingdom in this ranking competition and lead Canglan Martial Arts Academy to achieve excellent results, otherwise, this would be a killing with kindness.

Both were intelligent and could grasp the bigger picture from small details, yet still, they couldn’t understand the reason here because they couldn’t conceive that it was Murong Yan, under Lin Chen’s suggestion, deploying all the Yan Kingdom pieces in Liang for this propaganda.

The mastermind behind this was actually Lin Chen himself.

Poyang County, Linhu Village.

”Ancestor worship, notify Second Xu, clean the ancestral hall, and prepare for ancestor worship.”

”But Village Chief, Lin Chen hasn’t returned yet.”

”It’s okay if Lin Chen hasn’t come back. Just invite the county’s dignitaries once, also inform them that we are going to expand the ancestral hall again.”

...

...

Yan Kingdom Royal Martial Academy, separate courtyard.

Under the falling moonlight, just as he was about to return to his room for rest, Lin Chen suddenly halted.

At this moment, his Qi Blood surged like a rushing river, continuously gushing from all his limbs and acupoints.

”The Light of Liang is starting to take effect?”

PS: Brothers, Lin Chen still has one more Chapter, it’s the 28th, double monthly tickets, asking for monthly tickets!