Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Imperial Palace Grand Hall.

Just as Lord Kong had said, the moment Lin Chen stepped into the hall, he felt three gazes fall upon him.

At the left and right front of the hall, three elders were seated respectively.

In an instant, Lin Chen felt the weight of ten thousand jin pressing down on him, the three gazes as heavy as mountains, causing his breath to become uncontrollably rapid.

The Qi Blood that originally circulated smoothly within him suddenly stagnated, as if a river frozen by mystical ice, sending a fine piercing pain from deep within his bones. In just a moment, cold sweat beaded on Lin Chen’s forehead, and the fabric on his back was instantly soaked through.

”Break!”

Lin Chen shouted angrily in his heart, the little figure in his Dantian spinning wildly, golden light seeping from his pores, and the Martial Path Will supported him to resist this terrifying pressure, maintaining his upright posture from collapsing.

”That’s enough, you three!”

Kong Qifeng’s voice reached Lin Chen’s ears, and the next moment Lin Chen found the pressure around him disappeared abruptly, and the eyes of the three elders at the forefront softened.

”Senior Brother Kong, do not be angry, although Lin Chen is a disciple of the Military Affairs Department, he is also a citizen of Liang. In terms of care, we three are no less than you, Senior Brother Kong.”

The elder on the left chuckled and spoke, the next moment a jade box appeared in his hand. With a flick of his fingers, the jade box floated towards Lin Chen.

”Lin Chen, this is an apology gift from this old man, please do not take to heart and blame me.”

Lin Chen accepted it and quickly replied, ”Disciple wouldn’t dare.”

”He doesn’t dare blame him, but he’s bold enough to blame the two of us.”

Another elder beside him also spoke with a smile. Before Lin Chen could respond, he similarly flicked a jade box towards him.

When the third elder also threw a jade box, Lin Chen couldn’t help but mutter in his heart, that such a test wouldn’t leave him dissatisfied, and he wished it happened more often.

Yet he also understood, this was the three lords using the guise of a test to present him with a meeting gift in the form of an apology.

”This is more like it.”

Kong Qifeng stroked his beard and introduced to Lin Chen, ”Those two on the sides are the current Left and Right Prime Ministers, and the one in the middle is the Military Department Minister.”

Upon hearing Lord Kong’s introduction, Lin Chen also felt emotional, knowing these three were the top figures of the entire Liang, whose very movements could shake Liang three times.

”Disciple greets the three lords.”

Lin Chen bowed, and the three elders also stroked their beards with smiles, among them the military chief said with a grin, ”Lin Chen, with your current strength, staying at Canglan Martial Arts Academy might not improve your abilities much. Would you be willing to join my Military Department?”

Lin Chen remained silent, not answering.

”Senior Brother Zhao, you are being too hasty, poaching someone in front of Lord Kong.” The Left Prime Minister chuckled, ”Lin Chen, the Military Department is full of rough men. If you leave Canglan Martial Arts Academy, you can come to my Liang’s Martial Arts Academy. The Martial Arts Academy is the central hall of Liang’s Martial Path, housing tens of thousands of Martial Arts Techniques. Others can only enter through martial exams, with only the top twenty qualifying. But for you, the old man can make an exception to admit you.”

”The Martial Arts Academy focuses on martial arts research, but theoretical knowledge can’t compare to practical combat, so the Military Department is more suitable for Lin Chen.”

Hearing the two bigwigs argue over him, Lin Chen could only choose to remain silent, his gaze turning toward Lord Kong.

”Don’t bother with them, just go see His Majesty directly.”

Kong Qifeng patted Lin Chen’s shoulder and instructed the guard at the palace gate, ”Take Lin Chen to see His Majesty.”

”Young Master Lin, please follow me.”

The guard at the door obliged, also looking at Lin Chen curiously. It was their first time seeing several lords vying for one person, but considering the records he had set, it wasn’t surprising.

Lin Chen walked out of the hall, his figure disappearing in the corridor, all the smiles vanished from the faces of the three elders, their expressions turning serious.

”The spies from Han Kingdom reported that Han’s army has already started gathering at the border.”

A word from the Left Prime Minister, and Kong Qifeng’s old eyes narrowed slightly, ”What about Zheng Kingdom and Xiang Kingdom?”

”Zheng Kingdom has also started gathering, especially those demon races within its borders, while Xiang Kingdom remains inactive.”

Liang has spies in several other countries, and they also have spies in Liang. The movement of any country’s army surely couldn’t be hidden.

”Zheng Kingdom only follows the lead of Han Kingdom, so it’s understandable. Yet Xiang Kingdom isn’t following Han’s lead this time?”

”Xiang Kingdom was never in solidarity with Han. Previously, they followed Han to target Liang because it was profitable. But this time Pei Qingming and Lin Chen’s brilliant performance has made Xiang hesitate.”

The Right Prime Minister snorted coldly, noting Xiang’s fickle nature, siding only when there’s profit.

”Xiang Kingdom still needs to be guarded against; we cannot be careless.”

...

...

Imperial Palace Inner Courtyard.

Under the guidance of the guards, Lin Chen passed through several palaces in front and finally arrived at the Imperial Garden.

”Young Master Lin, His Majesty is inside, we will not enter.”

”Very well.”

Lin Chen nodded and walked into the Imperial Garden, soon seeing the middle-aged man in a bright yellow dragon robe sitting in the pavilion of the garden.

”Disciple Lin Chen greets Your Majesty.” Lin Chen stepped forward to the pavilion and bowed.

”A young prodigy, a paragon from a humble background, there’s no need for such formality, come in and sit down.”

Emperor Jing of Liang turned to look at Lin Chen, ”The reason I summoned you to the Capital City this time is because I wanted to see the foremost prodigy of my Liang.”

”Your Majesty flatters me.”

”There’s no need to be modest; you are worthy of this title.”

Emperor Jing of Liang waved his hand and continued, ”Last time I sent Xun to Canglan Martial Arts Academy to inform you about some secrets of Martial Arts Mountain. What is your current ranking on Martial Arts Mountain?”

”Disciple has just entered the rank of eighty thousand,” Lin Chen replied honestly.

”At your age, being able to rank within eighty thousand on the Martial Arts Mountain of the Flame Dynasty is extremely rare. Even in the Flame Dynasty, you could be considered a genius.”

”Your Majesty, are you familiar with the Flame Dynasty?”

Lin Chen couldn’t help but voice his inner doubts. According to Liang Xun, the Grand Ancestor came from the Flame Dynasty, and it was said that only the current Emperor knew the royal family’s secrets.

”The Flame Dynasty has numerous regions, each region is several times the size of the Nine Kingdoms and there are numerous overseas islands, countless martial arts sects... but I know this isn’t what you’re curious about.”

Emperor Jing of Liang smiled slightly, as if he could see through Lin Chen’s true thoughts, and continued, ”The Martial Arts Realm, the First Grade is indeed not the end. Beyond the First Grade is the Super Grade, an existence surpassing the First Grade.”

”How is the Super Grade Realm distinguished?”

Since Your Majesty had seen through his thoughts, Lin Chen asked directly.

”Innate and Celestial Phenomena.”

”The Innate is divided into six realms, and within the Celestial Phenomena, there stands a dominator in the Flame Dynasty.”

”The first of the Innate Sixth Realm is the Gang Transformation Realm, but as for the subsequent five realms, the Grandfather did not mention them.”

Lin Chen understood that the Grandfather referred to by Your Majesty was the Grand Emperor, the Liang Dynasty had lasted for three hundred years, and it was now the fourth generation with the current Emperor.

”Your Majesty, why can’t our Nine Kingdoms produce an Innate powerhouse?”

Lin Chen asked a second question that concerned him; although the Nine Kingdoms’ martial arts talents weren’t as numerous as those in the Flame Dynasty, it made no sense that there wasn’t even one Innate powerhouse.

”Because of the lack of resources to synthesize the Innate energy.”

Emperor Jing of Liang smiled bitterly, ”The martial artists of the Nine Kingdoms do produce some outstanding talents, but to break through to the First Grade requires gathering the five elements of innate energy, which is hard to gather in the Nine Kingdoms.”

”Innate energy?”

Lin Chen thought of the Lingxiao energy and the Canglan energy, wondering if these counted as innate energy?

”The Lingxiao energy of Lingxiao City is indeed innate energy, as is the Canglan energy of Canglan Mountain, but these are just one of the five elements of innate energy.”

Emperor Jing of Liang looked at Lin Chen, ”To possess all five elements of innate energy within oneself, one can step into Innate, but the entire Nine Kingdoms lacks water-attributed innate energy.”

”The Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree of the Zhao Kingdom is the wood-attributed innate energy, and Han Kingdom has three types, and so does my Liang, altogether, the nine kingdoms have all four elements’ innate energy except for water. This is the true reason why the martial artists of the Nine Kingdoms are barred from entering the Innate Realm.”

Lin Chen suddenly understood why the Nine Kingdoms had no Innate powerhouses surpassing the First Grade.

Even the most skillful chef cannot cook without rice.

No matter how talented a genius, they can’t manifest water-attributed innate energy out of thin air.

”The reason I asked you about your ranking on Martial Arts Mountain earlier is because, according to notes left by the Grandfather, those ranked in the top ten thousand on Martial Arts Mountain can exchange for innate energy; however, reaching the top ten thousand before the age of twenty is exceedingly difficult.”

Emperor Jing of Liang smiled bitterly once more; even though Lin Chen had demonstrated the potential to be the foremost genius of the Nine Kingdoms, he did not believe that Lin Chen could rank in the top ten thousand on Martial Arts Mountain in the next two years.

According to notes left by the Grandfather, the top ten thousand on Flame Dynasty’s Martial Arts Mountain are almost all in the Fourth Grade Realm, including many Upper-Grade Martial Artists.

This is the disparity.

However, Emperor Jing of Liang didn’t intend to tell Lin Chen this, to avoid discouraging Lin Chen’s cultivation spirit.

Nevertheless, after hearing Emperor Jing of Liang’s words, Lin Chen felt somewhat excited. Although being in the top ten thousand of Martial Arts Mountain was certainly challenging, he wasn’t without opportunity. With the help of the panel, breaking through his Ninth Grade Realm wouldn’t be slow. As long as he reached the top ten thousand, he could use his points to exchange for water-attributed innate energy.

”Is there anything else you wish to ask?” Emperor Jing of Liang asked Lin Chen like an elder.

”Your Majesty, about the Grand Ancestor’s origins...”

”This matter, do not ask further.”

Emperor Jing of Liang directly interrupted Lin Chen, noticing Lin Chen’s puzzled expression, after some hesitation, he finally added a sentence: ”The Grandfather had enemies in the Flame Dynasty, and this is a family feud of the Liang family. The Grandfather instructed to avoid getting Liang Kingdom involved.”

Hearing this, Lin Chen’s pupils contracted slightly, the Grandfather leaving such a message could only point to one problem.

That the foes of the Grandfather back then wielded tremendous power, and the Grandfather was certain they still exist. He feared that once the Nine Kingdoms established contact with the Flame Dynasty, those enemies would come seeking vengeance.