Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Lin Chen returned home, chatting with his mother.

Mrs. Lin was very happy about her son’s return and wanted to prepare a nice meal.

”Mom, don’t go to too much trouble. I don’t like anything else, just your wine-soaked fish.”

In Lin Chen’s memories and that of his predecessor, the wine-soaked fish was always a delicious dish. The family would soak excess fish catch in rice wine for preservation, and many martial artists from Poyang County, or traders who were often away, would always carry a jar of it.

”We have some wine-soaked fish preserved; I’ll go get it.”

”Alright.”

...

While Lin Chen was dining and chatting with his parents and second uncle and other relatives, at the Lakefront Villa, Jia Nanzhu held a letter, a shadow of concern in his eyes.

The thing he feared most had happened.

Warriors from the Flame Dynasty had appeared in the Nine Kingdoms.

The arrival of the Flame Dynasty warriors would surely change the dynamics of the Nine Kingdoms, and for Liang, it was something they could only passively accept, for better or worse.

”Forget it, I’ll tell Lin Chen tomorrow. Today, let him relax and enjoy time with his family.”

Jia Nanzhu ultimately decided not to disturb Lin Chen’s reunion with his family, choosing to inform him the next day.

...

...

Early the next morning.

Lin Chen arrived at the Lakefront Villa to see his teacher.

”Here you are.”

Jia Nanzhu lounged on a rattan chair, leisurely basking in the first rays of sunshine.

”Teacher, your health...”

”I am fine, just aging and my Qi Blood is declining. Look at this letter first; it came from Lord Kong in the Capital.”

With the subject changed by his teacher, Lin Chen could only take the letter, but upon reading its content, his expression grew serious.

”The Flame Dynasty warriors have arrived; could it be that the Annihilation Storm has dissipated?”

”Annihilation Storm?”

Curious, Jia Nanzhu watched Lin Chen, who then recounted the information he had heard from the Sect Leader of the Heaven-Supporting Sect.

”No wonder the Flame Dynasty has been delayed; it seems the storm was the reason. Now that it has dissipated, with the appearance of Flame Dynasty warriors, the conflicts between Liang and the Han Kingdom have temporarily paused, and Zheng Kingdom has also withdrawn its troops.”

”It seems that the countries are more concerned with what changes the arrival of the Flame Dynasty warriors will bring to the alignment of the Nine Kingdoms than the battlefield itself.”

Lin Chen understood why the battle had paused. According to Lord Kong’s letter, the warriors from the Flame Dynasty were very strong, far beyond First Grade, capable of altering the course of battle.

Without interference from external forces, the structure of the Nine Kingdoms would be determined by battle outcomes, but with a strong external force present, even winning on the battlefield might not prevent changes to the structure caused by an external force.

”It’s very likely that the Flame Dynasty has sent a few Innate Martial Artists.”

To threaten even the First-Grade Martial Artists, Lin Chen immediately thought of the Innate Powerhouses mentioned by His Majesty.

Innate Realm powerhouses surpassing First Grade.

”Innate Martial Artists?”

Jia Nanzhu was hearing of Innate Martial Artists for the first time: ”What is the difference between Innate Martial Artists and First-Grade Martial Artists?”

”Teacher, I’m not very sure either. I only know that martial artists beyond First Grade are called Innate Martial Artists, divided into six realms, with even more powerful Myriad Phenomena Realm warriors above them.”

”Innate Sixth Realm, and Myriad Phenomena?”

Jia Nanzhu’s mouth opened slightly, and a bitter smile appeared on his face the next moment: ”Good thing I’m old and my Qi Blood is waning; if I were still youthful, hearing about all these realms above First Grade might just break my Martial Path heart.”

”Teacher, you exaggerate too much.”

Lin Chen believed his teacher wouldn’t have his Martial Path heart broken, but he surely would be depressed for a long time.

For martial artists in the Nine Kingdoms, especially the talented ones, reaching the Middle Grade by thirty years old was satisfactory, and achieving Upper Grade by fifty or sixty was a rare blessing.

But now, to be told there are many realms above First Grade, it’s like a group of climbers looking at what they thought was a lofty peak. Amidst many climbers, they exert great effort and finally reach the mid or even almost the summit, only to find out the mountain they climbed is the shortest one, and there are several taller peaks behind, causing undeniable deflation.

”While at Martial Arts Mountain, when you sparred with those Flame Dynasty geniuses, how was their strength?”

Regarding Lin Chen’s encounters at Martial Arts Mountain, Jia Nanzhu had never inquired before, but now he couldn’t help asking, shaken by what he had heard.

”Currently, I’m ranked forty thousandth. In my judgment, to enter the top ten thousand, one needs at least the strength of an Upper-Grade Martial Artist, and for the top one hundred... at least the Peak of First Grade.”

”Top one hundred needs Peak of First Grade; does the Flame Dynasty’s Martial Arts Mountain have an age limit?”

”Under twenty years old.”

Jia Nanzhu: ...

A long silence!

”Even you are only ranked forty thousandth. As your teacher, I’ve been a frog at the bottom of a well, viewing the sky from the bottom.”

Lin Chen looked at his teacher’s expression, understanding his feelings. The martial disparity between the Nine Kingdoms and the Flame Dynasty was vast, like an uncrossable chasm before the warriors of the Nine Kingdoms.

It was similar to his past life’s nation, during the end of the feudal era, where Western invasion caused many to witness the grandeur, machinery of the West, evoking a sense of shock and profound despair.

A mushroom never knows the alternation of months, and a cicada does not experience the changing seasons (huigu does not know spring and autumn).

”Teacher, the reason the Flame Dynasty warriors can attain Upper Grade before the age of twenty is in part due to their immense territory and population, which is hundreds of times that of the Nine Kingdoms, allowing more geniuses to emerge.”