Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Inside the Lingxiao Hall.

A golden light cocoon hung in the air like a blazing sun, and every few breaths, a surge of Qi Blood seeped from the cocoon, crashing toward the hall’s surroundings like tidal waves.

Within that golden light cocoon, Lin Chen sat cross-legged, with acupoints all over his body absorbing the Lingxiao Golden Light, while Canglan Energy in his Dantian formed an ice-blue vortex. Inside this ice-blue vortex, Li Fire turned into petals and spun continuously.

Within the fiery petals, the originally golden little figure gradually became transparent, and green liquid flowed ceaselessly around its transparent body.

Lingxiao Energy, Canglan Energy, Mother Tree Energy, Li Fire Energy...

Of the innate Five Elements Energy, Lin Chen now possessed four.

One doesn’t know how long had passed when a slight ”crack” was heard.

The golden light cocoon suddenly cracked, and behind Lin Chen appeared five energy projections: the golden great sun, the burning Li Fire, the coiling Canglan Dragon, and a green waterfall cascading down.

Among the five energy projections, four were clear, but the last one was hazy as if shrouded in mist.

After a moment, Lin Chen opened his eyes, with a hint of regret in them.

”The Five Elements are Innate, but I lack the Water Aspect, failing to take this last step into the Innate Realm.”

Even with the Life Chart’s support of ”Natural Progress,” he couldn’t enter the Innate Realm fully equipped with the Five Elements Energy.

However, though not breaking into the Innate, this breakthrough brought his Realm to the First Grade, and at its peak at that.

At the moment of rising, a golden membrane flowed over his skin’s surface, his internal organs trembled together, and a horrifying aura suddenly surged outward.

Boom!

The entire Lingxiao Hall resounded with a thunderous noise.

...

Outside the Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy.

Gao Zeming and Hu Yunhua were enjoying tea in the courtyard. Hearing the direction of the sound, a glint appeared in Hu Yunhua’s eyes: ”Brother Gao, it seems your Canglan Sect’s genius disciple has emerged.”

The two had stayed at Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy for five days, during which Hu Yunhua also learned about Lin Chen from the mouth of a Liang Martial Artist.

His first feeling was shock and disbelief.

Originally, he thought Lin Chen must have come from a prestigious Martial Path family on the island, but unexpectedly, he was from an ordinary fisherman’s house.

A fisherman’s son, rising against all odds, leaping to become the foremost genius of the younger generation in a mere three years. This recent seclusion might well see him stepping into the Second Grade.

In the Flame Dynasty, such an event is nothing short of incredible.

Gao Zeming laughed, having not yet told Hu Yunhua about Lin Chen’s performance at the Martial Path Mountain, nor had he mentioned Lin Chen seeking aid at the Martial Path Mountain when facing the peril of Li Fire Body Burning. Such confident action—how many geniuses in the history of the Flame Dynasty dared to try?

...

...

The gates of the Lingxiao Hall, where Lin Chen had retreated for seclusion and breakthrough, finally opened again after several months.

The doors slowly opened, and the first golden sunlight streamed in through the open space, while the gazes of dozens of figures, who rushed over upon hearing the commotion, watched the youth step out as if bathed in golden light.

”It’s Junior Brother Lin.”

”It’s Senior Brother Lin.”

Qin Yan and Gu Kong immediately recognized Lin Chen as he emerged from the hall.

They had both seen Lin Chen’s figure at the Martial Path Mountain.

”This aura... a First-Grade Martial Artist?”

Upon seeing Lin Chen step out, Hu Yunhua displayed surprise in his eyes and turned to Gao Zeming: ”Brother Gao, you’re being a bit much, holding back even now. Are you afraid I might poach your Canglan Sect’s disciple?”

Gao Zeming, too, was surprised by Lin Chen’s aura. Lin Chen had obviously just broken through, and his aura was not yet fully reined in, making it possible for both Gao Zeming and Hu Yunhua to instantly discern his Realm.

”Brother Hu, you’re wronging me. When I set out from the Canglan Sect, Lin Chen only had the strength of a Third Grade. I too didn’t expect Lin Chen to achieve a First Grade breakthrough during this retreat.”

Seeing Gao Zeming’s expression, Hu Yunhua realized he spoke the truth and felt some envy for the Canglan Sect. Indeed, the Canglan Sect had found a treasure, and in a desolate land of Martial Arts at that—other sects would be envious upon hearing this.

”Brother Gao, with your Canglan Sect acquiring such a genius disciple, might you consider letting Pei Qingming join our East Sea Divine Palace?”

Lin Chen, he couldn’t take away.

The Canglan Sect’s three Elders personally communicated that if anyone from the East Sea Divine Palace tried to poach him, it would mean severing ties with the Canglan Sect.

This responsibility was beyond his ability to bear.

Nonetheless, Pei Qingming wasn’t bad either. His flawless Sword Path Will, understanding it in a place without Sword Cultivators, was a testament to his outstanding talent in Sword Dao.

”That would be up to Pei Qingming’s own decision.”

Gao Zeming chuckled, indicating that with Lin Chen as such a talented disciple, while interested in Pei Qingming, it wasn’t a necessity for him.

The most important thing is that he is more perceptive than Hu Yunhua. For someone like Pei Qingming, who can comprehend the flawless Sword Path Will without being taught, his dedication to swordsmanship is extremely pure. I’m afraid that besides the Guixu Sword Tomb, other sects would find it hard to attract him.

The top sword cultivators in the Flame Dynasty are almost all like this.

”Lin Chen, come over quickly.”

Hou Zhantian waved to Lin Chen and introduced immediately, ”Lord Gao from Canglan Sect is here, specifically for you.”

Lin Chen looked towards Gao Zeming. In fact, he didn’t need Hou Zhantian’s introduction to guess that Gao Zeming was from Canglan Sect, because he had seen Qin Yan and Gu Kong at Martial Arts Mountain standing behind Gao Zeming.

”Junior greets Lord Gao.”

”Haha, Lin Chen, you’ve got the title wrong; you are a disciple of our Canglan Sect. You should address me as Steward.”

Gao Zeming stroked his beard and laughed, then introduced Hu Yunhua beside him: ”This is Steward Hu from the East Sea Divine Palace, and as for the two behind me, you should be familiar with them.”

”Hmm.”

Lin Chen first greeted Hu Yunhua with courtesy, then looked at Qin Yan and Gu Kong, clasping his fists, ”Thank you, Senior Brother Qin and Senior Brother Gu, for your help. This junior will remember the kindness from both of you.”

Lin Chen’s greeting was very solemn, bowing deeply to the two, and Qin Yan smiled, thinking this Junior Brother Lin is truly polite.

As an Inner Sect Disciple, he had met those top geniuses in the Inner Sect, each with eyes above the top. If those people were in place of Junior Brother Lin, they wouldn’t even bother with such etiquette; they would think he was merely acting on the Sect Elders’ orders.

If Qin Yan was sentimental, then Gu Kong was a bit at a loss, not expecting Lin Chen to also bow to him. He really hadn’t helped Lin Chen with much, only providing a clue when the Sect Elders were looking to identify Lin Chen’s identity.

”Lin... Lin Senior Brother, you are too kind; I didn’t do much.”

Gu Kong explained a bit embarrassedly. As an Outer Sect Disciple, he naturally felt inferior to Inner Sect Disciples, let alone faced with Senior Brother Lin, who had already been chosen as a Direct Disciple by the elders.

”Senior Brother Gu did help me a lot back then.”

Lin Chen smiled slightly. He had learned the second level of the Canglan Finger from Gu Kong back then. Because he wasn’t sure if it violated Sect rules for disciples to privately pass on the Canglan Finger mantra, especially as he wasn’t a Canglan Sect disciple at that time, he didn’t express this openly for fear Gu Kong might be punished by Steward Gao.

Gao Zeming didn’t think too much about it; even if he knew Gu Kong had privately taught Lin Chen the second level of Canglan Finger, he would just pretend not to know.

He was very satisfied with Lin Chen’s attitude.

However, it was also possible that because Lin Chen was from an island, his nature might change once he entered the Canglan Sect and gained the status of a Direct Disciple.

There were indeed quite a few disciples in the sect who did not have a good background and were modest when they first entered the sect, but as their strength and status grew, they gradually became arrogant.

...

...

At the courtyard where Gao Zeming temporarily resided at Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy, Hu Yunhua wasn’t there this time.

After Lin Chen finished telling how he later contacted the sect and the sect’s reaction, the courtyard fell into a silence.

Qin Yan and Gu Kong were shocked, amazed at how Lin Chen had improved so much in ranking on Martial Arts Mountain in just a few months since they left Canglan Sect to come here.

Standing within ten thousand places, even with consecutive victories.

Such achievements were something they wouldn’t dare to dream of even in their sleep.

Gao Zeming also listened with a twitching mouth, finally understanding why Elder Qu and the others communicated through sound transmission, and why Elder Du did not use the Canglan Order to communicate.

When he left with Qin Yan and Gu Kong, Elder Du surely wasn’t paying attention to Martial Arts Mountain anymore.

When Lin Chen later encountered Xing Youning, it must have been directly at the Elder Hall, which happened to be attended by Elder Zhou, Elder Mei, and Elder Qu for this term.

The Elder Hall of the sect rotates duties, changing every three years, with three elders attending each term to handle specific sect affairs.

Now all three elders knew of Lin Chen, and the sound transmission seemed to outsiders as a display of the Canglan Sect’s dominance and strength. But in his ears, it was the elders deliberately winning favor with Lin Chen.

Otherwise, was there a need to mention their own names?

The title of a Canglan Sect Elder alone was enough to intimidate these sects.

Was it necessary for the three elders to individually transmit sound?

He even suspected that the three elders were using this to knock him as well, hinting that they were aware of Lin Chen’s situation, and if he continued to side with Elder Du, he would face their suppression when he returned to the sect.

Elder Du, it’s not that I won’t stand by your side. Blame Lin Chen for being too outstanding.

Regarding Lin Chen’s situation, he had already made a decision: just be responsible for bringing Lin Chen back to the sect, and say nothing else. Once Lin Chen was in the sect, let the elders solve it among themselves.

...

...

An hour later, Lin Chen left the courtyard and, under Meng Xing’s guidance, headed to the courtyard where Pei Qingming lived.

”Is Brother Pei here?”

PS: It’s the end of the month, so if you still have any monthly tickets, don’t hold onto them.