Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Martial Arts Mountain.

Since arriving at the Eastern Sea, I have been busy traveling and haven’t returned to Martial Arts Mountain.

Now, re-entering Martial Arts Mountain, Lin Chen took a nostalgic breath of its air.

After selecting a courtyard, Gao Zeming gave Lin Chen a copy of the Sect Disciple Manual and left. As an Innate Powerhouse, he wished to befriend Lin Chen but wouldn’t do everything for him personally.

After Gao Zeming left, Lin Chen strolled around the courtyard where he would stay. Once he ensured all necessary items were present, he directly entered Martial Arts Mountain.

Steps of Martial Arts Mountain.

Having completed six consecutive challenges, the opponent now displayed atop Martial Arts Mountain was also from the Canglan Sect.

It’s customary to skip challenges against fellow sect members.

This is an unspoken rule among the genius disciples of various sects at Martial Arts Mountain.

Otherwise, why would Martial Arts Mountain even allow challengers to see the names and information of opponents within the top ten thousand?

However, Lin Chen recalled the conversation between the Sect Leader and his master. Since he was on a winning streak at Martial Arts Mountain, he should continue without concern for whether the opponent was a fellow sect brother.

The rankings and records created by disciples at Martial Arts Mountain would elevate the sect’s reputation.

In short, even for a super sect like the Canglan Sect, with over twenty such sects in the Flame Dynasty, they compete for top celestial prides, and the ranking of a sect’s disciples at Martial Arts Mountain influences these top young celestial prides’ choices of sect.

You claim the sect is powerful with deep heritage, yet if its disciples are not prominent in Martial Arts Mountain’s rankings, doesn’t it expose the sect’s lack in disciple training?

The disciple rankings at Martial Arts Mountain serve as an advertisement for each sect recruiting disciples, similar to how a school boasting a top scorer in a town would attract top students citywide if it consistently ranks high.

”Continue the challenge!”

Lin Chen chose to continue challenging, and the scene shifted again to a plaza with a stone stele engraved with the word ”Canglan.”

Seeing the scene before him, Lin Chen knew its origin. He had previously seen this plaza while following Senior Brother Gao upon arriving at the sect, right in front of the sect.

”A fellow disciple?”

Fang Ming appeared on the plains of Martial Arts Mountain and was stunned by the scene. Confident in his strength, he hadn’t even checked the challenger’s identity, assuming they would inevitably lose. Why bother with a defeated opponent?

But now, seeing that it was the Canglan Sect’s arena meant his opponent was also a Canglan Sect disciple.

Don’t challenge fellow sect members—did this junior not understand the rule?

Or was someone targeting him?

Images of rival disciples flashed through Fang Ming’s mind, and his face darkened.

”Junior Brother Lin Chen greets Senior Brother Fang,” Lin Chen announced his identity, seeing the senior brother’s sullen expression, and then explained, ”I ask for Senior Brother Fang’s understanding. I challenge because of the requirement above to maintain my winning streak at Martial Arts Mountain.”

Lin Chen?

Upon hearing Lin Chen’s self-introduction, Fang Ming’s eyes gleamed, ignoring Lin Chen’s explanation entirely.

What requirement from above?

The sect elders would never ask disciples at Martial Arts Mountain to choose fellow sect members as opponents. Even to keep a winning streak, skipping fellow sect brothers wouldn’t impede it, merely leaving out one competition.

To him, it was clear Lin Chen learned the sect’s situation upon entering and possibly even intended to participate in the Canglan Secret Realm’s opening in six months, deliberately challenging to defeat him and seize the secret realm slot.

In Fang Ming’s mind, one slot in the Canglan Secret Realm already belonged to him.

”Since above wants Junior Brother Lin to keep his winning streak, I won’t say much, but I won’t hold back either,” Fang Ming sneered. If Lin Chen wanted to make his name by stepping on him, he’d show him what a true gap was.

Potential might be full, but the Martial Path speaks through strength.

”Senior Brother, please teach me!”

Lin Chen cupped his hands. He felt a strong hostility from Senior Brother Fang just over a challenge. Logically, there shouldn’t be such enmity; was there an undisclosed inside story?

Given another chance, Lin Chen would still choose to challenge.

New to the Flame Dynasty, he wished to avoid incidents yet wouldn’t forsake opportunities to enhance his Martial Path strength out of fear of offending people.

”Fine, as your senior brother, let me teach you,” Fang Ming said, eyes narrowing with icy intent. ”Junior Brother, be careful.”

Though phrased as a warning, as Fang Ming’s words fell, his aura surged suddenly. He pointed with his right hand, and above them, Canglan energy surged, and a gigantic ice-blue finger abruptly descended.

Seeing the opponent use Canglan Finger, Lin Chen looked up at the giant finger coming his way and also pointed out.

The same Canglan Finger.

Already ice-blue from the Canglan energy, the azure sky was now entirely enveloped by Canglan energy. A giant finger, significantly larger than Fang Ming’s Canglan Finger, split the air.

Boom!

The two giant fingers collided in the air; endless Canglan energy leaked from the fingers. The fingers collapsed rapidly but moved toward Fang Ming during the collapse.

Seeing this, Fang Ming frowned, surprised his Canglan Finger’s power was weaker than Lin Chen’s by a few degrees.

How was this possible?

But the astonishment was brief, for he hadn’t used his full strength.

”No wonder you dare challenge me, but do you think this could defeat me? How naive,” Fang Ming laughed lightly, icy-blue energy swirling on his right hand, forming spikes over his fist.

”Azure Wave Sky Shattering Fist!”

With a furious shout, Fang Ming violently punched, all the Canglan energy within him concentrating at his fist, where space fractured into fine lines, carrying an unparalleled aura fiercely towards Lin Chen.

”Celestial Derivation Myriad Phenomena Destruction Palm!”

Lin Chen also shifted his fingers, transforming them into a palm, and launched the Celestial Derivation Myriad Phenomena Destruction Palm. In an instant, wind and thunder roared, clouds churned, a terrifying force spread, twisting the air until it ultimately collapsed.

”What palm technique is this?”

Fang Ming’s pupils suddenly contracted; he could confirm this was not a Cultivation Technique of the Canglan Sect.

As a Direct Disciple, he was familiar with all of the Canglan Sect’s techniques for those Below Innate, and had specially selected two with formidable power; the Azure Wave Sky Shattering Fist was one of them.

Yet under Lin Chen’s palm strike, the Azure Wave Sky Shattering Fist was like the glow of a firefly competing with the radiance of the moon; the ice-blue spike crumbled inch by inch in the clouded sea and vanished completely in just three breaths.

”How can he be this strong?”

This time, Fang Ming’s expression turned extremely grave; in terms of skill comparison, he hadn’t gained the slightest upper hand, and the pride in his heart had now completely vanished.

”Lin Chen, you forced this upon me. Originally, I intended to save this trump card for the start of the Canglan Secret Realm.”

After putting aside his underestimation, Fang Ming took a deep breath. In the next moment, another ice-blue spike appeared above his head.

But with the appearance of this ice-blue spike, Fang Ming’s complexion gradually turned pale.

”Soul Spike, go!”

Fang Ming softly intoned, and the ice-blue spike shot forward. Lin Chen’s Palm Wind didn’t affect the spike in the slightest, as if they existed in separate spaces.

”Lin Chen, being able to push me to use my trump card, Divine Thought attack, you should be happy even in defeat.”

Divine Thought.

For Martial Artists Below Innate, very few could separate it from their Divine Soul.

But separating Divine Thought was just the first step; to make it offensive, one needed to refine and control it.

A powerful Divine Soul is necessary.

This was Fang Ming’s proud trump card.

”Divine Thought attack?”

Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly, his pupils constricted, and a Flying Saber appeared at his forehead, meeting the spike head-on.

The two collided in mid-air and dissipated silently and without a trace.

”He can also perform Divine Thought attacks?”

Fang Ming was incredulous as he watched the Flying Saber vanish along with his spike. At the same time, Lin Chen’s Celestial Derivation Myriad Phenomena Destruction Palm approached, the terrifying Palm Wind energy sweeping in, forcing him to stagger back dozens of steps before stopping.

”Then let’s see whose Divine Soul is stronger.”

Though in a somewhat sorry state, Fang Ming didn’t plan to admit defeat. He separated another Divine Thought, though his complexion turned paler.

However, before he could shoot it out, he was completely stunned by the sight in front of him.

Six Flying Sabers floated around Lin Chen.

Six attacking Divine Thoughts!

Condensing one attacking Divine Thought required a huge amount of Fang Ming’s Divine Soul, yet Lin Chen had effortlessly condensed six.

This meant Lin Chen’s Divine Soul was far superior to his.

He couldn’t match Lin Chen in strength, and now he was also inferior in Divine Soul, with the gap even larger.

How could this battle continue?

”I lost.”

Unable to bear it, Fang Ming finally managed to utter the words ”admit defeat.”

”Thank you for conceding, Senior Brother Fang.”

Lin Chen withdrew his Flying Sabers and saluted with clasped fists.

His intent in manifesting six Flying Sabers at once was to make Fang Ming concede.

By displaying his strength, he won without fighting.

”Junior Brother Lin, you... forget it.”

Fang Ming seemed like he wanted to say something but eventually remained silent. After conceding, he vanished from the plaza.

Within the top ten thousand, both combatants could voluntarily concede without defeating their opponent.

At these rankings, even fellow sect members wouldn’t willingly concede to lower their standings.

...

Defeating Fang Ming was just a minor episode for Lin Chen; it didn’t affect his mood, and soon he chose to challenge the next opponent.

...

Fang Ming left Martial Arts Mountain, his expression quite complex.

He lost, defeated by Junior Brother Lin.

He originally planned to teach Junior Brother Lin a lesson, realizing it’s fortunate they fought on Martial Arts Mountain; otherwise, seeking out Junior Brother Lin for a surprise attack would have backfired, with him being defeated by Junior Brother Lin instead, surely inviting ridicule from all the Inner Sect Disciples.

Looking at it this way, Junior Brother Lin’s timely challenge at Martial Arts Mountain preserved his dignity.

Half a two-hour later, the Inner Sect Disciple who came to deliver news earlier appeared again outside Fang Ming’s courtyard gate.

”Senior Brother Fang?”

It’s been half a two-hour; Senior Brother Fang should be free now.

”I want to focus on challenges at Martial Arts Mountain, so I’ll not be going to Junior Brother Lin for now. You may leave.”

Upon hearing this, the Inner Sect Disciple outside showed a face of confusion; Senior Brother Fang isn’t going? How will he report back to Senior Brother Zhu?

”Must I go?”

After a while, Fang Ming’s cold voice came from inside; the disciple trembled and said, ”I dare not, Senior Brother. I will take my leave then.”

Hearing the departing footsteps, Fang Ming’s face showed a hint of iciness. Earlier, he didn’t think too much, but now after losing to Lin Chen, he regained his composure. Thinking back carefully, he realized he was almost being used as a tool.