Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Linhu Village, heavy snow.

Snowflakes like salt, pouring from the sky.

Pressing down the tree branches, freezing the lake surface.

In the past, a heavy snowfall meant a disaster for the villagers.

Heavy snow meant no fishing, only consuming what little grain they had left.

A propitious snow promises a bountiful year, but that’s referring to moderate snow.

A heavy snow lasting more than ten days is a test of life and death for ordinary citizens.

But for the villagers of Linhu Village now, even if the snow continues for a few more days, they are not worried.

The land of Linhu Village hasn’t changed much, yet it is the number one village in all of Liang.

In just a few years, more than a dozen Viscera-Refining Martial Artists have emerged from Linhu Village, and this is still because there aren’t many young people in the village, otherwise, there would be even more.

The youths of Linhu Village are not lacking in Martial Path cultivation resources.

The Military Affairs Department of Liang has specially allocated Martial Path cultivation resources to Linhu Village, and every young person can receive the necessary pills before they can start practicing martial arts.

On the third day of this snowstorm, the Poyang County Government sent official martial artists to deliver food, blankets, charcoal, and other heating supplies, fearing that villagers might starve or freeze to death.

All villagers of Linhu Village know well who is responsible for their good days now.

At this moment, all the villagers looked towards the three-courtyard mansion at the foot of the hill behind the village.

...

Lin Mansion at Linhu.

The imposing name plaque is said to be written personally by His Majesty and delivered by the Tao Master of Jiangnan Dao.

Despite the heavy snow, not a single flake touched the courtyard, as the servants had already cleaned the entire mansion thoroughly. Thick wool carpets are laid in front of the doors, and servants wipe off the snow from their feet before entering to avoid wetting the interior.

Inside the house, the warm glow of the burning charcoal creates a spring-like warmth, contrasting starkly with the cold outside.

Someone knocked at the door.

”Second Master, you’ve arrived.”

The gatekeeper of the Lin Mansion, seeing Lin He at the entrance, hurriedly invited him in.

”Second Master, the head of the house is over at the main hall, let me take you there.”

The gatekeeper glanced at the middle-aged man standing behind Lin He, wrapped in a cotton-padded jacket, but from the exposed wrist, it was clear that the sleeve was too short — either borrowed or worn for many years.

”No need to lead me, I will go myself.”

Lin He shook his head. He had noticed the gatekeeper staring at the person behind him and introduced: ”This is my eldest brother, who is also your master’s elder brother.”

”The elder master?”

The gatekeeper was stunned; he wasn’t from Linhu Village, having joined the Lin Mansion three years ago.

He knew that his master had an elder brother, but he had never seen him, assuming he had passed away long ago.

Though he wasn’t from Linhu Village, he was from Poyang County and had heard of the Lin Family, the foremost family in Poyang, and knew their rise was due to the master’s son, Lin Chen.

Ten years ago, the Lin Family was just an ordinary family of fishermen.

In ordinary families, it’s not uncommon for children to die young or succumb to illness as they grow older.

Unexpectedly, the elder master was still alive.

What shocked him more was why the elder master was dressed so poorly, even worse than the servants.

He is, after all, the elder brother of the head of the house and the uncle of the young master.

Based on these titles alone, he should be an honored guest wherever he goes. Why does he seem so destitute?

Lin He didn’t say much to the gatekeeper, leading his elder brother straight to the main hall.

...

...

Poyang County, Zhao Family.

The house was festively decorated, filled with joy.

It was Zhao Jingchuan’s grand wedding day.

”Senior Brother Lin, I didn’t expect you’d find me.”

”Don’t overthink, I just happened to return for a while and coincidentally caught your wedding. I didn’t come specifically for this celebration, don’t mind me too much, today you’re the groom.”

”But...”

”No buts, Junior Brother Lu and others will keep me company, you don’t need to worry about me, today you’re the star of the show.”

Lin Chen smiled warmly; he hadn’t informed anyone of his return to Poyang County to avoid drawing too much attention.

Given his current status and position, if he openly appeared, it would cause a sensation in Poyang County and even Raozhou Prefecture. He didn’t want to make a big fuss; he came back only to quietly stay with his family for a few days.

”Junior Brother Zhao, Senior Brother Lin is right, today you are the groom, you’re in charge, but even though Senior Brother Lin is staying indoors, later we still have to go out.” Lu Yongfeng chuckled from the side.

”Exactly, we still need to tease the bride and groom.” Cheng Ying chimed in.

Senior Brother Lin’s status is too attention-grabbing. Though appearing in public would bring more attention to the Zhao Family, given Zhao Family’s current strength, it’s no longer necessary.

The four major families in Poyang County: Lin, Zhao, Lu, and Cheng.

Their relationship with the Lin Family is known to many dignitaries who remember they joined the Martial Arts Hall in the same batch as Lin Chen and maintained contact, a wise decision they made in their lifetime.

Otherwise, given their talents and family wealth, how could they possibly reach the eighth grade before thirty, all benefited from Lin Chen’s influence.

The elders of Liang are well aware that Senior Brother Lin is now venturing in the Flame Dynasty, with increasingly little time to visit Liang. Without old friends, he might decide to leave Liang altogether with his family.

Among their fellow disciples, those who had good relations with Lin Chen were his old friends, memories Lin Chen carried from Liang.

...

Half a two-hour later, the banquet reached the latter half, Lin Chen stood up to bid farewell to Lu Yongfeng and a few others.

Linhu Village entrance.

When they reached the boundary of Linhu Village, Lin Chen’s face changed instantly, and in the next moment, his figure transformed into a rainbow light, heading towards the Lin Mansion in the back mountain.

Lin Mansion backyard.

The dishes on the table were a mess, several figures lay sprawled on the ground, foam bubbling at the corners of their mouths.

Beside them, the servants and attendants of the Lin Mansion were fiercely glaring at the middle-aged man still sitting in the chair, ready to beat him to death with clubs at someone’s command.

”Lin Hai!”

A furious voice came from above the courtyard, the seated Lin Hai, feeling the anger of the newcomer, nevertheless showed a satisfied smile.

”My dear nephew, won’t you even call me uncle?”

”Second young master!”

”Second young master, you’re back, this man is treacherous, he actually poisoned the food, the master, madam, and young master...”

The housekeeper of the mansion was tearful, unable to believe that the eldest brother, welcomed back by the master three days ago, had come to kill the master’s family.

If not for the master, this person would probably not have survived this heavy snow.

Lin Chen’s eyes were burning with rage, staring fiercely at Lin Hai. He knew about his uncle’s return, he had hated his grandfather, hated Lin Ming even more, but he had no strong feelings towards his uncle, neither close nor distant.

His father, contemplating brotherhood, wanted to accept his uncle, and if it made his father happy, then so be it.

With the Lin Family’s current capacity, it could afford to support one person.

But he had not anticipated that his father’s kindness would be met by a vicious wolf.

”Lin Hai, my father has always treated you as an elder brother.”

”Your father indeed treated me as an elder brother, but he deserved to die, he caused our Lin Family to end, caused our Lin Family’s bloodline to be impure.”

Lin Hai stared at Lin Chen, without a hint of fear in his eyes.

”Lin Chen, outsiders all think you are the Lin Family’s prodigious child, bringing glory to the family. What happened back then was due to my father, your grandfather being senile, mistaking the prodigious child.”

”Isn’t that so?”

”No!”

Lin Hai’s eyes were filled with blood: ”You are not of the Lin Family, you have merely taken over Lin Chen’s body, you, who occupies the magpie’s nest, killed my father, killed my son. Do you think the world does not know your true nature?”

On hearing this, Lin Chen’s body trembled, how did Lin Hai know his greatest secret of soul transplanting?

”Lin He deserves to die, he actually accepted your outsider existence for current prosperity and wealth.”

”Your father deserves to die, he agreed to assist in killing you but did not plan to reveal your true origin. Still unwilling to part with current prosperity and wealth, he wants my father and son to bear the name of unfilial descendants. This kind of conduct is no different from betraying ancestors. As the eldest, I can only clean house for the Lin Family.”

”As for you Lin Chen...”

Lin Hai showed a sinister smile: ”I cannot kill you, as an Innate Martial Artist, my poison is ineffective against you. But after tonight, your secret will be publicly known; I have arranged for people in the county, even in Raozhou Prefecture to spread the news. Can you kill everyone in this courtyard and the entire Poyang County or even Raozhou Prefecture?”

”Once your secret is exposed, I want to see if in the face of those Innate Sixth Realm and even Myriad Phenomena Realm experts, you can still survive. These top experts might be really interested in your soul transplant and your original world.”

”You will only be able to flee everywhere, cannot return to the sect, dare not go to populated places like a street rat hiding in the dark. This is my revenge against you.”

Hearing Lin Hai’s words, Lin Chen felt cold all over. At that moment, the idea of killing everyone who knew about this was indeed growing stronger within him.

Kill everyone in the courtyard, then hasten to Poyang County, kill anyone privy to the information.

With his strength as an Innate Martial Artist Third Realm, annihilating a city was not difficult.

The entirety of Raozhou Prefecture, no, the entire Liang, no one could stop him.

In the courtyard, silence fell instantly, the servants and attendants turned pale, their breathing became rapid, while Lin Hai remained in his chair, mocking Lin Chen.

Lin Chen lowered his gaze, emanating palpable killing intent throughout his entire being. With a single thought, the courtyard would be devoid of any living soul.

”Indeed very real, but... an illusion is just an illusion, you did catch the secret deepest in my heart, yet your story has a flaw.”

Lin Chen lifted his gaze, his expression had already returned to calmness at this moment.

”Where’s the flaw?”

Lin Hai’s face lost its previous mocking smile, becoming urgently anxious.

”My father wouldn’t cooperate in killing me, I have that confidence.”

Upon saying so, Lin Chen lightly raised his right hand, a sliver of light shot into Lin Hai’s forehead.

Lin Hai’s expression was filled with unwillingness, but in the next moment, a flame emerged from his foot, instantly engulfing him.

The eerie blue flame appeared, not only incinerating Lin Hai but also materializing throughout the courtyard, warping and vanishing the flowers, trees, stone tables, railings, and all the servants and attendants.

The fire burned down the entirety of the Lin Family, burned down Linhu Village, and further spread to Poyang County, Raozhou Prefecture... and even the whole Liang.

”An illusion, manifesting half a Flame Dynasty, one Liang, fabricating my ten-year cultivation journey... truly meticulously contrived.”

...

...

Fire Cave.

Lin Chen still sat cross-legged in front of the Sealing Wall, at the moment wisps of eerie blue flames continually floated out, merging into his forehead.

At his Dantian, the Star Map, the eerie blue flames spread upwards like climbing vines...

PS: This doesn’t count, there are three more updates today, requesting monthly votes!