Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

”Young Master Gu, the reason for not being so explicit is that it’s somewhat difficult to speak of.”

Qiao Shishuang forced a smile, but seeing Lin Chen’s determination, she had no choice but to say, ”Fine, to dispel Young Master Gu’s doubts, I will lay all my cards on the table.”

”I have a good relationship with the grandson of an elder from the Seven Stars Sect. Seven days ago, the two of us were traveling in the Fulong Domain when we encountered another martial artist. This person was also acquainted with the grandson of that elder from the Seven Stars Sect and informed us of a piece of news, that the Chu Family in Sanlian City harbors a secret—they know the location of a Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree.”

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After hearing Qiao Shishuang’s account, Lin Chen understood what was really going on.

It seemed that the grandson of that elder from the Seven Stars Sect held an affection for Qiao Shishuang, or perhaps had some kind of desire for her, and invited her to travel in the Fulong Domain. They happened to meet another martial artist, who revealed that the Chu Family in Sanlian City was hiding a treasure map—a map to the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree.

The Chu Family only had one Gang Transformation Realm expert of Innate First Realm, who was already over seventy years old. Upon investigation, the grandson of the elder from the Seven Stars Sect discovered that a hundred years ago, the Chu Family did not even have an innate martial artist. The current only innate martial artist fortuitously found a Dragon Blood Bodhi four decades ago, auctioned it off for martial resources, and thus had the opportunity to enter the Innate Realm.

Dragon Blood Bodhi is very precious, and it’s not that no one suspected whether the Chu Family had discovered a Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree. Some sects even personally visited, promising the Chu Family’s patriarch prosperity for several generations if they disclosed the whereabouts of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, allowing Chu Family members to join the sect.

However, the Chu Family patriarch openly stated that he found a single Dragon Blood Bodhi in the cave mansion of a powerful figure. He even led many sect experts to the site’s remains, where they confirmed that the cave mansion’s owner was a strong practitioner of the Innate Third Realm when alive, and only then did these sects put their suspicions to rest.

Even though those sects were no longer suspicious, several families had set their eyes on the Chu Family, observing them secretly for decades, including the martial artist who approached the grandson of the elder from the Seven Stars Sect.

According to what this martial artist said, his father always suspected that the Chu Family had truly discovered a Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree. Although the Chu Family had not obtained any more Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruits subsequently, it was discovered upon investigation that in recent years, members of the Chu Family have been disappearing one by one...

Unfortunately, this martial artist’s father couldn’t trace where these missing Chu Family members went, as he perished in combat with an enemy. However, the martial artist continued monitoring the Chu Family and recently discovered that those missing members went to a certain mountain range.

Hence, he concluded that the Chu Family had not made any moves in previous years because the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree’s bodhi fruits hadn’t matured, and they weren’t in a hurry. But recently, as the members of the Chu Family kept disappearing, it was because the Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruits were about to mature.

Typically, Dragon Blood Bodhi matures once every hundred years, but if the essence of heaven and earth where it grows is rich enough, the maturation process can accelerate. Once matured, if not harvested within ten years, the fruit will wither on the branches, and it will take another hundred years for the fruit to mature again.

”Although that person was sure that the Chu Family certainly knew the whereabouts of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, he alone could not seize the map from the Chu Family. On top of that, if word got out, many sects in the Fulong Domain would definitely be mobilized, and the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree wouldn’t be his for long.”

”According to what you are saying, why then would this person inform the grandson of the elder from the Seven Stars Sect? Aren’t they afraid that the Seven Stars Sect would find out? I’m convinced that the Seven Stars Sect would not be willing to share the Dragon Blood Bodhi with him, and to keep the Dragon Blood Bodhi a secret, the Seven Stars Sect might even kill him to close any loose ends.”

Lin Chen stared intently at Qiao Shishuang, thinking that such a treasure as the Dragon Blood Bodhi would certainly tempt the Fulong Sect, the dominant power of the Fulong Domain. If the Fulong Sect got wind of it, the Seven Stars Sect would not stand a chance.

”Because he knows Zhuo Huai won’t reveal this to the sect, nor even to his own grandfather.”

Qiao Shishuang paused for a moment and explained, ”Zhuo Huai is the grandson of that elder from the Seven Stars Sect. Among the many elders of the Seven Stars Sect, his grandfather is not particularly powerful. Should this be reported to the sect, Zhuo Huai would at most get one or two pieces of Dragon Blood Bodhi. If Zhuo Huai discloses it privately to his grandfather, he would certainly have to share it with his brothers, with whom he has deep grudges being half-siblings.”

There are countless examples of brothers being at odds in large families, and this is true even within the same bloodline, let alone half-brothers. Lin Chen understood the implication behind Qiao Shishuang’s words.

Zhuo Huai and his brothers already had conflicts, and he didn’t want his grandfather, after finding the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, to ultimately let those brothers benefit.

”Zhuo Huai believes that the Chu Family only has the Patriarch as an Innate First Realm practitioner. He and the other person could force the Chu Family Patriarch to hand over the map by threatening the lives of the Chu Family members. However, what I didn’t expect was that after obtaining the map, Zhuo Huai and his partner exterminated the entire Chu Family in order to keep the secret.”

Qiao Shishuang looked somewhat conflicted as she glanced at Lin Chen, ”The reason I didn’t explain earlier was out of fear that Young Master Gu would misunderstand, thinking I was a ruthless person. I have no connection to the extermination of the Chu Family.”

Lin Chen did not bother about whether Qiao Shishuang truly stayed uninvolved, but the fate of the Chu Family precisely exemplified the saying, ”A common man with a treasure becomes a target.”

The Chu Family Patriarch had too grandiose plans, wanting to monopolize the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree. Had they chosen to relinquish the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree to the Fulong Sect, the Fulong Sect would have surely offered them protection, possibly even granting them a few outer disciple spots.

With the power of the Fulong Sect, they need not kill to keep the secret of a single Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree.

”At that time, I was waiting for Zhuo Huai to return at a tavern in Sanlian City. Yet, when half a day passed without seeing him, I heard news around the city that the Chu Family was engulfed in a great fire, and all three hundred and seventy-four members perished in the blaze.”

”Only then did I realize that Zhuo Huai and his partner had indeed wiped out the Chu Family. The fire was set to destroy any traces. Upon learning of the Chu Family’s annihilation, I returned to the tavern. This time, Zhuo Huai finally showed up, but to my shock, he was severely injured. While returning from annihilating the Chu Family, he had been ambushed by his companion. Fortunately, thanks to a treasure left by his grandfather, Zhuo Huai managed to escape, but he was already at death’s door.”

”The Dragon Blood Bodhi I gave you, Young Master Gu, was brought back by Zhuo Huai. Besides the Dragon Blood Bodhi, he also had half of the map, but no sooner did he finish recounting the events than he took his last breath.”

Qiao Shishuang narrated in one breath and, not waiting for Lin Chen’s inquiry, voluntarily explained, ”I know Young Master Gu would wonder why I didn’t inform Zhuo Huai’s grandfather. First, Zhuo Huai’s grandfather might not believe what I say, and even if he did, there’s no saying he wouldn’t kill me to seal the secret of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree.”

”I come from an ordinary family, not part of any grand sect. The Seven Stars Sect killing me to silence witnesses wouldn’t concern them. Don’t be deceived by my status as an Innate Realm practitioner, but before the Seven Stars Sect, it means nothing.”

With a self-mocking expression on her face, Lin Chen looked deeply at Qiao Shishuang. While her worries seemed valid, more than that, it was likely her own covetousness for the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree that motivated her decision to conceal the truth.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t his concern. What he needed to decide now was whether to search for that Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree.

”I must first deliberate over this matter.”

”Young Master Gu must be quick. The one who killed Zhuo Huai will definitely try to find the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree immediately. If they find it first, all our efforts will be in vain.”

”I’ll give you my decision tomorrow.”

...

Lin Chen resided in the tavern’s backyard, holding the Dragon Blood Bodhi in his hand, and at this moment, the prompt [Racing Against Time] appeared once more on his panel.

[Absorbing the energy of the Dragon Blood Bodhi, three can raise your Qi Blood by one level. Considering the comprehensive state of the host’s Martial Path, the current Qi Blood level is relatively low and needs to be caught up quickly.]