Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Created your own Cultivation Technique, and even fused it with the Canglan Technique?

In the courtyard, when Yin Yue finished listening to Lin Chen’s account, an expression of unprecedented shock appeared on her face for the first time.

”Is creating your own Cultivation Technique really that difficult?”

Lin Chen was a bit puzzled. Back when he was on Canglan Island, he had already created his own Cultivation Technique.

Celestial Derivation Myriad Phenomena Destruction Palm!

”Creating a Cultivation Technique isn’t what’s hard. What’s hard is that you were able to fuse the Canglan Technique, fuse the Inextinguishable Divine Face Technique. The Canglan Technique is your Canglan Sect’s Sect’s Ultimate Skill. If it could be fused like this, do you think throughout all the generations of geniuses in your Canglan Sect no one would have achieved it?”

Yin Yue rarely rolled her eyes in such a cute little way, then continued, ”That so-called Celestial Derivation Myriad Phenomena Destruction Palm of yours is just a self-deceiving name you came up with, but this Immortal Technique is actually somewhat fitting. Earlier when I observed your aura, at times it was like the blazing morning sun, at times like the setting sun at dusk, the two constantly alternating, like a flower—blooming, withering, then blooming again the following year...”

Lin Chen smiled faintly. To be able to shock and earn praise even from Yin Yue like this was truly rare.

”But don’t get happy too early. Since this is a Cultivation Technique you created yourself, it means you’ll still need to keep perfecting it later on, and on your future path of cultivation, there won’t be anyone who can guide you. You’ll have to feel your way forward on your own.”

The reason all those Super Sects can produce generation after generation of Disciples isn’t just because their Martial Path talent is strong and the sect has sufficient cultivation resources. Another key point is that each sect, based on their techniques’ characteristics, already has a mature training system.

Which Realm, what kind of Pill to take, what Cultivation Technique to practice, how much time and how many resources it will take to break through—these can all be estimated...

That way, those who come later can take far fewer detours.

For someone like Lin Chen who created his own Cultivation Technique, his later path on the Martial Path would have to be explored by himself.

As for the concern Yin Yue raised, Lin Chen actually didn’t care too much. Although a self-created Cultivation Technique had no prior experience to draw from, with the existence of ”Racing Against Time,” it would guide his cultivation direction.

”Being able to create my own Cultivation Technique this time is thanks to you for providing me with enough resources.”

”Do you know how many resources you burned through this month?”

”I don’t.”

Lin Chen shook his head. He had been immersed in that profound state and truly hadn’t paid attention to this. But for Yin Yue to bring it up on her own, the resources consumed must have been no small amount.

”A hundred thousand Innate Stones?” Lin Chen subconsciously guessed.

Yin Yue fell silent.

”A hundred and ten thousand?”

Still silent.

”A hundred and twenty thousand?”

”A hundred and thirty thousand?”

”Can you stop adding by ten thousand each time?”

Yin Yue couldn’t hold it in any longer and interrupted Lin Chen’s words.

”Two hundred thousand?”

”Three hundred thousand?”

”Four hundred thousand?”

”It can’t be five hundred thousand, right.”

By the end, Lin Chen’s voice had grown smaller, and his smile was a bit stiff.

”One million Innate Stones, and in addition, eleven pieces of my clan’s Moonlight Stones. If you don’t know what Moonlight Stones are, I can tell you this: a single Moonlight Stone auctioned outside wouldn’t go for less than a million Innate Stones. In one month you burned through over ten million Innate Stones in total, and that amount of Innate Stones would be enough to cultivate a hundred Innate Third Realm Martial Artists.”

Hiss!

Lin Chen sucked in a sharp breath. Over ten million Innate Stones... that number was something he wouldn’t even dare to imagine. If it hadn’t come from Yin Yue’s mouth—if someone else had said it—he wouldn’t have believed it at all.

In the Flame Dynasty, an Innate Third Realm Martial Artist on average only consumed around a hundred thousand Innate Stones. Of course, this didn’t mean that a hundred thousand Innate Stones could definitely ”pile up” an Innate Third Realm Martial Artist; rather, with the Martial Artist’s own Martial Path talent being sufficient, spending that many Innate Stones would allow them to step into the Innate Third Realm.

”Our Moon Soul Race has existed for so many years, and we’ve never had a single genius clansman who could be as extravagant as you.”

Listening to the faintly resentful tone in Yin Yue’s words, Lin Chen knew that this time he had really emptied out this little rich lady to the point she couldn’t bear it anymore. Otherwise, with Yin Yue’s temperament, she would never show such an expression.

”Th-thank you... so much.”

Lin Chen cupped his fists toward Yin Yue with solemn respect, then took the initiative to say, ”And don’t wait for that one-year agreement to be up. If there’s anything you need my help with, just say it directly.”

As for Yin Yue setting this one-year period for him, and choosing to follow him during this year, Lin Chen’s heart was crystal clear—most likely, after this year, Yin Yue would have something she needed his help with.

Originally, if Yin Yue didn’t bring it up, he wouldn’t have taken the initiative to speak. But now, after consuming so many of her resources, if he kept waiting for Yin Yue to open her mouth, Lin Chen himself would feel embarrassed.

”No rush. We’ll talk in another two months. But for these next few months, it’s best if you don’t return to the Canglan Sect.”

Yin Yue wasn’t surprised that Lin Chen could guess. After being around Lin Chen for this past half year, she had come to know him as well. This fellow might be young, but his mind was quite sharp.

”Alright.”

Lin Chen nodded and agreed. Although the sect was now at war with the Eight Desolates Sect, with or without one Innate Third Realm Martial Artist like him, the overall situation of the battle wouldn’t be greatly affected.

”While you were in seclusion breaking through, someone delivered a message to you.”

”Delivered a message to me?”

Lin Chen was a bit puzzled. He knew no one in Hundred Refinements City, and on top of that, he had changed his name. Who would be sending a message to him?

”The shopkeeper of Li’s Trading Company mentioned in the letter that the company is going to hold an auction... see for yourself.”

Yin Yue handed Lin Chen an invitation. Lin Chen didn’t bother to ask that stupid question of how that Shopkeeper Li had learned of his whereabouts.

Here, he was living in this courtyard under the name Xiao Yan. With the Li Family being the local snake, it wasn’t hard for them to track him down.

[Li’s Trading Company will, on the seventh day of next month, hold an auction at the Celestial Craft Pavilion. Now we specially present this silver letter as proof, to invite our honored guest to attend.]

[With brush in hand, mind racing, we respectfully await your noble presence.]

[Li’s Trading Company Hundred Refinements Branch, Shopkeeper Li Chongshan]

After reading the contents of the silver invitation in his hand, Lin Chen curved his lips in a faint smile. It seemed this Shopkeeper Li had truly set his sights on the stolen goods in his hands. If he attended the auction and took a fancy to some treasures but was short on money, wouldn’t he have to sell his treasures for Flame Coins?

Of course, it was also possible he was overthinking it, and this Shopkeeper Li simply felt that he had money, so he invited such a big customer to the auction.

”What a pity, the auction time has already passed. But since this Shopkeeper Li is thinking about it, it doesn’t hurt to sell him those things we looted.”

On Lotus Island, Lin Chen had looted many things. His own Hundred Objects Box couldn’t hold them all at the time, so he had specifically asked Yin Yue to help store some.

These treasures were already useless to him; trading them for Flame Coins was fine too.

Before the Myriad Phenomena Realm, in trades between Innate Martial Artists, Flame Coins still had their uses.

The next day.

Lin Chen left the courtyard with Yin Yue. He didn’t rush to Li’s Trading Company, but instead sought out a restaurant.

The two had barely taken their seats when, listening to the discussion of the Martial Artists outside, Lin Chen didn’t react much, but Yin Yue’s eyes showed a trace of perplexity and confusion.

”What’s wrong, the decree issued by the Flame Dynasty surprises you that much?”

At this moment, everyone in the entire restaurant was talking about the same topic.

The contents of the decree issued by the Flame Dynasty.

To be honest, when Lin Chen first heard these Martial Artists’ discussion, he was also a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected the Flame Dynasty to come up with something like a Heaven-Reaching Pagoda and a Heaven-Reaching List.

Ever since he learned that the Flame Dynasty also had a Martial Arts Mountain, he had curiously asked Senior Brother Gao at the time whether the Flame Dynasty had rankings like the Hidden Dragon List or the Innate List.

And Senior Brother Gao’s answer back then was: no!

Within the Flame Dynasty, apart from Martial Arts Mountain, there were no other ranking lists for Martial Artists.

But the fact that there hadn’t been one before didn’t mean there wouldn’t be one in the future.

Although somewhat surprised, Lin Chen didn’t find it unacceptable. Maybe the Royal Family of the Flame Dynasty had just gotten a whim to create a ranking.

However, Yin Yue’s expression was a little off.

Given Yin Yue’s usual behavior, she wasn’t the type whose emotions were easily shaken. For something to cause such a big reaction in her, there was only one reason: in Yin Yue’s eyes, the Flame Dynasty setting up this Heaven-Reaching Pagoda and Heaven-Reaching List was something hard to accept.

So, was there some hidden trick behind this?

Yin Yue didn’t answer Lin Chen. She lowered her head, deep in thought about something, and only after a long while did she raise her eyes to look at Lin Chen. ”If I told you that the truly most powerful authority in the Flame Dynasty right now is not the Royal Family, would you believe it?”

Hearing Yin Yue ask like this, a glint flashed in Lin Chen’s eyes. ”You’re saying that within the Flame Dynasty there exists a hidden power like your ancient Remnant Races, whose true strength surpasses even the Royal Family.”

”That’s not what I mean... In terms of strength, no one is stronger than the current Royal Family.”

Yin Yue shook her head, and seeing the doubt in Lin Chen’s eyes, she, for once, gave a helpless smile. ”Some of these secrets are actually known to the Supreme Elders of your Canglan Sect, but they cannot be revealed to the outside world, and I can’t tell you much either.”

Lin Chen rolled his eyes; he hated riddle-speakers the most.

”Miss Yin Yue, have you heard a saying from my hometown?”

”What saying?”

”All riddle-speakers deserve to die!”

Yin Yue: ...

”It’s not that I won’t tell you, but that it really isn’t time to reveal it yet. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, you’ll find out.”

The Royal Family releasing the Heaven-Reaching List had reminded Yin Yue of another matter.

The war between the Eight Desolates Sect and the Canglan Sect...

At first she hadn’t thought too much about it, only assuming that the two sects, as always, had accumulated enough blood feud and were going to wage another war.

But now it seemed there was very likely more to the war between the Eight Desolates Sect and the Canglan Sect.

”You already know about the Divine Seal now, and what I can tell you is this: the more chaotic the Flame Dynasty becomes, the faster the Royal Family’s Divine Seal will dissipate. The Royal Family releasing the Heaven-Reaching List is to prevent the Divine Seal’s dissipation. But... doing so will offend people.”

Lin Chen’s pupils abruptly shrank. From Yin Yue’s words, two meanings emerged.

Someone wanted the Flame Dynasty in chaos, in order to accelerate the Divine Seal’s dissipation.

And in Yin Yue’s view, the Royal Family wouldn’t stop this because they feared offending some existence—or several existences—but now the Royal Family had done it anyway, which was why Yin Yue was so shocked.

So, as the number one power in the Flame Dynasty and also its strongest, did they still have existences they couldn’t afford to offend?

And what had happened that made the Royal Family no longer afraid of offending these existences?