Chapter 176

Island!

Lin Chen and Jiang Qing walked leisurely.

"Lin Lin Shidi, oh no, I should call you Senior Lin Lin Shidi now."

Jiang Qing looked at Lin Chen with a smile. Lin Chen said shyly: "Senior sister, please still call me junior brother; I'm not used to hearing 'senior brother'."

"What's there to be unused to? In the martial world, stage comes first; whoever is stronger is the senior brother."

Hearing Jiang Jiang Shijie's words, Lin Chen couldn't help but mutter: "First call me sister, then call me sister, finally call me baby."

"Lin Lin Shidi, what did you say?"

"Nothing."

Lin Chen gave an awkward smile: "Once a senior sister, always a senior sister. Moreover, senior sister has always taken good care of me. The relationship between me and senior sister cannot be judged by the standards of ordinary martial artists."

"Then what kind of relationship is it?" Jiang Qing suddenly added.

Lin Chen was stunned. Before he could figure out what Jiang Jiang Shijie meant, Jiang Qing brushed a strand of fine hair from her forehead and continued: "Lin Lin Shidi doesn't know about the Martial Academies, so let me tell you."

Mentioning serious business, Lin Chen also became serious. He indeed had never heard of Martial Academies.

He only knew that every region had a Martial Administration Hall, and below that were Martial Administration Offices, then Martial Administration Stations, and further down were Martial Halls and Martial Halls.

Great Liang's martial training system only went up to the Wu Tang level; he really didn't know what was above that.

Some martial artists with potential, after staying in a martial hall for three years, could directly participate in the Great Liang Martial Exam if they were strong, while those who were a bit worse could catch up after waiting a few more years.

"Great Liang's Martial Administration Hall only has the Wu Tang level. Many martial artists don't know that there is a Wu Yuan above the Wu Tang. This is because Martial Academies are not open to ordinary students and do not belong to the Martial Administration Hall."

Jiang Qing knew that with Lin Chen's family background, it was impossible for him to know of the existence of Martial Academies, and the Wu Tang master, fearing Lin Chen would be distracted, probably wouldn't tell him either—or more accurately, some Wu Tang masters might not even know of the existence of Martial Academies.

"There are five Martial Academies within Great Liang, all established decades after the founding of Great Liang. These five major Martial Academies belong to different backgrounds and origins. The earliest Wu Yuan was the United Wu Yuan, created by several martial powerhouses at the time to provide better guidance to the martial youths of Great Liang. The instructors in the academy are at worst mid-rank martial artists, and there is no lack of high-rank martial artists."

Hearing Jiang Qing's words, Lin Chen's eyes narrowed. A Wu Yuan actually has high-rank instructors?

A high-rank martial artist, in the Great Liang imperial court, would be a high official of the third rank or above. Even the lowest third rank would be a regional leader in Jiangnan Dao, a true giant of one side.

"The United Wu Yuan cultivated many martial geniuses, but later, for some reason, it split into three, becoming three Martial Academies. After that, many more Martial Academies appeared, but most of them couldn't persist. Until now, Great Liang only has five Martial Academies."

Jiang Qing introduced the situation of the five major Martial Academies to Lin Chen in detail; these were all things she had learned from her father.

"Qingyun Wu Yuan, Kyoto Wu Yuan, and Lingxiao Wu Yuan were the three that split from the United Wu Yuan back then. Among them, Qingyun Wu Yuan and Kyoto Wu Yuan are both in the Great Liang capital. Except for the young martial geniuses of the capital, they recruit very few students from other regions; sometimes a region doesn't even have one quota in a year."

"Lingxiao Wu Yuan is located in Lingxiao City. Lingxiao City does not belong to any region; one city is equivalent to a region, and it is also the largest city in our Great Liang. Its area is even larger than the capital. If we talk about the strength of the five major Martial Academies, Lingxiao Academy is even above Qingyun Wu Yuan and Kyoto Wu Yuan."

"Then there is Canglan Wu Yuan, located in the East Sea region. Its strength is slightly inferior to the first three, but its martial cultivation system has unique features. Most importantly, this academy treats its students extremely well. If one's family background is slightly worse, Canglan Wu Yuan is the best choice."

Lin Chen nodded, indicating he understood.

"With the talent you have shown, Lin Lin Shidi, I think any of these four would recruit you. You can choose based on which one offers the best conditions."

"Senior sister, isn't it five major Martial Academies? That's only four; what about the last one?"

"The last Wu Yuan has a very special situation. It has extremely high requirements for students, recruits fewer students each year than Qingyun and Kyoto, and its cultivation resources are not as good as the other four."

Hearing this, Lin Chen was puzzled. If the resources aren't as good as the other four and the requirements are extremely high, what does this fifth Wu Yuan rely on to compete with the other four?

"Senior sister, can you tell me in detail about this fifth Wu Yuan?"

"The fifth Wu Yuan is called the Demon-Slaying Wu Yuan, located on the edge of the Northern Frontier. It was founded by the first-generation Marquis of Zhenbei. The only benefit of entering the Demon-Slaying Academy is that as long as you pass the academy's assessment, you will receive the rank of a hundred-flag commander in the army upon entering."

Seeing Lin Chen's curiosity, Jiang Qing told him about the situation of the Demon-Slaying Academy.

"But even with the rank of a hundred-flag commander, the salary is completely incomparable to the other four major academies. In terms of resources, the Demon-Slaying Academy is weaker than the other four, and the student mortality rate is extremely high. Often, only half of the students survive after a class graduates."

Lin Chen was stunned. High mortality rate, worst conditions and treatment, high requirements…… how did this Demon-Slaying Wu Yuan persist?

Setting his doubts aside for the moment, Lin Chen asked another question he was more concerned about: "Senior sister, since the major Martial Academies have no relationship with the Martial Administration Hall, I assume the imperial court doesn't provide support either. How do these academies operate, and what is the purpose of founding them?"

They can't just rely on the founders constantly donating resources, or on resources donated by generations of students who grew up later.

This kind of donation by others couldn't keep an academy running for over a hundred years.

"I don't know about this either."

Jiang Qing shook her head. She had asked her father, but her father didn't answer the question, only saying that one day, if she entered a Wu Yuan, she would understand.

"I am planning to go to Canglan Wu Yuan."

Lin Chen was stunned. Why was Jiang Jiang Shijie telling him this? Did she want him to choose Canglan Wu Yuan too?

But he didn't know much about the five major Martial Academies yet, and no instructors from the academies had approached him, so he couldn't give Jiang Jiang Shijie an answer now.

……

……

Lin Chen didn't stay on the island for long. Following Jiang Qing back to the instructors, Min Huanbo and Chen Ping and the other instructors took him away from the island and returned to their own special training grounds.

"Back?"

Seeing Lin Chen, Jia Nanzhu had a satisfied smile on his old face. Xu Li wanted to conduct a final test on the students; Xu Li couldn't hide it from him, not to mention that it involved Lin Chen. If he hadn't nodded, Xu Li wouldn't have dared to involve Lin Chen.

"Your performance in this test was very good. Although there are still three days left in this training, I have decided to take you back to the Martial Administration Hall early to meet Lord Shao."

"Disciple listens to the instructor."

Anyway, he had the Martial Dao Seal on him, so he could enter the Martial Dao Mountain whenever he wanted; he really didn't need to stay in the special training grounds.

"Don't be in a hurry; wait until tomorrow when the things arrive before leaving."

"Things?" Lin Chen was a bit puzzled. He didn't seem to have anything to take; he just had a few pieces of clothing on him.

Seeing Lin Chen's puzzled expression, Jia Nanzhu just smiled slightly and didn't explain. The things he spoke of were naturally the stakes added by Min Huanbo and the others for the competition.

Although he was originally the deputy director of the Martial Administration Hall, he had spent many resources over the years seeking breakthroughs in martial arts, so he didn't have much silver on him. This was the predicament of a martial artist with an ordinary family background like him.

Of course, his so-called ordinary family background was compared to those true powerful children and martial families; the Jia family was also a famous family in a county.

"Yu Yu Jiaoxi, have you heard of the five major Martial Academies?" Lin Chen suddenly asked.

"I naturally know about the five major Martial Academies."

Hearing Lin Chen mention the five major Martial Academies, Jia Nanzhu stroked his beard and smiled: "It seems someone has told you. That's right, with the martial potential you have shown, the five major Martial Academies will definitely send people to contact you. Is there a Wu Yuan you want to go to?"

"Disciple has indeed heard people mention the five major Martial Academies, but I don't know much about them, and I don't know which one is suitable for me."

Lin Chen asked Jia Nanzhu because he wanted to learn more about the five major Martial Academies from this Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia.

"The five major Martial Academies each have their own advantages, but for you, it mainly depends on what conditions the five major Martial Academies are willing to offer you. Don't be in a hurry…… right now, the people from the five major Martial Academies should be more anxious than you. After you have contact with them, I will analyze the pros and cons for you."

Jia Nanzhu rarely kept him in suspense. With Lin Chen's potential, he could enter any of the five major Martial Academies; now it just depended on what kind of conditions they would offer Lin Chen.

"Good."

Since Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia said so, Lin Chen didn't struggle with it anymore.

That night, he continued to cultivate with focus as usual.

…………

Early the next morning.

Lin Chen and Jia Nanzhu left the bamboo forest, and after the two left, someone moved the books in the bamboo house to an open space and burned them to ashes with a fire.

"It seems you are very satisfied with what the instructors gave you."

Along the way, the smile on Lin Chen's face didn't fade, and Jia Nanzhu couldn't help but tease him.

"Disciple is indeed very satisfied."

Lin Chen didn't hide it. Early this morning, Yu Yu Jiaoxi Min sent him two items, one of which was 10,000 taels of silver banknotes. According to Yu Yu Jiaoxi Min, they won some stakes from the opposing instructors in this competition, but some things could only be used by ranked martial artists, and he couldn't use them yet, so they converted them into cash for him according to market rates.

Besides the 10,000 taels of silver banknotes, there was also an inner armor: the Reverse Scale Armor.

This armor was woven from the scales of a certain demon and special silk; it was impervious to water and fire, and impenetrable by blades and spears. Even when facing the attacks of ranked martial artists, it could withstand a few waves.

This armor was extremely thin and light, and he felt almost nothing when wearing it, but it was strangely extremely heavy. This was why Lin Chen didn't ride a horse; it was too heavy, and ordinary horses couldn't bear this weight.

For Lin Chen, he had already cultivated the Mountain-Suppressing Manual to the second stage, and his physical defensive power was extremely strong, but having this extra Reverse Scale Armor was ultimately an extra means of saving his life. And the most critical thing was that while wearing this Reverse Scale Armor, his internal Qi and blood had to constantly circulate to resist the weight of the armor.

This was an autonomous circulation under the condition of the body bearing heavy pressure, not him deliberately mobilizing his Qi and blood, which meant that as long as he wore the Reverse Scale Armor, he was equivalent to cultivating.

Cultivating every moment!

This was the biggest surprise the Reverse Scale Armor brought him.

……

……

Hongdu Prefecture, the largest prefecture in Jiangnan Dao, and also the hub of Jiangnan Dao.

The regional government and the Martial Administration Hall were both established in Hongdu Prefecture.

Jia Nanzhu brought Lin Chen into the city and headed straight for the Martial Administration Hall.

At the gate of the Martial Administration Hall, the guarding soldiers saluted when they saw Jia Nanzhu, without any obstruction.

"It seems Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia's status in the Martial Administration Hall is even higher than I imagined."

Seeing the awe these soldiers had for Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia, Lin Chen also whispered in his heart. If Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia were just a relatively powerful instructor, he would absolutely not make these soldiers so awe-struck.

"First bathe and change in this courtyard; I will take you to see Lord Shao in a while."

After entering the Martial Administration Hall, Jia Nanzhu took Lin Chen to a courtyard. Originally, after leaving the special training grounds and taking a pleasure boat, one could reach Hongdu Prefecture in one day. But because Lin Chen was wearing the Reverse Scale Armor, in order to let Lin Chen adapt to it, Jia Nanzhu chose to travel by land, taking two days to reach Hongdu Prefecture.

The journey could be described as dusty, especially for Lin Chen; it was indeed equivalent to traveling with a heavy load.

There was a separate bathing room in the courtyard with hot water already prepared. Lin Chen bathed and washed up. Just as he came out of the bathroom, two maids carrying feather fans walked over.

"Young Lin Shi, we two have been ordered to come and groom Young Lin Shi's hair."

Groom his hair?

Lin Chen really hadn't thought about this. The main thing was that Great Liang didn't require commoners to keep long hair, and like him, a village boy, most kept short hair; long hair wasn't suitable for work.

But since he stepped into the Wu Tang, he hadn't cut his hair for over a year, and his hair was indeed quite long.

However, as a martial artist, one had a skill: when Qi and blood surged, one could make the scalp hot, letting the hair dry very quickly.

"Then I'll trouble you."

Thinking that Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia asked him to bathe in the courtyard, these two maids should also have been arranged by Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia for him. Lin Chen didn't decline and sat down on a chair, and the two women began to groom his messy hair.

"No need to be so troublesome, simple is fine."

A quarter of an hour later, seeing that the two women still hadn't finished, Lin Chen couldn't hold on anymore. Although it was indeed very comfortable when the young girls' fingers brushed across his scalp, pleasure makes people lazy……

"Young Lin Shi, Lord Jia has given instructions for us two to dress Young Lin Shi up properly."

The girl on the left said with a smile, but the movements of her hands accelerated a bit. Lin Chen's eyes twitched. Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia ordered to dress him up properly?

Lin Chen thought of a possibility and didn't say anything more.

Two quarters of an hour later, his hair was groomed, and the two women tied a ribbon for Lin Chen and changed him into brand-new clothes.

"Young Lin Shi, would you like to look in the mirror?"

The maid brought a bronze mirror. Lin Chen took a look. Good fellow…… sure enough, people rely on clothes; he indeed felt a bit more handsome than before.

His looks were only a bit worse than those of the readers who subscribed.

"Young Lin Shi, please follow us."

Dressed up, the two women led Lin Chen out of the courtyard, passed through several corridors, and finally appeared before a palace hall.

Below the steps of the great hall, soldiers were guarding, solemn and respectful.

When Lin Chen followed the two women to the bottom of the steps, the two women bowed gracefully to Lin Chen and then smiled and stepped aside.

"Lin Chen, disciple of the Jing Shui Wu Tang, Mountain-Suppressing Wu Tang, and Qing Feng Wu Tang of Poyang County, Raozhou Prefecture, has arrived!"

The middle-aged man standing at the very top of the steps saw Lin Chen's figure and smiled. The next moment, he shouted loudly. Lin Chen's eyes narrowed. It seemed he was right; Lord Shao of the Martial Administration Hall meeting him this time should be in an extremely formal setting.

"Enter!"

After a long while, a majestic voice came from inside the great hall.

"Lin Chen, go in."

The middle-aged man looked at Lin Chen with a smile. Lin Chen cupped his hands in a salute, then tidied the wrinkles on his clothes and strode up the steps.

Inside the great hall, there were at least ten people. Lin Chen saw Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia, and what shocked him was that Yu Yu Jiaoxi Jia was actually sitting in the front row, second only to the old man in the middle seat.

"Announce it."

Seeing Lin Chen enter, Shao Jingshan said indifferently. As his voice fell, a blue notice appeared in Jia Nanzhu's hand.

【Hereby, Lin Chen of Poyang County, Raozhou Prefecture, Jiangnan Dao, entered the He River Town Wu Tang in the 298th year of Great Liang……】

Jia Nanzhu read very slowly; it was all about Lin Chen's experiences after entering the Wu Tang.

First in the Wu Tang, first in the Wu Tang competition, first in the county competition, first in the special training grounds competition, leaving his name on the Martial Dao Mountain……

【After deliberation by the Martial Administration Hall, today we bestow upon Lin Chen the title of "Model Martial Student of Jiangnan Dao," to be announced throughout Jiangnan Dao……】

As Jia Nanzhu chanted, the gazes of the martial powerhouses present all fell on Lin Chen. Seeing Lin Chen's upright posture and calm demeanor, everyone had a look of satisfaction on their faces.

At such an age, facing such honor, being able to be so calm is truly rare.

They had originally thought the competition for the Model Student of Jiangnan Dao would be at the end of the year; they didn't expect that only three months had passed, and it was already settled.

"Lin Chen, why don't you thank Lord Shao?"

Jia Nanzhu finished reading and looked at Lin Chen with a smile. Lin Chen was about to salute to express his gratitude, but Shao Jingshan suddenly waved his hand: "Don't be in a hurry to thank me; this official still needs you to do one thing."

(End of chapter)