Chapter 196

The atmosphere was silent for a long time.

Ye Feng was very certain that the one who left their name on Mount Wudao this time was definitely Lin Chen!

Except for this guy, there was no one else!

Although it was somewhat incredible to break through another acupoint in such a short time, it wasn't that no one had ever done it.

Compared to leaving his name on Mount Wudao four times in a row, breaking through an acupoint in such a short time was nothing.

In the history of Daliang martial arts, there were many martial artists who, due to various opportunities, had rapid breakthroughs in realm in a short time. Although it was not common, when placed in the entire Daliang, there were several such cases every year.

Lucky people were actually not few when the base of martial artists was large enough.

But leaving a name on Mount Wudao could not be achieved by luck; that required solid strength.

"It's not necessarily Lin Chen. Besides, even if it is Lin Chen, it's not necessarily the case that I'm not his opponent."

Shen Ze, whose steps had stiffened, finally continued forward, saying words of comfort to himself in his heart. He had been cultivating at twenty-one acupoints for so long, and Lin Chen, by his calculation, should have just broken through to twenty-one acupoints.

He still had an advantage in this battle!

"I'm going!"

Shen Ze stepped onto Mount Wudao. For some reason, everyone looked at Shen Ze's back with a sense of tragedy, as if he wasn't climbing Mount Wudao but the guillotine.

Only Yue Lingxu, looking at Shen Ze now, had no mockery in his eyes, but rather anticipation.

Among everyone present, only he was most looking forward to Shen Ze successfully challenging Lin Chen. As long as Shen Ze defeated Lin Chen, it meant he would have a chance to defeat Shen Ze.

As for Lin Chen, he could only blame himself for being too arrogant, challenging and leaving his name on Mount Wudao as soon as he broke through.

Those who left their names could not challenge twice in the same realm.

Even if Lin Chen's strength improved in a few days, he couldn't continue to leave his name at twenty-one acupoints.

There was... there was no chance left.

Looking at Shen Ze flying down from Mount Wudao, the light of hope in Yue Lingxu's eyes instantly dimmed.

In less than three breaths, Shen Ze had fallen directly from Mount Wudao. He feared he hadn't even been able to take a single move from Lin Chen. He was stronger than Shen Ze, but only by a sliver; if he went up to challenge, the outcome would be the same.

The others present, except for Ye Feng, all had their mouths slightly open, with looks of disbelief.

They had thought that Lin Chen had left his name on Mount Wudao, and Shen Ze was very likely facing Lin Chen, but they hadn't expected Shen Ze to be defeated so quickly.

One move... he couldn't even take one move.

Was the gap really that large?

Ye Feng, the only one not surprised, saw the mouths of the few people present open wide enough to fit an egg, and he felt great.

Finally, he wasn't the only one who had been defeated by Lin Chen. Shen Ze and Yue Lingxu didn't have a chance either. As for the rest of them...

The result was the same; they all had to die!

"Ahem!"

Shen Ze stood up from the ground with a look of lingering fear on his face.

He had climbed the steps of Mount Wudao, then saw Lin Chen, then his eyes were filled with palm shadows, and then he flew out.

"He... he is very strong."

After a long while, Shen Ze looked at the others and said: "If you guys still want to leave your names on Mount Wudao, it's best to act quickly. Once Lin Chen's realm breaks through, there will be no more chances."

Shen Ze wasn't saying this to save face for himself. Everyone was at the Open-Acupuncture Stage and knew each other well. He also knew the strength of these few people. If they faced Lin Chen, the result would be no different from his own.

The expressions of the others also became serious. They had already decided to challenge Mount Wudao in a few days, spending these few days adjusting their state to the peak.

Leaving a name on Mount Wudao wasn't just for fame; more importantly, succeeding in leaving a name could earn rewards from Mount Wudao.

Rewards were what they wanted.

"You say, should we negotiate with Lin Chen and ask him to challenge more slowly?" A youth suddenly spoke up.

【Four-Star Martial Way Seal...】

Returning to reality, Lin Chen's expression was calm. Now, leaving his name on Mount Wudao could no longer make his emotions too excited. Perhaps only at twenty-four acupoints, when encountering that Senior Pei, could it stir his fighting spirit.

As for twenty-two and twenty-three acupoints, once the realm was reached, it was just a matter of lifting a finger.

Lin Chen didn't even intend to inform his teacher, but continued to cultivate.

What he was lacking now was the Wild Wind Leg. As long as he cultivated the Wild Wind Leg to perfection, his Qi and blood could grow a bit more. By then, reaching twenty-four acupoints, his True Blood would reach a terrifying five million.

One day later.

The commoners of the entire Poyang County suddenly discovered that in the span of one night, the streets of the county town were incredibly clean, and even those government runners had changed into brand-new official uniforms.

The students of the eight major martial halls had received notice from their instructors early on that no students were allowed to go out in the next few days; all were to stay in the martial halls to cultivate, and violators would be directly expelled from the martial hall.

"It seems that a big shot is coming to our Poyang County."

Some smart people had already sensed something.

"Brother Li is right. I was wondering why the Prefect of Raozhou Prefecture and the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo visited Poyang County several times in the past few days. It turns out they were making preparations in advance for a big shot."

"To be able to make the government office value it so much, could it be that a big shot from the Martial Way is coming?"

"Anyway, it must at least be someone in the top five of Jiangnan Dao."

The powerful people in Poyang County also stayed honestly at home these few days and no longer went to play in those brothels and theaters. Although Daliang law didn't forbid commoners from going to brothels, it would ultimately affect their reputation if it got out.

Poyang County City Gate.

At this moment, the city gate was wide open. The commoners entering the city today were also surprised to find that the city gate soldiers weren't urging them today. Seeing that they were walking slowly and the carriages and goods behind them were heavy, they even helped push them.

Hell has frozen over!

It wasn't that the city gate soldiers of Poyang County liked to make things difficult for commoners entering the city. If the attitude were gentle, in an hour, at most two hundred people could enter the city.

Sometimes, only a fierce look could make the commoners move quickly.

Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun were now waiting inside the city gate with the members of the two teams from the Poyang County government office and the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, in a stone room originally used for the gate soldiers to rest on rainy days.

"They're here!"

The person in charge of keeping watch gave a light call. Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun looked at each other, and both saw the excitement in each other's eyes.

Minister Kong of the Martial Administration Department visiting Poyang County in person was something they wouldn't have dared to think about in the past.

As early as five days ago, they received notice from the Prefecture government office and the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, only knowing that a big shot was coming to Poyang County. Both of them knew in their hearts that this big shot should be coming for Lin Chen.

It could be the Martial Administration Hall, and they had even thought it might be the Martial Administration Department, but they just didn't dare to think about Minister Kong.

The number one person in the Martial Administration Department, a First-Rank powerhouse of Daliang, would actually come to Poyang County in person for Lin Chen! It was truly incredible.

Not far from the city gate of Poyang County, a team was slowly approaching, but this team stopped when it was still a mile away from the city gate.

He Ruyun and Su Lingchuan looked at each other, and both walked toward the team.

"My lord, take us with you."

"That's right, we also want to see Minister Kong."

He Ruyun gave a huff and looked at the crowd behind him: "Get lost. Look at who they are—the Prefect and the Director. What are you guys joining in the fun for?"

Su Lingchuan looked back at the crowd under the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo system who were looking on eagerly, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Kong Kong Guanzhu Zeng, Kong Kong Guanzhu Tai, and Kong Kong Guanzhu Zhao, follow behind this official."

Since Minister Kong was coming for Lin Chen, then as Lin Chen was a student of these three martial halls, letting these three follow along to welcome Minister Kong was acceptable. Perhaps Minister Kong would ask these three about Lin Chen's situation at the martial hall.

Hearing Su Lingchuan's words, the others looked at Ceng Qingyao and the other two with envy.

Being able to have contact with Minister Kong, not to mention anything else, at least it could be considered fulfilling the dream of seeing a First-Rank powerhouse.

"Alas, if Lin Chen were still in the Breeze Martial Hall, this... this..."

The Kong Kong Guanzhu of the Breeze Martial Hall was very depressed. But after he finished speaking, the other hall masters beside him patted him on the shoulder: "Old Liang, don't be depressed. If Lin Chen were in the Breeze Martial Hall, could this position of Kong Kong Guanzhu fall to you?"

Kong Kong Guanzhu of Breeze Martial Hall:......

That makes a lot of sense; I have no words to refute.

A mile outside the city gate, Kong Qifeng was not riding in a carriage, so He Ruyun and the others saw the appearance of this First-Rank martial artist of Daliang at a glance, but the few of them just took one look and lowered their heads.

"He Ruyun of Poyang County..."

"Su Lingchuan of the Poyang County Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo..."

"Kong Kong Guanzhu of Jing Shui Martial Hall..."

Kong Qifeng listened to the five of them report their identities and nodded lightly: "I came this time to see Lin Chen. Since Lin Chen is in Linhu Village, I won't enter the city, so as not to disturb the normal operations of the commoners and merchants."

Hearing Minister Kong's words, the five of them naturally didn't dare to have any opinions. Just as they were about to walk silently to the back of the team, Kong Qifeng suddenly said: "Kong Kong Guanzhu Zeng, Lin Chen first entered the Jing Shui Martial Hall. I understand that your Jing Shui Martial Hall does not accept male students. Why did you make an exception to accept Lin Chen?"

When Kong Qifeng said this, the scene instantly fell silent. Ceng Qingyao, who was just about to walk back to the crowd, trembled. This question... the best answer was that the martial hall saw Lin Chen's potential and was willing to give Lin Chen a chance.

But facing Minister Kong, Ceng Qingyao didn't dare to lie and answered truthfully: "When the martial hall was willing to accept Lin Chen, it was Xiao Xiao Shimei Kong who made the decision. Firstly, it was because Xiao Xiao Shimei Shu had greeted us at the time, and secondly, it was because the martial hall had extra quotas for Acupuncture Pills."

"So, if it weren't for that Xiao Xiao Shimei Shu greeting us, Lin Chen might not have been able to get the Acupuncture Pill."

Kong Qifeng's voice was flat, but everyone present felt their breathing become heavy at this moment. Ceng Qingyao bit the bullet and answered: "It... it should be like that."

"My lord, it is this official's dereliction of duty."

Su Lingchuan spoke immediately, and Bu Wenbin, as the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, was also preparing to speak. Although he wasn't the Director of the Raozhou Prefecture Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo when Lin Chen entered the martial hall, officialdom was like this. Since he was now the Director, he had to have an attitude.

"Enough, I am not here to hold you accountable. You were also acting according to the rules; what fault do you have? If it weren't for your Jing Shui Martial Hall making an exception to give Lin Chen an Acupuncture Pill, our Daliang would have lost a martial arts genius."

Kong Qifeng sighed and said: "You not only have no fault but have merit. The fault is not yours; the fault is that our Daliang's resources are insufficient and cannot bless every youth."

Hearing this, everyone fell silent.

What Minister Kong said was the truth. Although Daliang was much better than when it was founded, it had only truly begun to rise in the last hundred years. The first hundred years were spent fighting against the forces left behind by various countries in Daliang, cutting off the hands they reached into Daliang. The next hundred years were spent fighting against demons. To say it was truly stable was only in the last hundred years.

"The wish made by the founding emperor that the people of our Daliang would all be like dragons still has a long way to go. I will encourage you all, hoping you will cultivate more martial arts youths for our Daliang."

Kong Qifeng bowed deeply. Ceng Qingyao and the others quickly returned the salute: "We will definitely strive for the wish of the founding emperor, sparing no effort..."

No matter what they thought in their hearts before, at this moment, the three of them were truly surging with emotion, thinking about cultivating more students for Daliang.

"By the way, have people from the Wu Yuan come?"

Kong Qifeng changed the subject. Su Lingchuan quickly said: "Reporting to my lord, people from four Martial Academies have already gone to Linhu Village, but now these Wu Yuan instructors are living in town. Lord Jia ordered to temporarily block Linhu Village, not allowing martial artists to enter, saying he wanted Lin Chen to cultivate in peace and break through to the Organ Cultivation Stage."

"Cultivate in peace? So I came at the wrong time?"

"My lord, you are naturally different. Lord Jia is already waiting for you in Linhu Village."

Su Lingchuan quickly explained. Other martial artists could be blocked, but this one... looking at the entire Daliang, how many people dared to block him?

"It seems that your Jiangnan Dao is going to imitate Pei Qingming back then, not intending to have contact with the Wu Yuan until reaching twenty-four acupoints."

Shao Jingshan, who was behind Kong Qifeng, said with a smile: "My lord, you are misunderstanding our Jiangnan Dao. Lin Chen might be comparable to Pei Qingming, but our Jiangnan Dao cannot compare to Zhixing Dao. Zhixing Dao has geniuses emerging in succession, but our Jiangnan Dao, this place of poor mountains and bad waters, is far behind."

For Shao Jingshan, since Minister Kong had come to Jiangnan Dao in person this time, he naturally had to fight for some benefits for the young martial artists of Jiangnan Dao.

"You don't know, in the past, martial artists who went out from our Jiangnan Dao were all said to have come from poor and remote places, and were all picked from the short ones... They also said that the Wu Yuan accepting students from our Jiangnan Dao was taking care of our Jiangnan Dao."

"But do they know that when the founding emperor laid out the strategy to slay demons, many demon clans hid in the mountains of our Jiangnan Dao? Thirty years of slaying demons, a million commoners of our Jiangnan Dao lost their lives, and hundreds of thousands of martial artists perished together with the demon clans. Every household hung white silk. If there were no sacrifice of the martial artists of Jiangnan Dao, where would the stability of other paths come from?"

Shao Jingshan became more and more indignant as he spoke. Because the demon clans were cunning, to prevent them from escaping, other paths only surrounded them without exterminating them, forcing the demon clans to flee into the mountains of Jiangnan Dao, and finally exterminating these demon clans completely in the Poyang waters and mountains of Jiangnan Dao.

"Minister Kong, say a fair word. Just based on this point, doesn't our Jiangnan Dao deserve preferential treatment? Those three Martial Academies are still okay; they are unwilling to offer high conditions to Lin Chen and even want to join forces to apply pressure. Do they really think our Jiangnan Dao can be kneaded by others?"

Shao Jingshan naturally knew about the three people from the Qingyun Wu Yuan joining forces to apply pressure to Lin Chen. It was just that with his status, it was impossible for him to lose his temper at these three recruitment instructors.

"Regarding this matter, the imperial court will give your Jiangnan Dao an explanation."

Kong Qifeng spoke. When Shao Jingshan heard this, a smile appeared on his face, and he continued: "My lord, you know me; I am used to being straightforward. I hope you will forgive me."

"Wait until the Vice Deans of these Martial Academies arrive, and then you can be straightforward with them."

Linhu Village.

Today, Lin Chen rarely didn't cultivate and followed his teacher to stand at the village entrance early.

"Have you remembered what the teacher told you?"

"Yu Yu Jiaoxi, don't worry, I've remembered it all in my stomach."

"You've remembered the words, but the teacher is afraid that when you face Minister Kong in a while, you won't be able to say them."

Jia Nanzhu stroked his beard and smiled. Shao Lin Shixiong had greeted him in advance. This time when Minister Kong came, he had to fight for some benefits for Jiangnan Dao. Shao Lin Shixiong would appear first, and Lin Chen would follow closely behind.

"This disciple isn't that timid."

Lin Chen gave a hehe smile. Isn't it just crying poor?

He was good at this in his past life. As for being nervous about seeing Minister Kong, Minister Kong wasn't coming to cause him trouble, so why be nervous?

(End of chapter)