Chapter 28: The Poor Son, a Rarity of the World

That day!

Lin Chen trained until late at night, then rose again before dawn to resume cultivation.

【Clear Wind Palm: Not Yet Mastered +1】

【Clear Wind Palm: Not Yet Mastered +1】

He finally stopped when daylight came.

【Clear Wind Palm: Not Yet Mastered (16/100)】

Of these, ten points were gained between nightfall and dawn; six were gained during the day.

This is the aptitude boost effect of the 【Stay Dark All Night】 title.

“Mother, I’m going to the Martial Hall.”

After breakfast, Lin Chen did not continue practicing martial arts; he bid his mother farewell and headed to the town’s Martial Hall.

The Martial Hall was so deserted not a single figure could be seen—even the servants and laborers had left. Lin Chen headed straight for Master Yu’s courtyard.

The gate was open. As Lin Chen entered, Yu Yongnian was packing his belongings. Seeing Lin Chen, he set down what he held and scanned him up and down, then nodded: “Good. You’ve entered the Opening Meridians realm; your vital energy has begun to retract inward.”

Now, Lin Chen radiated vigor, yet no longer bore the flushed, glowing appearance he once had.

After opening the meridians, vital energy retracts inward and no longer lingers on the surface.

Lin Chen looked at his instructor and noticed he had changed too. His instructor had once been overly stoic, but today, vitality shone from him.

A thirty-year-old man undergoing such a dramatic change in spirit and appearance has only two possible reasons: promotion and wealth, or a second youth.

In this world, those reasons are cultivation realm advancement or a second youth.

In such a short time, his instructor’s realm likely hadn’t advanced—so it must be a second youth.

So his instructor and Inspector Shu…

Lin Chen’s mind burned with gossip. He asked curiously: “Instructor, are you leaving?”

“After the New Year, I will no longer teach at the Martial Hall. I’ve already resigned from my position at the Wuzheng Office.”

Yu Yongnian did not hide this news from Lin Chen; his decision not to continue teaching had been made yesterday.

He originally came to teach at the Martial Hall because he had lost all ambition in martial cultivation—he merely sought a quiet place to spend his remaining years.

His parents had passed away five years ago. He had a younger sister, but when his parents were raising money for his martial training, they had married her off early.

Because of this, his sister was distant from him. He visited her husband’s home several times, but both sister and brother-in-law treated him with reverence, not sibling affection. He eventually stopped visiting altogether, sending silver each year via the courier service.

Now, he was abandoning his post at the Martial Hall because of Sister Shu.

On this trip into the city, he got drunk with Sister Shu; they finally spoke openly, and the veil was lifted.

He had sensed her feelings for him over the years, but the gap in their social status made him feel inferior, so he pretended not to notice.

Now that he had confessed his heart to her, he would re-embark on the martial path and strive to enter the upcoming martial examination in two years.

Upon hearing his instructor would no longer teach at the Martial Hall, Lin Chen’s first thought was that his instructor had finally seen the light.

His instructor had finally seen the light—hard rice is no match for soft rice.

Following Inspector Shu, he no longer cared for the meager salary of an instructor.

“Disciple congratulates Instructor,” Lin Chen blinked and offered his congratulations.

Yu Yongnian, hearing Lin Chen’s words, was confused—why the joy?

“Tell me about your experiences at the Clear Wind and Still Water Martial Halls.”

He still felt something odd about Lin Chen’s gaze, and for once, Yu Yongnian felt awkward, abruptly changing the subject.

“I first went to the Clear Wind Martial Hall, received the Clear Wind Palm manual, then went to the Still Water Martial Hall…”

Lin Chen recounted every detail of his time at the halls, including how it took him half an hour to open his first meridian.

“Vice-Headmaster Kong told you not to speak of it?”

Now it was Yu Yongnian’s turn to look strange. He could vaguely guess what Vice-Headmaster Kong had in mind.

That day, after Lin Chen left, Sister Shu had told him she was furious at the martial halls for treating Lin Chen unfairly. But from the halls’ perspective, their choice made sense.

No one could prove Lin Chen had used only twenty taels to generate his vital energy.

Relying solely on the Martial Hall’s records and his own word would invite countless students to exploit this loophole afterward. He had realized this later, but at the time, his anger had blinded him to it.

“Since Vice-Headmaster Kong said so, don’t speak of it publicly.”

From the time it took Lin Chen to open his meridians, Vice-Headmaster Kong must have confirmed Lin Chen truly used only twenty taels. His silence suggests other intentions.

Whatever Vice-Headmaster Kong’s motives, they were no harm to Lin Chen.

“I’ll follow Instructor’s advice.”

Lin Chen hadn’t noticed the fleeting odd expression on Yu Yongnian’s face—he was stunned by the mention of “Vice-Headmaster Kong.”

That Master Kong was actually a vice-headmaster? He’d thought he was just an ordinary instructor.

If both Vice-Headmaster Kong and his instructor didn’t want him to speak of it, then word getting out must truly affect him.

Yu Yongnian nodded slightly, then stepped inside and retrieved a booklet.

“This contains my cultivation insights from the Opening Meridians realm. Take it home and read it.”

“Thank you, Instructor.”

Lin Chen took the booklet but didn’t open it immediately; he felt deep gratitude toward his instructor.

He was just an ordinary student at the Martial Hall, yet Master Yu had treated him better than anyone else.

If not for the persistent meme of “stabbing one’s adoptive father” in his mind, he would have told his instructor: “One day as teacher, forever as father.”

“Once you enter the Opening Meridians realm and begin studying true martial arts, contests will no longer be decided solely by realm. Each month, the martial halls hold combat trials focused on practical skill.”

“The only shortcut to opening meridians is spending money—you’re at a disadvantage here. In the early stages, focus your energy on mastering your art, using proficiency to compensate for your realm gap.”

Lin Chen listened intently; he knew his instructor was charting his martial path.

“Though realm dominates martial combat, technique is equally vital. The Eight Martial Halls have dozens of martial arts, yet each has only one famous technique. Do you know why?”

Lin Chen shook his head. In martial knowledge, he was at the bottom.

“Martial arts are classified as ranked or unranked. Unranked arts let you exert your full strength; ranked arts let you exert several times your current realm’s power. The signature techniques of the Eight Martial Halls are all ranked arts.”

As he spoke—

Yu Yongnian brought his right hand together into a palm and lightly struck the stone table.

Crack!

The stone table shattered, shards flying.

“This is Clear Wind Palm. When perfected, it multiplies your strength tenfold.”

Seeing Lin Chen’s stunned expression, Yu Yongnian smiled: “If you reach Minor Mastery in Clear Wind Palm, you can achieve this even at early Opening Meridians.”

“Instructor, how many stages does a ranked art have?” Lin Chen asked gravely.

“Proficient, Skilled, Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, Perfect.”

Lin Chen pondered—so his current “Not Yet Mastered” didn’t even count as the first stage.

“Instructor, how does one know which stage they’ve reached?”

This was Lin Chen’s new question. He had a panel to track his technique proficiency—but how did other cultivators know their stage without one?

“Each stage of a ranked art manifests distinct signs. For Clear Wind Palm: at Skilled, your palm strikes produce howling winds; at Minor Mastery, the wind can scatter sand and roll leaves; at Major Mastery, the wind becomes a gale capable of tearing through air and striking fear; at Perfect, it returns to simplicity—plain, yet holding boundless power.”

Yu Yongnian knew Clear Wind Palm intimately: “The other seven halls’ arts also show unique signs at Skilled stage. I’ve recorded them all in this booklet—you may consult them when you have time.”

“After reaching Proficient, your progress depends on your aptitude. Some students reach Skilled in half a year; others take a year or longer. You once mentioned ‘genius’ at the Martial Hall—there truly is such a thing as martial aptitude.”

Yu Yongnian recalled Lin Chen’s earlier boast about being a genius and smiled: “If you reach Skilled in Clear Wind Palm and then Master it within half a year, you may truly be called a martial genius.”

“I didn’t tell you this before because I feared you’d become overambitious, and aptitude is too abstract.”

“People choose arts; arts choose people. Some progress rapidly with Clear Wind Palm but stagnate with Mantis Fist—this depends greatly on their temperament.”

“Only a genius can master any art quickly—but I’ve never met such a person in Poyang County.”

Though harsh, Yu Yongnian had to say it: students from humble backgrounds must abandon all unrealistic fantasies and Jiaoxing .

“From Not Yet Mastered to Proficient in Clear Wind Palm, only diligent practice counts. Since you lack funds, you must compensate through technique. My requirement: before entering a martial hall, you must at least reach Not Yet Mastered.”

Practice. Practice more.

This was Yu Yongnian’s path for Lin Chen.

For the poor, this is the only way to cultivate.

“I understand Instructor’s meaning. I will practice Clear Wind Palm daily.”

Lin Chen nodded firmly; he understood his instructor’s logic.

“Good. The Martial Hall closes today. Leave early.”

Having given all his advice, Yu Yongnian made no further delay. He reached for the bundle on the table. Lin Chen stepped forward and took it first: “Instructor, let me see you to the stable.”

Seeing Lin Chen’s gesture, Yu Yongnian smiled and did not refuse his earnest offer.

…

…

The Stable.

Yu Yongnian selected a chestnut mare, mounted, and waved to Lin Chen: “Go home. If trouble arises, seek Inspector Shu at her residence.”

“I’ll remember.”

Hearing this, Yu Yongnian smiled faintly, said no more, and spurred his horse away with a flourish.

Only when his instructor’s figure vanished from sight did Lin Chen lower his gaze and open the booklet.

He froze as he flipped through it.

Tucked between the final pages was a silver note.

A twenty-tael silver note.

Observing your poverty yet steadfast will, your diligent and unwavering practice, you are truly a noble son of a humble family, a rare treasure of this world.

Let this gold be your vessel and oar; break through the waves of the martial path, dive deep to retrieve the pearl, and achieve the extraordinary.

He did not know whether it was the dust kicked up by the horse’s hooves entering his eyes, or something else—he felt a dry, stinging sensation in them.

(End of Chapter)