Chapter 36: Giving the Newcomers a Lesson (Requesting Follows)

Butterfly Dance Training Ground.

The training ground used by veteran students of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.

Lin Chen and the other nine silently followed Kong Yinglei to this place.

On the training ground, there were about twenty female students.

Seeing Lin Chen and the others behind Kong Yinglei, these female students all showed gleeful, malicious expressions.

“Here they come—Vice Hallmaster Kong has brought the new students.”

“It’s the annual tradition again; I wonder how badly this batch of new students will be crushed.”

“If you’re interested, you can step up later—chances to humiliate these junior sisters don’t come often; miss this one and you might never get another.”

“Compared to humiliating junior sisters, I’d rather humiliate that junior brother.”

…

…

The senior students on the training ground willingly cleared the central area; many wore eager, anticipatory expressions.

The long-standing tradition of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall: each year, the newly opened-acupoint students are brought by their instructors to face off against veteran students.

The purpose is simple: to crush the arrogance of the new students.

Martial cultivation may have sharpness, may have pride, but must never have arrogance.

Kong Yinglei looked at these eager veteran students and understood perfectly—they were mostly last year’s entrants who hadn’t opened acupoints, not among the top tier.

The top tier, after a year of cultivation, had at least opened nine acupoints; they were unsuitable for tempering new students’ arrogance.

Only battles at the same level could have an effect; otherwise, these new students would remain resentful.

These veteran students came from relatively decent families, but still fell far short of the top few students; having been suppressed by them all year, they harbored a deep resentment.

That resentment couldn’t be reclaimed from their own cohort, so they directed it toward the next batch of junior sisters.

“On the path of martial cultivation, realm matters greatly, but combat victory cannot be decided by realm alone; otherwise, martial halls wouldn’t need matches—just report each student’s realm and rank them accordingly.”

Kong Yinglei looked at Lin Chen and the others, speaking slowly: “I’ve brought you here to show you that even among warriors of the same realm, there are strong and weak; with mastery of martial arts, defeating a higher-acupoint opponent is not impossible!”

“These are your senior sisters. You may announce your current realm, and a sister of the same level will face you.”

Hearing Kong Yinglei’s words, except Jiang Qing, who remained expressionless, Fu Jingya and the others all lit up with eagerness—they believed they could still win even against veteran students.

“Who’s first?”

“Hallmaster Kong, I’ll go first!”

Fu Jingya stepped forward first, facing the senior sisters: “Fu Jingya, opened four acupoints. I seek your guidance, senior sisters.”

“Did you hear that? The junior sister volunteered—so who’s stepping up?”

“Let me handle it.”

One senior sister stepped forward, smiling at Fu Jingya: “Since the junior sister seeks instruction, let this senior sister give it a try.”

“Fang Mei.”

“Senior Sister Fang, please guide me!”

Fu Jingya bowed; Fang Mei returned the bow.

After the bow, Fu Jingya struck first. Though confident, she wouldn’t wait for Fang Mei to attack—after all, Fang Mei had trained Water Cloud Palm a full year longer.

Fu Jingya launched her palm strike; her Water Cloud Palm had been practiced for three months and was nearing mastery—her posture light, her steps agile, her techniques rapidly shifting.

In contrast, Fang Mei’s palm strikes were slow, yet each one perfectly shattered Fu Jingya’s offense, forcing Fu Jingya to retract and defend.

“The mastery gap in the martial art is too great—Fu Sister will lose.”

Though only a few exchanges had passed, Lin Chen had already judged: Fu Jingya’s swift, nimble moves were all within Fang Sister’s calculations.

Plainly put, Fu Sister was being led by the nose—how soon she fell depended only on when Fang Sister chose to end the fight.

Ten moves!

On the tenth move, Fang Mei changed her technique, delivering a series of palm strikes like endless waves—Fu Jingya’s face instantly darkened; she could only frantically block, yet after three more moves, she was defeated!

“Junior Sister Fu, you’ve been generous.”

Fang Mei withdrew her palm from Fu Jingya’s chest, smiling.

“Thank you, Senior Sister, for holding back.”

Fu Jingya knew well—Fang Sister had held back; otherwise, she wouldn’t have lasted this long.

For the first ten moves, Fang Sister hadn’t even attacked—she’d merely defended, leaving Fu Jingya helpless, unable to find any opening. Once Fang Sister truly struck, Fu Jingya had no defense at all.

Both were at the fourth acupoint—Fu Jingya now understood what Hallmaster Kong meant about the gap in martial arts mastery.

Gu Qingqing and the others onlookers had lost their earlier ease; their faces grew grim. Fu Jingya was among the top three of them—and she’d lost so quickly.

“Next!”

Kong Yinglei’s face remained expressionless as she spoke again.

This time, the new students fell silent.

“I’ll seek guidance from a senior sister.”

A clear voice rang out—no one expected Jiang Qing to step forward now.

“Jiang Qing, opened five acupoints!”

As Jiang Qing announced her realm, the senior sisters exchanged glances—entering the hall already at five acupoints, this was the prodigy junior sister everyone had been talking about yesterday.

Her martial realm on her first day surpassed theirs.

Such a student came from an extraordinary family—likely guided by martial experts; better not challenge her unless certain.

There was a brief silence on the training ground; after a moment, one senior sister stepped forward.

“Opened five acupoints—Yuan Yao.”

“Senior Sister Yuan, please guide me!”

Jiang Qing wore no arrogance, only a sweet smile.

“Junior Sister Jiang, please!”

Facing this junior sister who had broken the hall’s twenty-year record, Yuan Yao dared not underestimate her—she focused entirely.

“Senior Sister, forgive me!”

As Jiang Qing spoke, she moved—her figure flashed forward like lightning, striking with a palm that carried a faint whisper of water waves.

Yuan Yao’s expression hardened; she countered with a palm strike of her own.

Slap!

Their palms collided—Yuan Yao staggered back half a step.

This sight stunned everyone present, especially the veteran students, who couldn’t believe it.

Yuan Sister had reached mastery in Water Cloud Palm three months ago—yet she was already at a disadvantage? Could this junior sister Jiang be so skilled in Water Cloud Palm?

“Junior Sister Jiang has opened five acupoints—she must have trained Water Cloud Palm at least four months earlier than us. It’s not surprising prodigies reach this level; didn’t a few senior sisters in our cohort do the same?”

Another senior sister comforted those around her; the others reconsidered, feeling slightly better.

True—four months to master Water Cloud Palm was possible each cohort; weren’t the top few senior sisters in their own cohort the same?

Kong Yinglei observed every expression in the crowd. She had no intention of revealing the truth—it was too cruel.

Jiang Qing had only begun training Water Cloud Palm at year’s end—less than a month ago—and had been personally taught by the senior sister during her trip to Fucheng.

Less than a month to reach mastery in Water Cloud Palm—this talent…

Kong Yinglei now understood why Jiang Qing had come to Jingshui Martial Arts Hall—she’d come specifically for Water Cloud Palm; her affinity with it was likely extremely high.

On the field, though the battle hadn’t ended, everyone knew the outcome—just as with Fu Jingya.

In Water Cloud Palm technique, Yuan Yao held no advantage; in pure realm, Jiang Qing was firmly superior.

Even among those who opened five acupoints, there were differences.

Under Jiang Qing’s relentless Water Cloud Palm assault, Yuan Yao retreated step by step—defeat was certain!

“Senior Sister Yuan, I thank you.”

Jiang Qing tapped Yuan Yao’s arm and immediately withdrew her palm. Yuan Yao’s face flickered with resentment, then softened.

In student duels, no one struck to kill. To be struck by Junior Sister Jiang was already defeat.

“Junior Sister Jiang is a natural genius. Our hall is fortunate to have a student like you,” Yuan Yao praised, then returned to the veteran students.

With Jiang Qing’s victory, Gu Qingqing, Li Xue, and the others regained confidence.

But the reality that followed delivered them a cruel blow.

All lost—and badly.

Perhaps because Jiang Qing had defeated Yuan Yao, the senior students felt humiliated; in the following duels, they no longer held back—each new student fell within ten moves.

The worst lost in just three.

Lin Chen watched as Xiao Sister, who had also opened only two acupoints, was defeated in three moves—her face pale as death, her whole body as if soulless.

A flower grown in a greenhouse was too fragile.

Lin Chen subtly shook his head—this Xiao Sister had likely cultivated essence earlier than he had, but from her duel, it was clear she still struggled with Water Cloud Palm, hadn’t even fully entered the beginner stage.

Clearly, having cultivated essence, she’d grown complacent; during the months before and after the new year, she’d neglected martial training.

Kong Yinglei saw she’d achieved her goal. She prepared to speak her prepared words, but caught Lin Chen’s subtle movement—her thoughts shifted. “Our junior brother Lin Chen has only just opened two acupoints. Which of you senior sisters would like to instruct him?”

Originally, Kong Yinglei hadn’t planned to have Lin Chen join the duels—he was from Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall and didn’t train Water Cloud Palm—but now she changed her mind.

Lin Chen was stunned—he hadn’t expected Vice Hallmaster Kong to call on him; he’d been watching the duels as a mere observer.

Though he didn’t train Water Cloud Palm, palm techniques shared common principles; observing these senior sisters’ duels had helped his own cultivation of Qingfeng Palm.

But since Hallmaster Kong had called him out, Lin Chen didn’t refuse—he stepped from the crowd and bowed to the senior sisters. “Junior brother Lin Chen, I seek your guidance.”

Swish!

The female senior sisters on the scene grew excited upon hearing this—defeating the junior sisters was certainly an achievement, but nothing compared to sparring with a junior brother, especially since they could even get a few playful pats in.

Yet two apertures were far too low; most of those present this time had reached three or four apertures. To still be at two apertures after a year in the martial academy was essentially to have abandoned the martial path—many no longer even came to the academy.

After a long pause, one senior sister finally stepped forward from among the previous cohort of students.

“Junior brother, I’m Zhai Xiaolu—I’ve already entered the second aperture for two months, so don’t say I’m bullying you.” Zhai Xiaolu smiled sweetly, revealing two dimples.

“I’m grateful beyond words if Senior Sister Zhai is willing to guide me.”

“Then, Junior Lin, please.”

Lin Chen and his opponent exchanged formal bows, then wasted no time—he struck first.

As he launched his first palm strike, Kong Yinglei’s eyes sharpened, filled with surprise.

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(End of Chapter)