Chapter 38: Class-A Student Benefits

The back courtyard of Jing Shui Martial Arts Hall.

Zeng Qingyao stroked the horizontal blade in her hand, silent.

“Big Sister, say something—can this be done or not?”

Kong Yinglei, watching her silent big sister, could no longer hold back; she had come to seek out the big sister after leaving the training ground, hoping to get Lin Chen admitted into the hall.

“If you won’t step forward, I’ll go to Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall myself.”

Zeng Qingyao’s gaze lifted from the blade in her hand. “How exactly do you plan to tell Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall?”

“I’ll say Lin Chen has chosen to join our Jing Shui Martial Arts Hall. What else is there to say?” Kong Yinglei frowned, confused. Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall didn’t care about Lin Chen at all—maybe they’d even be glad to be rid of him.

“Qi He is no great martial artist, but he’s sharp as a tack. Do you think he won’t refuse you outright? He’ll tell you Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall has high hopes for Lin Chen—that’s why they took him in despite having no openings.”

Kong Yinglei stared, incredulous. “Big Sister, really?”

“Why not?” Zeng Qingyao snorted. “Qi He is naturally suspicious. He won’t think you’re valuing talent—he’ll assume there’s some other motive.”

“Then explain the situation clearly to Qi He.”

Kong Yinglei was reluctant. At Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall, Lin Chen would never be valued—not even if he mastered Qing Feng Palm, let alone just reached proficiency.

Martial halls care more about realm advancement.

The Opening Meridian realm has twenty-four acupoints. The first ten each cost thirty to forty taels per month to open. But after ten, the difficulty spikes—and the financial burden on students becomes extreme.

Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall won’t give Lin Chen special treatment. But as deputy head of Jing Shui Martial Arts Hall, I can offer him some help within my authority—if he joins us.

Zeng Qingyao tapped her finger lightly against the blade’s edge. It rang out with a crisp “clang.”

“Have you ever considered this: can true diligence alone enable someone to reach proficiency in Qing Feng Palm in less than a month?”

Kong Yinglei froze at her big sister’s question. She had never truly thought about it.

“Jiang Qing reached proficiency in Water Cloud Palm so quickly because she was naturally attuned to it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended up joining our Jing Shui Martial Arts Hall. By that logic—is Lin Chen similarly attuned to Qing Feng Palm?”

Seeing her junior sister’s stunned silence, Zeng Qingyao knew she had grasped the crucial point.

Could true diligence alone bridge the gap from beginner to proficiency in just one month?

“So you mean Lin Chen is highly attuned to Qing Feng Palm—and thus better suited to stay at Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall?”

“Not my opinion. Is it true?”

Kong Yinglei pursed her lips. From her sister’s analysis, she had to admit: it likely was.

Martial arts speak of talent, but that’s too vague. A genius like this emerges once every decade or more. She didn’t believe Lin Chen was such a talent.

Students who outpace others in technique progress usually do so because they’re naturally attuned to that technique.

If Lin Chen trained Water Cloud Palm, even eight hours a day, he still wouldn’t reach proficiency.

“Let Lin Chen’s matter rest for now. Sister, since you value talent, giving him Class-A student status is enough. But the money must come from Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall—we can’t train their students for free.”

“Of course. If Qing Feng Martial Arts Hall gives nothing, where’s the fairness?” Kong Yinglei snapped.

…

…

The Martial Arts Library.

“Each Class-A student may purchase other resources at a fifty percent discount, but no more than fifty taels per month.”

Hearing this from Teacher Li, Lin Chen was stunned.

Class-A students received a fifty percent discount on all martial resources purchased from the hall!

Spending fifty taels on resources would cost only twenty-five.

The benefit was generous.

Too bad he couldn’t spare fifty taels.

The benefit was great—but useless to him.

His money was reserved for Zhi Qiao Dan—and those weren’t discounted.

“Teacher Li, are there rules governing how the fifty-tael allowance may be used?”

Knowing he couldn’t spend the full amount, Lin Chen had considered buying for others—but first he needed to know if the hall permitted it.

Teacher Li looked puzzled. She didn’t understand his meaning.

More accurately, she hadn’t thought of it—no Class-A student in history had ever asked this question.

Those with Class-A status never had enough to cover their own needs—why would they buy for others?

“No rules. But the discount begins next month. You can’t use it this month,” Teacher Li replied after a moment.

Today was the seventeenth of the first month. The hall always calculated benefits from the following month.

“Thank you, Teacher. I understand.”

So buying for others was allowed. Lin Chen had made his decision.

Seeing Lin Chen about to leave, Teacher Li spoke: “Aren’t you taking the Water Cloud Palm manual?”

Teacher Li knew some of Lin Chen’s situation. As the first male student, Deputy Head Kong had already told all the junior sisters about what happened at the Wuzheng Office.

If Lin Chen were just a nominal student, she wouldn’t mention the Water Cloud Palm manual. But since Deputy Head Kong had given him the hall’s disciple token, she likely intended for him to become a full disciple.

If so, Lin Chen could train Water Cloud Palm.

“I can train Water Cloud Palm?” Lin Chen was stunned.

“Take it. Return it within three months.”

Teacher Li smiled, pulling a manual from the cabinet below. Lin Chen glanced inside—the cabinet held a thick stack, all Water Cloud Palm manuals.

Having obtained the Water Cloud Palm manual, Lin Chen didn’t rush to use his fifty-tael allowance. He’d wait until month’s end.

The senior sisters with Class-A status probably hadn’t spent their full allowance yet. Even if he offered to buy for them, they’d haggle hard.

Only when their allowances were exhausted at the end of the month could he offer proxy purchases and maximize his profit.

After lunch at the hall, Lin Chen returned to his dormitory.

The morning had been wasted. The rest of the day couldn’t be.

Lin Chen picked up the Water Cloud Palm manual and flipped through it curiously.

Water Cloud Palm had few techniques—only seven—but each concealed thirty-two variations.

“First Technique: Clouds Rise, Dragon Soars. Focus the spirit, calm the breath. Like clouds ascending, light-footed as a dragon gliding through the air. Palms flow continuously, soft yet firm. When the enemy is strong and you are weak, yield and strike with the flow…”

“Second Technique: Water Circles the Rock. Body flows like water around stone. Fingers slightly curved, power channeled through the palm. Avoid the solid, strike the void. Agile, unpredictable—like water without form, the enemy cannot fathom.”

The annotations beside the illustrations left Lin Chen stunned.

Was this a martial technique?

He remembered the Qing Feng Palm manual—its entire text barely matched the annotation of Water Cloud Palm’s first technique.

No wonder Water Cloud Palm was called the most ornate—and hardest to perfect—of the Eight Great Martial Halls. Just reading the wording felt lavish, profoundly mysterious.

But Lin Chen didn’t rush to train Water Cloud Palm. His full focus remained on Qing Feng Palm—he aimed to reach mastery in the shortest time possible.

Teacher Yu’s training notes mentioned: reaching mastery in any technique aids realm advancement.

Mastering Qing Feng Palm would accelerate his blood circulation. With the same expenditure, his acupoint-opening speed would increase.

Other students didn’t take this path because reaching mastery was no easier than breaking through a realm. Better to focus on realm advancement and let technique proficiency progress gradually.

“Panel.”

【Name: Lin Chen】

【Occupation: Martial Artist】

【Realm: Opening Meridian (2/24)】

【Technique: Qing Feng Palm (Proficient: 4/100)】

【Destiny: [Water Flows Naturally]: In martial cultivation, ascend against the current, step by step, momentum unstoppable, cleaving through thorns and brambles.】

【Title: Black to the End】

Glancing at the panel, Lin Chen entered his grind mode.

Train by day. Train by night.

Train relentlessly!

Ten days later.

Lin Chen noticed many students gathered before the cafeteria’s notice board. Approaching, he saw a new announcement posted.

【Jiang Qing: Sixth Acupoint】

【Fu Jingya: Fifth Acupoint】

【Gu Qingqing: Fifth Acupoint】

…

Hall of Honor!

The board listed the latest realm breakthroughs of new students.

“Big Sister Jiang is incredible—she entered with only five acupoints, and now she’s opened a sixth in such a short time!”

“Big Sisters Fu and Gu also opened one more. They’re both amazing.”

“I’ve accumulated essence for three months and still haven’t opened an acupoint. When will I ever?”

“Sigh. These senior sisters have different goals than us.”

Hearing the junior sisters’ murmurs, Lin Chen tore his gaze from the board and walked silently back to his dorm.

Nothing to envy—his fortune lies ahead.

Today, add half an hour of training.

…

…

Twenty-seven days later!

【Technique: Clear Wind Palm (Proficient: 90/100)】

As Lin Chen delivered his palm strike, faint winds rustled through the courtyard.

Withdraw the palm!

Standing in the courtyard, Lin Chen wore a satisfied expression.

“I still have one Qi-Opening Pill left—sell off my fifty-silver-tael quota first to raise funds for next month’s Qi-Opening Pills.”

Lin Chen had considered who to sell the fifty-silver-tael quota to; the most suitable candidate was definitely Sister Jiang.

Anyone who opened five dantians upon entering the martial academy must be wealthy—her own fifty-silver-tael quota was surely insufficient.

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(End of chapter)