[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback":3,"chapter-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-553":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rising from Obscurity: My Martial Path Comeback",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2266388,4424,"Chapter 553: The Truth Behind the Shift in Battle Dynamics","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-553",553,"\u003Cp>Seven days later!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Canglan Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sect’s protective array fully manifested, its shimmering barrier enveloping the entire monastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Approaching the array’s boundary, Lin Chen activated the Canglan Scripture within his body and passed directly through the array’s shield into the sect’s territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are only two ways to enter the protective array: one is to activate the Canglan Scripture, which causes the array to recognize you as a Canglan Sect disciple and grant passage; the other is to possess a travel permit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Lin Chen entered the array smoothly, he soon stopped, for he sensed an approaching aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yulin stared at Lin Chen before him, frowning. Foundation Establishment fourth stage… such a cultivation level wasn’t insignificant in the sect—it placed him among the strongest stewards, just below the Elders, and many were even his fellow disciples from the same generation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this man, he had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder Zhao, it’s me, your disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen spoke, and slowly restored his true appearance; since he was already inside the sect, there was no need to conceal himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Chen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lin Chen’s true face, Zhao Yulin froze, his pupils contracting sharply in disbelief—clearly stunned by Lin Chen’s realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve entered Foundation Establishment fourth stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, barely at the peak of Foundation Establishment fourth stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yulin: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a silence of two breaths, Zhao Yulin spoke: “Come with me to the Grand Hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two figures, one following the other, transformed into streaks of light and shot straight toward the Canglan Grand Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, Lin Chen has returned!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he entered the Grand Hall, Zhao Yulin spoke directly. Inside, besides Canglan Sect’s Master Ji Cangtian, two other Elders were present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, all three pairs of eyes fixed on Lin Chen, who followed closely behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more they looked, the brighter their gazes became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good lad! You’ve reached Foundation Establishment fourth stage!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Zhifeng couldn’t help but step forward and slap Lin Chen on the shoulder—but as soon as his palm made contact, he felt something was wrong: a faint counterforce rebounded from Lin Chen’s shoulder, subtle yet unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a Foundation Establishment fifth stage cultivator; even if Lin Chen was at the peak of Foundation Establishment fourth stage, and even if he hadn’t used full strength, he shouldn’t have felt any rebound at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t Lin Chen resisting deliberately—it was an instinctive reaction of his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You kid... how the hell have you been cultivating?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Zhifeng asked, while Zhao Yulin beside him chuckled: “Looks like Brother Zhou is also stunned by Lin Chen’s cultivation speed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not just the speed,” Zhou Zhifeng shook his head. “Lin Chen, answer me honestly—how strong are you now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yulin, Ji Cangtian, and Elder Qiu all wondered why Zhou Zhifeng asked this way; Lin Chen was Foundation Establishment fourth stage, so his strength should naturally match that realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe I can fight a Foundation Establishment fifth stage cultivator,” Lin Chen replied honestly, rubbing his nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fight a Foundation Establishment fifth stage cultivator?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Hall fell silent for a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Qiu spoke gravely: “Lin Chen, are you certain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On my way back, I fought a Foundation Establishment fifth stage cultivator from the Bahuang Region. Elder Qu said the man was Xi Zeliang, an Elder of the Bahuang Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ji Cangtian and the others exchanged glances—they knew Xi Zeliang well. He had been promoted to Elder of the Bahuang Sect ten years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you were targeted by Xi Zeliang, and finally Elder Qu arrived to save you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Qiu offered his guess: Lin Chen had returned from the outer regions, encountered Xi Zeliang of the Bahuang Sect, fought him, and barely held on until Elder Qu arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder Qu did arrive—but he didn’t save me. Before he got there, I happened to kill Xi Zeliang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen’s word “happened” made the Grand Hall fall even quieter than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the high dais, Ji Cangtian’s aged eyes widened sharply: “Lin Chen, are you telling the truth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder Qu confirmed the man’s identity after he arrived. He knows this happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Lin Chen’s confirmation, Elder Qiu and the other two Elders stared at him as if he were a priceless treasure, as if trying to see through him inside and out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, footsteps approached outside the Grand Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>",731,"2026-06-19T20:25:58.850Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3dd406f340906bb02051ff1f0fc47b79212d5c52a0a55a906b70a134c17f662c","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-554","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-552",591,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-cover.jpg"]