Chapter 68: I Truly Believe This Person

I’m numb!

On the arena, Fu Ang felt his entire heart turn cold.

I only wanted to regain my dignity, not truly challenge you.

He never wanted to experience that knife-cutting-flesh pain again.

Lin Chen couldn’t see Fu Ang’s facial expression or know his inner thoughts—he only sensed confusion in the other’s gaze.

An illusion?

Or was it deliberate deception?

Lin Chen stayed alert. The last time Fu Ang lost to him, he should’ve known Lin Chen’s Clear Wind Palm was already near mastery—yet he still dared to challenge him again. Unless his realm had broken through, his cultivation technique must have improved too.

Both Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm can counter after the opponent strikes, and Iron Bone Technique is brutally aggressive—letting the other strike first posed no risk.

Iron Bone Technique lacks a frenzied rhythm, so Lin Chen wasn’t afraid that the opponent’s first strike would trap him in its tempo.

Lin Chen didn’t move, and Fu Ang didn’t want to move either.

On the arena, both stood motionless.

But the spectators below the arena weren’t having it.

Are you two here to perform standing post training?

Showing off how solid your horse stance is?

“Has Senior Lin fought Fu Ang before?”

Lu Yongfeng had just returned to Zhao Jingchuan and Cheng Ying’s side, watching the two motionless figures on the arena, and asked curiously.

“We didn’t know Senior Lin had ever defeated Fu Ang, but just before Fu Ang issued his challenge, Senior Lin said Fu Ang’s strength isn’t below his own.”

Zhao Jingchuan repeated Lin Chen’s words.

“Disciples from Zhenyue Martial Hall are tough to handle. Fu Ang’s Iron Bone Technique is said to be at the proficient level—this battle, it’s really uncertain whether Senior Lin will win,” Lu Yongfeng said, worry in his eyes.

“I still believe Senior Lin will win,” Zhao Jingchuan said firmly. For some reason, since the Martial Hall, he’d had unwavering confidence in Senior Lin.

On the arena.

Fu Ang looked at Lin Chen and asked in a low voice: “Are you a senior student or a new recruit?”

Lin Chen paused briefly: “New recruit.”

After answering honestly, Lin Chen noticed Fu Ang’s gaze changed—no more confusion, replaced by battle intent.

“Then let’s begin.”

With the answer, Fu Ang’s lingering fear vanished.

He did fear the pain of knives cutting flesh—but that fear only held when the opponent was a senior student.

As a new recruit, fighting a senior didn’t carry that self-punishing psychology.

But if the opponent was a new recruit, he was a rival—if he shrank from competition out of fear of pain, what was the point of training martial arts?

Lin Chen sensed the opponent’s battle intent and no longer hesitated. Since the other wouldn’t strike first, he’d strike first himself.

Swish!

Lin Chen stepped forward, leaving a lingering afterimage where he stood. In an instant, he reached Fu Ang’s side and slammed his right palm forward—the air around it hissed as if sliced by blades.

Fu Ang’s eyelid twitched. He didn’t try to block with his arms. His bulky body executed a nimble turn, stomped hard on the arena, making the entire platform tremble.

Using the recoil from his foot, Fu Ang surged forward like a moving mountain, wrapped in powerful wind.

Unlike last time, this time Fu Ang charged with his back.

Iron Bone Technique’s hardest point is the back.

Fu Ang moved fast—but to Lin Chen, it meant nothing.

Facing this charge, Lin Chen could’ve dodged—but in that split second, he decided to meet it head-on.

He wanted to test just how strong Iron Bone Technique’s defense truly was.

Seeing Lin Chen choose to absorb the blow, several masked martial artists below the arena sneered.

What a conceited fool!

At the proficient level, Iron Bone Technique’s back is so hard that only if you’ve opened two more acupoints can you break through its defense—even Iron Blood Martial Hall’s Iron Crash Fist can’t manage it.

Clear Wind Palm struck Fu Ang’s back—with a loud bang like metal clashing. Fu Ang’s body jolted, but his face lit up with triumph.

Blocked it!

Feeling the recoil through his palm, Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. Iron Bone Technique’s defense was indeed astonishing—but it wasn’t enough!

Bang!

Lin Chen struck again—this time, his Clear Wind Palm was even stronger.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three palms in succession!

The crowd below fell utterly silent.

Everyone watched as Fu Ang, who had just moments ago arched his back high, now bent it lower and lower.

Several martial artists stared at Lin Chen’s palm with stunned expressions.

Hiss!

As the target, Fu Ang grimaced beneath his mask.

Pain!

So much pain!

The first palm was bearable—but that second one nearly knocked him flat.

Has this guy grown stronger since last time?

But this time, Fu Ang refused to surrender. Now that he knew his opponent was a new recruit, as long as he hadn’t fallen, he wouldn’t yield—or flee the arena.

Bang!

Fu Ang fell.

After Lin Chen’s fourth Clear Wind Palm landed, he lay completely prostrate on the arena.

The scene fell utterly still.

Countless hot gazes fixed on Lin Chen—shock, wariness, disbelief…

“This… this is what Senior Lin meant when he said the opponent’s strength isn’t below his own?”

Cheng Ying’s mouth hung slightly open as he recalled the tone Lin Chen had used when saying those words.

Was Senior Lin serious?

“Clear Wind Palm near mastery, five acupoints opened—looks like the instructor’s intel was wrong.”

“Someone from Clear Wind Martial Hall has been hiding their strength. Now that the tournament’s approaching, they’re no longer holding back?”

Below the arena, many students aiming for a top-eight ranking in the Eight Martial Halls competition grew solemn, whispering among themselves.

They’d need to reassess the strength of students from all martial halls.

Clear Wind Martial Hall had hidden talent—others probably did too. And deep down, they all knew their own halls had hidden strength as well.

Fortunately, this guy was only at five acupoints—his realm was still low, not truly worrying.

“Your courtesy.”

Lin Chen descended from the arena. Lu Yongfeng whispered to Zhao Jingchuan and Cheng Ying: “Don’t approach Senior Lin yet. You two aren’t wearing masks—you might expose his identity. I’ve noticed many eyes fixed on him right now.”

Lu Yongfeng scanned the crowd. Senior Lin had used Clear Wind Palm—until his identity was revealed, everyone would assume he was just a Clear Wind Martial Hall disciple. That advantage would help him later in the tournament—opponents might underestimate him.

Fu Ang rose from the arena, cast one long look at Lin Chen’s retreating back, then leapt down and walked straight toward the academy gate, not pausing once. No one dared stop or mock him at this moment.

Lin Chen descended from the arena and saw Lu Yongfeng and the other three heading toward the gate. His eyes flickered with confusion—but then he guessed their intent.

They weren’t contacting him to avoid exposing his identity.

Lu Yongfeng and the others were all from Kehetown. If Lin Chen stood with them, someone determined to investigate could easily deduce his identity.

Lin Chen felt the wary, speculative gazes of the martial artists around him—but he didn’t care. He followed right after Fu Ang and left the arena.

When Lin Chen entered the courtyard of Zhao Jingchuan’s relative, he saw Lu Yongfeng and the other three already there.

“Senior Lin, you’re being overly modest.”

Cheng Ying shook his head the moment Lin Chen entered: “When you first stepped onto the arena against Fu Ang, we were all worried sick for you.”

Modest?

Lin Chen explained: “I’m not being modest—I truly believe Fu Ang’s strength isn’t below mine. Maybe he was hiding his true power too.”

Defeating Fu Ang hadn’t made Lin Chen proud.

Upon hearing Lin Chen’s words, Lu Yongfeng’s pupils shrank sharply; he had just felt a quiet sense of pride after defeating a Mantis Martial Hall disciple, but now he instantly became sober.

Senior Lin was right. Winning on the arena doesn’t prove anything. Maybe the opponent didn’t go all out, and just lost because he underestimated.

Zhao Jingchuan smiled faintly—he still thought Senior Lin was too modest.

“Senior Lin, you’ve opened five acupoints now. Your chances of making the top ten in this tournament are very high.”

“Hard to say. Fu Ang is the second-ranked new recruit in Zhenyue Martial Hall—there’s someone above him. And every other martial hall must have their own top students. That alone removes eight spots.”

Hearing Lin Chen’s answer, Lu Yongfeng and the other three fell silent. It was true.

Every martial hall’s top-ranked student this year was extremely strong—already at seven acupoints opened, with high mastery of their techniques.

There were also many students at six acupoints. With thirteen days left, some might break into seven.

After a moment, Lu Yongfeng looked up: “If Senior Lin can reach six acupoints, the top ten should be secure.”

“Yes—if you reach six acupoints, you’re definitely safe. If you need money, I can still spare some.”

Zhao Jingchuan nodded earnestly, looking at Lin Chen: “Senior Lin, besides Zhiqiao Pills, you should buy some rare bird meat.”

“I have enough silver for now,” Lin Chen waved off, seriously: “The martial hall just gave me a sum of silver.”

“Wouldn’t it be against the rules for the martial arts hall to give silver to Senior Brother Lin?”

Cheng Ying spoke, then immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, glancing warily around as if afraid someone had overheard.

The martial arts hall never privately granted resources or silver to any student simply because it favored them—this iron rule was known to Cheng Ying and the others.

“It’s not against the rules; it’s a reward system established by the hall and approved by the Wuzheng Office.”

Lin Chen said no more, but these words caused Lu Yongfeng and the other two to open their mouths wider.

Cheng Ying and Zhao Jingchuan knew the hall had a reward system, but both understood they could never qualify for it, so they’d never paid attention—only knowing that those who did receive rewards were no ordinary people.

Lu Yongfeng’s eyes held disbelief; he carried pride in his heart and had specifically noted this information when he joined the hall.

As Senior Brother Lin doesn’t meet the criteria for cultivation realm rewards, it must be for martial arts proficiency.

Achieve minor mastery of a martial art within three months, and receive twenty taels of silver.

So Senior Brother Lin has already achieved minor mastery of Clear Wind Palm?

After his shock, Lu Yongfeng suddenly realized—of course; if Senior Brother Lin hadn’t achieved minor mastery of Clear Wind Palm, how could he have defeated Fu Ang?

(End of Chapter)