Chapter 92: Though Silver Abounds, It Is Not My Desire

The next morning.

Lin Chen bid farewell to his parents and quietly departed by boat with his elder brother.

The bustle and celebration of yesterday had passed; from today onward, he would advance toward new goals on his martial path.

After landing, he bid his brother goodbye and headed straight for the Jingshui Martial Hall.

Yet at the corner of the street where Jingshui Martial Hall stood, Lin Chen halted, gazing at the figure before him and bowing lightly: “Master Chen.”

The man standing before him was none other than Chen Chunfeng of Qingfeng Martial Hall.

Yet he did not understand why Master Chen was here at this moment.

“Lin Chen, with your talent for Qingfeng Palm, returning to Qingfeng Martial Hall would be better. Yesterday, the hall director revoked Zhao Ce’s position as instructor, and Vice-Director Qi also resigned.”

Chen Chunfeng spoke; Qingfeng Martial Hall had been suffocating yesterday.

Unlike other martial halls, it was stunned by the strength of Jiang Qing and Lin Chen from Jingshui Martial Hall, and by Lin Chen’s terrifying talent for Qingfeng Palm.

Last night, every instructor at Qingfeng Martial Hall—even retired elders who had left the hall—came.

Lin Chen, who had perfected Qingfeng Palm, was not even a student of Qingfeng Martial Hall; this enraged the elders.

If Lin Chen had merely trained Qingfeng Palm from the start and had never been a Qingfeng student, such a case, though rare, had occurred in Poyang County’s history, and it would have been somewhat more bearable.

But Lin Chen was originally a Qingfeng Martial Hall student, abandoned by Qingfeng Martial Hall itself and handed over to Jingshui Martial Hall.

This was Qingfeng Martial Hall’s shame.

This shame could not be erased by merely dismissing Zhao Ce; everyone could imagine that the farther Lin Chen advanced on the martial path, the longer this shame would cling to the hall.

“Master Chen, these things have nothing to do with me—I am not a Qingfeng Martial Hall student,” Lin Chen said coolly. “And if you claim Qingfeng Martial Hall suits me better, I ask you: what can Qingfeng Martial Hall offer me now?”

This counter-question left Chen Chunfeng speechless.

Chen Chunfeng smiled bitterly; he had forgotten that Lin Chen had already perfected Qingfeng Palm—on the technique level, the hall could no longer guide him.

The only thing left to guide him was practical combat experience, yet Lin Chen’s performance on the arena proved he already possessed ample experience.

“Lin Chen, return to Qingfeng Martial Hall. The elders yesterday decided to jointly fund you with nearly a thousand taels of silver.”

A thousand taels of silver!

Lin Chen’s pupils contracted; this was an absurdly large sum—enough to cover a martial artist’s entire expenses at a martial hall for three years, unless one was a spendthrift like Sister Jiang.

“Come back. Yu Yan also came from Qingfeng Martial Hall. If he were here, he’d surely wish to see you become a Qingfeng student.”

Hearing Yu Yan mentioned, Lin Chen’s face turned cold. If Yu Yan had been there, on the day his top-tier student status was revoked, he would have stormed to Qingfeng Martial Hall’s gates and cursed them aloud.

No—Yu Yan’s nature wouldn’t allow him to curse like that. But he would never have let Lin Chen return to Qingfeng Martial Hall.

Lin Chen fixed his gaze on Chen Chunfeng: “Master Chen, I ask you one question: without Jingshui Martial Hall’s top-tier treatment, could I have opened my seven orifices? If I had not performed as I did in this contest, would these elders still have offered me silver?”

Before Chen Chunfeng could answer, Lin Chen’s lips curled in a mocking smile:

“Does Qingfeng Martial Hall want me back because I suit it better—or because it needs me to silence the criticism?”

These two questions expressed Lin Chen’s stance.

Without Jingshui Martial Hall’s support, he would not be who he is today. To betray Jingshui Martial Hall now would make him a faithless villain.

“Master Chen, I have matters to attend to—I’ll take my leave.”

Lin Chen brushed past Chen Chunfeng. Chen Chunfeng said nothing, not even calling after him—he understood Lin Chen’s stance; any further words would be useless.

Indeed, Jingshui Martial Hall had offered him aid in his darkest hour.

Even if Qingfeng Martial Hall offered a thousand taels, it was merely adding flowers to brocade.

He had anticipated this outcome. Had his senior brother not insisted he come, he wouldn’t have come at all.

It wasn’t fear of rejection—it was that only his senior brother’s personal visit could demonstrate Qingfeng Martial Hall’s sincerity.

But his senior brother chose to send him instead. As Lin Chen said, this was mostly about silencing criticism.

Watching Lin Chen’s retreating figure, Chen Chunfeng knew: after today, Lin Chen would never return to Qingfeng Martial Hall.

…

…

Jingshui Martial Hall.

As usual, Lin Chen nodded to the gatekeeper upon entering.

“Young Master Lin, you’ve brought honor to our hall,” the gatekeeper gave him a thumbs-up.

Lin Chen smiled faintly but said nothing. Inside the hall, he encountered many senior and junior sisters—but to his surprise, all merely smiled at him, none speaking.

Some did greet him—but only with a single “Senior Lin,” then hurried away.

What was going on?

Knowing the sisters’ usual behavior, normally they’d praise him endlessly upon his return. Why were they all silent today?

Watching Lin Chen walk away, a female student paused: “I almost broke the rule—I can’t believe the director’s order is so hard to follow.”

“Right? Senior Lin won first place—it’s something to celebrate, yet the director forbade us from praising him.”

“The director must have her reasons. We just follow orders.”

…

…

Lin Chen did not return to his dormitory. Midway, a servant led him to the Martial Arts Pavilion.

The Martial Arts Pavilion—he was taken to a small courtyard in the back.

The courtyard was small; he had received his Opening Orifices Elixir here. Now, the main house’s door stood open. He paused, then stepped inside.

Upon entering, Lin Chen was stunned by the plaques hanging on all four walls.

【Da Liang Year 294, County Exam Top Scorer Zhang Fang】

【Da Liang Year 292, Prefecture Exam Rank 4, Grade B, Qi Chudie】

【Da Liang Year 287, County Exam Top Scorer Zheng Qin】

…

…

Each plaque recorded the glorious achievements of past Jingshui Martial Hall students.

This was the hall’s Hall of Honor.

Since the founding of the Jingshui Martial Hall, only those who achieved at least the rank of County Exam Top Scorer have earned the right to hang a plaque here. Even the winner of the year-end novice competition lacks the qualification to display one.

Kong Yinglei’s voice came from behind. Lin Chen turned to see Vice-Director Kong and Director Ceng Qingyao approaching together; he bowed quickly.

“Disciple Lin Chen greets Director, greets Vice-Director Kong.”

Ceng Qingyao looked at Lin Chen with clear satisfaction.

The order forbidding students from praising him was her own.

The reason? She feared he would lose himself in praise.

If Lin Chen were female, it wouldn’t matter—but he was male, a youth. Surrounded by admiring young women, he might easily grow complacent.

One compliment from an opposite-sex peer outweighed ten from same-sex peers.

Banning female students from praising him was step one. Showing him the achievements of past students was to remind him: the martial path is long; his current success means little.

Lin Chen’s presence here so early—likely having left his village before dawn—proved he had not grown lax after winning first place.

“What do you think of these plaques?” Kong Yinglei asked.

“Your senior sisters are extraordinary. Compared to them, I still have a long way to go,” Lin Chen said, sincere.

“Don’t undervalue yourself. With your talent and perfected Qingfeng Palm, our hall will reward you, and combined with the Wuzheng Office’s reward, if you keep this dedication, you may one day see your name on this wall.”

Kong Yinglei’s words thrilled Lin Chen—did the hall have another reward?

He had assumed only the Wuzheng Office would reward him; he hadn’t expected the hall to hold back a surprise.

“Did you encounter anyone from Qingfeng Martial Hall on your way here?”

Hearing the director’s question, Lin Chen narrowed his eyes but answered without hesitation: “Master Chen Chunfeng of Qingfeng Martial Hall met me at the street entrance to the hall.”

“Chen Chunfeng?”

Ceng Qingyao’s lips curled in disdain. Qingfeng Martial Hall was truly arrogant. If Li Tianqi had come himself, she might have held them in higher regard.

So Li Tianqi was nearing breakthrough into the Pin realm?

That’s why he didn’t care—sending Chen Chunfeng was merely to silence criticism against Qingfeng Martial Hall.

“What did Chen Chunfeng say to you?” Kong Yinglei asked, curious how he’d tried to lure Lin Chen back.

“Master Chen said that if I returned to Qingfeng Martial Hall, the elders would fund me with nearly a thousand taels of silver. But I refused outright. Without Jingshui Martial Hall, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Even ten thousand taels wouldn’t sway me.”

As he spoke, Lin Chen had a small thought: the hall was going to reward him, right? Maybe they’d compare.

Of course, he didn’t expect such a huge reward—but perhaps the two directors, hearing Qingfeng’s offer, might raise theirs.

It was legitimate self-advocacy—not manipulation of the hall.

“Don’t even think it. Our hall can’t afford that much. But when you go to the Wuzheng Office, you can mention it to Senior Su.”

Ceng Qingyao saw right through him, sighing: “Our hall is poor. But the Wuzheng Office isn’t. Remember this: no matter what Senior Su says, don’t agree to anything lightly.”

Lin Chen froze. The director’s words carried hidden meaning.

“Sister, stop teasing—do you have news about Senior Su?” Kong Yinglei asked eagerly.

Ceng Qingyao ignored her sister, fixing her gaze on Lin Chen: “Our Senior Su needs achievements most right now.”

Lin Chen pondered. The Wuzheng Office’s achievements—weren’t they about cultivating students?

The more talented the student, the higher their rank in the Prefecture Exam, the better the Wuzheng Office’s record.

He faintly grasped what Director Ceng implied.

His perfected Qingfeng Palm—wasn’t that the Wuzheng Office’s achievement?

“Since your Qingfeng Palm is perfected, your future cultivation path will differ from other students. When you reach the Wuzheng Office, you may ask Senior Su for guidance.”

Ceng Qingyao didn’t hide anything—the martial arts school trained students according to a fixed process, the so-called step-by-step approach.

But Lin Chen’s Pure Wind Palm reaching perfection so quickly was something the school had never encountered before, and Lin Chen’s rapid advancement from three open acupoints back then to seven now must be tied to the perfection of the Pure Wind Palm.

But how closely they were connected, she couldn’t tell.

Next, should Lin Chen proceed step-by-step to open more acupoints like Fu Jingya and the other students, or should the school increase financial investment? She wasn’t sure.

Lin Chen was born a fisherman’s son; his progress to this point was extremely hard-won, and every step ahead must be taken carefully—she couldn’t gamble Lin Chen’s future on preserving the Jing Shui Martial Arts School’s reputation.

There was one thing she hadn’t told Kong Qing: last night, she had considered that if the Pure Wind Martial Arts School truly showed great sincerity and was willing to provide Lin Chen with abundant martial resources, she would persuade Lin Chen to return to the Pure Wind Martial Arts School.

But clearly, Li Tianqi had no sincerity!

Li Tianqi, right now, cared more about whether he himself could break into the ranked realm.

As a martial artist, Li Tianqi was competent, but as a school director, he was utterly irresponsible.

If that’s the case, Lin Chen must not return to the Pure Wind Martial Arts School.

(End of Chapter)