Martial Arts Garden.
"Senior Brother Lin has a courtyard in the Martial Arts Garden too?"
Lu Yongfeng and a few others followed Lin Chen to a courtyard in the Martial Arts Garden. When they learned it was given to Lin Chen, they had mixed feelings.
They were both shocked and found it perfectly reasonable.
Having a courtyard in the Martial Arts Garden has become a status symbol for many martial artists in Poyang County.
Even Viscera-Refining Martial Artists do not all have the privilege of owning a courtyard in the Martial Arts Garden.
Only those with extreme potential, who even if unable to breakthrough to Entering the Grade, can still achieve Great Success in Viscera Cultivation before their Qi Blood declines, qualify for this.
Lu Yongfeng and the others understood that the Martial Arts Garden believed Senior Brother Lin had the potential for Great Success in Viscera Cultivation.
Not only the Martial Arts Garden, but they themselves also felt Senior Brother Lin held such potential.
Fortune has finally arrived!
If it were in the past, no matter how talented Senior Brother Lin was, his limited family financial resources would have made his subsequent Martial Path cultivation difficult.
As for the Martial Arts Department’s regulations on martial arts geniuses, the three were unaware.
It was due to the current Martial Affairs Office’s emphasis on them that Senior Brother Lin got an opportunity, relying on his martial arts comprehension to shine and win rewards, compensating for the lack of silver coins.
"Senior Brother Lin, this time you were so ruthless to Wu Yong, won’t the people from Yanshan County..."
"What is there to fear!"
Zhao Jingchuan had not finished speaking when Fu Ang interrupted him: "It was the people from the Flying Eagle Martial Arts Hall who struck viciously first, so no one can blame Senior Brother Lin for striking back. The Yanshan County Martial Affairs Office won’t trouble him, nor will the Flying Eagle Martial Arts Hall. The only ones who might harbor hatred are Wu Yong’s family, but unless the Wu Family dares to take a big risk, they won’t dare target Senior Brother Lin."
Being a martial arts student is a protective talisman.
No force would dare to target a martial arts student unless they could ensure perfection without being detected by the Martial Affairs Office.
But since Senior Brother Lin just acted against Wu Ming, if anything were to occur, the Wu Family would be the prime suspect, and the Martial Affairs Office’s means might be more than the Wu Family can handle.
Fu Ang sarcastically mocked, saying the Wu Family’s influence is in Yanshan and can’t reach Poyang County. Even if they could reach, whether they would dare to make a move is uncertain.
Generally, if any force has murderous intentions towards a martial arts student, they wouldn’t directly target the student but rather their family.
The Martial Affairs Office only guarantees the students’ safety, not their families’.
"But that’s just for average students. With Senior Brother Lin’s emerging talent in martial arts, even his family would be watched over by the Martial Affairs Office."
There was something Fu Ang didn’t say: every county has its local family forces, and no family would tolerate forces from outside counties stretching their hands in.
In Poyang County, over the years, top families have changed several times. Old ones declined, new ones arose, but they all shared one trait—they were local to Poyang County.
"Senior Brother Lin, since you defeated Wu Ming this time, the people from Yanshan County will likely study you closely," Cheng Ying said worriedly.
"Even without this battle, Yanshan County would still watch out for Senior Brother Lin. As long as you’re strong enough, no targeting will be effective."
Fu Ang spoke confidently, believing martial artists speak through strength. This is a county conflict, with martial arts halls and the Martial Affairs Office watching, no one dares play dirty tricks.
"Junior Brother Fu is right, even if I didn’t make a move today, people from Yanshan County would probably have analyzed me completely."
Lin Chen nodded, agreeing with Fu Ang’s point of view.
"Senior Brother Lin might not know much about the situation in Yanshan County, let me tell you."
Initially, Fu Ang did not know much about Yanshan County martial arts students, but after the Martial Affairs Office announced the county competition in three months, he and Senior Brother Gu specifically looked into it.
"Yanshan County and Poyang County are similar; in past prefecture examinations, they both ranked at the bottom amongst the counties. If it wasn’t us, it was them at the bottom, which is why this time it’s the two counties’ martial arts students competing."
Lin Chen instantly understood; it’s the top students competing against the top and the bottom against the bottom.
Poyang County and Yanshan County belonged to the bottom batch.
"Yanshan County has five martial arts halls, three less than we do in terms of numbers. In the recent Yanshan County competition, Wu Ming was only ranked third. The first and second place had already opened Nine Acupoints during the competition, the same as Senior Sister Jiang."
Fu Ang’s expression grew serious: "These two have likely opened eleven acupoints at least now, and have not yet taken the Acupoint Opening Pill rewarded by the Martial Affairs Office."
"As for their realms, both of their cultivation techniques were at Small Success at the time; by the time of the county competition, they might very well reach Great Success."
Enhancing proficiency in Martial Arts Techniques, although it demands higher comprehension, doesn’t mean there’s no way to take shortcuts.
The cost is high, but if the county competition rewards are rich enough, it’s a cost that can be afforded.
"Has Senior Brother Lin heard of the Martial Path Will?"
"Martial Path Will?" Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed, shaking his head: "I haven’t."
"Sixth-Grade Powerhouses can inscribe their comprehension of the Martial Path onto scrolls, allowing viewers the chance to grasp the essence of some cultivation techniques. If one’s comprehension is strong enough, they might even achieve perfection in one step!"
"Perfection in one step? Junior Brother Fu, you mean those two from Yanshan County might use the Martial Path Will?" Cheng Ying’s mouth slightly opened, asking.
"What are you thinking? There’s no such good luck."
Fu Ang shook his head, seeing Cheng Ying’s somewhat dissatisfied gaze, chuckled, and said: "There are only so many Sixth-Grade Powerhouses in the entire Raozhou Prefecture. Yanshan County can’t possibly have any, and the materials for scrolls bearing the Martial Path Will are extremely precious, worth a fortune."
"It’s worth a thousand gold, not silver coins!"
Fu Ang reiterated once more, continuing, "Moreover, even for a Sixth-Grade Powerhouse, leaving behind their martial arts will is an extremely taxing affair, something they wouldn’t do for anyone other than a close relative."
Lin Chen’s face was filled with curiosity, but inside his heart, there were turbulent waves.
He hadn’t expected that the martial arts will he obtained from Zhou San’s home was so precious, indicating that Senior Dai Jingfeng was a Sixth-Grade or even stronger martial artist.
How did such a strong martial artist’s martial arts will end up in Zhou San’s hands?
"Don’t even think about the martial arts will of a Sixth-Grade martial artist, but there is the possibility of a pseudo martial arts will. This involves a Grade-Entering Martial Artist practicing the same technique, with a chance to comprehend it."
"The requirements for a pseudo martial arts will are much lower. It just needs a Grade-Entering Powerhouse, and that powerhouse must also be practicing this technique. However, its effect can’t be compared to the real martial arts will, often taking over a month to possibly break through."
Over a month?
Having used the martial arts will scroll before, Lin Chen knew the difference just from Fu Ang’s description.
When he observed the martial arts will scroll, it took only one night for him to perfect the Clear Wind Palm.
Besides the time difference, there was also a difference in the range of use.
That Senior Dai Jingfeng may not have practiced the Clear Wind Palm, yet he enabled Lin Chen to perfect it, meaning the real martial arts will scroll applies universally to all techniques.
While the pseudo martial arts will is more like a specialized training.
After chatting with Lu Yongfeng and others for a bit, Lin Chen originally planned to return with Fu Ang to the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, but was stopped by Yan He’an.
Lin Chen then first bid farewell to Lu Yongfeng, Fu Ang, and the others.
"Young Master Lin, congratulations on winning first place in the March competition." After Fu Ang and the others left, Yan He’an spoke with a smile.
"I must thank Senior. If it weren’t for the opponents Senior arranged for me back then, I wouldn’t have been able to perfect the Clear Wind Palm so quickly."
Lin Chen was quite grateful to the Martial Arts Garden, which had provided him considerable help along his Clear Wind Palm cultivation journey.
Yan He’an smiled slightly, "The Martial Arts Garden was just adding flowers to the brocade. The reason I stopped Young Master Lin is because I heard you’re now practicing the Iron Bone Skill?"
"Yes, I’d like to attempt to walk the path of Extreme Martial Arts."
Lin Chen replied frankly, knowing that even Fu Ang and the others knew of his intention to walk the path of extreme martial arts, so this Senior Yan could naturally guess it as well.
"Young Master Lin has ambition. I will take you to a place."
Elder Zhao had instructed Lin Chen to break through the Nine Acupoints before proceeding to Courtyard Number Two, and he was already aware of what had happened on the previous stage.
Deep within the Martial Arts Garden.
Courtyard Number Two was no different from the other courtyards.
Lin Chen curiously glanced at the gate of the courtyard. Along the way, Senior Yan hadn’t spoken a word, so he could only suppress his curiosity and follow quietly.
"Young Master Lin is practicing the Iron Bone Skill. It just so happens our Martial Arts Garden has a Thousand Hammer Map, which has extraordinary effects for horizontal training methods."
Opening the door, Yan He’an finally disclosed some information to Lin Chen.
"Thousand Hammer Map?"
"This map was created by a martial arts powerhouse who practiced horizontal training methods. Young Master Lin will understand the details soon."
Yan He’an added a little suspense, leading Lin Chen into the courtyard.
Upon entering, Lin Chen’s view was instantly drawn to an iron house in the courtyard.
There was actually a house made entirely of iron in the courtyard.
"Young Master Lin, the Thousand Hammer Map is quite special and can only be stored within the iron house."
"Senior, are you suggesting I enter this iron house?"
"Yes."
Yan He’an gave a mysterious smile, a glint of teasing in his old eyes: "Young Master Lin, I won’t hide from you. Observing the Thousand Hammer Map will aid your Iron Bone Skill training, but the pain it entails far exceeds your usual Iron Bone Skill practice. Whether to go in or not is up to you."
"Since I’m here, I naturally want to go in."
Lin Chen chuckled. He was very curious about the Thousand Hammer Map, which the Martial Arts Garden took such care in storing, it must be something extraordinary.
Striding towards the iron house, Lin Chen directly pulled open the latch and, after a final glance at Yan He’an, walked inside with big strides.
"Young Master Lin, you have only two viewing opportunities per month."
In the instant Lin Chen’s figure disappeared, Yan He’an advised, and after the iron door closed, he murmured:
"The Thousand Hammer Map, the Nine Acupoints is the minimum enduring realm, the last person endured only three times during the first time, I wonder if Lin Chen can withstand a hundred breaths?"
Since the Thousand Hammer Map was placed in the Martial Arts Garden, the first person who went in lasted the longest ten times, but that person already had ten acupoints open at that time.

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