Jingshui Martial Arts Hall backyard.
Zeng Qingyao softly caressed the horizontal saber in her hand, saying nothing.
"Senior Sister, are you going to say anything? Can this be done?"
Kong Yinglei looked at her silent Senior Sister, somewhat impatient. She wanted Lin Chen to join the martial arts hall, and after leaving the Martial Arts Arena, she came to her Senior Sister to state her intention.
"If you don't step forward, then I'll go to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall."
"How do you plan to speak to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall?" Zeng Qingyao moved her gaze from the horizontal saber in her hands and asked.
"Just tell them Lin Chen chose to join our Jingshui Martial Arts Hall. What else can I say?" Kong Yinglei didn't understand. Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall didn't care about Lin Chen, maybe they even hoped for it.
"Qi He, that guy, doesn't excel in martial arts strength, but he is extremely shrewd. If you say this, believe it or not, Qi He will directly reject you. He might even tell you that Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall values Lin Chen greatly; otherwise, they wouldn't have wanted to recruit Lin Chen into the hall even without a quota."
Kong Yinglei was stunned, somewhat unbelievable: "Senior Sister, that's impossible, right?"
"Why not?" Zeng Qingyao snorted coldly, "Qi He's personality is naturally suspicious, he won't think you are cherishing talent, but rather suspect other reasons."
"Then explain the situation clearly to Qi He."
Kong Yinglei was somewhat unwilling. At Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, Lin Chen would definitely not be valued. Not to mention he practiced Clear Wind Palm to proficiency; even if he mastered it, it would be the same.
In the martial arts hall, more importance is placed on the improvement of realm.
Opening Acupoints Realm has twenty-four acupoints. The first ten acupoints would cost thirty or forty taels each month, which can be done, but after opening ten acupoints, the difficulty increases and the financial requirement for students is extremely high.
Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall won't give Lin Chen any special treatment, but as the Vice Hall Master of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, as long as Lin Chen joins Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, she has the authority to offer Lin Chen some help.
Zeng Qingyao tapped her fingers lightly on the blade, and the blade made a crisp clang sound.
"Junior Sister, did you ever consider that relying solely on diligent practice could truly bring Clear Wind Palm to proficiency in less than a month?"
Facing this question from her Senior Sister, Kong Yinglei was stunned; she indeed hadn't thought deeply about it.
"Jiang Qing was able to practice Water Cloud Palm to proficiency in such a short time because Jiang Qing fit well with Water Cloud Palm; otherwise, Jiang Qing wouldn't have joined our Jingshui Martial Arts Hall. By inferring this, is Lin Chen possibly also compatible with Clear Wind Palm?"
Seeing her Junior Sister stunned, Zeng Qingyao knew her Junior Sister had understood the key point.
In just one month, can diligent practice truly leap from beginner to proficient?
"Senior Sister, you mean Lin Chen has a high compatibility with Clear Wind Palm, so Lin Chen is more suited to stay at Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall."
"It's not my meaning, but whether it is the truth or not?"
Kong Yinglei pursed her lips. From her Senior Sister's analysis, she had to admit that it should be the truth.
Martial Path has a saying about comprehension, but this thing is too elusive; geniuses might not appear even in ten years. She didn't think Lin Chen was a so-called martial comprehension genius.
Those students who exceed others in cultivation technique progress often do so because they have high compatibility with the technique.
If Lin Chen were to practice Water Cloud Palm, even if he practiced for eight hours a day, he wouldn't reach the proficient stage.
"For Lin Chen's matter, let's set it aside for now. Since Junior Sister cherishes talent, offering A-rank student treatment is already enough, but Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall must bear the costs, as our Jingshui Martial Arts Hall won't breed disciples for them for nothing."
"Of course, it can't be so easy for Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall to not contribute at all." Kong Yinglei said fiercely.
...
...
Martial Arts Pavilion.
"Every A-rank student in the martial arts hall, aside from Nourishing Acupoints Pill, has a fifty percent discount on purchasing other resources but must not exceed fifty taels per month."
From Instructor Li's mouth, Lin Chen learned about the treatment A-rank students receive, and he was shocked.
A-rank students enjoy a fifty percent discount on martial hall resources purchases!
In the martial hall, buying fifty taels of martial arts resources would only cost twenty-five taels.
These benefits are quite generous.
Unfortunately, he couldn't pull out fifty taels from his entire belongings.
The benefits are good, but he couldn't use them.
His money was saved to buy Nourishing Acupoints Pill, which wasn't within the discount range.
"May I ask Instructor Li, is there any regulation on the usage of these fifty taels by the martial arts hall?"
After confirming he couldn't spend these fifty taels, Lin Chen had the thought of purchasing on behalf of someone else, but he wanted to confirm the martial hall's rules to see if it allowed students to do so.
Instructor Li was somewhat puzzled; she didn't understand Lin Chen's meaning.
More precisely, she hadn't responded because previous students who could obtain A-rank treatment never asked such a question.
A-rank students never had enough of the fifty taels monthly limit and naturally wouldn't purchase for other students.
"There's no regulation, but it starts counting from next month; this month, you cannot enjoy this favor." Instructor Li thought for a moment and replied.
Today is already the 17th of the month; the martial hall's rule has always been to start counting from the next month.
"Thank you, Instructor. The disciple understands."
It seems purchasing on behalf of others is allowed, and Lin Chen had a plan in mind.
Seeing Lin Chen about to leave, Instructor Li spoke up: "Don't you want the Water Cloud Palm secret manual?"
Li Shan also knew somewhat about Lin Chen's situation. As the first male student of the martial hall, Senior Sister Kong had already informed them about the happenings in the Martial Affairs Office.
If Lin Chen were only on paper, she naturally wouldn't mention the Water Cloud Palm secret manual, but seeing that Senior Sister Kong allowed Lin Chen to receive the martial hall disciple badge, it was clear she wanted Lin Chen to become a formal disciple of the martial hall.
If so, then Lin Chen could practice Water Cloud Palm.
"Can the disciple practice Water Cloud Palm?" Lin Chen found it somewhat unbelievable.
"Take it. Just return it within three months."
Li Shan gave a slight smile and took out a secret manual from the cabinet below. Lin Chen glanced at it; the cabinet contained a thick stack, presumably all of them were the Water Cloud Palm secret manuals.
Having taken the Water Cloud Palm manual, Lin Chen didn't rush to use his fifty-tael quota; it's best to use this quota at the end of the month.
Right now, the senior sisters with armor have probably not used their fifty taels yet, even if I am willing to help them purchase, it's likely they would push the price down.
Only by the end of the month, when these senior sisters have spent all fifty taels, can I help with purchasing to exchange for more gains.
After resolving lunch at the martial arts hall, Lin Chen returned to his dormitory.
The morning was considered as delayed time, and the remaining time should not be wasted.
Curious, Lin Chen picked up the Water Cloud Palm manual and began flipping through it.
Water Cloud Palm does not have many moves, only a total of seven, but each move contains thirty-two variations.
"First move: Cloud Ascending Dragon Soaring. Focus and calm, like a cloud rising, nimble footwork, like a dragon swimming in the air. The palm strike is continuous, gentle yet firm, attacking when the enemy is strong and I'm weak, following the momentum..."
"Second move: Flowing Water Circles the Stone. The body flows, like water circling a stone, slightly curved fingers, strength permeates the palm. Avoiding reality to attack illusion, flexible and versatile, like ever-changing water, unpredictable to the enemy.
The annotations beside the illustration surprised Lin Chen greatly.
Is this a Martial Arts Technique?
Recalling the Clear Wind Palm manual, the total count of words is equivalent to the word count of the annotation for the first move of Water Cloud Palm.
No wonder Water Cloud Palm is known for being the most splendid among the Eight Great Martial Arts Halls, and also the hardest to cultivate to perfection; just the choice of words looks splendid, full of depth and mystery.
However, Lin Chen did not hurry to cultivate Water Cloud Palm; he is currently putting all his energy into Clear Wind Palm, aiming to master it in the shortest time possible.
Instructor Yu's martial arts experience booklet mentions that cultivating any technique to mastery helps in realm improvement.
Mastering Clear Wind Palm will speed up his Qi Blood circulation, allowing his opening acupoints speed to increase within the same expenditure.
Other trainees don't take this route because mastering a technique isn't as easy as breaking through realms; it's better to focus on how to break through realms, letting technique proficiency follow steadily.
"Panel."
[Name: Lin Chen]
[Occupation: Martial Artist]
[Realm: Opening Acupoints Realm (2/24)]
[Cultivation Technique: Clear Wind Palm (Proficiency: 4/100)]
[Life Chart: [Natural Progress]: Martial Arts First Realm, Against the Current, Step by Step, Unstoppable, Braving Thorns and Thistles.]
[Title: All the Way Black]
Glancing at the panel, Lin Chen begins the grind mode.
Training day and night.
Relentless practice both day and night!
Ten days later.
Lin Chen discovered many trainees gathered around the bulletin board outside the canteen, and walking closer discovered a new notice posted on it.
[Jiang Qing: Six Acupoints]
[Fu Jingya: Five Acupoints]
[Gu Qingqing: Five Acupoints]
...
Martial Hall Honor Roll!
The list features the newest breakthroughs in the Martial Arts Realm by new trainees.
"Senior Sister Jiang is really impressive, she only had Five Acupoints when entering the hall, yet in such a short time, she opened another acupoint."
"Senior Sister Fu and the others also opened another acupoint, all very impressive."
"I've cultivated Essence Qi for three months now, yet have not opened an acupoint, I wonder when I will achieve it."
"Sigh, these senior sisters have different goals than ours."
Listening to the laments of these juniors, Lin Chen withdrew his gaze from the bulletin board and silently walked back to the dormitory.
There's nothing to envy, my fortune is in the later stages!
Today, add an extra half-hour of training.
...
...
Twenty-seven days later!
[Cultivation Technique: Clear Wind Palm (Proficiency: 90/100)]
When Lin Chen struck with his palm, there was already a trace of wind sound in the courtyard.
Withdraw the palm!
Standing in the courtyard, a satisfied expression appears on Lin Chen's face.
"There's one Nourishing Acupoints Pill left, first sell the fifty-tael quota, gather the money for next month's Nourishing Acupoints Pill."
Regarding whom to sell the fifty-tael quota to, Lin Chen has also considered before; surely, Senior Sister Jiang is the most suitable candidate.
Since Senior Sister Jiang could open five acupoints upon entering the martial arts hall, she must be wealthy, her own fifty-tael quota is definitely not enough.