Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall!
After leaving the Martial Arts Garden, Lin Chen didn't return directly to Jingshui Martial Arts Hall but decided to come to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall to choose a cultivation technique.
His main technique was the Clear Wind Palm, and the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall certainly had other techniques that complemented the Clear Wind Palm well.
Upon entering the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, Lin Chen headed straight for the Martial Arts Pavilion.
The Martial Arts Pavilion of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall was still the same place where his senior brother had been last time.
"Junior Brother Lin?"
After a month, Ma Hao still remembered Lin Chen.
Back then, this Junior Brother Lin had come to the Martial Arts Pavilion to return the Clear Wind Palm secret manual but had not collected an identity token from the martial arts hall, which left a deep impression on him.
"Senior Brother Ma, I want to find a martial arts technique secret manual."
"Martial arts technique?" Ma Hao was a little puzzled, "Aren't you practicing the Clear Wind Palm, Junior Brother?"
"I want to find a leg technique to practice as well." Lin Chen didn't hide it and answered honestly.
"I see..."
Ma Hao was confused, as it was unusual for students to explore other martial arts techniques so early, usually after half a year or a year. This Junior Brother Lin was exceptional.
"On the right side of the second floor, there are many ordinary techniques, but you cannot take them out. You have to memorize them yourself, Junior Brother."
"Thank you for telling me, Senior Brother."
Lin Chen nodded and thanked him before heading up to the second floor. The second floor of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall was the Library Pavilion, just like at Jingshui Martial Arts Hall. He estimated that other martial arts halls' pavilions were arranged similarly.
On the first shelf on the right, just as Senior Brother Ma said, there were more than a dozen secret technique manuals. Lin Chen grabbed one at random to read, and after finishing, he understood why the martial arts hall let disciples memorize these manuals.
Compared to the Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm, which were grade-entering techniques, the manuals consisted of over ten pages, while these ordinary techniques were only three to four pages.
Two pages of diagrams, one page of chants, and another page about the technique's introduction.
After spending a quarter of an hour reviewing the introductory pages of about twenty secret manuals on the shelf, Lin Chen finally selected two martial arts techniques.
"Gale Step" and "Flying Swallow Technique."
"Gale Step" focuses on speed, a stepping conversion technique that complements the elusive nature of the Clear Wind Palm.
"Flying Swallow Technique" is more like a lightweight skill, focusing on aerial control, allowing one to leap as gracefully as a swallow.
Compared to "Gale Step," the advantage of "Flying Swallow Technique" is quickly closing in on an opponent with a leap, catching them off guard, while the disadvantage is that if you fail to defeat your opponent, it leaves you vulnerable, as being in the air exposes your entire lower base to the opponent.
"Lightweight skill, it was a childhood dream."
Treading on snow without a trace, walking on grass, flying over rooftops...
When Lin Chen watched martial arts TV dramas in his previous life, he often fantasized about mastering lightweight skills, and now an opportunity presented itself for him to learn.
Between fulfilling a dream and facing reality...
After two breaths, Lin Chen picked up the "Flying Swallow Technique," not just to fulfill a dream, but also because it included the description that if one could master the fifth move, "Swallow Dances in the Spring Breeze," they could maneuver in mid-air like a swallow, allowing for a retreat even if they couldn't defeat an enemy in one blow.
"Flying Swallow Technique" consists of six moves, each with a chant and three illustrations, and Lin Chen began to focus and memorize them.
After two hours, he was sure he had memorized the moves and chants by heart.
Returning the manual, he went downstairs.
"May I ask, Senior Brother Ma, who is the instructor for our batch of new students?"
Back on the first floor, Lin Chen asked Ma Hao as he thought there was no need to hide the fact that he had mastered the Clear Wind Palm from the Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.
Perhaps, seeing his talent in cultivation techniques, the martial arts hall might even reward him.
"Didn't you know, Junior Brother?"
This time, Ma Hao was truly shocked. It had been more than a month since this Junior Brother joined the martial arts hall, and he didn't even know who the instructor was? Unimaginable!
"My situation is a bit unique; I haven't been staying at the martial arts hall regularly," Lin Chen explained.
"I see. Our martial arts hall's instructors live on the southern side of the hall, and Chen Chunfeng, Instructor Chen, is in charge of teaching your batch of students. You can easily recognize his yard by the nameplate in front."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Lin Chen thanked him and left the Martial Arts Pavilion, heading south through the martial arts hall. Soon, he found the courtyard where Instructor Chen resided.
The instructors' courtyards at the martial arts hall were row houses, somewhat like modern townhouses, with a wooden plaque hanging to the left of each courtyard gate.
"Chen Chunfeng, this is the place."
Confirming he had found Instructor Chen's courtyard, Lin Chen politely knocked, even though the gate was slightly ajar, without peering through the gap.
"Disciple Lin Chen seeks an audience with Instructor Chen."
"Lin Chen?"
Soon, a deep voice came from the courtyard, though the tone carried surprise and dissatisfaction: "Come in."
Pushing the gate open, Lin Chen saw a man with a goatee standing in the yard, judging by his appearance, possibly a few years older than Instructor Yu.
As Lin Chen looked at Instructor Chen, Chen Chunfeng was also assessing Lin Chen, and with just one glance, his expression turned cold.
As the instructor for this batch of new students, he naturally knew that their martial arts hall had a student who was placed at Jingshui Martial Arts Hall for special reasons.
He had no objection to Hall Master Qi's arrangement, as it didn't consume any of the martial arts hall's Opening Acupoints Pill quotas. It was clear Lin Chen was accepted mainly because Hall Master Qi wanted to show favor to Inspector Shu.
However, something happened that made him dissatisfied with Lin Chen.
Jingshui Martial Arts Hall had sent an official letter requesting the funding for Lin Chen's top-tier student benefits.
The top-tier benefits were rewards given by the Martial Affairs Office to martial arts halls for potential students, with each hall having only five quotas.
He had already decided which five students he would allocate these quotas to, so there was no extra quota available.
When he heard about this, he was almost furious. Jingshui Martial Arts Hall was using their Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall's top-tier quota to curry favor with Inspector Shu.
If Lin Chen were given the quota, one of the five chosen students would lose it.
He saw it as unfair to those five students!
The martial arts hall's privileges towards its disciples had always been based on assessment results, when did it become a means to pander to the powerful?
He argued with Hall Master Qi over this, but as a small instructor with little influence, he couldn't change the outcome.
It wasn't until five days ago, when Senior Brother Zhao informed him that Inspector Shu had resigned and left Poyang County, that he approached Hall Master Qi again. After further debate, Hall Master Qi finally agreed to revoke Lin Chen's top-tier benefits, restoring the quota to the student he valued.
Now that Lin Chen had come, it seemed he had heard the news and wanted to retain the quota.
Ha!
Using power to oppress, scheming individuals had no place with Chen Chunfeng!