The courtyard door opened.
Tai Rubai imdiately shifted his gaze from the ants on the ground to the doorway.
Standing at the doorway, he had already watched the crawling ants on the ground countless tis. If he continued watching, he feared he might be able to distinguish their sexes.
Li An and Li Qi, the father and daughter, felt awkward seeing him, while he also felt awkward seeing them.
Ninth-Grade Martial Artists were stronger than him, but as the Hall Master of the Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, it wasn’t rare for Martial Artists entering the grade to leave the hall.
"Let’s go."
Li Yueshan walked out of the courtyard, glanced at his son and granddaughter, and spoke lightly.
Li An was taken aback. Just going like this, without letting him et the young man?
Li Qi was also puzzled. Didn’t her grandfather say she should apologize to the young man?
Tai Rubai was also surprised. Why was it Lord Li who opened the door, and Lin Chen didn’t co out to see them off?
Li Yueshan mounted his horse directly and, seeing the bewildered Li An and his daughter, raised a white eyebrow: "Mount up, let’s go back."
Though perplexed in his heart, Li An dared not defy his father and, after giving a signal to his daughter, also mounted his horse to leave.
Tai Rubai watched the three mbers of the Li family leave, then turned back to look at Lin Chen, who walked to the door: "Lin Chen, what’s going on?"
Clearly, before he left the courtyard, the old and the young had been talking happily. How did it turn out like this?
Lin Chen said helplessly, "Hall Master Tai, Lord Li and I did not have any disputes. Lord Li gave a lot of guidance on my Martial Path, and I am sincerely grateful to him. It was Lord Li who didn’t allow to see them off."
"Lord Li didn’t let you see them off?"
Tai Rubai was puzzled, but since it was arranged this way by Lord Li, there must be a deeper aning to it. He decided not to overthink it.
"Get a good rest. Tomorrow, after we return to the county, I’ll report the good news to Lord Su."
...
...
Poyang County Martial Affairs Office.
"Zhang Wangshan has gone too far!"
Su Lingchuan fiercely slapped the armrest of his chair, causing it to break into powder and fall to the ground like flowing sand.
"Milord, what has made you so angry?"
The confidant beside him was sowhat puzzled. Did he encounter any issues during his trip to the Military Affairs Departnt for a debriefing?
"I went to the Military Affairs Departnt for a debriefing today, and to discuss the upcoming county battle. Who knew that Zhang Wangshan would suggest that, since it’s just a competition among Opening Acupoints Realm students, it need not be taken too seriously; a one-to-many approach is possible, as long as the students themselves are willing."
Upon hearing this, the confidant frowned and said, "But, on the Yanshan County side, are there exceptionally powerful students this year?"
"This year, Yanshan County has two students who have already opened Fifteen Acupoints. Zhang Wangshan is counting on these two students to win the county battle."
Fifteen Acupoints?
The confidant’s face also turned grim: "Did you agree, milord?"
"I was unaware of this beforehand, and with others chiming in, I agreed to it."
Speaking of this, Su Lingchuan was extrely furious. He was certain that Zhang Wangshan had discussed this with other colleagues from several counties beforehand, with so saying that the Opening Acupoints Realm truly isn’t much, and others saying that apart from a few top-tier students, the others aren’t worth noting.
Hearing these supportive remarks, he couldn’t hold back and agreed.
It was only after confirming the format of the county battle that Zhang Wangshan revealed that Yanshan County had two students with Fifteen Acupoints.
"Milord should not have agreed."
The confidant was sowhat helpless. Milord was fine in other respects, but he was a bit easily agitated, especially when it ca to matters of face.
"And regarding the rewards for the county battle?"
"The Director has decided that the first-place winner can enter the C-level Treasure Vault at the Military Affairs Departnt to select an item."
"The C-level Treasure Vault, it seems the Director holds high hopes for this year’s students."
The confidant clicked his tongue. Even Viscera-Refining Martial Artists would be tempted by the treasures within the C-level Treasure Vault.
An instructor at a martial arts hall would need to serve for five years without error just to accumulate enough contribution points to enter the C-level Treasure Vault once.
However, considering the first-place students from the two counties undoubtedly have the potential for Grade-Entering, the Director’s arrangent is quite reasonable.
"The second place can enter the D-level Treasure Vault, while the third place will receive one thousand taels of silver."
After Su Lingchuan finished speaking, he snorted lightly: "That Zhang Wangshan even wants us in Poyang County to offer additional rewards. Wishful thinking! I’ve already decided that for this battle, Poyang County will only offer two hundred taels of silver."
The confidant’s mouth twitched. Though he knew Milord’s words were a joke in his anger, if Poyang County truly only offered two hundred taels, it would beco the laughingstock of the other counties in Raozhou Prefecture. Nonetheless, he felt compelled to advise: "Please reconsider, milord."
"I..."
From outside the main hall ca the sound of footsteps. Su Lingchuan paused, as his confidant withdrew behind a screen.
"Lord Su, good news!"
Tai Rubai bounded forward with great energy, reaching the main hall doorway in the blink of an eye, his voice arriving even before he did.
"Good news, what good news? Don’t tell Lin Chen has broken through to Eleven Acupoints?"
Su Lingchuan’s eyes brightened, but upon rembering that Yanshan County had two students already at Fifteen Acupoints, that gleam quickly dimd.
Even if Lin Chen opened Eleven Acupoints, he couldn’t possibly contend against a four-acupoint difference.
"Double happiness, Lin Chen has already opened Eleven Acupoints, and this ti the Iron Bone Skill has reached Perfection!"
Bang!
Su Lingchuan slamd his palm on the armrest again, and the other side of the chair’s armrest turned into powder, sprinkling onto the ground once more.
Lin Chen has opened Eleven Acupoints, and with the Iron Bone Skill perfected, if he uses the two Opening Acupoints Pills that I once rewarded him, he would reach Thirteen Acupoints. Even when faced with those two students from Yanshan County, he wouldn’t be without a fighting chance.
Inappropriate!
In his excitent, Su Lingchuan shook his head and rejected the idea of letting Lin Chen use the Acupoint Opening Pills.
The Acupoint Opening Pills are extrely precious, and a martial artist can only use three in total. The later they are used, the better.
After reaching Twenty Acupoints, the effect of the Acupoint Opening Pills is halved. If Lin Chen saves these two pills to use after breaking through to Eighteen Acupoints, he can reach Twenty Acupoints, maximizing the use of the pills.
Su Lingchuan has long-term plans for Lin Chen and doesn’t intend for him to use the Acupoint Opening Pills just for this county duel.
"Hmm, I am very satisfied. Please convey to Lin Chen that he should focus on his cultivation and not worry about this county duel."
Tai Rubai watched Su Lord’s ever-changing expression and, already puzzled, couldn’t help but speculate, "Sir, are the students from this year in Yanshan County special?"
"Yanshan County has two students who have already opened Fifteen Acupoints."
"Fifteen Acupoints?"
Tai Rubai gave a bitter smile, realizing why the lord wanted him to pass this ssage to Lin Chen. The realm difference is too great; even if Lin Chen is on the Extre Martial Arts Path, it’s hard to make up for the gap in realms.
Unless Lin Chen uses the Acupoint Opening Pills.
But if Lin Chen uses them, those two in Yanshan County will also use them; the gap will remain the sa.
"How did those two students from Yanshan County open Fifteen Acupoints?"
Su Lingchuan, knowing what Tai Rubai was thinking, said calmly, "I’ve checked; those two had a stroke of fortune without any cheating involved."
And even if there were cheating, the body’s absorption capacity has its limits. Unless extrely precious pills are consud, the value of those pills far exceeds the reward of the county duel.
...
...
Mountain Suppressing Martial Arts Hall.
Tai Rubai summoned Lin Chen and inford him of what Su Lingchuan had said.
Lin Chen remained silent for a mont, then spoke, "Hall Master, I am prepared to use the Acupoint Opening Pills."
"Foolish!"
Tai Rubai scolded loudly, then softened his tone considering Lin Chen’s talent, explaining, "Didn’t Lord Su think about having you use the Acupoint Opening Pills?"
"An Acupoint Opening Pill used within Twenty Acupoints will surely open one acupoint. Don’t forget your family background, and don’t think that getting first in the three-month competition, along with the rewards from the Martial Affairs Office and the Martial Hall, ans you won’t lack silver coins. The path of martial arts ahead has nurous expenses. Just reaching the Opening Acupoints Realm, if you aim to reach Viscera-Refining in two years, requires a cost of three thousand taels."
Spending three thousand taels in two years is a painful expenditure for the elites of Poyang County. Shortening the ti fra further is beyond what families in Poyang County can afford.
One can’t exhaust the entire family’s savings to nurture a single child.
Liang has had a flourishing martial arts culture for over two hundred years, and people have already figured out the appropriate cultivation tiline for each class.
Three years for Viscera-Refining, and then rushing to Entering the Grade within the following five to ten years, is the path most elite families in the county take. A handful of gifted individuals pursue Viscera-Refining in two years.
Beyond that level, only the elite families at the prefectural level would pursue.
"Hall Master, I understand these things. But if I win the county duel, I could receive a reward that compensates for the waste of the Acupoint Opening Pills."
"You could use them, but so could your opponents; you risk losing everything in the end."
Lin Chen’s expression was resolute, "Lord Su has shown the favor of recognition. Back when I was at the Martial Hall, I couldn’t even afford beef, and it was only thanks to Lord Su’s arrival and the implentation of a policy encouraging students, that I managed to have silver coins to continue practicing martial arts in the school. After reaching the Martial Hall, if not for Lord Su’s arrangent of the three-month competition, with my family background, how could I have co this far? By the ti I reached Opening Five Acupoints, I would’ve had to pause my martial arts cultivation due to lack of silver coins."
"Although Lord Su didn’t do it for , I have indeed benefited. The outcos of the county duel might have so impact on Lord Su; using the Acupoint Opening Pills to make an all-out effort is also my way to repay Lord Su."
Tai Rubai’s face was moved, as Lin Chen’s martial arts journey has long been known across major martial halls, and Tai Rubai was naturally aware.
Thinking about it like that, it does seem to be just as Lin Chen described.
Lord Su’s policies weren’t specifically for Lin Chen, but for Lin Chen, they were like tily rain.
The favor of recognition.
This sentint isn’t exaggerated.
"Lin Chen, are you sure?" Tai Rubai asked seriously once more.
"I have no regrets."
Lin Chen responded resolutely.
Hesitation, regret?
They don’t exist.
His Natural Progress Life Chart ans the more he cultivates, the faster it gets.
Twelve Acupoints is a watershed, and once past it, the progression accelerates sequentially.
This is the most cost-effective ti to use the Acupoint Opening Pills, and it also allows him to gain favor with Lord Su.
As for whether those two from Yanshan County will use the Acupoint Opening Pills?
Lin Chen glanced at the panel, noting the changes in Qi Blood after Iron Bone Skill reached Perfection, and the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. Even if they use the pills, he is confident he can secure first place.
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