Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist-Chapter 372 - 119: Leaving a Name Before the Breakthrough
[Opening the Twenty-Three Acupoints: Liang Calendar Year 299, Jiangnan Dao Lin Chen]
The bell of the Military Affairs Department resounded!
The news quickly spread to the ears of every Liang martial artist concerned about this matter.
Even though the Military Affairs Department did not announce it, the various Military Affairs Halls could see the words "Jiangnan Dao."
The words "Jiangnan Dao" were enough to reveal the identity of the one who left a name.
Lin Chen of Jiangnan Dao successfully challenged those martial artists with Yao Tribe bloodlines.
"Good lad, he really did us proud. I’ve long been dissatisfied with those people, always saying that our Liang needs reform, that we should be like other countries and accept Yao Tribe bloodlines. The fact is, without Yao Tribe bloodlines, our Liang youth are still not inferior to them."
In the capital, when a retired former First-Grade Martial Artist spoke these words in his own residence, they were spread by outsiders, causing a shockwave throughout Liang.
This person was the former Left Minister of Liang, whose prestige in Liang surpassed even Lord Kong’s by a few notches, second only to the Old Marquis of Northern Garrison.
When this elder spoke, the direction of the Imperial Court shifted once again.
Jiangbei Dao.
In the elder’s thatched cottage, several fifty-year-old men gathered, all with anxious expressions on their faces.
"Teacher, what should we do now?"
These men were all significant figures in Jiangbei, whose slightest move could shake the whole region. Now, they were all uneasy.
It was because the one who spoke held too high a prestige.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
The elder looked dissatisfied, his eyes sharp: "The winner is yet to be determined; Lin Chen has only left his name at twenty-three sites on Martial Arts Mountain, with one more to go. Since it has come to this, there’s no need to hold anything back. Arrange for people to challenge all the places where Lin Chen has left his name on Martial Arts Mountain."
"Teacher... won’t doing this completely anger Lord Kong?"
"Do you think Kong Qifeng will spare you for what you’ve done?" The elder sneered: "You have no way out now. You must prevent Lin Chen from becoming the role model for Liang’s martial arts students to prove you’re right. Don’t forget, many families in Liang are still observing. Win them over, and even Kong Qifeng can’t do anything to you." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
Introducing Yao Tribe bloodlines and nurturing Grade-Entering Martial Artists would benefit many of Liang’s Martial Arts Clans.
The reason these Martial Arts Clans in Liang remained silent was because they were still observing. The key to this confrontation was whether Lin Chen could be prevented from leaving a name at the twenty-four sites on Martial Arts Mountain.
If they won, Lin Chen wouldn’t become the model for Liang’s students, and eventually, Kong Qifeng would have to resign from his position as Minister of Martial Affairs.
If they lost...
Everyone present knew the consequences of losing, which was why they were anxious.
"Thank you for your guidance, teacher. I understand what to do. I’ll make the arrangements now."
...
...
Jiangbei, Hedong... many of the circuits, numerous families started to take action at this moment.
"Father, your child has failed."
A young man who had opened twenty-two acupoints descended from Martial Arts Mountain, a look of disappointment on his face.
"It’s alright; we are not the only ones challenging Lin Chen; others are also taking action. You’ve already tried your best."
The young man’s father comforted his son, and such scenes were playing out in many places across Liang. That day, the number of people entering Martial Arts Mountain broke past records, with a hundred people ascending the mountain.
However, by the end of the day, these people despairingly discovered that Lin Chen’s name remained unshakeable on Martial Arts Mountain!
"Grandfather, I am useless; I couldn’t even withstand a single strike from Lin Chen."
"Couldn’t withstand a single strike?"
The elder’s face was filled with disbelief. His grandson had Yao Tribe bloodlines, albeit Ninth Grade and not fully absorbed, but how could he not withstand a single strike from Lin Chen?
"I... I couldn’t even see Lin Chen’s speed clearly before he struck me down from Martial Arts Mountain with a single blow."
The young man felt deeply ashamed, simultaneously filled with intense self-doubt. He had been inculcated since childhood with the belief that Liang’s martial artists, not having integrated Yao Tribe bloodlines, had inferior physical strength compared to other countries and were at a disadvantage before entering the Grade.
He believed fully in the words of his elders, and after going abroad and interacting with martial artists of the same age from other countries, he found that in terms of speed and strength, they were far superior to him, which validated the words of his elders.
When his childhood peers accused him of betraying Liang, he scoffed.
He was not betraying Liang; he was merely seeking a breakthrough on his Martial Path. Is there any fault in that?
The Grand Ancestor Emperor had passed away two hundred years ago; could everything he said be right?
"Grandfather, could it be that Lin Chen has also integrated Yao Tribe bloodlines?"
As soon as he posed the question, the young man himself shook his head, denying the possibility. If Lin Chen had also integrated Yao Tribe bloodlines, he wouldn’t be able to leave a name on Martial Arts Mountain.
...
...
In three days!
When Lin Chen’s name at six sites on Martial Arts Mountain remained steadily exhibited on the nomination stone wall of Martial Arts Mountain.
The entire Opening Acupoints Realm circle of Liang was utterly stirred!
"Ha ha, this is killing me with laughter! Yesterday, Wang Chao returned from overseas, and I heard he went to Martial Arts Mountain, but didn’t last even three breaths before being blasted down."
"Yao Tribe bloodlines mean nothing; in front of Lin Chen, they must all perish!"
Ye Feng was greatly exhilarated, swinging his fists, while Shen Ze, beside him, couldn’t bear watching anymore: "Seeing you so excited, those who don’t know might think you’re the one who left the name."
"Even though it’s Lin Chen who left his name, it doesn’t stop me from being excited. I’ve long been fed up with these comments: Liang must change, we must learn to be open and inclusive, to let go of hate and look forward. Look forward my ass. Five generations back, my Ye Family had countless ancestors who fought and died against the Yao Tribe, and now hundreds of clan member memorial tablets are still in the ancestral hall. A single sentence to make me let go of hatred—if I let go, would I have the face to worship my Ye Family ancestors at the ancestral hall?"
