Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 539 - 71: Liang’s Heir Apparent

If I’ve managed to force you to draw your sword, you’re already quite impressive.

Listening to Brother Pei’s words, Lin Chen’s expression appeared somewhat peculiar. Do all Celestial Prides speak in this manner?

Am I the only one who speaks modestly?

"I heard from Dean Hou that you have also cultivated a Body Tempering Technique."

In terms of Martial Path Will, Pei Qingming had already sensed Lin Chen’s foundation, comparable to a martial artist who had just entered the Eighth Grade.

"Alright."

Lin Chen nodded, his entire body enveloped in a pale golden glow, the Mountain Suppressing Chart activated to the extreme, his body gleaming with a faint golden hue.

"Brother Pei, please instruct me."

With a light shout, at the moment Lin Chen’s right foot hit the ground, the soil beneath flew up, as a Palm Wind carrying the sound of thunder and wind struck towards Pei Qingming’s face.

"Palm Six!"

The move initiated was the sixth form of the Wind and Cloud Palm, his entire body’s qi blood erupted, concentrating in his palm.

Pei Qingming’s eyes flickered with surprise, as he also responded with a palm strike.

Boom!

The moment their palms collided, the soil within ten feet around them was swept up by invisible gang winds, flying into the sky.

Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed, his palm struck again, Pei Qingming also responded with a palm in return.

In ten breaths, they exchanged sixty palm strikes, the surrounding turf and trees were uprooted, Lin Chen’s sleeves were shredded, veins bulged on his arms, whereas Pei Qingming remained composed.

"Lin Chen, it’s my turn next."

Pei Qingming laughed aloud, this time initiating an attack for the first time, with Sword Qi gathered at his fingertips transforming into gang winds, shooting towards Lin Chen.

The moment Lin Chen received the warning, the Mountain Suppressing Chart once again activated to the extreme, but only sustained for five breaths before the blood gang on his body was shattered by the Sword Qi and gang winds.

The terrifying Sword Qi and gang winds landed on his body, instantly carving thousands of sword marks on his upper body.

"Brother Pei, I’ve lost."

Lin Chen landed back on the ground, his Reversed Scale Armor exposed, fortunately, it wasn’t pierced, but his exposed arms and shoulders bore fine blood marks.

"Though defeated with honor, your physique is even stronger than I anticipated, truly worthy of the legendary Body Tempering Technique."

Pei Qingming smiled, though it seemed his casual strike with a few fingers projected Sword Qi and gang winds containing his Martial Path Will and his understanding of Sword Dao, even an Eighth-Grade Martial Artist couldn’t withstand it.

"Have you thought about why my earlier strike had such power?"

"Is it Martial Path Will?"

"Regarding Martial Path Will, your teacher should have explained to you, but Martial Path Will is not entirely Divine Soul, nor entirely Soldier Spirit."

Hearing this, Lin Chen perked up his ears, showing a posture of earnest listening.

Brother Pei was about to impart his martial experience to him.

"Think about the process of condensing your Martial Path Will..."

"The process of condensing Martial Path Will?"

Lin Chen recalled the scene of golden little figures condensing in his dantian, within Lingxiao Hall, leveraging the power of Lingxiao, he condensed nine golden little figures, each representing a cultivation technique he had learned.

Ultimately merging these techniques into one, formed the golden little figure in the dantian.

Martial Path Will is also related to understanding the Cultivation Technique.

Seeing Lin Chen’s contemplative expression and the growing brightness in his eyes, Pei Qingming knew Lin Chen likely realized some key point, and smiled: "Martial Path Will is not just Divine Soul, but also includes your comprehension of Martial Arts Technique."

"Since childhood, I have been in contact with the sword, though before Qi Cultivation I had not practiced Swordsmanship, I witnessed many elders in the family practicing sword, later, after entering the Refining Viscera Realm, the Finger Technique I cultivated also derived from Swordsmanship, until later when I entered the grade and began practicing Swordsmanship..."

"Martial Path Will is indeed formed by the condensation of Divine Soul, but it’s not just Divine Soul, it also includes your understanding of the martial path."

"Many martial artists do not know this, because their martial attainment is not deep, even some Upper-Grade Martial Artists might not understand this."

Facing Lin Chen, who had the same potential as himself, Pei Qingming did not hold back any knowledge.

"Many people think that my inability to step into the Third Grade is due to my talent, but they do not know that if I wanted to enter the Third Grade, it would only be a matter of overnight. The reason I’ve remained in the Fourth Grade is because of my lacking a sliver of Sword Will on the Sword Dao."

"Sword Will?"

"Every cultivation technique has its unique Martial Path Will, a sword has Sword Will, a blade has Blade Will... even Fist Technique and Palm Technique are similar, forcibly enhancing the tier by relying on Soldier Spirit and Spirit Tier equates to severing one’s Martial Path potential, and this is something you must remember."

For an ordinary genius, Pei Qingming wouldn’t mention these things, knowing them would only add to their worries.

Even pursuing the extreme could ultimately lead to halting their realm’s progress.

But for Lin Chen, Pei Qingming felt it was no harm to inform him, because Lin Chen and he are geniuses of the same level.

"There’s a significant problem in your Martial Arts Cultivation that you may not have realized yet."

Pei Qingming spoke, looking at Lin Chen, and when he saw that Lin Chen was only surprised, without any displeasure or doubt, a trace of relief appeared in his eyes.

Such geniuses are usually arrogant and can’t bear to hear others say there are problems with their Martial Arts Cultivation.

At the very least, they would subconsciously question and feel unconvinced, but Lin Chen didn’t, which is a rare humility.

If he had such humility at Lin Chen’s age, he might have reached the Third Grade by now.

But it was precisely because he had taken the wrong path that he didn’t want Lin Chen to follow in his footsteps.

"You and I are the same, both martial geniuses, picking up any Cultivation Technique very quickly, while others face their limits after practicing two or three techniques, you and I can practice six or seven or even more..."

"Fist, palm, leg, blade, sword, staff..."

"But the more you learn, the more mixed your understanding of the Martial Path becomes, making it harder for you to achieve Perfection in Martial Path Will."

"Is there such a saying?"

Lin Chen was dumbfounded, he genuinely didn’t know that the advancement of Martial Path Will could be limited by Cultivation Techniques.

"Watch closely."

Pei Qingming raised his right hand, and this time the longsword in the scabbard did not come out, yet he manifested a pure long sword in his hand, and just by observing from afar, Lin Chen could feel the purity of the Sword Qi within it.

"The enhancement of Spirit Soldiers ultimately has its limits. The highest tier of Spirit Soldiers in the Nine Kingdoms is only First Grade, and the reason why there’s no existence beyond First Grade in the Nine Kingdoms is because Spirit Soldiers can’t surpass First Grade. To break through First Grade, one must rely on Martial Path Will, the purer, the better."

This was the first time Pei Qingming revealed his ambition in martial arts to others. First Grade was never his goal; his goal was to surpass the existence of First Grade.

"Currently, you practice a Body Tempering Technique, and that Palm Technique is very strong, combined with the fact that you also practice Archery, and these three have conflicts. Body Tempering Practitioners generally focus on grand and complete motions, while your Palm Technique seems ethereal and explosive, and your Archery emphasizes speed and precision..."

"Three completely different styles of Cultivation Techniques make it harder for you to comprehend the Martial Path than ordinary people."

"I see, so Brother Pei, what should I do?"

"Two choices: abandon one, and choose those with similar styles."

Lin Chen frowned slightly; he wasn’t willing to give up Wind and Cloud Palm, Fear of Death Arrow, or Mountain Suppressing Chart.

"What’s the other one?"

"Strengthen your Divine Soul!"

"Strengthen my Divine Soul?"

"Strengthen your Divine Soul. When your Divine Soul grows strong enough, it can subdivide and bear the Martial Path Will. Achieving Perfection with a single Martial Path Will then allows you to break through, but strengthening the Divine Soul is far more difficult than breaking through realms."

Hearing Brother Pei’s words, Lin Chen pondered deeply. If he hadn’t obtained the Thousand Mechanism Divine Refining Technique, he would need to consider whether to make choices among the Cultivation Techniques. But Senior Zhu of the Heaven-Supporting Sect had said his Divine Soul far exceeds ordinary people, and coupled with the Thousand Mechanism Divine Refining Technique’s role in enhancing the Divine Soul, this path was not impossible for him.

"It’s up to you to determine which path to take."

Pei Qingming didn’t make the decision for Lin Chen; geniuses of their level have their own choices for their path in martial arts.

What others can do is analyze and inform them of the pros and cons.

"Thank you, Brother Pei, for your guidance. I understand now."

"Hmm."

Pei Qingming nodded, then changed the subject: "Where do you plan to go next?"

"I’m planning to return to the Canglan Martial Arts Academy."

"Hmm, staying at the Canglan Martial Arts Academy is best for you right now. As for external struggles, you don’t need to concern yourself for now; we will handle them. All you need to do is focus on your cultivation."

"I will."

Lin Chen nodded heavily. Liang and Han Kingdom are competing against each other now, and although he is a genius, his strength is still too weak to significantly impact the broader situation.

"I have to go too. Let’s part ways here. I look forward to seeing you again and being surprised by you."

Pei Qingming patted Lin Chen on the shoulder, and the two said no more words.

Lin Chen didn’t ask where Pei Qingming was going; if Brother Pei meant to tell him, he would have said something. If he didn’t say, there must be a reason.

...

"How was it?"

After Lin Chen left, Dai Qingqing appeared beside Pei Qingming.

"Liang has its successor now."

Pei Qingming looked in the direction where Lin Chen disappeared, smiling. Meeting Lin Chen was the happiest thing he had experienced in recent months.