A Sharp Sword Comes From Grinding, Suffer Less if You Can

Upon entering the city.

Lin Chen looked around curiously at everything.

The bluestone street was three zhang wide, and pedestrians came and went in an endless stream.

Shops lined both sides of the street, with various signboards. Some were hung with red silk and inscribed with golden letters, shining brightly in the sunlight; others were simple wooden plaques, showing the history of the old shops.

Well-dressed merchants and wealthy people, street vendors hawking their wares.

The entire county town was completely different in appearance from Riverbend Town. Here, Lin Chen felt the prosperity and vitality.

This was a sight the people of the town did not possess.

The townspeople, more often than not, worked hard for their three meals a day, while the city dwellers, especially wealthy merchants and powerful officials, had long since overcome the struggles of three meals, and their mental state was naturally very different.

Clearwind Martial Arts Hall.

Yu Yongnian led Lin Chen directly into the martial arts hall. Upon reaching the reception hall, a hall attendant served fragrant tea.

"Junior Brother Yu is here!"

Before long, footsteps came from a side door behind the screen, and a man walked out.

"Senior Brother Zhao."

Yu Yongnian responded with a smile, pointing to Lin Chen who was standing to the side: "This is the Lin Chen I mentioned the other day, the first one from our Riverbend Martial Arts Hall to cultivate Essence Energy."

"Disciple Lin Chen greets Instructor Zhao." Lin Chen quickly bowed and saluted.

"Mm, very good."

Zhao Ce's gaze swept over Lin Chen before retracting. He sat down in the main seat: "Junior Brother Yu, you've traveled all the way from the town, covered in dust. Have some tea first."

The two chatted and reminisced over tea for a while, while Lin Chen listened silently from the side.

The more he listened, the more he felt something was off.

This Instructor Zhao only reminisced with Instructor Yu, not mentioning his entry into the martial arts hall at all.

Yu Yongnian also noticed something was wrong. He put down his teacup and asked, "Senior Brother Zhao, have the procedures here at the martial arts hall been completed?"

"Junior Brother Yu, I'm afraid this matter might be a bit difficult."

Zhao Ce suddenly sighed: "The number of students who cultivated Essence Energy within one year from the various martial arts halls this year is much higher than in previous years. To be honest, in just the past two days, I've met seven students, and the spots at the martial arts hall are no longer enough."

"There are ten spots. It's impossible for none to be left. Moreover, Lin Chen is the number one from the martial arts hall. According to the rules, he should have a spot for an Aperture Opening Pill."

Yu Yongnian's expression was a bit grim. Each of the eight martial arts halls would have ten spots for disciples who would receive an Aperture Opening Pill. If the number of students who cultivated Essence Energy within one year from the martial arts halls exceeded eighty, it was true that some students would not get a spot, but no matter how many there were, the top-ranked student would definitely get a spot.

"Junior Brother Yu, don't get emotional. The other day, there were indeed two spots left at the martial arts hall, but the matter of the spots is not decided by me alone. The last two spots were given to two other students by the Deputy Hall Master yesterday. I, too, am powerless to help."

Zhao Ce sighed softly, looking at Lin Chen: "The spots at the martial arts hall are indeed full. If Lin Chen is willing to join the martial arts hall, for Junior Brother's sake, I can apply to the Hall Master for an annual subsidy of ten taels of silver for Lin Chen."

"No need."

Yu Yongnian directly refused. He brought Lin Chen to Clearwind Martial Arts Hall because he came from the martial arts hall himself, and there was a connection there. He prioritized recommending Lin Chen to the martial arts hall.

Secondly, it was because Lin Chen's situation was more suitable for the martial arts of Clearwind Martial Arts Hall, but this didn't mean there were no other options.

"Since the spots at the martial arts hall are full, then Junior Brother won't bother Senior Brother any longer. I'll take my leave now."

"Junior Brother Yu, don't act impulsively, lest you delay Junior Nephew Lin."

"No need for Senior Brother Zhao to worry. Lin Chen, let's go."

Yu Yongnian left with a dark expression. Lin Chen naturally followed. Having lived two lives, he was skilled at observing expressions. This Instructor Zhao clearly looked down on him.

From the condescending look of favor when Instructor Zhao mentioned giving him ten taels of silver as a subsidy just now, Lin Chen understood in his heart that in the other person's eyes, even an annual subsidy of ten taels of silver for him was not worth much.

"Pah, the son of a fisherman, and he wants an Aperture Opening Pill? Junior Brother Yu really dares to think. And he only spent less than twenty taels to cultivate Essence Energy? Who is he trying to fool?"

Zhao Ce stood at the entrance of the hall, looking at the backs of Yu Yongnian and Lin Chen as they left, and spat.

If he hadn't agreed the other day, he wouldn't even give the ten taels of silver subsidy.

Giving an annual subsidy of ten taels of silver was already giving Yu Yongnian face, and he still didn't appreciate it. Then let him wait and hit a wall at other martial arts halls.

"To Mantis Martial Arts Hall."

After leaving the gate of Clearwind Martial Arts Hall, Yu Yongnian looked at Lin Chen: "Don't be discouraged. Historically, the top student from each martial arts hall can get a spot for an Aperture Opening Pill from a martial arts hall. Clearwind Martial Arts Hall's spots are full, but Mantis Martial Arts Hall should have some."

"Disciple has troubled Instructor."

Lin Chen was sincerely grateful to Instructor Yu. From the time he entered the martial arts hall, Instructor Yu had taken good care of him, and now he even personally came to the martial arts hall to negotiate terms for him.

Even a direct disciple probably wouldn't receive such treatment.

The two walked across more than half of the county town and arrived at Mantis Martial Arts Hall.

After Yu Yongnian reported his identity and purpose, a hall attendant led the two into the martial arts hall's reception room to wait. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a young instructor came out to receive them.

"I already know Junior Brother Yu's purpose. The spots for the Aperture Opening Pill are gone, but our martial arts hall can give Lin Chen an annual subsidy of fifteen taels."

Qian Yong spoke with a smile. The Martial Arts Administration had sent a copy of the information on all students who had cultivated Essence Energy throughout the county early this morning. He had reviewed Lin Chen's information before deciding on the fifteen taels subsidy.

"Senior Brother Qian, Lin Chen only spent less than twenty taels in total to cultivate Essence Energy. This can be verified in the records of the martial arts hall. In terms of martial arts talent, Lin Chen is in no way weaker than those children of wealthy families."

"If that's the case, why didn't Junior Brother let Lin Chen join Clearwind Martial Arts Hall?"

Facing Qian Yong's question, Yu Yongnian fell silent. Could he say that Clearwind Martial Arts Hall had refused Lin Chen?

"Cultivated Essence Energy with just twenty taels of silver? Junior Brother Yu is from Clearwind Martial Arts Hall. Clearwind Martial Arts Hall wouldn't miss a disciple like that, right?"

Yu Yongnian remained silent. He couldn't say that Clearwind Martial Arts Hall's spots were already full. Regardless of whether Zhao Ce's words were true or false, coming to Mantis Martial Arts Hall only after Clearwind Martial Arts Hall's spots were full was treating Mantis Martial Arts Hall as a backup. Saying it out loud would make both sides lose face.

He didn't believe Qian Yong couldn't guess this point, yet he still pressed the matter, his intention clear.

The attitude was made clear: Mantis Martial Arts Hall would not give Lin Chen the Aperture Opening Pill spot.

"Apologies for the disturbance."

Yu Yongnian cupped his fist and took his leave again.

"I won't see Junior Brother Yu out."

After Yu Yongnian and Lin Chen left, Qian Yong snorted lightly, "What a joke. Clearwind Martial Arts Hall doesn't want him, so he wants to come to our Mantis Martial Arts Hall to take advantage? What does he think our Mantis Martial Arts Hall is? Cultivating Essence Energy with less than twenty taels? Only a fool would believe that."

At the entrance of Mantis Martial Arts Hall.

Yu Yongnian looked at Lin Chen, "Don't be discouraged. Clearwind Martial Arts Hall and Mantis Martial Arts Hall aren't willing to give you a spot, but there are other martial arts halls to choose from."

Lin Chen nodded, but a shadow fell over his heart. Things weren't that simple.

It was true that he had cultivated Essence Energy. As long as he had cultivated Essence Energy, the martial arts hall could give him a spot for the Aperture Opening Pill. The fact that these two martial arts halls weren't giving him one was partly because they didn't believe he had cultivated Essence Energy with so little money, but more importantly, it was because of his family background.

However, this kind of thing wasn't easy to say openly, so they used the excuse that the spots were full.

Cloud Concealment Martial Arts Hall, Gale Martial Arts Hall...

As Lin Chen expected, the next two martial arts halls also refused him.

Walking out of the martial arts hall gate, Lin Chen looked at Instructor Yu, his words caught in his throat.

Emotionally, he should persuade Instructor Yu to stop. Being rejected by each martial arts hall was also a blow to Instructor Yu, like having his face rubbed on the ground by the other party.

But he really didn't want to give up on the Aperture Opening Pill. His family was indeed poor, so he had to seize this opportunity even more.

One step late, always late.

Only by obtaining the Aperture Opening Pill and gaining an advantage could he get more rewards in the monthly assessments at the martial arts hall.

After visiting four martial arts halls, it was already close to noon.

"Let's go fill our stomachs first. There's a restaurant in the city with good food."

Yu Yongnian took Lin Chen to a restaurant not far from Clearwind Martial Arts Hall, a smile returning to his face. "When I was learning martial arts at the martial arts hall back then, I often came to this restaurant with a few Senior and Junior Brothers from the hall."

"Shopkeeper, a plate of Flying Phoenix Claws, and add two more dishes."

The so-called Flying Phoenix Claws were actually wild chicken feet, given a nicer name.

As the dishes arrived, Lin Chen ate silently. Yu Yongnian poured himself a glass of wine and sipped it. Seeing Lin Chen not speaking, he comforted him, "There are still four more martial arts halls. Don't be discouraged. The path of martial arts is long and difficult. Don't be disheartened by these minor setbacks. The setbacks you suffer today will be the motivation for your martial arts growth in the future."

"Plum blossoms bloom in bitter cold, and sharp swords are forged through grinding. This disciple understands this principle. Even if I don't get the Aperture Opening Pill spot, I won't give up on the path of martial arts."

A hint of surprise appeared in Yu Yongnian's eyes. "I didn't expect you to be able to summarize it like that. 'Sharp swords are forged through grinding' - this phrase alone is worth a big drink. You can't drink alcohol, so use soup instead of wine and drink a cup with me."

After drinking a cup of soup, Lin Chen continued, "Instructor Yu, when this disciple returned to the village this time, the Village Chief mentioned something to me. When Scholar Jiang left the village back then, he told the Village Chief that if a younger generation in the village achieved something in martial arts, he should be informed. Can this disciple write a letter to Scholar Jiang to inform him of my current situation?"

Lin Chen looked up and voiced the idea that had come to his mind.

If the major martial arts halls were unwilling to give him this spot, he could only write a letter to Scholar Jiang.

"If the Instructor thinks it's inappropriate, then this disciple won't write."

After listening, Yu Yongnian slammed the table, "Write! Why wouldn't you write?"

As if he felt his change in attitude was too quick, Yu Yongnian explained, "Although hardships can temper your will, it's naturally better to suffer less."

"This disciple will listen to the Instructor. Then this disciple will go back and write a letter to Scholar Jiang."

"Don't be in a hurry to go back. How about we go to the Martial Arts Administration first?"

Yu Yongnian waved his hand. Seeing Lin Chen's puzzled look, he said in a deep voice, "Go to the Martial Arts Administration to file a complaint!"