Almost Got Tricked (Please Keep Reading)

After Shu Suwan left, Yu Yongnian silently brewed tea while Lin Chen stood respectfully to one side, curiosity written across his face.

Yu Yongnian noticed as well. He coughed and explained, "When I first studied martial arts, I was fortunate enough to spend three months at the martial arts academy in Raozhou Prefecture. Inspector Shu was also studying martial arts there at the time. She was my senior sister."

"These martial arts academies broke the rules first. Inspector Shu cannot tolerate even a speck of sand in her eyes, so she certainly wouldn't ignore this. That's why I brought you to find Inspector Shu."

After Yu Yongnian explained the reason, Lin Chen suddenly understood, wearing an expression that said, So that's how it is.

As for whether he truly believed what Instructor Yu had said, only he himself knew.

He had put on that look of sudden realization to spare his instructor embarrassment. After all, this tea had already been brewed more than ten times. The tea liquor had long since become clear broth.

"What are you two master and disciple doing?"

Just as Yu Yongnian was brewing the thirteenth pot of tea, Shu Suwan appeared at the courtyard gate.

"Senior Sister!"

"Inspector Shu."

Shu Suwan's gaze landed on Lin Chen, and she said directly, "Clearwind Martial Arts Hall is willing to take you in as a disciple, but it doesn't have enough Aperture Opening Pill slots for its students. We'll borrow Still Water Martial Arts Academy's slot. For that, you'll need to stay at Still Water Martial Arts Academy for half a year. Are you willing?"

"This disciple is willing."

"Improper!"

The reactions of this master-and-disciple pair, Lin Chen and Instructor Yu, were completely different. Lin Chen accepted readily. He didn't really care which martial arts academy he became a disciple of.

Yu Yongnian, however, frowned. "Still Water Martial Arts Academy has mostly female disciples. I'm afraid..."

"What? Do you hold prejudice against women studying martial arts?"

With a single sentence, Shu Suwan pinned him down. Yu Yongnian immediately changed his tune. "Senior Sister, you misunderstand. Junior Brother didn't mean that. It's just that boys at his age..."

In Yu Yongnian's eyes, Still Water Martial Arts Academy was not a good place to go.

A gentle land of beauty was a hero's grave.

Among a crowd of female students, Lin Chen would be the only male student. Naturally, every move he made would draw attention and be magnified.

More importantly, there was far too much right and wrong among the students of Still Water Martial Arts Academy. They were always prone to quibbling over every little thing. Back when he had been at the academy, he had heard that conflicts among the female students of Still Water Martial Arts Academy were extremely numerous. That would not be good for Lin Chen's wholehearted pursuit of martial arts.

"Instructor Yu, I can go to Still Water Martial Arts Academy. It's only for half a year, anyway."

Lin Chen himself had no objection. Still Water Martial Arts Academy was fine too.

He knew what Instructor Yu was worried about. He was afraid that Lin Chen would be blinded by female beauty and lose his drive on the martial path.

But what kind of beauty had Lin Chen never seen?

In his previous life, so many women had flirted with him through videos, tempting him with all sorts of suggestive borderline content. He had merely examined it with a critical eye and never even watched the same video twice.

The customs of this world were not as harsh toward women as those of ancient times, but neither were they as open as those of his previous life. They could not shake his determination to study martial arts.

Shu Suwan was very satisfied. "Since that's settled, go report to Clearwind Martial Arts Hall first, then go to Still Water Martial Arts Academy."

"Yes."

Lin Chen agreed and was about to bid farewell to his instructor when, unexpectedly, his instructor also rose.

"Senior Sister, Junior Brother..."

"Junior Brother, don't leave. Since Still Water Martial Arts Academy is giving up an Aperture Opening Pill slot this time, we owe them a favor. I've arranged to meet their hall master. Junior Brother, come with me."

Seeing Yu Yongnian stand, Shu Suwan immediately spoke up to stop him from leaving.

She had finally taken the initiative to come here. There was no way he would get to leave so easily.

Lin Chen glanced at his instructor from the corner of his eye, then looked at Inspector Shu. He saw through the situation.

Inspector Shu was deliberately keeping Instructor Yu behind.

From his perspective, Inspector Shu was beautiful and an inspector besides. This... this was his instructor's good fortune.

"Instructor, Inspector Shu, I'll report to Clearwind Martial Arts Hall first."

"Go ahead. If anything happens, come to the Shu Residence in Ruilin Lane."

Shu Suwan spoke with a beaming smile. She was very pleased with Lin Chen's thoughtfulness.

Clearwind Martial Arts Hall.

Lin Chen returned to the martial arts hall and was once again led by the gatekeeper to the reception hall he had visited before.

He did not look resentful in the slightest.

Being looked down upon by the martial arts hall was also due to his own circumstances. They had merely handled things according to procedure. After all, the matter of his destiny being empowered was too preposterous. If he did not take the initiative to reveal it, no one would have thought of it.

When he saw Zhao Ce again, Lin Chen still bowed respectfully.

"This disciple greets Instructor Zhao." His tone was extremely respectful.

"Mm."

Seeing Lin Chen's respectful manner, Zhao Ce's expression softened somewhat. He was not targeting Lin Chen. It was simply that he had rejected Lin Chen earlier and now had to accept him, which made him lose face.

"Hall Master Qi has already told me about your circumstances. In a moment, go to the Martial Arts Pavilion to collect a martial arts manual."

Zhao Ce nodded indifferently. After tossing out those words, he turned and left. However, when he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped. "I didn't reject you earlier to deliberately target you. The hall's quota truly was full. You should also know how difficult it was for you to obtain this slot. Don't harbor resentment. Study martial arts properly."

"This disciple wouldn't dare."

Although Lin Chen did not resent him, neither would he develop any deep sense of belonging to the martial arts hall.

Lin Chen lowered his eyes. By the time he raised his head again, Zhao Ce had already left. Not the slightest change could be seen on his face as he followed a servant toward the Martial Arts Pavilion.

An instructor in the Martial Arts Pavilion verified Lin Chen's identity token and asked curiously, "Senior Brother Zhao didn't arrange a student identity token for you?"

After entering Clearwind Martial Arts Hall, every student received a student token engraved for them. They usually hung it from their person as a symbol of a martial arts hall student's identity.

"No. Instructor Zhao told me to come collect the Clear Wind Palm manual." Lin Chen answered truthfully.

The instructor glanced at Lin Chen, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. After a while, he said, "In that case, wait here for a moment."

After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, the instructor brought out a martial arts manual.

"This is the Clear Wind Palm manual. Return it in a month. You must not lose it, much less reveal it to outsiders."

The instructor's tone was not severe, but Lin Chen did not dare be careless in the slightest.

He had never even considered leaking a martial art.

Over the years, the eight great martial arts halls had accepted countless students. Quite a few people throughout Poyang County knew the various halls' martial arts techniques. Yet why had those techniques still not spread outside? It was because the students did not dare do so.

The martial arts halls kept lists of their students. If a non-student used a martial arts hall's techniques, the Martial Arts Administration would investigate to the very end. No one could withstand the Martial Arts Administration's punishment without confessing.

After bidding farewell to the instructor, Lin Chen left Clearwind Martial Arts Hall directly and headed for Still Water Martial Arts Academy.

Still Water Martial Arts Academy's entrance.

Lin Chen gave his name. While he waited at the gate, a woman walked out. When she saw Lin Chen, she stopped, curiosity in her beautiful eyes.

"You are?"

"Senior Sister, this junior has come to report to the academy."

Lin Chen did not know who the woman was, but judging from her appearance, she should be a senior sister.

The woman's hair fell like a waterfall, with a few loose strands lightly brushing her forehead. Upon hearing Lin Chen, her beautiful eyes blinked several times, adding a few unintentional touches of charm.

"Our academy actually has a male student now. How rare. My name is Chen Yan. What should I call you, Junior Brother?"

"This junior is Lin Chen. Greetings, Senior Sister Chen."

"Junior Brother Lin, why are you standing here?"

"I just explained the situation to the gatekeeper. He went to notify an instructor, so this junior is waiting here." Lin Chen answered honestly.

"Why wait? I'll take you to find the instructor. Come with me, Junior Brother."

Chen Yan was very enthusiastic. She even stepped forward to take Lin Chen's hand. Lin Chen evaded her without making it obvious. "Then I'll trouble you, Senior Sister."

The two entered through the gate. As she led the way, Chen Yan introduced the academy's circumstances to Lin Chen.

"See that corridor over there? If you go that way, you can reach the dormitory area directly. And ahead is the Training Ground. That's the Training Ground for Class A. Usually, it's where students in their third year at the academy train. The students in your new cohort go to the Class C Training Ground."

Chen Yan was extremely enthusiastic and chattered the entire way.

Lin Chen sighed inwardly. Still Water Martial Arts Academy really was better. Just look at how enthusiastic Senior Sister Chen was. Unlike Clearwind Martial Arts Hall, where everyone from top to bottom was so cold.

What a pity that he was not truly a disciple of Still Water Martial Arts Academy.

"I'll first take Junior Brother Lin to register and collect a student identity token from the academy."

"No... there's no need to collect a student identity token."

Lin Chen hurriedly stopped her. He was only affiliated with Still Water Martial Arts Academy temporarily and did not count as one of its disciples.

"Senior Sister Chen, my circumstances are a little complicated. You only need to take me to the instructor in charge of recruiting students."

Chen Yan studied Lin Chen with her beautiful eyes for a while, then smiled brightly. "All right. I'll take Junior Brother directly to the Martial Arts Pavilion."

Every martial arts academy had a Martial Arts Pavilion, and Still Water Martial Arts Academy was no exception.

"The Martial Arts Pavilion is just ahead. You're here to collect an Aperture Opening Pill, right, Junior Brother?" Chen Yan asked with complete confidence.

"Mm."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Lin. To celebrate you entering the Aperture Opening Realm shortly, Senior Sister will treat you to a meal today."

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. This Senior Sister Chen was far too enthusiastic.

She was even offering to treat him?

A senior sister dropped from the heavens?

After pondering for a moment, Lin Chen declined, "How could I let Senior Sister treat me..."

After saying only half that sentence, Lin Chen noticed Chen Yan's eyes brighten slightly. A guess suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Could this Senior Sister Chen have been waiting for him?

With that thought, Lin Chen changed tack. "This junior should be the one treating Senior Sister to a meal. It's just that I came to the academy in a hurry and didn't bring any silver. I'll shamelessly freeload a meal from Senior Sister today, then treat you in return another day."

The smile on Chen Yan's face instantly stiffened. Freeload a meal from me shamelessly?

You really are shameless.

You didn't bring any money? You could still invite me to a meal another day. How could you say you were going to freeload from me?

How did you even manage to say that?

For the past few days, she had stood guard inside the academy every day, hoping to fool some of the new junior sisters into going to the Four Great Martial Towers for a meal.

The Four Great Martial Towers' signature dishes were all nourishing poultry rich in blood energy, but their prices were extraordinarily expensive—beyond what ordinary students could afford. However, students who could cultivate Essence Energy within a year could afford a few meals there, even if they were among the poorest.

She had already freeloaded three meals over the past few days without a single failure.

Only with this junior brother had her plan failed.

"Junior Brother, you're joking. What's this about freeloading? Whoever invites is still inviting." Chen Yan forced a smile. "I'll take you to the Martial Arts Pavilion first. We can discuss the meal later."

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Sister."

This time, Chen Yan did not say a word along the way.

If she kept talking, her mouth would go dry, and she might not even earn enough for a single pot of tea.

"Junior Brother Lin, this is the Martial Arts Pavilion. I won't go in. I'll wait here for you to come out."

Lin Chen knew perfectly well that the moment he entered the Martial Arts Pavilion, Senior Sister Chen would turn around and leave. He did not expose her, however. After all, she had indeed guided him here and introduced some of the academy's circumstances.

In his previous life, this was called service, and paying for service was perfectly normal.

Unfortunately, he had no money and could only freeload on Senior Sister Chen.

Bah!

That came out wrong. I mean freeload on Senior Sister Chen's service.

Crossing the threshold of the Martial Arts Pavilion, Lin Chen subconsciously turned his head. Senior Sister Chen's figure had already vanished.

Lin Chen: ...

Did she have to leave so quickly?

Couldn't she even finish acting?

As he sighed, Lin Chen understood even more clearly how difficult the martial path was.

That Senior Sister Chen was clearly already in the Aperture Opening Realm, yet she had lowered herself just for a meal. She had practically been seducing him.

If martial artists had not run out of money from studying martial arts, why would they do such a thing?

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