Could it be that the senior sisters are not diligent enough?

On the Training Ground!

As Lin Chen unleashed his Clear Wind Palm, many of the students present looked bewildered.

Not Water Cloud Palm?

Some of the senior sisters who had sparred with disciples from the Clearwind Martial Arts Hall recognized the Clear Wind Palm.

But new students like Fu Jingya hadn't sparred with disciples from the Clearwind Martial Arts Hall and couldn't recognize that Lin Chen was using the Clear Wind Palm.

In the Training Ground, Qu Xiaolu was also a bit stunned seeing Lin Chen execute a set of palm techniques completely unfamiliar to her.

However, she had been at the Martial Arts Hall for a year and had some practical combat experience. Despite her surprise, she didn't panic and immediately responded with her own palm strikes.

Lin Chen's palm techniques were fluid and elegant, while Qu Xiaolu's were smooth and flowing. They exchanged blows back and forth.

Ten moves, twenty moves...

On the thirtieth move, Lin Chen flipped his hand, appearing before Qu Xiaolu's forehead at an extremely tricky angle. Another inch and it would have landed on her forehead.

"Junior Brother Lin, you're impressive. I'm no match for you, Senior Sister."

Qu Xiaolu readily conceded. Her strength was already at the bottom among the students at the Martial Arts Hall. She had come to the Training Ground to watch the excitement and didn't feel embarrassed about losing.

"Senior Sister Qu, you're too kind!" Lin Chen smiled slightly.

Kong Yinglei looked deeply at Lin Chen. With her discerning eye, she could see that Lin Chen's Clear Wind Palm had also entered the proficient stage. As for Qu Xiaolu, although her Water Cloud Palm had reached the proficient stage, she had very little practical combat experience. It was likely that she had spent more time on breaking through her cultivation realm during her year at the Martial Arts Hall.

After twenty moves, Qu Xiaolu's palm techniques were already a bit chaotic. At that point, Lin Chen could have defeated her, but he deliberately dragged it out for ten more moves.

He's a good person. He even knows how to save face for a senior sister.

"You all may step down."

Kong Yinglei instructed the older students, who promptly left. They knew that the next act would be the Deputy Hall Master scolding the new junior sisters.

As soon as the older students left, the smile on Kong Yinglei's face vanished instantly. She coldly snorted, "Are you unconvinced? Do you think that because these senior sisters have been in the Martial Arts Hall for a year, you'll definitely be able to defeat them if you're given a year's time?"

The pretty faces of Fu Jingya and the other girls changed slightly. Kong Yinglei had hit them right where they were thinking.

"On the Martial Path, there is no such thing as seniority. In the Martial Arts Hall, you are the new batch of students, but outside, you all have only one title: disciples of the Still Water Martial Arts Academy!"

"This year, you will face competition from the new disciples of the other seven Martial Arts Halls, and next year is the County Exam year, where you will compete alongside the previous batch of students!"

"Or do you think the County Exam will give you preferential treatment because you started a year later?"

Kong Yinglei's words made the faces of female students like Fu Jingya turn ugly. With the County Exam next year, they would have been in the Martial Arts Hall for a grand total of two years, while the previous batch would have been there for three years, giving them an extra year of training time.

How could they compete?

"You can also give up, stay in the Martial Arts Hall for three years, and then leave, find someone to marry, and raise children."

"Hall Master Kong, this disciple will not give up," Fu Jingya suddenly spoke up.

"Won't give up?" Kong Yinglei looked disdainful. "You say you won't give up, but your actions are already giving up. To be honest, other than Jiang Qing and Lin Chen, I am extremely disappointed in the eight of you."

"Some of you took the Aperture Opening Pill three months ago and started cultivating the Water Cloud Palm, but you still haven't reached the proficient stage... it's simply shameful!"

"Deputy Hall Master Kong, in previous years, students were also only able to cultivate the Water Cloud Palm to proficiency in just over three months," Fu Jingya said, looking unconvinced. She felt that her cultivation wasn't slow, and she could reach proficiency in the Water Cloud Palm in just a few more days.

"Idiots who only compare themselves to the worst!"

Kong Yinglei sneered, "Jiang Qing started practicing the Water Cloud Palm at the end of the year, and Lin Chen also started practicing the Clear Wind Palm at the end of the year. Why were they both able to cultivate their respective palm techniques to proficiency?"

"Arrogant idiots!"

Hiss!

Listening to Kong Yinglei's merciless words, Lin Chen subconsciously looked at Fu Jingya and the others.

Fu Jingya and the others looked like eggplants under frost, all of them listless, their faces turning pale.

Hall Master Kong, she's really harsh with her words!

She doesn't show any gentleness towards women... Oh, Hall Master Kong is also a woman, so never mind.

"And you all are still using the resources of the Aperture Opening Pill. You don't deserve it. If it weren't for good luck being born into a good family, you would be nothing."

Kong Yinglei didn't stop there, her words continued to flow. Lin Chen could see tears welling up in the eyes of several senior sisters.

"Lin Chen, seeing the performance of these idiots, do you feel that the heavens are particularly unfair? Why do such idiots have such good family backgrounds?"

Lin Chen: ...

He didn't expect Hall Master Kong to turn her fire on him.

I don't think that way.

Facing Hall Master Kong's piercing gaze, Lin Chen braced himself and said, "This disciple's situation is different from the senior sisters. We cannot be generalized."

Kong Yinglei was quite dissatisfied with Lin Chen's answer. "Really?"

"This disciple's family background cannot compare to the senior sisters, but this disciple does not envy them. It is precisely because of my humble background that this disciple understands the gap between myself and the senior/junior brothers and sisters, and knows that to not be left behind on the Martial Path, I can only practice diligently. This habit has been cultivated and is this disciple's most valuable asset on the Martial Path."

Lin Chen's answer was very tactful, but upon hearing it, some people didn't appreciate it.

"The Martial Path lies in diligence. Who doesn't understand this principle? I practice martial arts for five hours every day without fail," Fu Jingya said, looking up stubbornly.

Lin Chen spread his hands, helpless. "This junior brother practices for eight and a half hours every day."

Hiss!

Lin Chen's words turned Fu Jingya and the others' expressions from disappointment to shock.

Practicing for eight and a half hours a day? Doesn't that mean he's practicing all the time except when he's sleeping?

Even when sleeping, he could at most only sleep for three hours a day, because he still needed time for eating, drinking, and using the restroom.

Jiang Qing, on the far left, also fixed her beautiful eyes on Lin Chen, a hint of thoughtfulness flashing in her eyes.

Fu Jingya was convinced.

She was indeed not as diligent as Junior Brother Lin.

The others felt the same way. In their opinion, five hours a day was already diligent enough.

Seeing the convinced expressions on Fu Jingya and the others, Kong Yinglei didn't say anything harsh. Lin Chen's personal example was more effective than the lecturing she had prepared.

"Lin Chen, stay. The rest of you, disperse. Go back and reflect carefully on what your goal is for coming to the Martial Arts Hall."

Soon, Lin Chen was the only student left on the Training Ground.

Lin Chen was confused, not understanding why Hall Master Kong asked him to stay.

If he was asked to stay because he was a positive example, then Senior Sister Jiang was clearly one too, so he shouldn't be the only one left.

"Lin Chen, although you are not a disciple of my Still Water Martial Arts Academy, the Martial Arts Hall will still give you Grade A Student treatment. Go to the Martial Arts Pavilion and collect a Grade A Disciple Identity Token. If Junior Sister Li asks, just say it was my decision."

Kong Yinglei smiled as she spoke. Seeing Lin Chen stunned, she wasn't in a hurry. She greatly admired Lin Chen.

The matter of cultivating Essence Energy with twenty silver coins should be true, but that wasn't enough to impress her. Hearing Lin Chen's account today, practicing martial arts for over eight hours every day, she truly felt a desire to cherish such talent.

On the Martial Path, Silver Coins are indeed important, but having a firm heart for learning martial arts is even more important.

Being able to practice martial arts for eight hours a day isn't just about diligence. It precisely shows that Lin Chen has an extremely firm heart for the Martial Path; otherwise, he couldn't have persisted.

This isn't just one or two days of persistence, but the entire long martial arts career – a month, a year, or even ten years...

"Thank you, Hall Master Kong!"

Lin Chen was delighted. He didn't know what benefits came with being a Grade A student, but it was definitely a good thing.