Clear Wind Palm Reaches Mastery

After a sparring session.

Lu Yongfeng, Zhao Jingchuan, and Cheng Ying all fell into deep self-doubt.

They had lost too badly!

None of the three of them could last more than three moves against Lin Chen, all suffering crushing defeats within three moves.

Zhao Jingchuan and Cheng Ying finally understood why Senior Brother Lu had asked that question earlier.

Only through personal experience could they feel the terrifying nature of Lin Chen's Clear Wind Palm.

It was elusive, leaving no trace, yet when the palm landed, it was incredibly precise, each move aimed at a vital point.

In the Martial Arts Hall, they had sparred with Senior Brothers who had opened three Apertures, but their feeling was that even those Senior Brothers were probably not as good as Lin Chen.

"Don't ask, just practice more, practice like your life depends on it."

Lin Chen didn't try to comfort Lu Yongfeng and the other two. Coming from the same Martial Arts Hall, he also hoped that Lu Yongfeng and the others could go further on the Martial Path.

Only a harsh blow could ignite their fighting spirit.

As for whether their morale would be shattered, he believed Lu Yongfeng and the other two were not that fragile.

"Senior Brother Lin..."

After a while, Zhao Jingchuan let out a helpless, bitter laugh. "Forget it, let's not spar anymore today. I'll take you to the liveliest place in the Martial Garden."

"Right, I have no desire to practice martial arts today either. It'll take at least a few hours for my mood to recover," Cheng Ying nodded in agreement.

"Three Junior Brothers, please don't reveal my situation to anyone outside," Lin Chen reminded them.

He didn't want his abilities to be figured out in advance before the tri-monthly competition between the eight major Martial Arts Halls for new disciples.

"Senior Brother Lin, don't worry, we know our limits. We absolutely won't reveal it to anyone outside. Only the three of us know about this matter," Lu Yongfeng said with a serious expression.

The group didn't continue sparring. Zhao Jingchuan led the three out of the courtyard and walked to the end of a covered walkway, where their view suddenly opened up.

In the wide training ground ahead, there were several arenas. On several of them, Martial Artists were currently engaged in combat, and below the arenas, many Martial Artists were watching.

The place was bustling with noise and extremely lively.

However, these Martial Artists looked to be in their early twenties.

"Senior Brother Lin, these twelve arenas correspond to Apertures one to twenty-four respectively. Those who meet the required realm can go up and compete with other Martial Artists. If you defeat ten opponents, you can participate in the Arena Master Competition at the end of the month. Martial Artists who win the Arena Master title will be rewarded ten taels of silver by the Martial Garden."

Seeing Lin Chen staring at the two Martial Artists competing on one of the arenas, Zhao Jingchuan explained in a low voice, "The arena Senior Brother Lin is looking at is for Martial Artists with seven and eight Apertures opened. It attracts the most attention. After all, once you reach ten Apertures, you're considered someone of significance and won't frequently participate in arena matches."

Reaching ten Apertures meant one could secure a position in the yamen, indeed considered a person of some standing and reputation. It was indeed somewhat inappropriate to compete in public like this, which Lin Chen could understand.

"Senior Brother Lin, with your current strength, you can go up to the first arena and compete with other Martial Artists. If you don't want to expose yourself, you can also choose to cover your face with a mask."

Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the feasibility of what Zhao Jingchuan said.

Seeing Lin Chen deep in thought, Lu Yongfeng interjected, "Actually, many students from the eight major Martial Arts Halls also come here to participate in arena competitions. This is also an opportunity for practical sparring, and many Martial Arts Hall students choose to wear a mask to conceal their true identity."

"Why?"

"So it's not embarrassing to lose," Cheng Ying added.

That made a lot of sense!

After a moment of thought, Lin Chen asked, "How can I participate in an arena competition?"

"You can go to the Registration Pavilion in the Martial Garden and get an Identity Token."

"Are there any restrictions on getting an Identity Token?"

"There are no restrictions at all. My elder relative said that the Martial Garden itself is just providing a venue. You can only stay in the Martial Arts Hall for a maximum of three years, but the Martial Path is long for Martial Artists. The existence of the Martial Garden makes things convenient for everyone."

After hearing Zhao Jingchuan's explanation, Lin Chen also understood.

A young man entering the Martial Arts Hall at fifteen, even if it took him three years to enter the Martial Garden, would only be in his early twenties when his three years in the Martial Garden ended. Martial Artists' Qi and Blood would only decline around forty.

That was a long decade-plus in between!

Martial Artists in Poyang County needed a place like the Martial Garden to facilitate communication, sparring, and even resource exchange.

And for students still in the Martial Arts Hall, coming to the Martial Garden to participate in arena competitions could also improve their combat skills.

The Martial Artists competing in the arenas might not have very high realms, all below ten Apertures, but some of these Martial Artists had been cultivating on the Martial Path for over a decade, and their proficiency in their techniques was high.

Engaging with these people could help one discover their shortcomings and make rapid progress.

If you were afraid of being embarrassed, you could just wear a mask.

Having figured this out, Lin Chen, Lu Yongfeng, and Cheng Ying, led by Zhao Jingchuan, went to the Registration Pavilion in the Martial Garden. The person in charge of the Martial Garden glanced at the three of them without asking about their identities or origins. He took out three Identity Tokens from under the counter and informed them of the rules.

The Martial Garden Identity Token was not to be lent out!

This was the only requirement the Martial Garden had for the Martial Artists.

Lin Chen took his Identity Token. There was only a number code on the token.

One Thousand Two Hundred and Eight!

Lin Chen glanced at the numbers on Lu Yongfeng's and Cheng Ying's tokens. The three of them were adjacent, with their numbers following his.

From the attitude of the man responsible for registration, Lin Chen believed Zhao Jingchuan's words. The Martial Garden truly didn't care about these Aperture Opening Martial Artists; they were given Identity Tokens without even being asked for their real names.

After getting his Identity Token, Lin Chen wasn't in a rush to challenge the arena. Since the Martial Arts Hall only started classes on the sixteenth of the first lunar month, it was still only mid-month, so he could wait until the end of the month to challenge.

He should first practice the Clear Wind Palm until he mastered it. That way, his chances would be greater.

After agreeing on a time to meet next with Zhao Jingchuan and the others, the four of them left the Martial Garden and returned to their respective Martial Arts Halls.

Five days later!

February 19th, 298th year of the Great Liang Dynasty.

Still Water Hall Dormitory!

Lin Chen once again struck the Camphor Tree with his palm.

Bang!

The Camphor Tree shook. From where his hand made contact, the bark peeled off several feet above and below, revealing the smooth wood. This time, a full twenty percent of the leaves fell off.

The Camphor Tree was lush and full, with leaves as dense as a canopy. However, after this strike, the gaps between the remaining leaves were visibly larger and sparser.

As for the spot where Lin Chen's palm struck, it had sunk half a foot deep into the wood.

The Clear Wind Palm had reached mastery!

"Continue!"

Glancing at the System Panel, which displayed [Clear Wind Palm: Mastery (1/10)], Lin Chen didn't stop.

With the Clear Wind Palm reaching mastery, every time Lin Chen struck, the palm wind whistled. At the same time, as he channeled the technique, the Qi and Blood in his left shoulder and right arm began to circulate continuously. All of this Qi and Blood flowed towards the third Aperture: his right shoulder.

With his martial arts technique reaching mastery, the circulation of Qi and Blood accelerated. Lin Chen naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity.

Another night of intense practice.

Waking up the next day.

Lin Chen continued to practice the Clear Wind Palm for another hour, but the progress displayed on the System Panel remained unchanged.

"No wonder the progress is displayed as (1/10). It seems that after the Clear Wind Palm reaches mastery, simply practicing more isn't enough. It requires more understanding of the true essence of the Clear Wind Palm."

"With the [Black to the End] title, my comprehension will increase at night. Practicing the Clear Wind Palm after dark is the most suitable. During the day, I can practice other martial arts techniques to maximize the use of time."

Although he was a little disappointed that the Clear Wind Palm's progress wasn't increasing, Lin Chen wasn't greedy. His progress in martial arts techniques was already far beyond most people.

Taking off his training clothes, Lin Chen changed into his own clothes, left the dormitory, and headed straight out of the Martial Arts Hall.

The joy of a breakthrough in the Martial Path shouldn't be enjoyed alone.

He was preparing to visit Instructor Yu!

Instructor Yu had shown him great kindness. Now that his Clear Wind Palm had reached mastery, it was time to inform Instructor Yu of this good news.