Brother Tree, I'm Sorry!

One match, two matches...

Over the next half hour, Lin Chen went through five more matches.

Every opponent was strong. Although they were all only at the second level of Aperture Opening, these opponents had a high proficiency in their martial arts techniques. It was just that they weren't cultivating Ranked Martial Arts Techniques, so their power was a bit lacking.

By the third match, Lin Chen needed to rest for a quarter of an hour after each match ended.

Perhaps because of Lin Chen's winning streak, the first arena, which had previously attracted little attention, now had quite a few eyes focused on it.

Especially after the Senior Sister from Still Water Martial Arts Academy, wearing a mask on the third arena, was also defeated, even more Martial Artists shifted their attention here.

While Lin Chen was resting, his peripheral vision also caught the fight on the third arena. This Senior Sister had just lost to a six-aperture Martial Artist who cultivated Iron Collapse Fist.

Listening to the discussions of the Martial Artists watching, this six-aperture Martial Artist who cultivated Iron Collapse Fist was already thirty years old and had been the champion of the third arena for two months.

Lin Chen understood now. Martial Artists who hadn't learned Ranked Martial Arts Techniques couldn't become the arena champion at the end of the month. The champion's position still fell to the Martial Artists who came from the Martial Arts Hall.

That Senior Sister from Still Water Martial Arts Academy was already quite good, able to withstand ten moves. That Iron Collapse Fist from Iron Blood Martial Arts Academy had already reached Great Accomplishment. Lin Chen estimated that if he were up there, he probably wouldn't even be able to withstand one punch.

Looking at it this way, it really wasn't easy for him to get that ten taels of silver. It was a group of people who had cultivated their martial arts techniques to the extreme competing for the championship. His martial arts technique being only at the Proficiency stage really wasn't enough.

According to the rules of the Martial Garden, the 25th of every month was the championship match.

Only those who had defeated ten opponents in the current month were qualified to challenge the champion from the previous month on that day.

After the Senior Sister from Still Water Martial Arts Academy failed, she didn't linger. She left directly with her mask on. Lin Chen also finished resting and returned to the first arena.

At this moment, his opponent had already taken the stage.

"This newcomer is up against Qiao Yi. He's definitely going to lose this round!"

"Qiao Yi is known as the gatekeeper to the championship. Those who can defeat him are qualified to challenge the champion."

"I'm curious though, Qiao Yi also cultivates Clear Wind Palm and is from the same place as this guy. Why is he on the arena at this time?"

Lin Chen heard the discussions from below clearly. His eyes, through the mask, looked at the young man in front of him.

From the other party, he felt a hint of pressure. Was this person also a disciple who came out of Clearwind Martial Arts Hall?

"Which batch of Junior Brothers are you from?"

On the arena, Qiao Yi looked at Lin Chen and asked calmly.

He had left the Martial Arts Hall seven years ago. He had only stayed in the Martial Arts Hall for one year. There was no other reason; he had no money and couldn't stay any longer.

When he left the Martial Arts Hall, he hadn't opened his Aperture yet. Several other Senior Brothers from the same batch had given up, but he was unwilling. Finally, after spending a year, he opened his Aperture.

After that, by working as a bodyguard and guard for escorts, he spent another year to reach the second level of Aperture Opening, which cost him fifty taels of silver.

Upon reaching the second level of Aperture Opening, Qiao Yi gave up on the Martial Path. He knew very well that with his financial resources, even if he persisted, he would at most reach the fourth level of Aperture Opening in his lifetime.

Instead of continuing to waste money on the Martial Path, it was better to save money to raise his descendants.

The arena matches in the Martial Garden were one of his goals for saving money.

For five years, he had been cultivating Clear Wind Palm in addition to escorting. Finally, he had cultivated Clear Wind Palm to Minor Accomplishment.

What was hateful was that Minor Accomplishment was still not enough. Several of his competitors had already reached Great Accomplishment.

As for why he was on the stage at this time, the reason was simple: he felt a certain arrogance from this Junior Brother wearing a mask.

The pride of a Martial Artist needed no words; it could be felt in their moves.

What he didn't understand was, with a cultivation realm only at the second level of Aperture Opening and Clear Wind Palm only at the Proficiency stage, what was there to be proud of here?

If he were a new student and had achieved this in such a short time, it would indeed be worth being proud of. But this Junior Brother in front of him could absolutely not be a new student.

It was extremely rare for a new student of the Martial Arts Hall to cultivate a martial arts technique to Proficiency in such a short time. Even if there were, their realm would also be far ahead, and it would be impossible for them to still be at the second level of Aperture Opening at this time.

"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."

Lin Chen didn't answer directly. Qiao Yi let out a light snort:

"There's a big difference between Proficiency and Minor Accomplishment. Since you want me to guide you, I'll give you a few pointers."

Qiao Yi's body flashed, like a breeze sweeping by, instantly closing in on Lin Chen. He raised his hands slightly and struck out with a palm that was as gentle as a breeze caressing the face, yet this seemingly gentle palm actually caused Lin Chen's clothes to flutter and rustle loudly.

Lin Chen raised his hand to block. A strong gust of wind blasted at him, causing his eyes to narrow instantly. And in this flash of lightning, he felt a heavy blow to his chest. His entire body was sent flying off the arena and fell to the ground.

Cough cough!

Lin Chen coughed lightly and stood up from the ground. This palm made his chest feel a bit stuffy and painful, and he couldn't help but rub it. At the same time, he looked up at Qiao Yi on the arena.

This was the first time he had failed in a spar since embarking on the Martial Path.

In the Martial Arts Hall, everyone competed in strength, there was no sparring. Later, after cultivating Essence Energy and opening his Aperture, in the sparring sessions with Lu Yongfeng and the other two, he had never lost, relying on his proficiency in Clear Wind Palm.

Is this the power of Minor Accomplishment Clear Wind Palm?

Lin Chen wasn't discouraged or disappointed. The champions of the first few arenas in the Martial Garden were all those who had given up on improving their martial arts realm and specialized in cultivating martial arts techniques.

He had only cultivated Clear Wind Palm for a few months. It was not embarrassing to lose to them.

However, this loss also made Lin Chen realize something. In recent times, especially with everything going smoothly after he opened his Aperture, a sense of pride had quietly grown deep within him.

He hadn't noticed it before, but this loss just now jolted him awake. He was afraid that pride had quietly grown in his heart.

Even in the Martial Arts Hall, seeing Jiang Qing and the other Senior Sisters continuously opening their Apertures, he didn't feel much disappointment in his heart. He had confidence that as long as he endured the early stage, he could also take off.

He could wait until later stages for his realm, but he was ahead in cultivation techniques.

To use a famous quote from his previous life: Although I am surrounded by a group of enemies, the advantage is with me.

The emergence of this thought precisely proved that pride had already sprouted deep within him, yet he himself hadn't discovered it.

This defeat woke him up.

The Martial Path wasn't confined to the Martial Arts Hall, just as Deputy Hall Master Kong said, the outside world wouldn't care how long you've cultivated. Everything depended on strength; if you encountered a life-and-death struggle, would the opponent tie up one hand just because you started practicing several years later than them?

This defeat came at just the right time; it shook him awake.

Lin Chen looked at Qiao Yi on the stage, his eyes filled with intense fighting spirit. The pride had been scattered, but it ignited his passion for the Martial Path.

He would definitely return to this arena.

Lin Chen didn't stay below the stage. Instead, like that Senior Sister from Still Water Martial Arts Academy, he left the Martial Garden directly and returned to the dormitory.

In the Martial Arts Hall dormitory.

Lin Chen didn't delay for a moment and began cultivating the Clear Wind Palm.

Although he had lost terribly just now, failing to even withstand two moves, recalling Qiao Yi's palm strike gave him some insight.

Although he couldn't describe what he had grasped specifically right now, he would definitely gain something substantial after his comprehension improved tonight.

Night fell.

Lin Chen stood in the courtyard, closing his eyes and recalling the battle on the stage during the day.

"Ethereal as wind, formless and intangible."

After a long time, Lin Chen murmured softly. Instructor Yu had recorded this sentence in a booklet, but before today, he had only understood its literal meaning. Now, recalling Qiao Yi's palm strike at that time, he felt a stir in his heart.

Whoosh!

Lin Chen struck out with a palm, a palm wind flowing.

"No! Qiao Yi's palm strike didn't just stir the air current, it also had an unpredictable, 'antelope hangs its horn' quality, whereas my current palm strikes are traceable."

The Clear Wind Palm is a Ranked Martial Arts Technique. Ranked Martial Arts Techniques can unleash powerful forces that surpass one's own limits because, once mastered, they can borrow the power of the air currents.

Instructor Yu called it the power of heaven and earth's nature; in Lin Chen's view, it was the power of air currents.

Lin Chen's gaze fell upon a water vat in the courtyard, but his mind drifted to a scene he had seen as a child in his previous life, of a certain celebrity practicing Tai Chi.

Walking to the water cylinder, Lin Chen inserted his hands into the water. He began to stir the water with his hands, and soon the water flow changed direction as his hands moved.

"Comparing water flow to air flow, when I move my palm along the direction of the water flow, there isn't much resistance. But if I reverse my palm against the direction of the water flow, I immediately encounter resistance. The water flow I stirred up, which was originally a help, becomes a hindrance."

Under the night sky, watching the water flow in the water cylinder, Lin Chen's heart gained clarity.

The difference between the Clear Wind Palm at the proficient and minor accomplishment levels lay in this. When he struck out with his palm, he stirred the air current, and the air current became his aid, greatly increasing the power of his palm strike. But the flaw was also obvious: he couldn't instantly change techniques.

More precisely, he couldn't go against the air current he had generated. If he went against it, there would inevitably be a momentary lag. Therefore, in the eyes of someone whose Clear Wind Palm proficiency was higher than his, the landing points of his palm techniques could be easily captured.

"No, Qiao Yi didn't reach the state of being formless and intangible either. That palm strike seemed like an antelope hanging its horn, but I still caught it. It was just too fast for me to react."

Taking his hand out of the water cylinder, Lin Chen closed his eyes once more. What exactly was "ethereal as wind"?

Instantly.

A night breeze blew, and the few scattered leaves remaining on the camphor tree in the courtyard began to rustle.

Lin Chen closed his eyes and focused, listening to the sound of the wind. The next moment, he gently patted the camphor tree with his right palm, and a few leaves drifted down from beneath the tree.

Slap!

As the fallen leaves drifted down in front of him, Lin Chen struck out with his palm. The palm wind cut through the air, carrying these few leaves forward.

Before the forward momentum of the leaves dissipated, Lin Chen followed up with another palm strike, about a foot away from the direction of the previous strike. However, these three fallen leaves were not carried away by the palm wind. Instead, under the collision of the two palm winds, they fell towards the ground.

"Feels wrong, something's missing."

Lin Chen opened his eyes, looking at the three leaves that had just landed on the ground. He frowned, then his gaze shifted towards the camphor tree in front of him.

"Brother Tree, I apologize. If I, Lin, achieve something on the Martial Path in the future, Brother Tree will certainly have contributed to it."

Slap!

Another palm strike landed, the camphor tree trembled, and a few more leaves fell.

Repeating this cycle, Lin Chen's understanding of the Clear Wind Palm deepened little by little.

[Clear Wind Palm: Proficient (2/10)]

PS: Based on the follow-up reads up to Monday, the editor said there's a 30% chance of making it to Sanjiang next week, depending on how bad the other concurrent releases are. Sigh!

If it's confirmed in the afternoon that it can make Sanjiang, I'll add a chapter. If not, I'll add a chapter anyway. Damn it, I'm adding a chapter no matter what!