The next day!
Lin Chen cultivated Water Cloud Palm in his dormitory.
Since he had chosen to join Still Water Martial Arts Academy, he naturally had to cultivate Water Cloud Palm. Besides, it was no longer appropriate for him to cultivate Clear Wind Palm during the day, so using that time to cultivate Water Cloud Palm was perfect.
Compared with the ethereal nature of Clear Wind Palm, Water Cloud Palm emphasized softness. It used ingenuity as its weapon and followed the principle of lifting a thousand pounds with four ounces.
Clear Wind Palm +1 Clear Wind Palm +1
Knock, knock, knock!
Knocking came from outside the dormitory door.
Lin Chen frowned, walked out of the small courtyard, and opened the door. The person standing outside was the servant who had shown him the way yesterday.
"Young Master Lin, Hall Master Kong wants you to go over."
"Hall Master Kong wants to see me again?"
Hadn't they just met yesterday? Could something have gone wrong with his decision to change martial arts academies?
At that thought, Lin Chen's heart tightened. He did not dare delay, so he locked the door and followed the servant away.
It was still the courtyard where Hall Master Kong had been yesterday.
As Lin Chen stepped inside, he saw another figure in the courtyard, and surprise flashed through his eyes.
Why was Instructor Chen here?
"You're here."
When Kong Yinglei saw Lin Chen, a smile hung on her face. Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Judging by Hall Master Kong's expression, there should not have been any major problem.
"I called you here this time because Instructor Chen has something to say to you."
Kong Yinglei directly cleared up Lin Chen's confusion, then walked toward the courtyard gate, leaving Chen Chunfeng and Lin Chen space to speak privately.
"Lin Chen, you shouldn't have joined Still Water Martial Arts Academy." After Kong Yinglei left, Chen Chunfeng slowly spoke.
The instant Lin Chen entered, Chen Chunfeng's gaze had evaded him for a moment. He felt guilty.
Yet precisely because he felt guilty, when he heard from Senior Brother Qi that Lin Chen intended to transfer to Still Water Martial Arts Academy, he disregarded Senior Brother Qi's attempts to stop him.
Even if he would suffer the mockery of Deputy Hall Master Kong of Still Water Martial Arts Academy, he had still come.
What he had not expected was that Deputy Hall Master Kong's manner of handling things was even more magnanimous than he had imagined. She had directly given him and Lin Chen a chance to speak privately.
"Instructor Chen, this disciple doesn't understand what you mean. Why can't I join Still Water Martial Arts Academy?"
Lin Chen neither servile nor overbearing, retorted in a deep voice, "The Aperture Opening Pill I received used Still Water Martial Arts Academy's quota. From beginning to end, Clearwind Martial Arts Hall only gave me the chance to cultivate Clear Wind Palm. Could it be that after cultivating Clear Wind Palm, I'm forbidden from entering another martial arts academy?"
Chen Chunfeng was choked by Lin Chen's words. He could understand the resentment in Lin Chen's heart and that he felt the martial arts hall had treated him unfairly.
"Precisely because you cultivated Clear Wind Palm and possess such extraordinary talent in it, you should remain at Clearwind Martial Arts Hall. When it comes to Clear Wind Palm, no one can surpass Clearwind Martial Arts Hall."
"With your talent, as long as someone guides you, it isn't impossible for you to cultivate Clear Wind Palm to perfection within three years. Don't let a moment of pride delay your martial path."
If it had been another student daring to speak to him like that, Chen Chunfeng would have long since flicked his sleeve and left. But he cherished talent and did not want to see Lin Chen ruin himself over a Grade A Treatment quota.
"I don't understand what Instructor Chen means. How would staying at Still Water Martial Arts Academy delay me? At least Still Water Martial Arts Academy has given me an opportunity."
Lin Chen sneered. He had seen through it now. Hall Master Qi and Instructor Zhao of Clearwind Martial Arts Hall had never taken him seriously from beginning to end.
"The opportunity Still Water Martial Arts Academy gave you is merely the moon reflected in a well and flowers reflected in a mirror. Do you think you can currently stand against those students who have opened four apertures?"
Chen Chunfeng was still unwilling to give up and continued, "If you want such an opportunity, Clearwind Martial Arts Hall can give it to you as well."
"Many thanks for your favor, Instructor Chen, but this disciple has made up his mind. There's no need."
Lin Chen no longer had the slightest favorable impression of Clearwind Martial Arts Hall.
They had rejected him once at the beginning, then rejected him a second time yesterday. How shameless would he have to be to go crawling back?
His family background was ordinary, but he was not without dignity.
He could shamelessly beg for resources for the sake of his martial path, but he could not truly throw away all self-respect.
Chen Chunfeng thought Lin Chen's comprehension of Clear Wind Palm was extraordinarily high, but Lin Chen himself knew that his comprehension came from the Black to the End title. Even when cultivating other martial arts, he could reach the same progress as with Clear Wind Palm.
Seeing Lin Chen's resolute expression, Chen Chunfeng opened his mouth several times, but restrained himself in the end.
"If that's the case, then I hope you can go far on your martial path."
Chen Chunfeng ultimately decided not to persuade him any further. Somewhat dejected, he walked toward the entrance. Just before reaching it, he stopped and said, "If you ultimately fail to obtain Grade A Treatment at Still Water Martial Arts Academy, Clearwind Martial Arts Hall's doors will always be open to you."
"Many thanks for your favor, Instructor Chen, but this disciple is not worthy of such treatment from you."
Lin Chen's impression of Instructor Chen remained the same as before, so he used this tactful reply to express his attitude.
Even if he could not obtain Grade A Student treatment at Still Water Martial Arts Academy, he would not return to Clearwind Martial Arts Hall.
Chen Chunfeng left. Not long after he did, Kong Yinglei appeared at the entrance.
"Of the several instructors at Clearwind Martial Arts Hall, Chen Chunfeng is the only one I find pleasing to the eye. If you return with him, then given that he personally came to persuade you today, he will surely nurture you wholeheartedly."
Kong Yinglei looked at Lin Chen. She was speaking sincerely. She had not expected Chen Chunfeng to personally come today, and it was precisely for that reason that she had given him the opportunity to meet Lin Chen privately.
"Hall Master Kong, I've already made things clear to Instructor Chen. I won't return to Clearwind Martial Arts Hall. This disciple is unblessed and cannot accept Instructor Chen's favor."
Lin Chen shook his head, his attitude equally firm.
"Fine. Then cultivate properly. There are still fifteen days until the martial arts hall competition at the beginning of the month."
Kong Yinglei nodded and said no more, waving her hand to send Lin Chen away.
Clearwind Martial Arts Hall.
"Senior Brother Chen, I told you that there was no need to persuade him. Lin Chen is so ungrateful—just let him go."
Zhao Ce looked at Chen Chunfeng's dark expression and leisurely sipped the fragrant tea before him. "Our Clearwind Martial Arts Hall has never mistreated him. He was never qualified for the Grade A Treatment quota in the first place. Other martial arts halls would do the same."
Chen Chunfeng remained silent.
"Junior Brother Chen, Still Water Martial Arts Academy has merely promised Lin Chen an illusion as insubstantial as flowers reflected in water and the moon reflected in a mirror. If he can't even see through that, then such a student isn't worth our martial arts hall's concern. Just let him go."
Qi He also spoke with a hearty laugh. He was somewhat displeased that Junior Brother Chen had gone to Still Water Martial Arts Academy to persuade Lin Chen to return.
When had the dignified Clearwind Martial Arts Hall ever needed to beg a student to come back?
If word got out, wouldn't that damage Clearwind Martial Arts Hall's reputation?
It was just that Junior Brother Chen and the Hall Master had once been fellow disciples, so he found it difficult to say such harsh words aloud.
Seeing Senior Brother Qi and Junior Brother Zhao's unconcerned expressions, Chen Chunfeng could guess what they were thinking. There was something he had not said: At the time, in the courtyard, judging from Lin Chen's tone and bearing, he had not seemed like an impulsive youth. Rather, he had displayed the decisive confidence of someone with solid grounds.
But he could not figure out where Lin Chen's confidence came from.
Precisely because he could not figure it out, he had not voiced his own judgment.
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