Li Lin

[Chen Qinglin]

Lifespan: 14/56

Realm: Body Tempering Third Layer

Skills: Archery (Great Accomplishment 2754/5000), Iron Wire Fist (Proficient 317/500), Iron Sword Art (Familiar 23/200)

Chen Qinglin had now trained his sword art to the Familiar level. He could perform the first three forms of the sword technique, unleashing some of its power.

Even his master, Xie Feng, had yet to reach Great Accomplishment in swordsmanship. He still couldn't fully perform the final form, Sweep Across the Mountains.

Perhaps only the old Head of the School, Xie Song, had mastered the sword art and could execute the entire technique.

As for cultivating the sword art to perfection, that was the domain of geniuses.

Not only could they bring out extraordinary power from their martial arts, but the most gifted could also comprehend the profound principles within, defeat stronger opponents despite their weakness, and even fight across realms.

Since taking a master, Chen Qinglin no longer had to worry about training resources for the time being. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to martial arts, and with Xie Feng frequently guiding him, his progress was rapid.

He had already reached the third level of Body Tempering and could lift a five-hundred-pound boulder. Even so, his strength still hadn't caught up with his progress in martial arts.

His abilities grew stronger by the day.

As for archery, Chen Qinglin didn't have much time for it and only practiced when he could, so he still hadn't reached perfection.

As an official disciple, he could have moved into the school, but to look after Chen Qingshi, he continued living in the small courtyard they rented.

He could teach Chen Qingshi while practicing martial arts. Chen Qingshi had now grasped the basics of his fist technique and sensed his Blood Qi, entering the Body Tempering Realm. It would probably happen within the next few days.

One thing worth mentioning was that ever since he became Xie Feng's disciple, some people had learned that he was Chen Liangpin's nephew.

No gangs dared to demand protection money from Chen Liangpin's stall anymore, and business had been getting better and better.

He had also gone with Chen Qingshi to visit their Second Aunt. They had been in town for more than half a month; it wouldn't have seemed right not to visit.

"Qinglin, I still haven't sensed my Blood Qi. Am I just too stupid?" Chen Qingshi approached after seeing Chen Qinglin finish practicing.

"What you need now is to calm down and focus on your training. Don't keep thinking about how to sense your Blood Qi. When the time comes, it'll happen naturally."

"Lately, you've even been letting your forms get sloppy. No wonder you can't sense your Blood Qi."

Chen Qinglin explained the problem to Chen Qingshi, who had been practicing impatiently and couldn't find his rhythm over the past couple of days.

"Was I not just getting too anxious?" Chen Qingshi said sheepishly. Having a formidable younger brother who was always there to guide him was enough to make the other disciples green with envy.

If he still couldn't grasp the basics after all that, wouldn't that make him utterly useless?

"Martial arts are something you practice for yourself. They have nothing to do with anyone else, so don't let outside influences affect you. If you perform at your usual level during practice, you'll enter the Body Tempering Realm within the next few days."

"Qinglin, I've noticed you're starting to sound a bit like Uncle Liangwen. Heh!"

The two of them had studied under Chen Liangwen for a year or two. He was one of the few literate people in their generation of the clan. The clan leader had gathered some grain and bolts of cloth from everyone to hire him to teach the clan's children to read.

"Just go practice your martial arts!" Chen Qinglin gave him an exasperated look.

As an official disciple of the school, Chen Qinglin received three bowls of Body Tempering Soup each month. Although he'd only been a disciple for half a month, Xie Feng had allowed him to receive all three bowls this month as well.

Not only that, but ever since Xie Feng had noticed how quickly he was progressing, he'd been even more pleased with Chen Qinglin. Every now and then, he gave him a little extra instruction in private and taught him some techniques for concealing fluctuations in his Blood Qi.

He reminded Chen Qinglin not to get complacent or show off. After all, it was always wise to beware of others.

Chen Qinglin wholeheartedly agreed. If he hadn't already known Breath Concealment, even Xie Feng wouldn't have realized how far he'd progressed.

Chen Qinglin wasn't the most cautious person around, but there was nothing wrong with keeping a few cards up his sleeve and saving a trump card for himself.

At his current rate of progress, he might reach the peak of Body Tempering within a year. For now, he could show people that he was at the first level, then show off the third or fourth level a year later. That would be perfectly reasonable.

Thinking this, he entered the school with Chen Qingshi.

Today was the third distribution of Body Tempering Soup for the month. He couldn't afford to miss it.

He left Chen Qingshi outside to practice and headed toward the inner courtyard.

"Look, that's Senior Brother Chen Qinglin. I heard Master Xie took him on as a disciple after he'd been at the school for just five days."

"Wasn't it six?"

"Ah, that doesn't matter. Just remember that Senior Brother Chen is impressive..."

"..."

"Qingshi, I'm so envious that you have a younger brother like him. With your brother guiding you all the time, you must have grasped the basics of your fist technique by now, right?" The envy on the face of the disciple practicing beside Chen Qingshi was plain to see.

"Yeah, yeah! Senior Brother Qingshi must be about to sense his Blood Qi and enter the Body Tempering Realm, right?"

"Hahaha, it's not quite that impressive..."

"..."

Chen Qingshi more or less understood why these people were flattering him. Unfortunately, some of them would probably have to leave the school in just a few days.

Chen Qingshi had only just set foot on the path of martial arts himself. He relied on his cousin to look after him just to get his foot in the door.

He didn't have the ability to help others. On the path of martial arts, only the strong could stand on their own.

"Fourth Senior Brother!" Chen Qinglin called out when he saw Li Lin ahead.

"Ah, it's our little junior brother. Are you here to collect your Body Tempering Soup?"

"Yes, Senior Brother. Want to go together?"

"Sure." Li Lin turned when he heard Chen Qinglin and the two of them headed to the distribution area together.

"Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters!" When they arrived, the three senior brothers and sisters were already there. A few of Master Lin Hua's disciples were there as well.

"Senior Brother Shi, Senior Brother Lin." These were the two who had stood behind Master Lin Hua when the brothers first came to the school to learn martial arts. They'd seen each other a few times since then.

Watching the disciples practice wasn't solely Fourth Senior Brother Li Lin's responsibility. The school provided a stipend for the task, so every month, a different senior brother or sister took a turn.

Since the senior brothers and sisters supervising the disciples changed, the master disciples took after when they broke through into Body Tempering would naturally change as well.

"Little junior brother, how's your swordsmanship coming along? Want to practice with your senior sister? I can teach you!" Perhaps because he was so young, Wu Jianxue loved teasing this new junior brother whenever they met.

"No need, Senior Sister. I'll practice on my own when I get back." By now, Chen Qinglin knew what his senior sister was like. He turned her down without hesitation.

"Oh, I get it. You want to go to your senior sister's house! Don't be shy. There's nothing wrong with wanting to come home with me..."

Chen Qinglin watched his senior sister ham it up without changing expression. Just then, Second Senior Brother Jiang Zhong came over.

"I'll be escorting the Zhou Family Merchant Caravan to Dingyuan County in a few days. Is there anything you junior brothers and sisters want to buy? I can bring it back for you."

"Senior Brother, remember to buy me some rouge from Hongling Workshop. The rouge here in town costs an arm and a leg..."

"Don't worry, junior sister. I'll bring some back for you."

Li Lin stood nearby, his expression a little gloomy. Fifth Senior Brother Zhao Dingming collected his Body Tempering Soup and headed back to practice.

Watching this, Chen Qinglin pondered.

It looked like Fourth Senior Brother Li Lin and Second Senior Brother Jiang Zhong both had feelings for Third Senior Sister Wu Jianxue.

Master Xie Feng had brought Fourth Senior Brother Li Lin back from outside five years ago. It was said that bandits had killed his entire family, and when Xie Feng arrived, Li Lin was the only one left.

Taking pity on him, Xie Feng brought him back to Qingyan Town and taught him martial arts after he recovered.

Li Lin was deeply grateful and treated the school as his home, devoting himself wholeheartedly to its affairs.

But he was also somewhat insecure. Although he liked Third Senior Sister Wu Jianxue, who practiced martial arts alongside him, he didn't dare show it.