Rise from a Poor Family: My Martial Arts Counterattack

Chapter 246 Entering Grade Strength, Internal Organ Refining Realm

The main hall of Lingxiao Martial Academy.

Lin Chen didn't celebrate with Meng Xing and the others this time; instead, he was called away by Hou Zhantian.

Inside the main hall.
Lin Chen recounted his experiences in the Lingxiao Hall, while Hou Zhantian and several vice deans wore complex expressions.

Two and a half months.

After Lin Chen had stayed in the Lingxiao Hall for more than a month, Hou Zhantian and the others realized that Lin Chen had probably made a great gain in the hall.

But now that they heard Lin Chen say it himself, they were shocked and somewhat regretful.

It's a pity that Lin Chen isn't a disciple of their Lingxiao Martial Academy.

Clearly, the power of Lingxiao highly valued Lin Chen, allowing him to refine all five internal organs in one go.

"I understand. Do any of you fellow disciples have anything else to say?"

After Lin Chen finished speaking, Hou Zhantian looked at the other vice deans. These vice deans understood that the dean had something to say to Lin Chen privately.

At that moment, these vice deans took their leave one by one.

"Lin Chen, your ability to directly refine your five internal organs using the power of Lingxiao is something I never expected, and I imagine neither your dean nor Lord Kong did either."

Hou Zhantian stared intently at Lin Chen: "Let me ask you a question, what level are you at now?"

Lin Chen was somewhat surprised when Dean Hou mentioned several transfers.

“You have been in the Lingxiao Hall for so long, and Hua Qianwu is a little worried about your situation, so he wrote to me to tell me the truth. However, I am the only one in the Martial Academy who knows about this matter.”

Lin Chen suddenly realized and replied, "This disciple has already reached the fifth level."

"Reaching the fifth level with the power of Lingxiao?"

"Ah."

Hou Zhantian breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving this answer.

Lin Chen stayed in the Lingxiao Hall for half a month before writing a letter to the old man Hua Qianwu, hoping that Hua Qianwu could also give some good things from the Canglan Martial Academy to the disciples of the Lingxiao Martial Academy.

But to his surprise, Hua Qianwu told him some shocking news in his reply.

Lin Chen cultivates the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refinement!

The Nine Revolutions True Blood Refinement technique is unfamiliar to ordinary martial artists and even some genius teenagers, but every high-ranking martial artist knows it.

The Taizu Emperor practiced the internal organs cultivation method, which was the foundation of his rise to power.

Unfortunately, since the founding emperor, no one in the Great Liang Dynasty has been able to cultivate the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refining Technique, not even the descendants of the founding emperor.

Upon learning that Lin Chen was cultivating the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refining Organs Formation, his first reaction was to angrily curse Hua Qianwu, that old bastard, for Hua Qianwu was trying to destroy Lin Chen and the genius of the Great Liang Dynasty.

However, as Hua Qianwu mentioned in the later part of the letter that even Lord Kong had agreed, he finally gave up.

There are two difficulties in cultivating the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refining Organs technique. The first is the cultivation resources. Even from the perspective of a high-grade martial artist, the cultivation resources required for the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refining Organs technique are terrifying. But this is not the most difficult part. The most difficult part is enduring the pain of the nine revolutions.

The pain of each of the nine cycles is several times greater than the previous one.

The further it goes, the harder it becomes to bear.

It was naturally a happy thing for Lin Chen to refine the five internal organs, but he was afraid that Lin Chen had directly refined the five internal organs without undergoing the transformation of true blood.

The reason why the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refinement of the Organs becomes more and more painful is that after the fifth revolution, the five organs have been refined and the blood and qi in the body are full to the limit. The more blood and qi there is, the deeper the pain becomes with each revolution.

If Lin Chen had refined his five internal organs while still at the second stage, let alone the ninth stage, he probably wouldn't have been able to even last until the fifth stage.

"It seems that sending you to Lingxiao Martial Academy was the right decision. Sihe Martial Academy and Chaosheng Martial Academy have done a good thing."

Hou Zhantian smiled, recalling Hua Qianwu's arrangement for Lin Chen's cultivation in his letter. Originally, he planned for Lin Chen to complete the third transformation at Canglan Martial Academy before coming to Lingxiao Martial Academy.

Lin Chen laughed too, now that you mention it, it's true.

"As for the martial will you mentioned... that's what makes you martial artists who walk the path of extreme martial arts unique."

Hou Zhantian, seeing Lin Chen's puzzled expression, explained: "The path of a martial artist who enters the realm of spiritual weapons requires the use of spiritual weapons to condense their martial will. First, they forge a suitable spiritual weapon, and then continuously temper it to allow it to merge with their own soul."

"Dean, I still don't understand. I saw that the three Yu brothers summoned their spiritual weapons suddenly. Is it possible for spiritual weapons to be hidden inside the body?"

"can!"

Hou Zhantian stretched out his right hand, flipped his palm, and a golden mace appeared in his palm.

"Although the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refining Viscera Technique you cultivate cannot be fully mastered without nine revolutions, since you have already condensed your martial will, I will give you a basic introduction to martial will today."

"Thank you, Dean."

Lin Chen was filled with gratitude. With Dean Hou, a top-grade martial artist, explaining the will of martial arts to him, his understanding was naturally much deeper than if he had read books on his own.

"Let me ask you first, what is the will of martial arts?"

"Spirit?"

You only got half of it right.

Hou Zhantian stroked his beard and said, "Senior Brother Hua should have told you about how the five internal organs nurture the will."

"Yes, my teacher mentioned to me that the five internal organs nurture the will."

Lin Chen nodded, and in front of Dean Hou, he addressed Dean Hua as "teacher".

"Everyone has their own soul from the moment they are born, but the human soul is extremely fragile and needs to be nourished by the body. However, the soul is not the same as the martial will; there is a difference between the two."

"Martial will is born from the soul, come with me!"

Hou Zhantian led Lin Chen toward the back of the main hall, where there was a bare old tree in the courtyard.

Hou Zhantian stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, his gaze fixed intently on the bare old tree.

"Okay."

Suddenly, Hou Zhantian raised his right arm slightly, and as he turned his palm, the energy condensed into a tangible substance, and several sharp palm winds shot out from the air.

Wood chips flew everywhere on the tree trunk, and the branches were peeled away inch by inch by the invisible blades of energy, gradually revealing the outline of a straight and sharp golden mace.

"This tree is the spirit, growing from a seedling breaking through the soil into a towering tree, just like you from the beginning of Qi cultivation to the cultivation of internal organs. The cultivation methods you practice during this period determine the direction of your growth."

After Hou Zhantian finished speaking, his gaze fell on another small tree, no thicker than a wrist. He struck out again from a distance, but this time the small tree could not withstand the force of the palm and broke directly.

“The soul is like the raw wood, while the martial will is like the carved wood. However, many martial artists’ souls are not strong enough to bear the carving, so they need to borrow spiritual weapons.”

Looking at the broken tree, Lin Chen nodded; he understood what Dean Hou meant.

Unlike Dean Hua, who showed him the relationship between the five internal organs and martial arts will, Dean Hou told him about the relationship between martial arts will and the soul.

A normal martial artist cultivates to the point where their internal organs are not yet strong enough to develop a martial will, so they need a spiritual weapon. This so-called spiritual weapon is meant to bridge the gap. If the tree isn't thick enough, a spiritual weapon will do the work!
The reason why it's not thick enough is because most martial artists only cultivate one technique, just like trees that don't absorb enough nutrients. But if you cultivate several techniques, you have enough nutrients, so you don't have to worry about the problem of not being able to carve the branches because they are too thin.

"As for how this tree will be sculpted, it will naturally be related to the cultivation techniques you practice, your understanding of martial arts, and all the experiences and lessons you have learned along the way."

"Some people have a more fiery temperament, and their martial arts techniques are characterized by wide-ranging and powerful movements; their spirit is like this tree!"

Hou Zhantian pointed to a tree on the left with his right hand: "This tree is straight with very few branches and extremely high hardness. We need to find a spiritual weapon of the same material to compensate for it. Whips, swords... these are not suitable."

"Some people are gentle in nature, like a tree with many branches, so they need to be supplemented with gentler spiritual weapons..."

After explaining for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lin Chen suddenly realized that he now had a fairly thorough understanding of martial arts will.

"Dean, are there ranks for martial will? Am I considered to be at the intermediate level or the entry level?" Lin Chen asked curiously, thinking of the newly appeared [Spirit Rank] on his panel.

"Yes, the ranking of martial arts will is actually a nine-rank system. However, since most martial artists in our Great Liang follow the path of entering the ranks with spiritual weapons, spiritual weapons are also divided into ranks, from the first to the ninth, corresponding to the nine ranks."

"For martial artists who enter the ranks with spiritual weapons, they must upgrade the level of their spiritual weapons in order to advance to the next rank. Most martial artists find it difficult to upgrade their spiritual weapons, and only a few can upgrade by three levels. However, since you have condensed your martial will without using a spiritual weapon, there is no upper limit to it."

Lin Chen pondered for a while and then asked, "Dean, since the grade corresponds to the spirit weapon, why are there two different grades? Why not just classify spirit weapons by grade as well?"

Why create both a ninth rank and a ninth grade? Isn't that redundant?
"Upgrading a spirit weapon doesn't mean you've been promoted to a higher rank; there's still a difference between the two."

Hou Zhantian smiled slightly: "Upgrading a spirit weapon is a necessary step for advancing in rank, but simply having a spirit weapon isn't enough. You also need to improve your martial will. Don't forget that martial will is a combination of the spirit weapon and your own soul."

"I see. I was mistaken just now."

Lin Chen nodded, but in his heart he was thinking, he didn't have a spiritual weapon. According to Dean Hou, martial will is a grade. So why is there a first grade instead of a first rank?
"What are you thinking?"

Seeing Lin Chen deep in thought, Hou Zhantian asked with a smile.

"This disciple is wondering, what realm am I at now? Entering the Rank or Refining the Internal Organs?"

On the fighting stage, he condensed a golden arrow with his martial arts will, which Dean Hou also witnessed.

"The strength to enter the first rank, the level of refining the internal organs."

Hou Zhantian gave the answer directly. Seeing Lin Chen's confused look, he explained, "You have already condensed your martial will, and in terms of strength, you are already considered to have entered the first rank. However, you are cultivating the Nine Revolutions Internal Organ Refining Technique, and you still need to undergo four more True Blood Refinements."

"Dean, you know that I cultivate the Nine Revolutions True Blood Refining Visceral Technique. So, in the eyes of outsiders, I am still only at the Visceral Refining Realm?"

This is what puzzled Lin Chen.

The mark of entering the ranks is the concentration of martial arts will, so in the eyes of outsiders, one should be an entered-rank martial artist.

"In the eyes of outsiders, you are still at the Refining Realm, not the Entering Realm."

"Why?"

Lin Chen was puzzled. What was the difference between him and a rank-entry martial artist?
"There was no true transformation."

Seemingly sensing Lin Chen's confusion, Hou Zhantian flipped his hand, and the golden mace reappeared in his palm.

"This is my martial will. Are you capable of externalizing your martial will into a weapon?"

"Doesn't the golden arrow count?"

Hou Zhantian's lips twitched slightly, and he asked curiously, "Is your martial will the Golden Arrow?"

"No."

Lin Chen shook his head; his martial arts will was that of a villain.

"That's it." Hou Zhantian smiled and said, "The reason you can't externalize your martial will is because your five internal organs can still be improved, and you haven't reached true balance. It's only because of the power of Lingxiao that you were able to condense your martial will."

"Only when you can completely externalize your martial arts will can you be considered to have truly entered the ranks."

"But if we do that, won't it expose the cultivation technique I'm practicing?"

Having refined his martial arts will, yet still practicing dirty techniques, will those with ulterior motives guess the secrets of his cultivation method?

"Don't worry, many martial artists who follow the path of extreme martial arts cultivation have, like you, condensed their martial will, but it is not yet perfected."

Hou Zhantian knew what Lin Chen was worried about and smiled, "Those who rely on their own strength to condense their martial will are constantly improving, while those who use spiritual weapons to condense their martial will are perfect once it is condensed."

"Disciple understands."

Lin Chen was relieved after hearing Dean Hou's answer.

That's true. I'm following the path of extreme martial arts, so naturally I'm constantly improving my martial arts will, unlike those who rely on spiritual weapons, where the formation of a spiritual weapon means the formation of their martial arts will.

"Dean, I have one last question."

"explain."

"How can outsiders know whether the disciple's martial will is incomplete or deliberately not outwardly expressed?"

"Once the martial will is completely perfected, it cannot be differentiated again; it can only be differentiated when it is imperfect."

Hou Zhantian grabbed with his right hand, uprooting the old tree he had carved. The tree landed in his hand and transformed into the shape of a wooden mace. He asked, "Can I disassemble this wooden mace into arrows?"

"No."

Hou Zhantian slapped his right hand in the air, and the fierce palm wind caused another tree in the yard to turn into wood chips. However, as these wood chips were scattered in the air, they condensed into various weapon shapes as Hou Zhantian's palm changed.

Knives, swords, spears, and arrows...

In the end, Hou Zhantian stopped, and the flying wood chips fell back to the ground.

"Do you understand now? Even if you take archery as your martial art, what you should show to the outside world is the bow and arrow, not just the arrow. Because of this, no one will think you are a rank-one martial artist."

Lin Chen nodded repeatedly, but he had another guess in his heart. What Dean Hou said might not be right. Because his martial will was a little man, if it could not appear in other forms, would he have to summon a little man to fight in the future?

After explaining the martial arts will, Hou Zhantian led Lin Chen back to the main hall.

Just as Hou Zhantian was about to speak again, someone came in from the entrance of the main hall to report.

"Dean, Elder Wuyuan has arrived."

"Elder Wu Yuan?"

Hou Zhantian was taken aback, then seemed to realize something and his gaze fell on Lin Chen: "You joined the Martial Academy?"

"Yes, I joined the Martial Academy when I was in Poyang County," Lin Chen answered truthfully, then asked, "Dean, is there something wrong?"

"It's alright, my Great Liang will not prevent disciples from joining the Martial Academy."

After saying that, Hou Zhantian instructed the person who had made the announcement: "Please invite the elders of the Martial Garden in."

Lin Chen looked towards the entrance of the main hall with anticipation in his eyes. If it was an elder of the Martial Arts Garden, the one he most wanted to see was the elder from the Martial Arts Garden in Poyang County.

However, this is Lingxiao City, so it shouldn't be Elder Zhao.

(End of this chapter)