Rise from a Poor Family: My Martial Arts Counterattack

Chapter 257 The Potential of the Top Ten on the Earth Ranking

bottom of the lake.

Lin Chen frowned. The Canglan energy was being expelled from his body, something he hadn't anticipated.

A few breaths later, he circulated his cultivation technique again, and the Canglan energy was once again absorbed into his body, but just like before, it was immediately expelled.

The body endured the pain of the cold, and the amount may not have been retained and absorbed by the body.

"Is it that these three energies repel each other?"

No, the essence of the mother tree that Wu Yuan gave me didn't cause any rejection, otherwise I wouldn't have had such a smooth transition to the sixth level.

The power of Lingxiao and the power of Canglan are mutually repelling each other!
Lin Chen had a guess in his mind: the essence energy of the mother tree was extremely mild. Since it did not repel Lingxiao's energy back then, it would naturally not repel Canglan's energy either.

The most likely explanation is that the Lingxiao energy and the Canglan energy repel each other.

The energy of Lingxiao is extremely yang, while the energy of Canglan is extremely cold upon entering the body, which is exactly the opposite...

The Lingxiao energy has already entered the body. In order to absorb the Canglan energy, there must be a continuous flow of Canglan energy into the body to counteract the Lingxiao energy and prevent it from being expelled.

The energy here is still not concentrated enough!
We need to go even deeper...

……

……

On the lakeshore, as time passed, the expressions of Qu Feng and the others who had originally been watching the show changed.

"Fourteen minutes have passed!"

A disciple spoke up, glancing at the huge hourglass beside him. This hourglass was placed here by the Martial Academy so that disciples entering Canglan Lake could accurately calculate how much time they had spent at the bottom of the lake.

"Brother Li said it was 25 minutes, but it's definitely not an extremely precise number. A little longer is normal."

Li Yuan listened to the discussions of his junior brothers, pursed his lips and remained silent, staring at the calm lake in front of him.

The two quarters of an hour was a timeframe he deduced based on the time he spent at Canglan Lake when he first entered the sect.

When he first entered the ninth rank, he could hold out at the bottom of Canglan Lake for 15 minutes outside of high tide, but only 15 minutes during high tide.

Rumors circulate that Junior Brother Lin possesses strength approaching that of a Rank 1 cultivator, but in reality, he is only approaching, not truly at the Rank 1. It is estimated that Junior Brother Lin can last for half an hour, which is already the highest possible prediction.

……

When the hourglass had run out of time, all the disciples present were already getting restless.

"I hope something has happened to Junior Brother Lin."

Some disciples had worried expressions on their faces. Although few disciples who entered Canglan Lake in previous years had any accidents, at most they might have suffered frostbite from the excessive cold when they came up.

But after three quarters of an hour, they still hadn't seen Junior Brother Lin come up, which made them start to wonder.

This is beyond the capabilities of those who practice internal martial arts.

"It should be fine."

Qu Feng shook his head: "I believe that Junior Brother Lin is alright. Let's wait a little longer."

"Are we still waiting? If something really happens to Junior Brother Lin, the Dean and the others will probably abandon us all in the Canglan Sea."

The disciples present all knew very well what Junior Brother Lin meant to the Martial Academy.

Upon hearing this, Qu Feng also wavered. Although he trusted Junior Brother Lin, Junior Brother Lin was very important to the Martial Academy now, which made him hesitant to take any risks.

"I'll go down to the lake and take a look."

Li Yuan spoke in a deep voice, sharing the same concern. He feared that Junior Brother Lin was too stubborn and, despite enduring the chill of the Canglan energy, would refuse to give up even after his body had reached its limit. If that happened, something truly bad could happen.

As Li Yuan loosened his belt and was about to take off his clothes, a disciple beside him suddenly shouted, "There's movement! There are ripples on the lake over there!"

At that moment, everyone's eyes turned to the lake. Fifty feet from the shore, bubbles rose continuously, causing ripples to spread outwards.

A few breaths later, a figure leaped out of the water, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw it.

Junior Brother Lin!
Junior Brother Lin is well.

However, after breathing a sigh of relief, everyone looked at the figure walking towards them across the water with amazement in their eyes.

It's unbelievable that someone who hasn't even reached the entry level could stay in Canglan Lake for 45 minutes.

Li Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Lin Chen, who had appeared on the scene, and a thought emerged in his eyes.

"Junior Brother Lin, you've been in the lake for so long, it's driving your senior brother crazy with worry."

When Lin Chen got ashore, he heard Qu Feng's words and looked puzzled, clearly not understanding why Qu Feng was in such a hurry.
“Even for entry-level martial artists, it is difficult to last three-quarters of an hour in Canglan Lake when they have just entered the level. If it weren’t for the fact that you, Junior Brother Lin, have always been able to create miracles, my fellow senior brothers and I, especially Senior Brother Li, would have been preparing to go down into the lake to rescue you.”

Qu Feng explained, and Lin Chen followed Qu Feng's gaze and saw Li Yuan standing on the shore.

"Junior Brother Lin, this is Senior Brother Li Yuan, who is also the eldest senior brother of our entire Canglan Martial Academy."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother Li."

To be called the senior brother of the entire Canglan Martial Academy by Senior Brother Qu Feng means that he is the strongest among the three generations of disciples of the entire academy.

"Junior Brother Lin, are you injured or feeling unwell?"

Li Yuan looked at Lin Chen and asked in a deep voice.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Li. I am perfectly fine."

Lin Chen replied with a smile that the reason he came up was not because his body couldn't handle it, but because the Canglan energy he absorbed would soon be expelled by the Lingxiao energy within his body.

He tried to go further in, but a force surging from the depths of the lake prevented him from getting closer.

"If Junior Brother Ruolin is alright, why don't you spar with me for a few moves?"

As soon as Li Yuan said this, Qu Feng and the others looked surprised. They did not expect that Senior Brother Li would propose to spar with Junior Brother Lin.

Junior Brother Lin hasn't even reached the rank yet, while Senior Brother Li is probably not far from the eighth rank.

Isn't this kind of sparring too unfair to Junior Brother Lin?
Lin Chen hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "I am extremely grateful for Senior Brother Li's guidance."

Lin Chen was initially surprised that Senior Brother Li wanted to spar with him, but he quickly realized that Senior Brother Li wasn't trying to intimidate him, but rather wanted to assess his true strength.

Upon hearing Lin Chen's agreement, Qu Feng and the others immediately dispersed, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Senior Brother Li's strength goes without saying; he's number one in the Martial Arts Academy.

They weren't hoping Lin Chen could defeat Senior Brother Li, but rather that Lin Chen could withstand a few of Senior Brother Li's moves.
One is the strongest freshman, and the other is the top student in the entire college. This is a battle between the new and old top students.

"Junior Brother Lin, you should make the first move."

Li Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, not intending to use any spiritual weapons. If he were to use spiritual weapons at his level, it would be considered bullying Junior Brother Lin.

"Alright, Senior Brother Li, please give me your guidance."

Lin Chen nodded, circulating his qi and blood throughout his body, not daring to be careless in the slightest. He had never truly fought against a rank-entry martial artist before, let alone a martial artist as close to the eighth rank as Senior Brother Li.

One breath later!
With his Qi and blood circulating at their peak, Lin Chen gave a light shout and launched the first attack.

The Wind and Cloud Palm, carrying scorching energy, aimed straight at Li Yuan's face, with golden light glimmering where the palm wind passed.

This was a friendly exchange, and Lin Chen chose to face it head-on.

When Li Yuan saw Lin Chen make his move, he understood Lin Chen's intentions and was amazed. He thought to himself, "As expected of Junior Brother Lin, he has such confidence to fight me head-on."

In the past, during every martial arts academy competition, the other junior brothers would never face him head-on, because they clearly knew the gap between their strength and his.

These junior brothers mostly relied on their physical strength to pull against him.

"Junior Brother Lin, be careful."

When Lin Chen's palms reached him, Li Yuan whispered, and his palms emitted an icy blue mist, causing frost to form within a three-zhang radius.

Feeling the sudden drop in temperature around him, Lin Chen's pupils contracted sharply. He thought of his battle with that person from Han Kingdom, but that person's cold mist had no effect on him.

But this time...

boom!
The two men's palms collided, and Lin Chen was sent flying backward, tumbling twice in mid-air before regaining his balance, while Li Yuan remained motionless in place.

"As expected of Senior Brother Li."

Lin Chen's eyes were filled with admiration. The moment they clashed, he felt an extremely cold energy penetrate his palm and enter his body. If he hadn't changed his move and retreated quickly, the tendons in his palm would probably have been injured by this cold energy.

"Junior Brother Lin, don't hold back anymore. Let your senior brother see your full strength."

Li Yuan smiled. He could tell that Lin Chen hadn't gone all out with that move; it was more of a test of his strength.

"it is good."

Lin Chen nodded, his palms moving in a series of motions, each movement accompanied by glimmers of golden light.

"Seven Palms!"

With a soft shout, Lin Chen struck out with both palms once more!

As their palms pierced the air, a series of whooshing sounds filled the air. Even Qu Feng and the others, who had retreated more than ten feet away, could still feel the whistling wind from their palms.

"Junior Brother Lin's growth rate is truly terrifying."

Qu Feng's mouth was slightly open. He had a feeling that if he were the one facing Lin Shidi's palm strike, he probably wouldn't be able to withstand it.

Back in Linhu Village, he had sparred with his junior brother Lin. At that time, Lin couldn't even withstand a few of his moves, but now he had far surpassed him.

Qu Feng now understands the envious and shocked looks his fellow students gave him when he was at the martial arts school.

Li Yuan's expression turned slightly stern; before his palm arrived, the wind from his palm struck first.

Lin Shidi's palm strike made him lose his previous ease. He activated his martial arts will, and with a wave of his hands, he unleashed his ninth-grade will. He also met the attack with both palms, and the icy blue Canglan energy transformed into a water ripple.

boom!
The moment their palms touched, Lin Chen was sent flying backward once again, but before hitting the ground, he twisted his waist and spun around several times to dissipate the remaining force before landing on the ground.

The difference this time was that Li Yuan also took a step back.

Although it was just one step, it caused an uproar at the scene.

Qu Feng and the others looked on in disbelief. Lin Chen had actually forced Senior Brother Li to take a step back?
It should be noted that even the ninth-rank senior brothers of the Martial Academy had never achieved this when they fought against Senior Brother Li.

“Junior Brother Lin, it is rumored that you are invincible below the rank of rank, but in my opinion, ordinary ninth-rank martial artists are no match for you.”

The shock in Li Yuan's eyes hadn't faded. The moment their palms touched, he felt a scorching energy surge towards him, and this energy was explosive, instantly increasing in intensity upon contact...

If his strength hadn't far surpassed that of Junior Brother Lin, any other ninth-rank martial artist would likely have been injured by this energy in their haste.

"Junior Brother Lin, your true strength is enough to enter the top ten of the Earth Ranking."

A glint of light flashed in Li Yuan's eyes. The thirtieth on the Earth Ranking had no rank below fifteen. With Junior Brother Lin's strength, he could have been on the Earth Ranking long ago.

The reason why the Martial Academy ranked Junior Brother Lin first on the Human Ranking is because Junior Brother Lin is one year younger than the Upper Earth Ranking. This is the first Hidden Dragon Ranking issued by the Martial Academy, and age is the main criterion.

This ranking method ensures that some geniuses are not overlooked.

Those with the strength to enter the top fifteen of the Earth Ranking, like Junior Brother Lin, can also enter the Earth Ranking by challenging Earth Ranking geniuses.

"Judging from this, I'm afraid the top three on the Earth Ranking..."

From Lin Shidi's ranking first on the Human Ranking, Li Yuan suddenly had a guess: it was very likely that the top three on the Earth Ranking were stronger than the bottom three on the Heaven Ranking, but because of their age, the Martial Academy ranked them at the top of the Earth Ranking.

At the very least, the top-ranked player on the Earth Ranking definitely has the strength to surpass the bottom-ranked player on the Heaven Ranking.

Therefore, if I want to challenge the Heavenly Ranking, I must do so before the number one on the Earthly Ranking starts challenging the Heavenly Ranking. Once the number one on the Earthly Ranking successfully challenges the bottom of the Heavenly Ranking, I'm afraid I won't have a chance anymore.

"Senior Brother Li guessed correctly."

Although Li Yuan's words came to an abrupt end, Lin Chen understood what Li Yuan had left unsaid.

In Linhu Village, his teacher had also analyzed for him that the top three students on the Wuyuan Hidden Dragon Ranking this time all possessed strength far exceeding that of other geniuses on the same list.

The number one on the Heavenly Ranking goes without saying, and the number one on the Earthly Ranking, in terms of true strength, could probably break into the top seven on the Heavenly Ranking. The number one on the Human Ranking, in terms of true strength, could also enter the top twenty on the Earthly Ranking.

Now, after six job advancements, they are even more capable of breaking into the top fifteen!

Various countries have conducted detailed analyses of the geniuses on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, which is why Dean Hua wanted to absorb the Azure Wave Energy to break through to the seventh level.

Only those who reach the seventh level of cultivation have the strength to reliably break into the top ten of the Earth Ranking.

Qu Feng and the others standing nearby were completely confused.

Senior Brother Li and Junior Brother Lin's words are so profound. Is this what they call communication between geniuses?

"Senior Brother Li, I have a question."

"Junior brother, please speak."

"Junior brother, you tried to absorb the energy of Canglan Lake, but found that you couldn't absorb much. What is the reason for this?"

"They can't absorb much?"

Before Li Yuan could answer, the other disciples rolled their eyes. Why hadn't they ever encountered a situation where they couldn't absorb much?

More often than not, there was too much Canglan energy, and they didn't have time to absorb and refine it all before their bodies couldn't withstand the chill of the Canglan energy, forcing them to come ashore.

"Junior Brother Lin, do you think the Canglan energy isn't enough?"

Li Yuan smiled slightly. If it were before he reached the next level, he wouldn't have been able to understand the meaning behind Lin's words.

"The tide rises every other day in Canglan Lake, and a lot of Canglan energy will gush out from the center of the lake. Today is not a high tide day, but Junior Brother Lin will be able to feel the richness of the Canglan energy tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)