Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Gazing intently at the last line of characters on the stone tablet, Lin Chen’s eyes sparkled with realization. In the next moment, he reached out to remove the weeds at the base of the stone tablet, digging a little into the soil, uncovering more of the stone tablet and revealing several more lines of text.

"So it is indeed like this..."

Lin Chen’s mouth twitched slightly. It was just a moment of inspiration that made him recall a novel he read in his past life, where a senior master buried his true Cultivation Technique beneath his own remains, leaving only a Secret Technique Manual casually placed in the treasure vault of the cave mansion.

This was done to see if those who entered the cave later would truly respect him as a master. If they wanted to become his disciple, they would naturally bow their heads in respect upon seeing his remains, and in doing so, they would sense the true secret manual buried in the ground.

This was a test of the disciple’s character.

Senior Huang’s method here was quite similar.

To the descendants of the Huang Family, seeing the tablet was like seeing the person.

If a descendant of the Huang Family came here, they would naturally bow in respect upon seeing their ancestor, thereby noticing some clues.

If the person was an outsider, out of reverence for the transmission of the Cultivation Technique, acknowledging him as a master, they would also bow in respect.

[The Earth Element Qi is a fabrication of this old man, and the idea that the Exotic Stone absorbs Earth Element Qi is a story I concocted from reading children’s books in my youth. The true wonder of this place lies within the mountain cliff, where there is a Six-leaf Green Fruit that takes twenty years to bear. Upon picking, it must be consumed immediately, or it will turn into juice three breaths later.]

[After consuming this fruit, two two-hours later, the clouds will descend. When the clouds fill the valley, Earth Evil Qi will emerge, containing extreme cold poison. Using this fruit to ward it off is essential, as the effect only lasts for six two-hours.]

[Every cycle lasts for three two-hours, happening seven times in total. You may use the Earth Evil Qi for Body Tempering, but be cautious not to overdo it. If your body cannot withstand it, retreat immediately and do not overexert yourself.]

[If you endure the seven cycles of Body Tempering with Earth Evil Qi, your body will become immune to the cold poison. From then on, you may continue using Earth Evil Qi for Body Tempering... For seven days, undergoing Body Tempering forty-nine times, marking the initial completion of Body Tempering.]

[The miraculous creation of heaven and earth is awe-inspiring, and this old man discovered its wonders quite by accident.]

...

After reading these lines, Lin Chen’s expression was one of wonder. Did the three ancestors of the Huang Family fail to endure the seven cycles of Earth Evil Qi after consuming the Exotic Fruit, or did they simply not find these lines?

As for why the Huang Family ancestor did not secretly pass on this knowledge to his descendants, Lin Chen guessed that, in the ancestor’s eyes, if a descendant came here and showed no respect to their ancestor, they were unworthy of this true method to absorb Earth Element Qi.

If one of those three discovered their ancestor’s scheme, why didn’t they tell their family? Was it because they shared the same belief, that unfilial descendants were unworthy of cultivation?

Or were the three of them also unfilial descendants?

Forget it, let’s not guess about past matters.

Lin Chen dug another half-foot down, stopping suddenly as he looked at the stone tablet:

[No need to dig further, there’s no more writing below. Everything that needed to be explained has been explained. If you dig further, the stone tablet will become loose. Remember to fill back the soil—there’s no need to tell the family thereafter.]

Lin Chen:...

He dug another half-foot, confirming he had reached the tablet’s base, then glanced at its back, confirming no writing existed there either. Lin Chen then filled back the soil to its original level, carefully restoring it.

Sweeping his gaze across the cliff face, Lin Chen also discovered the Miracle Fruit mentioned by the Huang Family ancestor.

Six leaves, green fruit.

Pluck it, swallow it.

Lin Chen didn’t feel any special changes in his body. He wasn’t in a hurry, quietly waiting for the clouds above to begin descending.

One two-hour later, the clouds above began rolling into the valley, continuously moving downwards.

Two two-hours later, the towering pines were mostly obscured by the fog, and Lin Chen noticed the peculiarity filling the entire valley.

The temperature plummeted, and along with it came howling winds.

Above, the roiling clouds completely blocked the light, creating an atmosphere like the dark foreboding of an impending storm, making the whole valley feel oppressive and suffocating.

Whoosh!

A terrifying gust sliced through the air, echoing throughout the valley like the call to arms, as the fog a yard above Lin Chen’s head suddenly came crashing down.

Crashing, not drifting.

Lin Chen’s pupils contracted sharply, and at the first instant, he circulated his internal Qi Blood, emitting a faint scarlet glow around his body.

Yet despite this, the moment the clouds crashed down, his clothes shredded instantly, and myriad tiny blood marks appeared on his skin surface, as the air in the entire valley transformed into endless Sword Qi, slicing into his body.

The Copper Skin developed through cultivation was being effortlessly sliced open by the Sword Qi as if it were tofu.

Lin Chen’s entire body trembled violently, every inch of skin seemed to be repeatedly scraped by countless Ice Blades. Earth Evil Qi, carried by the biting cold wind, poured into the valley with a storm-like howling accompanied by metallic clanging sounds.

After penetrating the skin, the Earth Evil Qi didn’t dissipate but transformed into ink-like serpents, wrapping around the bones, slithering up the spine and into the internal organs.

Freezing cold ravaged the body!

Lin Chen experienced for the first time what true bone-chilling coldness meant, a coldness that sprang from the marrow.

At the same time, a peculiar warm current surged from his Dantian, rushing to Lin Chen’s head, blocking the surge of Earth Evil Qi.

With the warm current rising, Lin Chen’s mind cleared, his head regained clarity.