Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

"Changed your mind?" The middle-aged man’s eyes lit up, "I told you long ago to give up."

"Could you please fetch me the ladder, Instructor? This disciple lacks the strength to climb into the Copper Tripod."

The middle-aged man: ...

The next moment, the middle-aged man lifted Lin Chen like a chick and tossed him into the Copper Tripod. As the lid closed, Lin Chen could only discern his surroundings through the faint light filtering through the dozens of holes around him.

Thud!

The next instant, a deafening sound like thunder struck, making Lin Chen feel as if his eardrums were pierced.

Outside, someone was pounding the Copper Tripod!

"Isn’t it supposed to be fire?"

Lin Chen had assumed this trial involved burning, but unexpectedly, it was hammering.

"The Copper Tripod has one hundred and eight holes corresponding to your one hundred and eight main bones, boy. Enjoy it thoroughly."

The middle-aged man’s voice came through, and the next moment, one by one, the holes around the Copper Tripod were sealed, leaving only one open.

Thud!

Three breaths later, the sound echoed again.

Lin Chen’s body trembled, his spine emitted a sound like shattered jade, and a mouthful of blood surged up his throat, spilling uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth.

"This sound is like an iron hammer striking..."

Lin Chen’s pupils contracted sharply. He recalled the Thousand Hammer Map, though it targeted the whole body, this sound was focused solely on his spine.

This kind of targeted ordeal only amplified the pain!

And this was just the beginning...

One hundred and eight bones, one hundred and eight strikes...

"Dean, aren’t you worried this kid Lin Chen will be crippled?"

Zhang Qifeng couldn’t hold back anymore. Even among disciples practicing Horizontal Training, it was rare to undergo such a complete set of trials firsthand—one hundred and eight strikes...

"I’ve prepared pills for him. As long as he has a breath left, it’s fine."

Zhang Qifeng’s mouth twitched. The dean was truly cold-hearted. As the Hall Master of the Horizontal Training Hall, he’d seen many disciples’ miserable states, but it was the first time he felt Lin Chen was truly pitiful.

...

...

An hour later, Zhang Qifeng immediately opened the Copper Tripod and looked down. At the moment Lin Chen raised his head, disbelief was apparent in his eyes.

This kid, he hadn’t passed out?

"Kid, you better faint."

Zhang Qifeng blinked, giving Lin Chen a rare piece of advice—not to tempt him to give up, but out of genuine concern.

After completing the trials, a normal Martial Artist wouldn’t die but would certainly be skinned alive.

Without circulating Qi Blood... since the establishment of the Horizontal Training Hall, no disciple had managed to endure it.

"Thank you, Instructor, I can still persist."

Lin Chen forced a smile on his face, but covered in blood and with a distorted body, the smile was more terrifying than a cry.

Zhang Qifeng said no more and lifted Lin Chen out of the Copper Tripod. This time, he didn’t let Lin Chen walk on his own but carried him to the third courtyard.

Acupoint Opening Institute!

This time Lin Chen didn’t have to stand. Zhang Qifeng simply placed him on a bed.

To call it a bed was an exaggeration; it was actually just two ropes with a hollow bottom.

Beside the bed, there was a box.

Zhang Qifeng opened the box, revealing many silver needles glinting coldly.

"Kid, I won’t ask if you’re giving up anymore."

With a flicker of his fingers, Zhang Qifeng quickly and accurately inserted four silver needles into Lin Chen’s acupoints.

Twenty-four main acupoints, seventy-two hidden acupoints, a total of ninety-six silver needles filled Lin Chen’s entire body.

These silver needles were extremely long, and each had a groove. Zhang Qifeng struck the air with his right hand, and a gust of Palm Wind made all the silver needles begin to vibrate.

"Hmm... uh..."

Lin Chen’s mouth opened slightly as veins bulged across his body. He wanted to speak but couldn’t utter a word.

"Boy, if you can’t endure, shake your head. This is only the beginning. The needles contain Cold Marrow Liquid—that’s true agony."

Zhang Qifeng reminded Lin Chen. Seeing Lin Chen didn’t shake his head, he said no more and started flicking the needles.

Each flick caused the needles not only to tremble, but the green liquid in the grooves seeped into the acupoints, making Lin Chen tremble uncontrollably. His hands seemed to want to clench into fists, but he found he had no strength.

Fire Needle Acupoint, Cold Marrow Infiltration.

Ice and fire transformation, even the divine can’t endure.

It was the first time Zhang Qifeng felt a pang of sympathy for a disciple.

Why endure such hardship? Such suffering did not even greatly enhance one’s strength...

[Activate Medicine Jar Ill Body...]

In a moment when he couldn’t bear the pain, Lin Chen finally activated the title.

His body had reached its limit!

At the moment the title activated, Lin Chen felt a coolness flood his mind, and the pain began to lessen.

Lin Chen understood it wasn’t that the physical pain reduced, but his perception of the pain was diminishing.

...

...

Half an hour later.

Zhang Qifeng removed the needles and looked at Lin Chen, "You must’ve grown up enduring hardships, huh."

To seal Qi Blood, endure Tendons Separation, Bone Forging, and Acupoint Opening... if he hadn’t seen it himself, if someone else had told him that anyone—even the dean—could endure it, he would have spat in disbelief.

Lin Chen weakly smiled without responding, drained of energy.

[Medicine Jar Ill Body] didn’t make the pain disappear. It merely decreased the intensity to what he could endure.

[Body Tempering: 2.76]

He glanced at the panel, having improved by 0.01.

It was not in vain to suffer so much along the way.

Leaving the Horizontal Training Hall was not the end for Lin Chen.

Martial Arts Academy attendants had prepared a medicinal bath in his courtyard, requiring him to soak for another hour.

After the medicinal bath, as the sky gradually darkened, Lin Chen needed to continue practicing the Wind and Cloud Palm and Gale Leg, and transcribe the "Joyful Ascension Scroll."

In the dead of night!

A figure emerged from the secluded courtyard, heading straight for the peak of Canglan Peak.

That night, disciples not far from Canglan Peak vaguely heard the howling of wolves.