Lin Chen’s refusal left many disciples in the square with various expressions.
Did Senior Brother Lin refuse Junior Brother Qiao’s challenge because he thought he wasn’t a match for him?
"I think it’s understandable for Senior Brother Lin not to accept the challenge. Whether it’s the Direct Disciple assessment or the recent change in the Canglan Treasure Manual, it just shows his high potential. But after all, Senior Brother Lin hasn’t been in the sect for long."
"I heard that Senior Brother Lin comes from a remote area of the Flame Dynasty and hadn’t studied powerful Martial Arts Techniques before entering the sect. Fighting Junior Brother Qiao now would definitely be a disadvantage for him."
"Really? Senior Brother Lin comes from a remote place?"
"Yes, I heard this from a Direct Disciple, who got the information from an Elder. It can’t be wrong."
Many Inner and Outer Sect Disciples are unaware of Lin Chen’s background, but many Direct Disciples asked their masters, and as Sect Elders, they knew about Lin Chen’s background.
But these Elders, when faced with their disciples’ inquiries, didn’t disclose that Lin Chen came from a desolate Martial Path island in the Eastern Sea but just mentioned that he was from a remote and unimpressive Martial Path area.
Even so, this was enough to shock some Direct Disciples.
The disciples of Canglan Sect are very hierarchical, but that doesn’t mean they have no contact with each other. Instead, many Direct Disciples have small groups, including potential Inner and Outer Sect Disciples.
Many Direct Disciples of Canglan Sect come from some kingdom or family in the Canglan Domain, and those from the same area tend to cluster around the disciple with the highest status.
Knowing Lin Chen’s background, many disciples, who initially thought his refusal of Qiao Yuan was due to a lack of confidence in his strength, now feel it’s normal for Senior Brother Lin to refuse.
Qiao Yuan had only recently embarked on the Martial Path and joined the sect. Everyone knew that the reason Qiao Yuan wasn’t a Direct Disciple yet wasn’t that he wasn’t favored by the Elders but because he wanted to participate in the Inner Sect competition.
In the eyes of many disciples, the status of a Direct Disciple is more prestigious than being first in the Inner Sect competition. They couldn’t understand why Qiao Yuan would wait until after the sect competition to choose to apprentice under an Elder, and could only murmur privately: Having talent is capricious.
Qiao Yuan, who challenged Lin Chen, naturally heard the disciples’ discussions and frowned. Although he paid attention to Lin Chen, he didn’t investigate Lin Chen’s background.
As proud as he is, he wouldn’t actively inquire about a disciple he deemed inferior to himself.
If Lin Chen could defeat him, he would investigate Lin Chen’s background. But if Lin Chen lost to him, it wouldn’t be worth his time to spend too much on Lin Chen.
"I can postpone this fight and battle you three months later."
Qiao Yuan spoke again; he wouldn’t take advantage of Lin Chen. Since Lin Chen came from a remote place and had no exposure to the sect’s Martial Arts Techniques, he would give Lin Chen three months.
Three months, for most Inner Sect Disciples of Canglan Sect, might just be enough to get entry-level in a powerful Martial Arts Technique, but for geniuses at their level, three months is more than enough to master a Martial Arts Technique.
"Okay."
This time, Lin Chen accepted. The reason he refused Qiao Yuan earlier wasn’t that he was afraid but that it held no significant meaning.
Defeating Qiao Yuan would bring him no benefit. As for the sect disciples’ astonishment and false reputation, from the moment he comprehended the Heart of Canglan, he was already ahead of other disciples and stood at a different starting point.
As for Qiao Yuan’s proposal to postpone, moving the fight three months later, Lin Chen agreed because his goal was to madly push up his ranking on Martial Arts Mountain during these three months.
You don’t have to fight in reality to determine who’s more formidable amongst martial path geniuses under twenty; the ranking on Martial Arts Mountain suffices.
Whoever ranks higher indicates stronger strength.
Being ranked within the top thousand on Martial Arts Mountain, each advancement is a concrete manifestation of strength.
As long as he ranks higher than Qiao Yuan on Martial Arts Mountain, Qiao Yuan will likely back down knowing it’s hopeless.
Hearing Lin Chen accept Qiao Yuan’s challenge three months later, many disciples present showed signs of anticipation. Although they couldn’t immediately witness the two’s battle, postponing it three months piqued their interest even more.
Since the two have set a date for the battle, they will definitely work hard to improve their skills during these three months, ensuring that the battle will be even more exciting than before.
"If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first."
Lin Chen’s words were directed at Qiao Yuan and the other disciples present.
Qiao Yuan pressed his lips together and did not speak again, and neither did the other disciples, as everyone watched Lin Chen’s figure disappear from the square.
Once Lin Chen left, Qiao Yuan also departed, but the other disciples began to discuss the recent scene again, debating who would have a higher chance of winning in the fight three months from now.
"I didn’t expect Junior Brother Lin to accept Junior Brother Qiao’s three-month duel so straightforwardly; it was somewhat beyond my expectations."
Zhuang Zhong spoke, while Shen Ao beside him chuckled and said, "Is there something Senior Brother Zhuang finds amiss?"
"It doesn’t match Junior Brother Lin’s reputation."
As soon as Zhuang Zhong said this, Shen Ao also laughed along, understanding what Senior Brother Zhuang meant.
Though Lin Chen hasn’t been in the sect long, there’s already a phrase circulating among sect disciples: Don’t queue for Senior Brother Lin.
Everyone knows Lin Chen enjoys standing out, likes to flaunt himself, and given such a nature, even if he were to accept Qiao Yuan’s three-month duel, it shouldn’t be in such a simple and straightforward manner.
He should have at least stirred up some drama or thrown down some harsh words.
"Maybe everyone misunderstood Junior Brother Lin?"
...
...
Lin Chen didn’t know the impact of agreeing to a duel with Qiao Yuan in three months had among the sect disciples. At this moment, he was already in his master’s courtyard.
"You’re back. This time, your gains should be significant."
Du Xiaofeng looked at his disciple with a smile as Lin Chen entered. He was unaware of Lin Chen’s agreement to duel with Qiao Yuan, and even if he knew, he wouldn’t care. As a powerful figure in the Innate Fifth Realm, such disputes between sect disciples were mere child’s play in the eyes of these elders.
"Yes, Master. This time, I was fortunate enough to comprehend the Heart of Canglan and also the Canglan Force..."
Lin Chen didn’t hide his experiences at the Inheritance Hall from his master, and he also had the granduncle’s permission.
"Hmm, your ability to comprehend the Heart of Canglan is your fate. Did the granduncle tell you what the Heart of Canglan signifies?"
"No, he didn’t."
Hearing Lin Chen’s reply, Du Xiaofeng realized that the granduncle was likely waiting for him to tell Lin Chen about the Heart of Canglan and other things related to the sect.
"In the history of the Canglan Sect, a total of sixty-four predecessors have condensed the Heart of Canglan, and among them, twenty eventually entered the Myriad Phenomena Realm."
Lin Chen’s eyes suddenly shrank. Sixty-four condensed the Heart of Canglan, and then twenty entered the Myriad Phenomena Realm. This implies that the disciples who condensed the Heart of Canglan had a one in three chance of stepping into the Myriad Phenomena Realm.
"Excited, aren’t you?"
Du Xiaofeng smiled at Lin Chen, knowing exactly what his disciple had in mind.
"Indeed, a little."
Lin Chen rubbed his nose. A martial artist who doesn’t want to enter the Myriad Phenomena Realm isn’t a good martial artist.
"Keep the matter of the Heart of Canglan to yourself."
Du Xiaofeng waited for Lin Chen to calm his excitement before continuing. Seeing Lin Chen’s puzzled look, he explained, "Although the Canglan Sect is the overlord in the Canglan Domain, the entire Flame Dynasty is not just the Canglan Domain. There is competition among all the major super sects."
Lin Chen wasn’t surprised by the competition among super sects. Without competition, the strict disciple evaluation systems wouldn’t exist in each sect.
"The territories of all major domains are constantly changing, and so is our Canglan Domain. If a super sect in any domain weakens, the surrounding super sects will immediately send troops to annex the sect’s territory. At the most dangerous time for our Canglan Sect, we once lost half of the current Canglan Domain."
"Is it like the reversal of the Nine Kingdoms?"
Lin Chen thought of the situations in Liang and other countries. If one country weakens, others will immediately rush in to occupy that country’s territory.
"In a sense, a super sect is the ruler of a domain. You can consider it an expanded version of your imperial dynasty, with the dynasty’s map constantly evolving."
"Master, if that’s the case, why haven’t the super sects been replaced?"
From what Lin Chen learned from Senior Brother Gao, there are twenty-six domains in the Flame Dynasty, comprising twenty-four super sects, all of which have never been replaced.
"Because above them is the Flame Dynasty."
Du Xiaofeng’s old eyes slightly narrowed. "Above the twenty-four super sects is the Flame Dynasty. The Flame Dynasty will not meddle in territorial annexations between super sects, but if a sect is to be destroyed, one must apply for a Sect Battle Order from the Flame Dynasty."
"Without the Sect Battle Order, even if one has the power to crush other sects, at most, only half of the other’s territory can be annexed. The remaining half must not be annexed."
"There are such rules."
Lin Chen was speechless. This rule by the Flame Dynasty was simply a protection charm for each super sect. Even if a sect declines, it will still possess at least half of its territory.
"Do you think the Flame Dynasty is protecting all the sects?"
Du Xiaofeng knew what Lin Chen was thinking, with a chill in his eyes. "Without the Sect Battle Order, sects can’t be destroyed. This means that the sect losing territory and the sect annexing it become mortal enemies. Every sect has its own foundation. Given time, they can rise again, and the grievances between them will only deepen."
"Throughout the Flame Dynasty, all neighboring sects are sworn enemies."
His master’s words enlightened Lin Chen, who now understood his master’s meaning.
The Flame Dynasty used this method to balance the sects.
When a sect wants to rise and grow, it must target neighboring sects first, but without the Sect Battle Order, they cannot destroy the sect. Once given time to rise again, battles will inevitably resume.
One or two battles might be fine, but over tens of thousands of years, the animosity between sects would likely become irreconcilable.
After all, countless sect ancestors on both sides have died in territorial disputes, and this animosity will only deepen, allowing the Flame Dynasty to rest easy.
"Master, do these sects agree to this arrangement by the Flame Dynasty?"
"Although the motives of the Flame Dynasty are known to every sect, which sect can guarantee that its strength will never decline? Regardless, the Flame Dynasty provides each sect with a protective charm."
Lin Chen nodded. This rule by the Flame Dynasty was indeed a well-calculated strategy.
"The grievances between these sects are still far from your concern. What you need to focus on now is stepping into the Innate level. As your master, I ask you, are you ready?"
"Yes, Master, I am ready."
"Very well. Rest well today, and tomorrow I’ll provide you with the Innate Five Elements Energy, allowing you to breakthrough to the Innate level in one go."