From Fanwu to Xinghai

Chapter 4 The Martial Arts Examination Agreement: A Road Ahead Full of Storms

three days later.

Qing Shi Town returned to its former tranquility, but Lin Chen knew that this tranquility would not last long.

Although the battle that night was conducted in secrecy, so many men in black were killed, and their bodies still needed to be disposed of. More importantly, the entrance to the ruins still existed, and no one knew if others would follow the trail to find it.

But at this moment, he had more important things to do.

Outside the town, on an open space in the back hills.

Lin Chen was shirtless, undergoing intense physical training.

His movements were simple—slashing, thrusting, sweeping, and parrying—a basic sword technique he had practiced countless times. Sweat streamed down his back, leaving dark marks on the ground.

Uncle Chen sat on a large rock, holding a pipe in his hand, slowly exhaling smoke rings.

"You made 3,723 cuts," Uncle Chen said. "Of those, 203 cuts showed obvious signs of weakening, 147 cuts deviated from their intended trajectory, and 31 cuts completely lost their aim."

Lin Chen stopped what he was doing and gasped for breath.

He didn't understand why Uncle Chen had to count so precisely.

"This is your current level," Uncle Chen tapped his cigarette ash. "Over three thousand cuts, but less than three thousand are acceptable. In a real battlefield, this ratio will get you killed in a very ugly way."

Lin Chen fell silent.

He knew that Uncle Chen was telling the truth.

That night, he was able to injure the demonic beast with his mere third-level mortal martial arts strength mainly due to the precognitive abilities of his Time Imprint, rather than actual combat skills. Without his precognitive abilities, he probably wouldn't even be able to defeat an ordinary veteran.

"Your advantage is that mark," Uncle Chen saw through his thoughts, "but an advantage is not the same as strength. To survive in this world, you need more than just the ability to foresee the future; you need the strength to match it."

"Uncle Chen, how should I practice?" Lin Chen asked.

Uncle Chen stood up and walked to Lin Chen.

"Kid, do you know what's most important in cultivation?"

"talent?"

"resource?"

"Cultivation techniques?"

Lin Chen guessed several times, but Uncle Chen shook his head each time.

"It's the foundation," Uncle Chen said. "It's those most tedious, boring, and inconspicuous basic training exercises."

He held up two fingers: "Two things. First, do 10,000 cleaving strokes with a knife every day. Second, run 100 li (50 kilometers) every day."

"Ten thousand times...?" Lin Chen was stunned. "One hundred miles?"

"What, scared?"

"I'm not afraid," Lin Chen scratched his head, "I'm just a little curious—what kind of effect can this amount of training have?"

A meaningful smile appeared on Uncle Chen's lips: "The effect? ​​The moves you used that night were actually the most basic sword techniques. It's just that you repeated them too many times, and your body has memorized the trajectory of each movement."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "When you've swung your sword ten thousand times, each strike will feel as natural as breathing. At that point, you won't need to think at all; your body will automatically make the optimal response."

"Plus the predictive ability of the Time Imprint..." Lin Chen's eyes lit up.

"That's right." Uncle Chen nodded. "Precognition tells you what the enemy will do next, while muscle memory allows you to react at the fastest speed. The combination of the two is your true fighting style."

Lin Chen suddenly realized.

What he had unconsciously accomplished that night was already a preliminary form of combat.

In the days that followed, Lin Chen began a near-self-torturing training regimen.

He would get up before dawn every day, run fifty miles of mountain road, and then return to practice five thousand sword strikes. In the afternoon, he would run another fifty miles and practice five thousand sword strikes. In the evening, he would study basic cultivation knowledge with Uncle Chen.

Uncle Chen taught very seriously.

He told Lin Chen that the nine levels of the mortal martial arts realm are: refining skin, refining flesh, refining tendons, refining bones, refining filth, refining blood, refining marrow, refining spirit, and the unity of man and martial arts.

Each stage is a profound tempering of the body.

"For an ordinary person to cultivate from the first level of Body Tempering to the ninth level, it would take at least twenty years," Uncle Chen said. "But you are different."

"What's different?"

"You have that mark." Uncle Chen's gaze fell on Lin Chen's brow. "The River of Time mark is not just a tool for predicting the future; it is itself a condensation of high-dimensional energy. When you use it, a trace amount of high-dimensional energy will seep into your body, accelerating your cultivation."

Lin Chen touched his brow.

In the past few days, he had indeed felt changes in his body. Although his cultivation level had not improved, his strength, speed, and endurance were all steadily increasing, several times faster than normal cultivation.

"If things continue at the current pace..." he asked.

"Reaching the ninth level of Body Tempering within three months shouldn't be a problem," Uncle Chen said, "but that's not enough."

"Not enough?"

"Do you know what the Dynasty Martial Arts Examination is?" Uncle Chen asked in return.

Lin Chen shook his head.

He was just an orphan from a small border town, and the farthest place he had ever been was the county town, thirty miles away. The grand martial arts examination, something so lofty and unattainable, was far beyond his reach.

Uncle Chen sighed.

"The Martial Arts Examination of the Dynasty, held every three years, is the grandest event in the Fanwu Dynasty for selecting talent. No matter which family or sect a disciple belongs to, anyone who wants to enter the court as an official must pass the Martial Arts Examination."

He paused for a moment: "The martial arts examination is divided into three stages: the preliminary test, the second test, and the palace test. The preliminary test assesses basic skills, the second test assesses practical combat ability, and the palace test is presided over by the emperor himself, assessing comprehensive qualities."

"Those who pass the martial arts exam will be granted different official positions and statuses. The worst will become a county lieutenant, the better will become a captain, and the top few will be directly recruited into the Royal Guard, and may even have the opportunity to enter the legendary 'Martial Arts Academy' that only exists in martial arts legends."

"Budōin?"

"That's the highest-level martial arts academy in the dynasty." A complex look flashed in Uncle Chen's eyes. "It's said that there are inheritances that lead to the path of cultivation inside."

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat.

The Path to Immortality!

This is what he has always dreamed of!

The scenes he saw in the ruins that night—the figures moving between the high-rises, the humanoid creatures radiating various colors of light—he had always thought they were just illusions, but now it seemed that they were likely a higher-level power system.

"Uncle Chen, are you saying... that as long as one passes the martial arts exam, one can access the methods of cultivating immortality?"

Uncle Chen nodded, then shook his head.

"That's one way to understand it, but not entirely accurate," he said. "The martial arts exam is just a stepping stone. What truly determines whether you can embark on the path of cultivation is your performance in the martial arts exam. Only those geniuses selected by the Martial Arts Academy are qualified to access higher levels of knowledge."

He looked at Lin Chen: "And this year's martial arts exam is still two months away."

Lin Chen took a deep breath.

two months.

He only had two months to prepare.

"Xiao Cui, I'm going to take the Dynasty Martial Arts Examination."

In the courtyard of Lin Chen's family in Qingshi Town.

Lin Chen stood in the courtyard, looking at the girl with braids in front of him.

Xiao Cui's eyes were a little red, but she tried hard not to cry.

"How long does the martial arts exam take?"

"The preliminary exam, the second exam, the final exam, plus the travel time, will take about a month," Lin Chen said.

"Then you must come back with a good ranking." Xiao Cui nodded vigorously. "I will wait for you here. When you become a big shot, come and take me to the capital to see the world."

Lin Chen smiled.

"Xiao Cui, I'm not going to become a big shot," he said. "I'm going to become stronger. Only by becoming stronger can I protect the people I want to protect."

He reached out and gently rubbed Xiao Cui's head.

He had done this many times, from childhood to adulthood, always comforting Xiao Cui whenever she cried. But this time, it was different.

Because his hands were stained with the blood of demonic beasts.

Because he has already seen death.

Because he knew that the world was far more cruel than he had imagined.

Xiao Cui's face flushed slightly, but she didn't look away.

"Brother Lin Chen, you must come back safely," she whispered.

"I will."

Lin Chen withdrew his hand and turned to walk out of the courtyard.

Uncle Chen was already waiting at the entrance of town, with a simple horse-drawn carriage parked beside him.

"Are you ready?" Uncle Chen asked.

"Ready."

"Let's go then." Uncle Chen climbed onto the carriage. "Remember, no matter what your results are in the martial arts exam, don't reveal the mark on your body. That thing... is much more dangerous than you think."

Lin Chen nodded and climbed into the carriage.

The wheels turned slowly, and Qing Shi Town gradually receded into the distance behind us.

Meanwhile, deep within the abandoned mine shafts beneath Qingshi Town.

Several men in black were carefully searching something.

"Found it!" a man in black shouted excitedly. "The entrance to the ruins is here!"

Although the one-eyed man's body was disposed of, the news had already spread.

Dark Blade Pavilion, Young Master's Hall.

A young man dressed in black robes sat in the main seat, toying with a black token in his hand.

"At the outer node of the Temple of Time in Bluestone Town, an artifact has been taken..." he muttered to himself. "Interesting. Find out who did it and bring the artifact back to me."

"Yes, young master."

The man in black accepted the order and left.

The young man stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the bright moon in the night sky.

"The fluctuations of the river of time... it seems the world is about to be stirred up again."

Three hundred li away, on the official road.

Lin Chen sat in the bumpy carriage, closing his eyes to rest.

The marks of time on his brow were faintly glowing.

He saw a scene.

In the scene, he stands on a huge arena, surrounded by a dense crowd. Opposite him stands a young man in fine clothes, a contemptuous smile on his lips.

"A country bumpkin from the border dares to participate in the martial arts exam? He really doesn't know his own limitations!"

The boy's words drew laughter from those around him.

Lin Chen clenched his fist.

This is the world he is about to face.

A world with a strict hierarchy and where the strong prey on the weak.

A world where one's birth determines one's fate.

But he didn't believe in fate.

Because the river of time chose him.

Because he wanted to let those who mocked him know—

Even ants can defy the heavens!