C28 Martial Skill Pavilion

Chu Yan pondered for a moment before asking, "Brother Feng, how long will it take us to travel from Qingyang Town to Lin Jia Stronghold?"

Feng Ru replied, "If we set out on horseback now, we should arrive in roughly an hour."

"Good," Chu Yan nodded. "I have just one question: what must I do to gain entry to the Immortal Gate?"

Upon hearing Chu Yan's inquiry, Feng Ru's expression shifted. He scanned the surroundings to ensure privacy before whispering, "I've only heard rumors myself, and I haven't even told Brother Zhao, so you must keep this confidential once you know."

"Understood," Chu Yan nodded. "You have my word."

Feng Ru licked his lips and, in a barely audible murmur, confided, "To my knowledge, the Profound Moon Sect has taken an interest in the First Miss's pure jade physique and has agreed to accept her as a disciple. Moreover, they've offered an additional spot, but—"

He hesitated, then continued, "This spot is for the entirety of Qingyang Town."

"So, aside from Lin Miaoran, there's just one spot for the whole town?" Chu Yan's brow creased slightly. "Does that mean there will be a competition for it?"

"That's correct," Feng Ru confirmed. "But the chance to enter the Immortal Gate isn't something everyone can vie for. Not only would the major clans of Qingyang Town disapprove, but the Profound Moon Sect wouldn't allow it either. It seems the clans will send their eligible young members to contend for this single spot. Our Lin Family will begin selecting our representative in a month, although the details are still unclear."

"I see," Chu Yan nodded. "Brother Feng, can we trust this information?"

"Why wouldn't it be trustworthy? I heard it straight from the first lady's personal maid the other night when we were..." Feng Ru caught himself, his cheeks reddening despite his hasty correction.

Chu Yan chose not to expose the slip. Given Feng Ru's earnest assurance, it seemed this was indeed the likely course of events.

"Brother Feng, about the age-appropriate disciples you mentioned earlier, what age does that refer to?" Chu Yan waited until Feng Ru had regained his composure before posing the question again.

"The cutoff is sixteen years old, not a day older," Feng Ru explained. "I've also heard that the Celestial Sect only accepts disciples up to sixteen. Any older and the orthodox Immortal Schools won't consider them."

"I see, that's good to know. Thanks, Brother Feng," Chu Yan acknowledged with a nod.

At sixteen, Chu Yan was at the threshold. If the year slipped by, his chance to join the Immortal Sect would vanish.

This year was his final, his sole opportunity.

Regarding his identity, Chu Yan mused, "As the Lin Family's son-in-law by marriage, I'm barely counted as one of them. Yet, that's not sufficient. I need to increase my standing, to at least have the credentials to vie for this spot."

Each lost in their thoughts, the two men rode in silence. After an hour, a fortress loomed into view before Chu Yan.

He had known that the Lin Family's stronghold, home to the majority of its clan members, numbering three thousand, was bound to be large.

But upon seeing it, Chu Yan realized the Lin Jia Stronghold was even more imposing than he'd imagined, nearly rivaling the cities of the Southern Yuan Kingdom.

In that moment, Chu Yan couldn't help but marvel at the grandeur of the nation, incomparable to that of a mere state.

Feng Ru, bearing a letter from Lin Chongtian himself, encountered no obstacles along the way.

Yet, as a son-in-law without formal status, he was largely overlooked by the Lin Family, with the exception of Old Master Lin Xiao, who had arranged the marriage.

Navigating the stronghold with ease, Feng Ru led Chu Yan to a three-story building at the very heart of the Lin Jia Stronghold.

After reviewing the Patriarch's handwritten letter, the Lin Family elder guarding the entrance to the Martial Skill Pavilion spoke to Chu Yan without a hint of emotion: "The first floor houses martial arts manuals, while the second floor is dedicated to weapon collections. No one is permitted on the third floor without the Patriarch's consent. You are allowed to access only the first and second floors today, where you may select a martial skill of no higher than mid-grade Mortal Realm and a weapon of lower rank. You have two hours; exceed that, and you'll face punishment."

"I understand," Chu Yan responded, bowing slightly. He paused thoughtfully before asking, "Elder, may I invite Brother Feng to join me in the Martial Skill Pavilion to offer guidance as I make my selections?"

Chu Yan's respectful demeanor slightly elevated the elder's opinion of him. After considering the request, the elder replied, "You may, but remember, no loud disturbances are permitted inside the Pavilion. You know this rule, Feng Ru."

"Certainly," Feng Ru quickly affirmed, bowing to the elder.

Once inside the Martial Skill Pavilion, with no one else in sight, Chu Yan inquired in a low voice, "Brother Feng, what exactly is a mid-grade human-step martial skill, as the elder mentioned?"

"You're not aware?" Feng Ru asked, visibly astonished. "As a fellow warrior, aren't you familiar with the distinctions between Human, Earth, Heaven, and Profound Ranked martial skills?"

"I must admit, I'm not quite clear on that," Chu Yan answered earnestly.

Given that the Southern Yuan Kingdom was a remote and modest nation, it was true that no one had explained these matters to Chu Yan in his youth. Apart from his identity as a martial artist, his life had been much closer to that of an ordinary person.

"Since you're about to choose a martial skill, let me briefly explain," Feng Ru said, his forehead beading with sweat. "Martial skills are categorized from low to high into four ranks: Mortal, Earth, Heaven, and Profound, each with three sub-ranks of upper, middle, and lower."

"The Patriarch has authorized me to select a martial skill up to a mid-grade Mortal level," Chu Yan mused, then asked, "Brother Feng, what rank does Ye Chen's Ironback Fist fall under?"

"Iron Back Fist is a mid-tier martial skill within the Mortal Realm, and it's considered one of the Ye Family's ancestral techniques. It's a notch above the basic martial skills," Feng Ru explained.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yan already had a strategy forming in his mind.

His brief exchange with Ye Chen had been fleeting, yet he could discern that Ye Chen's martial skills were significantly inferior to his own Raging Dragon's Coiling Kill. As for the rank of Raging Dragon's Coiling Kill, the book made no mention, leaving Chu Yan in the dark about its exact grade.

Chu Yan felt a surge of relief at that moment. He was thankful he had been cautious enough to alter the final move of Raging Dragon's Coiling Kill into a mere slap. Otherwise, with the discerning eyes of Lin Chongtian and the others, they would have easily recognized it as a martial skill of exceptional caliber.

Should they demand he surrender it, Chu Yan knew that with his current level of power, refusal would likely be impossible.

"It's clear now that whether I'm vying for a spot or simply ensuring my own safety, I need to enhance my strength without delay," Chu Yan reflected.

Lost in these thoughts, Chu Yan had made his way into the first level of the Martial Skill Pavilion. Before him stood a series of wooden compartments, each just large enough for a single person to enter. Scanning the area, he estimated there were nearly a hundred such spaces.

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