Rise from a Poor Family: My Martial Arts Counterattack

Chapter 366 The Ghost Ship Appears, Living Beings Vanish

cabin.

"Has Junior Brother Lin finished refining it?"

Qin Yan's voice came from the doorway.

"Senior Brother Qin, is something the matter?"

"Deacon Gao and deacons from other sects are preparing a competition between disciples, which will be attended by you disciples who have not yet joined a sect. The winner will receive a reward from the deacons of each sect."

Qin Yan came to relay Gao Zeming's words. After relaying them, he continued, "Junior Brother Lin, the rewards given by the deacons of each sect are quite valuable, especially for martial artists who have not yet entered the Innate Realm, they can all use them."

As he said this, Qin Yan's face showed envy. He would be very tempted by such a reward, but unfortunately only disciples who had not yet joined the sect could participate in the competition. He had already joined the sect and was an inner disciple, so he was not qualified to participate in the competition.

"Okay, I can leave the seclusion tomorrow."

"Junior Brother Lin, don't worry. If it really doesn't work, it's okay to delay for another day or two. This competition can be postponed for another day or two."

"No need to delay, tomorrow will be fine."

Inside the cabin, Lin Chen sensed the location of the Dragon Transformation Grass within his body and gave a definite answer.

The energy of the Dragon Transformation Grass had already reached his ankles. At this rate, if he were given a few more hours, there would be no more unrefined dragon energy left in his body.

Although he had already been designated as a disciple by the sect elders, no one complains about having too many martial arts resources. Even for disciples personally taught by elders, there is a limit to the sect resources they can obtain.

……

Three hours later.

Lin Chen whispered: Panel.

[Host: Lin Chen]

[Realm Level: First Grade]

[Spirit Rank: 9.1]

[Innate Technique: Heavenly Evolution Myriad Phenomena Annihilation Palm]

【Eternal Divine Form: First Layer (Giant Form)】

[Innate Skill: Azure Wave Finger]

[Title: Martial Arts Prosperity (A renowned figure on Martial Arts Mountain; for every 1,000 consecutive wins, Martial Arts Comprehension permanently doubles, and Divine Soul increases by 10%)]

[Achievement: The Glory of Liang]

[Effect: The more admirers a martial artist has in the Great Liang Dynasty, the faster their martial arts cultivation progresses.]

[Destiny: [Success Comes Naturally]: On the path of the ninth rank of martial arts, perseverance and gradual progress will lead to unstoppable progress without any bottlenecks.]

"I never expected that completely refining the dragon energy within my body would actually increase my spiritual power by another ten percent."

Lin Chen smiled, his blood and qi circulating throughout his body, and he could clearly feel that it was smoother than before.

……

The deck of the Dragon King's ship.

Disciples from all sects had arrived, while Gao Zemin and his group stood on the bridge above the deck, watching the competition.

"Oh, your Canglan Sect has another disciple?"

The steward of Tianyang Palace looked surprised when he saw the unfamiliar face standing among the Canglan Sect disciples.

"Yes, this is a disciple of my sect. He was in seclusion when he boarded the ship and only just came out today."

Gao Zemin offered an explanation, and the deacon of Tianyang Palace didn't ask any further questions. He was just a disciple, and he had confidence in his sect's disciple. This was the strongest disciple the sect had discovered in the islands of the East China Sea over the past few decades.

"I think the rules for this competition shouldn't be too formal. Let the disciples of each sect choose their opponents from each other."

Hu Yunhua spoke with a smile, and the other sect leaders nodded in agreement. This competition was just something they had arranged on a whim, and it really didn't need to be so formal.

"Each of you chooses an opponent. The winner advances to the next round, and the loser is eliminated."

Hu Yunhua's voice echoed throughout the deck, and as soon as he spoke, the boys below began to look at the others, wanting to choose their opponents.

On the other side of the deck, Qin Yan and Gu Kong stood with the disciples from various sects who had gone out to sea with the stewards; they were also spectators of this competition.

"Senior Brother Qin, who do you think will choose Senior Brother Lin?"

Gu Kong blinked, and Qin Yan understood what Gu Kong meant: whoever chose Junior Brother Lin would have made a mistake.

Lin Chen did not actively choose an opponent; it didn't matter to him who his opponent was.

"Let's have a friendly spar."

The disciples from Tianyang Palace looked at Lin Chen, and Lin Chen agreed.

The Dragon King's ship has a large enough deck to accommodate dozens of battles simultaneously.

Lin Chen and the disciples of Tianyang Palace arrived at one side of the deck, where the sea breeze carried a salty and fishy smell.

The opponent was dressed in a red-patterned outfit, with a sharp, eager look between his brows, and the dark red lines on his palms faintly glowing with fire.

"Zhao Yan of Tianyang Palace, I'd like to learn from your superior skills!"

"Lin Chen of the Canglan Sect, please enlighten me."

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Yan suddenly unleashed two balls of crimson flames from his palms, the scorching heat waves turning the deck a fiery red.

He shot out like an arrow, leaving a trail of charred marks on the deck.

This "Burning Shadow Step" made Qin Yan and the others watching on the sidelines narrow their eyes, and the deacons on the bridge tower also noticed this scene.

"This Zhao Yan must be one of the promising talents that Tianyang Palace has recruited this time."

The deacon of the Tai Chu Sect looked at Du Dongyang, the deacon of the Tianyang Hall, and Du Dongyang nodded slightly: "Zhao Yan has considerable talent in the Blazing Sun Technique."

The Blazing Sun Technique is one of the signature techniques of the Heavenly Sun Palace, and its status is comparable to that of the Azure Wave Finger of the Azure Wave Sect.

"Brother Gao, it seems that this disciple of your Canglan Sect is likely to lose."

Despite the gazes of the other deacons, Gao Zeming remained unmoved. Would Lin Chen lose?

Zhao Yan's Blazing Sun Technique is not enough to impress him.

On the deck, facing the sweltering heat, Lin Chen seemed to be strolling leisurely.

Just as the fiery palm wind was about to touch his face, he suddenly raised his right hand, and the Azure Wave Finger Force burst forth from his fingertip like the dark light of a cold pool.

In an instant, everyone seemed to see an ice-blue dragon bursting out of the sea, carrying a chilling aura straight into the flames!

laugh--!
The two energies collided and exploded with a deafening roar. Zhao Yan was shocked to find that his palm strike, into which he had poured all his power, had vanished without a trace.

Before he could change his move, a blast of icy blue finger strikes his chest at the Tanzhong acupoint, instantly severing the raging Yang energy within him. His meridians are blocked, and he staggers back three steps before collapsing to the ground.

"Thank you for the concession."

Lin Chen stood with his fingers retracted, the wrinkles on his clothes that had just been lifted by the flames not yet completely smoothed out.

His opponent was too weak; he only used 30% of his strength, and the opponent couldn't even get his clothes slightly dirty.

Zhao Yan stared at the tear in his clothes, which was only an inch wide, his face turning deathly pale—if that finger strike had gone in half an inch further, his heart would have been shattered by now.

On the deck, not many disciples noticed this scene. Although Qin Yan and Gu Kong had been watching closely, they had expected this outcome and were not surprised at all.

Standing on the bridge above, Du Dongyang squinted at Gao Zemin: "Is this the promising talent your Canglan Sect has discovered this time?"

"Ah."

Gao Zemin didn't hide anything; Lin Chen's strength was undeniable. By the time the final competition ended, everyone knew perfectly well what was going on.

"Brother Gao, you really know how to hide! With such a promising talent, you've kept him hidden in the cabin, not showing yourself. Could it be that you're deliberately waiting for today's duel?"

The steward of the Starfall Palace sounded somewhat dissatisfied, but Gao Zemin explained, "Please don't misunderstand, everyone. Lin Chen has residual energy from the true blood of the Flood Dragon in his body. It just so happens that Brother Hu has some Dragon Transformation Grass here. Lin Chen has been taking Dragon Transformation Grass in the cabin to refine the Flood Dragon energy in his body."

"Yes, I can testify on behalf of Brother Gao in this matter."

Hu Yunhua spoke up as well. With Hu Yunhua's testimony, the other deacons stopped thinking about it. Besides, it wasn't Gao Zeming who proposed this competition.

Lin Chen's battle ended quickly, but the others were still fighting, especially the several intense battles in the middle of the deck. Those who could confidently stand in the middle of the deck to fight were confident enough in their own strength.

Zhao Yan was also quite strong, but he was being cunning and wanted to conserve his strength in the first few rounds. However, he misjudged and chose Lin Chen, which resulted in him losing more than he gained.

……

Fifteen minutes later, the first round of battles was over.

Besides Lin Chen, two other disciples from the Canglan Sect also won and stood by Lin Chen's side. The three eliminated disciples stood on the side of Qin Yan and the others.

"The second round continues."

Upon hearing the deacon's voice from the bridge tower, the disciples' gazes met once more. Having witnessed the first duel, they had gained a better understanding of their opponents' strength.

"Please enlighten me."

"Please advise."

"Let's have a friendly spar."

On the deck, as each disciple chose their opponent, Lin Chen was suddenly surprised to find himself alone.

Uh……

"It seems that although Junior Brother Lin's match ended quickly, these young people still saw it."

Qin Yan smiled and said, "The disciples from the other sects have realized that Junior Brother Lin's strength is extraordinary, and they no longer want to challenge him."

That's good, Junior Brother Lin can take a break for a round.

After the second round, only eight disciples remained on the deck, while Lin Chen was the only one left from the Canglan Sect.

This time, Lin Chen faced off against a disciple of the Starfall Palace.

“Starfall Palace Guardian Xuan”.

"Lin Chen of the Canglan Sect".

Wei Xuan was enveloped in a ghostly blue starlight, and he approached using the unique Heavenly Gang Steps of the Starfall Heavenly Palace, disappearing from the spot.

Lin Chen remained motionless, still pointing out with his Canglan Finger, unleashing a burst of Canglan energy.

boom!
The next moment, Wei Xuan appeared, staggering a few steps backward.

This scene drew gasps from everyone present. He defeated his opponent with a single finger; Lin Chen of the Canglan Sect was simply too strong.

At this moment, even the disciples who had already joined the sect had solemn expressions in their eyes. The Starfall Heavenly Palace's footwork was famous in the Yan Dynasty for its elusive and unpredictable nature. Just now, even they hadn't been able to catch Wei Xuan's figure immediately, yet Lin Chen was able to hit him directly with a single finger.

Wei Xuan, who was retreating, had a look of horror on his face. He felt as if the meridians in his entire right arm were frozen, and his blood and qi stagnated.

"I surrender."

Upon hearing Wei Xuan admit defeat, the disciples of Starfall Palace showed regret on their faces, but they could also see that Wei Xuan was indeed not the one who had attacked Lin Chen.

"Brother Qin, what is the background of this Lin Chen?"

Disciples from other sects around Qin Yan asked him curiously.

"Junior Brother Lin comes from an island at sea."

Upon hearing Qin Yan's answer, the people next to him rolled their eyes. Everyone on this ship came from their respective islands.

"This person, upon joining your Canglan Sect, should be directly granted the treatment of an inner disciple, right?"

Qin Yan smiled and said, "I don't know about that."

Gu Kong sighed inwardly. Inner disciple?

This is disrespecting Senior Brother Lin.

Meanwhile, on the bridge tower, the other deacons also had solemn expressions. They hadn't paid attention to Lin Chen in the previous battle and hadn't noticed anything, but they had witnessed the battle just now.

The eyesight of a Xiantian martial artist was far superior to that of the disciples below. The deacon of the Tai Chu Sect was the first to ask, "Brother Gao, just tell us the truth, what kind of treatment will your Canglan Sect give Lin Chen?"

The treatment a sect gives to its disciples reflects their potential and strength.

If Hu Yunhua hadn't been there, Gao Zeming wouldn't have planned to tell the truth. But Hu Yunhua had gone to Daliang with him and knew about Lin Chen's situation. Thinking of this, Gao Zeming stroked his beard and smiled, "Elder's personal disciple."

"I knew it!"

Du Dongyang slapped his thigh and said, "With Zhao Yan's strength, being able to defeat him in one move means he's definitely not receiving the treatment of an ordinary inner disciple."

Because of Zhao Yan, their Tianyang Palace provides him with the treatment of an inner disciple.

"If this is a disciple personally taught by an elder, then what's the point of this competition?"

The steward of Starfall Palace shook his head helplessly. Being chosen by an elder of a sect already demonstrated Lin Chen's strength.

"No wonder...no wonder your Canglan Sect came all this way to personally welcome us."

The Canglan Sect is located in the inland heart of the Yanhuang Dynasty, a long distance from the East Sea. In the past, when the annihilation storm disappeared, no Canglan Sect steward came to personally welcome the disciples.

If it is a disciple personally taught by an elder, then everything makes sense.

"Brother Hu, that's not fair."

The stewards suddenly realized that they didn't know Lin Chen was the Canglan Sect elder's chosen disciple, but Hu Yunhua, who had been on the ship, should have known.

Hu Yunhua was the one who first proposed a prize for this fight. Isn't this deliberately setting a trap for them?
"Ladies and gentlemen, I've also brought some prizes on my side."

Hu Yunhua spread his hands, leaving Du Dongyang and the others speechless. However, they also realized that Hu Yunhua was probably deliberately trying to curry favor with Lin Chen.

It seems that the descendants of the Hu family are not up to par, which is why Hu Yunhua started befriending some promising geniuses so early on.

Lin Chen and the others on the deck were unaware of the conversation between the deacons. After several rounds of fighting, only Lin Chen and a disciple from the Tai Chu Sect remained.

"I surrender."

Unexpectedly, the disciples of the Tai Chu Sect chose to concede defeat.

Lin Chen was taken aback, and finally could only clasp his hands in thanks and say, "Thank you for your kind offer."

"Senior Brother Lin, you're too kind. My strength is indeed inferior to yours. May I ask which island Senior Brother Lin comes from?"

The disciple of Taichu Sect explained with a smile, "Wei Xuan and I come from the same island, Jiushan Island in the East Sea."

Lin Chen suddenly realized that this person from the Tai Chu Sect must have fought with Wei Xuan in the past, and their strengths were roughly equal. Seeing that he had defeated Wei Xuan so easily, he had voluntarily admitted defeat.

However, for an island to produce two disciples who are valued by a super sect, the island's foundation must be extraordinary.

"Lin Chen of the Canglan Sect has emerged victorious in this competition."

On the bridge tower, Hu Yunhua loudly announced the winner of the competition.

As the winner, Lin Chen was surrounded by the island's youths. Even Zhao Yan, whom Lin Chen had defeated, was now surrounded by them.

After some conversation, Lin Chen finally understood why these people were so friendly to him.

These islands in the East China Sea also engage in trade and competition with each other.

Like the Nine Mountains Island where Wei Xuan is located, it is not just one island, but three islands. These three islands were discovered more than a thousand years ago. The forces on the islands have changed many times, and finally a stable pattern has been formed.

Whether these islands will be annexed by other islands or annex other islands in the future depends on how many geniuses on these islands are favored by the major sects within the Yan Dynasty.

Nine Mountain Island is guarded by fifteen innate martial artists, making it one of the strongest islands in the East China Sea.

These teenagers each represent the power of their respective islands. Upon learning that Lin Chen comes from a newly discovered island, they make a decision: they must write to their elders and be sure to keep an eye out for a country called Da Liang on the newly discovered island.

If you do have such an opportunity, try to befriend them rather than make enemies.

Having understood the thoughts of these young men, Lin Chen adopted a humble attitude. It might be difficult for martial artists from the Great Liang Dynasty to reach the Yan Dynasty, but establishing connections and trade with other islands to obtain the necessary martial arts resources was still possible.

Lin Chen silently noted down the names of the islands mentioned by some of the boys, planning to write to Lord Kong when he arrived at the Canglan Sect.

The Canglan Sect is too far away. Sometimes, distant water can't quench a nearby fire. Befriending the surrounding islands would allow the Great Liang to integrate into these island circles more quickly.

……

……

The next day.

Gao Zeming appeared in Lin Chen's cabin and handed Lin Chen several items.

"This is the prize for this competition: Dragon Silk Jade Soul from the East Sea Divine Palace. This item has the effect of tempering the soul. This is a meteorite from the Starfall Heavenly Palace, a rare and superior material for refining weapons. And this Fusion Yang Grass... You don't need it for now, but if you get it to the sect, you can exchange it for a thousand contribution points..."

"Thank you, Deacon Gao."

Since it was the reward for first place, Lin Chen didn't hold back.

"There are seven days left until we reach the East Sea. You can continue to challenge the Martial Arts Mountain during these seven days, but you must be confident. If you are not confident of winning, do not rush to challenge."

Since learning that Lin Chen had won consecutive victories and climbed into the top 10,000, Gao Zeming could guess how the sect elders would arrange things.

To improve Lin Chen's strength as much as possible, so that Lin Chen can maintain more winning streaks in Martial Arts Mountain.

A winning streak at Martial Arts Mountain is not only an honor, but also comes with tangible rewards. However, only the elders know the specifics of these rewards.

"Yes, disciple will remember."

Lin Chen nodded in agreement. Gao Zeming was about to continue speaking when the ship suddenly began to rock.

The Dragon King's ship is rocking!
Gao Zemin and Lin Chen's expressions changed simultaneously. They both knew very well that given the condition of the Dragon King Ship, it would not be rocked by the wind and waves, so something else must have happened.

"Let's go out and take a look."

The two quickly headed towards the deck, and when they reached it, Lin Chen's pupils constricted as he looked at the situation on the sea.

On the sea ahead, a black ancient ship, no more than ten feet long, was slowly sailing. The sea was calm as the ship passed, but turbulent waves were churning around it.

"The ghost ship has reappeared. Which island will suffer this time?"

On the deck, Wei Xuan's voice trembled. Lin Chen frowned. What was a ghost ship?
"Ghost ship?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Zeming's eyes showed a deep sense of apprehension.

Even he had heard of the ghost ship in the East China Sea.

"Brother Wei, what is a ghost ship?" Lin Chen couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Ghost ships, also known as dead ships, suddenly appear in the sea every hundred or several hundred years. When the first ghost ship appeared, a Xiantian realm expert boarded the ship out of curiosity, but never came off again."

"The Innate Realm expert boarded the ship and never disembarked?"

Lin Chen's eyes showed shock, and at this moment Hu Yunhua and several other deacons also appeared on the deck. When they saw the ghost ship in front of them, Hu Yunhua's expression was very ugly.

"When the ghost ship first appeared, a sixth-level expert from my East Sea Divine Palace approached it but did not dare to board. According to this senior, the ghost ship is a dead ship, and anyone who steps on it will die."

Even those at the sixth level of the Innate Realm dare not board the ship?
Many disciples, like Lin Chen, who had no idea what a ghost ship was, exclaimed in surprise.

That's a sixth-level Innate Realm expert, someone who could walk sideways in the Yan Dynasty, yet he dared not board this ship that was only ten feet long.

"If it's just a matter of not being able to board the ship, then just stay far away from it. But if an island appears in the ghost ship's course, the entire island will sink and be submerged by the sea. After the ghost ship passes, all the living beings on the island will disappear. In the thousands or even tens of thousands of miles of sea, not even a single drowned corpse can be found."

Wei Xuan looked at Lin Chen, his voice filled with fear: "Since the appearance of the ghost ship was recorded, thirty-four islands have been swallowed up, and the ghost ship has been recorded to appear thirty-five times so far, with only one instance in which no islands were swallowed up by the sea along its route."

Hearing Wei Xuan's words, Lin Chen understood why Wei Xuan was so nervous. It had appeared thirty-five times, and only once did no island suffer. This was no ghost ship; it was a moving ship of death.

"Where will this ghost ship go?"

"Submerged in the depths of the storm."

"The ghost ship will eventually disappear into the depths of the annihilation storm, but its course is not a straight line. From its appearance to its journey to the annihilation storm, its trajectory and direction are unpredictable, and no one can predict its route."

Lin Chen's pupils contracted. The ghost ship was heading into the depths of the annihilation storm, which meant it might pass by the island where Daliang was located.

“Islands covered by the annihilation storm, though unable to contact the outside world, are protected by the storm, while islands not covered by the storm, though able to contact the outside world and the Yan Dynasty, face the catastrophic threat of the ghost ships.”

"Isn't there any way to stop this ghost ship from getting closer?" Lin Chen asked, unwilling to give up.

"Even experts at the sixth level of the Innate Realm dare not board the ship, who can stop them?"

Wei Xuan's question silenced Lin Chen: No island has a powerhouse at the sixth level of the Innate Realm.

Perhaps, a powerful being in the Myriad Manifestations Realm...

"There's no need to worry too much. The ghost ship isn't very fast, and the island can be predicted in advance. If it's really on the ghost ship's route, we can arrange for a group of people to evacuate in advance."

Gao Zeming knew what Lin Chen was worried about, so he patted Lin Chen on the shoulder and comforted him.

Given Lin Chen's identity, if the ghost ship really goes to the island where Lin Chen is located, Daliang will definitely arrange for Lin Chen's family to leave the island by boat.

Lin Chen understood the meaning behind Gao Zeming's words, but the thought of billions of people in Daliang perishing in the ghost ship still weighed heavily on his mind.

"Each time a ghost ship appears, it usually travels for twelve years in the sea. Given the distance to your island, it would take at least ten more years for the ghost ship to reach that location. If you are worried, you can write back to inform us of this matter when the time comes."

PS: I was forced by the village chief to row dragon boats these past two days, so I'm updating a long chapter. Two days of training, the competition is tomorrow. Poor me, I couldn't keep up with the speed on the first day, and the paddles kept falling off when they hit the front and back of the boat. I kept getting scolded. So, I'm asking for a monthly vote to comfort me. Next month is almost here.

(End of this chapter)