novelraw Chapter 55: New Year
Chapter 55: New Year
"Xu the Second came by again today. He said he knows he was wrong and wants you to forgive him."
As the siblings put away the rice and meat sent by the Qiu Family, Xu Qing brought up Xu the Second.
"Ignore him. He’s not sorry; he just can’t make a living anymore," Xu Yang said expressionlessly.
Xu the Second was having a very hard time.
Although he was staying at his uncle’s place, most families didn’t have a spare room, so he ended up living in the cowshed.
The snow had melted over the past few days, but it had only gotten colder.
"Auntie came by today," Xu Qing added. "She said a few girls from the workshop asked her to talk to you. They want to know if you have any plans to get married. Li Yao was one of them, you know."
Xu Yang was out from dawn till dusk, so anyone who came looking for him usually had to talk to Xu Qing.
’Li Yao...’
’If I remember correctly, she once swore she’d never marry anyone from Bai Shi Workshop. She said she would only marry someone from the city. I can’t believe she’s now going through a matchmaker to try and marry me.’
Xu Yang shook his head and said, "Tell Auntie I have no plans to get married right now!"
Xu Qing’s eyes widened. Xu Yang had even rejected Li Yao.
’Wind and Thunder Strength...’
Xu Yang went outside and sent a palm strike toward a large tree.
Although he had comprehended Wind and Thunder Strength, he hadn’t yet tested its effects.
It wasn’t a powerful-looking blow. His palm landed gently on the trunk, not even making a sound.
He peeled back the bark. While the bark itself was perfectly intact, the trunk underneath had turned slightly yellow and was covered in countless tiny pinprick holes.
When he prodded the spot with his finger, it crumbled like rotten wood, fine particles streaming away.
’Terrifying. As expected of a Killing Move designed to be used against Qi Gathering Great Success masters.’
Xu Yang was shaken. If this hit a person, their life force would be annihilated in an instant, and their organs would be reduced to a bloody pulp.
Even a master at Qi Gathering Great Success couldn’t take many hits like that.
"Brother, Third Uncle is looking for you!" Xu Qing’s voice called out.
Xu Yang’s brow furrowed. Back at the house, he found his uncle, Xu Daxin, sitting by the entrance and taking deep puffs from a long-stemmed pipe.
"Third Uncle," Xu Yang began.
Xu Daxin tapped the ash from his pipe, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Well, well, Ah Yang. Your cousin finally has a chance to make something of himself, being in Weiyuan Hall with you. And you, as his elder cousin, won’t even lend him a hand."
Xu Yang remained expressionless. "Uncle, how exactly do you want me to help?"
’This father and son... each one more shameless than the last. The son gets rejected, and now the father shows up.’
Xu Daxin seemed taken aback, apparently not expecting Xu Yang to be so agreeable.
He quickly recovered, however, assuming Xu Yang was just reluctant to disrespect an elder.
He said at once, "You’re a Martial Artist now, aren’t you? Just find some time to give him a few pointers on that Turtle and Snake Grand Posture. And give him some money to sponsor his training. Once he becomes a grand Martial Artist himself, he’ll pay you back. He won’t forget your generosity."
"I can’t help him."
Xu Daxin’s breath caught in his throat. "You... you’re toying with me?"
He finally understood. Xu Yang never had any intention of helping; he was just toying with him.
Xu Yang said calmly, "Uncle, do you still remember that year I came to your house to borrow grain?"
At these words, Xu Daxin could no longer maintain his superior air of an elder. His old face flushed crimson.
That year, when Xu Yang went to his house to borrow grain, he hadn’t even let Xu Yang through the door. He didn’t just refuse to lend him the grain; he told Xu Yang to get lost and stay away from his home.
He never imagined Xu Yang would still remember it after all these years.
"We had no grain that year either, you know! If I’d had any, of course I would have lent it to you."
Ever the shameless one, Xu Daxin quickly came up with an excuse.
Xu Yang knew perfectly well whether they’d had grain or not. No one would try to borrow grain from a family that had none.
It would have been one thing to refuse, but he had insulted him on top of it.
"Uncle, you should just go home. I don’t even care whether Xu the Second lives or dies, to say nothing of your family, with whom I have even less of a connection. In the future, don’t throw the word ’brother’ around so easily. You aren’t worthy, and I owe you nothing."
Xu Daxin’s old face flushed red, and the hand holding his long-stemmed pipe trembled, half from anger and half from regret.
’If I had known Xu Yang would turn out this successful, I would have just lent him the grain back then.’
"Ah Yang, your Third Uncle has no money. I’m begging you, help Ah Zheng. You’re the only one who can help him. When he becomes a Martial Artist, he’ll pay you back double."
For the sake of his son’s future, Xu Daxin began to plead.
Xu Yang didn’t believe a single word. Besides, ’is becoming a Martial Artist so easy?’
’Does he really think that just because our Root Bones are the same, he’s guaranteed to become a Martial Artist?’
He didn’t want to waste any more words and said coldly, "Stop pestering me. I may not be able to help Xu Zheng become a Martial Artist, but I’m sure it would be very easy for me to ruin him."
Xu Daxin’s expression changed drastically. He said hurriedly, "Alright, I won’t say another word. I’m leaving now."
"That shameless old bastard!"
Watching Xu Daxin beat a hasty retreat, Xu Qing couldn’t help but curse under her breath.
"Alright, go practice your writing."
After saying that, Xu Yang returned to his room, took out the ginseng sent by the Qiu Family, and ate it bite by bite.
’The Martial Arts Ascension Dragon is a crucial event where the major Martial Dao sects select their disciples. I absolutely can’t miss it. According to Zhang Hong and the others, it’s the only way to get the follow-up Cultivation Techniques.
That’s why I have to participate in the Martial Arts Ascension Dragon.’
He quickly finished the entire ginseng root and began circulating his Vajra Skill to absorb its essence.
In the time that followed, he used the twenty taels from the Qiu Family and his own money to buy Exotic Beast Meat, and he also purchased Qi-Replenishing Powder from Weiyuan Hall for his cultivation.
At this rate of spending, the thirty-odd taels of silver were gone in less than a month.
’It’s like burning money!’
Xu Yang felt that even if he had another thirty taels, he could spend it all just as quickly.
The results, of course, were gratifying.
After spending more than thirty taels of silver, the True Qi in his body nearly doubled and became increasingly pure.
At this moment, his progress in the Vajra Skill had long since surpassed that of Jade Butterfly back then.
[Comprehension: 50]
[Root Bone: 50]
[Cultivation: Qi Gathering Minor Achievement]
[Cultivation Techniques: Turtle and Snake Grand Posture·Minor Achievement (114/300), Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist·Minor Achievement (321/500), Vajra Skill - Introduction (108/1000)]
[Skills: Mining Level 3 (283/400)]
[Remaining Lifespan: 61]
[Martial Arts Longevity Points: 24]
In nearly a month’s time, both his Root Bone and Comprehension had broken past the fifty-point mark.
However, contrary to his previous prediction, a score of "50" did not reach the level of Upper Grade B Root Bone.
’I’m afraid I’ll have to raise it to sixty to reach Upper Grade B Root Bone!’
He now understood just how formidable Lu Ren’s Upper Grade B Root Bone was. With such a good Root Bone, plus resources that far surpassed his own, Lu Ren’s current cultivation was definitely much higher than his.
Of course, if it really came to a fight, he had Wind and Thunder Strength. Lu Ren would most likely be the one to die.
Lu Ren had neither comprehended Wind and Thunder Strength nor had he reached Qi Gathering Great Success.
And with Wind and Thunder Strength, he could even contend with someone at Qi Gathering Great Success.
Among his Cultivation Techniques, Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist had progressed the most, while Vajra Skill remained the slowest.
’There are still about seven months until the Martial Arts Ascension Dragon. Reaching Qi Gathering Great Success should be no problem.’
Even with a Root Bone like Lu Ren’s and vast resources, he had yet to reach Qi Gathering Great Success, which just went to show how difficult it was.
"Brother, are you up yet!"
Xu Qing, dressed in a floral-patterned outfit, was knocking on the door from outside.
Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and Xu Yang had promised to accompany her into the city today to buy supplies for the festivities. She had woken up early with excitement, and this was already the second time she had come to knock on his door.
"I’m up!"
After they ate, he and Xu Qing headed into the city.