Brothers

Li Shan returned just then, his expression slightly unpleasant.

He had originally planned to give a few pointers and leave, but who knew more and more people would gather afterward? Left with no choice, he had spent another half an hour.

"Tomorrow is our regular leave. Is Brother Xu going home?"

He stretched lazily and, without waiting for an answer, went on by himself:

"I'm planning to go back this time and have my family advance me some money. I want to taste that Meridian Nourishing Soup too."

As he spoke, he licked his lips, seeming to be lost in boundless fantasies.

Xu Yuan nodded. "I should go back and have a look."

The two chatted for a while, then parted to do their respective work.

By the time night fell, the Laborers finally got to rest.

After washing up outside, Xu Yuan headed into the room.

The moment he entered, someone sidled up to him. "My name is Liu Hong. What should I call you, brother?"

Xu Yuan had always kept a low profile in the dormitory. He was only familiar with a few people nearby, while the others had formed their own circles. It was hardly unusual for people to be strangers to one another.

"Xu Yuan."

"Brother Xu, how did your practice go today? Did you find the Essence of Qi and Blood?"

Xu Yuan found this strange and gave him a look. Do I even know you? Why are you coming up so familiarly to ask this?

Still, it was only a matter of moving his lips. He had no reason to offend someone for nothing, so he answered vaguely:

"It's still early. I haven't got any clue yet."

Hearing that, Liu Hong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and sighed as well. "Exactly. How could it be so easy to master this skill in two months?"

With the look of a fellow sufferer on his face, he sighed and walked away.

Xu Yuan was left utterly baffled, but when he went inside and saw Liu Hong grabbing another person to question, he finally understood.

This man had probably seen him go onstage yesterday and receive Master Feng's guidance, so he had come to see how the "popular one" was progressing compared to everyone else.

"This really is like my past life—after every exam, the insecure ones would go find the top students to compare answers."

Xu Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Liu Hong went around the room asking everyone one by one. Every face was clouded with worry, and no one had gained any insight—until he reached one person.

Xu Yuan remembered that man. He was Tian Yang, the Laborer who had been reprimanded that morning for failing to wipe the ceiling beam clean.

Tian Yang was no longer as timid as he had been in the morning. Rather pleased with himself, he said, "I've felt something, at least. Give me a little more time, and I reckon I'll be able to find the Essence of Qi and Blood."

The moment those words came out, they naturally drew the envy and jealousy of the other Laborers. Quite a few began flattering and currying favor with him, hurrying over to ask about every detail.

Tian Yang thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention. His smile was brilliant, and every time he said a little, he held back another sentence, forever dangling their appetites.

Just then, the door opened.

Xiao Sheng entered looking travel-worn, his face still dotted with sweat.

"Well! Isn't this Xiao Sheng? You've been training awfully hard lately. I wonder how far you've gotten?"

Liu Hong curled his lips and asked in a tone whose meaning was hard to fathom.

Yet the other man acted as if he had not heard him. He casually picked up the kettle beside his bed and strode away without a word.

Seeing himself ignored, Liu Hong's face turned exceedingly ugly. He immediately said in a strange, mocking tone:

"Like some stuffy gourd... Training with your head down like that, you deserve to never make anything of yourself for the rest of your life!"

The others joined in as well. Clearly, they had no favorable impression of Xiao Sheng, who always kept to himself.

Tian Yang did not think much of it. He knew full well that in martial arts, talent was the deciding factor.

Fortunately, after comparing himself with everyone else, he knew his aptitude was fairly good.

Xu Yuan watched the scene before him coldly and secretly shook his head. He did not join them, and he could not even be bothered to remember most of their names.

After all, in two months, most of these Laborers would be eliminated and sent off to different places. The only shared experience he would have with them was having slept in the same communal dormitory.

When all was said and done, being strong enough oneself was always better than all that so-called clinging to the powerful and stepping on the weak.

With that thought, Xu Yuan soon left the room again, found a corner, and continued practicing the Tai Chi Exercise.

The next day.

Xu Yuan rose early. Seeing only a scant few people left in the beds around him, he assumed most had already gone home to see their families.

But once he stepped outside, he discovered that some people were still practicing stance work in the courtyard, every one of them drenched in sweat and working with great diligence.

Xu Yuan, however, had business to attend to. He made his way to the chores office and filled out his leave period and destination there.

"Remember to return before sunset. Otherwise, it will count as two days of regular leave."

The shrewd-looking middle-aged steward said this without even raising his head.

Xu Yuan nodded in acknowledgment. After twisting and turning through the paths, he left the Shangyang Family and emerged from a long side alley, where the view suddenly opened up as though willow trees had ended and bright flowers begun.

Peddlers' cries and clamor rose and fell around him. Before him, a street paved with half-arm-long blue bricks stretched outward, separating the restaurants, eateries, and inns on either side.

At a glance, the surrounding houses stood in neat rows, while passersby and visitors dressed in all kinds of clothing flowed back and forth in a dense stream, seemingly without end.

This place was near the center of the prefectural city, where public security was already excellent. Constables could often be seen patrolling past.

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"If the Shangyang Family and the Bai Family hadn't recently come into conflict, this place would probably be even livelier."

Xu Yuan thought this to himself. Li Shan had told him as much.

The two great families of this prefectural city had developed a major conflict over the division of benefits, and their relationship had worsened by the day. No one could say when they might start fighting.

The reason they were allowing so many Laborers to learn martial arts was very likely related to this matter as well.

"When immortals fight, the common folk suffer!"

Shaking his head, Xu Yuan came to a butcher's stall. After a round of haggling, he picked up a paper-wrapped pound of fresh meat.

He then pushed through the crowded streets. When the sun stood high in the sky, he arrived at the outermost district of the prefectural city and quickly entered a narrow alley.

The buildings here were far less well maintained than those in the places he had passed before.

More than a dozen households stood before him. Most of their walls had peeling paint and lay in disrepair, while thick clumps of withered grass grew all around, unable to conceal the air of desolation.

Xu Yuan stopped outside one of the houses and took a deep breath. This was his home—or rather, his elder brother's home.

Walking to the door, he called out loudly, "Big Brother!"

After a while, a weathered-looking man opened the door. The moment he saw him, he cried out in delight, "A-Yuan?"

He immediately came over and circled Xu Yuan once. Only after confirming that he was unharmed did he sigh emotionally. "You've grown quite a bit taller again, though you're a little thin."

Xu Yuan smiled. "I'm just shooting up now. It's normal to be thinner."

"Come inside first. We can talk there."

His elder brother excitedly took his hand and led him inside.

Feeling the roughness of the other man's hand, Xu Yuan let out a quiet sigh.

Memories from the previous owner of this body surged forth.

The Xu family had once possessed a modest foundation. With the family of four working diligently, their days had been fairly decent.

But at some point, Father Xu suddenly became addicted to gambling. In less than three months, he gambled away the family fortune, enraged their mother to death, then fell ill and died in bed himself.

That left only the two brothers, dependent on each other for survival.

Not long after, the previous owner of the body had planned to go outside and learn a trade so he could make a living in the future.

After all, his elder brother was already married. It was inconvenient for them to continue living together, and it would also ease the burden on his brother.

As it happened, the Shangyang Family was recruiting new Laborers. Hearing that Laborers could eat their fill, receive monthly wages, and might even have a chance to learn martial arts, the original owner resolutely signed the contract and had remained there until now.

"The previous owner really was rather reckless."

Whenever Xu Yuan thought of this, he felt quite helpless.

Fortunately, the Shangyang Family had not deceived him. Otherwise, he would have had to remain a Laborer until ten years had passed.

The furnishings in the home were simple: only some stacked coarse porcelain jars, along with an old wooden bed, table, and chairs.

The gaps in the window lattice were tiny, and the light shining in from outside was rather dim, barely outlining the shape of their poverty.

Xu Zheng gestured for him to sit, then asked, "Is it regular leave again today?"

Xu Yuan nodded. "I came back this time because I have good news to tell you."

"What good news?" Xu Zheng asked curiously.

"The Shangyang Family has given every Laborer a chance to learn martial arts. I've already started practicing these past two days."

"Really? Even Laborers can learn martial arts?"

Xu Zheng found it hard to believe. In his view, it was already good enough for Laborers to eat their fill and receive money.

One had to know that if ordinary people wanted to learn martial arts now, they could only go to a martial arts school, and martial arts schools were notoriously expensive.

Poor people could not even touch the threshold.

The Shangyang Family had only begun recruiting Martial Students from outside in recent days.

Moreover, even if one became a martial artist, one still had to sign a contract with the Shangyang Family and risk one's life for them for several years. It could not be considered freedom.

"Of course it's true. It's mainly to select people with talent, though there are conditions. If you can't make a breakthrough within two months, the teaching will end."

Only after Xu Yuan repeatedly confirmed it did Xu Zheng fully believe him. His face filled with delight. "That's a good thing!"

But then a trace of worry flashed through his eyes. "Learning martial arts must cost you quite a bit, right? Do you still have enough money?"

"There are some expenses to learning martial arts, but my talent is good. I can still hold on."

Xu Yuan was not simply boasting.

At his current rate of progress, his talent would improve in a month or so. By then, the sea would be broad and the sky vast.

Besides, that was not why Xu Yuan had come home. Whenever regular leave came each month, he would visit his brother.

Though they had only met a few times since he had transmigrated, and their bond could not be called particularly deep.

Yet people always sought benefit and avoided harm.

In this unfamiliar and dangerous world, having family around always gave him more security than anywhere else.

So before long, he had grown accustomed to it as well.

"That's good... You haven't eaten yet, have you? Your sister-in-law is out working. Rest for a while first. I'll go cook for you."

Xu Zheng gave his shoulder a heavy pat and said no more, heading out of the room toward the kitchen.