The World is Harsh, But Words Can Be Seen

Eternal Martial Dao: I Achieve Martial Saint Through Luck

Rampaging Sparrow Devours Dragon

This book is authorized by DianZhong Literature for digital production and distribution by iReader Technology.

All Rights Reserved.

Infringement will be prosecuted.

Chapter 1: The World is Hard, but One Can Observe Destinies

Chapter 1: The World is Hard, but One Can Observe Destinies

Tianying Prefecture, the eastern pier of Changhe County.

It was the end of September, the time when the southern water towns entered autumn. The sun was setting, and the sky was filled with fiery sunset clouds.

Lin Mo, his sweat-soaked shirt clinging to him, had his clothes wet and dry multiple times, his body covered in a sticky, fishy, sweaty odor unique to the docks, almost ingrained in his clothes.

He had just left the dock's accounting office after collecting his day's wages.

"That dog in the accounting office, seeing I'm young, actually cut my wages to thirty-eight copper coins a day..."

Lin Mo gritted his teeth, a wave of frustration washing over him.

Even though he had dabbled in shady dealings in his past life, held a stable job, and cared for countless people...

Having only been in this world for a little over a month, he found himself unable to speak of his hardships.

Hard, hard, hard!

This world was simply too difficult to survive in!

"When will this life ever end? Perhaps if I join a martial arts school and train, I'll be able to eat and dress warmly."

Lin Mo sighed inwardly, glancing at the two men by the bluestone steps puffing on their dry pipes, their martial arts robes a sight he envied.

Ever since the Great Gan Dynasty issued the Yellow Register to the world, assigning household registration to all people, the populace within the dynasty's borders had been divided into various social classes.

He was of lowly birth, belonging to one of the lowest three categories, only allowed to engage in menial professions.

Better ones, like boatmen, blacksmiths, or tofu makers, had tough lives but could at least eat their fill.

Worse off were the porters and night-soil collectors...

They could only resign themselves to fate, with work came money, without work, no money, living at the mercy of heaven.

"At least this life has some hope..."

A work shed stood at the foot of the distant wall. Every noon, when work stopped at sunset, Lin Mo would come here for a filling meal.

Besides the cheap, large portions of humble food sold here, there was another reason.

Inside the small work shed, several long benches were haphazardly arranged. A group of fishermen and laborers chatted animatedly.

He found a gap and squeezed in, calling out familiarly, "Boss, one bowl of wild vegetable soup, two wheat cakes!"

A short, dark-faced man quickly emerged from behind a curtain, serving a bowl and stacking two scorched yellow cakes. Lin Mo's gaze, however, shifted to the top of his head.

A cloud of white mist dispersed, and above the boss's head, several seal-script characters, like iron carvings on silver hooks, appeared. He carefully deciphered them.

[Healthy] [No Children]...

Most were common traits, possessed by most people, but the last one was [Sudden Fortune].

Perhaps it was for the cheap, filling food, or perhaps for this sudden fortune, Lin Mo had been staking out this place for over a week.

He had put considerable effort into studying this ability to observe people's destinies. Just a few days ago, he had seen the destiny of a fisherman from the neighboring village as [Drowning Death].

But that man had been fishing for at least ten years, and even Lin Mo found it hard to believe. Yet, a few days later, as the destiny dissipated, it proved to be true.

It truly lived up to the old saying, 'Those who drown are often those who can swim.'

After a week with no results, Lin Mo should have looked for other options, or pursued multiple avenues, which would have been the best strategy.

However, this ability to observe people was quite taxing. Just looking at one person could consume most of the food in his belly. Two, three... even over ten people?

He might starve!

"This destiny's white aura is growing fainter. It should dissipate today or tomorrow, so I need to keep a close eye..."

Lin Mo raised his bowl, taking a sip of the salty wild vegetable soup to soothe his stomach. He gulped down the two dry wheat cakes, his mind entirely focused on the words "Sudden Fortune."

As he ate, immersed in his thoughts, a jade talisman suddenly appeared in his mind, displaying various information.

[Lin Mo]

[Age: 17]

[Destiny: Weak and Humble Destiny (White) Observe People and Their Aura (White)]

[Luck: 0]

Luck was the key to improving one's destiny, but Lin Mo didn't know how to acquire it for the time being, so he could only rely on the [Observe People and Their Aura] ability for convenience.

"Brother Mo?"

A man nudged him with his elbow and called out softly, snapping Lin Mo out of his wandering thoughts and back to the food in front of him.

Looking left and right, he finally realized everyone had turned the conversation to him. Without his participation, wouldn't it be rather dull?

"Brother Mo, you're sixteen or seventeen, you should be getting married."

"Yeah, you've got a better face than us naturally, that's good fortune too!" As soon as one man joked, another picked up the thread.

When this topic came up, everyone's spirits soared, and they all looked at Lin Mo. This young lad had quite a few stories!

"Brother Mo, are you really not interested in Butcher Zhang's daughter? Don't let his profession fool you, he makes good money, enough for the rest of your life!"

"Right, and there's the tofu seller in the west alley, I heard she's quite fond of you too..."

"There are many more, and then there's the fisherman Lin's daughter, she's pretty too!"

Listening to the crowd's chatter, Lin Mo truly felt a sense of powerlessness from the bottom of his heart. Where was all this even going?

He shook his head without answering, but he knew in his heart that if there was an opportunity to live off someone else, he would definitely seize it.

It's just that...

Butcher Zhang's daughter was still young, around eight or nine years old. The tofu seller widow had given him a piece of hot tofu to fill his stomach.

The so-called fisherman Lin was his own uncle, and his own cousin was off-limits!

These three had all lent him a hand when he first arrived and was struggling to find food, helping him endure the hardest days until he found work as a laborer.

Eating the flatbread and drinking the soup, listening to these men chat about everything under the sun, was one of his rare pleasures.

Lin Mo sat until late at night. When the boss started packing up and pushing his cart away leisurely, Lin Mo began to follow him from a distance.

He ambled along the dock, and Lin Mo followed slowly, his gaze fixed on the sky above, which grew increasingly dim.

Finally, after passing the dock and turning down a few streets and alleys, he faintly saw the white mist dissipate...

With a harsh creak, the wooden cart's wheels seemed to roll over a stone, and the man struggled to move it, but it wouldn't budge.

Just as he was about to lower his head to check, Lin Mo arrived first. He took the opportunity to stand beside the man and greet him enthusiastically.

"Boss, what a coincidence! Let me help you."

"That would be great! This road is too rough to walk on!"

Together, they pushed the wooden cart. Lin Mo waved goodbye as the boss drove off. The boss asked curiously, "Little brother, why aren't you home yet?"

"My home is nearby, I was just out for a stroll."

Lin Mo wasn't lying. His current home was in Big Fishing Village, in the southern outskirts.

After the boss left, he crouched down and carefully wiped the object with the corner of his sweat-soaked shirt. The faint moonlight reflected a dazzling silver light.

Lin Mo weighed it in his hand, and the smile on his lips was almost uncontrollable. "This sudden fortune, it's a whole tael of silver!"

If he were to earn one tael of silver through normal work, it would take him two to three months to save up, and he couldn't afford to get sick during that time.

To join a martial arts school and learn the skills required tea money, that was the entry barrier!

One tael and five qian of silver, not a single penny could be missing!

Tucking the silver securely into his clothes, Lin Mo walked on the muddy path. The autumn wind, carrying a hint of cold, seemed to feel a bit warmer.

"Adding the copper coins I had left from before, after paying the one tael and five qian, I'll still have five qian left over."

"I need to take good care of myself these few days. I must seize this opportunity to find a master!"

The sky was deep with twilight. Lin Mo slowly walked to the entrance of the village. From afar, he saw several clusters of firelight in front of his house, and vaguely saw a few burly figures.

"Could it be Zhao Wu and his thugs coming to collect debts? It shouldn't be for a few more days?"

His predecessor's father had incurred gambling debts. One tael of silver had doubled with interest over two months to two taels and eight qian. He had despaired and thrown himself into the river.

Everything valuable in the house had been pawned, which was why Zhao Wu and the others had granted him a little more time.

Lin Mo pondered, his hands moving nimbly. He hid the tael of silver in a small mound before walking towards the group.

"Lin Mo, why are you only getting back now? Are you deliberately avoiding Fifth Master?"

Several figures were squatting by the earthen wall. Seeing a figure approach, the fat Zhao Wu finally showed a smile.

"How could I, Fifth Master? It's just that the debt is due in a few days, and I've been working hard to find a job to earn enough silver to send to you."

Lin Mo said with a smile, trying to placate him. Zhao Wu seemed pleased.

"Heh, you speak nicely, kid. Fifth Master won't make things difficult for you. I've found a good job for you. Work with Fifth Master, and your debt will be cleared. You'll get a tael of silver a month, and maybe you'll even learn some skills."

A job?

It sounded nice, but was it more of their usual bullying and oppressing the weak?

As for skills, even Lin Mo could tell that Zhao Wu himself hadn't learned them properly, yet he expected to teach others.

He absolutely could not do such a morally corrupt thing.

"I appreciate your kindness, Fifth Master, but there are still more than ten days. By then, I will definitely pay off my father's debt, even if I have to sell everything I own!"

"Heh heh... So you're saying you won't show any respect?" Zhao Wu's eyes narrowed, and he let out a cold laugh. The ruffians beside him rolled up their sleeves.

Fight force with force?

Running away is the best strategy!

Lin Mo licked his lips, lowering his center of gravity, ready to bolt.

"Zhao Wu, what are you doing here again?"

"Fifth Master, are you perhaps looking to have dinner at our Big Fishing Village?"

More footsteps, and a few familiar voices. This time, it wasn't those punks, but neighbors from Big Fishing Village...

Lin Mo let out a sigh of relief, his expression softening. Looking at the men holding fish spears, he greeted them softly:

"Uncle Changyuan, Uncle Changshun..."

The fishing households relied on each other. Although there were disputes, their attitude towards outsiders was unified in this world.

The man in the brown shirt glared at Lin Mo, with a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "Lin Mo, what are you standing around for? Go see the guest out!"

Lin Mo understood immediately and bowed, clasping his hands.

"Fifth Master, shall I see you out?"

"No need." Zhao Wu's eyelids drooped, his face grim. He beckoned to the crowd. "You few from the Lin family, didn't you want to come? Follow Fifth Master, he'll take you to eat well and drink heartily..."

Several figures Lin Mo knew well emerged from the crowd of neighbors. They were the village youths, some even younger than Lin Mo.

"Dad... I don't want to fish my whole life..."

"I want to make big money! I'll come back to support you when I'm old."

Lin Changshun and the others were clearly taken aback by this turn of events. They stared blankly, while the young men quickly retreated behind Zhao Wu.

Watching the group leave, Lin Mo's heart felt that something wasn't quite right. However, he still had one chance to [Observe People and Their Aura].

He looked at a cousin named Lin Hai. Amidst the swirling white mist, Lin Mo actually saw the words [Calamity of Blood Light]!