He was back

That afternoon, Lin Shuguang went to the Martial Arts Hall. Rather than join the crowd around Ye Tianhao, he found a corner to sit alone.

His mind was filled with his conversation with Wei Sheng and the others.

"Breaking through to become a Martial Artist is crucial, and dangerous, so people generally choose to undergo the Bone Quenching Breakthrough at a Martial Arts School. Whether it's the Martial Artist instructors there or the Martial Artist Cultivation Methods they provide, everything has been verified by multiple parties to ensure there are no problems.

"When it comes to something that puts your life on the line, hardly anyone dares to get it from outside sources."

Lin Shuguang had already learned from the notebook how dangerous the Bone Quenching Breakthrough was.

But he had to take part in next month's Martial Artist assessment!

So he had asked Wei Sheng and the others then and there whether they knew anyone who had a Martial Artist Cultivation Method.

Though taken aback by his determination, Wei Sheng, Lei Pangzi, and the others had answered honestly, "The Jin Family definitely does!"

The Jin Family... Lin Shuguang found this tricky. I wonder if that little old man put in a good word for me during his pillow talk.

As he was thinking, cheers rang out from one side.

"You're amazing, Young Master Ye!"

"In their last saber match, Ye Tianhao needed thirty moves to beat Senior Martial Brother Peng. Now he's got it down to fewer than ten. Doesn't that mean that in another couple of days, Senior Martial Brother Peng won't be a match for him anymore?"

"As expected of a young master from a martial arts family. What enviable talent!"

Lin Shuguang cast a casual glance their way and brought up the Attribute Panel.

After that morning's battle, his blood energy value had shot past thirteen hundred.

Such a terrifying rate of improvement would surely shock the world if word got out.

Yet Lin Shuguang sank into thought as he looked at his blood energy value.

He was probably so poor now that his blood energy value was all he had left.

How exactly am I going to get my hands on a Martial Artist Cultivation Method... Should I sneak into the Jin Family estate tonight?

Lin Shuguang narrowed his eyes, a glint flickering in them. He seemed quite tempted.

Just then, Feng San came looking for him.

"I was wondering whether you'd gotten hurt. Seeing you here at the Martial Arts Hall puts my mind at ease. Did the mission go smoothly?"

Lin Shuguang came back to his senses and said casually, "It was effortless."

Feng San paused, then laughed and scolded him. "Already getting full of yourself before I've even praised you, you brat."

Thinking Lin Shuguang was joking, he went on, "Did you make contact with the Jin Family?"

"I saw them from a distance."

"..." Feng San was speechless. After a moment's thought, he said, "I oversimplified things before. A powerhouse like the Jin Family obviously isn't that easy to approach. We'll think of another way."

He had been busy with other matters and knew nothing about what had happened at Qiushan Pass that morning.

Had he known what Lin Shuguang had done, he certainly would not have thought that this seemingly harmless junior martial brother before him could be a demon god who killed without blinking!

Two days passed like that. During those two days, Lin Shuguang skipped class outright and spent his time in the Blood Desolate Land.

Even without a Martial Artist Cultivation Method to undergo the Bone Quenching Breakthrough, he still had money to earn.

After his blood energy value passed a thousand cal, his strength increased again.

Killing Desolate Ghost Apes became even easier.

However, after his blood energy value passed a thousand cal, his increased strength meant that the lower-level Desolate Ghost Apes began giving him considerably less blood energy.

Each one yielded a mere four cal on average. Without the Slaughter Blade's special ability, the blood energy a single Desolate Ghost Ape could give him would actually have dropped to one cal.

Fortunately, these Desolate Ghost Ape corpses haven't lost their value...

Within two days, Lin Shuguang quickly amassed over a million in wealth.

Early that morning.

Lin Shuguang got up and had breakfast.

Mother Lin came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of corn. Whatever happy event she had encountered, she could not wipe the delight off her face.

Seeing her like this, Lin Xiaoxi's eyes darted about.

Hoping to wheedle some pocket money out of her mother while she was in a good mood, she immediately put on an innocent smile. "My adorable mommy, you look so pretty today."

Mother Lin smiled. "I always look pretty."

"..." Lin Xiaoxi choked on her words.

Unable to suppress a laugh at her dumbfounded expression, Lin Shuguang took the opportunity to ruffle her bangs into a bird's nest again.

"Lin Shuguang!"

The siblings began tussling.

Even with Lin Shuguang keeping both hands out of it, the little girl could not touch so much as his clothes. She stamped her feet in anger and turned to seek parental help.

She flung herself at Mother Lin first, making a show of wailing, "Mom!!!"

Seeing Lin Shuguang just then, Mother Lin absentmindedly stuffed a small ear of corn into Lin Xiaoxi's mouth, then asked, "Oh, Shuguang, is there someone called Feng San at your Martial Arts Hall?"

Lin Shuguang withdrew the hand he had been teasing his sister with. "Yes, there is. What about him, Mom?"

Mother Lin smiled. "He came to our restaurant yesterday. When he heard Xiao Xi mention your name, he came over to ask a couple of questions. Who would have thought you were from the same Martial Arts Hall? Before leaving, he even ordered boxed meals for fifty people for a month. When you go to the Martial Arts Hall tonight, take him some of our homemade salted duck eggs.

"He's looking out for us so much, we can't be stingy. You should spend more time with him too. You're growing up, and having a few more friends is a good thing."

A month's worth of boxed meals in such quantities would come to around ten thousand yuan, an enormous sum for the Lin Family's little restaurant.

Lin Shuguang had not expected Feng San to do this. He smiled. "Sure, I'll go tonight."

After a moment's thought, he added, "I have some money. If you need it, I can get it for you..."

He had lost count of how many times he had offered.

As always, Mother Lin refused again. "You worked hard to earn that money in competitions. Keep it to buy cultivation resources. What are you giving it to us for? A couple of days ago, I heard that you martial arts practitioners take something called Human Blood Pills, right? A single pill costs tens of thousands."

"They're Qi and Blood Pills..."

Mother Lin was an ordinary person and knew nothing about pills and such. "Right, right, Qi and Blood Pills! Buy some yourself. If you don't have enough money, tell us. Your dad and I will definitely find a way."

Lin Shuguang's heart softened. "I don't want you working too hard."

"We're not, we're not. Your dad and I are still young. This is nothing."

Lin Shuguang fell silent.

If he gave the money straight to his family, he was afraid he would frighten them.

Then they would ask where the money came from... Given Mother Lin's temper, if she learned he had earned it through fighting and killing...

She definitely would not take it!

And she would angrily give him a thorough scolding, only adding to her worries!

Then I'll wait until I become a Martial Artist! The state provides subsidies then, and Mom and Dad can enjoy a good life openly.

Having made up his mind, Lin Shuguang slipped into the kitchen.

He secretly added a Blood Sea Heart Lotus seed to the millet porridge Mother Lin had cooked.

Worried that his family could not withstand that surge of blood energy, he deliberately used only a quarter of a seed.

The originally pale, translucent millet porridge instantly turned a vivid blood-red because of the Blood Sea Heart Lotus seed.

Lin Shuguang's eyelids twitched at the sight.

Was this still porridge?

He had been looking up information on the Blood Sea Heart Lotus recently and knew it offered tremendous benefits to ordinary people and martial arts practitioners alike. That was why he had thought of giving it to his family.

But this pool of blood-red...

Hearing movement at the kitchen doorway, Lin Shuguang hurriedly tipped in a plate of red beans.

Mother Lin was so startled by the sight of the pot that she involuntarily stepped back. "What happened to this?"

Feigning composure, Lin Shuguang put the lid on. "I suddenly felt like eating red beans, so I added some."

The corners of Mother Lin's mouth twitched.

How many red beans would it take to turn it that shade?

After the family finished the porridge, none of them noticed that their faces had subtly gained a healthy glow, their constitutions quietly improving.

Lin Xiaoxi, however, held her empty oversized bowl with longing all over her face. "Mom, I want more!"

Lin Shuguang put out a hand to stop her. "No, you don't."

Lin Xiaoxi was furious.

Mother Lin merely smiled. "There's none left in the pot. I'll make more tomorrow."

After many days away, Lin Shuguang finally made a rare appearance at school.

Xu Jie's face was full of resentment. Lin Shuguang could understand that.

But when Song Wan also looked at him with resentment all over her face, he found it baffling.

The two looked at each other. Eventually, under Lin Shuguang's intensely probing gaze, Song Wan gave in and turned away, looking so embarrassed and annoyed that she seemed determined never to speak to him again.

Lin Shuguang swaggered past.

He had just sat down.

"Bro, you're seriously awesome!" Xu Jie gave him a thumbs-up, his face filled with admiration.

Ever since Old Fu's identity as a Martial Artist had been exposed, forget skipping class-Xu Jie did not even dare openly doze off during lessons.

Yet Lin Shuguang had become utterly absorbed in skipping class, enjoying himself so much he had forgotten all about coming back!

"Listen, Old Fu's back..."

Lin Shuguang asked in surprise, "So soon?"

Xu Jie was about to say more when his hair suddenly stood on end. He swallowed everything else he had been about to say and hurriedly shot Lin Shuguang a meaningful look.

A tall figure walked into the classroom.

In a flash, the classroom fell silent. The temperature seemed to plunge to freezing, and one could have heard a pin drop.

Old Fu swept an expressionless gaze around the room before finally resting his eyes on Lin Shuguang.

He roared coldly, "Lin Shuguang, come outside with me!"

[PS: Thanks to readers 814 and Past Events for your tips and support o(^▽^)o]