Joy and Contentment

"Phew! I passed! I finally passed the Martial Scholar Examination!"

Hearing the City Lord's Mansion staff announce the result, even Lin Yi, usually so composed, couldn't help feeling a surge of joy.

Becoming a Martial Scholar had always been his obsession. Passing the examination would greatly raise his status and make it easier to find a better job. More importantly, his family would finally be able to live a better life. At the very least, his father wouldn't have to work himself so hard anymore.

With that thought, Lin Yi walked over to his equally excited parents and smiled.

"Father! Mother! Your son hasn't let you down! I passed the Martial Scholar Examination!"

"We saw! We saw! Yi'er, we all saw!"

At Lin Yi's words, tears welled in Lin Haichuan's tiger eyes, while Ji Xuan couldn't hold back her tears of excitement again. She clasped Lin Yi's hands tightly.

A moment later, Lin Haichuan wiped the tears from the corner of his eye and laughed.

"All right! Xuanxuan, stop crying! Yi'er passing the Martial Scholar Examination is a good thing. What are you crying for?"

"Cheer up! Once the City Lord has bestowed Yi'er with the title of Martial Scholar, we'll go to the biggest restaurant in the city and splurge to celebrate."

"Also, let's find a time to go back to our hometown and pay our respects at your grandparents' graves. We should tell the two old folks that you passed the Martial Scholar Examination."

"Yi'er, you don't know this, but your grandfather's greatest wish when he was alive was for me to become a Martial Scholar. Sadly, your old man wasn't up to the task. I couldn't let him see this day before he passed away."

"But that's all right now. I didn't pass, but my son did! And he passed at just fourteen!"

"If his spirit in heaven hears the news, I'm sure he'll be even happier."

"Mm, you're right, Father. In a couple of days, I'll go home with you to pay our respects to our ancestors."

Lin Yi nodded, then changed the subject.

"But before that, I hope you'll agree to quit working as an escort. That job is too dangerous. I think it'd be better if we went back to Qinghe County and opened a martial arts school."

"As for the school premises, if we can't afford to buy a place, we can rent one first. Rent in the county town is cheap, anyway."

"Besides, our house is in terrible shape. Tomorrow, let's go to the real estate brokers and find a decent agent to help us rent a new place. It doesn't have to be fancy; at the very least, the surroundings shouldn't be this bad."

"What! Move house? Quit being an escort?"

"You just passed the Martial Scholar Examination, and already you've got your head in the clouds?"

The moment Lin Yi finished speaking, Lin Haichuan glared at him and barked.

"Move house? Why would we move? I think the place we're living in now is just fine. There's no need to move! We could use the money we save to buy you Qi and Blood Pills."

"And forget about opening a martial arts school in Qinghe County. I've been an escort for so long that all I know how to do now is escort goods. What makes you think I still know how to teach students?"

"As for the danger, our Zhenyuan Escort Agency has been operating in Guangling Prefecture City for years, and our name commands respect throughout Guangling. It's not as if there's danger around every corner! Don't try to talk me into it again. Your father knows what he's doing."

"No!"

Lin Yi shouted, his gaze unwavering as he looked at Lin Haichuan.

"We can put off moving house for now, but you absolutely cannot keep working as an escort! Otherwise, what was the point of all my hard work training and passing the Martial Scholar Examination?"

"If you won't agree to this, then I won't bother training anymore. It's not as if it'll do the family any good."

Lin Yi looked furious, like a rebellious teenager throwing a tantrum.

Of course, he was lying. With his cheat, as long as he was careful, he was destined to become a powerful expert. How could he possibly give up cultivating?

Besides, if he wanted to change his and his family's fate, the only way was to train hard and become a true powerhouse on the Nine Provinces Continent.

He just knew his father's stubborn streak all too well. Once he made up his mind, not even eight bulls could drag him back. If Lin Yi didn't threaten him with the ultimate weapon of "giving up martial arts," he probably wouldn't give in easily.

"What! Give up martial arts? You unfilial brat, you dare!"

Hearing Lin Yi say that, Lin Haichuan on the other side thought he was serious. His tiger eyes widened, his face contorted with fury, and for the first time, he showed Lin Yi a truly fierce expression.

But Lin Yi wasn't intimidated. He glared right back without the slightest hint of backing down.

A moment later.

"Alas! Fine!"

Lin Haichuan sighed helplessly and conceded first.

"Yi'er, you've grown up. Your father has lost to you. Since you don't want me working as an escort, I'll listen to you. I won't go back to the agency."

"Actually, a few months ago, when I returned to Qinghe County, I ran into your Senior Brother Sun—Sun Longxing, that first disciple from our old Haichuan Martial Arts School. He kept complaining that there hadn't been any good instructors in the county since I left, and he wanted me to go back and reopen the school."

"I didn't agree at the time. But since you also want me to go back and open a school, I might as well grant his wish!"

"Besides, he's right. Those old fellows in the county hold back this and that when they teach martial arts. How could they compare to your old man?"

After saying that, Lin Haichuan grinned, his face filled with genuine delight.

Seeing this, Lin Yi smiled happily too.

"Of course! My old man is amazing! In all of little Qinghe County, what martial arts instructor could compare to you?"

"But didn't someone just say he didn't want to go back and open a school in the county? And yet he remembers every word someone casually said a few months ago. Tsk, tsk!"

"You little brat, getting bold, are you? You dare make fun of your own father?"

At Lin Yi's words, Lin Haichuan's old face reddened. He stuck out his neck and forced out an explanation.

"Don't I just have a naturally good memory? I can remember things from years ago as clearly as things from a few months ago!"

"Is that so?"

Lin Yi asked with a smile.

"Then tell me, Father, what were you doing on this day a few years ago?"

"I, I..."

Lin Haichuan's face turned even redder. He stammered, unable to get out a single word, and finally waved his hand in exasperation.

"Get lost, get lost! Hurry up and go! Everyone who passed the Martial Scholar Examination is standing quietly to the side and waiting!"

"You're the only one running your mouth. Go on, get lost! Just looking at you is enough to make me angry."

"Sure! Then you and Mother wait here. Once the Martial Scholar Examination is officially over, we'll all go to the biggest restaurant in the city for a proper celebration."

Lin Yi chuckled.

Seeing his family happy and safe filled his own heart with joy and contentment.

After all, bringing happiness to his family was the greatest meaning behind all his hard work.

Of course, what he'd done so far wasn't enough. His family's circumstances had only improved a little, and they hadn't even moved house.

"But from now on, I'll work even harder! Much harder!"

"Then I'll help my family, step by step, move into a grand mansion and wear the finest clothes. I'll let them do whatever they want, until the day they no longer have to worry or fret about a single thing!"

With determination in his heart, Lin Yi stopped teasing his father and obediently returned to the designated gathering point for those who had passed the examination to wait.

As time passed, more and more candidates passed the examination.

After nearly an hour, the hundreds of candidates had gone through the two rounds of testing, and a little over a hundred Martial Scholars had finally been selected.

Afterward, Lin Yi and the other newly qualified Martial Scholars followed the City Lord in a series of elaborate prayers and sacrificial rites before the Martial Emperor Statue. They were given their Martial Scholar robes, badges, the first month's Martial Arts Subsidy Silver, and more.

By the time all the ceremonies were complete, it was already noon.

Seeing that, Lin Yi was about to take his parents to a restaurant in the city for a meal. But just then, a voice sounded in his ear.