Partiality

The old locust tree in the courtyard shook its branches wildly in the wind, leaves rustling down in spirals to land on the muddy ground...

Lin Yin instinctively shrank his neck and pulled up his collar.

At this moment, he sat beside his mother, surveying the dining table steeped in an eerie atmosphere.

From the original owner's memories, he more or less understood why this family's mood was so tense.

His father, as the eldest son of the Lin Family, had even joined the Martial Arts School, always serving as a major pillar for the Old Master's Lin Family.

But then his father encountered bandits, suffered severe injuries that wouldn't heal, and died. The resources he left behind at the Martial Arts School were intercepted by the Old Master, who used them to get his younger grandson Lin Lin into the school.

His mother, Madam Wang, couldn't stomach it. She had a huge fight and was driven out of the house, creating a rift between the two sides ever since.

Now that his mother had come to visit, Second Uncle and Second Aunt naturally stepped up first, since all the benefits and favors had gone to their own son.

Clatter...

The chopsticks in her hand landed heavily on the bowl.

Second Aunt crossed her arms, her narrow eyes slanting a glance at Madam Wang.

"That Martial Arts School favor can't just go to waste. Lin Yin's body is too weak for Martial Arts Practice, so he can't use it. Giving it to Lin Lin is the only right choice."

"That's right, Sister-in-law. You're just making demands out of thin air now—isn't that nonsense?"

Second Uncle muttered and added a sentence.

After all, they were the ones who had taken what belonged to the First Branch, so he knew they were in the wrong to some extent.

"Father, no matter what, that was Dashan's legacy. It was all meant for Yin'er."

Madam Wang didn't look at her brother-in-law or sister-in-law. She only stared at the old man seated at the head of the table, her voice trembling.

"Sister-in-law..."

Second Aunt's face flushed red, her small eyes bulging like beans. She was about to say something when the old man raised his hand to stop her.

The Old Master calmly watched the emotional Madam Wang.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, Dashan is gone. I know you're grieving, and you're thinking about A Yin's future. But you need to understand that what belonged to Dashan isn't suitable for A Yin."

Madam Wang's eyes glistened with moisture. "Father..."

"A Yin!" The old man looked at the silent youth sitting beside Madam Wang.

Meeting the old man's gaze, Lin Yin stared back expressionlessly, his voice flat.

"Grandpa."

"How have your studies been lately? The matter with the school was my oversight before. If you still want to go back and study, I can let you re-enroll."

The old man's voice carried a hint of hesitation, but in the end, he considered letting Lin Yin return to school.

But the moment he finished speaking, Second Aunt, sitting nearby, couldn't help shrieking, "Old Master, our family doesn't have that much money to support Lin Yin in school anymore!"

"Hm?" The old man frowned.

Second Aunt hurriedly added, "Lin Lin is learning Martial Arts at the school, and if he wants to make something of himself, the expenses can't be cut—the medicines, even the guidance from Senior Brothers and the Master, all need to be managed. Not a single coin can be spared."

"The Lin Family still has some savings." The old man frowned at Second Aunt, but his voice wasn't as firm as before.

Ever since Lin Lin entered the Martial Arts School, the Lin Family's expenses had been growing daily. Just the entry threshold, counting Dashan's favor, was already straining the family's finances.

That was also the reason they had made Li Yin drop out of school back then.

Now that Lin Lin had settled into the Martial Arts School, the Old Master was thinking about whether he could let Lin Yin re-enter school.

If the Lin Family could produce one scholar and one martial artist, how could they not prosper?

"Grandpa, I was fortunate enough to get a piece of Exotic Beast Meat at the Martial Arts School recently."

Lin Lin, who had been sitting silently on the left side guarding the Old Master, suddenly spoke up.

"Exotic Beast Meat?"

"Heavens, is that the meat they say can boost a Martial Arts Grandmaster's power by ten or twenty percent with just one bite?" Second Aunt exclaimed.

Though she had never practiced Martial Arts, because of Lin Shan, the Lin Family had heard rumors about this meat.

Exotic Beast Meat...

Lin Yin's heart stirred, a flicker of heat rising within him. From past memories, he often heard his father Lin Shan speak of the wonders of Exotic Beast Meat.

Just from the descriptions in his memory and the longing expression on his father's face, he could be sure it was one of the legendary heavenly treasures of this world.

"Grandpa, my Master hinted that this Exotic Beast Meat is extraordinary.

He said it came from a young beast. For those old, established experts, its meat only has nourishing effects.

Most of the meat distributed this time will go to us new Martial Arts School disciples. But of course, such precious meat won't be free."

Lin Lin's voice pretended to be calm, but his expression revealed his yearning for the Exotic Beast Meat.

"Grandpa, if I can get a piece or two, my Martial Arts progress will surely advance day by day. In time, I'll shine brilliantly at next year's Spring Hunt.

If I perform well enough to catch the eyes of those Sects... and enter a major Sect, then our family can finally break free from all constraints, soar to new heights, and leave Langshi Town behind!"

Even as he spoke, Lin Lin tried his best to feign indifference, but his face still flushed red, and the longing in his expression was plain for all to see.

"Great Schools... great schools..."

Old Master Lin, who had been hesitating and struggling, felt a flicker of heat in his eyes.

The Lin Family's standing in Langshi Town was neither high nor low; ordinarily, they managed just two or three shops. In the end, they were still a fallen little family—barely even worthy of the name "family."

Langshi Town sat on the border, close to Tiger Head Mountain. Officers from the frontier often fled through here, and some even turned to banditry. The town appeared calm on the surface, but beneath it, currents ran dark and turbulent.

Old Master Lin had long wanted to leave this place, but relocation was no simple matter.

What's more, if they abandoned these two shops here, the Lin Family would truly be left with nothing but their savings.

"If Lin Lin enters a Great School..."

Old Master Lin's heart stirred with excitement.

Forget one or two shops—even moving the entire family to the County Town, or even to the larger, safer, more prosperous Prefecture City, would no longer be a pipe dream.

When that day came, the Lin Family would truly rise!

With this thought, Old Master Lin turned his gaze to Madam Wang.

He already knew the answer in his heart. Though there was a plea in Madam Wang's eyes, the old man still spoke in a low, grave tone: "Eldest Daughter-in-law, you are a member of the Lin Family too. You must consider the greater matters of the clan."

"Greater matters? The Second Family's matters are 'greater,' but ours aren't?"

The usually timid Madam Wang erupted like a volcano. She shot up from her seat, her eyes fixed on Old Master Lin, whose brows had begun to furrow.

"Father, isn't this too biased? Why? Why does the Second Family get the entire household's resources? And what about Yin'er? You're going to abandon him again, aren't you?"

"Enough, Eldest Daughter-in-law! How dare you speak to me like this..."

Old Master Lin's face twisted with anger.

No matter what, he was the head of the family. Madam Wang was his daughter-in-law—to speak to him this way was a violation of all ethical norms.

In the past, Madam Wang might have silently endured like the good-natured person she was. But this time, her voice did not sink into weakness or fear. Instead, it grew even more impassioned.

"Father, Dashan's resources at the Martial Arts School were all given to Lin Lin, weren't they?"

Her eyes bored into Old Master Lin before her.

"I don't want those things anymore. But Yin'er—you have to give Yin'er some compensation. Otherwise, if I let this out, even Lin Lin's reputation at the Martial Arts School won't be too good."

She raised her voice.

She was not a harsh woman by nature, but in this moment, for the sake of her son, she had thrown all caution to the wind and resorted to outright threats.

The usually sharp-tongued Second Aunt's eyes went wide in an instant, and her face flushed bright red.

Lin Shan's connections at the Martial Arts School were very important. If that relationship soured, it would certainly affect Lin Lin—something she would never allow.

Lin Lin's expression also shifted slightly as he turned to look at his grandfather.

Thanks to Lin Shan's former ties at the Martial Arts School, he had been doing well. If an unfavorable reputation spread, the impact on him would be far too great.