Invitation

A thought instantly sprang into Lin Xuan's mind. Those twenty mu of land could be sold to help me speed up. Once I break into the Breath-Connecting Realm, would I still need to sell my labor and spend my energy farming for money?

Wouldn't that be like an emperor using a golden hoe to farm?

In the past, he had guarded the fields because he lacked strength and could only rely on land to make a living. He had no other source of income.

Now, officials and bandits colluded, and danger lurked on every side.

In troubled times, land was a dead asset. Bandits could seize it, officials could levy it, and even if one guarded it, one might not be able to keep it.

His own cultivation was his foundation. As long as he reached the Breath-Connecting Realm, the ways to protect himself, protect his family, and earn money would be many times greater than farming.

After all, even a Hundred-Household Commander in the Garrison was only at the Breath-Connecting level. In the county town, there was even less to say. Even if he joined a gang, he could directly dominate an area.

Selling the land was not squandering the family fortune. It was converting fixed real estate into his own strength.

Of course, there was a world of difference between someone trying to depress the price by preying on a household without heirs and him voluntarily selling it himself at a suitable price.

Lin Xuan saw three people walking toward him from across the way. Looking closely, he saw Qin Sheng again, accompanied by two people about his age.

This time, Qin Sheng wore leather armor, carried a spear, and had a heavy bow on his back, looking fully armed. The two men behind him were dressed the same way.

"Little brother, there are people ahead. Should we hide?" Lin An quietly asked Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan did not think there was any need to hide. It would be better to greet them.

"No need. I've met that person before."

"Young Master Qin? Long time no see."

Qin Sheng had been absentmindedly lost in thought. The voice sounded somewhat familiar, so he looked toward Lin Xuan and suddenly remembered him—the military household man who had bought a Pheasant King from him some days ago.

"It's you. I never asked your name before."

"My surname is Lin, given name Xuan."

The moment Qin Sheng heard the name, he immediately recalled, "Oh? Lin Xuan? The one who said at the Drill Ground last time that after practicing martial arts for ten days, he hit the target three times with three arrows?"

"That would be me." Lin Xuan nodded.

Qin Yang was surprised. A few days ago, Lin Xuan had been hunting in Rou Mountain and could not hit a Pheasant King even after half the day. How many days had it been since then, and he had already scored three hits with three arrows at the Drill Ground?

This martial talent seemed even greater than his own. He was someone worth befriending.

Moreover, he had heard that Lin Xuan had hit the target from outside the Drill Ground. His eyesight must have been excellent.

The armored soldier beside Qin Sheng sighed. He had also seen Lin Xuan hunting the Pheasant King some days ago, but he had never expected that in a mere dozen days, his archery would improve to such a degree.

"I once thought 'after three days apart, one must look at a scholar with new eyes' was a joke. It seems it is true after all."

The other armored soldier remained silent. He had not uttered a word since they met, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Then Qin Sheng spoke. "It's so late. What is Brother Lin Xuan doing out here?"

Lin Xuan casually made up an excuse. "Oh, I was feeling stifled at home, so I brought my wife out for a walk."

Qin Sheng frowned, thinking, Who goes for a stroll this late at night? There must be something hard to speak of.

Forget it. If they do not wish to say, it would not be proper for me to press them.

He glanced at Lin An, then turned his gaze back to Lin Xuan. "Rou Mountain is dangerous. Bears, tigers, wolves, and other beasts roam at night. It is better not to come here for romantic outings. I happen to be returning to the Garrison as well. If Brother Lin Xuan wishes to head back, you may travel with me."

Lin Xuan cupped his hands in salute. "Then I shall trouble Young Master Qin."

Qin Sheng laughed heartily. "Calling me Young Master Qin is too distant. From now on, Brother Lin can simply call me Brother Qin."

After they had walked for some distance, Qin Sheng asked Lin Xuan, "Brother Lin, how far has your strength training progressed?"

"I have not tested myself with the stone blocks at the Drill Ground, but I can probably carry a hundred jin of grain for several li without tiring."

Qin Sheng nodded. "That is fairly good. If you are free tomorrow, why not join me in hunting bears?"

Lin Xuan hesitated. "Hunting bears?"

Qin Sheng said, "Yes. I heard there are several black bears in the mountains that are extraordinarily clever. They can stand and walk like people, drape human clothes over themselves, and imitate people knocking on doors. Some military household men living alone have been eaten this way."

"Being so clever, they must have already developed spiritual intelligence. If we can kill them and eat their flesh, it will surely greatly benefit martial cultivation."

Lin Xuan was startled upon hearing this. He had never heard that rumor. He had always heard that such fierce beasts stayed deep in the forest. Fortunately, he had not encountered one today, or a fierce battle would have been unavoidable.

He was somewhat tempted by the prospect of joining Qin Sheng to hunt the bears, but reality did not quite allow it. He knew his own strength well enough. He could handle ordinary strong men, but fighting a black bear on the verge of becoming a spirit—was that not courting death?

Even Qin Sheng was clad head to toe in armor. The black bears were clearly not easy opponents.

Yet they had to be dealt with. Otherwise, when the wild boar meat at home ran out in a few days and he came hunting alone, what would he do if he encountered one of those black bears?

Beside him, Lin An tightened her grip on his hand. Lin Xuan felt a burst of pain. Turning back, he saw her give him a look, as though she were worried about him.

Lin Xuan understood what she meant. He frowned slightly and complained to Qin Sheng, "But I am flesh and blood, and I have only just entered the martial path. I fear..."

The moment Qin Sheng heard this, he understood what Lin Xuan meant. To dispel his concerns, he took the initiative and promised, "Rest assured. If you come, I will borrow a full suit of iron armor from the Garrison, enough to protect even your fingers. If you are willing to come, then after the hunt succeeds, you will receive twenty percent of the bear meat."

Hearing Qin Sheng's promise, Lin Xuan nodded. "All right. Where and when shall we meet tomorrow?"

Qin Sheng thought for a moment, looked around, and replied, "We will meet here after dawn tomorrow. I will bring the armor to find you."

"A deal." Lin Xuan readily agreed.

Once they reached the settlement where Lin Xuan lived, the two groups went their separate ways.

Chen Fang had been waiting for her son and daughter-in-law to return. She had long been anxious, and only relaxed when she saw that they had come back safely.

"What did you two go off to do!"

"Well... it's hard to explain. Anyway, it wasn't anything bad. See? Sister An and I both came back safely." Lin Xuan chuckled. He did not want his mother to know that the two of them had killed bandits and make her worry.

"Hmph." Chen Fang was somewhat dissatisfied that her son was hiding the truth from her. What was there that he could not tell his own mother?

"Mother, don't worry. We're fine." Lin An also began soothing Chen Fang.

"Ah! You two, at your age, and still so thoughtless. Even if what you were doing was hard to talk about, you should at least have told me where you were going before rushing out in such a hurry.

"If something happened to you outside, I would not even know where to find you if I went looking for help!"

After hearing his mother's words, Lin Xuan felt that she was right. He had been too anxious at the time, wanting to dispose of the bandits' corpses quickly, and had failed to think things through.

"Mother, it won't happen again. Next time, wherever we go, we will definitely tell you." Lin Xuan promised Chen Fang.