Firearms!

At the Four Joys Troupe where his eldest sister worked, Chen Jing's status as a First Blood Martial Artist likewise made the troupe leader's attitude turn instantly respectful.

Chen Chunhe, who had been set to play a foot soldier, was summoned by the troupe leader himself. He poured her tea and smiled ingratiatingly, then, in an unprecedented move, gave her half a day off. "Chunhe, your younger brother's finally managed to visit. I'll give you the afternoon off. Reuniting with your family is what matters most."

Afterward, Chen Jing took his elder and second sisters to a teahouse near the street entrance. They chose a quiet private room by the window and ordered a few snacks.

They had barely sat down when Chen Jing pulled two bulging purses from his robes and pushed them toward his sisters.

"What's this?"

Feeling the heavy purses in their hands, Chen Chunhe and Chen Chunmiao both looked puzzled.

"Eldest Sister, Second Sister."

Chen Jing spoke earnestly. "When I first started practicing martial arts, you both helped me so much. This is money I earned. Take it."

"Money?"

Chen Chunmiao opened her purse. The moment she saw the silver inside, she sucked in a sharp breath and stared in disbelief. "Th-this is ten taels?!"

"Little brother, you still need money to practice martial arts. We can't take this!"

Seeing that, Chen Chunhe hurriedly spoke up too.

Ten taels of silver was no small sum to Chen Chunhe and Chen Chunmiao. Even if they lived frugally and saved for a whole year, they still wouldn't manage to put away that much.

But Chen Jing just waved a hand. "Eldest Sister, Second Sister, I'm a First Blood Martial Artist now. And my senior brother's arranged for me to take a paid position at his home—twenty-five taels a month. I can easily afford this much."

"But we can't use this much!"

"You'll have plenty of expenses practicing martial arts from now on!"

"And with all this money, you should buy more meat and build up your strength."

Chen Chunhe still refused to take it.

Seeing that, Chen Jing firmly placed the purse in his eldest sister's hands. "I've already given Father ten taels, and I still have twenty taels left for myself. Stop refusing and take it."

Seeing how resolute he was, Chen Chunhe and Chen Chunmiao had no choice but to accept the money.

"Little brother."

Chen Jing's gesture moved Chen Chunhe deeply, and her voice softened as she reminded him, "You're a martial artist now, and you can earn good money, but don't spend it recklessly. Especially don't go to brothels or gambling dens. No matter how much silver you have, those places will burn through it all."

To Chen Chunhe, the amount Chen Jing had given them wasn't what mattered. What mattered was that even after becoming a martial artist, he was still the same Chen Jing. He hadn't become like the characters in storybooks, who turned their backs on their families once they became martial artists.

"I understand."

Chen Jing nodded in response.

He was only a First Blood Martial Artist now, nowhere near a match for Yan Peng. Naturally, all he could think about was practicing martial arts.

Only after he had avenged himself, or become a Third Blood Martial Artist—or even stronger—would he have the time to think about anything else.

As the three of them talked, a commotion from downstairs broke the mood.

The siblings instinctively looked out the window. They saw several guards shoving people off both sides of the street, forcing a path open. Then a young master in fine clothes rode an odd iron frame down the middle of the street.

"That fellow's back again."

Chen Chunhe spoke softly as she watched the young master below.

"Eldest Sister, who is he? And what's that thing he's riding?"

Chen Chunmiao looked at the iron frame beneath the young master with curiosity and asked.

"He's from the Lin Family in the Inner City. I think his name's Lin Mian. He likes to ride that iron frame around, showing off."

Chen Chunhe quietly explained, "As for that iron frame, I heard it's some contraption from the Western lands. I think it's called a bicycle."

"A bicycle? Is it a vehicle that can move on its own? How amazing!"

Chen Chunmiao's eyes lit up as she gazed at Lin Mian's bicycle.

Chen Jing's eyes were fixed just as intently on Lin Mian's bicycle.

Before, he'd been so focused on practicing martial arts that he hadn't given it much thought.

But now that he'd seen Lin Mian's bicycle and thought of the Rickshaw he and Chen Sanwu pulled, an idea suddenly took root in his mind.

If rubber was already available for bicycles and rickshaws, did that mean firearms existed too?

If firearms did exist, could a First Blood Martial Artist like him withstand their attacks?

If he couldn't even withstand firearms, didn't that mean he was far too weak?

He still wasn't strong enough!

He had to grow stronger—strong enough to withstand the attacks of firearms!

"Little brother, what's wrong?"

Chen Chunhe noticed that something seemed off about Chen Jing and asked him.

"N-nothing. I just remembered something."

Chen Jing waved a hand and answered casually.

"Then let's sit here for a while. Whenever Lin Mian shows up, he rides around for at least half an hour."

The three of them continued chatting.

Chen Chunhe told them about what had happened recently at the troupe, while Chen Chunmiao mentioned how Xie Chong had been pestering her at Spring Return Hall.

It wasn't until Lin Mian finally rode his bicycle back to the Inner City that the siblings left the teahouse.

Afterward, Chen Jing and Chen Chunmiao walked Chen Chunhe back to the troupe entrance.

"All right, that's enough for today. Next time I get a day off, I'll come find you."

Chen Chunhe waved to Chen Jing and Chen Chunmiao, then went into the troupe.

After Chen Jing walked Chen Chunmiao back to Spring Return Hall, he was just about to leave when Manager Ren called out to him. Bowing low, he said, "M-Master Chen... our young mistress would like to see you. Would you mind joining her in the back?"

"Your young mistress?"

At that, Chen Jing immediately recalled what Chen Chunmiao had said at the teahouse.

Ren Zhining probably wanted him to help fend off Xie Chong.

Chen Jing was about to refuse. He didn't intend to get involved. But then he remembered that Chen Chunmiao worked here, so he decided to speak frankly with Ren Zhining and ask for some time off for Chen Chunmiao. She could return to work once the matter was settled, or find another job.

With that in mind, Chen Jing said quietly, "Then take me to her."

"Please, this way, Master Chen!"

Manager Ren's face brightened at once, and he hurriedly led Chen Jing toward the back.

Before long, Chen Jing was ushered into an elegant room.

When Ren Zhining saw Chen Jing arrive, she quickly stood and greeted him, then invited him to sit.

Once Chen Jing was seated, Ren Zhining introduced herself. "Master Chen, I'm Ren Zhining, the owner of Spring Return Hall."

"I had no idea Chunmiao was your biological sister. If there's ever anything Spring Return Hall can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask, Master Chen!"

Chen Jing wasn't impressed by her words. He got straight to the point. "Tell me, what did you invite me here for?"

Ren Zhining was taken aback by his bluntness, then gave a wry smile and nodded. "Since you're being direct, I won't beat around the bush."

"Spring Return Hall has run into some trouble recently."

Ren Zhining took a deep breath, then explained everything about Xie Chong.

Naturally, she didn't hide Xie Chong's connection to Hu Duanzhuo.

"If Master Chen can help us through this crisis, Spring Return Hall is willing to give you forty percent of its profits. And from now on, you can buy medicinal herbs here at cost."

"Would Master Chen be willing?"

Ren Zhining laid out her offer without hesitation.

The fact that Spring Return Hall could run a pharmacy so close to the Inner City was proof enough of how profitable it was.

Ren Zhining was offering forty percent of its profits as a reward. That was an enormous sum!

But Chen Jing refused without hesitation. "I'm sorry. You know Xie Chong has the Eight Desolations Academy behind him, and he's a Third Blood Martial Artist. I'm only a First Blood Martial Artist. Please find someone more capable."

Though forty percent of Spring Return Hall's profits was tempting, Chen Jing wasn't blinded by the enormous reward.

After all, every Third Blood Martial Artist was a powerhouse in Red Rock County!

"I... understand."

At that, Ren Zhining's face turned bitter. She nodded and spoke softly.

"By the way, I'd like to ask for some time off for my sister."

Chen Jing looked at Ren Zhining as he spoke.

"No problem. Once this matter is settled, Chunmiao can come back whenever she likes."

Ren Zhining forced a smile as she replied.

Just then—

Bang!

The door was flung open.

Lvzhu stumbled in, her face panicked and her voice trembling. "Miss! This is bad!

"That Xie Chong is here again!!"