Martial Dao

Under the evening breeze at sunset, the workers at the Zhang Family Mine emerged from the mine. They had received their wages today and would get the day off tomorrow. Happy smiles lit every face; they felt that all their hard work over the past month had been worth it.

"I got five hundred copper coins. I'm having meat tonight."

As he spoke, Zhang Daniu's sweat-soaked face wore an intoxicated look. He patted the money pouch at his waist, already imagining the feast.

"You really are an ox, Zhang Daniu. You managed to mine so much. I got less than four hundred."

An imperceptible flicker of jealousy passed through He Laosan's eyes. He had worked himself to the bone, too, but had earned less than four hundred copper coins.

"How much did you get, A-Yang?" he suddenly asked Xu Yang, who had been quietly standing beside him.

"About the same as you," Xu Yang replied, a hint of a smile appearing on his tired face.

In truth, he'd received more than Zhang Daniu—over six hundred copper coins—but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. Letting people know he'd earned so much wouldn't be a good thing.

Just last month, someone had bragged about earning a high wage and been robbed and killed in the street that very night.

He'd crossed over into this chaotic world half a year ago and had been careful ever since, keeping his head down and never showing off.

The main reason was that he had no one to back him.

His mother in this life had died young. He did have a father, but after his father took up with a widow, he moved straight into her home and stopped caring for him. He had only his younger sister to rely on.

In a world like this, a household with just one growing boy could be trampled by anyone.

For the past six months, he'd been striving in secret, hoping to change their circumstances.

"Almost there. Just hold on for another year at most."

Xu Yang looked at the Martial Dao Longevity Panel that had crossed over with him:

[Comprehension: 21]

[Bone Root: 22]

[Cultivation: None]

[Techniques: None]

[Skills: Mining lv.3 (283/400)]

[Remaining Lifespan: 57]

[Martial Dao Longevity Points: 1]

The source of his confidence to change his fate was naturally this Martial Dao Longevity Panel that had come with him.

The panel was extraordinary. As long as his actions benefited Martial Dao Longevity, he would receive points as a reward. He could use those points to increase his lifespan, Bone Root, and Comprehension, or even improve his techniques and skills.

When he'd crossed over, his Comprehension and Bone Root had both been dismal single digits: 2 and 3, respectively. After half a year of effort, he'd raised both above twenty.

It was also thanks to the panel improving his Mining skill that he'd earned more than most people.

After half a year of experimenting, he'd discovered that only martial arts training could put the panel to full use. Mining was a stepping stone toward practicing martial arts and achieving longevity, but the point rewards were still too meager.

Even without the panel, practicing martial arts was the only way to make something of himself.

With martial arts skill, he could take the martial arts examinations and pursue an official career, or guard someone's home and earn money.

Most importantly, in this chaotic world, he needed strength.

But the money he'd saved was still far from enough to begin martial arts training.

As they left the mine, Zhang Daniu suddenly spoke up. "I'm not coming back to the mine after this. My father found me a trade in the city. I'm going to apprentice at a blacksmith's shop."

He looked quite pleased with himself as he spoke. No matter the era, someone with a trade was unlikely to starve.

"You two should think about what you'll do, too. You can't mine for the rest of your lives." He offered the two companions some advice.

The mine was dangerous, and collapses happened from time to time. Several people died every month. Unless their families were desperate, hardly anyone would choose to risk their lives here.

The two of them had been working at the mine for quite a while. There was no need for them to keep risking their lives there.

He Laosan laughed. "You know my situation. I came here to earn money for a bride price. I've nearly saved enough. Once I'm married, I should be able to take over the land at home."

His family had fallen on hard times, but they owned plenty of land. He wouldn't starve even without mining.

"Looks like you're getting married soon. Congratulations!"

Zhang Daniu and He Laosan smiled at Xu Yang. "What about you, A-Yang?"

Both of them had a way forward. Their parents were still alive, and with their elders to help, their lives were difficult but full of hope. Xu Yang had it the hardest.

His father was alive, but might as well have been dead. He couldn't help him in the slightest.

"I want to practice martial arts!" Xu Yang said.

The two of them stared at him blankly. Zhang Daniu laughed. "Don't joke around. That was just something we used to play at when we were kids..."

The three of them had grown up together. As children, they'd once promised to practice martial arts together when they grew up and make something of themselves.

But as he got older and learned more about the world, Zhang Daniu had long since given up on his dream of practicing martial arts.

He'd thought Xu Yang was joking, but when he saw how serious Xu Yang looked, the last word caught in his throat.

"A-Yang, have you gone crazy? Have you forgotten what happened to my big brother?" He Laosan's eyes widened, as if he'd heard something unbelievable.

Xu Yang shook his head. "I haven't forgotten."

He Laosan had an older brother who'd once been just as ambitious, devoted to martial arts and determined to make something of himself. Their father had sold everything he could to support him.

But after the family had poured all their money into it, there hadn't even been a ripple.

No, that wasn't right. There'd been one enormous splash.

He Laosan's older brother had spent dozens of taels of silver from the family without managing to become a martial artist. But after he failed, he relied on the fact that he'd trained a little and went off to join a gang. Less than seven days later, someone hacked him to death in the street. The He family had never recovered.

Afterward, the story became a cautionary tale across the surrounding villages. Whenever someone wanted to practice martial arts, people would bring it up.

"And you still want to practice martial arts?" He Laosan shook his head. "Listen to your brother. You'd be better off spending the money at a brothel than throwing it away at a martial arts school."

He knew all too well what martial arts training cost.

There were the tuition fees, the nourishing food, the medicinal supplements, and the need to give up all other work. Xu Yang couldn't manage any one of those things.

Most importantly, you needed talent. His older brother had had none, and no amount of silver had been able to change that.

Xu Yang shook his head. "Don't try to talk me out of it. Even if I wanted to, I don't have the money."

Only then did the two remember that Xu Yang barely had enough to eat, let alone money to spare.

"That's right. You don't even have the chance. The best age to practice martial arts is fifteen to eighteen. You're already seventeen. By the time you've saved enough, you'll have missed your best years. Even if you have the money then, the martial arts school instructors won't take you." He Laosan laughed.

After that, the three of them stopped talking about martial arts. But Xu Yang keenly noticed that because he'd said he wanted to practice martial arts, He Laosan and Zhang Daniu seemed to grow distant from him.

Martial arts training burned through money. Back when He Laosan's older brother had trained, he'd borrowed from so many relatives and friends that it had taken the family years to pay them all back.

When it was time to part ways, the two of them gave him a brief farewell and went on their way. They didn't invite him to hang out together the next day, as they used to.

Xu Yang shook his head to himself and hurried home.

"Xu Yang!"

Just as he was nearing home, someone behind him suddenly called out.

He turned around. Li Hu of the Tri-Union Gang was strolling over with two disreputable-looking young men.

The Tri-Union Gang was the local gang. Everyone living in the area had to pay them a monthly protection fee. If anyone dared refuse, their home would be robbed or set on fire a few days later.

Refuse again, and they'd run into bandits on the street and be robbed and killed.

"So it's Master Hu. What brings you here?" Xu Yang put on a deferential smile and lowered his head a little.

"Isn't it because the good people around here are such a bother? We announced ages ago that the gang leader's mother was celebrating her birthday this month and told everyone to get their birthday gifts ready. But the month's nearly over, and plenty of people still haven't paid."

Li Hu sauntered over without a care. "Your household hasn't paid either. The mine handed out wages today, so it's time to pay up. You and your sister owe twenty copper coins."

Even after half a year of keeping his head down and acting like a doormat, his performance polished to perfection, Xu Yang could barely keep his composure.

If he remembered correctly, the Tri-Union Gang leader's mother had already celebrated her birthday once earlier that year.

"Twenty copper coins? That's too much this time. Master Hu, could you put in a word and ask them to lower it? Of course, we should give a gift for the old madam's birthday, but I still have to support my sister. If I hand over twenty copper coins, we won't have enough to eat next month."

Even if he could afford the twenty copper coins, he couldn't hand them over too readily. If those black-hearted beasts learned he had money, they'd come up with a new excuse to demand more the next day.

"Enough nonsense. That's the amount the gang set. I don't have the pull to negotiate with them. If you're worried about going hungry, that's easy. Your sister's all grown up now. Sell her to the gang. You'll be rid of that burden and get at least ten taels of silver for her."

Li Hu patted Xu Yang on the shoulder, smiling broadly.

Xu Yang did his best to maintain his smile, but alarm bells rang in his mind. His sister was fourteen this year and had grown into a young woman. The Tri-Union Gang had probably noticed her.

"You're joking, Master Hu. My father is still alive. Even if I starve to death, I wouldn't dare sell my sister..." He shook his head again and again.

Li Hu knew he couldn't talk Xu Yang into it all at once. He'd have to work on him little by little. His expression changed. "Then hurry up and pay."

"Yes, yes... Just a moment, Master Hu!"

As he spoke, Xu Yang reluctantly pulled a money pouch from his clothes and took out two strings of copper coins.

It was a pouch he'd prepared in advance, with only part of his wages inside.

Li Hu glanced at the pouch. He estimated that there were less than two hundred copper coins left in it, and knew Xu Yang hadn't been lying. He snatched the two strings of coins, then strode toward the next house with a cold snort.

Xu Yang kept smiling as he watched Li Hu leave, then turned and headed home.