Regret

"Big brother, why are you home so early today?" Xu Qing asked, puzzled, as she watched Xu Yang push the door open and step inside.

Xu Yang narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Take a guess."

Xu Qing looked him up and down. He seemed full of vigor, his whole bearing transformed. Her voice trembled uncontrollably. "You... you broke through?"

"That's right. Your big brother is a respected martial artist now."

Xu Qing leaped over and clung to Xu Yang. "Haha... you did it! I'm the little sister of a respected martial artist now. I won't have to hide at home every day anymore. From now on, if anyone dares bully me, you can beat him up for me, big brother."

Xu Yang had become a martial artist, and the first thing she thought of was that she could go outside instead of hiding at home and deliberately smudging her face.

"Xu Laoer is going to regret this until his guts turn green."

Then she thought of Xu Laoer. He had missed out on having a martial artist for a son. He was probably spitting blood by the bucket.

"Come on, show me what a martial artist can do!" The little girl excitedly dragged Xu Yang outside.

Xu Yang found a stone about the size of a watermelon and struck it with his palm. With a crack, the stone shattered into pieces, leaving the little girl staring in stunned silence.

Though she was young, she knew that if that palm had struck a person, even ten lives wouldn't have been enough to save them.

"All right, you've seen it. Go wash up. I'll take you to pay a visit to our maternal uncle."

He had come home so early not to show off, but because he planned to personally thank his maternal uncle.

Without Zhou Shunchang, he would never have been chosen by the Huang Family. Zhou Shunchang had also looked after him in many ways. Although he had already seen him before, Xu Yang still felt he ought to bring a gift and thank him in person, then repay the money Zhou Shunchang had lent him.

Even in the city, a family producing a martial artist was a sensation. In a place like White Stone Ward, it was all the more astonishing. For nearly twenty years, not a single martial artist had come from White Stone Ward.

Through Zhang Daniu and He Laosan, word of Xu Yang's becoming a martial artist spread throughout White Stone Ward in no time, then began reaching the nearby Li Family Village and Big Tree Village.

"What did you say?"

Xu Laoer grabbed two neighbors who were chatting, thinking he must have misheard.

"I said your son became a martial artist. Not your stepson, but your own son."

Gao Dabao didn't mind Xu Laoer's rudeness. He wore a smile, because if he were in Xu Laoer's place, he would probably have reacted even more strongly.

The other man mocked him. "What biological son does he have? Xu Yang already cut ties with him. Don't say things like that again. If Master Xu Yang hears you, you won't like what comes next."

Xu Laoer stood rooted to the spot, as if struck by lightning.

Xu Yang had become a martial artist? How could that be?

"Impossible! That unfilial brat couldn't even afford to eat his fill. Where would he get the money to practice martial arts? It must be a lie. My A-Jun hasn't even become a martial artist yet, so how could he?" Zhang Cuiting shrieked.

Gao Dabao glanced at Zhang Cuiting, who was acting like a shrew, and said, "You do know Xu Yang's maternal uncle, Zhou Shunchang, works as an accountant for the Huang Family, don't you? I heard the Huang Family spotted his talent and paid for him to attend a martial arts school.

"Whether it's true or not, why not go ask Xu Yang yourself?"

Of course they had to go ask him!

Xu Laoer said nothing and turned to leave.

If Xu Yang really had become a martial artist, then he himself would be...

After taking a few steps, Xu Laoer stopped. Xu Yang had become a martial artist, but that had nothing to do with him. They had already cut ties.

His face turned pale, then flushed. He regretted it until his guts turned green. If only he had known, he wouldn't have let their relationship grow so bitter.

He didn't regret treating Xu Yang and his sister badly. He regretted losing the chance to be the father of a martial artist.

"Why are you stopping? Hurry up!"

Zhang Cuiting pushed Xu Laoer onward. She wanted to confirm whether Xu Yang had really become a martial artist.

If it was a lie, she would naturally mock him.

If it was true, then they would mend their relationship and make Xu Yang an asset to her son. As for their past grievances, she wouldn't hold them against Xu Yang if it meant securing her son's future.

He was only a boy of seventeen or eighteen. A few words would be enough to make him obedient, especially with Xu Laoer there as his biological father.

By the time Xu Laoer reached his former home, he found it crowded with people. Folks from White Stone Ward had come to bask in the good fortune of a respected martial artist.

"Isn't this Xu Laoer? Come to bask in the good fortune of a respected martial artist, too?"

Someone immediately teased Xu Laoer when they saw him.

"Where's Xu Yang?"

He had thick skin and didn't mind the teasing. Instead, he asked after Xu Yang.

"He became a martial artist and took gifts to thank his maternal uncle," someone replied.

Even with his thick skin, Xu Laoer felt his face burning.

After asking around, he confirmed that Xu Yang really had become a martial artist. The shattered stone in front of the house was proof.

By the time Xu Yang returned from his maternal uncle's house, it was dark.

He not only repaid the money Zhou Shunchang had lent him, but also gave him a little extra.

Although he still needed money himself, he couldn't very well wait until he was truly well-off before paying it back. Zhou Shunchang naturally didn't want to accept it. He hadn't expected Xu Yang to repay him when he lent him the money in the first place.

After some back and forth, Xu Yang persuaded him to take it.

"Xiao Qing, I've decided to send you to school."

Looking at Xu Qing, who was almost as tall as his shoulder, Xu Yang had made up his mind.

"No, I don't want to study. I want to practice martial arts too. I want to become a respected martial artist." The little girl shook her head.

Those who studied were only ever called sour scholars. Only martial artists basked in glory.

Xu Yang hadn't expected her to already be thinking about practicing martial arts. He shook his head. "Studying will teach you to read and broaden your horizons. You're still young, not old enough to practice martial arts yet. When you're old enough, I'll let you train."

There weren't many women who practiced martial arts, but there were some, and Xu Yang held no prejudice against it.

Hearing that she could practice martial arts later, the little girl finally agreed.

The next day, the first thing Xu Yang did after opening his eyes was look at the Status Panel.

[Martial Dao Longevity Points: 65]

Now that he had successfully gathered qi, the Status Panel had rewarded him with thirty points.

After thinking it over, he split the points evenly, using them to improve his Comprehension and Bone Root.

[Comprehension: 24]

[Bone Root: 43]

His Comprehension had risen to 24, while his Bone Root had risen to 43.

He hadn't improved his cultivation technique.

Using points to improve a cultivation technique was really a one-shot deal. It was most worthwhile to improve Comprehension and Bone Root, which would also increase his cultivation speed. He had only used points to improve his technique before because he was facing a crisis.

After the improvements, Xu Yang didn't feel much different.

After breakfast, Xu Qing changed into the new clothes they had bought in the city the day before. Xu Yang took her to the street to buy the Four Treasures of the Study and prepare the tuition gift. Then the two headed to Scholar Li's home in White Stone Ward.

"Big brother, now that you've become a martial artist, don't tell me you've started thinking about Li Yao again?"

When Xu Qing heard that Xu Yang intended to send her to Scholar Li's school rather than to the more learned Master Liu, she couldn't help asking.

"You little girl, what nonsense are you thinking? Scholar Li is an upright man. That Master Liu looks down on the poor. I don't want you picking up his rotten habits."

When he was young, he had studied at Master Liu's school. Master Liu wouldn't spare poor students like them a glance, so naturally Xu Yang didn't want his sister becoming one of his students.

As for Li Yao, Scholar Li's daughter, she had been his predecessor's white moonlight, not his.

The little girl giggled. "Don't think I don't know you used to sneak looks at Li Yao all the time."