Borrowing Money

"Hasn't Kong Yu only been training in martial arts for a month and a half? He's already succeeded in Qi Gathering!"

Word of Kong Yu's success spread, and many people wore the same look of barely contained shock. Gathering Qi in a month and a half—his speed was simply frightening.

Most of them had taken more than two and a half months to succeed in Qi Gathering, and some had even needed three.

"Such talent is simply terrifying!"

"Gale Wind Hall has struck gold."

"Who in my Wei Yuan Hall can stand against Kong Yu?"

Shock gave way to worry. Wei Yuan Hall and Gale Wind Hall were at odds, and challenges between the two halls were common.

Given a little more time to grow, Kong Yu might be able to sweep through Wei Yuan Hall.

"Even with a Grade-A Lower Bone Root, it took him a month and a half to succeed in Qi Gathering. Kong Yu isn't all that impressive."

Lu Ren remained calm and spoke with confidence. "As Ji Yun's disciple, he probably has resources to burn. Even so, it took him a month and a half. There's no need for everyone to act like the sky is falling."

He had needed two months to gather Qi. If he'd had enough resources, he was confident he could have done it within a month and a half.

"Junior Brother Lu is right!"

"A month and a half doesn't mean he can't be defeated."

"If it took him a month and a half to gather Qi, there's no way he'll have completed Marrow Cleansing by the Martial Exam Dragon Ascent."

"With such a good Bone Root, his Comprehension is probably a little lacking."

Lu Ren's words won the agreement of Gu Fang, Jiang Ping, and the others. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Senior Brother Lu, Kong Yu didn't take a month and a half to gather Qi. What I heard is that he succeeded ten days ago, but the people at Gale Wind Hall deliberately kept it secret," a disciple said quietly.

In an instant, everyone talking seemed to have a hand clamped around their throats. The words left in their mouths wouldn't come out.

Lu Ren's expression swiftly changed from calm confidence to shock.

He'd succeeded in Qi Gathering ten days ago!

That speed finally left even him stunned.

"Is that true?"

Lin Cheng had appeared at some point. His sharp gaze fixed on the disciple who'd brought the news.

When the disciple saw it was Lin Cheng, he hurriedly bowed. "Master, that's what I heard. I can't guarantee it's true."

Even so, everyone knew that for someone with a Grade-A Lower Bone Root, gathering Qi in just over a month wasn't difficult. It was very likely true.

"A Grade-A Lower Bone Root isn't enough to turn the world upside down. Get back to your fist training," Lin Cheng said, turning to leave.

Seeing him act so calmly put the disciples at ease. Even if the sky fell, their master would hold it up.

"Grade-A Lower Bone Root..." Xu Yang remained unruffled.

As long as he kept a low profile, by the time the Martial Exam Dragon Ascent came around, his Bone Root and Comprehension should reach that level too.

"Senior Brother Xu, aren't you worried?"

Qiu Wenjie, standing beside him, saw that Xu Yang had remained as calm as a still well from beginning to end and couldn't help asking.

"What is there to worry about?"

Xu Yang smiled. "The martial hall belongs to my family. Am I worried it'll be swept through? Or that Kong Yu will challenge me?"

At that, many of the people around them visibly relaxed.

This really wasn't their problem to fret over. If the martial hall got swept through, it wouldn't affect disciples like them much. They weren't even qualified to worry about its future.

Even if Kong Yu came to challenge Wei Yuan Hall, his targets would be geniuses like Lu Ren, Sun Tao, Jiang Ping, and Zhao Zhifei. The rest of them weren't even worth remembering.

They were better off minding their own business.

"Damn it!"

Bao Gang came out of the Gambling House, cursing under his breath, his face bleak.

He'd lost nearly all his money and had even borrowed two taels from the Gambling House.

At first, he'd only wanted to win some money to fund his cultivation. Who could've guessed he'd get in so deep? Lately, he'd lost every last coin there, and now he was penniless.

"Good thing the monthly pay comes today," Bao Gang thought.

Once he paid back the Gambling House, then paid his apprenticeship fee... he wouldn't have a single coin left.

The thought irritated him. Forget cultivation resources—he wouldn't even have enough for daily expenses this month.

"I'll find someone to borrow from tomorrow."

Braving the wind and snow, Bao Gang made his way to Liu Mansion.

Outside the accounting office, Xu Yang, Wu Yongfeng, Wang Yun, and the others were already waiting.

"Who should I borrow from?"

Bao Gang's gaze swept over them as he considered who might be easiest to borrow money from. In the end, he settled on Xu Yang and Wu Yongfeng.

He'd already borrowed from everyone else and hadn't paid any of them back. These were the only two he hadn't asked yet.

"How much did you get?"

Wang Yun was the first to enter the accounting office. When he came back out, everyone hurriedly asked him.

Liu Mansion's monthly pay was only five taels, but often they got more. If they protected the family head while he was away and beat off some thieves, they'd get a reward. They also got overtime pay for working extra hours.

"Five taels and five mace. I didn't do anything noteworthy last month."

Wang Yun smiled at Xu Yang. "You dealt with bandits for the master twice last month and guarded Madam for seven days while she stayed at her parents' home. You'll probably get seven taels."

Xu Yang didn't know how much he'd receive. He'd reported his breakthrough yesterday, but didn't know what cultivation level the accountants would use to calculate his monthly pay.

"Attendant Xu Yang, please come in."

Soon, the accounting office called his name. He pushed the door open and went in. A few gleaming silver coins lay on the table.

"Twelve taels!"

One glance was enough for him to know how much he'd received. The accountants had indeed calculated his previous month's pay at the Minor Success in Qi Gathering level.

"Attendant Xu, please sign and leave your mark here."

Xu Yang swiftly wrote his name and walked out. When Wu Yongfeng and the others came over to ask, he only said he'd received seven taels. He had no intention of telling them he'd reached Minor Success in Qi Gathering.

There was no need to attract attention, and if the Liu Family's enemies found out, it might cause trouble.

Of course, the Liu Family wouldn't go around publicizing something like that either.

"Brother Xu, could I borrow two taels of silver? I'll pay you back by next month at the latest," Bao Gang asked, squeezing over.

Xu Yang had received seven taels, and he was only asking for two. Surely Xu Yang would do him that favor.

Xu Yang glanced at him. "Sorry, I don't have enough for myself. I still have to go to the martial hall and pay my apprenticeship fee."

Even if he and Bao Gang weren't close, he wouldn't have lent him money. Besides, he knew Bao Gang had borrowed from plenty of people and still hadn't paid any of them back.

And to borrow money the moment he got paid? The hole he'd dug for himself must be pretty deep.

After seeing what had happened to the others, he'd have to be an idiot to lend Bao Gang money.

With that, he didn't give Bao Gang the chance to pester him further. He strode toward the Retainer Courtyard.

Wu Yongfeng, Wang Yun, and the others were afraid Bao Gang would ask them next, so they hurried away as well.

"Damn you, looking down on me like that!"

Bao Gang watched Xu Yang walk away, his expression darkening.

He'd thought Xu Yang was easygoing and would definitely lend him the money. Then he could ask Wu Yongfeng for a little more and head to the Gambling House to win back some of his losses.

Now that Xu Yang had refused, Wu Yongfeng probably wouldn't lend him anything either.

That morning, the atmosphere at the Retainer Courtyard was strange. Everyone worried Bao Gang might ask to borrow money, so they threw themselves into training and gave him no chance to speak.

After lunch, they all scattered in the blink of an eye.

"You snobs, looking down on people!"

Bao Gang cursed and soon arrived at the Gambling House. First, he repaid the two taels he'd borrowed earlier. He'd meant to take the rest of the money to Tiger Roar Martial Hall to pay his apprenticeship fee, but the itch to gamble hit him and he couldn't resist placing a few bets.

In less than half an hour, he'd not only lost all the more than three taels he'd had on him, but had borrowed another two.

When Bao Gang came out of the Gambling House, his face was deathly pale.