Guilt (Bonus Chapter for Readership)

"Three years, six months, and twelve days."

"One year and five months."

"One year and eight months."

"One year and four months."

In the courtyard, Lin Yan gazed at these four fruits on the Martial Dao Tree; they had manifested last night after the deaths of Cao Peng and his three companions.

He did not rush to consume these four fruits. Instead, he applied a layer of Muscle Strengthening Paste to his body and began practicing his punches in the yard.

Half an hour later, the noisy voices of neighbors suddenly drifted in from outside the courtyard.

"Little Yan, you keep practicing. I'll go out and see."

Aunt Liu had also heard the commotion from inside the house. She set down her work and walked toward the courtyard gate.

"Alright."

As Liu stepped outside, the clamor beyond the gate gradually subsided.

A cup of tea's time later, seeing his aunt return, Lin Yan asked, "Aunt, what happened outside?"

"When Xu Ping went out earlier, he was ambushed on the street. They say he was severely injured; he was just carried back from the medical clinic."

At this, a look of worry appeared on Liu's face. Only yesterday, Xu Ping had been so glorious, with neighbors fawning over him and even the Clear Water Gang giving him face. Yet today, he had been gravely wounded.

Those gangs were ruthless. Could it be that because they offended the Clear Water Gang yesterday, the gang had taken revenge?

There were only two martial artists in Yuliu Alley. With Xu Ping injured, the neighbors had come to the Lin household to probe for information after hearing the news—which was why it had been so noisy outside the gate earlier. However, Liu had persuaded them all to leave after she stepped out.

"Little Yan, you should go back and live at the martial arts hall."

Lin Yan was startled, but seeing his aunt's worried expression, he knew what she was thinking.

His aunt was afraid that he would end up beaten and injured just like Xu Ping.

"Yesterday, you and Xu Ping defied the Clear Water Gang, and then Xu Ping was beaten. It might have been the Clear Water Gang."

The Clear Water Gang was already gone.

Lin Yan added to himself that the people who hurt Xu Ping were definitely not from the Clear Water Gang, though it was possible they were from the Wang Family behind the gang.

The Wang Family suspected that he and Xu Ping were the ones who had acted; the visit from Steward Li earlier had been a test.

As for why the Wang Family had targeted Xu Ping but not him, he could guess the reason.

Martial arts halls also had distinctions of strength.

The hall Xu Ping joined, as Senior Brother Li An put it, was merely a third-rate establishment, whereas the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall was one of the six major halls in Guangping County.

The Wang Family dared not move against him precisely because they feared the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall behind him.

The reason Ge Hui had gone through such a convoluted scheme, finding Zheng Bo to set a trap for him, was also because he couldn't find a martial artist willing to take him on.

Of course, there was also the fact that Ge Hui was stingy with his money.

At this moment, Lin Yan felt fortunate that he had listened to Escort Chen and joined the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall, regardless of the cost.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Yan said, "Aunt, I'm going to go check on Brother Xu."

He arrived at the Xu residence and, sensing the atmosphere there, frowned slightly.

The Xu home, which had been filled with a celebratory mood yesterday, was now utterly desolate today.

"Cough, cough. Lin Yan, you're here." Xu Ping lay on the bed, his complexion deathly pale.

"Brother Xu, do you know who hurt you?"

"The attackers were masked; I couldn't see their faces at all. But they were definitely experts in the Skin Refining stage. At first, I suspected the Clear Water Gang, but a senior brother from my hall just told me that Cao Peng of the Clear Water Gang was killed."

Xu Ping gave a bitter smile. "Lin Yan, you are also a disciple of a martial arts hall. You know that disciples from our humble backgrounds don't provoke trouble outside of training. I truly cannot imagine who would do this."

Lin Yan remained silent. Xu Ping had been caught in the crossfire because of him.

He was the one who had killed them, and Xu Ping was the one bearing the blame.

However, it was also possible that the Wang Family knew the culprit wasn't Xu Ping and was simply using him to vent their anger.

After staying at the Xu house for a while, Lin Yan turned and walked out. Seeing Father Xu's sorrowful face, he thought for a moment and pulled a five-tael silver ingot from his robes.

He had obtained thirty taels from Cao Peng and his men, and since Xu Ping had suffered because of him, giving ten or twenty taels wouldn't have been an issue.

But in the end, he only gave five. It wasn't that he was stingy; he didn't know if the Wang Family was still watching him. He and Xu Ping didn't have an extraordinary friendship, and given his own family's status, five taels was already a significant amount. Giving more would easily arouse the Wang Family's suspicion.

"Uncle, just a small token."

"Th-thank you, Master Lin... thank you."

"Uncle, you are an elder. Just call me Little Yan."

Watching Father Xu's excitement and caution as he took the silver, Lin Yan sighed inwardly. He said nothing more and stepped out of the Xu residence.

As he crossed the threshold, a chill settled in Lin Yan's eyes. Xu Ping had been targeted by the Wang Family because of him; he had to avenge this grudge.

"Father, has Lin Yan left?"

Xu Ping lay on the bed, watching his father walk back into the room, and asked.

"Dad just saw Lin Yan out. Before he left, Lin Yan gave us five taels of silver. I'll head to the apothecary in a bit to get you a few more doses of medicine."

"Five taels?"

A look of astonishment crossed Xu Ping's face. He had expected Lin Yan to give some money, but he never imagined it would be this much.

He was well aware of the Lin family's situation. Honestly, it was already beyond his expectations that Lin Yan had enough money to reach the first stage of skin-toughening.

Five taels—that was likely the vast majority of the money Lin Yan had to his name.

"People are truly laughable."

A look of mockery appeared on Xu Ping's face. He had been beaten and injured; even if it had nothing to do with the Clear Water Gang, he had stood up for the neighbors yesterday, sparing them from having to pay protection money to the gang.

Yet today, when his father approached those same neighbors to borrow money for his medical treatment, they all cried poverty, and some even made snide remarks. How was raising money for his own treatment any different from paying protection money to the Clear Water Gang?

"Dad, give that reserved position you secured for me to Lin Yan."

Father Xu was stunned: "Ping'er..."

"Dad, my life is already ruined. Giving this opportunity to Lin Yan will at least earn our family a favor."

Xu Ping's attitude was firm. Since Lin Yan was willing to give five taels at a time like this, he was clearly not a cold-hearted person. Providing help in times of need was the best way to build a connection.

After visiting Xu Ping, Lin Yan returned home to continue his fist training, unaware of the conversation between Xu Ping and his father after he had left.

Night fell.

Lin Mo, who had been playing by the door, ran into the courtyard in a flurry and shouted: "Mother, Big Brother, Uncle Xu is here."

Immediately after, Xu Hai appeared at the door, speaking first to Lin Yan, who was standing in the courtyard: "Little Yan, I hope I'm not interrupting your cultivation."

"Not at all, Uncle Xu, please come in."

Lin Yan welcomed Xu Hai inside. As Liu was about to go into the room to brew tea, Xu Hai waved his hands repeatedly: "Auntie of Little Yan, no need for the trouble. I'm just here to tell Little Yan something and then I'll head back. There... there are still things to take care of at home."

By the end, Xu Hai's voice had grown heavy.

"Uncle, Brother Ping is a good man with his own destiny; he will surely recover from his injuries," Lin Yan said, trying to offer comfort.

"Even if he recovers, his path in martial arts is ruined."

Xu Hai let out a long sigh. Sensing the heavy atmosphere in the courtyard, he realized he hadn't come here to complain.

"Little Yan, the reason I had Ping'er practice martial arts was because when I was young, I worked as a day laborer for my former master. One time, the master's young son was playing and accidentally fell into the water. I happened to be working nearby and pulled the young master out. Although the servants and guards would have arrived to save him even without me, the master cherished the gesture and rewarded me with a significant amount of silver. It was thanks to this reward that we had the money for Ping'er to practice martial arts, and the master also promised that if Ping'er achieved success in his training, he could take up a reserved position at their estate."

As Xu Hai recounted the story, Lin Yan learned about the connection between Xu Hai and his former master.

While it didn't count as saving a life, for a wealthy family, sparing their child even a moment of suffering in the water was worth a reward.

At the time, the master had offered to give Xu Hai an easy job at the estate, but Xu Hai had refused.

Xu Ping was only ten years old then, but having seen the world while working for the master, Xu Hai wanted his son to learn martial arts.

In the end, the master gave Xu Hai fifty taels of silver and a promise of a reserved position.

"Now that it's clear Ping'er cannot take that position, after discussing it with him, we've decided to give this opportunity to you, Little Yan."

"Uncle Xu, which family in the city is that master from?"

Lin Yan asked curiously. To be able to make such a grand gesture—giving fifty taels directly and promising a reserved position—meant the position was likely not ordinary, and the background of Uncle Xu's former master was probably quite significant.

"The Tang Family in the east of the city."

"The Tang Family that deals in medicinal herbs?"

Lin Yan's voice rose slightly. He couldn't help it; the Tang Family was far too famous in the county.

During his time at the martial arts hall, Lin Yan had learned much about the local powers from Senior Brother Li An, and the Tang Family was referred to by his senior brother as the best place to hold a reserved position.

In the words of Senior Brother Li An, the powerful families in the county—the Zhou Family, the Wang Family, the Sun Family—none of them had any real foundation; the strongest was undoubtedly the Tang Family.

The Tang Family held a near-monopoly on the medicinal herb trade in all of Guangping County. If one could secure a position there, not only would the pay be high, but one could also obtain the herbs needed by martial artists at a low price.

Any martial artist, if they could get a position at the Tang Family, would never choose another.

Unfortunately, the vacancies for martial artists at the Tang Family had long been filled; only a few martial artists were able to join the Tang Family's martial arts hall each year.

Lin Yan never expected that because of a guilty conscience, he had given Xu Ping five taels of silver, only for it to return to him as such an excellent opportunity.

"Uncle Xu, since you have this relationship with the Tang Family, why not ask them to have a look at Brother Xu Ping?"

A bitter smile appeared on Xu Hai's face: "Little Yan, I won't hide it from you. Back then, I was being greedy. Although the master was benevolent and agreed to the promise, it also meant that the favor had been paid off."

Recalling the past, Xu Hai still felt deep regret. At the time, when he heard the master tell him to name his conditions, his head had been filled with the thought of having Ping'er practice martial arts, forgetting that he wasn't really the young master's savior—he had only arrived a few moments before the estate's own servants.

He had been greedy, and while the master hadn't refused, that favor had been bought out.