The next day!
Lin Yan had originally planned to return to Qingtian Town, but Zhang Liang came looking for him and persuaded him to stay.
"Don't rush off, Junior Brother Lin. Junior Brother Zhao is attempting the third stage of Skin Polishing today. If he succeeds, our martial hall will certainly celebrate. You'd have to come back here even if you returned to Qingtian Town now, so you might as well stay one more day."
"Junior Brother Zhao is attempting the third stage of Skin Polishing today?"
Lin Yan wasn't surprised that Zhao Linyuan was attempting the third stage of Skin Polishing. He just hadn't expected it to happen today.
"Master is personally protecting him, and all the senior brothers in our martial hall who've reached the third stage of Skin Polishing have returned. They're here to witness Junior Brother Lin's breakthrough."
Hearing Zhang Liang's words, Lin Yan had a good idea of what was going on. The odds of Junior Brother Zhao succeeding in his attempt at the third stage of Skin Polishing were high; otherwise, they wouldn't be making such a big deal of it.
Of course, until the very last moment, nothing was certain.
Unless Junior Brother Zhao had a heaven-defying treasure like the Martial Dao Tree, just like him.
By the time Lin Yan and Zhang Liang arrived at the martial hall, many senior brothers who had reached the second stage of Skin Polishing were already waiting outside the courtyard. Senior Brother Hao, who had reached the third stage, was chatting with two other men.
"Junior Brother Lin, you're here. Let me introduce you. This is Senior Brother Chen, who came all the way from Wunu County. And this is Junior Brother Zuo, who usually spends most of his time in Qiankou County."
"Greetings, Senior Brother Chen. Greetings, Senior Brother Zuo."
Looking at the two senior brothers, Lin Yan guessed they were in their early thirties. Like Senior Brother Hao, they belonged to the earliest batch of disciples Master had taken in.
"I just heard Junior Brother Hao say that this generation at our martial hall has produced several prodigies. Mm, Junior Brother Lin, you have an extraordinary bearing."
Chen Shan spoke with a warm smile. He rarely got the chance to visit the martial hall, and while chatting with Junior Brother Hao just now, he had specifically asked about this generation of disciples. That was how he'd heard about Lin Yan.
Lin Yan responded modestly, and Hao Jingnian pulled him aside.
"Junior Brother Lin, there's some news about your uncle. The Patrol Bureau's records show that he was initially sent to Fushan County to perform corvée labor. But after two years there, he was sent to Qingzhou Prefecture. There's no information after that."
Hao Jingnian was only the deputy inspector of Guangping County. The fact he'd managed to find out that Lin Yan's uncle was sent from Fushan County to Qingzhou Prefecture meant he'd already done everything he could.
"Senior Brother Hao, shouldn't my uncle have returned home after two years of corvée labor in Fushan County? Why was he sent to Qingzhou Prefecture?"
Lin Yan frowned. Ordinary people only had to perform two years of corvée labor, and sending people from Dengzhou Prefecture all the way to Qingzhou Prefecture clearly made no sense.
"I had someone look into it. Qingzhou Prefecture suffered a flood that year, and the canal embankment was washed away and needed rebuilding. The local labor force wasn't enough, so they asked other prefectures to send workers. They paid ten taels of silver per person, and the Fushan County Patrol Bureau sent a batch of people over."
Hearing Hao Jingnian's explanation, Lin Yan understood. Someone in the Fushan County Patrol Bureau had sold off his uncle and the other laborers for the money.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Hao. At least this means there's still a chance my uncle is alive."
Lin Yan expressed his gratitude. If his uncle had remained in Dengzhou for seven years without a word, there would have been a strong chance he was dead. But he'd been sent to Qingzhou, and given the distance between the two prefectures, it wasn't certain that an ordinary person could make it back.
"That's all you need to know. Fushan County went through an internal upheaval, and everyone in the Patrol Bureau, from the chief to the deputy, was replaced. A lot of the records went missing."
Hao Jingnian patted Lin Yan on the shoulder. Just then, a voice came from the courtyard.
"Come on in, all of you. Don't wait outside."
Hearing their master's voice, the group filed inside. The moment they stepped into the rear courtyard, everyone's gaze fell involuntarily on the figure standing in the middle of the training grounds.
Zhao Linyuan stood there quietly.
The morning sunlight spilled over the courtyard, laying a faint golden sheen across him.
The biggest change was his skin.
The first stage of Skin Polishing was Rough Skin, the second tempered the flesh, and the third cleansed the sinews. Once qi and blood entered the sinews, they expanded, allowing qi and blood to circulate more smoothly. A person would take on a kind of "translucence" that seemed to shine from within.
Zhao Linyuan's complexion was now a little darker than before, with the smooth, lustrous quality of jade.
At this level, a martial artist had shed all roughness.
"Junior Brother Zhao was already handsome to begin with. Now that he's reached the third stage of Skin Polishing, those noble young ladies in the city will probably lose their minds when they see him—they won't be able to close their mouths or their legs." Zhang Liang clicked his tongue enviously, his eyes full of admiration.
Lin Yan's mouth twitched. When he'd first met the senior brothers at the martial hall, they'd all seemed so proper. Now that they'd gotten to know each other, he'd realized they were all secretly quite lecherous.
Zhao Linyuan took a deep breath, looked at the many senior brothers who had entered, and bowed deeply to Yang Qingfeng. "Thank you for protecting me, Master."
Yang Qingfeng stood on the steps, his face full of pride. He nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze to the others, lingering for a while on Lin Yan and Zhuang Zheng. "Linyuan's breakthrough today was also thanks to his solid foundation. The rest of you must train diligently as well. Don't neglect your cultivation."
"The path of martial arts most abhors starting with a burst of effort only to peter out halfway. Work hard today, slack off tomorrow, and even natural talent will vanish in an instant, like morning dew beneath the sun. Many martial artists get stuck at the Skin Polishing stage for precisely this reason."
All the disciples answered in unison.
"Spend some time together, brothers."
Yang Qingfeng looked at the many disciples in the courtyard. They were sure to celebrate Linyuan's breakthrough, and with him around, they would find it hard to relax.
Once Yang Qingfeng left, most of the people crowded around Zhao Linyuan and began praising him from every angle.
Lin Yan stood to one side, watching Zhao Linyuan surrounded by everyone. He felt no jealousy.
Junior Brother Zhao really was a prodigy!
Lin Yan had only made a little more than seventy percent progress toward the third stage of Skin Polishing, while Junior Brother Zhao had not only caught up from behind but left him far in the dust.
He just wondered whether he could still beat Junior Brother Zhao if he used Stone Waist Savage Spine and Fist Force.
He probably couldn't. Each breakthrough in Skin Polishing brought a qualitative leap in strength.
"Junior Brother Lin." Zhang Liang finished praising Zhao Linyuan and walked back over. "What are you thinking about? You're miles away."
"Nothing." Lin Yan smiled. "I was just thinking that now Junior Brother Zhao has broken through, our martial hall is stronger than before."
"That's true." Zhang Liang sighed. "Our Yang Family Martial Arts Hall used to have only three senior brothers at the third stage of Skin Polishing. Now, with Junior Brother Zhao, we have four. Of the six martial halls, only Lingyun Martial Hall and Juying Martial Hall are stronger than us."
In the county's martial arts circles, the disciples of Lingyun Martial Hall and Juying Martial Hall were widely recognized as the strongest. Each had seven or eight disciples at the third stage of Skin Polishing, and both hall masters were top experts at the fourth stage. Though the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall couldn't match them, it firmly held the top spot in the second tier.
"We'll just grab something to eat at the martial hall at noon. Tonight, Junior Brother Zhao's family is hosting a banquet to celebrate, so we can have another big meal." Zhang Liang patted Lin Yan on the shoulder. "We can share in the good fortune."
Dusk.
At Zhao Mansion in the eastern part of the city.
Looking at the grand, imposing residence, Lin Yan kept his expression unchanged, though he couldn't help thinking to himself, Junior Brother Zhao really was born with a protagonist's fate.
He came from a good family and had outstanding talent in martial arts. He was practically the template for a webnovel protagonist from the old days.
"The biggest silver shop in the city, the Zhao Family Silver Shop, belongs to Junior Brother Zhao's family. The Zhao Family also runs a cosmetics shop. You could say that every madam and young lady in town depends on them."
Seeing Lin Yan stop in front of Zhao Mansion's gates, Zhang Liang realized he probably didn't know much about Junior Brother Zhao's family, so he explained, "Junior Brother Zhao is the only son of his generation. He has four older sisters, and the entire Zhao Family fortune is being poured into him. Most people can't compare."
"Senior Brother Zhang, you know quite a lot."
Zhang Liang looked a little awkward at Lin Yan's question. He might be easygoing, but coming from a merchant family had made him somewhat worldly. He made a point of finding out about the family backgrounds of his fellow disciples and cultivating ties with those from well-off families.
Seeing Zhang Liang's embarrassment, Lin Yan understood. Senior Brother Zhang hadn't been very friendly toward him at first. It was only after Lin Yan reached the second stage of Skin Polishing that he'd begun actively befriending him. With Zhang Liang's practical nature, he'd probably looked into the family backgrounds of their fellow disciples beforehand.
Still, Lin Yan didn't hold it against him. People naturally sought out those who could help them get ahead; Zhang Liang wasn't doing anything wrong.
After entering Zhao Mansion, the servants led the martial hall's guests to the rear garden. Quite a few people were already there, all young men and women. Lin Yan spotted a familiar figure: Li Yu.
Li Yu was chatting with several women. Hearing the commotion, she turned to look along with them. When she saw Lin Yan in the crowd, her expression turned cold, and she quickly looked away.
Lin Yan hadn't even noticed Li Yu, because Zhang Liang was busy introducing him to the others.
"Junior Brother Lin, let me introduce you to some people."
Zhang Liang was good at socializing and knew many of the people there.
"This is the young master of the He Family from the eastern part of the city."
"This is the eldest son of Liuwei Workshop in the south of the city."
"Pleased to meet you!"
"Likewise!"
The people Zhang Liang introduced were all young men around Lin Yan's age. They had all reached the second stage of Skin Polishing, and all came from excellent families.
This was the county town's own Brahmin class; not a single ordinary person in sight.
Lin Yan didn't put on airs. He understood that Senior Brother Zhang meant well and wanted to help him expand his network.
After the introductions, Zhang Liang started chatting with the others. Lin Yan glanced around and saw Zhuang Zheng standing alone. After a moment's thought, he walked over.
"Junior Brother Zhuang, don't you like socializing?"
"I'm not good with words. It's better if I don't mix with people too much."
Zhuang Zheng smiled shyly, and Lin Yan understood. Junior Brother Zhuang was the sort of action-oriented person who was a little socially awkward.
As night fell, more and more guests arrived in the garden. Those who knew one another gathered in groups to chat. Only Lin Yan and Zhuang Zheng remained together, looking a little out of place.
"Are you Young Master Lin Yan of the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall?"
A gentle voice came from behind him. Lin Yan turned and saw a woman in white walking toward him. She moved with graceful, swaying steps. Her plain clothes could not conceal her graceful curves, and her skin was as white as snow. Her features were as beautiful as a painting. A sorrow that wouldn't lift lingered in her cool expression, yet it did nothing to diminish her dignified bearing.
"That's me." Lin Yan gave a slight nod.
He'd already sensed that someone had been watching him for a while. As a martial artist at the second stage of Skin Polishing, he had the perceptiveness to notice.
Qin Yin curtsied. "I'm Qin Yin, the eldest daughter-in-law of the South City Lin Family. I hope you'll forgive me for troubling you, Young Master Lin."
Lin Yan was taken aback. The South City Lin Family—the one that dealt in iron goods?
Lin Family Iron Shop monopolized most of the county's demand for iron tools. When he'd first reached the first stage of Skin Polishing, the senior brothers at the martial hall had even mistakenly wondered whether he belonged to the South City Lin Family.
"Madam, you're too polite." Lin Yan returned her greeting, though he wondered why the eldest daughter-in-law of the Lin Family wanted to see him.
Qin Yin glanced around and lowered her voice. "Would you mind speaking somewhere more private, Young Master Lin?"
Lin Yan paused briefly, then nodded.
The two moved deeper into a garden path, where it was quiet and no one else was around.
When Zhuang Zheng saw Lin Yan and Qin Yin head toward the flower beds beyond the path, he deliberately stood at its entrance. That way, if anyone came, he could stop them from interrupting Lin Yan and Madam Lin's conversation. And if anything untoward happened, he could testify on Lin Yan's behalf.
"Madam, you can tell me what's on your mind now."
"The Lin Family would like to sponsor your martial arts training, Young Master Lin. We're willing to give you three hundred taels this year, and the same amount next year."
Sponsor him?
Lin Yan hadn't expected that Madam Lin had sought him out to offer him financial support. He was only at the second stage of Skin Polishing, and given the size of the Lin Family Iron Shop, he wouldn't have thought they'd pay much attention to a martial artist at his level.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. He didn't believe such a good opportunity had simply fallen into his lap. He shook his head and said, "I appreciate your kindness, Madam, but I don't deserve it. One shouldn't take a reward without earning it..."
"Please don't refuse just yet, Young Master Lin." Qin Yin interrupted him, her gaze clear and sincere. "To be frank, my husband passed away from a sudden illness two months ago. Without a powerful martial artist to support us, the family business is struggling to continue. We need a martial artist to watch over us."
A widow?
Looking at Madam Lin dressed in white and the sorrow in her eyes, Lin Yan couldn't help thinking—even if it was a little improper—If you want to look alluring, wear mourning white.
But as he'd just thought, his current strength wasn't enough to protect a business as large as the Lin Family's.
"Madam, I'm afraid you've asked the wrong person. My strength wouldn't even rank among the best in Guangping County."
"We chose you for two reasons. First, you're already one of the best among martial artists at the second stage of Skin Polishing, and your potential is immense. Second, you have a clean background and few ties to the major powers in the city. On those two counts alone, there aren't many people more suitable than you."
A faint smile touched Qin Yin's lips. "But most importantly, Young Master Lin, you have a grateful heart."
Choosing Lin Yan had been an impulsive decision Qin Yin made only today, but she believed it was the most suitable one.
Ever since her husband passed away, her mother-in-law had grieved so deeply at the loss of her son that she'd fallen ill overnight. The vast Lin Family had been left in Qin Yin's hands to manage alone.
Over this period, she and the family stewards had discussed the matter several times. The safest option for keeping the family business running was to invite a martial artist at the third stage of Skin Polishing. But every martial artist in the city at that level had a family backing them. She feared they might invite a wolf into the house.
The outstanding disciples of the various martial halls were much the same.
Then today, she'd heard from one of the household guards about Lin Yan, a disciple of Zhou Family Martial Arts Hall. Though he came from an ordinary family, he'd been training for less than a year and had already reached the second stage of Skin Polishing. What's more, he was deeply grateful to those who helped him. After receiving a few pointers from a martial artist at the first stage of Skin Polishing while choosing a martial hall, he'd personally visited them with a generous gift to express his thanks.
Of course, gratitude and having reached the second stage of Skin Polishing weren't enough. He also needed to be strong.
A few days ago, Lin Yan had defeated Cheng Zonghan with two punches, proving that he was no weakling among martial artists at the second stage of Skin Polishing.
He had a clean background, plenty of potential, and a grateful heart. If they sponsored him now, he could protect the Lin Family Iron Shop once he reached the third stage of Skin Polishing within the next two years.
Though her husband was gone, the Lin Family's old connections would keep them afloat for a year or two.
Seeing that Lin Yan still hadn't answered, Qin Yin spoke again. "Until you reach the third stage of Skin Polishing, you won't have to get involved in any trouble our Lin Family encounters."
Lin Yan looked at Qin Yin. With the offer she'd made, he had no reason to refuse.
"I'm grateful that the Lin Family thinks so highly of me. I accept."
When Lin Yan agreed, Qin Yin's brows relaxed, and a faint smile of relief appeared on her pretty face.
After they reached an agreement, Qin Yin left first. Lin Yan returned to Zhuang Zheng's side. Zhuang Zheng didn't seem curious at all about what he and Qin Yin had discussed. When the Zhao Mansion servants announced that the banquet was ready, the two followed the other senior brothers from the martial hall into the dining hall and took their seats.
That evening, the banquet was full of clinking cups and lively chatter, and Zhao Linyuan became the center of attention.
The least accomplished guests at the banquet were second-grade martial artists, and there were two full tables of third-grade martial artists.
Watching the young men and women at the banquet look at Zhao Linyuan with envy and burning admiration, Lin Yan couldn't help sighing. "At nineteen, I sit here like a lowly lackey."
Perhaps only Junior Brother Zhuang had the purest heart in the entire gathering. He kept his head down, eating the precious meat and medicinal wine on the table. He really had come just to mooch off a banquet.