A Poor Family, Favor Can Be Owed If It Can Be Owed

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

For these seven days, Lin Yan stayed at home every day to practice the Rock Stance.

Although he did not think the Patrol Bureau would investigate such a minor matter, he stayed home for seven days just to be safe.

With the foundation of the Rock Stance successfully established, continued practice would still increase his blood and qi.

Now that seven days had passed, no one from the Patrol Bureau had come to his door, nor had anyone come looking for him. The matter should be over, and it was time to seek out a skin-tempering technique.

Regarding skin-tempering techniques, Master Zheng had mentioned the methods of acquisition: becoming an apprentice at a martial hall, joining a gang, selling oneself to a powerful family, or purchasing one with money.

Master Zheng had also given a detailed introduction to the pros and cons of each.

With the money sponsored by Zhang Dahai and his companion, the martial hall was the best choice for Lin Yan.

There were over a dozen martial halls in the city, large and small, with varying fee standards. The highest, Lingyun Martial Hall, charged two hundred taels for apprenticeship, while the lowest required twenty.

There was naturally a reason for the difference in price.

I can ask Master Zheng for advice again.

Given his own financial situation, he only had one chance to enroll in a martial hall, so he definitely needed to understand everything clearly before making a choice.

Although that Protector Zhou from the Cai Mansion was more formidable than Master Zheng, given that Master Zhou's attitude, he might not necessarily be willing to provide earnest guidance.

"Yan'er, time to eat."

Just as Lin Yan finished his thoughts, the voice of his aunt, Madam Liu, drifted over.

"Aunt, I have successfully established my foundation."

"Successfully established your foundation?"

Madam Liu had learned about some of the martial arts realms from Lin Yan. Seeing her nephew lift the stone lock in one go, a look of joy appeared on her face: "So fast?"

Although she hadn't revealed Lin Yan's martial arts practice to outsiders, Madam Liu had specifically inquired about it during this time. The eldest son of the Xu family on the street was also practicing at a martial hall, and she had learned from the Xu family that Xu Ping had practiced at home for a whole year before he was qualified to go to the martial hall.

Little Yan had achieved it in just a few months; didn't that mean his talent was even higher than that Xu Ping's?

"Ancestors of the Lin family bless us, eldest brother and sister-in-law bless us."

Madam Liu was very excited, her hands pressed together in constant prayer: "Yan'er, go wash your hands and pay respects to the ancestors, thank them for their protection."

"Yes."

Although he didn't feel that his success had anything to do with his ancestors, this was the simple worldview of the common people at the bottom of this world: any gain was entirely due to the protection of the ancestors.

After paying respects to his ancestors and parents, Lin Yan went into the room to eat.

"Yan'er, Aunt is going out for a trip. If you go out, remember to lock the door."

"Alright."

Madam Liu carried her basket out, and as she turned, a trace of worry appeared in her smile.

May the eldest brother and sister-in-law protect him; Yan'er has the talent for martial arts, but entering a martial hall would cost a large sum of money. The family only had a dozen taels left, and adding the twenty taels sent by the Cai Mansion, it would just be enough for the apprenticeship fee. She had also inquired that the expenses for learning martial arts after entering the martial hall were even greater; a few taels of silver a month would disappear in no time.

Might-Vast Escort Agency.

This time, Lin Yan asked Zhang Wei to help arrange a meeting with Master Zheng, but instead of waiting at the teahouse, he came directly to the entrance of the escort agency to wait.

"Stone, come with me."

Zhang Wei appeared at the entrance and waved at Lin Yan excitedly: "I just told Master Zheng about your situation, and it happened to be overheard by Head Escort Chen. Head Escort Chen said to let you come straight in."

"Head Escort Chen?"

"Head Escort Chen is a master at our agency who has tempered his skin once. Plus, he comes from a martial hall background, so he definitely knows more about martial halls than Master Zheng."

After saying this, Zhang Wei lowered his voice: "Stone, have you really successfully established your foundation?"

If it were just Master Zheng, it wouldn't matter if Stone exaggerated his martial arts progress, but now, in front of Head Escort Chen, he couldn't afford to be deceitful.

"Let's go."

Lin Yan patted Zhang Wei on the shoulder, signaling for him to set his mind at ease.

The two entered the escort agency and wound through several corridors. Lin Yan could confirm that this Might-Vast Escort Agency was at least several times larger than the Cai Mansion. Finally, the two arrived at a courtyard.

On the way there, Lin Yan had also learned a bit about the situation at the Might-Vast Escort Agency.

The Might-Vast Escort Agency was divided into teams. Each team had two to three head escorts, and below them were five or six escort guards like Master Zheng who had practiced martial arts. When Zhang Wei went to find Master Zheng, the team's Head Escort Chen happened to be there. Hearing that Lin Yan had cultivated enough blood and qi in just a few months, he became curious about Lin Yan, which was why he let Zhang Wei bring him straight in.

"Master Zheng."

Once he entered the courtyard, Lin Yan saw Zheng Guang, as well as a middle-aged man sitting in a grand armchair drinking tea.

"Lin Yan, have you really successfully established your foundation?"

Although a cup of tea's time had passed since Zhang Wei had informed him of this, he still found it hard to believe. He had spent two years to successfully establish his foundation, while Lin Yan had only taken a little over three months in total.

Lin Yan glanced at the stone lock in the corner of the courtyard: "Master Zheng, words are not proof. I will use the stone lock to demonstrate."

There were several stone locks in the courtyard, and the hundred-catty stone lock was only the smallest one.

Gripping the stone handle, Lin Yan lifted it in one breath and held it in front of his chest. Just as he was preparing to hold it for a while, the middle-aged man sitting in the grand armchair spoke up: "Your breathing is steady; your strength has indeed reached the standard. You can put it down."

Zheng Guang listened to the escort master behind him and quickly chimed in, "Lin Yan, let me introduce you. This is Head Escort Chen from our agency."

"This junior greets Master Chen."

"I can hardly be called a master; you'd best just call me Head Escort."

Head Escort Chen laughed heartily. In Guangping County, only those who had completed the second stage of skin-toughening could truly be called a master, and he was still some distance away from that.

"Are you looking to join a martial arts hall and came to ask Master Zheng which ones are reliable?"

"Yes, this junior came to seek Master Zheng's guidance."

Lin Yan did not know the purpose behind this Head Escort's interest in him, so he kept his words guarded.

The Might-Vast Escort Agency also possessed skin-toughening techniques; what if this Head Escort wanted him to join the agency instead?

If he didn't have to sign away his life, the Might-Vast Escort Agency would actually be a good choice.

"How much silver have you prepared?"

"With my family's savings and some borrowed from relatives, I should have about fifty taels."

"Stone, your family is that wealthy?"

Zhang Wei, standing to the side, was shocked to hear that Lin Yan had managed to scrape together fifty taels.

He knew Lin Yan's family situation well: both parents were deceased, and he relied solely on his aunt's sewing work, living entirely off their old savings.

"Fifty taels is the savings of an ordinary family for over a decade, but when used for martial arts, it's barely enough for the initial stages."

Chen Lang pondered for a moment. "There are many martial arts halls in the city, but only six truly teach real skills. Among them, Lingyun Martial Hall is the strongest; their disciples are at least at the second stage of skin-toughening."

Lin Yan did not get excited by this, as he had already looked into the apprenticeship fee for Lingyun Martial Hall: two hundred taels.

"Do you know why the disciples from Lingyun Martial Hall are at least at the second stage of skin-toughening?"

Because of the apprenticeship fee, obviously.

Lin Yan muttered to himself. With a two-hundred-tael fee, anyone who could afford it certainly didn't come from a poor background.

To put it bluntly, with enough silver to support the expenses of skin-toughening, one could eventually reach the second stage just by putting in the time.

However, Lin Yan said aloud, "This junior does not know."

Chen Lang tapped his knuckles on the armrest, his tone steady. "The first reason is the financial filter. Those who can afford the two-hundred-tael fee come from well-off families where the medicinal and nutritional support required for martial cultivation is always available. As long as they aren't fools, reaching the second stage of skin-toughening is just a matter of time."

"However, Lingyun Martial Hall dares to charge such a high fee because it has its own unique advantages. Their skin-toughening technique, combined with a specially formulated medicinal wine, allows for a faster cultivation speed than other halls."

"With fifty taels, don't even think about expensive ones like Lingyun or Juying. There are also several halls run by masters who are self-taught; their techniques are messy, mostly relying on coarse cloth rubbing and sand-pit training. Many get stuck halfway through their skin-toughening, and those masters love to collect 'tributes' from their disciples. If you don't have silver to grease their palms, they won't even bother correcting your stance."

Lin Yan saw clearly; Head Escort Chen's words hit the nail on the head.

For those at the bottom learning martial arts, the greatest lack isn't hard work, but a wise teacher and resources. Yet, both come with a price tag, and his fifty taels couldn't even touch the threshold of Lingyun Martial Hall.

"I ask that Head Escort Chen point me toward a suitable martial arts hall."

Chen Lang pondered for a long while. "If you want a hall that suits you, there is indeed one: the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall in the south of the city."

"The master of the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall became a fourth-stage skin-toughening expert years ago, but that isn't the most important thing. What matters most is that Master Yang is not harsh on his disciples. He doesn't collect tributes during holidays. Even at Lingyun Martial Hall, aside from a few genius disciples, most have to pay their master for advanced techniques after completing their initial skin-toughening."

"The apprenticeship fee is sixty taels. Although it's a bit over your budget, it is definitely much better than those halls that only charge twenty or thirty taels."

After speaking, Chen Lang picked up his teacup and took a sip. Zheng Guang added from the side, "Those halls with low fees have many hidden costs once you join. They force you to buy their exclusive medicinal soups, which are sold at prices several times higher than outside. Many who don't know better end up having to leave after a few months because they've run out of money."

Lin Yan nodded quickly. His greatest fear was choosing the wrong hall, which was why he had specifically come to ask Master Zheng. This trip had truly been worth it.

"Many thanks to Head Escort Chen for the guidance, and many thanks to Master Zheng." Lin Yan bowed, his tone sincere.

Chen Lang waved his hand. "It's hardly guidance. I just saw that you managed to successfully build your foundation in a few months, proving you have the talent for martial arts, and I didn't want to see you take a wrong turn."

He himself had taken a few wrong turns when choosing a martial arts hall back in the day.

In truth, Lin Yan could roughly guess that this Head Escort's experience in his own martial arts hall probably wasn't very good. Otherwise, as someone who came from a hall, he wouldn't have failed to recommend his own.

Even if he felt Lin Yan lacked the funds for his own school, he would have at least offered an explanation rather than never mentioning it from start to finish.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lin Yan bid farewell to Head Escort Chen and Master Zheng, leaving the agency with Zhang Wei.

"Stone, if the money isn't enough, I can get some from my dad."

"When I have a need, I will certainly come to you."

Hearing Zhang Wei's words, Lin Yan patted his shoulder without refusing.

With the Martial Dao Tree, he was certain he could make a name for himself, but it was a fact that he lacked money in the early stages. Once he achieved success, he would simply pay Zhang Wei back many times over.

Being from a poor family, he dared not be ungrateful for even the smallest kindness.

In Lin Yan's view, the idea of refusing help out of pride was extremely foolish.

Born into poverty and at the bottom of society, one should seize every opportunity to turn their life around.

Borrowing money and owing favors was not shameful.

What was shameful was borrowing money and owing favors not for the sake of striving and progress, but for the sake of squandering.