Hundred Herb Lane.
As soon as they reached home, Cheng Xiaoyu clutched the candied hawthorn skewer Chen Yuan had bought her and hurried inside, unable to wait. She called out as she ran:
"Mother! Something wonderful has happened!"
Her aunt's voice came from the kitchen. "Why are you rushing around like that? What wonderful thing?"
Cheng Xiaoyu giggled. "Mother, Brother Yuan has become a martial artist! The kind who can take an official position. Isn't that wonderful news?"
Huang Juan froze as she added firewood to the stove. She looked up in astonishment, hurried to her feet, and wiped her soot-smudged hands on her apron. Her voice trembled slightly.
"Xiaoyu, say that again. A-Yuan has become a martial artist?"
Just then, Chen Yuan stepped over the threshold with a smile. "Auntie, it's true. I just broke through today. Now I can take an official position and earn money."
"Good, good..." Huang Juan was overjoyed, but her eyes reddened, and she nearly burst into tears again.
She wasn't overreacting. It was incredibly rare for an ordinary family to produce a martial artist, and one was enough to bring blessings to the whole family.
More than anything, she was happy for Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan smiled and comforted her. "Auntie, I have a pound of beef here. Cut half of it up and cook it. You don't have to work so hard from now on, either. I can earn money to help with household expenses."
Taking out one or two taels of silver each month to help with expenses wouldn't make much difference to him, but it would be enough to give his aunt's family a comfortable life.
"Good. It's a lucky day, so I'll listen to you." His aunt wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and accepted the beef with a smile.
Not long after, before night swallowed the last glow of sunset, his uncle, Cheng Yong, returned with a shoulder pole.
There were still plenty of baked flatbreads left inside, clearly not every day's stock sold out.
With the autumn tax approaching, every household was tightening its belt and saving wherever it could.
When he learned that Chen Yuan had become an entry-level martial artist, Cheng Yong was overjoyed too.
"Good lad. Well done."
He gave Chen Yuan's shoulder a hearty pat, his eyes full of pride.
Chen Yuan smiled faintly. "If you and Auntie hadn't taken me in, I wouldn't have made it this far."
At that, Cheng Yong sighed wistfully.
He remembered that night more than two months ago, when a frail Chen Yuan had knocked on his door.
Back then, he never could have imagined that in just over two months, Chen Yuan would make it this far...
It had all happened in the blink of an eye.
He said ruefully, "We had little to do with it. You got here through your own hard work."
Cheng Yong had spent years navigating the rough-and-tumble streets. He knew just how difficult this was. All they had given Chen Yuan was two taels of silver.
Chen Yuan only smiled. "Uncle, you shouldn't stay up so late or get up so early from now on. Take better care of your health. I'll handle the household expenses."
Cheng Yong laughed heartily. "A-Yuan, just focus on your martial arts training. Don't worry about things at home. Thanks to you, my flatbread business will probably do better, too."
With a martial artist in the family, people were bound to show them some respect.
The family shared a warm, cheerful meal, though Chen Yuan barely touched his food, only eating a few bites at his aunt's urging.
During the meal, someone knocked on the door.
But the knocking was gentler than ever before, and the voice outside was unusually polite.
"Brother Chen, are you home? It's Qian Bao."
The three of them tensed up. They had clearly developed a conditioned response to Qian Bao.
Chen Yuan said quietly, "Auntie, keep eating. I'll go see who it is."
Cheng Yong still followed him, despite his words. After all, he was the head of the household.
Chen Yuan drew back the bolt and saw Qian Bao with his two lackeys. They had changed their tune yet again.
Qian Bao smiled. "Brother Chen, I heard you broke through and grasped Clear Force. I came to congratulate you. Please accept these eggs."
As he spoke, the two lackeys dutifully handed over a wooden basket.
Chen Yuan glanced inside. There were a dozen or twenty eggs, most likely collected from one household after another.
The timing of the visit was deliberate, too. It was dinnertime, when everyone was home, so there was little chance of finding an empty house.
Still, he accepted the basket and passed it to his uncle. Then he turned back with a smile. "Brother Qian, you're very thoughtful."
Qian Bao rubbed his hands together and continued, "Brother Chen, there's something else I'd like to discuss with you."
Chen Yuan raised his brows slightly and said gently to Cheng Yong, "Uncle, go back and finish your dinner."
Seeing the usually overbearing Qian Bao acting so ingratiatingly, Cheng Yong relaxed and went back inside.
Chen Yuan strolled to the corner of the house and said evenly, "Brother Qian, just tell me what it is."
He had made a few deals with Qian Bao, but they had been nothing more than business.
Qian Bao said solemnly:
"Brother Chen, the conflict between my Black Dragon Gang and the Golden Blade Sect has been getting worse lately. I don't know where the Golden Blade Sect found several martial artists, but my Black Dragon Gang has been losing ground and territory. Could you lend us a hand? My gang will repay you handsomely."
That was the second reason for his visit. The first was to offer congratulations and build goodwill.
Though their gang leader was a Dark Force expert, on par with the Golden Blade Sect's leader, the other side had more people.
Chen Yuan frowned slightly and declined outright:
"Brother Qian, I only broke through recently, and my realm isn't stable yet. It wouldn't be wise for me to get involved, and I don't want to meddle in these matters."
He'd have to be out of his mind to get involved. It would be all effort and no reward.
After Qian Bao tried to persuade him several times without success, he left in embarrassment.
He had only broken through the Skin Realm years ago and hadn't even grasped Clear Force. Naturally, he wouldn't dare force Chen Yuan's hand.
When Chen Yuan returned to the table, he saw Cheng Xiaoyu gazing at him, her eyes bright.
"Brother Yuan, you're amazing! That ferocious Qian Bao actually came all the way here to bring us eggs. You've got so much face!"
Chen Yuan shook his head with a smile. She really was still a child. Turning to his aunt, he suggested, "Auntie, isn't Xiaoyu only fourteen or fifteen? Should we send her to a private school for a few years?"
Cheng Xiaoyu's face fell at once. She hurriedly protested, "Brother, I don't want to go to school!"
The children who studied were only a few years old. She was already this old; if she went now, everyone would definitely laugh at her.
Chen Yuan couldn't help laughing. He hadn't expected her to be so opposed to studying.
When he learned why, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He reassured her, "It's not too late. The young ladies from the great families still study at sixteen or seventeen."
Cheng Xiaoyu gave a couple of grunts. "I don't want to. The young ladies teach me a few characters now and then. That's enough for me."
His aunt offered her opinion, too. "A-Yuan, if Xiaoyu doesn't want to go, let it be. It makes no difference whether a girl studies or not. In a few years, she can find a good family to marry into."
Chen Yuan didn't press the matter.
The next day.
When Chen Yuan awoke, he found that a long-missed evaluation had appeared:
[You refused He Qing's invitation to hunt in the mountains, avoiding unnecessary danger and acting in accordance with the Dao of Survival. You refused Qian Bao's request for help, avoiding entanglement in gang conflicts and the whirlpool of higher-level power struggles, acting in accordance with the Dao of Survival. Dao of Survival Points +15.] [The system has detected that the host has upheld the principles of the Dao of Survival fairly well in new relationships, avoided most risks, and steadily improved his strength. You have passed the Dao of Survival assessment. Base settlement points +1. Please uphold the Dao of Survival from beginning to end. A new round of assessment has begun.]
Chen Yuan beamed. Double joy at the door!
He checked his status panel:
[Comprehension: 10] [Constitution: 53] [Cultivation: Skin Realm; Clear Force] [Techniques] [Rock-Solid Stance Technique (Minor Achievement): 33/1000] [Six Harmonies Mind Boxing (Minor Achievement): 3/1000] [Dao of Survival Points: 19] [Evaluation: You keep a low profile, do no harm to others, and understand the value of biding your time. You have glimpsed the doorway to the Dao of Survival. Daily Dao of Survival Points +4]
Without another word, he upgraded his comprehension first.
As ten Dao of Survival Points were spent, his comprehension received its first boost since he had crossed over. It flickered and became 11!
Chen Yuan felt his head itch, as if he were about to grow a brain.
It felt pretty good.
Then his gaze fell on Daily Dao of Survival Points +4, and he couldn't help smiling.
Now that was the biggest gain!
As long as he kept his head down and stayed out of trouble, he could earn 120 Dao of Survival Points a month, enough to raise his comprehension by 12 points.
In just over three months, it could catch up to his constitution. For the next three months, he would focus entirely on building up his qi and blood, preparing to break through the Bone Realm.
The future looked bright!
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