A Little Windfall

Lin Yi found some meat in his room. After replenishing his qi and blood, he prepared to practice martial arts in the courtyard.

Along the way, he brought up today's divination text again.

[Know Heavenly Fate]

[Recent Fortune: Minor Auspiciousness]

[Minor Auspiciousness: Unexpected windfall.]

He looked over today's divination text.

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow but didn't pay it much mind.

Previously, these minor auspicious windfalls hadn't been uncommon. Most amounted to no more than ten or twenty taels of silver.

It wasn't a lot, but it wasn't nothing, either.

Lin Yi hadn't paid them much attention.

Now, he was on the verge of breaking through to become a Martial Artist.

He didn't want to waste too much time.

Once he became a Martial Artist and earned that title,

the Black Wind Gang would think twice, and his family would be safe at home.

He would have no more worries weighing on him.

Knock, knock, knock!

Someone rapped on the door.

Lin Yi frowned. With his senses now sharp, he could vaguely hear that there was quite a crowd outside.

He opened the door.

Before him stood dozens of men dressed in luxurious brocade robes, all looking like men of considerable standing.

Behind each man were several burly servants, plainly dressed as household retainers, carrying dozens of red-lacquered wooden chests. They stood before the gate.

Lin Yi studied the crowd closely and roughly guessed what was going on.

Xiao Dong had now become Master Yuan's personal disciple, his status soaring overnight. And with his Destiny, he was bound to become a great master of the Martial Way sooner or later.

For now, he was still at the very beginning.

These people had come to offer him congratulatory gifts.

For Xiao Dong, it was a timely helping hand.

And for Master Yuan, such a grand display would bring face to him and the martial arts school...

When the crowd saw Lin Yi, their noisy chatter abruptly fell silent.

That bearing, that appearance!

And he looked no older than fifteen or sixteen.

No mistake.

This had to be the new disciple Master Yuan had taken on.

Hah, that dim-witted messenger had said, "plain appearance, ordinary bearing, fifteen years old."

Apart from his age, he'd gotten everything wrong.

How could this appearance be called plain? It was serene and imposing, like a deep pool or a towering mountain.

And how could this bearing be called ordinary? It was clearly extraordinary—he had the elegance of a dragon and phoenix, the refinement of an orchid or jade tree, and a face fair as polished jade!

"I am Jia Quangui of the Jia Mansion."

"You must be Master Yuan's esteemed disciple, Young Master Xiao!"

The middle-aged man at the head of the group quickly stepped forward, his smile growing even more genial. He reached out to shake Lin Yi's hand.

Lin Yi felt something slip into his hand. When he realized what had happened and looked down, he saw a fifty-tael banknote in his palm.

Fifty taels, just like that!

Damn, that was generous!

Without changing his expression, Lin Yi tucked the banknote into his sleeve.

Free silver was free silver. He'd be a fool not to take it.

The crowd saw what happened, and their hearts sank.

Damn it!

They'd been too slow!

Lin Yi subtly stepped away from the middle-aged man and said, "I'm not Xiao Dong. He hasn't returned yet."

The atmosphere froze.

"Pfft!"

A snicker suddenly rang out from the crowd.

Member Jia's genial expression stiffened at once. He stared blankly at Lin Yi and said,

"That silver..."

Lin Yi looked surprised.

"Silver? What silver?"

Member Jia wondered aloud, "Could it be that you've lost some silver here in the courtyard?"

"You'd better look carefully. With so many congratulatory gifts, once Xiao Dong returns, your money might get mixed in with everything else and be sent off. Who'd be able to tell whether it was silver you lost or another member's congratulatory gift..."

Member Jia's face flushed with embarrassment. He wiped away his cold sweat. Though his heart ached, he couldn't afford to lose face, so he forced a smile. "I haven't lost any money, I haven't..."

Lin Yi nodded with an easy conscience. He felt no shame whatsoever.

[Know Heavenly Fate] had already predicted that he'd come into an unexpected windfall.

That meant the money had been his all along.

The other man had merely been keeping it for him for a while.

Wasn't it only right for his money to return to his hands?

Member Jia's expression settled back to normal. He stepped forward and asked, "Young Master, do you know when Young Master Xiao will return?"

Lin Yi shook his head.

"I don't know yet. You can all wait here."

With that, he paid the crowd no further attention and turned back into the courtyard.

His gaze swept over the throng packed before him, and Lin Yi couldn't help feeling a little regretful.

There were too many people here today. It looked like he wouldn't be able to practice in the courtyard.

But as he felt the banknote tucked inside his sleeve, Lin Yi couldn't help grinning to himself.

Back in his room, Lin Yi quickly gathered a few things, then planned to take a detour out through the side gate and head somewhere secluded to practice.

He had just stepped out of the room.

Outside the courtyard, the already noisy crowd erupted into an even greater commotion.

"Master Yuan!"

The crowd cried out in unison.

"These must be Master Yuan's esteemed disciples. Every one of them has such grace and bearing."

"This is Young Master Xiao, isn't it? What a fine, handsome young man!"

"Congratulations, Master Yuan, on taking a beloved disciple! I'm Zhen Baoyu of the Zhen Estate. This is the congratulatory gift from the Zhen Estate for your disciple: ten catties of Treasure Fish—the Congratulatory Lion Catfish!"

"Master Yuan, Young Master Xiao, the Ming Estate has a treasure to present as well: an inner soft-armor vest woven from thread spun by a rare Golden Silk Nan Silkworm after it consumed Meteorite Iron..."

"Young Master Xiao, this is a fine steed my men happened to buy in the Western Regions. It's called Cloud-Treading Crow. As the saying goes, a fine horse belongs with a hero..."

One dazzling treasure after another was displayed outside the courtyard, like a recitation of an endless menu.

"Tsk..."

"These local gentry are more generous than I'd ever have expected..."

Lin Yi couldn't help feeling a little envious.

He'd gone through killing and arson just to get his hands on a Treasure Fish weighing three or four catties.

After Xiao Dong awakened his Destiny, all sorts of rare treasures came rushing to him.

Lin Yi couldn't help feeling a little put out.

But he quickly pushed the thought aside.

He opened the door.

The first thing he saw was Xiao Dong, wearing a radiant, smug smile as he basked in the attention of the crowd and their gifts.

The moment Xiao Dong saw Lin Yi, his expression stiffened.

Lin Yi still looked as he always did.

Calm, imposing as a deep pool or towering mountain, and exceptionally handsome.

Yet Xiao Dong felt an inexplicable awkwardness and guilt.

There was even a hint of an unnameable gloom...

"Y-Yi... Brother Yi..." Xiao Dong's lips moved, and he called out instinctively.

Before Lin Yi could reply,

a sharp voice cut Xiao Dong off.

"What do you mean, Brother Yi!"

"Junior Brother Xiao, that's not right! The martial arts school has to have rules. Within the school, everyone must be addressed according to their status!"

"You're Master's personal disciple. Apart from us, you're the senior brother of everyone else in the school..."

Lin Yi's brows drew together slightly as he looked toward the speaker.

The man wore a fitted, dark robe. He had high cheekbones, slanted eyes with visible whites beneath the irises, a hooked nose, thin lips, and a broad jaw.

He wasn't particularly handsome, but there was a fierce air about him that made him hard to forget and impossible to ignore.

Lin Yi recognized him.

Master Yuan's second disciple, Bai Suo.

Bai Suo came to Xiao Dong's side and gripped his shoulder. His eyes narrowed as he said, "Junior Brother Xiao, remember your place. You're Master's personal disciple..."

Xiao Dong looked at Lin Yi, then finally stammered out,

"L-Lin... Junior Brother..."

Xiao Dong's expression was awkward, and he sounded reluctant.

But Lin Yi still caught the suppressed delight in his eyes...

It fit rather well with his Destiny, [Blood Sable Drinks Poison].

"Mm..." Lin Yi murmured, giving only the faintest acknowledgment.