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Wang Xiumei froze, staring fixedly at the bracelet before looking up at Li Chuan, as though she wanted to say something.

Knowing what his mother meant, Li Chuan said with a smile:

"Don't worry, Mom. A senior brother from the Martial Hall recommended me for a post at his family's place. The monthly salary is three taels, and after delivering a batch of medicine, I received another three-tael reward. I have plenty of money."

Only after hearing this did Wang Xiumei finally set her mind at ease.

She had been afraid that Li Chuan had scrimped and saved to buy the bracelet back.

"Xiumei, what did you just say?!"

Li Nian pushed open the door and hobbled out.

His leg had not fully healed yet, and he still needed a crutch, but he moved faster than ever this time.

"Dad, Chuan'er succeeded in Gate-Knocking."

Li Nian stared at Li Chuan in disbelief.

"A-Chuan, did you truly succeed in Gate-Knocking?"

Li Chuan smiled and nodded.

Having received confirmation, Li Nian burst into laughter and said "Good!" three times in a row.

Then, trembling, he pulled a crumpled old cigarette from his pocket.

To save Li Chuan a tael of silver in food expenses, he had quit smoking long ago.

These few cigarettes had been rolled several months ago, yet he had never been willing to smoke them.

Now that a weight had been lifted from his heart, he naturally had to celebrate.

In the snowy night.

Li Nian lit the tobacco and took a deep drag before gradually calming down.

Grandmother Lin Shi came hurrying out as well.

Li Chuan said helplessly:

"I only broke through to Bright Force. It's nothing worth making such a fuss over. Let's go inside and talk."

After everyone entered, Wang Xiumei slammed the door shut and secured it with the wooden bolt.

It was as though she wanted to pour out all the gloom that had built up over this time.

Inside, Qin Sanfeng and Li Qing were already seated.

Li Qing's expression was complicated as he said quietly:

"A-Chuan, Grandpa's choice back then was right."

After lifting stones at home for two or three months, Li Qing had come to understand more and more just how difficult martial arts training was.

Had he gone to the Martial Hall instead, he might not necessarily have succeeded in Gate-Knocking.

Li Chuan smiled and scolded him:

"Big Brother, that's too distant of you. We're family, why say such things? Once I earn enough silver, I'll definitely send you to the Martial Hall too."

Qin Sanfeng beamed so broadly that her mouth would not close.

"A-Chuan, your brother's matter can wait. Take care of yourself first."

Before Li Chuan had succeeded in Gate-Knocking, those words had not meant much.

But now that he had broken through to Bright Force, bringing up the matter again carried an entirely different meaning.

Li Chuan set the roast chicken, beef, and yellow wine in his hands on the table.

Wang Xiumei took out some lamp oil and lit the oil lamp for the first time in a long while.

Under the warm yellow light, steam rose from the roast chicken, carrying waves of fragrance.

Li Chuan tore off a chicken leg and handed it to Li Qing.

"Big Brother, you're tempering your qi and blood now. You need to eat more meat."

Then he divided the remaining chicken legs among his grandfather, grandmother, mother, and aunt.

Li Nian hesitated.

"A-Chuan, even though you succeeded in Gate-Knocking, you still need to spend silver carefully. We can eat pickled vegetables. Your martial path must not fall behind."

Li Chuan replied:

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I accepted a post at Luo Family Pharmacy, with a monthly salary of three taels of silver. From now on, you don't need to give me food money either. Keep the silver to improve your own meals. How can you eat pickled vegetables every day?"

"Three taels a month? Martial artists after Gate-Knocking really are different. No wonder so many people scrimp and save just to send their children in!" Qin Sanfeng said in surprise.

Li Qing said in a muffled voice:

"Mom, that's because A-Chuan himself is capable. I heard that many Bright Force martial artists only earn around one tael a month. Two taels is already considered a lot."

Qin Sanfeng shook her head in disbelief.

"Our family has truly produced a Martial Scholar prospect!"

Only then did Li Nian fully relax and focus on enjoying the meat he had not tasted in a long time.

The family drank yellow wine and ate chicken and beef, occasionally taking a bite of fine white rice. They enjoyed themselves immensely.

Every face overflowed with joy and happiness.

Li Chuan drained the rest of his yellow wine in one gulp and smacked his lips.

"This isn't even as strong as beer from my previous life. It barely tastes like alcohol..."

Ancient brewing techniques were underdeveloped, and strong liquor was rare.

No wonder there are stories of people drinking a thousand cups without getting drunk. This is practically like drinking water. Even with my three-cups-and-I'm-down tolerance, I could probably drink several jin.

After eating, Li Chuan took Li Qing out to lift stones and taught him quite a few other tempering methods at the same time.

For instance, he could tie several stones to his legs before lifting stones again, which would yield even better results.

Roughly an hour later, Li Qing took the initiative to tell Li Chuan to return and rest.

After spending one night at home, Li Chuan prepared to leave.

Bright Force was not the end, nor did it mean everything would be peaceful from then on.

In half a year, the Martial Exam would be held.

If he could pass as a Martial Scholar, he would gain half an official status and be exempt from taxes and corvée labor for three generations.

Taxes alone would be manageable. After all, he could earn money, so he was not overly worried about them.

But corvée labor was the truly fatal part.

When corvée labor was levied, every household had to provide one or two able-bodied men.

Even with Pine Wind Martial Hall behind him, he might not necessarily be able to contend against the County Magistrate.

When that time came, he might be dragged straight from the peaceful Martial Hall to dig a canal...

That was a high-risk job. Of those sent to perform corvée labor, few ever returned.

After gaining exemption from corvée labor, I can bring Father and Eldest Uncle back too—if they're still alive...

Li Chuan sighed.

He did not have particularly deep feelings for his father and eldest uncle in this life.

After all, only a few months after he had transmigrated here, those two had already left.

More than anything, he wanted to reunite the family.

Though his grandfather never said it, Li Chuan could sense that he often missed those two sons.

After all, they were his own flesh and blood.

He simply rarely showed it in front of Li Chuan.

The Martial Exam only takes the top fifty. There are many Martial Halls in Anning County, and Pine Wind Martial Hall alone has eight or nine Dark Force disciples. To reliably place in the top fifty, Dark Force alone won't be enough. My combat techniques have to keep up too.

Judging by the situation, he needed to break through to Dark Force within half a year. His Through-Arm Fist had to at least reach Major Mastery, and it would be best if he also cultivated another combat technique to make himself stronger.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Li Chuan stepped into the market, intending to choose a type of meat for long-term consumption.

Pork was cheap, but for someone who had already reached Bright Force, it was becoming insufficient.

Even eating until he was full could only replenish seventy percent of his qi and blood.

No matter what, the remaining thirty percent could not be filled.

Based on this, Li Chuan came to a few guesses.

Once one reaches Bright Force, the required "quantity" of qi and blood probably rises, while the requirements for "quality" become higher as well.

Eating pork could at most pile up the quantity, but it could not improve the quality.

So he had to consume more high-grade meat.

Li Chuan's gaze swept back and forth over the butcher stalls.

Venison was an excellent choice, but it cost one hundred and fifty copper coins per jin!

Li Chuan gave a bitter smile.

That was far too expensive for him. He now needed roughly two jin of meat a day.

That meant three hundred copper coins a day, or nine taels of silver a month!

His monthly salary was only three or four taels of silver. He could not afford to eat like that.

"Roe deer meat, pangolin, and bear paw... one tael per jin? Why not just rob me!"

Each one was more expensive than the last!

After searching around, Li Chuan finally found a suitable option.

Donkey meat!

As the saying went, dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground.

Not only did donkey meat taste good, its nourishing effects were outstanding as well.

Most importantly, it cost fifty copper coins per jin.

At two jin a day, that came to one hundred copper coins.

Three taels a month—it was already the best meat he could afford.

Li Chuan carried six jin of donkey meat back to Pine Wind Martial Hall.