New Year's Eve

Paying a New Year's visit?!

The onlookers were left dumbfounded.

They had all assumed that given Song Jin's appearance, he had come to settle scores with Li Chuan.

They were waiting for a good show, but never expected this turn of events.

What merit did Li Chuan have to warrant the leader of the Iron Tiger Gang coming to pay him a New Year's visit?

Li Nian had prepared many retorts, only to find them all useless.

At first, he had even thought that Song Jin wanted this shop as well.

If that were the case, he would have given it up to protect Li Chuan's martial arts future.

This sudden reversal, however, made him heave a sigh of relief.

Wang Xiumei and Li Qing stood in front of Li Chuan, equally bewildered.

Li Chuan took the opportunity to put on a look of being flattered:

"You are too kind, Gang Leader Song!"

Song Jin smiled as he observed Li Chuan's expression, hoping to find some clues.

But unfortunately, all of Li Chuan's reactions were perfectly normal, leaving him no room to find fault.

Could it not be him?

Song Jin felt a flicker of doubt.

When he received that note last night, he had wondered who could be so capable while also happening to have a grudge against Cao Yan.

After searching through his options, he found very few people who fit the criteria.

In a flash of inspiration, he had thought of Li Chuan.

But after meeting him, he began to doubt his own judgment.

Could such an act truly be carried out by a young man who had only just entered the Bright Force stage?

Even a severely wounded Cao Yan was not someone to be trifled with.

An ordinary Bright Force practitioner would likely perish under his desperate final counterattack.

Song Jin didn't detect anything unusual, but he kept his expression amiable:

"When I saw you that day, I felt we were kindred spirits. Now that matters have settled, I naturally wished to make your acquaintance."

Having said that, Song Jin gave a wink to Triangular Eyes behind him.

Triangular Eyes respectfully handed a box to Wang Xiumei.

Song Jin explained with a smile:

"Auntie, I had someone buy these sweet dumplings in the Inner City. It's just a small token of my sincerity; I wish you a happy New Year."

"Oh my, Gang Leader Song, you are too polite! Won't you stay for a meal?" Wang Xiumei beamed from ear to ear.

Song Jin waved his hand:

"Thank you for your kindness, Auntie, but I have other matters to attend to and must be going."

Song Jin turned around, but before leaving, he took one last deep look at Li Chuan.

It wasn't until his figure had faded into the distance that the crowd finally snapped back to reality.

The previous noisy chatter vanished, and everyone looked at Li Chuan with complex, awe-filled eyes.

Only now did they truly grasp that Li Chuan was no longer the person he used to be.

Even if the crowd didn't fully understand what Bright Force or Gate-Knocking meant, Song Jin's attitude was enough to give them a glimpse of the truth.

Soon, some of the sharper ones hurried forward, smiling obsequiously:

"Old Master Li, I forgot to pay for my breakfast here last time. I'm settling it now!"

Li Nian took the money and counted it, realizing the amount was wrong. When he tried to correct the man, he saw that he had already left.

That man often came to the shop for breakfast without paying; Li Nian had calculated it to be about thirty copper coins.

Yet, he had given a full hundred!

"Since when was Huang Laizi so honest? He still hasn't paid me the ten copper coins he owes for tea!" cursed Old Liu, who ran the tea shop.

"He has a capable grandson, what do you have?" someone else scoffed at his lack of self-awareness.

Old Liu flushed red:

"I'm sending my grandson to the Martial Hall right now!"

"Forget it. Do you think martial arts is that easy to train? In these ten miles and eight villages, A-Chuan is the only one who has reached Bright Force!"

While the two bickered, many others acted as if they had suddenly seen the light.

Those who had taken advantage of the Li family in the past all returned what they owed in full.

Li Nian naturally accepted them one by one with a smile, showing no signs of anything unusual.

This gesture, in turn, made many people feel grateful.

After half an hour of such polite pleasantries, the crowd finally dispersed.

Wang Xiumei grabbed Li Chuan:

"Chuan'er, I never expected you to be so capable!"

Grandmother Lin Shi and Aunt Qin Sanfeng also chimed in with endless praise.

But Li Qing felt that something was off.

Cao Yan had just died last night, and Song Jin had come to pay Li Chuan a New Year's visit?

Could it be...

Li Chuan smiled and interrupted them:

"Big Brother, it's getting late. I'll take you to practice martial arts."

"Go on, A-Qing, and learn a thing or two from A-Chuan!" Qin Sanfeng glared at Li Qing and urged him.

Li Qing followed Li Chuan to the open ground to lift stones, his mind filled with a thousand questions he wanted to ask.

Yet, when the words reached his lips, he felt there was nothing to ask.

No matter what, he was his own brother, bound by blood thicker than water.

That was enough.

Gradually, Li Qing stopped dwelling on the matter and focused on his training.

Li Chuan watched from the side and suddenly noticed that Li Qing's legs seemed more agile than his hands.

I cannot teach him the Thunder Shadow Leg directly, lest someone recognizes it and brings harm upon him, but I can extract a single movement from it.

Thinking this, Li Chuan suddenly said:

"Big Brother, I see you've practiced lifting stones enough. I'll teach you a new movement, but you must only practice it at home and never let outsiders see it."

Li Qing nodded heavily:

"Rest assured, A-Chuan, I know my limits."

After Li Chuan taught Li Qing, he watched from the side for a while longer.

He discovered that his big brother truly had a talent for leg techniques; in just a few moments, he was performing the movement quite well.

I must leave Anning County in the future. If Big Brother can master his martial arts, I won't have to worry about the safety of my family. Li Chuan nodded with satisfaction.

Immediately, he began practicing his stance work beside Li Qing.

There were only four months left until the Martial Exam.

Before the exam, he not only had to cultivate the Mountain-Holding Stance to perfection and break through to the Dark Force.

He also had to master both the Mountain-Shaking Fist and the Thunder Shadow Leg.

Only then would he have enough confidence to surpass the others in the Martial Exam and secure a spot in the top fifty!

The sun rose and set, and night quietly descended.

Qin Sanfeng watched the two of them working hard at their training and was suddenly filled with a sense of happiness.

Unwilling to break this beautiful moment, she waited a while longer before calling out:

"Come and eat the New Year's Eve dinner!"

Li Chuan looked at Li Qing, who was soaked in sweat, and smiled:

"Go change your clothes first."

After the two changed, they sat down at the dining table.

The damaged Eight Immortals table had become whole again; it looked as if it had been repaired.

Ever since I stopped needing my family to pay for my food, their lives have improved quite a bit. Li Chuan sighed inwardly.

This was the very meaning of his hard work in martial arts and earning money.

If possible, who wouldn't want their family to live a good life?

Li Chuan shifted his gaze to the dishes.

There was his favorite braised pork, the free-range chicken his aunt had raised, as well as spiced beef and braised pig trotters.

The most eye-catching dish was the large bowl of tangyuan placed right in the center.

Li Chuan reached out with his chopsticks:

"I must see what's so different about the tangyuan in the inner city!"

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Li Chuan's verdict.

Li Chuan popped a tangyuan into his mouth, chewed for a moment, and suddenly frowned:

"Why is it salty!"

Wang Xiumei rolled her eyes at him.

"Silly child, since when are tangyuan sweet!"

The crowd chimed in one after another in agreement.

Li Chuan felt somewhat helpless.

No matter what anyone said, he firmly believed:

Long live the sweet faction!