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At noon, the outer courtyard disciples gathered in the dining hall.

Steam billowed through the dining hall. Freshly scooped rice filled wooden buckets, while the aroma of meat soup mingled with sweat and voices, packing the whole room with clamor.

"Have you heard? Several groups came this morning, all here for Shi Hao."

"Of course I heard! The escort agency, medicine shops, Fragrance Gathering Tower, and even the Huang Family of East City all sent people."

"Tsk, tsk. He only just broke through, and so many people already have their eyes on him. Shi Hao has really made something of himself."

"We should call him Senior Brother Shi from now on. He's the hall master's personal disciple now!"

Several outer courtyard disciples huddled together with their bowls, talking animatedly.

Lu Chen and Ma Sanjin sat nearby and heard every word clearly.

With his mouth stuffed with rice, Ma Sanjin asked indistinctly, "What do they want with Shi Hao? Didn't the Han Family already send him meat?"

Guo Sheng, seated nearby, heard that and chuckled as he shifted over.

"Sending meat is one thing. Taking a post is another."

"Shi Hao has cultivated Blood Qi and become a true martial artist. Plenty of factions have their eyes on him and want him to take a post with them."

"From now on, he'll have silver pouring in!"

Ma Sanjin's eyes lit up. "More silver?"

Guo Sheng said, "For an ordinary martial artist at the initial Blood-Moving Realm, it isn't unusual to earn one or two taels of silver a month by lending their name to a small shop or a minor family. Normally, they don't need to work every day. As long as they show up to lend support when trouble comes knocking, they've done their duty."

"But Shi Hao is the hall master's personal disciple. He broke through to the Blood-Moving Realm and became a martial artist at fifteen. Hiring him will definitely cost a hefty sum!"

"Although the Han Family previously offered two taels of silver a month, that was when Shi Hao hadn't become a martial artist yet. Now that the tide has risen, two taels won't be enough to secure him."

Someone immediately chimed in, "I heard from the inner courtyard that Manager Han from Fragrance Gathering Tower offered five taels of silver a month, and he'll keep supplying fine meat."

"Five taels?" Ma Sanjin was stunned.

"Five taels of silver a month is already a very high offer for a martial artist at the initial Blood-Moving Realm!"

Guo Sheng picked up the thread. "But Shi Hao is the hall master's personal disciple. That status alone has raised his worth by a great deal!"

Unable to wrap his head around it, Ma Sanjin asked, "Why's that?"

Guo Sheng glanced at Ma Sanjin, but patiently explained, "Hiring Shi Hao is the same as forging ties with the hall master. If they run into trouble Shi Hao can't handle in the future, they can ask Shi Hao to invite the hall master to step in!"

Ma Sanjin suddenly understood. "So that's how it is!"

Someone nearby said, "The Han Family only runs a single restaurant. They definitely can't compete with the others. This time, even people from the Farview Escort Agency came, along with the Huang Family of East City."

Someone could not help asking, "Is the Farview Escort Agency and the Huang Family that powerful?"

An older outer courtyard disciple snorted. "What would mountain folk like you know about the ways of the county seat?"

"The Farview Escort Agency travels the trade routes year-round and keeps quite a few martial artists under its command. Escorting shipments, protecting cargo, traversing mountain paths—they rely on fists and blades."

"As for the Huang Family of East City, there's even less need to say. They run the county's largest medicine shop, and they also do business in rice and meat. Their family has even produced a martial artist at the great completion of the Blood-Moving Realm. They're considered prominent figures in Scarlet Cloud County."

"How can the Han Family, with just one restaurant, compare?"

Someone immediately added, "Right. I heard the Farview Escort Agency's offer isn't low—ten taels of silver a month, plus Blood-Qi Powder."

"Ten taels! That much money?"

Ma Sanjin had been shoveling rice into his mouth. Hearing that number, he nearly choked.

He jerked his head up, his eyes widening into circles.

"And ten taels a month? Wouldn't that be one hundred and twenty taels a year?"

Lu Yuan was also dumbstruck. He muttered, "Forget a year. My family has never seen that much silver in an entire lifetime."

"Then will Shi Hao choose the Farview Escort Agency?"

A youth from Shi Hao's village spoke up. "Hard to say. The Han Family was the first to place their bet. They gave him fine meat and silver, so there's goodwill there. Brother Shi Hao remembers old ties. He probably won't cast the Han Family aside so easily."

Guo Sheng shook his head. "You're all too young. You don't understand a thing."

"What Shi Hao truly needs to consider is the hall master's wishes."

The others turned to look at Guo Sheng.

Guo Sheng continued, "He is now a member of the Hidden Dragon Martial Hall, and the hall master has accepted him as a personal disciple. Which family he takes a post with is no longer his business alone."

"If he chooses well, he can build connections for the martial hall."

"If he chooses poorly and damages the martial hall's reputation, do you think the hall master will be pleased?"

Hearing this, Lu Chen gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between the martial hall and the county's various powers.

There was envy in Guo Sheng's voice, along with a trace of bitterness he could not put into words. "A fifteen-year-old in the Blood-Moving Realm."

"He might even pass the martial scholar examination someday."

"To the hall master, someone like that is a money tree."

"If those factions want to pull him over this time, how can they avoid bleeding heavily?"

That afternoon, everyone received word that Shi Hao had not chosen Fragrance Gathering Tower, but the Huang Family of East City.

The Huang Family had offered Shi Hao a monthly salary of ten taels of silver.

On top of that, the Huang Family directly betrothed their youngest daughter to Shi Hao. An engagement was made, and they would marry once Shi Hao passed the martial scholar examination.

Lu Yuan's eyes went wide. "That little Shi really soared into the sky in a single leap!"

"Just a month ago, he was a poor boy like us. Now he's become the son-in-law of a great family in the county seat!"

Lu Chen could not help sighing. "Martial arts really can change one's fate. I need to train like mad!"

Then Lu Chen headed straight for the Martial Practice Yard without looking back.

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.

Lu Chen practiced the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist in the Martial Practice Yard.

His feet shifted, and power followed from his waist and hips. The force traveled up his spine to his shoulders and arms, then lashed out through both arms in long arcs.

With Azure Dragon Probes the Sea, his arm came down like a long whip. Then came Dragon Tail Sweeps Horizontally, his arms sweeping outward with the rotation of his waist and hips. The force of the wind swept past, fierce and domineering.

He followed it with Azure Dragon Shakes Its Scales. His wrist suddenly trembled, releasing a short burst of force that struck the wooden post with a sharp smack.

The wooden post immediately shook without end.

After finishing the set, Lu Chen withdrew his fists. His chest rose and fell, and a thin sheen of sweat beaded on his forehead.

He looked at the transparent panel appearing before him.

[Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist: Beginner]

[Progress: 148/300]

Sparring with Senior Brother Chen Chong these past days has greatly accelerated my progress in the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist. In another half month, I should be able to break into the minor mastery realm!

Lu Chen thought to himself, satisfaction appearing on his face.

Even some martial artists at the initial Blood-Moving Realm might not have mastered a fist technique to the minor mastery realm, yet Lu Chen might be able to cultivate the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist to minor mastery before becoming a martial artist.

Once his Blood Qi emerged in the future, the power of his fist technique would surely rise to another level.

Just then, Lu Yuan came running over in a panic.

"Brother Lu Chen, something's wrong!"

"Uncle Lu Shan is in trouble!"

Lu Chen's gaze sharpened, his expression turning grave. "What did you say?"

"What happened to my father?"

Lu Yuan was so out of breath from running that he had to gasp several times before replying, "It's the mountain patrol!"

"The mountain patrol came to collect patrol fees again!"

"It hasn't even been a month. Why have they come again?" Lu Chen asked for details.

Lu Yuan said, "They said bandits from Black Wind Stronghold came down the mountain to rob grain, and they drove the bandits away. But one of their men got injured, so they need money for treatment."

Lu Chen naturally did not believe it. This was nothing more than an excuse the mountain patrol had concocted for extortion.

"What happened to my father?" Lu Chen pressed for the important point.

"Uncle Lu Shan couldn't pay, so the mountain patrol beat him up. Hurry back and take a look," Lu Yuan said anxiously.

At those words, Lu Chen flew into a towering rage.

"Damn it!"