Sponsorship

Lu Chen returned to Lu Family Village under cover of night.

Inside the house, Zhou Yun sat by the bed, watching over Lu Shan.

Lu Shan lay half-reclined on a straw mat, his face waxen yellow, his chest wrapped in cloth strips. Whenever he coughed, even once, pain made his brow knot tightly.

After he had been injured by the Mountain Patrol Team, the villagers had scraped together some money to barely get him medicine.

At that moment, movement sounded outside. Zhou Yun turned to look.

When she saw Lu Chen, delight first flashed across her face, only for her to hurriedly rise and say, "Chen? Why have you come back at this hour? Don't you need to practice at the martial hall?"

Looking at his mother's haggard face, Lu Chen felt a pang in his heart.

Only a few days had passed, yet Zhou Yun seemed to have aged several years.

He entered the house, took out the money pouch from his robes, and placed it in Zhou Yun's hands.

He had taken it from Ge Ming and Zhao Sihu. Less than three days after the two had extorted the money from the villagers, they had spent it until only a few taels of loose silver remained.

"Th-This... where did this come from?"

Zhou Yun grasped Lu Chen's hand and examined him from head to toe.

Then she noticed the faint bloody scrape on Lu Chen's face. Concern filled her eyes as she asked, "Chen, how did you get hurt? Did you cause trouble outside?"

Lu Chen shook his head. "No."

"I scraped it while practicing fists. It's nothing serious."

Then he clasped Zhou Yun's hand in return and said, "Mother, I borrowed this money from a senior brother at the martial hall. Take it for now. Buy medicine for Father and let him recover in peace."

After spending the night with his parents, Lu Chen hurried back to the martial hall to train.

He wanted to work even harder, become a martial artist as soon as possible, earn money, and bring both his parents into the city.

The afternoon sun was exceptionally dazzling.

At the Martial Practice Yard, Lu Chen sparred and exchanged moves with Senior Brother Chen Chong as usual.

Bang!

Their arms collided with a dull thud.

Chen Chong's brow furrowed slightly as he took half a step back.

Recently, he had vaguely sensed that Lu Chen's punching style had become somewhat different from before.

Every punch and every palm strike carried a fierce, murderous air—a ruthless edge.

"Again!"

At that moment, Lu Chen gave a low shout. Giving Chen Chong no chance to catch his breath, he stamped his foot down, his right arm darting out like a dragon and serpent. His punch came fast and tricky.

Chen Chong raised an arm to block. The instant their arms touched, he felt Lu Chen's force coil up along his wrist bone, like an azure dragon winding around his arm, seeking to press through the center gate.

Had Chen Chong not promptly driven his blood and qi, forcibly shaking off that entanglement, Lu Chen might truly have slipped into his guard.

A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes.

This kid was improving far too quickly.

After exchanging more than ten moves, Chen Chong grew increasingly alarmed. Lu Chen's strength was clearly still inferior to his, but the changes in his fist techniques were becoming more vicious and more precise, as though every move knew exactly where to land in order to cripple an enemy fastest.

At last, Chen Chong knocked Lu Chen back with a palm strike and said heavily, "Stop!"

Lu Chen immediately withdrew his fists. His chest rose and fell slightly, while sweat dripped from his forehead down his chin.

Chen Chong looked at him and slowly said, "Lu Chen, your fist technique is about to reach minor mastery. Your moves are sharp and chilling—even I am nearly unable to withstand them."

Lu Chen cupped his fist. "Thank you for sparring with me and guiding me, Senior Brother."

Before his eyes, a transparent screen silently appeared:

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

[Progress: 257/300]

Lu Chen's gaze tightened.

His fist technique needed only another sixth of its progress before entering the realm of minor mastery.

Chen Chong noticed the faint scrape on Lu Chen's face, which had long since scabbed over.

Did this kid take leave that day to go home and kill someone?

His thoughts stirred as he recalled that Lu Chen had taken leave to return home a few days ago. After coming back, he had carried a trace of bloodlust.

He had also heard that Lu Chen's father had been injured by those ruffians from the Mountain Patrol Team.

Those Mountain Patrol Team members had practiced martial arts, but they could not make a living in the county seat. They could only roam the mountains and forests, bullying poor villagers.

Those people may merely be worthless trash skulking through the mountains, but they have all practiced martial arts. I heard one of them is even a martial artist.

Could he have beaten them to death?

Avenged his father?

As he thought of this, the look in Chen Chong's eyes when he regarded Lu Chen immediately changed.

This kid is a ruthless one.

Chen Chong thought to himself.

Yet Chen Chong did not find it distasteful. Instead, he appreciated him even more.

In these times, weakness and forbearance could not buy a path to survival.

What mattered was who had the harder fist!

After pondering for a moment, Chen Chong suddenly said to Lu Chen, "Lu Chen, I'll treat you to dinner tonight."

Lu Chen was startled when he heard that.

He and Senior Brother Chen Chong had a good relationship, but they had only sparred and exchanged guidance in their daily routine. Being suddenly invited to dinner came as something of a surprise.

But he quickly recovered and cupped his fist. "Then I'll thank Senior Brother in advance for your hospitality!"

Lu Chen would not stand on ceremony with his senior brother over a free dinner.

When evening training ended, Chen Chong led Lu Chen out of the martial hall. Upon arriving at Little Prosperity Tower, Lu Chen knew this meal was certainly not just a casual dinner.

Though Little Prosperity Tower was not as luxurious as Fragrance Gathering Tower, it was still one of Scarlet Cloud Town's better-ranked restaurants.

The two went up to the second floor.

As they pushed open the private room door, the steaming fragrance of food washed over them.

Several dishes had already been laid out on the table: braised beef tendons, steamed river fish, stewed chicken soup, and a plate of thinly sliced soy-braised beef.

Lu Chen normally ate only communal pot meals at the martial hall. He had never seen such refined dishes.

Now that he smelled the meat, his stomach gave an uncooperative little growl.

Inside the private room, a middle-aged man in his forties was already waiting.

The man wore a blue long robe. His features were broad and honest, and his brows and eyes bore some resemblance to Chen Chong's, though his bearing was steadier. Clearly, he was not from an ordinary household.

"Lu Chen, this is my father, Chen Yue."

Chen Chong introduced him.

When Lu Chen saw Chen Yue, he was first taken aback, then politely bowed. "Greetings, Uncle Chen."

Chen Yue rose with a smile. "No need for formalities."

He looked Lu Chen over from head to toe, satisfaction showing in his eyes.

"Lu Chen, I often hear Chong mention you. Seeing you in person truly surpasses hearing of you—you are a young hero."

Lu Chen smiled. "You flatter me, Uncle Chen."

Chen Chong motioned for him to sit. "Eat first. We can talk while we eat."

After Lu Chen sat down, Chen Yue personally poured him a cup of tea.

That made Lu Chen even more certain that today's meal was no ordinary banquet.

He looked at Chen Chong, then at Chen Yue, and asked directly, "Uncle Chen, may I ask why you invited me to dinner today?"

The smile in Chen Yue's eyes deepened.

Rather than being displeased by Lu Chen's frankness, he nodded.

"Straightforward."

Chen Yue set down the teapot. "But there's no rush. Eat first and try Little Prosperity Tower's cooking."

"Their soy-braised beef is the best in Scarlet Cloud County."

Since that was the case, Lu Chen did not stand on ceremony and began to eat with great relish.

Chen Chong had also grown hungry after a full day of martial training. The two of them wolfed down the food, clearing the entire table in less than a quarter hour.

After seeing the two finish eating, Chen Yue personally poured Lu Chen another cup of tea.

"Lu Chen, Chong has told me about your background."

"It is not easy for you to be alone in the county seat, with no one at home to look after you. And the road of martial arts is fraught with countless hardships."

"My Chen Family runs a small shop in the county seat. We cannot be called wealthy or noble, but we can certainly spare a few taels of silver in daily support for you."

Lu Chen was truly surprised by this.

"Uncle Chen, do you wish to sponsor my martial training?"

He looked at Chen Yue, then turned to Chen Chong.

Chen Yue nodded at Lu Chen. "That's right, Lu Chen. Chong has told me of your foundation. Our Chen Family thinks highly of you and wishes to make a friend of you."

Lu Chen was astonished. "But I am not even a martial artist yet!"

Clearly, Lu Chen had never expected to be valued so highly by others and receive sponsorship before breaking through to become a martial artist.

Chen Chong patted Lu Chen's shoulder at this point. "Lu Chen, your comprehension and natural build are both good, but your nutritional and medicinal supplements cannot keep up."

"On the path of martial arts, perseverance alone is not enough. You also need money."

Chen Yue picked up the thread and continued, "Lu Chen, for now, we can sponsor you with two taels of silver each month. You do not need to do anything for my Chen Family in return. You need only focus on training."

"Once you break through and become a martial artist, we will also improve your treatment."

"Two taels?" Lu Chen exclaimed in surprise.

Chen Yue said, "If you think it is too little, we can discuss it further."

"No, no, Uncle Chen, you misunderstand. This is already a great deal of money!" Lu Chen hurriedly explained.

Two taels of silver was already a considerable sum to Lu Chen. It could buy twenty bowls of Body-Strengthening Soup.

And it was being given to him for free!

Chen Yue was equally decisive. He immediately took out two taels of silver from his sleeve and handed them to Lu Chen.

"This is for this month. From now on, I will have Chong give it to you every month."

Lu Chen accepted it at once, deeply grateful. "Thank you, Uncle Chen."

Since the other party thought so highly of him, Lu Chen naturally could not refuse, nor did he have any reason to.

After Lu Chen left, Chen Yue and Chen Chong, father and son, remained alone in the private room.

Standing by the window and watching Lu Chen's departing figure, Chen Yue said to Chen Chong, "Chong, do you truly believe this mountain boy can become a martial artist who has achieved great mastery in Blood Moving?"

Chen Chong nodded. "Father, though your son may be no great talent in martial arts, my eye for people is still accurate."

"I believe that my Junior Brother Lu will certainly make a name for himself in Scarlet Cloud County someday!"

A martial artist who had achieved great mastery in Blood Moving was enough to be called an expert in Scarlet Cloud County.

With the Chen Family's strength, they could never hope to curry favor with such an expert. Only by placing their bet before he rose to prominence could they possibly forge a friendship with him.