Han Family

"Who is Shi Hao?"

While the youths were practicing their stance arts, a group of outsiders suddenly arrived at the Martial Practice Yard.

At their head was a middle-aged man in his forties.

The man was slightly plump, fair-faced and beardless. He wore a long silk robe, with a smooth jade pendant hanging at his waist. Even his boots were clean and respectable. He looked as though he came from an entirely different world than these sweat-soaked, dust-faced mountain village youths in the Martial Practice Yard.

He called out to the crowd.

Several servants followed behind him, carrying gift boxes in their hands.

After recognizing the visitor, Chen Chong's expression eased slightly. He stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, "Shopkeeper Han, what brings you to our Hidden Dragon Martial Hall today?"

The middle-aged man, Han Qi, returned the greeting with a genial smile.

"Master Chen!"

He was the chief shopkeeper of Fragrance Gathering Tower.

This restaurant was quite well-known in the southern part of Scarlet Cloud County, ranking among the top three.

Chen Chong's gaze swept over the gift boxes. He had already guessed part of the reason, but he still asked, "Shopkeeper Han, have you come here on business?"

The smile on Han Qi's face deepened.

"Of course I have."

As he spoke, his gaze once again swept across the youths in the Martial Practice Yard.

"I heard your hall has produced a promising young talent who mastered the Coiling Dragon Stance Art in three days."

"Fifteen years old, born in Stone Bridge Village, named Shi Hao."

"Though my Han Family runs a restaurant and does business, we have always respected talented martial artists. Upon hearing of this today, I was delighted and wished to meet this outstanding young man."

Chen Chong's eyes flickered. He could not help but marvel at how well-informed these restaurant businessmen were. In less than three days, they had already learned the news.

Then he turned toward the crowd.

"Junior Brother Shi."

"Come over here."

Shi Hao was practicing his stance at one side of the Martial Practice Yard.

Hearing Chen Chong call for him, he slowly concluded his training and looked up at Han Qi's group.

"Shi Hao of Stone Bridge Village greets Shopkeeper Han." When he approached, Shi Hao cupped his fists.

Han Qi looked him over from head to toe.

A fifteen-year-old youth with a lean, sturdy frame and slightly dark skin. Between his brows and eyes lay the wildness and sharpness unique to a mountain boy.

"Truly, heroes emerge from the young!"

The smile on Han Qi's face became even more cordial.

"Brother Shi mastered the Coiling Dragon Stance Art in three days. Your future prospects are boundless."

As he spoke, he gestured to the servants behind him.

The servants immediately stepped forward and opened the gift boxes one by one, revealing neatly wrapped strips of fine meat.

"My Han Family operates Fragrance Gathering Tower. I dare not boast of anything else, but we can certainly provide some meat."

"Brother Shi is at the age when you must temper your sinews and bones and nurture your blood and vitality. What you lack most is meat."

"These are merely meeting gifts."

"From today onward, the fine meat Brother Shi needs for daily martial training will be supplied by my Han Family without limit."

"As long as you can eat it, the Han Family can provide it."

The moment those words fell, the Martial Practice Yard erupted in an uproar.

Unlimited fine meat!

These mountain village youths currently had limited daily portions of meat. Each person could only receive two pieces, nowhere near enough to replenish their daily consumption of blood and vitality.

Yet with a single word from Han Qi, it became an unlimited supply.

To them, this was something that could only appear in a dream.

Lu Yuan stood beside Lu Chen, his eyes wide and fixed.

"Brother Lu Chen, unlimited supply... I've never even had my fill of meat in my life!"

Han Qi seemed to feel that this was not enough.

He took out a red envelope from his sleeve and offered it to Shi Hao with both hands.

"Furthermore, my Han Family is willing to provide two taels of silver each month, so that Brother Shi may train in martial arts with peace of mind."

"This silver does not require you to do anything for the Han Family right now."

"I only hope that if Brother Shi truly breaks through to Blood Shift and becomes a martial artist one day, you will not forget the small bond of friendship forged today."

Clearly, Han Qi had come on behalf of Fragrance Gathering Tower to befriend Shi Hao in advance.

The world was in chaos, and martial artists were synonymous with strength. Restaurants feared troublemakers and needed martial artists who could hold down the fort.

Otherwise, brigands could easily sweep away the restaurant and the proprietor's wife in one pot.

Though Shi Hao was not yet a martial artist, the talent he had displayed made Han Qi think highly of him.

Making an early wager now would also help win his heart.

If they waited until Shi Hao became a martial artist before approaching him, they would lack the card of goodwill, and the price they would have to pay in the future would inevitably be far greater.

Chen Chong stood to one side, his expression shifting slightly.

An ordinary martial artist at the initial Blood Shift realm who held a post with a small family or shop usually received about two taels of silver a month.

For the Han Family to offer such terms to a youth who had not even broken through yet showed their sincerity. It also showed that they truly thought highly of Shi Hao and believed his future achievements would never stop at the initial Blood Shift realm.

Shi Hao looked at the red envelope in Han Qi's hand, and his breathing noticeably quickened for a moment.

Two taels of silver.

His father risked his life hunting in the mountains, yet might not earn two taels in a month.

In Stone Bridge Village, two taels of silver was enough to let an entire family speak with their backs straight.

And now, so long as he reached out and accepted it, the silver would be his.

There was also the unlimited supply of fine meat.

Shi Hao's heart thudded heavily.

He instinctively looked at Chen Chong.

Chen Chong said nothing.

Han Qi, meanwhile, smiled and said, "Brother Shi, there is no need for concern."

"I have already paid a visit to Hall Master Qin regarding this matter."

"Hall Master Qin said that the Han Family's willingness to support martial talents is a good thing. It will help Scarlet Cloud County's martial path flourish."

"All that remains is for Brother Shi to agree."

Upon hearing this, Shi Hao's last trace of hesitation vanished.

Since even the hall master had approved, there was naturally no problem with accepting this gift.

He reached out and took the red envelope, then cupped his fists. "Thank you, Shopkeeper Han, for thinking so highly of me."

"If I, Shi Hao, break through to Blood Shift and become a martial artist in the future, I will never forget today's kindness."

Hearing this, Han Qi's smile immediately became even more satisfied.

"Good!"

"With those words from Brother Shi, that is enough."

As he spoke, he patted Shi Hao's shoulder again, his tone as affectionate as if he were looking at one of his own juniors.

"Train well."

"With talent like yours, you should not be held back by meat."

"From now on, every morning, I will have Fragrance Gathering Tower send fine meat to the martial hall."

"If you lack anything else, simply have someone send word to Fragrance Gathering Tower."

After the Han Family's visit, the youths trained even harder.

If martial arts changing one's fate had once been nothing more than a rumor, they had now witnessed firsthand the changes martial training could bring.

When Han Qi placed real gold and silver into Shi Hao's hands, the youths truly saw the value of a martial artist.

"I, Shi Shaojie, will become the second genius to master the stance art!"

From within the crowd, a youth who, like Shi Hao, came from Stone Bridge Village shouted loudly.

"Fuck you, Shi Shaojie! I will!" another youth shot back.

Chen Chong watched the youths in the Martial Practice Yard fervently practice the Coiling Dragon Stance, his brows sinking slightly. He surveyed the youths on the field and murmured, "I wonder whether a second Shi Hao can emerge from this batch of youths."

Then he shook his head. "Getting one was already a stroke of tremendous luck."

Mastering the Coiling Dragon Stance Art in three days—such a promising talent was rare even across all of Scarlet Cloud County.

When Chen Chong's gaze swept over Lu Chen and Ma Sanjin, however, a trace of appreciation appeared on his face. "These two youths have been steady and diligent these past few days. No matter what happens, they focus only on the stance art."

"Judging by how they improve day by day... they should master the Coiling Dragon Stance within a few more days."