Two Bowls of Meat

"Brother Zhao said Dragon-Elephant Academy was no ordinary martial arts school. Getting in was exceedingly difficult.

Ordinary people could only qualify to be selected after becoming a first-class martial scholar.

Its foundations ran deep. Whatever one wanted to learn, there would be someone inside to teach it. Even if the Broken Mountain Fist had not been included there,

there would definitely be martial arts techniques better suited to Lin Hu and Liu Mingze's cultivation.

Most importantly, the two had exceptional innate talent. Dragon-Elephant Academy would certainly not let them slip away.

They would surely rack their brains to keep them there.

Yet the two of them had suddenly returned, insisting they wanted to support their master in his old age.

No matter how one listened to it, something was off!"

After the excitement came clarity. Duan Xuan had not been swept up in the martial school's joy,

nor had he let it rush to his head.

If the two had resisted the allure of Dragon-Elephant Academy and returned because they wished to become personal disciples, that would naturally be a good thing.

It would show that they possessed steadfast character and could accomplish great things in the future.

But Duan Xuan only felt that something strange was going on. Why had they become so eager to be personal disciples after one trip to the academy?

Could they have received guidance from some expert?

Or did they truly wish to take charge for their master in his old age and strengthen the Mountain-Breaking Stance martial school?

Duan Xuan did not know. He could not put his finger on what was strange about it, and before he knew it, he had reached the Benevolent Harmony Hall herb garden on the village's back mountain.

"With the martial examinations drawing near, the martial school will surely grow busier and busier.

Apart from learning new moves from Master, I should devote the rest of my time to improving my Broken Mountain Fist and Broken Mountain Stake Method!"

His innate talent was weak and his qi and blood low. Watching Lin Hu and the other man achieve hidden force in just three months,

it would have been impossible for Duan Xuan to feel nothing, but that was all.

After all, martial arts were never won in a single morning or evening. What mattered was the steady accumulation of days and months, an unceasing torrent!

He glanced at the large pit nearby that he had personally dug. The corpses had all been dug up and whipped by the Golden Leopard Gang. Shaking his head, he entered the herb garden.

"Little Brother Duan, it has been some time since we last met, hasn't it?" The moment he opened the herb garden gate,

Duan Xuan saw Zhou Wei standing beside a patch of medicinal fields with his hands behind his back, smiling as he waved to him.

Ren Yun, the young master of Benevolent Harmony Hall, sat nearby with a cane in hand. Upon seeing Duan Xuan, he quickly rose to his feet.

Duan Xuan greeted him. Ren Yun examined him carefully before saying, "It has only been a few days, yet Brother Duan's overt force has grown increasingly steady.

Your qi and blood are fuller as well. At this rate, if you continue strengthening your qi and blood, attaining hidden force in the future will surely be as easy as turning over one's hand."

Duan Xuan did not respond. Zhou Ping went straight to the point. "According to the new gang members at Snakehead Ravine,

Wolf Stronghold has already been wiped out. The last dozen or so corpses were found right beneath the slope of our herb garden.

Did Little Brother Duan slaughter all these men by yourself?"

Duan Xuan still said nothing, but his vigilance had risen to its peak.

"Little Brother, do not be nervous. This old man means nothing else by it. We came today because my young master wishes to discuss patronage with you."

Only then did Duan Xuan become interested.

"I was the one who underestimated Brother Duan at the time. I thought you were merely an ordinary overt force martial artist.

I never expected you to give me such a surprise. I hope you will not hold past grievances against me!"

When the two learned that the twelve remaining bandits of Wolf Stronghold, including a seasoned overt force expert, had all died around the herb garden,

their first reaction had been that the Golden Leopard Gang had helped them settle the trouble.

But after investigating, they were astonished to discover that the Golden Leopard Gang had not even dared enter this area.

From beginning to end, Duan Xuan had been the only person in the herb garden.

One man had dealt with twelve, without suffering the slightest injury.

And he was merely a martial artist who had only just stepped into overt force.

He had not even stabilized his foundation for long, yet he had accomplished such a feat. His methods were surely extraordinary.

Moreover, he had kept a low profile throughout. If it had been anyone else, they might have long since come banging drums and beating gongs to Benevolent Harmony Hall, demanding benefits.

More importantly, there were two other points.

A poor man like Duan Xuan had broken through to overt force despite being in a state of weak qi and blood. That spoke of great perseverance and tenacity.

And when the wolf pack had attacked the herb garden, he had neither called for help nor fled.

That proved he possessed great courage and wisdom, and that he valued loyalty and righteousness.

Such a person was precisely the kind of martial artist Benevolent Harmony Hall needed.

Duan Xuan weighed the pros and cons in his heart.

Seeing this, Ren Yun did not press him. He merely stood to one side and quietly awaited Duan Xuan's answer.

After a moment, Duan Xuan set aside his thoughts, and Ren Yun spoke at the right time. "Though Benevolent Harmony Hall has fallen on hard times,

it is peaceful here, and there are not many other troublesome matters.

In ordinary times, Duan Xuan may receive double pay: one portion for holding a post, and one portion as patronage.

The patronage is freely given by us. Duan Xuan need not do anything for it. Fifteen taels every month, plus fifteen jin of meat.

What does Brother Duan think?"

Hearing this, Duan Xuan was tempted. After killing all the Wolf Stronghold members, aside from that qi and blood pill and a cultivation manual,

the money Duan Xuan had obtained was far less than the patronage offered by Benevolent Harmony Hall. Besides, Senior Brother Zhang Chen had said before

that patronage meant someone had recognized your potential and wished to forge a good bond. It was not a contract of servitude.

"Thank you for your esteem, Young Master Ren!"

Zhou Wei and Ren Yun exchanged a glance, and the stone in their hearts finally dropped to the ground.

"This is a packet of qi and blood powder. From now on, Benevolent Harmony Hall will also provide an additional packet of qi and blood powder every month. I hope Brother Duan will not refuse!"

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Duan Xuan watched the two leave the herb garden. Benevolent Harmony Hall's kindness had already taken root in his heart.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

That evening, Duan Xuan walked home in high spirits, carrying the money and meat provided by Benevolent Harmony Hall.

The previous patronage had only been made up not long ago, and he had not even finished eating or spending it all. Yet just after the beginning of the month, Benevolent Harmony Hall had immediately sent someone to deliver more to Duan Xuan.

But when he reached the wooden fence gate of his home, which he had recently refitted, Duan Xuan's expression darkened.

From far away, he had seen his second uncle Duan Tao and second aunt strutting off together, each seeming to carry something in their hands.

But by the time he reached his doorway, the two had already turned at the village entrance, and they had not even shut the gate.

After closing it, Duan Xuan hurried into the house. Sure enough, his mother Zhou Fang's face was as black as iron.

"Mother, what happened? I saw Second Uncle and Second Aunt come by just now!"

Zhou Fang said angrily, "The old man sent them over. They actually came to ask us for money?

Back then, they would not even lend you money to learn a trade. Now they say...

Duan Xu is about to break through to hidden force, and they want to borrow some money to buy him qi and blood pills!"

"I was so furious, but this leg of mine can only barely get me out of bed. After I drove them away, they actually took the meat you pickled yesterday!"

The more Zhou Fang spoke, the angrier she became, as though even her hair were about to catch fire.

Ever since Duan Xuan had returned that night and been refused by Duan Jiantao, Zhou Fang had no favorable feelings left for them.

What obedience to the three virtues and four duties? What respect for one's elders?

All of it was bullshit! When her husband, Duan Jian, had been seized by the imperial court and the family had been so poor they could not even lift the lid off the cooking pot, none of them had offered a helping hand.

Now they smelled the meat in the house and saw the newly repaired wooden gate, and they thought to come borrow money? How could there be such a good deal under heaven!

Duan Xuan quickly took his mother's hand and soothed her. "Mother, don't panic, don't be angry. I'll go get the meat back!"

Duan Xuan was not a petty person, but his second uncle had gone too far. He knew full well that Mother was alone at home.

She was bedridden and ill, unable to get up, yet he had come to demand money and then stolen the meat. Yes, stolen it!

Duan Xuan did not even need to think to know that his second uncle and aunt would surely act as though it were only right, then drag out that same set of lecturing and bullying excuses. The thought of it made him sick.

Seeing Duan Xuan blazing with rage, Zhou Fang hurriedly clasped her son's hand in return. "Once, twice, but never a third time.

They are not worth making you this angry, my son. Calm down. Mother hid another piece of meat for you in the pot!"