A Spendthrift

The Cheng Family ancestral residence.

Cheng Heng's grandfather was leisurely basking in the sun in the courtyard, humming a little tune, utterly at ease.

Bang!

The front gate was pushed open. Cheng Qi had returned from the Thunderclap Martial Academy in the Inner City.

Cheng Heng's grandfather hurriedly rose to his feet and asked:

"Qi'er, you're back. How did your training go today?"

Cheng Qi's eyes darted around as he leaned close to the old man and asked tentatively:

"Grandfather, there's something I want to tell you!"

Old Master Cheng frowned and said:

"What is it? Go ahead."

"Well... well, lots of disciples at the academy are buying Blood-Qi Pills to speed up their training. I want to buy a few too, to nourish my body."

Old Master Cheng's brow furrowed tightly.

"How many taels of silver does one Blood-Qi Pill cost?"

Cheng Qi had to pay two taels of silver in tuition to the Thunderclap Martial Academy every month. He had been studying martial arts for four months now, costing eight taels in total. The old-age savings he had painstakingly accumulated over the years were nearly gone!

Old Master Cheng had worked hard for most of his life and saved only a little money for his retirement. Nearly all of it had been spent on the second son's family, while the eldest branch had not benefited at all.

Cheng Qi paused before saying:

"One Blood-Qi Pill costs two taels of silver. I want to buy five!"

"How much?"

The moment Old Master Cheng heard the price of the Blood-Qi Pills, he was badly startled. Even if he pooled every last bit of the family's wealth, he could not buy many pills!

"Qi'er? Didn't you say that once you reached Bright Force, you could take up an official post and earn an income?"

"How is that post coming along?"

Old Master Cheng took a moment to recover. Rather than agreeing at once, he asked Cheng Qi about taking up a post.

At those words, Cheng Qi immediately frowned. "Grandfather, many of my senior brothers at the Thunderclap Martial Academy are supported by their families. All they need to do is focus on training. Who takes up a post?"

"If I went out to take a post, people at the academy would look down on me!"

"And those Blood-Qi Pills—my senior brothers at the academy eat them like candy every day. I've barely had a few myself. If this continues, my cultivation will fall behind theirs!"

"How am I supposed to take part in next year's Martial Examination then?"

Hearing Cheng Qi's words, Old Master Cheng remained silent for a long while!

Cheng Qi's participation in the Martial Examination was a major matter and could not be delayed in the slightest. He was the only one in the family learning martial arts, and the Cheng Family was counting on him to rank highly in the Martial Examination and bring glory to their ancestors!

Even if they had to tighten their belts, they still had to support Qi'er's purchase of Blood-Qi Pills!

With that thought, Old Master Cheng shakily rose to his feet and entered the main hall. After a while, he emerged carrying a box wrapped in coarse cloth.

"Qi'er, there are ten taels of silver in here. This is the family's last savings. Take it and buy Blood-Qi Pills. Next year, you must bring back a ranking from the Martial Examination!"

Though reluctant, Old Master Cheng still gritted his teeth and said it.

"Thank you, Grandfather!"

"Don't worry about next year's Martial Examination!"

Beaming with delight, Cheng Qi took the ten taels of silver and darted back to the Inner City in a flash.

Upon arriving in the Inner City, Cheng Qi was just about to find a pharmacy and buy Blood-Qi Pills for cultivation.

Just then, a rather teasing voice reached Cheng Qi's ears.

"Junior Brother Cheng, hold on!"

Cheng Qi turned around and saw a pale-faced young man in brocade robes, with an imposing bearing, walking toward him. Four or five tall, burly attendants followed behind him.

Though the man was tall, he reeked of rouge. One glance was enough to tell that wine and women had hollowed out his body.

"So it's Senior Brother Qian. What can I do for you?"

The newcomer was named Qian Xu, a descendant of the Qian Family, one of the Inner City's four great families. He trained at the Thunderclap Martial Academy alongside Cheng Qi.

Though Cheng Qi did not know what the other man intended, he still asked.

"Hahaha, it's been a long time since I last had a chat with Junior Brother Cheng!"

Qian Xu laughed heartily and approached Cheng Qi with apparent warmth.

He then enthusiastically draped an arm over Cheng Qi's shoulders and continued:

"Junior Brother Cheng, you and I are both disciples of the Thunderclap Martial Academy, and we happened to meet here today. As the junior brother, shouldn't you show a little hospitality?"

"Come, Junior Brother Cheng. Let's go to the Gathered Worthy Pavilion and celebrate!"

Without giving Cheng Qi any chance to refuse, he dragged him toward the Gathered Worthy Pavilion.

The Gathered Worthy Pavilion was one of Gaoyang County's finest restaurants, and its prices were exorbitant—far beyond what an Outer City man like Cheng Qi could afford!

Cheng Qi looked troubled and stammered:

"Senior Brother Qian, I came today to buy Blood-Qi Pills. Another day—another day, I'll definitely treat you to a proper drink!"

"Hm? Is Junior Brother Cheng looking down on me? We're only having a small gathering at the Gathered Worthy Pavilion. It won't delay you for long. There are also many senior brothers from other great families coming along. I'll introduce you to them. You can't miss this opportunity!"

Qian Xu gave Cheng Qi no chance to refuse.

"This... this..."

Though Cheng Qi hesitated aloud, he also wanted to seize this opportunity to connect with influential figures in the Inner City. In the end, he followed Qian Xu to the Gathered Worthy Pavilion.

About two hours later, Cheng Qi staggered drunkenly out of the Gathered Worthy Pavilion alongside a group of luxuriously dressed youths.

When the bill came, Cheng Qi was the one who paid. One meal had cost him a full seven taels of silver!

Though it pained him, he had finally met quite a few wealthy young men from the Inner City today, and he felt the money had been well spent!

Cheng Qi bid the group farewell at the restaurant entrance, then prepared to return to the pharmacy and use the few taels of silver remaining in his hand to buy Blood-Qi Pills.

Before parting, the other four or five wealthy youths had called Cheng Qi brother, as though they truly regarded him as one of their own.

After Cheng Qi left, a mocking smile appeared on Qian Xu's lips. Then a similarly pale-faced youth beside him asked:

"Brother Qian, where did you drag up this country bumpkin? Just because he bought us one meal, he thinks he can become brothers with us? He should take a look at how much he weighs first!"

Qian Xu watched Cheng Qi's retreating figure vanish around the street corner, his face filled with disdain.

"A country bumpkin from the Outer City, desperately trying to climb upward. We give him the slightest opening, and look at him—doesn't he come crawling over to curry favor with us?"

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

The people around him burst into laughter. Then they returned to their respective homes, scattering like birds and beasts.

Cheng Qi thought he had forged ties with influential figures from the Inner City. Little did he know that, in the eyes of these upper-class people, Outer City men like him were no more than ants beneath their feet.

This was a farce whose ending had long since been written.

For those at the bottom to truly break through the barriers of class in this chaotic age, they could rely only on their own strength!

If Bright Force was not enough, then Hidden Force. If Hidden Force was not enough, then Skill-Transforming Force!

Unfortunately, Cheng Qi did not understand this truth.

Rather than wasting time on meaningless socializing, it was better to devote all one's energy to martial cultivation. Only when one's strength matched theirs would they open their eyes and truly look at you!