The Eerie Flesh!

The moment Zhang Fang saw Zhou Chen return, tears burst forth. She grabbed Zhou Chen with hands covered in bloody cracks and calluses, trembling as she said, "Son! Your father, your father was beaten by your uncle and grandfather! They even stole the money we'd saved for your martial arts training, saying it was for your cousin!"

"What?!"

Zhou Chen felt his mind buzz as though something had exploded inside it. A rush of scorching blood surged to his head, and his eyes instantly turned red.

Martial arts training had an age threshold. Once a person passed twenty, their vital energy and blood began to decline, making major accomplishments in martial arts difficult. He was already seventeen this year. His golden years for training only lasted a few more years; there was no time to waste. By the time they saved enough money again, the martial arts hall might not even let him through its doors.

His hope had just been cut off!

It had been his only way out, the hope his entire family had gritted their teeth and endured for four or five years to hold onto!

But now, everything was gone!!!

"Where's Father?!"

He tried to sound calm, but his voice could not stop trembling.

"He's lying in the inner room! Hurry and go see him!"

"Okay!"

Zhou Chen turned and entered the inner room. Zhou Tian was leaning half-upright against the headboard, frowning. Bruises stretched from his cheekbones to his chin, his eyelids were swollen and shiny, and the corner of his mouth was split open.

When Zhou Tian saw Zhou Chen come in, he hurriedly forced a smile and reassured him again and again. "Ah Chen, don't worry. Your father's fine, I'm fine. Don't trouble yourself! Hiss—!"

At the end, he tugged at his wound and could not help hissing in pain.

Seeing his father like this, Zhou Chen felt as though someone had viciously clenched his heart. He was both bitter and heartbroken. Suppressing the fury in his chest, he finally got to the bottom of what had happened.

It turned out that his idle good-for-nothing cousin, Zhou Ping, had somehow found a way to secure a position working for the Feng Household.

But entry into the Feng Household did not come free. It took quite a bit of silver to grease the right palms. His uncle was short on money, so he set his sights on them.

Thus, Old Master Zhou personally brought Zhou Tao to their door to borrow money.

Zhou Tian was the second son, and he had never been favored since childhood. He had received nothing when the family split up, and now that he had finally managed to save a little money, Old Master Zhou had come to borrow it. He called it borrowing, but he had really come to take it!

Zhou Tian had refused outright! Why should Zhou Ping's attempt to climb the ladder come at the expense of his son's future?!

But Old Master Zhou immediately cursed him for being stingy and ignorant, using, "I raised you all these years, so what's wrong with using a little of your money?" to pressure him. Then he had even said, "Within three generations, there must be a child who revives the Household. The Zhou Household's hope now rests on Zhou Ping. Sacrificing Zhou Chen is well worth it."

Seeing that Zhou Tian would not agree no matter what, Old Master Zhou finally showed his hand and ordered Zhou Tao to seize the money. Yet he kept saying that if Zhou Ping made something of himself, he would definitely repay the money. Perhaps he might even lend Zhou Chen a hand someday.

After hearing everything, Zhou Chen clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white!

He had never felt much affection for that grandfather of his to begin with. Now, even that last trace of familial feeling had turned into immense hatred!

That old bastard!!!

Seeing Zhou Chen's reddened eyes, Zhou Yu, who had been hiding nearby in silence, suddenly came over. She grasped her brother's hand with her rough little hands, raised her head, and looked at him with earnest eyes brimming with tears. "Brother, don't be sad... I'll help Mother wash more clothes from now on. I'll get up a few hours earlier and slowly save it up for you again."

Zhou Chen lowered his head and looked at his younger sister's little hands, pale and cracked from soaking in water. His throat suddenly tightened.

But even if they washed clothes day and night, slaughtered fish day and night, it would still be too late.

To make matters worse, their father had already completely severed ties with the Zhou Household yesterday. In these troubled times, a clan was a shield against outside enemies. Severing ties meant losing their protection.

Zhou Chen finally understood why Zhang Mingfei had waited at the mouth of the alley so gleefully. That bastard was waiting to learn the truth, looking for a chance to make a move against his sister.

"Brother, why don't you sell me?"

Zhou Yu suddenly tugged on his sleeve, trying her best to give him a natural smile.

Zhou Chen's breath caught.

Zhou Yu kept trying to smile, as though afraid others would see how scared she was. Looking up at him, she spoke in a deliberately carefree tone. "Brother, once you have money, you can buy me back... I'll wait for the day you make something of yourself. Going to a wealthy family wouldn't be so bad. They eat good food there. If I go, I'll be full and warm..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, but she forced her smile wider and wider. Her eyes glittered as though she were talking about something wonderful.

Hearing his sister say such things, Zhou Chen felt as though his heart had been cut to pieces!

How could Zhou Yu not know what would happen if she went to the Chen Household?

Not even half a month after the girl from the neighboring district had gone there, her body, covered in wounds, had been wrapped in a straw mat and thrown out of the Chen Household.

But Zhou Yu was willing to sacrifice herself for him and jump into that pit of fire!

Looking at Zhou Yu's thin little face, Zhou Chen felt his eyes sting as though they were about to burst. At last, unable to hold back any longer, he pulled her into his arms and choked out, "Say that again and I'll get angry! At worst, I just won't train in martial arts. It's not like martial arts are the only path to success!"

That was what he said, but for the first time, he felt deeply lost.

If he did not practice martial arts, what else could he do?!

At that moment, he wanted so badly, so desperately, to become successful. He wanted to rise above everyone else, wanted to become capable!!! He wanted his family to live good lives!!!

He also wanted to stomp his grandfather's entire family into the dirt, crush them to pulp, make them tremble, make them regret it!!!

At that moment, Zhou Tian suddenly struggled upright from the bed and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Ah Chen, don't worry. Your father has a way to get you into a martial arts hall! You're my only son! This old bag of bones can die for all I care, but no one gets to ruin my son's future!"

Zhou Chen froze, then wild joy surged through his chest. He quickly leaned closer. "Father, what way?"

Zhou Tian took a deep breath and gave Zhang Fang a look, signaling for her to take Zhou Yu outside first.

Only after they had gone far away did he tremble as he used his rough hands, covered in bloody cracks, to pull out a palm-sized wooden box from beneath his pillow and slowly open it.

Zhou Chen leaned in for a look, and the thing inside instantly sent goosebumps racing across his back.

He dared swear that it was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen in his life!

Inside the box was a lump of flesh covered in deathly pale eyeballs, faintly writhing.

The eyeballs were densely packed together, like a nest of freshly hatched insect pupae. Every single one constantly opened, closed, and turned. It was grotesque and revolting.

Zhou Chen swallowed, his scalp prickling and the soles of his feet itching. He dug his toes hard into his straw sandals before managing to suppress his shock and ask, "Father, what... what is this?"

"I'm not too sure either. Didn't a Mist Monster appear in the river around here a while back? It swallowed any boat it saw. Later, martial artists from the inner city took care of it. I worked up the nerve to pick up this piece of flesh from where they fought. At first, it was only the size of a fingernail. I've raised it for over a year before it grew this large."

Zhou Tian closed the box and handed it to Zhou Chen, then added, "Something from an inner-city martial artist can't be bad. Maybe it's some kind of treasure. Don't you want to enter the Zheng Family Martial Arts Hall and take Old Zheng as your master? His character is the best among the three major martial arts halls in the outer city. Take this thing to him. He definitely won't cheat you out of it. Maybe you can trade it for a chance to become his disciple."

Zhou Chen looked at the wooden box in his hands and nodded heavily. "Okay. I'll go ask tomorrow morning."

That night, he tossed and turned, sleeping terribly. He even had a nightmare.

In the dream, someone threw him out and told him the flesh was worthless, that he would never practice martial arts in his life. When he returned home, he saw Zhang Mingfei leading people to seize his sister by force, laughing wildly. He charged forward, only to be knocked to the ground in a few blows.

Then the scene changed, and he saw his grandfather and uncle looking down on him as they mocked him, saying that he was nothing but a loach, destined to struggle in the mud for the rest of his life, destined never to be as successful as Zhou Ping!

Helplessness and resentment filled his entire body!!!

"Ah!"

Zhou Chen suddenly opened his eyes and discovered that he was drenched in sweat. He hurriedly opened the wooden box beneath his pillow and checked the eerie piece of flesh inside.

He had no idea whether this lump of flesh could truly help him exchange it for a chance to take a master.

But to him, this was already his last option.

As long as he could enter a martial arts hall, Zhang Mingfei would no longer dare make a rash move against his sister, and he would have hope of climbing upward!

He tucked the box close against his body, strapped his fish-killing knife to his waist, and headed straight out the door.

Success or failure rested on this one attempt!