Serving Up His Face

Of course, Lin Xiaotian could not jump for them to see, much less use his unusual Blood Qi as an excuse.

He was no fool.

If it were truly exposed, the drawbacks would far outweigh the benefits.

Since every martial artist's Blood Qi had been weak at the start, his own Blood Qi was a trump card. He absolutely could not reveal it.

He had to think of another way to prove his talent and aptitude.

But for now, without reaching External Force, everything was blocked off. The best method was still silver.

Then...

A faint smile appeared on Lin Xiaotian's face as he spoke earnestly and sincerely:

"Senior Brother Tao... could you lend me some silver so I can undergo Initiation first... Consider it an investment in me."

Senior Brother Tao's mouth, which had been in the middle of speaking, fell open wide enough to stuff an egg into, while his eyes widened into circles.

Shock filled his gaze, as if his eyes were saying, How had he run into someone so shameless, someone who had even set his sights on him?

He remained stunned for a breath or two before finally putting that expression away.

He gave Lin Xiaotian a heavy slap on the shoulder.

"Little brother, I've been in the martial hall for so many years. I've seen all kinds, but this is the first time I've met someone as thick-skinned as you."

Lin Xiaotian maintained his earnest, sincere expression and met the senior brother's eyes.

"Ah! Looking at that expression of yours, honestly, if it weren't for the martial hall's rules, your shameless face alone would make me want to give you some special instruction."

"Little brother, you should think of another way. Most people who come to the martial hall aren't particularly well-off."

"The martial hall tuition, along with the monthly Martial Dao meals, all require silver."

"There are a few young masters and young ladies from wealthy families here as well, but unfortunately, you can't get close to them right now. Borrowing silver is even more out of the question."

Just as he spoke, a commotion suddenly came from outside.

Senior Brother Tao's brows drew together as he looked out.

Lin Xiaotian naturally followed his gaze.

A loud, careless voice came from outside, mixed with the arrogant bluster unique to a spoiled young master.

"Haha, the martial hall is still the best! Today, this young master will come to the martial hall and train in martial arts properly..."

The voice was so loud, as if afraid others would not know.

Lin Xiaotian suddenly sensed something strange. Turning his head, he saw Senior Brother Tao staring at him.

His brows twitched.

"Senior Brother Tao, is there something wrong with me? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Senior Brother Tao kept staring at him with a somewhat strange look, as though he were watching a joke, yet also seemed to pity him.

"Senior Brother Tao, is there some issue? Does it have something to do with that loud-voiced fellow?"

"You're quite clever, to have figured that out." There was a hint of surprise in Senior Brother Tao's voice.

"That is Young Master Qin of the Qin Household, Qin Ziyu. The reason Song Wanyan, who took you as her younger brother, has not been taken in as a golden canary by other powers these past years is all because of the Qin Household."

Lin Xiaotian gave an "Oh." This cleared up his confusion—so the Qin Household had been protecting her.

Just as he thought. How could no one have set their sights on such a beautiful woman as his sister?

Hm, no. The Qin Household... why would they protect her?

"Young Master Qin is interested in my sister." Lin Xiaotian immediately seized the key point and asked.

Senior Brother Tao slapped his thigh.

"Little junior brother, you really are something. That's right, Young Master Qin has a great many ideas about your sister."

"To put it bluntly, in all of Long River Town, what man wouldn't be moved by a woman like your sister?"

"You really struck heaven-defying luck by being taken as her younger brother."

"Since this Young Master Qin has designs on my sister, it must have been for quite a few years. Why hasn't he taken her?"

"Hahaha!" Senior Brother Tao burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

Lin Xiaotian's brow furrowed even more deeply.

"It's not that Young Master Qin doesn't want to. It's that he doesn't dare. His old man has beaten him more than once over this matter... Now, Young Master Qin has the heart of a thief but not the courage. Even if you lent him a hundred gall bladders, he still wouldn't dare."

Lin Xiaotian was even more puzzled.

"Old Master Qin actually interferes in this? Is he really that reasonable? That would be far too rare around here."

"Of course not." Senior Brother Tao immediately denied it, his expression becoming much more serious.

"That's because, back in the early years, Song Wanyan's parents helped the Qin Household and made them one of this town's four great Lineages."

"There was something like that!" Lin Xiaotian was startled, and even his voice rose with excitement.

He had not expected there to be such a connection with the Qin Household. Then regarding the silver... Hm, no. His sister was not well-off, so her relationship with the Qin Household was probably not as good as it appeared on the surface.

"Yes. The Qin Household has no Internal Force expert overseeing it, yet it has been able to hold its position as a Lineage power. Her parents deserve great credit for that."

"Wait..." Lin Xiaotian suddenly caught the implication.

"Senior Brother Tao, are you saying that all four great Lineages have Internal Force experts overseeing them? Otherwise, they could not become one of the four great Lineages."

Senior Brother Tao looked at him strangely.

"What did you think? If their strength isn't sufficient, even if they sit in that position, they'll be carved up by the Lineages of other Internal Force experts. They won't be able to hold it."

"Senior Brother Tao, you mean the Qin Household has no Internal Force expert, but my sister's parents have been gone for a long time. How has the Qin Household held on?"

Senior Brother Tao chuckled.

At that moment, Young Master Qin had already walked in. When he saw Senior Brother Tao, he shouted and strode over.

Senior Brother Tao only hurriedly said, "You'll know in the future," before greeting Young Master Qin.

Lin Xiaotian's thoughts flashed like lightning as his mind raced.

The Qin Household must have been constrained by something. This Young Master Qin was clearly a spoiled playboy, so Lin Xiaotian felt no psychological burden about being less than decent to him.

Making money was the priority now. He had to learn martial arts.

"Oh? Who is this? Senior Brother Tao seems to be having quite a lively chat with him."

"This is Song Wanyan's younger brother."

Young Master Qin's eyes suddenly widened, and a trace of jealousy and anger appeared in them.

"So he's Yan'er's younger brother. No wonder Senior Brother Tao spoke a few extra words to him... Hmph, hmph. There really are quite a lot of men thinking about her."

Senior Brother Tao's old face reddened.

Lin Xiaotian took it all in and secretly nodded. It seemed he had benefited, more or less, from his sister's radiance.

A beauty's influence truly had neither form nor substance.

Seeing Young Master Qin's strange, sarcastic tone, Lin Xiaotian did not get angry. He cupped his fists and said calmly:

"Young Master Qin, today, you need to give me five taels of silver first."

"What? You're asking me for silver?"

Young Master Qin was somewhat dumbfounded. Hearing such words for the first time in his life, he thought he had misheard and could not help asking again.

Meanwhile, Senior Brother Tao's eyes widened once more, his eyeballs nearly popping out.

He muttered to himself over and over:

This bastard's skin really is fucking thick!

Yet before that shock had even allowed him to react,

Lin Xiaotian took two steps forward and walked straight up to Young Master Qin, his face bright as a spring breeze.

"Young Master Qin, thank you for lending me five taels of silver."

"What? When did I agree to lend you silver?" Young Master Qin was caught off guard and said angrily.

Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking,

Young Master Qin saw a fist rapidly enlarging before his eyes. Then came a bang.

Young Master Qin cried out:

"Ah! That hurts! You... you actually dared to hit me!"

Everyone nearby in the martial hall was stunned.

An unfamiliar youth had actually struck the Qin Household's eldest young master.

For an instant, the air fell silent.

But that brief silence was broken by Lin Xiaotian's mildly gentle voice:

"Young Master Qin, hand over the five taels of silver you borrowed from me!"