Buying a House

Shen Gangfu stepped forward, took a document from his robes, and handed it to the city gate official.

The man examined it for only a few breaths, seemingly verifying its authenticity. Then he raised the command flag in his hand and waved it.

Rumble...!

A sustained muffled roar followed. The grand city gate opened at the signal, revealing a gap wide enough for one and a half people to pass through.

Once they emerged from the gate tunnel, the view before them suddenly opened up.

Lu Li's eyes moved as he looked around. The Inner City was even more spacious than he had imagined. Its streets were broad, the houses on both sides neat and orderly. Though the pedestrians were still simply dressed, their bearing was different—possessing a calm composure absent from the Outer City. There were even quite a few children playing in the streets.

Little Chen Xuan looked around in every direction, and light began to return to his eyes...

Ma Xiaoling moved a few steps closer to Lu Li, pressing close beside him. The sorrow in her eyes also faded a little.

That morning, Lu Li and Ma Xiaoling had gone to the outskirts without bringing Little Chen Xuan. They found a quiet, peaceful little hill and buried Chen Hai's body.

There had been no grand funeral. Everything had been kept simple.

For the common folk of Blackwater City's Outer City, that was perfectly normal.

Ma Xiaoling's eyes were swollen now. She had cried all morning, but the dead were gone, and she had to pull herself together—for Little Chen Xuan, and for Lu Li.

The four of them walked at an unhurried pace. By noon, they reached Lantern Alley on Chessboard Street.

This was Heji Escort Agency territory, so there was naturally no need to worry over safety.

Moreover, constables on patrol could be seen everywhere in the Inner City, forming a stark contrast to the Outer City.

Counting inward from the entrance of Lantern Alley, the sixth house was the new courtyard Lu Li was about to purchase.

The original owner, Lu Liang, had once been a route guard for Liansheng Escort Agency. Recently, he had wanted to travel elsewhere to open a martial arts school, take in a few disciples, and live out his old age. Thus, he intended to sell this three-section courtyard.

"Instructor Shen, this way please. Let's go inside and have a look first."

With that, Lu Liang led the way, and Lu Li's group of four began touring the courtyard.

Two trees grew in the outer courtyard: one old locust tree and one old pomegranate tree. Their trunks twisted like coiling dragons, and their hanging fruit was bright red.

The inner courtyard was spacious and elegant. Directly opposite the main house stood a modest peace jar, in which several red koi swam.

The rear courtyard was somewhat narrower than the inner courtyard, but it had the advantage of being secluded and tranquil. It was suitable for women's chambers and storage rooms. In the eastern corner stood a sweet-water well, with an old locust tree beside it. Its canopy shaded nearly half the courtyard, ensuring the whole yard stayed cool in summer.

"Our courtyard has three advantages. First, it is quiet amid the bustle. Lantern Alley is separated from the main street by only one cross street. A few steps away, you'll find grain shops, cloth shops, and apothecaries...

"Second, the water is good. There are two deep wells in the inner courtyard and one in the rear courtyard, and all their water is sweet.

"Third, there is a retreat route. The back door leads to the river, and from the side gate, you can follow the riverbank around to the back street behind City God Temple...

"What do you think, Instructor Shen?"

Shen Gangfu nodded repeatedly as they walked. He naturally had nothing to criticize about the courtyard. Raising his eyes toward Lu Li, he considered his words before saying, "When martial artists buy a residence, the first thing they check is whether the back door leads anywhere."

Lu Li nodded.

When he glanced sideways at Ma Xiaoling, he saw faint worry in her eyes. She did not know how much silver this courtyard would cost...

She had not slept at all the previous night.

Most of it had been grief, but there had also been worry and self-reproach. She should not have lost her head and told Lu Li to seek revenge. He had only practiced martial arts for a month. If something happened to him... even thinking about it now filled her with lingering fear. Her husband Chen Hai was gone. From now on, A-Li was the only support she and Little Chen Xuan had.

She drew in a breath, slowly let it out, then forced a smile and asked Lu Liang, "Master Lu, this courtyard is indeed good, but I wonder what price you have set?"

Lu Liang smiled. "I put a great deal of effort into maintaining this residence back then. But since Lu Li is Instructor Shen's personal disciple, I won't speak empty words. A flat price of 298 taels in cash. How does that sound?"

Shen Gangfu nodded, indicating that he had no objections.

Lu Li calculated the silver he had on him. He had gained 86 taels from killing Baldy Jiao and the other two, then 339 taels last night. He now had a little over 430 taels remaining.

Buying this courtyard was for the safety of his young aunt and Little Chen Xuan. He himself also needed a place of his own; he did not want to live under another's roof.

His only concern was that this silver had come from killing and plundering, and would not withstand close scrutiny. Fortunately, he was clinging to his master's thigh now. If anything happened, his master would stand in front first. He had not kowtowed all those times for nothing... His master should be able to handle it, right?

After thinking it over, Lu Li cupped his fists and said, "Then many thanks, Uncle Lu. When shall we handle the deed?"

Lu Liang smiled. "The matter should not be delayed. How about we go now?"

Lu Li nodded. Buying a house meant buying its deed. They had to take the deed to the government office for its seal, transfer the taxes, and obtain the tax register. Fortunately, the house had no farmland, so they only needed to pay the residence tax. The residence tax was one tael of silver per month, borne by the homeowner. That one tael included services akin to property management and security from his previous life... Though expensive, the constables here patrolled every day, and safety was what mattered.

It took nearly two hours to finish all the transfer procedures.

Without wasting any time, Lu Li and Ma Xiaoling hurried back to the Outer City, packed all their belongings, and moved them into the new residence.

Perhaps vanity was at work, but Lu Li spent a full five taels of silver to have a plaque made reading "Lu Residence," which he hung above the courtyard gate.

There was no gilding or lacquer, and he did not dare use nanmu wood. It was merely ordinary old camphorwood, and the inscription had been written by an old scholar whose handwriting was fairly pleasing to the eye. If it had been a scholar with even a little reputation, the brush fee alone would have started at five taels of silver.

Even so, it still cost five taels. That was enough to feed a poor family in the Outer City for two or three years. The prices in the Inner City were clear for all to see.

They had not yet bought other household belongings. Living in the Inner City was no easy thing.

Now that Lu Li had settled down in the Inner City, he could finally be said to have a home of his own. The courtyard was fairly large, though it still lacked a gatekeeper.

The first person Lu Li thought of was Old Li.

Before returning to the martial arts school, Lu Li gave Ma Xiaoling twenty taels of silver for household expenses. He told her to buy whatever she lacked on Chessboard Street, but warned her not to leave Chessboard Street. Though this was Shunji territory and constables patrolled it, open spears were easy to dodge, while hidden arrows were hard to guard against. Who knew what tricks the people of the Inner City excelled at...

Once he had more or less finished his instructions, Lu Li hurried back to the front courtyard of the martial arts school. With his worries behind him temporarily resolved, he began practicing his fist techniques in peace.

Before the Black Wolf Gang could trace him, he had to raise his strength as much as possible.

Furthermore, he only had 95 taels of silver left, along with three bottles of Azure Membrane Paste.

On the way back, he had asked his master about it. Shen Gangfu told him that Skin Tempering required Azure Membrane Paste as an aid; only then could one endure fierce tempering without damaging the skin membrane.

Azure Membrane Paste cost 500 taels, and more importantly, the channels to obtain it were hard to find.

In Blackwater City, the supply of Azure Membrane Paste was entirely controlled by the Inner City's four great Lineages.

Yet Azure Membrane Paste could only be used three times at most.

After tempering the skin three times, he would need Vermilion Sand Powder, whose medicinal power was stronger. It cost a thousand taels of silver, and he would have to seek out Pang Shilang, Master Pang, in the Inner City.

He had to find another way to make money...

That was a matter for later. Lu Li gathered his thoughts and stopped brooding. He began focusing on the Form-Intent Secret Stance, gradually entering a state of self-forgetfulness.

He raised his stance and stood in the Three-Body Stance, tempering himself through the Five Elements Fist.

His chest was hollowed and his back drawn up, his head suspended as though by a thread, his tailbone sinking toward the earth. He locked his qi and blood, stabilized his Dantian, and nurtured Primordial Unity Force.

Compared with Bagua Fist, Form-Intent Fist was more direct and straightforward—unyielding, fierce, and tyrannical. It struck hard and drove forward hard; three punches killed a man!

The fist manual had a saying:

Still as a nail planted in mountain rock; once it moved, none could hold it back. It specialized in close-range, lightning-fast, absolute killing.

There were no flowery empty forms in fist techniques.

Stance work, force pathways, footwork, breathing, points of impact, and killing techniques gradually became clear in Lu Li's heart. As he concentrated, his consciousness entered the Sea of Consciousness:

"Xingyi Saber: Secret Technique" Beginner (156/1500)

"Form-Intent Secret Stance" Beginner (156/1500)

At his current rate of progress, it would take at least three months for his Form-Intent Secret Stance to reach completion, though that was already fast enough.

But...

He still felt it was too slow. A sense of urgency gripped him. In four months, there would be the fist contest for a place in the Martial Lecture Hall. He was determined to win it; he could not possibly wait another year.

Moreover, the Black Wolf Gang hung over his head like a sharp sword. He had to complete all ten rounds of Skin Tempering as soon as possible in order to protect himself and those around him.

He could only place his hopes on the Celebratory Cloud Lamp. It would take another half month before the wick was full again and he could enter a state of enlightenment.