The Great Examination

"All right. Thanks, big brother."

Hearing Zhao Da say that, Zhao Er stopped refusing. He took the manual and pills and tucked them into his robe.

But when he drew his hand out again, it was not empty. He was holding a money pouch, which he promptly pressed into his elder brother's hand.

"Brother, there's almost ten taels of silver in here altogether. Consider it payment for the manual and pills. Keep it."

"What do you mean by this?"

Zhao Da's expression changed as he looked at the pouch in his hand. It bulged and felt heavy in his grip; it probably held plenty of copper coins as well as silver.

"Brother, martial arts manuals aren't cheap. You must have spent money getting this one, and I can't take it for nothing, no matter what. I'd actually planned to go to the government office and buy one today anyway. As it is, I've even gained some pills into the bargain."

Zhao Er simply did not want to hold back his elder brother's cultivation. He practiced a poison art, and their village stood beside the Clear Radiance Mountains, where all sorts of poisonous substances were readily available. With the Settlement Panel as well, his future cultivation would not be slow.

His elder brother was different. Zhao Da practiced orthodox martial arts, and spending money to buy him a manual would cut into Zhao Da's own cultivation resources. That was not something he wanted to see.

Although he did not know exactly how his elder brother was living now, he knew the Ning Family's martial resources could not be that easy to obtain. Neither he nor their father wanted this to put Zhao Da in a difficult position.

"What kind of elder brother would I be if I took your money? How could I show my face back home afterward?"

"Then consider it my contribution to your cultivation. It isn't much, but if it helps you advance faster, I'll have someone to lean on in the future."

"No! I can't take this money!"

The brothers sat at the table, one insisting on giving the money and the other refusing it for all he was worth.

"Little brother, you should take the money back. As your sister-in-law, I've never been able to care for your parents in person. We've had to rely on you for that. A single cultivation art isn't nearly enough to express my husband's gratitude and mine."

While the two were caught in their tug-of-war, Ning Mu walked in from outside with a smile.

"And you needn't worry about holding back your brother's training. I found this Five Poisons Art among my family's possessions. It didn't cost anything. When my father heard it was meant for you, he had no objections either. He only asked that you put safety first while practicing it."

Ning Mu spoke slowly, but her eyes were full of sincerity, and her words were so gracious that no one could find the slightest fault with them.

"In that case, thank you, sister-in-law!"

After hearing Ning Mu's explanation, Zhao Er knew that refusing again would mean failing to appreciate their kindness. He put the money pouch away, but still rose and bowed to her in thanks.

"That's more like it. The food is ready, so let's eat first. You brothers can talk some more afterward."

Seeing Zhao Er accept, Ning Mu explained why she had come.

Lunch was lavish, with plenty of meat in particular.

Zhao Da and Ning Mu ate very little, however, and kept urging Zhao Er to eat more.

"Little brother, although the Five Poisons Art uses poison as a cultivation resource and can save you quite a few pills, it still tempers the body. Your diet has to keep pace, or you could easily damage your foundation."

At the table, Zhao Da took the opportunity to keep offering Zhao Er pointers. This was, in fact, the main reason he had refused the money.

Naturally, Zhao Er nodded in agreement. He had already made plans for this, but now that his elder brother had not taken the silver, he could put his hunting plans into action sooner.

Throughout the meal, Zhao Da did most of the talking, chiefly passing on his martial arts experience. He went into particular detail about condensing qi and blood.

After lunch, Zhao Er did not linger, since he had other plans. His sister-in-law led him to bid farewell to the Mistress of the Ning Family, and only then did he leave the Ning residence.

As she saw him out, however, Ning Mu gave him some cloth and wrapped portions of meat, saying they were a token of goodwill from her mother.

Zhao Er knew he would not be able to refuse, so in the end, he took them and left.

"Mumu, thank you!"

Watching his younger brother disappear into the distance, Zhao Da headed back toward their courtyard with Ning Mu. Along the way, he suddenly spoke.

He knew full well that the cultivation art had not come from the Ning Family's collection. It had been bought from the government office, and even with the discount afforded by the Ning Family's standing, it had still cost silver.

They had only claimed it was the Ning Family's martial arts technique because they feared his younger brother would refuse it.

"We're husband and wife, one flesh. Why thank me? Besides, I can see that your younger brother values affection and loyalty. Consider this the Ning Family's investment in him."

Hearing Zhao Da's words, Ning Mu gently slipped her hand around his arm. With her other hand, she took out a small silver ingot and pressed it into his palm.

"And another thing—you can discuss things with me in the future. There's no need to secretly exchange your Blood-Strengthening Pills for Detoxification Pills. Your cultivation matters most."

"Mm."

Holding the five-tael silver ingot, Zhao Da was deeply moved. He had never expected his wife to know what he had done in secret, yet she had not blamed him.

The resources the Ning Family provided were fixed. After all, besides their daughter Ning Mu, there were other children in the family who needed to practice martial arts, and their monthly consumption was a considerable expense. Supporting his younger brother's training meant squeezing that share out of somewhere else.

"Don't overthink it. Focusing on your cultivation is what matters most. The city's great examination is in six months. If you can earn a place in the rankings, our family's taxes will be greatly reduced, and we'll be able to spare more resources to support your younger brother."

"Mm. I'll definitely break through to the Bone Tempering Realm before the great examination."

"The Bone Tempering Realm is only the minimum requirement to register. With the government and the Clear Source Sect competing so fiercely now, you'll probably need to reach Great Completion of Bone Tempering to place in the rankings. But you've already broken through to blood condensation, and the family has increased your resources, so there's still hope of reaching Great Completion. You'll just have to work hard, dear."

"I'm not afraid of hard work!"

"As the great examination draws nearer, the situation in the city is growing increasingly tense. Every lineage and martial arts school has its eyes on the places at the Prefecture Martial Academy offered by the government, while the gangs and merchant associations are all watching the Clear Source Sect's admission quotas."

"Unfortunately, our Ning Family has no disciples of outstanding talent. If someone could place in the top three and secure a place at the martial academy, our family would receive a share of the government's mining rights. Then we could truly soar."

"That... might be a little difficult..."

"It's all right. Once this examination is over, we'll still have another chance in three years."

"Mm. Mumu, I'm going to cultivate right now."

"Then I'll go prepare some medicinal food for you, dear."

With just a few simple words, Ning Mu had set Zhao Da's blood boiling. He wished he could train without sleep or rest, and ideally break through tomorrow.

Zhao Er did not go straight home. Instead, following the prescription his elder brother had given him, he bought some herbs at the Four Seas Pharmacy to assist his practice of the Five Poisons Art.

These herbs were meant to be used with the five poisons. They could neutralize the toxicity to a certain extent and reduce the harm done to his body.

Fortunately, they were only common herbs and were not particularly expensive. After buying enough for his needs, Zhao Er also picked up some animal traps, iron chains, and similar supplies to set up traps.