A Great Expert in Xiaohe Village

Lin Feng's family walked along the main road of Xiaohe Village.

Whenever the villagers saw them, they greeted them warmly.

Aunt Lin, who was out for a stroll, saw Lin Feng's family and came over to ask, "Xiaofeng's mother, dressed so smartly—where are you heading?"

Mother Lin replied with a smile, "The children are grown now, so I'm taking them to study under Mr. Hong and learn a few characters."

Aunt Lin shook her head. "Even though you've brought a decent tuition gift, I'm afraid you've made the trip for nothing."

Mother Lin stopped walking. "Why is that?"

"A couple of days ago, I took my grandson to request apprenticeship, but Mr. Hong didn't accept him.

Mr. Hong's maid said that Mr. Hong was unwell and no longer had the energy to teach children."

Lin Feng thought back. Mr. Hong's legs could not move, so his health truly was not very good.

But Mr. Hong had always been fairly energetic and had liked children.

Unable to walk, he would simply sit on his bed and teach children to read and write.

Mother Lin grew anxious when she heard this. "What are we to do, then?"

Zhou Chunlan said gently, "Since we've already come out, we should at least go and see Mr. Hong.

If Mr. Hong is not accepting students, we should still offer him the gifts, as a visit to check on him."

Lin Feng nodded. "My wife's words are exactly what I had in mind."

His wife had always been a generous and broad-minded woman. It had simply never shown before because the family had been too poor.

His wife had several brothers in her maiden family, and they lived quite well. They had often helped the Lin Family in the past.

After the original owner became a drunkard, his wife's brothers had once come to take her away and told her to remarry.

But she could not bear to leave her children behind and rejected her brothers' good intentions.

From then on, her maiden family stopped supporting Lin Feng's household.

Xiaohe Village was not large, and they arrived before long.

Lin Feng's family soon reached the outside of Mr. Hong's courtyard.

Knock, knock, knock. Lin Feng lightly knocked on the courtyard gate three times.

"Is Mr. Hong home?"

A young girl's voice came from within the courtyard. "Who is it?"

Lin Feng announced himself. "The Old Lin family from the western end of the village."

Mr. Hong's young maid, Yue'e, opened the courtyard gate. Seeing adults with children in tow, as well as gifts, she immediately understood why Lin Feng's family had come.

"My master is unwell and is no longer accepting students. Please return."

As Lin Feng looked at Yue'e's status panel, his brow suddenly twitched.

Name: Wang Yue'e.

Life: 30.

Martial Skills:

Basic Swordplay (Low-grade) (Level 2).

Body Nourishing Sword (Superior-grade) (Level 2).

Heart Nourishing Sword (Superior-grade) (Level 1).

Wind Thunder Sword (Superior-grade) (Level 2).

Flying Flower Palm (Mid-grade) (Level 2).

Dragonfly Touching Water (Mid-grade) (Level 2).

What kind of little maid was this? She was clearly a major boss.

Comparisons really could make a person furious.

Look at the martial skills she possessed—the lowest grade among them was still Low-grade Martial Arts.

Meanwhile, he only had Low-tier Martial Arts.

This little maid's Life was absurdly high—she actually had thirty.

Lin Feng did not doubt for a moment that this little maid could slap him to death with one palm.

If even a little maid was this formidable, just how strong must Mr. Hong be?

After saying that, Yue'e moved to close the gate.

Lin Feng reached out to block it and said with a smile, "It doesn't matter if he isn't accepting students. We're fellow villagers, so if Mr. Hong is unwell, it is only right that we come to visit him.

Yesterday, I went up the mountain and killed a large Wild Boar. Today, I specially brought Mr. Hong some fine pork."

Mother Lin also smiled. "Since Mr. Hong is unwell, he needs to eat some meat to nourish himself."

Zhou Chunlan added, "Little sister, please let us go in and see Mr. Hong. The children in our family are very well-behaved and won't make a racket."

Yue'e looked at the five fine strips of Wild Boar meat, and her throat bobbed involuntarily.

She and Mr. Hong rarely left this courtyard. They usually ate only simple fare and seldom had fresh meat.

Yue'e felt that what they said made sense. Mr. Hong really should eat some meat to build up his body.

She looked again at the five well-behaved children, then opened the gate and let Lin Feng's family in.

The moment Lin Feng entered, he handed over the five strips of Wild Boar meat.

Yue'e felt somewhat troubled. If she accepted their tuition gift but her master did not take their children as students, would that not be awkward?

In truth, Mr. Hong had never said that he would not accept students.

Yue'e had merely seen that her master was unwell and wanted him to rest more, so she had told everyone outside that Mr. Hong was no longer accepting students.

Lin Feng saw her dilemma and said, "This Wild Boar meat is only an ordinary gift. Little sister, take it and stew it for Mr. Hong to nourish his health."

After thinking for a moment, Yue'e said, "Please wait here. I'll go ask my master."

She entered the room and said to a white-haired, white-bearded old man seated on a sickbed, "Master, the Old Lin family from the village has brought their children here to request apprenticeship.

They also brought some Wild Boar meat as a tuition gift."

As she spoke, Yue'e raised the five strips of Wild Boar meat in her hand.

The five strips were substantial, likely weighing several dozen catties altogether.

Mr. Hong smiled. "Which Old Lin family is it?"

"It is Hunter Lin's family from the village."

"Oh, Hunter Lin was a fine man. Last time the wild beasts came down from the mountain, he acted righteously and saved quite a few people.

Didn't Hunter Lin pass away a couple of years ago?"

"It is Hunter Lin's son who came."

Mr. Hong frowned. "Isn't Hunter Lin's son the village's famous drunkard?"

"I heard he has already changed for the better. Didn't he go up the mountain yesterday and kill a large Wild Boar?"

"Oh? A prodigal who turns back is worth more than gold. Have them bring the children in."

"I'll take a look at the children's aptitude before deciding whether to accept them."

Yue'e smiled when she heard this. She first placed the five strips of Wild Boar meat in the kitchen.

Only then did she go invite the Lin Family inside.

When Lin Feng's family entered the room, they respectfully bowed to Mr. Hong.

The five children stood in a row and copied their father, bowing as well. They looked like little adults.

Mr. Hong swept his gaze over them all, smiling as he nodded.

"Yue'e, see the guests to their seats."

Yue'e found stools for everyone.

Though Lin Feng had been mentally prepared this time, his heart was still deeply shaken when he saw Mr. Hong's status panel.

Only Mr. Hong's name and Life could be seen on the panel. The Martial Skills section was filled entirely with question marks.

Name: Hong Wenyuan.

Life: 120.

This Life was far too high. He should still be injured, too.

Lin Feng guessed that once someone's attributes exceeded his by more than ten times, he could no longer see them.

Mr. Hong was injured, and his Life was less than ten times Lin Feng's, which was why Lin Feng could see it.

Lin Feng was observing Mr. Hong, and Mr. Hong was also observing Lin Feng.

"Young man, have you practiced martial arts?"

Lin Feng suspected that Mr. Hong had definitely noticed something.

That made sense. A great expert like him could easily see through a rookie like Lin Feng.

"I practiced a Low-Tier Fist Technique passed down by my father and cultivated it to the perfect realm."

When Lin Feng said he had reached the perfect realm, he also intended to cling to a powerful thigh.

If he could become Mr. Hong's disciple, would he not soar to the heavens in a single step?

Even if Mr. Hong did not accept him as a disciple, if he casually taught Lin Feng a couple of martial arts techniques, Lin Feng would still profit greatly.