Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 135: Chapter 28: Lord Su, That’s Not What You Said Before

Lin Chen did not respond, his gaze turned towards Lord Su.

Since Lord Su had summoned him, he would listen to Lord Su’s arrangements.

”Stop putting on a tragic act in front of me. I offer your Shao Family two choices: either Shao Hong is exiled to the frontier for military service, and he can return in ten years.”

Shao Zhen’s old face trembled. If he joined the army normally, there was a chance of survival, but those exiled for military service were just assigned to the assault battalion, truly a life-or-death situation. Forget about ten years; surviving even a year was uncertain.

”Or your Shao Family leaves Raozhou Prefecture, and as for Shao Hong, he will be removed from the Martial Affairs Office registry.”

Su Lingchuan’s expression was calm, yet at this moment, the demeanor of a Ninth-Grade Martial Artist emanated from him. Shao Hong, who was kneeling on the ground, trembled in fear, and even Shao Zhen found it difficult to bear.

”As Lord Su says, my Shao Family will leave Raozhou Prefecture in a month.”

”Three days, I only give you three days,” Su Lingchuan stood up, his gaze sharp. ”If not for your older brother, with the little family estate your Shao Family has, you wouldn’t be able to protect this son of yours.”

Shao Zhen was taken aback and stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he cupped his fist in salute, saying, ”Thank you, Lord Su, for your leniency.”

”Ingrate, hurry up and leave!”

Turning around, Shao Zhen kicked Shao Hong out the door, and in that moment of turning, he seemed to age significantly, leaving with a hunched back.

”Lin Chen, don’t blame me for being lenient with Shao Hong. Shao Zhen’s older brother, Shao Gang, made contributions during his life. Shao Gang had no offspring, so the County Magistrate at that time showed favor to Shao Zhen, allowing him to break through to the Refining Viscera Realm. It took the Shao Family twenty years to reach its current foundation.”

”The lord’s care for disciples is deeply felt by this disciple; how could I blame him?” Lin Chen said with a smile.

He understood the meaning behind Lord Su’s words. Having the Shao Family leave Raozhou Prefecture was, in a sense, a form of protection for Shao Hong. If Shao Hong continued to stubbornly make the wrong choices, and make any more trouble, given his own pace of growth, he would definitely not spare Shao Hong.

Su Lingchuan was very satisfied with Lin Chen’s response, and his presence became restrained: ”The Shao Family has accumulated a considerable estate in the county over the years, but Shao Zhen won’t take these with him. There’s a fishery under the Shao Family’s name; are you interested?”

A fishery?

Upon hearing about the fishery, Lin Chen’s eyes lit up. Being the son of a fisherman, he naturally understood what a fishery implied.

There were only three fisheries in Poyang County. Anyone wanting to sell fish in the county had to lease a stall at the fishery. One stall cost twenty taels of silver a year, and each fishery had twenty stalls.

That’s an income of four hundred taels of silver a year.

Owning a fishery meant having a stable cash cow.

However, as he delved deeper into thought, Lin Chen realized that accepting the fishery wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

His current focus was on the Martial Path, and he couldn’t personally manage the fishery.

As for his family, his parents probably didn’t have the expertise.

A fishery, this kind of cash cow, inevitably involved various forces. With his parents’ level of insight, it would be easy for others to take advantage of them.

Still the same idea.

The talent he now displayed was not something the major forces in Poyang County wanted to offend.

But once conflicts of interest arose with those forces, it would be a different story.

More cultivation, less conflict!

Such a life, though monotonous, was the most correct path.

With him around, his family wouldn’t suffer, and his mother could enjoy her days in the village, basking in the praises of other village women.

”My lord, can I transfer the fishery?”

”Since I am giving you the fishery, how you handle it is up to you. When Shao Zhen hands over the fishery’s deed, I will have someone deliver it to you.”

”Thank you, my lord.” Lin Chen appeared grateful.

”I’m pleased that you’ve thought about transferring the fishery.”

Su Lingchuan appreciated Lin Chen more and more; keeping the fishery was more valuable than transferring it. However, for someone from Lin Chen’s background, transforming from an ordinary fisherman’s son to the owner of a fishery came with an enormous temptation that most found hard to resist.

Only someone with a firm heart for martial arts, and a clear plan for oneself on the Martial Path, would willingly forgo it.

Lin Chen chuckled; he wasn’t just afraid of trouble, but if he accepted the fishery, his status would change.

The identity of a fisherman’s son, though often looked down upon, was also his hallmark in a certain sense.

Could the owner of a fishery still be considered a low-class family member?

Moreover, when he advanced in the ranks, would he still lack a fishery?

”Have you encountered any difficulties in Martial Arts cultivation?”

Su Lingchuan did not continue discussing the Shao Family matters, as they were not Poyang County’s top family and had only reached this point due to Shao Gang’s past contributions.

This contribution had sustained the Shao Family for thirty years and was now exhausted.

As for the fishery, if Lin Chen hadn’t mentioned transferring it, he would have. His understanding with Lin Chen was the same: maintaining the household registry unchanged was more advantageous for Lin Chen.

”Everything else is okay, it’s just that my silver coins have nearly run out.”

Lin Chen chuckled; when it’s time to feign poverty, one must do so. In these three months, his expenditure on Acupoint Opening Pills had cost two hundred taels, and together with the secret medicines for cultivating the Iron Bone Skill costing another two hundred taels, he indeed had little silver left.

”If I recall correctly, after the matches three months ago, the Martial Affairs Department and the Martial Arts Hall awarded you a total of five hundred taels of silver. Have you spent it all?”

Su Lingchuan was somewhat taken aback by Lin Chen’s words. To spend five hundred taels in less than three months, and adding the Purple Crystal Marrow Liquid he’d provided, this rate of spending wasn’t any slower than the sons of wealthy families in the Prefecture City.

”Lin Chen, I know you want to achieve a good ranking in the county tournament, but you must remember, you’re on the path of Extreme Martial Arts. The county tournament isn’t your goal; focus on mastering the Iron Bone Skill. Next month, the Military Affairs Department will summon you for a genius special training. Think long-term.”

Su Lingchuan couldn’t help but advise; guided by his teacher’s instructions, he no longer held a strong utilitarian mindset regarding Lin Chen.

The path of Extreme Martial Arts was destined to be a difficult one, requiring a steady and cautious advance.

”I have learned my lesson.” Lin Chen put away his smile, looking serious. It seemed impossible to extract more money from Lord Su, but fortunately, there was the fool Shao Hong to bring money his way.

Truly a fool who delivers coals in the snow.

”Mm.”

Su Lingchuan was quite pleased with Lin Chen’s receptiveness and prepared to offer a few last words of encouragement: ”How far have you progressed with the Iron Bone Skill?”

”I am not talented, just reached Great Success.”

”No rush, take it slowly...”

Swish!

Before Su Lingchuan could finish his sentence, he suddenly grabbed Lin Chen’s arm with his right hand with such speed that Lin Chen couldn’t react.

The next moment, Lin Chen felt as though his hand was seized by iron pincers, and his Qi Blood froze at that instant.

”Not bad!” Su Lingchuan withdrew his hand, revealing a faint white mark in his palm: ”You were able to bounce back ten percent of my force, indicating that your Iron Bone Skill has indeed reached Great Success.”

Lin Chen twitched at the corners of his mouth; Su Lingchuan didn’t believe his words.

Could it be so hard to believe that his Clear Wind Palm reached Perfection in three months while Iron Bone Skill reached Great Success in three months?

However, Lin Chen knew it was thanks to the assistance of the Thousand Hammer Map, otherwise achieving Great Success in Iron Bone Skill within three months was truly impossible.

”I retract my previous statement; a martial artist must strive and seize every opportunity to acquire cultivation resources. I look forward to your performance in the county tournament this time.”

Forget about face, Su Lingchuan was not only shocked at Lin Chen’s Great Success in Iron Bone Skill but also by the turbulent Qi Blood he sensed within Lin Chen.

It was incomparable to the typical martial artist who had opened ten acupoints.

It seems that this time, he could have a well-deserved conversation with Zhang Wangshan about the tournament rewards.

Looking at Lord Su’s change in demeanor, Lin Chen tentatively asked, ”About my spending, Lord Su...”

”Money is meant to be spent. How else can one advance in Martial Arts Realm and improve cultivation technique progress if not spending money?”

”I understand.” Lin Chen, reflecting on Lord Su’s earlier stance, indeed suspected he might have been hallucinating when hearing his current, decisive words.

Lord Su’s attitude truly seemed like two different people!

...

After Lin Chen left, Su Lingchuan pondered for a while, turning his gaze towards the entrance: ”Bring Zeng Qingyao of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall to see me.”

”Also, inform Tai Rubai of the Iron Blood Martial Arts Hall.”