Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

After organizing her thoughts, Dan Muqing gently spoke, ”Brother Gu, you are straightforward, so let me ask plainly, have you reached twenty years of age?”

”Not yet twenty.”

”A Grade-Entering Martial Artist under twenty, Brother Gu, you truly are a Martial Path prodigy.”

Dan Muqing’s eyes lit up. Though she estimated from Gu Fei’s appearance that he was probably not yet twenty, there was still a chance of error without Gu Fei’s own confirmation.

”Brother Gu, I wish to invite you to represent my Dan Family in a duel.”

”A duel?”

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. This Miss Dan, despite exuding the mature beauty of an intellectual woman, was probably not yet twenty herself and was also a Grade-Entering Martial Artist.

If the Dan Family could nurture a Grade-Entering Martial Artist under twenty, they were certainly not a small family and would not lack for such a martial artist.

”Sorry, I’m not interested.”

Lin Chen shook his head and declined. His purpose for coming to the Treasure Pavilion was to sell the Canglan Pearl, exchange it for silver taels, and return to Canglan Martial Arts Academy.

If he stayed out of sight for too long, his senior sister would likely start worrying.

”Brother Gu, if you agree to represent my Dan Family in the duel, regardless of the outcome, I will reward you with fifty gold coins.”

”Miss Dan, since the Canglan Pearl is worth one hundred gold coins, let’s settle it at that price.”

Lin Chen still refused. Fifty gold coins were considerable, but not enough to interest him; he did not want unnecessary complications in Zhao Kingdom.

Dan Muqing wanted to persuade him further, but Lin Chen had already stood up, his refusal evident.

”Since Brother Gu is unwilling, I won’t insist. However, the Canglan Pearl will be settled at a hundred and ten gold coins. Please wait a moment.”

...

After a short while, Lin Chen left Treasure Pavilion.

”Miss, since this person didn’t agree, why give him an extra ten gold?”

The shopkeeper at Treasure Pavilion looked puzzled. Ten gold was no small sum; their shop’s monthly profit was only about ten gold.

”Just sowing the seeds of a good relationship.”

Dan Muqing’s eyes glimmered with intrigue; Brother Gu Fei gave her a very peculiar feeling, and she had a premonition that he harbored great secrets.

As for the ten gold, it was a notable sum for Treasure Pavilion but negligible for the Dan Family. The Dan Family was one of the four major families in Coastal County, which had twelve towns under its domain, with over a hundred shops, and the Treasure Pavilion was just one among many.

The shopkeeper, hearing his Lady’s words, lowered his old eyes, lost in thought.

...

...

At the clinic.

When Lin Chen returned, Yu Shan had already regained consciousness under the physician’s treatment.

Seeing Lin Chen enter, Yu Shan immediately tried to get up to express gratitude. After waking up, he had learned the situation from his sister.

He knew that he survived because this gentleman in front of him had intervened to save him from the Sea Demon.

”You’ve been injured, just lie down.”

Lin Chen raised a hand to stop Yu Shan, then turned to Yu Qing and said, ”Come with me.”

At the entrance to the clinic.

Lin Chen pondered for a moment before handing the ten gold coin silver ticket from Treasure Pavilion to Yu Qing.

”Sir... this... I can’t accept it.”

Yu Qing had never seen a gold ticket. The largest she had seen in her life was a ten taels silver note, but she had heard from neighbors that gold tickets were golden, and what the gentleman was holding was indeed golden.

”Take it. Meeting you is fate. Your brother needs medical treatment. As for the remainder... if you encounter someone in similar distress in the future, lend a helping hand.”

”Th... Thank you, sir.”

Hearing these words, Yu Qing finally accepted the gold ticket.

”Remember, don’t flaunt your wealth. You can ask the doctor at the clinic to exchange it at a money shop.”

In Liang, ten gold coins equaled one hundred silver taels, which was already a significant sum of money for ordinary people. On the way to the clinic, Lin Chen had already learned about Yu Qing’s family’s situation.

With their parents gone, the siblings relied on each other. Now with the elder brother Yu Shan injured, if it became known they had a hundred silver taels, they might attract the attention of local ruffians.

Having the clinic doctor exchange the money would prevent Yu Qing from exposing her wealth.

As for the clinic doctor, he wouldn’t dare have any designs on Yu Qing as he saw Lin Chen accompanying her.

”Alright, take good care of your brother. I’ll be on my way.”

Lin Chen had no intention of staying in Coastal City, and upon hearing this, Yu Qing’s face showed urgency: ”Sir... sir, could you wait a couple of days? When my brother’s better, I wish to accompany you and serve you.”

In Yu Qing’s heart, she felt that when she asked this gentleman to save her brother, she had promised to serve him dutifully as a servant. From the moment the gentleman paid for her brother’s medical expenses, she considered herself his person.

Uh...

Lin Chen’s eyes twitched slightly; he had no intention of taking in a servant.

”I helped your family because I saw my past reflected in you and your brother. I have no other intentions. Just take good care of your brother. If fate allows, we may meet again.”

Meet again by chance?

Lin Chen knew in his heart that it was unlikely he would meet Yu Qing and her brother again.

Yu Qing was taken aback to hear that this gentleman saw his past in her and her brother.

She didn’t understand the meaning behind those words.

Could it be that this gentleman also had a sister?

In Yu Qing’s mind, she never considered that Lin Chen might come from a background like hers because in Zhao Kingdom, the poor had no opportunity to practice martial arts.

Only the descendants of the gentry had the right to learn martial arts.

When Yu Qing looked up again, she discovered that Lin Chen had already disappeared.