The next day!
Lin Yan received a piece of news at home.
Wei Hai, the Gang Leader of the Three Heroes Gang, Liu Song, the Vice Gang Leader, and a dozen or so core members had all been killed overnight.
Hearing this, the first thing that came to Lin Yan’s mind was the image of his master.
His master had told him not to worry about the Three Heroes Gang. He had thought it was because his master didn’t consider them a threat, but he never expected his master had already decided to make a move against them back then.
’Looks like I’m still too kind-hearted!’
Lin Yan was certain in his heart. If it wasn’t his master who had acted, it must have been one of his senior brothers from the Martial Arts Hall.
There weren’t that many coincidences in the world. He had just killed Zhao Kui and told his master about it, and the Three Heroes Gang was annihilated that very night.
"What a pity. There goes another wave of ’sponsorship’."
While grateful for his master’s protection, Lin Yan also felt a sense of regret.
With the Three Heroes Gang wiped out, he wouldn’t know who to look for "sponsorship" from in the future.
He still had one hundred and fifty taels of silver on him.
This amount was far from enough for the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing.
Although his master had waived the cost of three jars of Secret Medicine for him, three jars were nowhere near enough. Moreover, the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing required not only the external application of Secret Medicine to restore the meridians but also the internal consumption of Elixirs to drive Qi Blood into the meridians and continuously widen them.
’The Third-Time of Skin Smoothing can’t be rushed. North City is getting more and more chaotic. It’s time to think about moving.’
With his strength as a Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist and his status as a Martial Arts Academy Disciple, the gangs wouldn’t collect protection money from his family. But a wise man doesn’t stand under a crumbling wall. It would be best to take his aunt and younger brother to live in East City or South City.
When Lin Yan told his aunt about this, Liu Shi was silent for a long while, but this time, she didn’t refuse.
After her nephew found success in Martial Arts, neither the former Qingshui Gang nor the Three Heroes Gang collected protection money from them. But at the same time, the gazes of their neighbors, with whom they once had good relationships, had changed. There was no shortage of gossip and hushed discussions.
The neighbors didn’t say certain things to her face, but children couldn’t keep secrets. Mo’Er had heard a lot from other kids his age on the street and would come back and tell her.
"Don’t buy one that’s too big. We don’t have many people in our family. As long as it’s big enough for us to live in, it’ll be fine."
"Don’t worry, Aunt. I know what I’m doing."
Lin Yan agreed. Moving wasn’t something that could be done in a day. First, he needed his aunt’s consent and to find a suitable house. The actual move would probably happen after the New Year.
"Little brother, how are your studies coming along?"
Lin Mo, who was just about to sneak out, trembled when he heard this. He put on a fawning smile. "Brother, the teacher said I’m doing great! I’m learning my characters even faster than you did back then."
The corner of Lin Yan’s mouth twitched. When the teacher had taught him, there were several other students learning alongside him, so he hadn’t received any special attention. But the teacher was definitely paying close attention to his little brother. If Lin Mo still learned slower than him under these conditions, he’d have to wonder if there was something wrong with his brother’s intelligence.
"Recognizing them isn’t enough. You have to be able to write them too."
Having his little brother learn to read and write wasn’t just for his future Martial Arts training, but also to temper his character.
When a family is poor, the eldest son takes risks, while the second son walks a stable path.
His own path in Martial Arts could only be forged by taking risks, but his little brother wouldn’t have to suffer like that in the future. He just needed to move forward steadily.
"Do I really have to practice writing when it’s this cold?"
Lin Mo was reluctant, but under Lin Yan’s glare, he obediently returned to his room.
Liu Shi watched from the side, a look of gratification in her eyes.
Only the two brothers, Yan’er and Mo’Er, were left in the Lin Family. As the elder brother, Yan’er was also like a father figure.
The old Yan’er wasn’t mature enough, but since he started practicing Martial Arts, he had begun to act more and more like his late father.
After watching his little brother write for a moment, Lin Yan didn’t keep staring. He said goodbye to his aunt. There were still two mu of the medicinal fields he was in charge of guarding in Qingtian Town that hadn’t been harvested.
Before leaving the city, Lin Yan went to a brokerage in East City and found a broker to show him some houses there.
The Martial Arts Academy Disciple uniform he wore saved him from being looked down upon.
"Young Master, this residence is the most suitable. Although it’s only a single-courtyard house, it has four rooms, which is enough to meet your requirements."
"Lately, the prices for houses in East City have been changing daily. I’m afraid they’ll rise even more after the New Year."
Lin Yan looked at the quiet and secluded house. It was indeed very suitable, but the price made his heart ache.
A single-courtyard residence cost two hundred taels. All the silver coins he had on him weren’t enough.
"Is there something you’re dissatisfied with, Young Master? I can find you some better ones," the broker said when he saw Lin Yan hadn’t responded.
"I’m satisfied with everything but the price."
The broker’s mouth twitched. "Young Master, this is truly the lowest price in this alley. If you want something lower, you’ll have to choose a more remote location."
"Let’s keep looking."
Lin Yan remained noncommittal. ’A salesman’s words are a pack of lies.’
"Young Master, you’re a Martial Artist. If you’re not afraid of trouble, I do have a cheaper house here. It only costs one hundred taels."
Seeing Lin Yan look over, the broker explained, "There’s another house in this alley. The original owner offended someone, which led to trouble at the residence. But since you’re a Martial Artist, Young Master, those ruffians definitely wouldn’t dare to cause trouble if the house is in your hands. You wouldn’t need to worry."
"No, thank you."
Lin Yan refused outright. Ruffians could still cause trouble over in South City, so the person behind them must be extraordinary. Although he was a Martial Artist, there was no need to make an enemy over a house.
The broker was at a loss for words. He was silent for a few breaths before saying, "Young Master, if you’re short on silver coins at the moment, with your strength, you could make a down payment of one hundred taels. As long as the remaining one hundred taels are paid off within a year, there will be no interest. If it’s over a year, there will be a ten percent annual interest."
’A mortgage in another world?’
Lin Yan was a bit speechless. He had finally come to a Martial Arts World, only to be saddled with a mortgage.
Still, with a year interest-free, the loan was manageable.
"Alright."
Next, Lin Yan followed the broker to the brokerage, paid the money, and signed the agreement. Both parties kept a copy.
As for the deed, it was simple. The original owner had left it at the brokerage long ago. It was a White Contract.
The entire deed already recorded several previous owners of the house, somewhat like a Document in an accounting format.
Common folk often used White Contracts for private transactions, with the brokerage acting as guarantor and witness. To convert it into an Official Contract, one had to go to the Government Office and pay a deed tax.
Lin Yan didn’t intend to pay this fee. With the Martial Arts Hall backing him, even if he ran into trouble in the future and someone refused to recognize the deed, his little brother could take it to his master, and his master would stand up for him.
"The house needs to be cleaned by the next time I come."
"Rest assured, Young Master Lin. I’ll arrange for people to clean it right away. I guarantee you’ll see a spotless house when you arrive."
「Qingtian Town.」
When Lin Yan returned this time, the entire town guard team was down to just Ji Ming and him.
"Lin Yan, the Boss has already increased your compensation. It will be issued in a couple of days."
Ji Ming chuckled as he brewed tea for Lin Yan. "If I weren’t waiting for you, I would have returned to the city this morning."
"I’ve troubled you, Captain Ji."
"There’s no need to be so formal between us. Just call me Brother Ji."
Ji Ming’s attitude toward Lin Yan was clearly much warmer. Lin Yan didn’t find him mercenary, though; that was just how people were.
To make people want to be close to you, you had to show your own worth.
"The New Year is in twelve days. If you have a lot to do at home, there’s no need to stay on guard here. Just have the herb farmers deliver the medicinal herbs from the remaining two mu of land to the warehouse. Nothing will go wrong."
The herb farmers in Qingtian Town had been working for the Tang Family for years; they knew what to do and what not to do. Besides, the warehouse staff did a final check, so there was no fear of the farmers causing trouble. The worst that could happen without supervision was a loss of a few hundred wen.
But for a Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist, the Tang Family wouldn’t fuss over such a small loss.
"Thank you for your consideration, Brother Ji, but I should still stand my post for this last shift."
Lin Yan accepted Ji Ming’s show of goodwill, but he didn’t plan to go back early. It was only a delay of a few days. Since he had taken the guard job, he had to see it through properly.
After they finished a pot of tea, Ji Ming really did leave, leaving Lin Yan as the sole member of the Qingtian Town guard team.
’First, I’ll refine the Martial Arts Fruit, then I’ll try to make a trip into the Great Mist Mountain.’
Back in his quarters, Lin Yan looked at the Martial Arts Fruit in his mind that had belonged to Zhao Kui.
[Martial Arts Fruit: Four years, nine months, and thirteen days]
’Zhao Kui really lived up to his reputation of having attempted the Second-Time Skin Smoothing twice. This is the longest duration I’ve obtained so far.’
Lin Yan was very satisfied with the duration Zhao Kui had contributed. With a thought, the Martial Arts Fruit fell from the tree.
Spring passed and winter came, four cycles in total.
Lin Yan gradually came to an understanding. On the silver leaf representing the Mountain-Splitting Fist in his mind, the golden threads on its veins began to spread, gradually suffusing more than half of it.
「The next day.」
As expected, someone from the Tang Family arrived, delivering Lin Yan’s monthly stipend and a bottle of Muscle Strengthening Pills.
In addition, there was an invitation for Lin Yan to attend the Tang Family’s year-end banquet.
After seeing the person from the Tang Family off, Lin Yan directly consumed a Muscle Strengthening Pill and continued his Cultivation.
However, after an hour, his meridians began to ache faintly.
The Third-Time of Skin Smoothing trained the meridians. The exertion of force and the Breathing technique were different from before; it was about guiding Qi Blood to bore into the meridians.
After applying the Secret Medicine his master had prepared, a cooling sensation seeped through his skin and into his meridians, and the pain slowly dissipated.
After a full day, the Martial Arts Tree had grown very little.
At this rate, relying only on the Secret Medicine and Muscle Strengthening Pills, he was afraid it would take at least two years to achieve the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing.
’I’m still short on money. I wonder if Master can find me a good marriage prospect so I can live off a rich wife.’

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