’Two in the Junior Realm.’
"May I ask why you’ve invited me here, Young Master Cao?"
"No need to rush, Brother Lin. Why not sit and have a cup of tea first?"
Cao Zhang didn’t answer immediately. He waved to the maids behind him, who efficiently laid out a new tea set, brewed fresh tea with a hot kettle, and then withdrew from the courtyard, closing the gate behind them.
"Brother Lin, please accept this tea as my apology."
Cao Zhang personally picked up a cup of tea and offered it to Lin Yan, who accepted it.
’If he could help it, he didn’t want to offend this Young Master Cao. Since the man had offered an olive branch, there was no need to be difficult and make an enemy.’
"Thank you, Young Master Cao."
Seeing Lin Yan accept the tea and sit back down, Cao Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at Qian Shuhang, who had unceremoniously taken a seat beside them, and sighed inwardly with resignation.
’It wasn’t in his nature to leave Lin Yan waiting for so long; this was all Qian Shuhang’s idea.’
’According to Qian Shuhang, they were supposed to let Lin Yan wait a while to take him down a peg, making the subsequent discussion easier.’
’He didn’t agree, but he was only the intermediary this time, responsible for arranging a meeting between Qian Shuhang and Lin Yan. Considering Qian Shuhang’s status and background, he had no choice but to cooperate.’
"Brother Lin, you must be familiar with the Qian Family. Brother Qian is a Young Master of the Qian Family, but he is highly ambitious. After breaking through to the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing, he went to the Prefecture City and rarely stays in Sanshan County."
Lin Yan glanced at Qian Shuhang and nodded. "I’ve heard much about you."
’Before coming to Sanshan County, he had made a point to learn about its Martial Arts power structure. The Qian Family was one of the five major families in the county. The Qian Patriarch was a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist, but at sixty-five, his Qi Blood had long been in decline.’
’Judging by this Young Master Qian’s age, the Qian Patriarch must have had him late in life.’
Hearing Lin Yan’s words, Qian Shuhang smiled faintly and remarked with a sigh, "To go far in Martial Arts, one must ultimately go to the Prefecture City. Staying in a county town is like being a frog in a well. Those at the Second-Time or Third-Time of Skin Smoothing think they’re geniuses, but only in the Prefecture City can one see how vast the world truly is. Never mind Third-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artists, I know plenty of twenty-year-old Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artists."
Listening to Qian Shuhang’s words, Lin Yan just smiled and didn’t reply.
’This Young Master Qian might have sounded humble, but his tone dripped with condescension. Anyone who didn’t know better might have mistaken him for someone actually from the Prefecture City.’
’He had seen plenty of people like this in his past life.’
’They move from a small town to a big city, and every time they come back, they can’t stop talking about how great the city is. They look down on all the local customs, completely oblivious to the fact that they’re just another face in the crowd in that big city.’
Cao Zhang was also silent for a moment. He had clearly picked up on the sense of superiority in Qian Shuhang’s words. Seeing the atmosphere about to turn cold, he said with a wry smile, "Living in the Prefecture City isn’t easy. Not everyone can be like Brother Qian."
With that, Cao Zhang turned his gaze back to Lin Yan. "For Brother Lin to have reached the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing at your age, your talent in the Martial Arts goes without saying. Reaching the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing in the future is certainly possible. However, you must also understand that the further one progresses in the Martial Arts, the more resources it demands. My own family has nearly exhausted its silver coins to support my cultivation."
Cao Zhang’s words were a slight exaggeration but largely true. In addition to funding his training, his family had to support his cousins and other clan members, placing them under immense pressure.
This was a dilemma common to all the influential families in the county towns. While not training the next generation to become Martial Artists would save silver coins, the price was steep: once the current generation’s Qi Blood declined and their descendants’ strength couldn’t measure up, their family’s businesses and influence would be seized and crushed by rivals.
"Cao Zhang is right. A wise bird chooses the right tree to nest in. Sometimes, the right choice is more important than hard work," Qian Shuhang added, nodding in agreement.
Watching the two go back and forth, Lin Yan had no desire to beat around the bush any longer. He said bluntly, "If you two have something to say, just say it."
Cao Zhang glanced at Qian Shuhang beside him and remained silent.
’Now it was Qian Shuhang’s turn to speak. He had done his part.’
Qian Shuhang looked directly at Lin Yan. "A wise bird chooses the right tree to nest in. Brother Lin, you must be aware of the situation in Guangping County Town. The Four Seas Gang and the Inspection Bureau are at each other’s throats. The Inspection Bureau won’t last much longer. If you make your choice now, Brother Lin, you’ll be well-rewarded when the time comes."
It was only then that Lin Yan finally understood why Young Master Cao had asked to meet him.
’He came to act as a spokesman for the Four Seas Gang. Or, to be more precise, he was the go-between, connecting me with this Young Master Qian. The real pitchman is this Young Master Qian.’
’It was said that the Four Seas Gang’s Gang Leader and several Vice Gang Leaders had mysterious origins and were not Martial Artists from Guangping County Town. Could they be related to the Qian Family?’
’No, that’s not right!’
’A thought struck Lin Yan. This Young Master Qian had gone to the Prefecture City after his Third-Time of Skin Smoothing. The Four Seas Gang was likely connected to a Prefecture City Influence!’
’No wonder...’
’Lin Yan suddenly understood. No wonder his master wouldn’t interfere and was so secretive about the Four Seas Gang’s origins. No wonder the Tang Family, the number one family in Guangping County Town, chose to remain neutral. The real struggle was taking place in the Prefecture City.’
’According to his master, every county’s Inspection Bureau has intricate ties to the Profound Celestial Sect. Actually, that wasn’t quite right. To be precise, it was the backer *behind* the Inspection Bureau that was connected to the Profound Celestial Sect.’
’The conflict between the Four Seas Gang and the Inspection Bureau was, in all likelihood, a proxy war between two major powers from Deng State Prefecture City.’
’Now that he understood all this, he was even more resolved not to choose a side until the situation became clearer.’
Lin Yan shook his head and said, "Young Master Cao, you think too highly of me. I’m merely a Third-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist; I can’t have any real impact on Guangping County."

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