The two Third-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artists Ma Sheng sent were killed by his master before they even found out where his family lived.
The letter from his master was very short, simply telling him not to worry about his family. He would help look after them, so Lin Yan should just focus on his training in Qing State.
After finishing the first letter, Lin Yan opened the second.
This letter had been dictated by his aunt and written by his younger brother. The handwriting was still quite childish.
In the letter, his aunt told him not to worry about home. She said she and his younger brother were living well and mentioned that Monkey and Zhang Wei came to visit every so often. She also brought up that Monkey was getting married next month and asked what would be an appropriate wedding gift. Of course, she couldn’t resist dropping a few hints urging him to get married as well.
What his aunt didn’t know, however, was that his younger brother had secretly added a few lines of his own at the very end.
His younger brother wrote that the Liu Family had shown up at their door several times. His two uncles had even carried their grandmother to the doorstep, crying that they couldn’t go on living. The commotion drew a crowd of gossiping neighbors. Furious, his little brother had stormed out, grabbed his cousin—the youngest male heir of the Liu Family—and given him a thorough beating.
In the letter, his brother wrote that he didn’t dare hit his grandmother; that would be unfilial.
He didn’t dare fight his first or second uncles because he couldn’t win.
But beating up that scrawny cousin of his was no problem. Plus, their grandmother doted on this youngest cousin the most. The moment he started hitting him, she shot right up from the wooden plank she was on.
Best of all, the Liu Family adults didn’t even dare to stop him.
In his younger brother’s words: "You’re a Martial Artist, Big Brother. If they dare to touch me, they’re disrespecting you. Then I’ll just have Brother Zhuang throw them all in jail."
’His little brother is clever,’ Lin Yan thought, gratified.
But that last sentence left Lin Yan a little dumbfounded.
’How did my little brother get to know Junior Brother Zhuang?’
’Most importantly, Junior Brother Zhuang is a crafty old fox. I’m worried he’ll lead my little brother astray.’
’I’ll have to write back and give him a good talking-to when I get back to the clan.’
’It’s one thing to take risks to change your fate when you’re poor and desperate.’
’But my brother has no need for that. If he has a talent for Martial Arts, the role model I’d want for him is someone like Junior Brother Zhao.’
After putting the letters away, Lin Yan used Introspection to examine his Martial Arts Tree.
By now, his Martial Arts Tree was nearly four and a half feet tall, and his progress on the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing was almost halfway complete.
’I have to leave the Yantian Mountain Range in a little over half a month. If I don’t go back into the mountains now, I’ll lose my chance.’
Before, he hadn’t entered the mountains because he was worried about his aunt and brother. Now that he knew they were safe, his worries were assuaged. It was time to head into the mountains again.
In a courtyard to the west belonging to Zhao Tieshan.
"Second Uncle, it’s been a month. We can’t wait any longer."
Zhao Zixuan looked at his second uncle with a hint of resentment in his eyes.
"Let’s wait a little longer. Lin Yan just entered the mountains today. He’s no longer at the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing, he’s a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist. If he discovers any inkling of our plan, the consequences would be unimaginable."
’The Perception of someone at the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing is completely different from the Third-Time. Most importantly, if Lin Yan were still at the Third-Time, and if there was an accident and he found out, I would have the strength to control him. But a Fourth-Time...’
Zhao Tieshan was hesitant. To be cautious, he wanted to wait until after Lin Yan had left before sending the men into the mountains.
"Lin Yan accepted a three-month assignment. It’s already been over two months. Tell the other party to wait a bit longer."
"Second Uncle, the money has already been paid. Besides, they’re going into the mountains to look for the Black Cicada. If we wait any longer, the cicadas will have burrowed back underground. What’s more, the Yantian Mountain Range is massive. It’s not like they’re guaranteed to run into Lin Yan."
The Black Cicada was a type of Treasure Medicine.
It was pitch-black, like ink, and nocturnal.
Its shell, when ground into powder, could be used to create Hidden Breath Powder.
For one hour after taking it, a Martial Artist’s aura would be completely concealed. As long as they remained motionless, even a True Gang Powerhouse would have difficulty detecting them.
What was even more attractive to Martial Artists, however, was its heart. Consuming it could enhance a Martial Artist’s Perception.
But the Black Cicada was extremely difficult to capture, as it only had a brief one-month period each year where it emerged from the earth.
The Black Cicada emerged from the ground in late spring and early summer.
It emerged earlier than common cicadas, and by the time the ordinary ones began to sing, the Black Cicada had already hidden itself back underground to lie dormant.
The Black Cicadas were already extremely rare, and with only a one-month window to catch them, a single one was worth tens of thousands of silver on the market.
"Second Uncle, it was five thousand silver. We’ve already taken the money."
Hearing that number, the hesitation on Zhao Tieshan’s face finally vanished. "Arrange for these men to enter the mountains tonight!"

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