Gou Zai Wudao Shi Lian Shen

Lu Chen returned to Lu Family Village under the cover of night.

Inside the room, Zhou Yun was sitting by the bed, watching over Lu Shan.

Lu Shan leaned against the straw mat, his face sallow, with a strip of cloth wrapped around his chest. He coughed occasionally, and his brows furrowed in pain.

After he was injured by the patrol team, the villagers pooled together some money to get him some medicine.

Just then, a noise came from outside, and Zhou Yun turned her head to look.

Upon seeing Lu Chen, she was initially delighted, but then hurriedly stood up and said, "Chen'er? Why are you back at this time? Don't you need to practice at the martial arts school?"

Looking at his mother's haggard face, Lu Chen felt a pang of sadness.

In just a few days, Zhou Yun seemed to have aged several years.

He went into the house, took out the money pouch from his arms, and placed it in Zhou Yun's hand.

It was taken from Ge Ming and Zhao Sihou. The money they had plundered from the villagers was spent in less than three days, leaving only a few taels of silver.

"Where...where did this come from?"

Zhou Yun grasped Lu Chen's hand and looked him up and down.

Seeing the faint bloodstain on Lu Chen's face, he looked concerned and said:

"Chen'er, how did you get hurt? Did you get into trouble outside?"

Lu Chen shook his head and said, "No."

"It was a scrape I got while practicing boxing, it's nothing serious."

He then grasped Zhou Yun's hand and said, "Mother, this money is borrowed from my senior brother at the martial arts school. You can take it first. Use it to get medicine for Father so he can focus on recovering."

After spending the night with his parents, Lu Chen rushed back to the martial arts school to practice.

He wanted to work harder, become a martial artist as soon as possible, earn money, and bring his parents to the city.

……

The afternoon sun was exceptionally bright.

On the training ground, Lu Chen sparred with his senior brother Chen Chong as usual.

boom!

The two men's arms collided with a dull thud.

Chen Chong frowned slightly and took a half step back.

Recently, he had vaguely sensed that Lu Chen's fighting style was slightly different from before.

Every punch and every palm strike exuded a fierce and murderous aura, a ruthless force.

"Again!"

At this moment, Lu Chen let out a low shout, giving Chen Chong no chance to catch his breath. He stomped his foot, and his right arm shot out like a dragon or snake, his fist both fast and cunning.

Chen Chong raised his hand to block, and as soon as his arm made contact, he felt Lu Chen's strength winding up his wrist bone, like a dragon coiling around his arm, trying to press into his center.

If Chen Chong hadn't activated his qi and blood in time to forcefully break free of the entanglement, he might have been snatched into Lu Chen's arms.

A hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.

This kid is improving too fast.

After exchanging more than ten moves, Chen Chong grew increasingly alarmed. Lu Chen's strength was clearly inferior to his, yet his fist techniques became more and more ruthless and precise, as if he knew exactly where to strike with each move to cripple his enemy as quickly as possible.

Finally, Chen Chong shoved Lu Chen away with a palm strike and said in a deep voice, "Stop!"

Lu Chen immediately withdrew his fist, his chest heaving slightly, and sweat dripping from his forehead and chin.

Chen Chong looked at him and slowly said, "Lu Chen, your boxing skills are almost at the junior level. Your moves are fierce, and even I can hardly defend against them."

Lu Chen clasped his hands in greeting and said, "I am grateful for your guidance and instruction, Senior Brother."

Before his eyes, a transparent light screen quietly appeared:

[Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist: Beginner]

[Progress: 257/300]

Lu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

His boxing skills are still one-sixth away from reaching the minor mastery stage.

Chen Chong noticed the fine scabs that had already formed on Lu Chen's face.

"I wonder if that kid took leave that day to go back and kill someone."

A slight thought flickered in his mind as he recalled that Lu Chen had taken leave to go home a few days ago. Upon his return, he exuded a more vibrant, bloody aura.

He had also heard about the news that Lu Chen's father had been injured by the hooligans of the patrol team.

Those patrol teams had martial arts skills, but they couldn't make a living in the county town, so they could only roam the mountains and forests, bullying poor villagers.

"Those people may just be a bunch of good-for-nothings who hang around in the mountains, but they've all practiced martial arts, and I heard there's even a martial artist among them."

"Was he beaten to death?"

"Did he avenge his father?"

Thinking of this, Chen Chong's gaze towards Lu Chen changed instantly.

"This kid is a tough one."

Chen Chong thought to himself.

However, Chen Chong did not find it offensive; on the contrary, he appreciated it even more.

In this world, cowardice and tolerance will not get you a way to survive.

It's a contest of who's tougher!

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Chong suddenly said to Lu Chen, "Lu Chen, I'll treat you to dinner tonight."

Lu Chen was taken aback upon hearing this.

He had a good relationship with his senior brother Chen Chong, but it was just a matter of exchanging pointers and giving each other pointers on a regular basis. Being invited to dinner by him was somewhat unexpected.

However, he quickly recovered and clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Then I thank you for your hospitality, Senior Brother!"

Lu Chen wasn't going to be polite with his senior brother over a free dinner.

When the evening training session ended, Chen Chong led Lu Chen out of the martial arts hall and arrived at Xiao Sheng Lou. Lu Chen knew then that this meal was not just a casual affair.

Although Xiaoshenglou is not as luxurious as Juxianglou, it is still one of the top restaurants in Chixia Town.

The two went up to the second floor.

As soon as I pushed open the door to the private room, a steaming aroma of food wafted out.

Several dishes were already laid out on the table: braised pork tendon, steamed river fish, stewed chicken soup, and a plate of very thinly sliced ​​braised beef.

Lu Chen usually ate communal meals at the martial arts school and had never seen such exquisite food before.

The aroma of meat made my stomach rumble softly.

Inside the private room, a middle-aged man in his forties was already waiting.

The man was dressed in a blue long robe, with a broad face and a resemblance to Chen Chong in his features, but with a more composed demeanor, clearly not from an ordinary family.

"Lu Chen, this is my father, Chen Yue."

Chen Chong introduced Lu Chen.

When Lu Chen saw Chen Yue, he was taken aback at first, then politely bowed and said, "Greetings, Uncle Chen."

Chen Yue smiled and stood up, "No need for formalities."

He looked Lu Chen up and down, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Lu Chen, I often hear my Chong'er mention you. Seeing you in person is truly an honor. You are a young hero."

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Uncle Chen, you flatter me."

Chen Chong gestured for him to sit down, saying, "Eat first, we can talk while we eat."

After Lu Chen sat down, Chen Yue personally poured him a cup of tea.

Now Lu Chen was even more certain that today's meal was no ordinary dinner.

He glanced at Chen Chong, then at Chen Yue, and asked directly, "Uncle Chen, what brings you to dinner today?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yue's smile deepened.

He wasn't displeased by Lu Chen's bluntness; instead, he nodded.

"readily."

Chen Yue put down the teapot: "But there's no rush. Let's eat first and try Xiao Sheng Lou's cooking."

"The braised beef from this restaurant is the best in Chixia County."

Since that's the case, Lu Chen didn't stand on ceremony and started to eat heartily.

Chen Chong was hungry after practicing martial arts all day, and he and Lu Chen wolfed down their food, finishing off the entire table of dishes in half an hour.

After the two finished eating, Chen Yue personally poured Lu Chen another cup of tea.

"Lu Chen, Chong'er has told me about your background."

"It's not easy for you to live alone in the county town, and you have no family to take care of you. The path of martial arts training is fraught with difficulties."

"My Chen family runs a small shop in the county town. We're not exactly rich, but we can definitely afford to give you a few taels of silver on a regular basis."

Hearing this, Lu Chen was quite surprised.

"Uncle Chen, are you offering to sponsor my martial arts training?"

He glanced at Chen Yue, then turned to look at Chen Chong.

Chen Yue nodded to Lu Chen, "Not bad, Lu Chen. Chong'er told me about your background. Our Chen family thinks highly of you and wants to be your friend."

Lu Chen was astonished: "But I'm not even a martial artist yet!"

Clearly, Lu Chen hadn't expected to receive such attention and financial assistance before breaking through to the Martial Artist realm.

At this moment, Chen Chong patted Lu Chen on the shoulder: "Lu Chen, your comprehension and innate talent are not bad, but your diet and medicinal supplements are not keeping up."

"In the path of martial arts, perseverance alone is not enough; you also need money."

Chen Yue picked up the conversation and continued, "Lu Chen, we can now provide you with two taels of silver each month. You don't need to do anything for the Chen family with this money. You just need to focus on practicing martial arts."

"Once you break through to become a martial artist, we will also improve your treatment."

"Two ounces?" Lu Chen was taken aback.

Chen Yue replied, "If you think it's too little, we can discuss it further."

"No, no, Uncle Chen, you've misunderstood. This is already a lot of money!" Lu Chen hurriedly explained.

Two taels of silver was a considerable sum for Lu Chen; it could buy twenty bowls of body-strengthening medicinal soup.

And it's free!

Chen Yue was straightforward and immediately took out two taels of silver from his sleeve and handed it to Lu Chen.

"This is for this month. From now on, I'll have Chong'er give it to you every month."

Lu Chen immediately accepted it, deeply grateful: "Thank you, Uncle Chen."

Since the other party was so kind to him, Lu Chen naturally couldn't refuse, nor did he have any reason to refuse.

After Lu Chen left, Chen Yue and his son Chen Chong were left alone in the private room.

Chen Yue watched Lu Chen's departing figure from the window and said to Chen Chong, "Chong'er, do you really believe that this mountain boy can become a martial artist who has mastered the Blood Transformation Realm in the future?"

Chen Chong nodded: "Father, although I'm not very good at martial arts, I have a good eye for people."

"I believe my junior brother Lu will definitely make a name for himself in Chixia County in the future!"

A martial artist who has mastered the Blood Transfusion skill is considered a master in Chixia County.

With the Chen family's strength, they are simply not worthy of such a master. The only way to establish a relationship is to bet on him before he rises to prominence.