Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

"Blood-replenishing pills?"

Lin Ji looked up at the pill Bai Xiaonian handed him, his expression slightly surprised. His brows immediately furrowed, and he quickly asked:

"Did you bring the porcelain vase that Zhao Qiaosheng gave you?"

Bai Xiaonian hurriedly shook his head and quickly explained, "These are the rewards the Martial Hall gives to students who break through to the Skin Refinement stage, a total of five. You've helped my brother and me for so long, so please take this one."

Lin Ji raised an eyebrow and gently pushed Bai Xiaonian's hand back, refusing to accept it: "You've just broken through to the Skin Refining stage and need to stabilize your Qi and blood. These five pills will come in handy. Quickly put them away."

Bai Xiaonian's eyes were sincere, and he refused to withdraw his hand, saying earnestly:

"Grandpa Lin, you have taken care of my brother and me in every way during this time. I will always remember your kindness."

Bai Xiaonian's eyes were firm, revealing a youthful stubbornness, as if he wanted to completely empty his heart of all thoughts and ideas:

"My parents passed away early, and my sister raised me. My sister and I have endured a lot of scorn from others. Over the years, besides my sister, you have been the only one who has truly treated me well."

Bai Xiaonian gripped the pill tightly, his gaze resolute, his tone utterly sincere:

"I know you have no children. From now on, I, Bai Xiaonian, will take care of you in your old age. I will be responsible for your and my sister's livelihood. This pill is just a small token of my appreciation. Please don't refuse it."

As Lin Ji gazed at the stubborn boy before him, a hallucination seemed to form before his eyes.

A handsome boy in his early teens sat with his knees drawn up on a woodpile in the courtyard of Dog Tail Alley, facing his reflection sitting on the rough stone steps of the main room. He clenched his small fist, his face serious, and made a promise to himself:

"Grandpa, I want to become a martial artist, and I'll take care of you in your old age."

The childlike tone of voice transcended time and space, settling in Lin Ji's heart.

A pang of sorrow welled up in Lin Ji's heart, and he sighed inwardly:

Lin Ji snapped out of his thoughts, looked at Bai Xiaonian's youthful face, and recalled Zhao Qiaosheng's evaluation.

This person is so good at judging people; he actually knew this child was kind-hearted and loyal.

Considering the resource-sharing competition at the martial arts hall in a month, these scions of powerful families were clearly going to be ruthless; they had to leave the boy some means of survival.

"Keep the blood-replenishing pill; I'll remember your kindness."

Seeing Lin Ji's resolute attitude and refusal to yield, Bai Xiaonian, after a long stalemate, could only reluctantly withdraw his hand and then solemnly spoke:

"Grandpa Lin, I won't send the pills today. But I will never forget your kindness, and I will definitely find a way to repay you in the future."

After saying this, Bai Xiaonian put the blood-replenishing pill back into his pocket, put down the iron food box and two multigrain steamed buns, and turned to leave Lin Ji's hut.

Lin Ji lay on the rattan chair, pondered for a long time, then chuckled, picked up a piece of pork belly, stuffed it into his mouth, and muttered with a smile:

"That kid!"

The next day at noon, Lin Ji stood in the back room of the kitchen, holding a rough porcelain bowl.

Chef Wang beckoned to him across the stove, his spatula flipping the food rapidly.

"Old Lin, in the competition in half a month, Zhang Shao and his gang have said that they're going to make all the poor kids lose and send them to academic classes, while the entire venue for the herbal medicine competition will be theirs."

Lin Ji took the porcelain bowl filled with braised pork and casually replied, "It's just a small competition, would we really kick someone out?"

"It's not a minor competition," Chef Wang said in a low voice. "Even the head instructor has tacitly approved it, euphemistically calling it selecting the best of the best."

The Zhang family had already made arrangements behind the scenes. Zhang Shijie had been refining his bones for over half a year; how could an ordinary child possibly defeat him?

Lin Ji nodded, understanding the situation:

"Enough of that. Are you going to listen to a story today?"

The men in the kitchen exchanged knowing smiles, their faces displaying an understanding look that all men could comprehend.

Listen to this!

"How can I not listen? Otherwise, wouldn't my braised pork be a waste?"

"Old Wang, that's not fair! Can't this old man even have a free meal?"

Inside the canteen kitchen, smoke swirled, and the sizzling sound of stir-frying vegetables in large iron woks on the stove occasionally drowned out Lin Ji's ramblings about miscellaneous books and old stories.

"Pan Jinlian was born with an unparalleled beauty. When her silk shirt was removed, her skin was as delicate and dazzlingly white as a lychee after peeling."

"But she was also fierce and stubborn, and in the midst of her captivating charm, she completely captivated Ximen Qing."

"And then there's Li Ping'er, with skin as white as snow, a gentle and graceful nature, and an elegant and poised demeanor."

"As she spoke, she lowered her head, revealing half of her snow-white neck, as white as mutton fat jade, so delicate and charming that it stirred a burning desire in Ximen Qing to cherish her."

Lin Ji's words were extremely subtle and measured, yet the characters of Pan Jinlian and Li Ping'er in the story captivated everyone's attention.

At the stove, several kitchen helpers listened intently, their cleavers slicing through the air, one after another, as they strained their ears to hear every detail, afraid of missing a single bit of the story.

On the stove, Chef Wang's spatula flew across the pot, and the meat chunks in the iron pot were stewing until they were glistening with oil, bubbling away.

Seeing the state of the pot, Lin Ji wisely stopped talking: "Let's stop our story here for today, and continue tomorrow."

He then grinned, stood up, and took a spoonful of piping hot braised pork from Chef Wang.

Chef Wang wiped the grease off his hands and jokingly said to Lin Ji, "Old Lin, your story has kept us in suspense for half a month. You'd better tell us a few more tales next time, or we won't be able to serve this braised pork."

Lin Ji looked at the bowl piled high with meat with satisfaction and grinned, "No problem, no problem."

……

Carrying the porcelain bowl, I returned to the small house from the canteen. A bowl of blood-nourishing soup, thick and bubbling, was placed on the table, steaming hot.

Next to the herbal medicine was a note with childish handwriting:

Grandpa Lin drank it while it was hot.

During this period, Bai Xiaonian would bring Lin Ji a bowl of blood-nourishing soup every day when Lin Ji was not around.

After making a few inquiries, Lin Ji found out where Bai Xiaonian got the medicine.

Lin Ji refused to accept the pill in exchange for ten bowls of blood-nourishing soup, so the young man instead sent the soup every day.

As Lin Ji ate the fragrant braised pork, he looked at the bubbling medicine in the earthenware bowl. His heart softened, and he picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp, the medicinal effects spreading through his blood vessels.

He closed his eyes, his martial bones trembling slightly, and began to temper his leg bones according to the Bone-Entangling Method.

With this herbal soup as a foundation, the bone-strengthening process was completed three days earlier than expected.

What a kind and honest child.

We can't let this kid drink ten days' worth of herbal medicine for nothing; we need to find some time to give him some pointers.

Besides, isn't he his brother-in-law?

Lin Ji shook his head and chuckled.

Those scions of powerful families have clearly come prepared. We must not let this kid lose the competition in half a month.

As night deepened, the courtyard of the martial arts hall became so quiet that only the chirping of insects could be heard.

Lin Ji sat cross-legged on the couch, his blood and qi circulated smoothly throughout his body, and his leg bones had become as solid as iron. He had reached the critical point in refining his bones.

What concerned him even more than the progress in his cultivation was the "Book of Reversing Fate" that had been dormant in his mind for a month.

Lin Ji could clearly feel that the golden page was getting slightly warm, and the dusty second page was about to be opened.