Chapter 70: Chapter 69: Cousin, Is This Right, Cousin

Seeing Sun Cang’s stunned and discomposed expression, Liu Wei felt a sudden surge of joy. She knew she had guessed correctly—Wu Chen had come to Fenglin County.

She looked at the old leader of the Lin family’s merchant caravan and said with a smile,

"Uncle Sun, do you remember the young man my father mentioned after we fled the famine and came to the Lin family? The one who single-handedly slew a hundred Demon Corpses in Qingzhou?"

Sun Cang’s eyes widened. Of course he remembered.

Back then, when Liu Linshan had fled south from the famine, he’d told everyone about his journey after he’d had his fill of food and drink. Sun Cang had even laughed at him for exaggerating.

’A young man risking his life to single-handedly slay Demon Corpses, all for a few worthless Martial Arts manuals?’

’He probably killed a dozen at most and boasted it was a hundred.’

But now, listening to this young lady, it seemed he and Liu Linshan had encountered the very same person.

HUFF—

Sun Cang recalled the violent image of that kick sending the vicious beast flying. He let out a ragged breath and slumped onto the stone steps.

"I was the one laughing too loudly before. I’ll go apologize to your father in a bit."

For a Jade Bone Realm expert who could kick a vicious beast’s jaw crooked, slaying a hundred or so Demon Corpses was indeed no big deal.

Liu Wei watched Sun Cang’s dejected figure but didn’t disturb him.

On their journey to seek refuge with distant relatives, they were naturally asked about what had happened and what they had seen along the way.

The father and daughter never mentioned being abducted and taken to the Blood Slaughter Sect’s medicine plantation, as it would have had too great an impact on Wu Chen and could have implicated him.

As for everything else, they simply omitted Wu Chen’s name and told the truth.

However, after they finished their story, instead of leaving the crowd speechless, it drew roars of laughter from the listeners.

No one would believe a young man would go slay Demon Corpses for a basic Martial Arts manual.

Even more so, no one believed that someone who needed basic Martial Arts would be capable of single-handedly slaying a hundred Demon Corpses.

Even the most eloquent storytellers in the teahouses wouldn’t dare spin such a tale. It was so absurd they’d risk having their stalls overturned.

’But if he’s a Jade Bone Realm expert, how is any of that absurd!’

’But... why would a Jade Bone Realm expert want two of your basic Martial Arts manuals?’

’And he escorted you out of Qingzhou just for those two manuals?’

Sun Cang muttered to himself, recalling what Liu Linshan had said about their journey.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.

Sun Cang’s eyes grew profound. After a long moment, a glint of wisdom flashed in them as if he had figured out the key.

He turned to the Lin family’s young master beside him and said,

"Young Master Lin, I fear this expert has eccentric tastes. He doesn’t want money or riches, but rather the thing most precious to the person he helps!"

"Take Liu Linshan, for example. The Martial Arts manuals he carried while fleeing were of the utmost importance to him."

"Therefore, this expert demanded those manuals!"

"According to Liu Linshan, after the young man finished reading the manuals, he returned them without taking a single thing. Perhaps he was just testing the sincerity of the person he was helping."

"In that case, if we want his help, Young Master Lin, you might have to offer up what you value most."

"Only then might he agree to our request."

"Now it’s up to you, Young Master Lin, to see if you can part with it!"

After speaking, Sun Cang watched Lin Gaoyuan, waiting to see his reaction and whether he was willing to give away a family treasure to an outsider.

"The thing I value most... the thing I value most..."

After Sun Cang’s pointers, Lin Gaoyuan also understood the key point. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he declared firmly,

"From the Drunken Flower House, Xiang!"

"I’ll just have to ask Xiang to make this sacrifice!"

Sun Cang: "..."

Liu Wei: "..."

It was hard to say if the expert would even want her, but having her ’returned to sender’... that was truly a bit awkward.

"Actually, it doesn’t have to be so troublesome. Uncle Sun might have misunderstood."

"Since the Lin Mansion needs his help..."

Liu Wei, based on her understanding of Wu Chen, pondered for a moment before saying, "If we’re talking about the same person."

"I think, Cousin, you could try taking the best Martial Arts manual from the mansion to him. Perhaps he might agree."

"Ah, Cousin, there’s something you don’t know."

Lin Gaoyuan spread his hands helplessly. "He’s a Jade Bone Realm expert. All I have is a single Meridian Passage Realm Martial Arts manual. I’m afraid he wouldn’t even give it a second glance!"

"Cousin! Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Back then, my father and I used two basic Martial Arts manuals, and we were fortunate enough to receive that expert’s protection and survive until now."

Liu Wei said, "Perhaps it’s the gesture he’s looking for?"

"At worst, there’s no harm in trying."

Hearing her words, Lin Gaoyuan felt more confident and was about to get up to fetch the manual when Sun Cang stopped him.

"Young Master Lin, have you forgotten what just happened? Why not let the young master rest in the city for a couple of days first?"

"If we go now, we might displease him. Getting rejected again would be troublesome."

"Uncle Sun, you have a point!"

Lin Gaoyuan understood the stakes and nodded. "In that case, I’ll make a trip to the Drunken Flower House tonight."

Fearing they would misunderstand, he explained with a straight face, "To tell Xiang to wash up properly, just in case she’s needed."

Sun Cang: "..."

Liu Wei: "Cousin, you can’t be serious!"

"..."

「At the inn, second floor.」

Wu Chen was bent over a desk, his eyes focused on the panel before him:

[Deep Red Host] Wu Chen

[Martial Arts Realm] Meridian Passage Realm, Six Meridians

(Qi Power: Earth-Shaking Bull)

[Martial Arts & Cultivation Techniques] ’Bone-Eroding Wind Blade: Intent’, ’Spirit Swallow Leaf-Plucking Step: Intent’, ’Thunder Palm: Perfection’, ’Golden Ring Great Saber: Perfection’...

After absorbing the Martial Arts manual he bought from the White Horse Martial Arts Hall for three hundred taels of silver, Wu Chen’s realm had reached the Six-Meridian stage of the Meridian Passage Realm.

He was still at least three Meridian Passage Realm Martial Arts manuals short of his goal: the Nine-Meridian stage.

’It’d be best if I can get four. That would make advancing to the Jade Bone Realm a safer bet.’

Wu Chen felt a headache coming on. Four Martial Arts manuals might not sound like many, but in reality, it was a huge number.

Although he still had a three hundred-tael silver banknote on him, which meant he could easily buy another one, Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall’s prestige in Fenglin County was at its peak. It was far beyond what Chen’s Boxing Hall or White Horse Martial Arts Hall could compare to, and they probably wouldn’t even deign to look at a three hundred-tael silver banknote.

If he just showed up and offered to buy a manual, he’d likely be seen by Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall as challenging them and causing trouble, which would lead to more unnecessary conflict.

Wu Chen didn’t want to cause too much bloodshed on this trip to Fenglin County.

’I wonder if Chen’s Boxing Hall and White Horse Martial Arts Hall have any other Meridian Passage Realm manuals.’

Wu Chen rubbed his aching head. He had also realized that his method of advancement was completely different from other Martial Artists.

You give Deep Red a Martial Arts manual appropriate for your current realm, and it gives you a higher level in return.

Other Martial Artists, however, would take one manual and spend several, or even more than ten, years cultivating and polishing their skills, supplementing their training with various precious medicines, Qi and Blood-enriching foods, and the guidance of a master.

With a single manual, they could break through three or four meridians.

Thinking this, Wu Chen concluded that those two halls might not even possess a second Meridian Passage Realm manual.

But Wu Chen wasn’t out of options.

His gaze fell upon the well-ground ink on the desk before him.

Wu Chen picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write and draw on the green bamboo paper he had bought.

He was once again writing out the ’Bone-Eroding Wind Blade: Intent’.

He planned to trade this Martial Arts manual with Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall for a Meridian Passage Realm manual.

He didn’t really care whether it was a losing trade or not.

As for Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall, whether receiving this manual would be a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

He wrote, let the ink on the pages dry, and then stitched them together into a book with a needle and thread.

It wasn’t until late at night that Wu Chen blew out the candle and lay down on the soft bed.

「Early the next morning, just as the sky began to lighten.」

The cries of street vendors could be heard outside his window.

With the Martial Arts manual from Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall on his mind, Wu Chen rose early. He ordered a savory crepe from a street stall and took the opportunity to ask the vendor for the location of Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall.

Once the crepe was ready, he ate it as he walked in the direction of Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall.

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