.........
In the blink of an eye,
as the year-end approached, the weather turned colder.
A heavy snow blanketed Mu City in silver attire.
On the streets, a few hurried pedestrians could be seen; Sister Zhen's Noodle House was closed today.
A mile from Sister Zhen's Noodle House,
"Great Dao is Simple, Level 1,"
"Lin Chang'sheng, 16/55,"
"Cultivation, Unranked (99/100),"
"Cultivation Technique, None,"
"Skills, Archery (Great Perfection),"
"For a certain amount of silver, cultivation techniques, martial arts, and more can be simplified."
"Status, Yin Qi Invasion,"
Lin Chang'sheng stood in the courtyard, glanced at the panel, drew his bow with all his strength, and let an arrow fly with a swoosh. A wooden arrow he had crafted himself pierced an inch deep into the locust tree twenty yards away, its feathered tail quivering!
"Not bad, with my current archery skills, I should be able to hit the mark from a hundred paces!"
Lin Chang'sheng stepped forward to retrieve the arrow, feeling quite satisfied.
With his archery at great perfection, Lin Chang'sheng felt a noticeable increase in strength. Although the Yin Qi Invasion status hadn't been lifted, he no longer looked as sickly as before, and his complexion had improved a lot.
"To learn a cultivation technique that increases vitality, I must join a martial arts hall!"
Lin Chang'sheng secretly made up his mind.
He planned to spend 10 taels of silver as the entrance fee to join the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall. Once he learned a martial art and successfully entered, he could simplify it!
Currently, he had 6 taels of silver. He planned to find time to pawn the pair of Jade Rings and a Jade Bracelet to raise the entrance fee.
Just then, the crunching sound of snow being stepped on was heard.
"Chang'sheng, Sister made some soup and brought you some. Remember to eat it while it's hot."
Sister Zhen was dressed in thick cotton clothes, holding a box in her left hand and a cotton coat in her right, which she handed to Lin Chang'sheng, adding, "After you eat, put on this cotton coat, too."
"Sister Zhen, you..."
Lin Chang'sheng was moved, a warm feeling rising in his heart.
He hadn't expected Sister Zhen to bring him food and a coat at this time.
"Don't say anything, just take it. On such a cold day, you're weak, and your clothes are so thin. I'm leaving now."
Sister Zhen put down the items and quickly left.
She had brought chicken soup, still steaming hot.
Lin Chang'sheng ate it while it was hot. The cotton coat, though old, was very clean.
......
There were 15 days left until New Year's Eve.
Sister Zhen's Noodle House.
"Chang'sheng, come have New Year's Eve dinner at my house this year!"
Lin Chang'sheng was about to finish work and go home, planning to pawn the Jade Bracelet at the Urgent Pawnshop in East City when Sister Zhen's voice came.
"Thank you, Sister. Shopkeeper Yang said he wanted me to have dinner at his home. We'll see then."
Lin Chang'sheng quickly replied upon hearing this.
Sister Zhen's mother-in-law was quite harsh, often speaking with a sharp tongue. Going there for New Year's Eve dinner might stir up trouble, right?
As for Shopkeeper Yang?
That was an excuse from Lin Chang'sheng, although Shopkeeper Yang was indeed a good person.
Although Lin Chang'sheng was frail, Shopkeeper Yang still wanted Lin Chang'sheng to marry his daughter, Yang Xiaoqian, and become his son-in-law.
In Shopkeeper Yang's view, Lin Chang'sheng, though thin and weak, had a handsome face; if he had better nutrition, he would definitely be a good-looking man.
"Well... all right!"
Sister Zhen nodded.
After finishing work, Lin Chang'sheng went to West City in the same manner; this time, he didn't go to the Timely Rain Pawnshop.
Instead, at the Urgent Pawnshop, he pawned the remaining Jade Bracelet and a pair of Jade Rings for 8 taels, 6 qian of silver. After zigzagging his way back to East Street and confirming no one was around, he returned home.
.......
Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall.
One of the three major martial arts halls in Mu City.
The hall master, He Tieshou, practiced Iron Sand Palm. Rumor had it he could shatter stone tablets, making him one of the three top experts in Mu City!
Unlike Golden Bell Martial Arts Hall and Liuyun Martial Arts Hall, the quality of disciples was prioritized over quantity.
At Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall, you only needed to pay 10 taels of silver to get in and be taught Iron Sand Palm. This made Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall's disciples more numerous than those of Liuyun and Golden Bell Martial Arts Halls combined!
Because of their successful way of making money, Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall occupied an extensive area, with two imposing half-yard-tall stone lions at its entrance.
"Young brother, pay 10 taels of silver, and I'll register you, issue a disciple identity token, and you'll be a disciple of the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall."
At the entrance of Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall, He Jin, who was recruiting disciples, sized up Lin Chang'sheng enthusiastically.
Another one bringing money to the door. They were already past the best age for training in martial arts; if they couldn't master Iron Sand Palm in three months, the 10 taels of silver would have been spent in vain. If they wanted to continue cultivating at the martial arts hall, they'd have to keep paying more silver.