Chen Dalin lived a life of hardship. When he was two, his father was conscripted for forced labor. Unfortunately, due to heavy rains, a half-day delay in the transportation of grain resulted in severe punishment, leaving his father bedridden with broken legs for the rest of his life.
The pillar of the family collapsed, with the children still young. To make ends meet and keep their small plot of land, his mother found a ruffian in the village to help out.
After Chen Dalin's father passed away, this ruffian and his mother became officially married and continued living together. However, the ruffian remained the same as before, either beating or scolding his mother, leaving Chen Dalin often bruised and battered from a young age.
Later, the ruffian secretly sold the family land, took the money, and disappeared.
To raise Chen Dalin, his mother consorted with other men in the village, a matter that naturally led to disdain from the villagers.
It was around this time that my original family began to distance itself from Chen Dalin's family.
Finally, Chen Dalin grew up, and his mother managed to find a widow for him to marry. They had a son and a daughter, thinking they could finally enjoy some peace. But soon, his mother, exhausted from years of toil, fell ill and passed away.
To support his family of three, Chen Dalin could only do odd jobs for wealthier families in town, barely making ends meet.
But one day, upon his return, he found a crowd gathered by the river outside the village. Upon inquiry, he learned that his daughter drowned while playing in the river.
Since then, his wife became mentally unstable, suffering from hysteria.
Last year, a disaster struck the Northern Land, and this year, the South was hit by floods, resulting in him losing his job.
Chen Dalin's family was left impoverished and with a bad reputation. In these hard times, no one in the village was willing to help with the funeral arrangements.
After Chen Mo learned about his family, he felt compassion.
The Chen Dalin household was a thatched cottage, surrounded by a group of onlookers.
"Dalin's family is finished; how will the mother and child survive on their own?"
"The Qinghe Gang was too ruthless; taking the fish was enough, but they beat him as well."
"Move aside, Brother Mo is here. Since he is family with Dalin, he should handle the funeral affairs."
"Will Brother Mo arrange a feast? I heard from Lady Lu that his family cooked at noon."
...
"Do you wish to test the sharpness of my blade?" Chen Mo arrived holding a hatchet, glaring fiercely at the one who mocked about the feast.
The person was a village rogue named Liu Ergou, associated with Wang the Pockmarked, who wasn't intimidated by Chen Mo at all, mockingly saying, "Oh, Brother Mo has become capable now. Seems Wangxi didn't beat you enough."
Wang the Pockmarked's real name was Wang Xi, but due to his pockmarked face as a child, everyone secretly called him Wang the Pockmarked.
Those around them laughed and jeered.
"Uncle, don't do anything rash." At this moment, Han Anniang came running and quickly held onto Chen Mo.
After the recent incident with Lu San, Han Anniang feared her uncle might use the hatchet, trying to pull him into Chen Dalin's house.
She couldn't move him, noticing her uncle glaring angrily at Liu Ergou.
"Uncle..." Han Anniang softly tugged on Chen Mo's arm, which held the hatchet, her voice gentle.
At last, Chen Mo allowed himself to be moved, and they both entered the thatched cottage.
"Tsk." Liu Ergou smirked sarcastically, saying, "Lady Han sure has a big backside, no wonder Wangxi is so fond of her."
Inside, Han Anniang quickly took the hatchet from Chen Mo's hands. Thankfully, she noticed it was missing and came along; otherwise, something might have happened.
Chen Mo took a deep breath. Liu Ergou, was it? He'd remember this debt.
Inside, Chen Dalin lay wrapped in a straw mat on the ground, with the ten-year-old Xiao Lin kneeling beside him, clutching Chen Dalin's hand, crying profusely.
Beside him, Madam Da Lin alternated between giggling foolishly and sobbing quietly.
Suddenly, Madam Da Lin glanced at the door, hurriedly made her way over, and Chen Mo quickly shielded Han Anniang.
Madam Da Lin reached out towards thin air, saying, "Mao'er, you're back. Mao'er, you've finally returned. Mother missed you so..."
Madam Da Lin embraced empty space.
Mao'er was Chen Dalin's daughter who drowned.
Han Anniang suddenly felt terrified, her skin tingled as goosebumps rose. She tightly clung to Chen Mo's arm.
"Dalin, wake up. Mao'er has returned. Dalin, wake up..."
As she spoke, Madam Da Lin seemed to regain her senses and lunged toward Chen Dalin's body, kneeling beside him, "What's wrong with you, Dalin? Dalin, Dalin, wuwu..."
The hoarse cries echoed like the howling wind in the depths of winter.
Xiao Lin buried his head, clutching Chen Dalin's hand tightly.
"Sigh."
"Sigh."
Chen Mo and Han Anniang sighed deeply.
The so-called funeral preparations amounted to carrying Chen Dalin's body to the mountain, digging a pit, and burying him in that straw mat.
Afterward, Chen Mo erected a wooden tombstone, inscribing it with Chen Dalin's grave.
Following this, Chen Mo brought Xiao Lin to his house, giving him half a catty of millet and two catties of wheat bran.
Patting his shoulder, Chen Mo said, "I can only help you this far; from now on, you have to rely on yourself."
Xiao Lin clutched the sack of millet and wheat bran tightly, knelt before Chen Mo, kowtowing deeply, wiping his tears, and left without looking back.
...
Chen Dalin's death caused little stir in Fu Ze Village, with some even criticizing Chen Mo for not arranging a proper feast with the funeral.
That day, Chen Mo was in his house, practicing with his saber.
[Blade Swing Count +1, Celestial Harmony Saber Technique Experience +1...]
"9999." Chen Mo forcefully swung his saber once more: "10,000."
[Blade Swing Count +1, Celestial Harmony Saber Technique Experience +1,]
At this moment, numerous insights flooded his mind.
Chen Mo stopped swinging the saber, bringing up his panel.
[Name: Chen Mo]
[Age: 16,]
[Cultivation Technique: Blood Nourishing Technique (Entry Level 11.5/100).]
[Realm: None.]
[Power: 7+21.]
[Skills: Celestial Harmony Saber Technique (Perfection, to Tier Break, increase your power to 30.)]
Chen Mo raised his brow.
The Celestial Harmony Saber Technique had reached perfection?
Regarding this Tier Break, from his experience reading many novels, it should be an upgrade of the Celestial Harmony Saber Technique.
However, reaching a power level of 30.
For an ordinary person, no amount of intense training would surpass these natural limits.
Only cultivation could help...
"Phew..." Chen Mo exhaled deeply, swung his saber with force once more, and as expected, there was no system notification, and the skills section remained unchanged.
"In five more days, even if my power level doesn't reach 8, I have to head up the mountain." Chen Mo narrowed his eyes. If he delayed further, waiting until the mountain was blocked by heavy snow would be too late.
Perhaps Chen Dalin's death had profoundly affected Chen Mo. When ten days passed, Chen Mo didn't seek Lu San to request food, pushing him towards desperation.
The weather grew colder.
Chen Mo thought of a method: cooking all the day's meals in the morning so there would be no smoke from cooking at noon or night, creating the illusion of only having one meal a day.