Scholar Jiang is the eminent figure from Linhu Village.
He is also the most remarkable person recorded in the village chronicles of Linhu Village.
Unfortunately, ten years ago, Scholar Jiang and his entire family left Linhu Village, did not settle in Poyang City, but moved away directly.
Where they went, Lin Chen does not know.
There is gossip in the village that Scholar Jiang's family moved to Raozhou Prefecture.
The village chief just told him some news: when Scholar Jiang moved with his family, he mentioned that if there were promising young talents in the village, they should inform him in Raozhou Prefecture.
Linhu Village is far from Raozhou Prefecture, making it seemingly impossible for someone to relay the message in person, so the best way is to write a letter and have the posthouse soldier deliver it to the Jiang Mansion.
The village chief wanted him to write a letter to Scholar Jiang.
He deliberated on whether he should write the letter right now.
He pondered over Scholar Jiang's mindset when he said those words.
Was it just something said casually during the farewell with the elderly villagers, or was he genuinely concerned about Linhu Village?
Linking this to the fact that Scholar Jiang hadn't returned in the past ten years, nor had any member of the Jiang Family, Lin Chen judged that the likelihood of Scholar Jiang's words being mere polite talk was high.
But a person's attitude can change with age, especially the sentiments towards one's hometown.
At that time, Scholar Jiang may have spoken casually, but over these ten years, perhaps his attitude had changed.
With youth comes disdain for one's impoverished hometown; in old age, nostalgia for even the humble soil.
The older one gets, the more one misses their roots and hometown.
Naturally, Scholar Jiang wouldn't be considered old. According to Instructor Yu, Scholar Jiang should be currently in his prime as a Grade-Entering Martial Artist, making it even more difficult to predict how his attitude might have shifted.
"Scholar Jiang…"
Father Lin heard his son talking and pondered for a moment; Scholar Jiang was only a few years older than him, and he had some interactions with Scholar Jiang during those village years.
"Scholar Jiang's ancestors fled to our village, and it's only the third generation with Scholar Jiang; their family isn't very populous, and they didn't mingle much with the villagers."
After hearing his father's words, Lin Chen was more certain that Scholar Jiang's statement at the time was mere casual talk.
Could he not understand what life in the countryside was like?
Though there wouldn't be any exploitation or pillaging, families with fewer male members are somewhat bullied in the village.
Land irrigation schedules often prioritized families with more males.
Being outsiders, Scholar Jiang's impressions of the village folk are likely to be poor, making it no wonder they left upon gaining prominence.
As for the free martial arts classes at the Martial Hall offered to Linhu Village residents, it probably came more as an image-building gesture from Scholar Jiang.
Analyzing this, writing to Scholar Jiang for help may provide some assistance due to polite talk from the past, but it would strictly be a one-time affair, nothing more thereafter.
This letter should be reserved for a crucial moment; using it now might be wasteful.
For now, he would refrain from writing to Scholar Jiang.
...
...
The next day.
At the break of dawn, Lin Chen rose and began practicing his punches in the courtyard.
Even having cultivated Essence Qi, he would not slack in his Martial Path.
Cultivating Essence Qi was merely the beginning of the Martial Path; there was a long journey ahead.
If he were to become complacent now and slacken the Martial Path, even with the Life Chart's blessing, he wouldn't progress far on the Martial Path.
Seeing her son up so early, Mrs. Lin showed a look of empathy: "Chen'Er, you're wearing so little, won't you catch cold?"
"Mother, I've cultivated Essence Qi now; my Qi Blood is vigorous. This cold doesn't affect me much."
Lin Chen smiled, soothingly reassured his mother; given his current Qi Blood, even in the dead of winter, there's no need to wrap up in padded clothes, especially since he's practicing punches now.
Once Lin Chen finished his punches, both his father and elder brother were up as well.
Winter had arrived, and the fishing boats of various families no longer ventured into the lake to fish; the villagers had settled into idleness.
For families with sufficient grain stores, winter is a good season. After a busy year, they can relax for a month, until after the fifteenth of the first month in the New Year when the new year's work begins.
Today was a big day for the Lin Family, although the village chief would organize the banquet, Father Lin decided to go to town to buy a slice of pork, with elder brother Lin Liang accompanying him.
As daylight broke, the village chief organized the villagers to move household tables and benches to the sun-drying grounds in front of the village shrine.
The winter sun was warm and gentle; when Lin Chen finished practicing punches and arrived at the shrine, many elders were sitting and basking in the sun.
Mrs. Lin and the village women were busy washing and chopping vegetables; the two large earthen stoves at the shrine were burning vigorously, with the lard in the big pots emanating an enticing aroma, making many children suck their fingers while standing by the stove, reluctant to leave.
"You little ones, move away; be careful not to get burned."
Mrs. Lin thought for a moment, scooped a large ladle of leftover lard residue from the pot, and shared it among the children, who then happily departed.
"Mother, Second Aunt."
"Chen'Er has finished practicing punches; today you're the main focus, go entertain the guests now."
Second Aunt spoke with a smile, seeing Mrs. Lin carrying a basket of radishes and rushed over to help: "Sister-in-law, take it slow, let me help."
Lin Chen watched Second Aunt's attentive demeanor without any aversion; he had a pretty good impression of Second Aunt's family, otherwise, he wouldn't have stood up for Lin Hui yesterday.
What guests?
All were villagers, no outsiders.
His mother's side had a couple of uncles, but since they weren't in Kaohe Town, the journey alone would take five two-hours; being winter, a spontaneously organized banquet by the village meant Mrs. Lin didn't send his elder brother to notify them.
Grandfather and Aunt's family didn't come; after yesterday's events, they wouldn't come either.
Lin Chen was bit taken aback, as Gu Fei wasn't there either; upon asking Gu Fei's father, he learned Gu Fei had left two days ago with his mother to visit maternal grandfather, returning in a few days.
The villagers, upon seeing Lin Chen appear, started complimenting him anew.
Initially, Lin Chen was quite satisfied hearing them, but once he noticed his every move was being watched, he started feeling uneasy.
Even when he wanted to pick his nose, he had to restrain himself.
Half a two-hour later, the arrival of the village chief rescued him.
Carrying incense candles, the village chief led Lin Chen into the village shrine, first to worship the ancestors, followed by a tribute to the Lake God, completing a set of rituals, and it was time to start the banquet.
As the main figure, while Lin Chen wasn't required to toast the guests at each table, he couldn't escape the villagers seeking him out for a drink, and despite his vigorous Qi Blood, by the end, he was drunk.
As he collapsed, in a haze, Lin Chen saw a few village girls seemingly about to help him, yet they were intercepted by Second Aunt.
"Chen'Er is somewhat drunk; sister-in-law, take Chen'Er home to rest."
Second Aunt shouted loudly, Lin Chen vaguely remembered hearing Second Aunt mutter under her breath, "Humph, these girls are very crafty; our Chen'Er has potential and shouldn't be entangled by them. Chen'Er is destined to marry a city girl."
...
...
In life, such intoxication is rare!
Lying in bed at night, after waking up, Lin Chen feigned slumber and didn't return to the banquet, instead resting on his hard wooden bed, his mother making him sobriety soup and congee.
Being drunk didn't bother him.
The Martial Path was his pursuit, yet the scenery along the way was equally beautiful; he wasn't a heartless martial arts robot.
His motivation to advance stemmed not only from the pursuit of martial arts and the quest for extraordinary power but also from the aim of transforming the destinies of himself and his family, achieving a sense of accomplishment and vanity, driving him on the Martial Path.
If he were alone in a deep forest, practicing martial arts could perpetually break through the Martial Arts Realms until ultimately reaching the peak of the Martial Path, then suddenly aging.
He wouldn't choose such a path.
He wasn't that pure Martial Fool who seeks fulfillment in the way of martial arts alone.