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Chapter 17 - Another Year Passes, the Great Drought Arrives

Liu Xingye left with a sense of grievance and resentment, and the onlookers also dispersed. Looking at their animated expressions, today's battle would certainly spread throughout the county town.

"Your master Wang Yong once studied at our martial arts school. His Aptitude was insufficient, so I didn't accept him as a Disciple. I didn't expect him to send me such fine material instead. Are you really only fourteen this year?"

Master Li Wen walked to Chen Chuanwu's side and asked with a smile, but his eyes flashed with a sharp light that made one not dare to lie.

"That's right, I'm fourteen this year!"

"Haha, good! Although I am taking you as a Personal Disciple, I have one condition: you must achieve a Bone Tempering Realm Breakthrough for me within five years. Can you do it?"

Master Li Wen laughed heartily upon hearing this, then he looked at Chen Chuanwu with a serious expression and asked in a low voice.

"As long as Master Li is willing to teach me, I am willing to try!"

Chen Chuanwu was quite confident in his own martial arts talent. After all, he had broken through two realms in four years; he believed that reaching the Bone Refining Realm within five years would not be difficult!

"In that case, follow me to the central hall to offer tea and formalize the apprenticeship. From today on, you are my Last Disciple!"

Master Li Wen stroked his graying beard and nodded with satisfaction.

He was very ambitious. In his view, as long as Chen Chuanwu practiced martial arts diligently and had some Opportunity, he would have a chance to achieve the Innate realm in his lifetime!

Master Li Wen was too old and his Qi and blood were insufficient, so he had no hope of becoming Innate. However, as long as he cultivated a Xiantian Martial Artist, their Iron Spear Martial Arts School would definitely become famous throughout the world!

His family's martial art, the Eight Desolations Great Spear, would also gain a resounding reputation alongside Chen Chuanwu, reaching an unprecedented height for this lineage.

Chen Chuanwu was already seen by Master Li Wen as the hope to inherit his Legacy!

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While Chen Chuanwu successfully became a Disciple here, the atmosphere in the Liu Family was very oppressive!

"How did I give birth to a brainless dog like you!"

Liu Jinshan roared in a rage at his eldest son, Liu Hongtu.

Liu Jinshan had already investigated the sequence of events. For his own selfish desires, Liu Hongtu had stolen his second uncle County Commandant Liu Jiang's official medallion and colluded with the Five Tigers of Black Mountain to exterminate the Chen Family.

As a result, his schemes backfired, the job was botched, and it even damaged County Commandant Liu Jiang's reputation. It was heard that even the County Magistrate had personally inquired about the matter!

What was even more infuriating was that Liu Jinshan's second son, whom he saw as the Liu Family's hope, had fought Chen Chuanwu and ended up losing everything. Not only did they lose Face, but they also helped Chen Chuanwu gain the reputation of a 'fierce tiger'.

All of this was caused by this fellow Liu Hongtu!

Liu Xingye was now leaning halfway against a chair. The strike Chen Chuanwu had delivered to his waist with the spear was too heavy, making him unable to straighten his back for the time being.

He had always been working alongside County Commandant Liu Jiang in the county town and didn't know the situation in the village. Now that he knew the grievances between the Chen family and them, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Father, since that Chen Family saw Second Uncle's medallion, they will surely suspect that our Liu Family is coveting their property and hired people to strike!"

"That Chen Chuanwu has amazing talent and is the Personal Disciple of the Iron Spear school master. He will definitely be a big trouble in the future!"

"We must make preparations early. Since the Chen Family knows it was us who acted, we cannot give them a chance to grow!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Liu Xingye's eyes. In truth, his inner desire to take revenge on Chen Chuanwu outweighed protecting the Liu Family's interests.

You, Chen Chuanwu, are in the martial arts school, so I can't touch you. But what if I move against your family?

If I kill your whole family, I don't believe you'll still hide in the martial arts school. Then Second Uncle can strike secretly, and no one will ever know!

"The second son is right. Since a blood feud has already been formed, we cannot give them any more chances!"

Liu Jinshan picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, a sharp light flowing in his old eyes. A 'Young Tiger' had emerged from the Chen family. Although it couldn't cause harm to his own family now, it would be hard to say once it grew up.

"But this matter still requires some planning. What's important now is to reverse your second uncle's reputation. Burdened by that unfilial son, your second uncle's prestige must not fall; we have to protect your second uncle's golden reputation!"

"As for the Chen family... Chen Changsheng's eldest son killed four of the Five Tigers of Black Mountain, but the five tigers aren't all dead. Just Black Tiger Ling's revenge will be enough for them to handle!"

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At home, Chen Changsheng learned of his eldest son's actions in the county town and became wary of the Liu Family.

After all, his eldest son had slapped the Liu Family's Face hard this time. So, he ordered the family members not to leave War Horse Slope for no reason. If there was anything that needed to be purchased, the family's long-term laborers would handle it.

After all, Howling Heaven was guarding War Horse Slope, which was enough to ensure the safety of their whole family.

Chen Changsheng's family practiced the Five Elements Origin Cultivation Art in the mornings and sparred with the Five Tigers Gate-Severing Saber in the afternoons. The family's martial arts level was steadily improving.

Meanwhile, Chen Chuanwu was at the Iron Spear Martial Arts School, receiving personal guidance from the school master, Master Li Wen.

Days passed like this, and soon a year had gone by!

On a scorching summer day, Chen Changsheng was hiding under the shade of a tree, feeding a piece of watermelon to the now five-year-old Chuanjie.

Five-year-old Chuanjie was at a mischievous age, and even his mother couldn't control him. It was only through the threat of Chen Changsheng's palm that he sat honestly on the stool eating watermelon.

"Father, I had the laborers go investigate; the river in the village is almost dry!"

Chen Chuanwen walked over quickly and spoke to Chen Changsheng in a low voice, his brow clouded with worry.

"Sigh... it seems a Great Drought is coming. If it doesn't rain this month, most of the farmland in our county will wither and die!"

Chen Changsheng let out a long sigh. An agricultural society's dependence on the weather was far too high. If the Heavens didn't give Face and the fields lacked water, the wheat harvest would fail!

Chen Changsheng could already faintly see the situation in Longwei County where farmers would be wailing in grief and refugees would be everywhere. Thus, he said to Chen Chuanjie:

"Let's take this year's tea harvest and exchange it all for grain. Our family must also be well-prepared!"

Chen Changsheng planned to buy more grain. These things were unremarkable in ordinary times, but in a disaster year, they were life-saving food, things that could keep one alive.

"I understand, Father! With the Great Drought this year, our family's fields will certainly have no harvest. Fortunately, the tea fields planted on the mountain weren't affected. I'll go exchange them for silver now and go to the county town to buy grain."

Chen Changsheng nodded. He knew grain prices were high now, but as the drought spread, they would only get higher, so he didn't stop Chuanwen.

"By the way, Chuanwen, be careful on the way to the county town. Although the Liu Family has been cooperating with us on the tea business and everything seems fine on the surface, I believe they will never be soft-hearted towards us if they get the chance!"

Thinking of the Liu Family's threat, Chen Changsheng gave a warning. Although Chuanwen was exceptionally clever, Chen Changsheng worried that his martial arts were not high, so he secretly planned to arrange for Howling Heaven to protect him.

"Don't worry, I'll take the small paths so the Liu Family won't be able to track me!"

Chen Chuanwen nodded, rubbed the head of his mischievous third brother, and then left home to go to the county town to exchange for grain.

"Sigh, a year of many disasters. I hope we can pass through this year safely!"

Chen Changsheng murmured to himself as he watched Chuanwen's departing figure.

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