Chapter 22: Taking Precautions

Chen Chao stood up feebly and entered the courtyard. Closing the door, he slowly headed towards the stove and still subconsciously sat down on that long bench. It was just that after sitting down, he suddenly lifted his head and saw that the old chair opposite was empty.

Chen Chao pressed both hands on his face. Only after shaking for a bit, did he perk up a little. Then, he stood up and practiced a set of fist techniques in the corridor. Then, he remembered that his small courtyard was already in utter ruins. That fight previously had practically demolished half of the entire courtyard.

Putting his hand on his forehead, Chen Chao cursed under his breath, "Your Father should have hacked you a few more times."

After cursing, Chen Chao prepared to go out and buy some blue tiles from the store outside to fix his roof. As for those holes in the courtyard and in the corridor, they had to be repaired one by one too. Oh, right, he also had to buy a new water vat for the courtyard.

It was just that just as he was about to go out, knocking sounds came over from the courtyard door.

Chen Chao opened the door, the arrival was indeed that black, skinny teen, Lin Cheng.

The moment he opened the door, Lin Cheng looked inside the courtyard and did not find that petite and exquisite figure. This kid scratched his head, "Where's Sister-in-law?"

Without waiting for Chen Chao to reply, Lin Cheng yelled out strangely on his own, "I bumped into a horse carriage when I came over, the kind that needs two horses to pull it. Is it Sister-in-law's family? Big Brother Chen, did you bully Sister-in-law, then Sister-in-law asked her family to bring her away?"

The corners of Chen Chao's mouth twitched. He was just about to speak when Lin Cheng nodded his head again, "Either that, or Sister-in-law looks down on Big Brother's poverty. As I said, Big Brother, you're a warden. No matter what, you're a big shot on the same official rank as a magistrate. You should totally buy a bigger house. Yet, you insist on this lousy courtyard. See, now Sister-in-law..."

Lin Cheng suddenly stopped. Not that he did not want to say anymore, but because Chen Chao pressed one hand on his shoulder and lightly exerted strength. It made him wince in pain and he could not say anything anymore.

"Stop being ridiculous."

Chen Chao shot a glare at the dark, skinny youth in front of him and let go of his hand.

Lin Cheng gave an mhm. Reaching his hand out to press on his other shoulder to rub it, just when he wanted to say something else, Chen Chao gave him a look and he immediately became obedient. Then he started talking about that Xuanming Stone Mine matter without omitting any details.

Actually, for an ordinary civilian like Lin Cheng, the things that he came into contact with would not be some secret. But since that Warden Li asked him to wait for people, Chen Chao felt that he still had to make preparations early. The only one around him who knew some things was this youth who was mining in the quarry over there.

"Actually, there's nothing special either, we just mined like that every day. After breakfast in the morning, we'll go down into the mines, load up a cart, and ask the people upstairs to pull it out. When we leave the mines at night, the supervisors will search our bodies to see if we pocketed any stones. Actually, most of those things are very big, we can't hide them. The small ones aren't easy to hide either. Some people feel that hiding it up the butt..."

"You don't have to go into such details."

Chen Chao frowned. If he did not stop this youth in front of him, who knew what else this guy was going to say?

"You think about it, did anything special happen? Otherwise, why would there be so many mine collapses at the same time?" Chen Chao furrowed his brows. Actually, he had some preliminary judgment. But, he wanted to get the answer from Lin Cheng.

He knew that this teenager would not lie to him.

"You're not even inviting me for a meal?" Lin Cheng was somewhat aggrieved.

Chen Chao could not be bothered with him and sent him off to the entrance. Lin Cheng looked at him with some reluctance.

Chen Chao thought about it before saying calmly, "I'll help you keep the Seven Star Grass that you gave me before. Whenever you want it, come find me again. I have no use for that thing in the near future. Oh, right, when you go to the new mine, don't take the initiative to cause trouble. However... if you get bullied, don't be in a hurry to take action. Remember to write to me and tell me."

Lin Cheng acknowledged it a little distractedly.

Chen Chao patted his shoulder and said in earnest, "In this chaotic age, staying alive is the most important."

Lin Cheng saw what was in Chen Chao's eyes this time and nodded his head earnestly.

......

......

After sending Lin Cheng off, Chen Chao returned to the courtyard and lifted his head to take a look at the dilapidated roof. Currently, there was already some accumulated snow in the corridor. Those snowflakes fell down from the holes above. However, he was in no mood to buy blue tiles for now. Instead, he sat back down next to the wooden pillar. Leaning against the wooden pillar, he started circulating his qi activity. Having just stepped into Divine Trove Realm, his foundation was not consolidated yet.

Now that he was going to face the unknown, Chen Chao subconsciously wanted to make himself become a little stronger.

In this chaotic age, nothing else was important. The only important things were the saber at his waist and his cultivation.

After an incense stick of time passed, Chen Chao opened his eyes. Taking a look at the old chair over there, he then closed his eyes again and began continuing to circulate qi activity through his meridians. Each time qi activity was circulated, it was actually greatly beneficial to martial artists. Not only could it broaden the meridians, but it could also even make the flow of qi activity smoother. Although it was all trivial work, if one persevered on like this, they would achieve great things in the future too.

Over the next few days, Chen Chao cultivated all the way at home and never went out. Naturally, he did not go and mend the holes in his roof either.

During this time, the county government sent someone over in the middle of the night. Mi Ke invited him to eat supper, but was sternly rejected by Chen Chao!

Until one day in the middle of the night, when Chen Chao opened his eyes, the snow outside had already stooped. But it was still freezing. he sat next to the pillar and flipped through an old book that was about daoist magic. Although it was useless to a martial artist like him, it was good to read more too.

After a long time, he put this old book down and recalled those words that Warden Li said, and the strangeness of the Xuanming Stone Mine now.

Everything seemed all too unusual.

He watched the day break.

Thinking about it, Chen Chao stood up and headed over to the county government. It was time to make some preparations for some things.