Chapter 5: What Makes A Home

Chapter 5: What Makes A Home

The small courtyard house was a mere ten square yards in size, and its low walls were constructed with mud. The years had peeled back the layers of mud in several parts of the walls, revealing the gravel beneath.

Surrounding the courtyard were three buildings, similarly weathered and aged. On either side of the main house, faded white couplets could still be seen. However, the courtyard was immaculately clean. A few items of clothing, not quite dry, hung from a bamboo pole by the eaves. Beneath it was a large, half-filled water barrel.

As the memories of his body’s previous occupant merged with his own, Wu Yuan began to regard this house as a place he had lived in for over a decade, a place he called home.

In his previous life, he owned a sprawling villa spanning over a thousand square meters. But ever since his sister's marriage, it felt like nothing more than a place to stay. Whereas in this life, this small courtyard house gave Wu Yuan a true sense of belonging.

Among the courtyard houses in the neighborhood, this one was relatively spacious. In Wu Yuan’s memory, their family had moved in when his father was still alive. He was still a child then, and their family had prospered.

Later, his father was killed in battle and the family fell into decline, struggling to support Wu Yuan’s training at the martial academy. They were almost forced to sell the house. Needless to say, they had no spare funds for repairs.

"Mother, big brother is back." A youthful voice rang out happily.

Shortly after, a slender girl of around eight or nine years old bounded out from a side room. She was dressed in gray fabric and her face beamed with excitement.

"Brother, carry me!"

"Of course," Wu Yuan replied with a grin.

With a single stride, he effortlessly scooped up the girl with his right arm and carried her into the courtyard. This was a game the siblings played frequently.

"Little Yi, what did you do today?" Wu Yuan casually asked.

"I was with Mother in the fabric shop! I learned how to create a flower arrangement with Sister Xing today," the girl responded excitedly.

"Haha, Little Yi is truly skilled." Wu Yuan chuckled. However, his heart ached.

The fabric business was the primary enterprise of the Wu Clan's Li City branch, which operated numerous fabric shops throughout the city. Among these, the Wu Xing Fabric Shop, founded by their chieftain Wu Qiming, ranked among the top ten in a city teeming with hundreds of such establishments.

The livelihoods of more than half of the hundreds of Wu clansmen were heavily reliant on this industry. Some were responsible for procurement and weaving, while others managed dyeing processes, and some focused on sales. Wu Yuan's mother was a skilled dyer.

Normally, the pension from Wu Yuan's father who had died in battle combined with the clan’s annual income and the wages of his mother, were enough for a family of three to live comfortably. However, Wu Yuan's martial arts training was a money devouring pit for an ordinary family!

If not for the Chieftain suppressing the dissent from the other clansmen, as well as providing them with unwavering support over the years, the family would have been unable to sustain itself by relying on the efforts of Wu Yuan's mother alone.

Consequently, there had been much gossip circulating among the various Wu Clan households. After all, while Wu Yuan possessed some martial arts talent, he was not exactly a top-tier prodigy. The future returns from the clan's heavy financial investment in him were uncertain.

Only the Chieftain's authority prevented numerous clan members from voicing their opinions publicly.

The previous Wu Yuan toiled in the martial academy for many years. Yet, I'm still a mere eighth-grade martial novice. It’s difficult to alter my destiny by following the conventional path!

In the vast Middle Land, martial artists were well respected. But as a martial novice, someone in the bottom three grades, the best prospects one could hope for would be to become a domestic servant, a guard, or a bodyguard. Even in the army, one would serve as little more than cannon fodder.

To alter one’s destiny, one had to become a martial virtuoso at least!

Transitioning from a seventh-grade martial novice to a sixth-grade martial virtuoso represented a significant milestone in every martial artist's path within the Middle Land.

If one did not reach the seventh grade by the age of sixteen, it was almost impossible to become a martial virtuoso in their twenties under normal circumstances.

When it came to martial arts cultivation, skill did not rise proportionally to the length of training. In youth, individuals possessed abundant qi and vitality. Just like the rising sun, their unlimited potential facilitated rapid progress.

Anyone above the age of thirty who had yet to reach the Viscera Cultivation and Marrow Cleansing phase would see their potential decline rapidly. Even if their physical faculties remained intact, achieving breakthroughs would grow progressively more challenging.

The previous Wu Yuan would have struggled to become a seventh-grade martial artist before the age of sixteen.

But now, I am here!

"Yuan'er, since the chieftain supports your decision, I won't dwell on it," Wanqin said, "However, when you encounter challenges, don't act impulsively; always prioritize your safety."

"I understand." Wu Yuan felt a rush of warmth in his heart. Most parents had a singular wish: for their children to remain safe.

"Mother, this is a reward I received from the martial academy." Wu Yuan turned over his hand, presenting a silver note, and placed it beside Wanqin.

"100 taels?" Wanqin could hardly believe it.

She worked hard every day, but her monthly wages did not even amount to two taels. Her yearly earnings were only 20 to 30 silver taels. 100 taels of silver could sustain an ordinary family of three for several years!

"Mother, the martial academy has decided to invest heavily in me, so I will receive a similar allowance every month," Wu Yuan said, flashing a proud grin. "Take this for now."

This was why Wu Yuan didn't take out all 1000 taels at once - it was too much! His mother would likely be overwhelmed by such a sum.

"Wu Yuan," Wanqin looked at her son, finding herself momentarily at a loss for words. She knew that powerful martial artists could easily rake in great sums of wealth, but Wu Yuan was still only fourteen.

"Mother, I will work hard to support this family from now on. Tomorrow, please enroll Little Yi in school," Wu Yuan declared.

"Yes, we'll enroll her in school," Wanqin nodded in agreement.

In affluent families, even if their children lacked martial arts talent, they often received an education and went on to take the Civic Competency Exam. In this world, women were permitted to participate in Civic Competency Exams.

Even if one lacked physical strength, one could still achieve a high position such as county mayor, becoming a figure even fourth-grade martial artists obeyed and respected.

If not for the family's dire poverty, would Wanqin ever wish for her child to learn weaving at such a tender age?

"Mother, from now on, you should stop working so hard as well." Wu Yuan said solemnly, "Go buy more nourishing tonics for yourself and take good care of your health. In time, I will invite an alchemist over to give you medical attention."

"An alchemist?" Wanqin could not help but exclaim, "That's too expensive! Let’s just have a physician look things over at most. All I really need is some proper rest.."

Wanqin's health was not faring well. Her accumulated fatigue had led to sickness, and she fainted twice at the fabric shop, the most recent incident happening just last year.

If Wu Yuan had the capabilities of his previous life, he could have examined his mother's health. But now? He felt utterly powerless! Only an examination by an Alchemist would put his mind at ease.

"Mother, fret not. I have it all planned out." Wu Yuan said with a reassuring smile.

Wanqin hesitated for a moment, but witnessing her son's determination, she did not say anything more.

...

Late into the night, the entire street quieted down completely.

Whoosh! An inconspicuous shadow slipped out from the west chamber. With a light leap, it soared several meters high, above the eaves of the roof. It landed without a sound, like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, it melted into the darkness.

After a mere ten breaths, Wu Yuan found himself standing on a secluded riverbank two Li away.

The Southdragon River was a vast waterway running through the entire Li City with a tranquil and leisurely current. Now and then, a houseboat drifted by, and the pier was brightly illuminated.

What a fortunate turn of events. I was wondering what kind of excuse I should come up with to win the prize from the major tournament without having to enter the Cloud Martial Hall. I didn't expect the heavens to favor me so. 5000 taels of silver, that’s ten times more than what I was hoping for.

By controlling the muscles and relaxing the mind, two hours of deep sleep is more than sufficient. It's time to commence today's training.

Wu Yuan shook his wrist slightly. All his muscles seemed to vibrate in unison as the object on his back shot up abruptly. It was a long saber.

Wu Yuan's fingers moved with great agility. In an instant, he reached out and gripped the hilt.

Swish! He thrust the saber to one side, then brought it to an abrupt halt. The long saber was perfectly level with the ground, not a single degree slanted.

A 230-catty saber no longer seems adequate for me; do I need to find a replacement already? Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. In his estimation, the saber in his hand felt lighter than it used to.

It wasn’t the saber that had gotten lighter. Wu Yuan had simply gotten stronger!