Chapter 3
If his son can do it, so can my son!
Duan Xuan remained silent, neither shattering his grandfather's fantasy nor revealing his own desire to learn martial arts.
He knew it was pointless.
If your family wanted to help you, they would have already lent a helping hand.
If they don't want to help you, they can find a million reasons to refuse, and continuing the stalemate will only increase their troubles.
"Nephew Xuan'er, can you understand the old man's joy?"
You might acquire a skill that will at most allow you to make a living.
When those cannibalistic gangs arrived, even basic sustenance was a struggle.
If your younger brother becomes the top martial arts champion, that will be a different story. He'll be able to form all sorts of strongholds, from wolf strongholds to tiger strongholds to dog strongholds.
They'll all have to flatter us. We'll arrange an easy position for you at the martial arts school, so you and your mother can live comfortably. Wouldn't that be better?
"Xuan'er can practice martial arts too!" Just as Duan Xuan was about to leave, her aunt Duan Xin's voice came from outside the door.
She walked to Duan Xuan's side, put her arms around his waist, and said, "Dad, how can you always be biased?"
"My elder brother is gone, and Xuan'er is just a child. Can't we treat everyone equally, not even spilling a drop?"
The atmosphere inside the room suddenly turned cold. The second uncle and aunt turned pale, and Duan Xin, heavily pregnant, also snorted coldly outside the door.
"And yet, Xuan'er went through so much trouble to catch a wild rabbit, and she was still thinking of you all, and what did you do?!"
"Oh dear. My dear sister-in-law, it's not that the old man is being biased... it's just that practicing martial arts is not easy, and the fees are very expensive."
Our harvest is enough to support Xu'er, but it would be quite difficult to support Xuan'er as well.
It would be better to wait for Xu'er to return after completing his studies...
Duan Xu snorted and interrupted his second aunt: "Little aunt, what do you know, you little woman?"
You don't think just anyone can practice martial arts, do you?
My master said I was born with top-tier physical attributes, a once-in-a-decades genius martial artist.
What kind of creature is Duan Xuan? He's as skinny as a monkey, and he's trying to appease his grandfather with such a small amount of prey.
If I went up the mountain, I could easily catch jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards with a single move, humph!
Martial arts are indeed not something everyone can learn. If you want to practice martial arts, the most important thing is talent and physical constitution.
"Alright, stop arguing, that's enough. Xuan'er, go back now. You came too late today, so I didn't prepare any food for you."
If you truly want our Duan family to become a top-tier clan, you must wholeheartedly support your grandfather's decision and your brother's martial arts training.
Suffering for a while is nothing. In five or ten years, your brother will definitely be able to give the Duan family an explanation.
Only when our family works together as one can the Duan family rise above others, and only then can you and your mother live a good life.
Duan Jiantao broke free from his fantasy and stepped into another fantasy.
With a wave of his hand, the second uncle and aunt immediately got up to see the guests off.
Duan Xu smiled coldly and made way for a narrow path that only a skinny person like Duan Xuan could pass through.
Duan Xuan crawled out of the house without looking back, but let out a deep breath.
He already knew what these people were really like, and now he was just trying one last time with a sliver of hope.
"Nephew, my good nephew!" Uncle Duan Jian's smiling voice rang out from behind, grabbing Duan Xuan.
Turning around, I saw Duan Tao, who was holding a half-bow and a small knife with a wooden sheath.
"Don't say that your second uncle is biased. He has always liked you since you were a child."
This is a precious treasure I used to hunt jackals in the mountains. You must cherish it; this is also what your grandfather wanted.
"Go back to your father's old ways, that's great!" After saying that, Duan Tao ran back into the house with a grin.
Click!
Duan Xuan broke the wooden bow in half and threw the small knife away violently.
"Let's start cutting today!"
The sky was overcast and gloomy, and a cold wind blew fiercely down from the high valley, hitting Duan Xuan's face and piercing into his patched hemp clothes.
He didn't feel the cold, but his heart had already turned cold; it just seemed to have hardened a bit after being blown by the cold wind.
……
"Mother, dinner is ready." Duan Xuan brought his mother a bowl of porridge, which was still very thin with a layer of rice bran.
If it weren't for its color, it would look no different from water.
After delivering the food to his mother, Duan Xuan held a small, broken bowl that resembled a plate and slowly began to eat.
I don't know if it's because the rice bran has been sitting for too long, or because I'm in a bad mood today, but it just tastes bland and tasteless.
Those eyes were bright and piercing, staring into the air as if they were watching prey rushing towards them.
Today's events have only strengthened his resolve. He must learn martial arts; only through martial arts can he rise above others, only through martial arts can he change his destiny!
After barely managing to soothe his stomach, Duan Xuan stuffed a small handful of kaolin into his mouth.
You can't eat too much of this, otherwise it will easily bloat and swell in your stomach, and you might even die from overeating.
But in the afternoon, I had to go hunting in the mountains with Zhao Rui and Liu Chunmei, so I couldn't skip eating.
After chewing a few times, it seemed I had gotten used to it and didn't find it particularly bitter or difficult to chew.
With a stretch of his neck and a wide-eyed stare, a tiny amount of kaolin clay slid down his throat.
"Xuan'er... since your grandfather and the others are so heartless, we will no longer have any contact with them."
This morning, the lame old man who collects hides came to our house and took three hides from me, giving me thirty coins directly.
My mother can now weave five pieces of leather a day.
Whatever craft you want to learn, I'll support you.
"Mom isn't useless, Mom can earn money!"
Duan Xuan gently wiped the dust off his mother's face and said firmly, "Mother, I want to learn martial arts!"
"Study, what to study?"
"I want to learn martial arts! I want to practice martial arts!"
In this world, what good is having the best skills?
What good is having more money?
If you encounter a gang or a vicious obstacle, one slash and you're gone.
The Wolf Stronghold is going too far; no matter how rich we are...
If we cannot intimidate them, everything will still be taken away.
The Li family is a stark example; they were just living on that public mountain.
They hunted down a deer, but what happened? The wolf pack claimed it was their territory and took the deer pelt.
Even Uncle Li's two children were taken away and sold.
The bodies of Uncle Li and Aunt Li are still hanging on the wall at the east end of the village.
Mother, they can't even close their eyes!
Zhou Fang bit her lip, neither asking how much silver it would cost to learn martial arts nor complaining about where to get the money.
With tears in her eyes, she said, "Practicing martial arts is tough, tiring, and dangerous!"
Duan Xuan wiped away his mother's tears and smiled slightly: "I'm not afraid of hardship or toil. In this cannibalistic world, I have no other choice!"
Zhou Fang nodded, no longer trying to persuade him or feeling sorry for him: "Mother supports you. If your son wants to learn martial arts, then let's learn."
Why can the second child learn it, but you can't?
Your father once said that everyone has two hands, two legs, two eyes, one nose, and one mouth.
No one is any worse than anyone else; we'll let that blind old man have a good look at things then.
My son is good, my son is excellent!
"Mother, I'm going out. Don't worry about it when it gets dark. I'll definitely come back safely."
But you, don't let the oil from this book ruin your eyes.
Don't worry too much about money; our son can handle it!
The north wind howled, making the humble abode drafty, and heavy snow fell from the sky, quickly covering it with a layer of silvery white.
Duan Xuan made several simple traps and sharpened his hunting arrows.
He then prepared to go find his two childhood friends and set off together.
As soon as the wooden door opened, Duan Xuan was stunned.
A small, egg-shaped girl with snow-white hair was standing at the door, shivering.
"Xuan'er..."
He knew it was pointless.
If your family wanted to help you, they would have already lent a helping hand.
If they don't want to help you, they can find a million reasons to refuse, and continuing the stalemate will only increase their troubles.
"Nephew Xuan'er, can you understand the old man's joy?"
You might acquire a skill that will at most allow you to make a living.
When those cannibalistic gangs arrived, even basic sustenance was a struggle.
If your younger brother becomes the top martial arts champion, that will be a different story. He'll be able to form all sorts of strongholds, from wolf strongholds to tiger strongholds to dog strongholds.
They'll all have to flatter us. We'll arrange an easy position for you at the martial arts school, so you and your mother can live comfortably. Wouldn't that be better?
"Xuan'er can practice martial arts too!" Just as Duan Xuan was about to leave, her aunt Duan Xin's voice came from outside the door.
She walked to Duan Xuan's side, put her arms around his waist, and said, "Dad, how can you always be biased?"
"My elder brother is gone, and Xuan'er is just a child. Can't we treat everyone equally, not even spilling a drop?"
The atmosphere inside the room suddenly turned cold. The second uncle and aunt turned pale, and Duan Xin, heavily pregnant, also snorted coldly outside the door.
"And yet, Xuan'er went through so much trouble to catch a wild rabbit, and she was still thinking of you all, and what did you do?!"
"Oh dear. My dear sister-in-law, it's not that the old man is being biased... it's just that practicing martial arts is not easy, and the fees are very expensive."
Our harvest is enough to support Xu'er, but it would be quite difficult to support Xuan'er as well.
It would be better to wait for Xu'er to return after completing his studies...
Duan Xu snorted and interrupted his second aunt: "Little aunt, what do you know, you little woman?"
You don't think just anyone can practice martial arts, do you?
My master said I was born with top-tier physical attributes, a once-in-a-decades genius martial artist.
What kind of creature is Duan Xuan? He's as skinny as a monkey, and he's trying to appease his grandfather with such a small amount of prey.
If I went up the mountain, I could easily catch jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards with a single move, humph!
Martial arts are indeed not something everyone can learn. If you want to practice martial arts, the most important thing is talent and physical constitution.
"Alright, stop arguing, that's enough. Xuan'er, go back now. You came too late today, so I didn't prepare any food for you."
If you truly want our Duan family to become a top-tier clan, you must wholeheartedly support your grandfather's decision and your brother's martial arts training.
Suffering for a while is nothing. In five or ten years, your brother will definitely be able to give the Duan family an explanation.
Only when our family works together as one can the Duan family rise above others, and only then can you and your mother live a good life.
Duan Jiantao broke free from his fantasy and stepped into another fantasy.
With a wave of his hand, the second uncle and aunt immediately got up to see the guests off.
Duan Xu smiled coldly and made way for a narrow path that only a skinny person like Duan Xuan could pass through.
Duan Xuan crawled out of the house without looking back, but let out a deep breath.
He already knew what these people were really like, and now he was just trying one last time with a sliver of hope.
"Nephew, my good nephew!" Uncle Duan Jian's smiling voice rang out from behind, grabbing Duan Xuan.
Turning around, I saw Duan Tao, who was holding a half-bow and a small knife with a wooden sheath.
"Don't say that your second uncle is biased. He has always liked you since you were a child."
This is a precious treasure I used to hunt jackals in the mountains. You must cherish it; this is also what your grandfather wanted.
"Go back to your father's old ways, that's great!" After saying that, Duan Tao ran back into the house with a grin.
Click!
Duan Xuan broke the wooden bow in half and threw the small knife away violently.
"Let's start cutting today!"
The sky was overcast and gloomy, and a cold wind blew fiercely down from the high valley, hitting Duan Xuan's face and piercing into his patched hemp clothes.
He didn't feel the cold, but his heart had already turned cold; it just seemed to have hardened a bit after being blown by the cold wind.
……
"Mother, dinner is ready." Duan Xuan brought his mother a bowl of porridge, which was still very thin with a layer of rice bran.
If it weren't for its color, it would look no different from water.
After delivering the food to his mother, Duan Xuan held a small, broken bowl that resembled a plate and slowly began to eat.
I don't know if it's because the rice bran has been sitting for too long, or because I'm in a bad mood today, but it just tastes bland and tasteless.
Those eyes were bright and piercing, staring into the air as if they were watching prey rushing towards them.
Today's events have only strengthened his resolve. He must learn martial arts; only through martial arts can he rise above others, only through martial arts can he change his destiny!
After barely managing to soothe his stomach, Duan Xuan stuffed a small handful of kaolin into his mouth.
You can't eat too much of this, otherwise it will easily bloat and swell in your stomach, and you might even die from overeating.
But in the afternoon, I had to go hunting in the mountains with Zhao Rui and Liu Chunmei, so I couldn't skip eating.
After chewing a few times, it seemed I had gotten used to it and didn't find it particularly bitter or difficult to chew.
With a stretch of his neck and a wide-eyed stare, a tiny amount of kaolin clay slid down his throat.
"Xuan'er... since your grandfather and the others are so heartless, we will no longer have any contact with them."
This morning, the lame old man who collects hides came to our house and took three hides from me, giving me thirty coins directly.
My mother can now weave five pieces of leather a day.
Whatever craft you want to learn, I'll support you.
"Mom isn't useless, Mom can earn money!"
Duan Xuan gently wiped the dust off his mother's face and said firmly, "Mother, I want to learn martial arts!"
"Study, what to study?"
"I want to learn martial arts! I want to practice martial arts!"
In this world, what good is having the best skills?
What good is having more money?
If you encounter a gang or a vicious obstacle, one slash and you're gone.
The Wolf Stronghold is going too far; no matter how rich we are...
If we cannot intimidate them, everything will still be taken away.
The Li family is a stark example; they were just living on that public mountain.
They hunted down a deer, but what happened? The wolf pack claimed it was their territory and took the deer pelt.
Even Uncle Li's two children were taken away and sold.
The bodies of Uncle Li and Aunt Li are still hanging on the wall at the east end of the village.
Mother, they can't even close their eyes!
Zhou Fang bit her lip, neither asking how much silver it would cost to learn martial arts nor complaining about where to get the money.
With tears in her eyes, she said, "Practicing martial arts is tough, tiring, and dangerous!"
Duan Xuan wiped away his mother's tears and smiled slightly: "I'm not afraid of hardship or toil. In this cannibalistic world, I have no other choice!"
Zhou Fang nodded, no longer trying to persuade him or feeling sorry for him: "Mother supports you. If your son wants to learn martial arts, then let's learn."
Why can the second child learn it, but you can't?
Your father once said that everyone has two hands, two legs, two eyes, one nose, and one mouth.
No one is any worse than anyone else; we'll let that blind old man have a good look at things then.
My son is good, my son is excellent!
"Mother, I'm going out. Don't worry about it when it gets dark. I'll definitely come back safely."
But you, don't let the oil from this book ruin your eyes.
Don't worry too much about money; our son can handle it!
The north wind howled, making the humble abode drafty, and heavy snow fell from the sky, quickly covering it with a layer of silvery white.
Duan Xuan made several simple traps and sharpened his hunting arrows.
He then prepared to go find his two childhood friends and set off together.
As soon as the wooden door opened, Duan Xuan was stunned.
A small, egg-shaped girl with snow-white hair was standing at the door, shivering.
"Xuan'er..."