Chapter 4: Pugilistic world, here I come
Chapter 4: Pugilistic world, here I come
"Yi'er, tell Uncle, when did you learn martial arts? How come I wasn't aware of it?" Two of them walked out of the Black Wind Stockade, with the Black Wind Stockade behind them was ablaze, Lin Zhihu was filled with curiosity.
"I didn't learn martial arts!" Lin Yi replied with a flat tone.
"Didn't learn martial arts, so how did you escape? Moreover, killing all members of Black Wind Stockade?" Lin Zhihu found it unbelievable.
"Do killing someone required one to learn martial arts beforehand?"
Under the light of the fire, the youth's eyes looked sharp, his words filled with hidden meanings.
""
Hearing the youth's words, Lin Zhihu's eyes widened filled with surprise. To think that he was speechless against him. He thought in his heart, this nephew of his was more like a person from pugilistic world than himself.
Lin Yi descended the mountain back to home expressionless, Lin Zhihu followed afterwards. Both of them were preoccupied with their own mind, no conversations were held during the way.
"My son, you have returned at long last. This mother of yours has missed you dearly!"
Late at night, inside the Lin Manor, a piercing cry could be heard from the main hall, alarming all of those in the manor.
The sound of dog's barks, footsteps of servants who were running hurriedly, made Lin Manor seemed so lively late at night.
Though they were woken up to do chores late at night, none of the servants showed any trace of displeasure, instead they were brimming with joy.
Because the young master who was kidnapped by the bandits had returned!
The previous cry, though it did seem like overboard, but it contained trace of happiness. That was the sound of First Madam. First Madam should be overjoyed, right?
With that thought, the servants did their work more actively. With First Madam overjoyed, seeing them working so hard, she would definitely reward them.
It was brightly lit inside the main hall. The bright candle light revealed delighted face of everyone in the hall.
A woman in her thirties, with chubby figure, filled with the taste of maturity. The current her was like a rain-bathed pear flower[1], embracing the youth tightly, wishing the youth would never leave her embrace.
This woman was exactly the First Madam of Lin Family, Lin Yi's mother.
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The youth in her embrace was none other than Lin Yi who just came back together with Lin Zhihu from Black Wind Stockade.
Right now, he was filled with embarrassment, even a bit awkward.
Though he knew from his memories that this woman was her mother, but Lin Yi was someone who had travelled through time and space to this world so there was still some contradictions left in his heart.
"My son, don't leave your mother again. You didn't know that during the period you were kidnapped, this mother of yours couldn't eat or sleep at all!" Lin Yi's mother loosened her embrace, leaning on the youth's shoulder, she wiped away the tears on her face.
"That's right, Yi'er! Your mother's words were right. After this lesson, don't go roam around anymore. The current world is not stable!" Lin Zhilong who stood at the side nodded with agreement.
Turning around, he faced Lin Zhihu, "Second brother, thanks to you, Lin Yi could come back safely this time! Since we are family, there's no need to beat around the bush. Second brother, you are always travelling all year round, your expenditure must be high. If you lack money, just tell brother!"
"Big brother!" Lin Zhihu's face reddened. Waving his hand, he tried to explain, "It was Yi'er himself."
Before he finished his words, he saw Lin Yi was hinting at him, shaking his head. Lin Zhihu quickly shut his mouth, swallowing back the words he was about to say.
"Second brother, do not refuse. If it weren't for you, how could my son, Yi'er, come back safely from the bandits' hands?" Lin Zhilong patted Lin Zhihu's shoulder, continued, "That's it then. Tomorrow I will tell the accountant to hand over three thousand taels for you to use."
Lin Zhihu's complexion turned red, since he could not refuse, he nodded ashamedly.
The delighted Lin Zhilong, pulled Lin Yi's mother's hand, saying, "Well, it's late now. Yi'er and Second brother must be tired. Leave the talk until tomorrow morning and let them take a rest. This time, for Yi'er, Second brother put aside his work at escort agency and rushed back hurriedly. Tomorrow morning, he still need to rush back to the escort agency!"
Lin Yi's mother nodded silently, feeling extremely reluctant.
Right at the moment when everyone was about to disperse.
"Father, Mother! This son of yours has something to say!"
Lin Yi suddenly stopped the Lin couple, he said with a stern look, "Through this incident, I'm now fully aware the importance of martial arts. I want to learn martial arts!"
He had decided during the way home from Black Wind Stockade. The chaotic warring period was approaching, not much time was left. He must join a faction soon, obtaining higher grade arts and increase his strength so that he could have the self-protection ability when the warring period approached.
"Learn martial arts? It's good that you want to learn martial arts. Tomorrow I will go find martial arts master to teach you!" Lin Zhilong nodded his head, agreed to his request.
Lin Yi shook his head, "Father, it seems like you have misunderstood me. What I mean is, I want to leave home, to join a faction and learn martial arts there!"
"What? You want to leave home? No, you are not allowed to go!" Lin Yi's mother exclaimed, stopped him at once.
"Nonsense!" Lin Zhilong's expression changed, with some trace of anger, "How could it be so easy to learn martial arts? You were spoiled since you were small, how could you endure such hardship?"
"Father, Mother! I'm fully prepared to endure any hardship, and I believe I can endure it as well!" Lin Yi said insistently, "In this world, commoners who don't learn martial arts simply don't have any means of protection. If one's not pleasing to the eye, a random passerby from pugilistic world will kill them. Bandits from various places will also haunt them down! I'm not learning martial arts only for myself, but for Lin Family as well! Only by learning martial arts, there will be no one who will dare to find trouble with us, Lin Family, and there will be no more such incident like being kidnapped by bandits! Otherwise, though a wave has passed, another wave will soon follow!"
"Learning martial arts, is something done once and for all, so that no one will ever find trouble with us, Lin Family, again!"
The youth's words were powerful and appealing, resonating in Lin couple's minds..
Experiencing a kidnapping incident not long ago, with Lin Family's fortune, they couldn't think of any solution at all! If it weren't for Second brother's help, presumably those bandits would have killed their son!
Furthermore, could they really fill the bandits' satiety? If there was a first time, a second time was bound to come. Once they opened this hole, Lin Family would never have peace again. It might even lead to the deaths and separation of their family.
"Second brother, what's your opinion?" Lin Zhilong wasn't quite clear with pugilistic world affairs so he could only ask for opinion of someone from pugilistic world.
"I agree with the decision of Yi'er to join a major faction and learn martial arts there. With his talent, he is a very suited to learn martial arts. If he were to learn martial arts, he will surely have big accomplishments in the future!" Lin Zhihu paused for a moment, "Moreover, I understand the current world better than you, Big brother. I travel on the outside all year round. Many places are now under turmoil, number of thieves grew tremendously, yet local authorities do nothing at all. Commoners simply can't live a peaceful life!"
"In the eyes of people from pugilistic world, commoners are akin to weeds, free for them to hit or kill. I have seen many cases where people from pugilistic world had disputes then vent their anger on commoners! Yet the victim's family don't have any places to voice their complaints!"
Lin Zhilong nodded his head, went silent for a moment, then asked, "Then where do you think is suitable for Lin Yi to learn martial arts?"
Lin Zhihu thought for a moment, then answered, "Let's settle on Huashan! Huashan is a big sect in our Shanxi region, at the same time, as one of the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance, it also has prestigious reputation in pugilistic world. The martial arts of Huashan are profound, especially their sword arts, which are well-known throughout the pugilistic world! Yi'er will surely be able to learn good skills there! Furthermore, the Dragon Escort Agency where I'm at is the subordinate of Huashan behind the stage. I'm sure Big brother must be well-aware of how big is the business of Dragon Escort Agency?"
"Of course I know Dragon Escort Agency! One of the top escort agency in the world, number one escort agency in Shanxi, owning powerful forces!" said Lin Zhilong.
"Yet Dragon Escort Agency is merely a division of Huashan. Under Huashan, there are ten or more division as big as Dragon Escort Agency, with other countless smaller division! Now you can imagine how powerful Huashan is, right? If Yi'er is able to join Huashan, becoming its disciple, we, Lin Family will be able to be a ship that rises with the tide[2]. At that time, we won't be restricted to small place like Yu City, and we will have bigger development opportunity!" Lin Zhihu gave a big example, trying to attract Lin Zhilong.
For unknown reason, Lin Zhihu thought back on how Lin Yi managed to kill the entire Black Wind Stockade bandits with only an arrow per person, which then plainly said: Killing someone don't require one's to learn martial arts beforehand.
Lin Zhihu had a feeling, this youth was a natural born for pugilistic world, his world was the pugilistic world! He even hoped that that youth would be able to walk until the step.
Therefore, he didn't mention how hard it to join Huashan, and to become a true disciple of Huashan was even harder!
"You mean sending Yi'er to Huashan to learn martial arts will benefit greatly for his future, and after he has finished learning, it will bring great benefit to our Lin Family?" Lin Zhilong's heart was moved. The development of Lin Family had reached bottleneck in Yu City so he always wished to bring Lin Family out of Yu City, gaining a foothold in pugilistic world.
"That's for sure!" Lin Zhihu laughed, showing an envious look, "Disciple of Huashan, what a dazzling status!"
"Alright, then it's decided, let's send Yi'er to learn martial arts in Huashan!" Lin Zhilong decisively made a decision.
"Sure, coincidentally Huashan is recruiting new disciples seven days later. Tomorrow morning, Yi'er will set out together with me!" Lin Zhihu also nodded decisively, putting the matters of Dragon Escort Agency to a side.
Being approved to learn martial arts at last, Lin Yi was also very happy. This way, he wouldn't need to make extreme decision like running away from home. Though he didn't have much attachment towards Lin Zhilong and his wife, he didn't want to make them sad either.
Decided to set out early in the morning, Lin Yi and Lin Zhihu left the main hall, back to their room to take a rest. Both of them were tired today.
"Husband, our Yi'er really want to go to Huashan to learn martial arts?"
After those two left, Lin Yi's mother pulled Lin Zhilong's hand, with an expression filled with worry.
"Of course!" Lin Zhilong nodded.
"But I can't bear to let Yi'er go. Learning martial arts is so hard, I'm afraid Yi'er will face hardship. At Huashan, will he be able to eat to his fill and sleep well? What if he's injured or fall sick" Tears appeared on Lin Yi's mother.
"Stop it, our child has grown up, he will leave us eventually!" Lin Zhilong chided, yet his eyes also turned watery like his wife.
He also couldn't bear to let go of his son. This was his only son!
"But."
Lin Yi's mother stopped resisting as she wasn't able to overturn the decision made by Lin Zhilong. She could only cry to express her stance.
The morning of the second day.
Lin Yi and Lin Zhihu both carried huge bundles, leading a horse each, bidding Lin couple farewell.
"Yi'er, just go if you want to learn martial arts. This mother of yours won't stop you. However, if you are unable to endure the hardship, just come back. Mother will be waiting for you at home!" Lin Yi's mother tried her best not to cry, however her tears still fell down uncontrollably.
"Mother, just rest assured! I'm learning martial arts so that we can live better future!" Looking at his mother's sincerity, he was moved, feeling a gentle warm in his heart. He silently muttered in his heart, "A better life."
"I'm leaving, Big brother, Big sis-in-law, rest assured, I will take care of Yi'er along the way!" Lin Zhihu rode on the horse, waving his hands.
Stepping on the stirrup, Lin Yi rode on his horse skillfully, just like a veteran horse rider.
System Notification
Riding Skills : Expert
Riding on the familiar horseback, he felt a kind of familiar feeling. He felt like his chest was burning and boiling.
With sets of new clothes, travelling throughout pugilistic world on a raging horse!
Pugilistic world, here I come!
"Jia!"
Two big horses rushed out of Lin Manor, galloping on the road. Bright lights of the sun that was just born shone on the youth's back, displaying a magnificent view!
[1] , at first it was used to describe Yang Guifei's posture when crying. Later it was used to describe the charm of a woman.
[2] , meaning a person's social rise benefits those related with him.