Free Web NovelChapter 2: Chapter 2: Unyielding
’...What is this!?’
Even though Chen Cheng had already awakened, the sudden vision in his Heart Spirit still made him catch his breath.
’A golden finger?’
He calmed his Heart Spirit and focused his mind, probing the mark.
After a long while, he found nothing special about it.
’It couldn’t be something foul, could it?’
He couldn’t help but worry.
Fortunately, after a careful inspection of his body, he found nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, the dull ache at the back of his head had almost completely faded.
...
Anping Village, though still part of the slums, had small courtyards enclosed by adobe walls.
Sunlight could reach this place, and the stench in the air was much fainter.
The Chen Family’s Old Mansion was located here.
The pickled vegetable shop at the front was the Chen Family’s ancestral business. Trade had been slow lately, and today, they had closed up shop early.
Passing through a narrow gate beside the shop led to a small, square, open-air courtyard. The ground was uneven, the earthen walls were mottled, and everything showed the faded colors of age.
"Grandfather, Eldest Aunt."
Elder Chen was reclining in a lounge chair in the courtyard, chatting with the woman beside him.
Hearing Chen Cheng’s voice, the smiles on their faces instantly froze, and in the next second, their expressions turned stern.
"Father, Eldest Sister-in-law."
Madam Li quickly followed with her greeting.
"Wife of my second son, what brings you here today?" the old man asked coldly.
The Eldest Aunt’s slanted eyes swept over the mother and son’s empty hands. She rolled her eyes and, without a word of greeting, turned and went into the kitchen.
"Father, Cheng has run into some trouble. About that promise you made to send him to practice martial arts..."
Madam Li hadn’t even finished her sentence.
The Eldest Aunt suddenly shot out from the kitchen, screeching as if her tail had been stepped on.
"Practice martial arts? What martial arts? Is he even cut out for it?"
The Eldest Aunt raised her hand, her fingertip nearly poking Chen Cheng in the face.
"He’s been a block of wood since he was a kid, and now he’s completely worn his body out! A rotten seedling that a gust of wind could knock over, and he thinks he can waste a chance to practice martial arts? Worthless and cowardly! Shameless! Can he even handle such a heaven-sent blessing? He should be afraid it’ll shorten his life!"
The Eldest Aunt spat as she ranted incoherently, as if deliberately trying to curse Chen Cheng and Madam Li away.
Madam Li was so stunned by the outburst she froze on the spot.
A wicked fire ignited in Chen Cheng’s heart, but his mind was far calmer and clearer than before.
This over-the-top reaction from his Eldest Aunt merely confirmed his suspicions.
The opportunity to practice martial arts... he feared his Eldest Aunt had long ago goaded the old man into giving it to her precious son, Chen Hao.
"Wife of my eldest, hold your tongue!"
Elder Chen shouted, his voice deep, before softening his tone.
"Cheng, it’s not that Grandfather is playing favorites. Martial arts training prioritizes Root Bone above all, and it’s extremely expensive. Given your family’s situation... working hard and earning a living honestly is what you should be doing."
"But didn’t you say he could train for free for half a year?" Madam Li pressed urgently.
"Yes, but if he fails to make a name for himself after six months, wouldn’t the opportunity be wasted?"
Elder Chen paused, an undeniable look of hope in his eyes.
"Hao had his bones read. The old master himself praised his excellent Root Bone, saying he’s prime material for martial arts... With such a heaven-sent opportunity, do you think I could just withhold it from him?"
"...But back then, you swore an oath!"
Madam Li’s brow furrowed like a deep ravine.
"I... I did swear an oath, it’s true!"
Backed into a corner by her words, the old man’s face flushed with shame and anger, and he craned his neck defiantly.
"But Hao has already entered the Martial Arts Hall and accepted a master! Even if I’m struck by lightning, even if you tear me apart limb from limb, the chance to practice martial arts can only belong to Hao!"
"..."
Tears welled up in Madam Li’s eyes, and her body trembled so much she could barely stand.
If she had known this would be the outcome, she never would have hidden it from Chen Cheng.
"Cheng... Mother has failed you... It’s all my fault..."
"Mother, this isn’t your fault."
Chen Cheng grasped his mother’s cold, trembling hand. His voice was dry and flat, but every word was clear.
"My body has indeed been frail these past two years. You were afraid I’d end up with nothing and be unable to survive. You weren’t wrong to think that."
"It’s them..."
Chen Cheng’s indifferent gaze swept over the old man and his Eldest Aunt.
"We didn’t come here today to beg for handouts."
"We just wanted a straight answer, to put an end to the false hope in my mother’s heart."
Chen Cheng’s gaze finally settled on the old man’s face.
"You don’t have to get so worked up. We both know that from the moment you gave the martial arts opportunity to someone else, my mother and I became nothing to you."
"Since that’s the case, I will no longer acknowledge you... The life I owed the Chen Family, my father has already repaid on my behalf. From this day forward, my mother and I have nothing more to do with any of you!"
"...You... You!"
Hearing this, the old man was so furious his beard bristled and his eyes went wide. He tried to stand and argue further, but the Eldest Aunt pushed him back down into the lounge chair.
"Father! There’s no need to argue with this ungrateful brat! Just tell them to get lost!"
The Eldest Aunt couldn’t be happier to have Chen Cheng sever ties with the family. If they never saw each other again until they died, it would mean one less person to split the inheritance with once the old man was in his grave.
"Give me my father’s letter," Chen Cheng said, his voice cold as ice.
"The letter?"
The old man paused, genuinely surprised. It didn’t seem like an act.
The Eldest Aunt, however, just sneered, clearly having no intention of humoring Chen Cheng.
Chen Cheng said nothing more, merely glancing at the wood-chopping knife in the corner. Its blade was rusty, but it still carried a dull, menacing air.
The Eldest Aunt followed his gaze. Her heart skipped a beat and her throat tightened.
She wasn’t afraid of throwing a tantrum and screaming curses, but she was genuinely afraid that a cornered rabbit might bite.
She swallowed hard, hurriedly pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her sleeve, and threw it on the ground, her eyes filled with disgust and a hint of barely perceptible panic.
Madam Li immediately picked up the wad of paper and held it in her hands, carefully smoothing it out.
"You’re illiterate. What use is it to you?"
The Eldest Aunt rolled her eyes viciously and moved to shield the old man with her body.
"Mother, let’s go home."
Chen Cheng helped Madam Li up and walked straight out of the courtyard.
They hadn’t gone far when they ran into Third Uncle’s and Youngest Aunt’s families.
The Youngest Aunt and her husband were well-dressed, carrying heavy bags of rice and flour. Their daughter skipped beside them, laughing and chatting.
Third Uncle and his wife carried only some wild vegetables and firewood. Their tattered, coarse clothes hung loosely, as if on mere skeletons, as they slowly trailed behind.
When the two groups met, the others only gave Chen Cheng and his mother a slight nod before entering the courtyard.
Only Third Uncle stopped, forcing an awkward smile.
"Second Sister-in-law, Cheng, where are you two off to? Hao is coming back today. It’s a rare chance for the whole family to get together..."
Halfway through his sentence, Third Uncle noticed Madam Li’s reddened eyes and Chen Cheng’s clenched jaw, and the rest of his words caught in his throat.
He realized that this widow and orphan had likely not been invited.
"Sigh... We’re all family. What can’t be forgiven..."
"Third Uncle, don’t say any more."
Chen Cheng had made up his mind. Not wanting to hear any more attempts at persuasion, he helped his mother continue on their way.
"Cheng, wait!"
Third Uncle hurried after them and, without taking no for an answer, stuffed the meager bundle of wild vegetables and dry firewood into Chen Cheng’s hands.
"Take this. It’s not much, but it should help in a pinch... I’ll come visit you in a couple of days..."
"There’s no need... Third Uncle, Thir—"
Chen Cheng tried to refuse, but Third Uncle immediately pulled back, lowered his head, and hurried into the courtyard.
"Cheng, you can disown the others..."
Madam Li said in a low voice, gazing at the closed courtyard gate.
"But you must remember Third Uncle’s kindness."
"I understand."
Chen Cheng tightened his grip on the firewood and vegetables.
The mother and son turned in silence and continued deeper into the alley.
A moment later, the Eldest Aunt’s shrill voice, mixed with sharp ridicule, drifted from the courtyard. It sounded like she was berating Third Uncle for arriving empty-handed.
...
「Away from Anping Village.」
After finding a corner where the sun shone, Chen Cheng took the family letter from his mother and tried to learn of his father’s recent situation from it.
However, despite the letter being only a few lines long, Chen Cheng couldn’t recognize a single character.
The script of this world was made of strange, twisted strokes, like the runes of a secret incantation.
He had hoped to make some educated guesses by comparing them to the pictographs of his previous life, but he couldn’t make any headway.
’Hm!?’
Just as he was about to give up...
Deep within his Heart Spirit, the dormant, vertical eye-shaped mark suddenly grew hot.
His Heart Spirit’s ’gaze’ suddenly soared, like a celestial eye looking down upon the mortal world, and locked onto the characters on the letter.
In an instant, the indecipherable Ghost Talismans in the letter were violently deconstructed and reassembled.
The strokes broke down into their most basic forms and reassembled themselves one by one into every character of this world. In that same instant, Chen Cheng understood their corresponding meanings.
It wasn’t learning; it was insight.
The meaning of each character seemed as if it had long been engraved deep within his Heart Spirit, only to be fully awakened now.
[Broken Character Recognition]: Entry Level (0/300)
