As Lin Chen's words fell, the scene erupted immediately.
Three years to develop Essence Qi is nothing?
"Lin Chen, do you know what you're saying? Since you've started learning martial arts, you should know how hard it is to develop Essence Qi. I think you're just jealous of your elder brother."
The auntie looked angry; she couldn't allow anyone to belittle her son.
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang's face was also ashen; in the past, he would have scolded already.
Other villagers were also pointing at Lin Chen.
In their view, developing Essence Qi in three years was already impressive.
In all these years in the village, only that Scholar Jiang and a few others had developed Essence Qi, leaving the village to become guards for wealthy families in the city, returning occasionally.
And every time they returned, it was with great fanfare.
"Chen'Er."
Mrs. Lin looked worriedly at her son; when the grandfather announced Lin Ming had developed Essence Qi, she was hesitant, thinking about gathering money to pay off their debt first.
It's not that she wanted to cozy up to Lin Ming, but since Lin Ming had developed Essence Qi and her son was learning martial arts, Lin Ming could guide Chen'Er.
"Auntie, I really don't think developing Essence Qi is that difficult because I have developed it too."
Lin Chen's lips curled up; he had held back this declaration for a long time and could finally express it now.
Even though his own declaration was abrupt and felt somewhat juvenile, wasn't he at this very age?
Despite having lived two lives, he could endure hardships that others couldn't and wouldn't care about humiliation.
The sharp edge of swords comes from honing; the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold.
It's merely a form of self-consolation under pressure from the environment.
"What?"
"Did I mishear? Did the Lin Family boy say he developed Essence Qi?"
"As far as I know, Lin Chen went to the Martial Hall this year. If he developed Essence Qi, it means he did it in less than a year?"
The villagers looked at Lin Chen incredulously; the aunt, after a moment of surprise, suddenly sneered, "Lin Chen, could you be crazed from learning martial arts and started spouting nonsense? Do you think anyone will believe you?"
"Enough. Stop humiliating yourselves in front of so many people."
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang also spoke heavily; the grandson he valued so much took three years to develop Essence Qi after spending so much money, and yet this younger grandson managed it in less than a year—it seemed impossible.
"Chen'Er, you're telling the truth." Only Mrs. Lin looked at her son with hopeful eyes.
"Mother, it's true. Didn't Gu Fei tell you? I was in special training at the Martial Hall this month because the instructor believed I could develop Essence Qi. This time I came home to share the good news."
Hearing Lin Chen's confirmation, Mrs. Lin suddenly turned her head fiercely, "If my Chen'Er says he developed Essence Qi, then he did."
"Youngest, aren't you going to do something, letting them be embarrassed like this?"
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang looked displeased, but Father Lin didn't pay him any mind, looking instead at Lin Chen with excitement, "That's my son, good job."
Mrs. Lin believed in her son, and Father Lin was the same.
Their son had indeed developed Essence Qi within a year!
"Uncle, why are you also..."
Father Lin interrupted the aunt and questioned her, "Don't you want our Chen'Er to develop Essence Qi, sister-in-law?"
The aunt's expression stiffened; accepting that Lin Chen developed Essence Qi was more painful than handing over the land deed.
Doesn't this imply Lin Chen surpassed her son Ming'Er?
Just as the aunt was at a loss for words, a gong's sound echoed from the village entrance, and several figures approached.
"It's the village chief!"
"The village chief is here too, banging the gong and drums; what great joy has befallen our village?"
Some sharp-eyed villagers recognized the village chief among them.
The village chief of Linhu Village was an old man who usually walked slowly, but at this moment, he was moving briskly, showing no signs of his aged appearance.
"Everyone knows already, huh."
Seeing the villagers gathered in front of the Lin Family Ancestral Residence, the village chief shouted loudly from a distance, "Looks like Lin Chen has returned to the village to bring good news."
Upon hearing the village chief's words, many villagers looked at Lin Chen with changed expressions.
They connected his earlier words.
"On my way back from the town, I met the Martial Hall's celebration team, and I found out that a genius has emerged from our village. Lin Chen not only developed Essence Qi within a year but is also the first from the Martial Hall to do so."
Wow!
Upon hearing the village chief's words, all the villagers erupted once more.
"I knew Lin Chen could do it; I saw his potential for martial arts when he was a kid."
"Developing Essence Qi within a year and being first, amazing, the Lin Family has produced a prodigy."
"With Lin Chen developing Essence Qi and Lin Ming too, doesn't that make two martial artists in the Lin Family? This is like smoke rising from the Lin Family's ancestral grave."
"Lin Chaoyang, the old fellow, must be overjoyed now."
"Well, not necessarily."
With just one "not necessarily," the atmosphere took on a strange vibe.
The Lin family's internal division's details, spread by Gu Fei, were well-known across the village. The villagers couldn't fully believe it, as they hadn't heard it from the parties involved, but what they just witnessed seemed to confirm it.
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang, doubting his younger grandson's advancement in developing Essence Qi, indeed appeared to have been as partial as the rumors suggested.
As for these people who didn't believe it just now, at this moment they've subconsciously ignored it.
It's not important.
They are outsiders, it's normal not to believe it, but Lin Chen is your grandson, Lin Chaoyang, and if you, as a grandfather, don't believe it, then there's a problem.
"Thinking about it now, those rumors must be true. If my grandson said he cultivated Essence Qi, I definitely wouldn't say he was embarrassing or talking nonsense."
"Lin Chaoyang kept claiming that his prodigious grandson was Lin Ming?"
"Lin Ming is worthless, took three years just to cultivate Essence Qi, Lin Chaoyang must be blind to have mistaken the prodigy."
...
...
Listening to the villagers' discussions, the village chief, who knew the Lin Family's internal matters, wouldn't reveal it now. Seeing the somewhat dumbfounded Lin Chaoyang, he sighed softly.
Lin Chaoyang, as a grandfather, really misjudged this time.
"Lin Chen, congratulations, the team delivering the good news is about to arrive, should we go and greet them?"
"Thank you for the reminder, village chief."
Lin Chen bowed to the village chief. At this moment, the strong man who came to collect debt also looked a bit dumbfounded.
The Martial Hall is reporting good news, having cultivated Essence Qi within a year, and being the first.
This news really shocked him.
He might not care about Lin Ming, but anyone who cultivated Essence Qi within a year is someone he can't offend, much less being the first at the Martial Hall.
Soon, this person will certainly be a strong practitioner in the Opening Acupoints Realm.
"Since your village is having a joyous event, the debt can wait for a few days." The strong man wanted to slip away.
"Stop."
Lin Chen called out to him, and at that moment, he could clearly feel the strong man shiver as soon as he was called.
"Young Master Lin, my... our master is also a strong practitioner in the Opening Acupoints Realm." The strong man lacked confidence and had to mention his master.
Earlier, he just felt that this young man's gaze was very sharp, not like an ordinary villager, and now he's even more afraid to meet his eyes.
"Paying off debts is a matter of course. Whoever owes the debt, you find them. I won't stop you. My second uncle's family doesn't owe you money. You shouldn't have hurt my cousin, and we need to settle this account."
The strong man looked a bit strange after hearing Lin Chen's words, but he had just overheard the dialogue between Lin Chen and Lin Chaoyang, so he understood the situation.
It turns out the grandfather and grandson have a conflict, so this should be easy to handle.
"I can compensate for injuring Young Master Lin's cousin."
"Five taels!" Lin Chen coldly spoke.
"Five taels, why don't you just go rob?" The strong man got anxious.
"You don't have to give if you don't want to. You hit my cousin a few times, so let me hit you a few times, and we'll call it even."
Seeing Lin Chen's playful smile, the strong man shivered. To let a Martial Artist who has cultivated Essence Qi hit him a few times, he would have to be out of his mind to agree. A Martial Artist with Essence Qi has at least seven hundred pounds of strength, a few punches could take half his life.
"Then let's offset it with what Young Master Lin said, leave five taels, and you'll only need to pay ten more."
Lin Chen's expression turned cold, and he stepped forward, causing the strong man and his companions to step back in perfect synchronization by three steps.
"Didn't I make it clear earlier? Whoever owes you money, you go find them. My second uncle's family doesn't owe you money, so you must produce those five taels!"
When Lin Chen took a step forward, forcing the strong man and his companions to retreat, and finally obediently take out five taels of silver, many young villagers deeply ingrained this scene into their minds.
Is this the prestige of learning martial arts?
The might of youth, as fierce as a tiger!
Many villagers who originally lost interest in letting their children learn martial arts felt their enthusiasm rekindle after witnessing this.
Although learning martial arts is costly, once successful, just look at Lin Chen; with just a few words, he made someone obediently hand over five taels of silver.
Many villagers looked towards Lin Hui, held in Second Aunt's arms, with envy in their eyes.
Lin Hui really gained this time.
Although he was hit a few times, he'll just need to buy some medicine and rest for a few days, with the new year approaching and not much work to do anyway, this money is like getting for free.
The old village chief squinted at this scene, recalling a boy who left the village fourteen years ago. Although he brought welfare to the villagers, he never showcased the might of a Martial Artist before them.
"Second Aunt, you take this money."
Lin Chen handed the five taels of silver to Second Aunt, who held it in one hand while embracing Lin Hui, then suddenly broke out into loud sobs.
"Mom, don't cry."
Seeing his mother burst into tears, Lin Xi, who was next to Second Aunt, suddenly stood up and charged toward the strong man. The strong man wanted to avoid it, but under Lin Chen's sharp gaze, he had to stand still.
Lin Xi hugged the man's leg and directly bit down hard. The strong man grimaced in pain but didn't dare to shake her off, fearing that if he did, the next moment that huge fist would land on his body.
After a good bite, Lin Xi cleverly ran back to hide behind Lin Chen. Lin Chen smiled and patted his cousin on the head.
The strong man gritted his teeth. In truth, he didn't want to pay these five taels of silver. If the master were here, he could protect him. But since the master isn't here, if he doesn't pay, he'd probably have to be carried out of the village.
If the Lin Family returned the money afterward, the master wouldn't offend a soon-to-be Opening Acupoints young Martial Artist over this matter.
"Young Master Lin, now that we've compensated for the injury, can we collect the debt? Of course, if you say so, we can delay it for a few days."
"Suit yourself."
Lin Chen took Lin Xi and moved to the side.
"Chen'Er, how can you do this? Now that you have skills, and can solve things with just a word, do you want to watch the Lin Family's ancestral land fall into outsiders' hands?"
Seeing Lin Chen really letting them go, Eldest Aunt hurriedly spoke, with blame in her words.
Lin Chen stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed on her. Eldest Aunt, meeting his gaze, shifted her eyes uncomfortably. Only then did she realize, this nephew she never cared for, had such a piercing gaze.