9: Joy and satisfaction

"Phew! I passed! I've finally become a Martial Arts Scholar!"

Hearing the voice of the City Lord's Manor official fall, no matter how steady Lin Yi's heart was, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy at this moment.

Martial Arts Scholar—this had always been his obsession. Becoming a Martial Arts Scholar not only greatly improved his status and made it easier to find a job, but it also meant his family could live a better life from now on. At the very least, his father wouldn't have to work so hard anymore.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi walked over to his equally excited parents and said with a smile:

"Dad! Mom! Your son did not fail his mission! In this examination, I successfully became a Martial Arts Scholar."

"We saw it! We saw it! Yier, we all saw it!"

Hearing Lin Yi's words, Lin Haichuan's eyes welled with tears, while Ji Xuan couldn't help but cry with excitement again, her hands tightly grasping Lin Yi's.

It wasn't until a moment later that Lin Haichuan wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and laughed heartily:

"Alright! Xuanxuan, stop crying! It's a good thing that Yier became a Martial Arts Scholar. What's it look like for you to keep crying?"

"Cheer up! After the City Lord finishes conferring the Martial Arts Scholar titles on Yier and the others, we'll go to the biggest restaurant in the city for a splurge to celebrate."

"Also, we should find some time to go back to our old home and pay our respects at your grandfather's and grandmother's graves, informing the two elders that you've become a Martial Arts Scholar."

"Yier, you don't know that your grandfather's greatest wish during his life was for me to become a Martial Arts Scholar. Unfortunately, your old man was useless; I couldn't let him see such a day even until the day he died."

"But it doesn't matter now. I didn't pass, but my son did! And he passed at the age of only fourteen!"

"If his spirit in heaven knows this news, he will surely be even happier."

"Yes, Father is right. In a couple of days, I will go home with you to offer sacrifices to our ancestors."

Lin Yi nodded, but then changed the subject, saying:

"But before that, I hope you can promise me to quit your job at the escort agency. That business is too dangerous. In my opinion, it would be good to go back to our hometown, Qinghe County, and open a martial arts hall."

"As for the venue for the martial arts hall, if we can't afford to buy one, we can rent first. Anyway, the rent in the county town is cheap."

"In addition, our house is too dilapidated. Tomorrow we'll go to the broker's office to find a better middleman and have him help us rent a new one. The house doesn't need to be that great, but at least the environment shouldn't be so bad anymore."

"What! Change houses? Stop being an Escort Guard?"

"You brat, you've only just become a Martial Arts Scholar, and you've already drifted off to who knows where?"

As soon as Lin Yi finished speaking, Lin Haichuan's eyes widened, and he barked:

"Change houses? What houses! In my opinion, the house we live in now is quite good, no need to change! How good would it be to use the saved money to buy qi and blood pills for you?"

"As for returning to Qinghe County to open a martial arts hall, forget it. After all, I've been an Escort Guard for so long. Now I only know how to escort goods; where would I still have the ability to teach Disciples?"

"As for danger? Our Zhenyuan Escort Agency has been open in Guangling Prefecture City for so many years, its prestige shaking Guangling. Where is all this danger? Don't try to persuade me further; your father knows what he's doing."

"No!"

Hearing this, Lin Yi shouted, looking at Lin Haichuan with firm eyes:

"The house can remain unchanged for now, but you must stop being an Escort Guard! Otherwise, what is the point of me practicing martial arts so hard and becoming a Martial Arts Scholar?"

"If you don't agree to this condition, Dad, then I won't bother practicing martial arts anymore. Anyway, it's of no help to the family."

Lin Yi's expression was incredibly angry, looking exactly like a rebellious youth throwing a tantrum.

Of course, his words were a lie. After all, he had a cheat at his disposal; as long as he was careful, he was destined to become a powerhouse in the future. How could he possibly give up practicing martial arts?

Furthermore, if he wanted to change his and his family's destiny, his only option was to practice martial arts diligently and become a true powerhouse of the Nine Provinces Continent.

He simply knew his father's temper was always stubborn; once he decided on something, eight oxen couldn't pull him back. If he didn't use the "stop practicing martial arts" trump card to threaten him, he probably wouldn't compromise easily.

"What! Stop practicing martial arts? You unfilial son, how dare you!"

Hearing Lin Yi's words, Lin Haichuan thought it was true. His eyes immediately widened in fury, and for the first time, he showed a fierce expression in front of Lin Yi.

But seeing this, Lin Yi stared back without the slightest fear or retreat.

A moment later.

"Sigh! Fine!"

Lin Haichuan sighed helplessly and was the first to lower his head:

"Yier, you've grown up. Dad loses to you. Since you won't let me go on escorts anymore, then I'll listen to you. I won't go to the escort agency anymore."

"It just so happens that when I went back to Qinghe County a few months ago and met your Senior Brother Sun—that is, the former eldest Disciple of our Haichuan Martial Arts Hall, Sun Longxing—he kept complaining to me that since I left Qinghe County, there haven't been any good masters in the county and wanted me to go back and reopen the martial arts hall."

"I didn't agree at the time, but now that you also want me to go back and open a martial arts hall, I'll just satisfy him!"

"After all, he's right. Those old fogies in the county, when they teach martial arts, they hide this and that. How can any of them compare to your old man?"

After saying this, Lin Haichuan couldn't help but grin, his face full of heartfelt joy.

Seeing this, Lin Yi also smiled happily:

"Yes, yes, yes! Old man is amazing! In the tiny Qinghe County, where could there be a martial arts hall master who can compare to you?"

"But someone just said they didn't want to go back to the county to open a martial arts hall! Yet they remember a few words someone said casually months ago so clearly. Tsk tsk!"

"You brat, you've grown some guts, haven't you? Daring to tease your old man."

Lin Haichuan's old face turned red upon hearing this, and he then stubbornly straightened his neck to explain:

"Don't I just have a naturally good memory? Never mind things from months ago, I can remember things from years ago perfectly clearly!"

"Is that so?"

Lin Yi asked with a smile:

"Then tell me, Dad, what were you doing on this day several years ago?"

"I, I..."

Seeing this, Lin Haichuan's face turned even redder. He stammered and couldn't say a single word. Finally, he could only wave his hand in embarrassment and anger:

"Get out, get out! Hurry up and get out! Those who passed the Martial Arts Scholar assessment are all waiting obediently over there!"

"Only you have so much nonsense to say. Get out! Hurry up and get out! Looking at you now makes me angry."

"Alright then! Then Dad, Mom, you guys wait here. When the Martial Arts Scholar assessment officially ends, we'll go to the biggest restaurant in the city for a meal and have a good celebration."

Lin Yi chuckled.

Seeing his family healthy and happy, his own heart was filled with joy and satisfaction.

After all, making his family happy was the greatest meaning of his struggle.

Of course, what he had done so far was not enough. The family's conditions had only improved slightly, and they hadn't even changed houses.

"But, next, I will work harder! Even harder!"

"Then I'll let my family live in a large mansion step by step, wear the best clothes, and be able to do anything they want, until finally, they no longer need to worry or fret about anything!"

Lin Yi's heart was firm. He stopped teasing his father and obediently returned to the dedicated gathering point for candidates who had passed the assessment to wait silently.

As time passed, candidates passed the assessment one by one.

Finally, after about an hour, the hundreds of candidates had gone through the two rounds of assessment, and just over a hundred Martial Arts Scholars were finally determined.

Afterwards, Lin Yi and these hundred-plus Martial Arts Scholars followed the City Lord in front of the Martial God statue to perform tedious prayers, sacrifices, and ceremonies such as the awarding of Martial Arts Scholar robes, tokens, and the first month's martial arts subsidy silver.

When all the ceremonies were completed, it happened to be noon.

Seeing this, Lin Yi intended to take his parents to the city's restaurant for a meal, but just then, a voice rang in his ear.