In the world of martial arts, grind your skill level to become a saint.

"It's been upgraded!"

Seeing that the forging level on the panel had increased to LV3, Su Hao was overjoyed.

As his forging skills improved, Su Hao felt that he had a deeper understanding of furnace temperature, calcination time, material properties, hammering techniques, and other knowledge points. Some things that were originally vague in his mind suddenly became clear!

Looking at the blade blank that was about to be forged, Su Hao raised the hammer in his hand again and then slammed it down.

clang!

Sparks flew, and the number +1 reappeared beneath the hammer.

Clang clang clang!!

Su Hao increased his speed, feeling that he was becoming more and more adept at handling the hammer, and his movements were becoming more skillful and fluid.

Su Hao completed the next steps in one go, almost twice as fast as before, and a brand new sickle was finished.

Su Hao examined the sickle from top to bottom and found that both its craftsmanship and quality were much better than before.

"good!"

Su Hao nodded in satisfaction.

The speed has increased while the quality remains the same, which shows that the improved skills are not just for show.

Based on this forging process, it should be the best in the entire Blackwater Street.

Su Hao put away the sickle, preparing to have lunch and continue working in the afternoon.

At that moment, footsteps sounded again outside the door.

Su Hao turned his head and saw a middle-aged man wearing a gray long robe, with a mustache, and looking somewhat fat and bloated, swaying as he walked in.

"Ah Hao, are you still working in this heat?"

The man entered and spoke to Su Hao, while constantly wiping the sweat from his face with a handkerchief.

"Uncle Xia is here."

Upon seeing the newcomer, Su Hao stood up and greeted him.

This man, named Xia Jin, was the owner of Xia Ji Rice Shop on Blackwater Street. He was a good friend of the original owner's father, Su Dashan. When he fled famine with his family to Yanshan City, he had received help and assistance from Su Dashan.

The two families usually keep in touch.

"Yes, I've been very busy lately and haven't had time to visit you. By the way, has there been any news from the government office regarding your father?"

After Xia Jin walked in, he didn't sit down. Instead, he squinted and looked around, while also inquiring about Su Hao's father's situation.

"Not yet..." Su Hao shook his head, but seeing Xia Jin holding a book that looked like an account book, he asked in confusion, "Uncle Xia, what's this?"

"Oh, it's like this..." Noticing Su Hao's questioning gaze, Xia Jin gave an awkward smile. "I came here today to settle a score with your father, but he's not here, so your presence is just as good..."

"Cancel the bill?"

Su Hao frowned slightly, but quickly understood.

The "account" Xia Jin mentioned should be the ten taels of silver that Su Dashan lent him back then.

However, Xia Jin had owed this money for many years, and even after he opened a rice shop and made a fortune, he had never repaid it. Now, he chose this time to settle the debt, and his intentions were self-evident.

After all, Su Hao had no idea how deep or thin the debt was between his father and Xia Jin.

If the other party tries to settle the debt with various excuses, he really can't do anything about it.

"How much is the total bill?"

Sensing the other party's ulterior motives, Su Hao's attitude changed slightly, and he asked in a deep voice.

Xia Jin didn't care when he saw Su Hao's change in attitude. He still had a smile on his face, took the account book, put it on the table, and opened it. "This account book records that your father borrowed ten taels of silver from me back then, and the rice, flour, and cooking oil I gave you over the years during festivals have added up to quite a lot. Let's estimate it to be five taels of silver... I'll return five taels of silver to your father, and then we'll settle the accounts."

Su Hao thought to himself, "Just as I suspected." He thought to himself, "Xia Jin is truly cunning." So he sneered, "Manager Xia certainly knows how to calculate. Using my money to give gifts to myself, isn't that a bit too shameless?"

"That's not how it works. I'll only charge you half the silver for the gifts you sent out, and I'll cover the other half. You've actually gotten a good deal, otherwise you probably wouldn't even have received five taels of silver today."

Xia Jin still smiled, but his words were cold and indifferent.

He came today specifically because Su Hao was all alone, an inexperienced young man who could be manipulated at will.

"But these gifts weren't requested from you. Is Manager Xia trying to renege on our debt?"

Su Hao picked up the iron hammer in his hand. He didn't expect Xia Jin to be such a scoundrel. Just as he took a step forward, his eyes inadvertently glanced at the door.

He then discovered that two burly men dressed in coarse blue robes were standing there, their cold gazes scrutinizing him.

Su Hao recognized the two men as laborers and employees of Xia's Rice Shop.

Xia Jin clearly came prepared!

"But you did take it, so there's no point in arguing about it, right?"

Xia Jin, still smiling, waved to the two laborers outside the door, not continuing to argue with Su Hao. Instead, he took out a money pouch from his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is five taels of silver. From now on, our two families will be even. Also, your father's previous verbal promises were just a joke. Don't take them seriously. Don't try to pester him, and don't do anything foolish. It's not good for anyone."

Without waiting for Su Hao's reply, she turned and walked outside.

Looking at the other person's swaying back, Su Hao really wanted to rush up and smash the other person's head with a hammer, but in the end he held back.

Indeed, you only know who your friends are and who your dogs are when you're down on your luck. Xia Jin's actions today have undoubtedly taught him a real lesson.

As for the verbal promise the other party mentioned, Su Hao also remembered it; it was just a pre-arranged marriage between Xia Jin and his father, Su Dashan.

Xia Jin has three daughters. When he received help from Su Dashan, he personally promised that he would marry his second daughter to Su Hao as his wife.

Now that the accounts have been settled, these promises are naturally no longer valid.

After calming himself down, Su Hao opened the money bag on the table and checked the silver inside.

Fortunately, there were no other problems, only the quantity was reduced by half.

But it's better than nothing, and with these five taels of silver, it's enough to pay for the cost of becoming an apprentice at a martial arts school.

However, Su Hao silently noted this in his heart.

Xia Jin's lack of gratitude and his subsequent forced settlement with people only strengthened Su Hao's resolve to become stronger as soon as possible!

Seeing that no more customers were coming in, Su Hao didn't linger. He closed the shop and left, preparing to go home to get money to become an apprentice at a martial arts school.

Just as he reached the street, Su Hao saw several members of the Fierce Tiger Gang wandering around, but he didn't see Chen Biao.

Having no other choice, Su Hao had to take a detour to leave Blackwater Street. He didn't dare to linger in front of these people, even though he had money on him.

Fortunately, the journey was uneventful, and Su Hao returned home safely. He took out all the money he had saved up, calculated that he had ten taels of silver, hid the rest of the money, and then went out to the Yueshan Boxing Hall in Hongqiao Town.

The outer city of Yanshan City consists of more than ten towns, and each town has several martial arts schools.

Yueshan Martial Arts School is the largest and most famous martial arts school in the entire Hongqiao Town, and its admission fee is also the most expensive.

Su Hao had already inquired about these things beforehand and knew from other people about the quality of Yueshan Boxing Gym's teaching, so there was no need to ask or consider it now.

When we arrived at Hongqiao Town, it was already noon.

Su Hao knew the way well and followed one of the several streets in the town, soon arriving at the gate of a large courtyard with stone walls.

Through the somewhat dilapidated wooden door at the entrance, one could faintly hear soft shouts coming from inside, as well as the thuds of heavy objects hitting wooden stakes.

Above the wooden door hangs a wooden plaque with handwritten black characters that read "Yueshan Boxing Hall".

Su Hao stood at the door, composed himself, walked up the steps, and knocked on the door knocker.