A Martial Saint Among Men: From Joining a Martial Arts School

Chu Xuan, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened, seamlessly picking up another piece of chicken and putting it in his mouth before slowly saying, "Brother Ming... you've worked hard, I... understand!"

"To be honest, seeing Mingdi working so hard learning martial arts, eating worse than the other disciples at the martial arts school, and having to endure being looked down upon, it hurts me as his older brother! This is my incompetence as an older brother!"

"Three hundred coins a month is still too little! How about this..."

Chu Xuan paused, swallowed the meat in his mouth, and then seamlessly picked up another piece.

Auntie was overjoyed and eagerly awaited Chu Xuan's next words.

Three hundred coins a month isn't enough? Then how about four hundred coins? Five hundred coins?

Sure enough, this kid made a lot of money at the dye shop!

Thinking of this, the second aunt felt both excited and jealous.

This kid really got lucky!

Then Chu Xuan said with a serious expression, "How about this? Since Brother Ming is working so hard, let me switch with Brother Ming!"

"When I went to the martial arts school to learn martial arts, I, as the older brother, took on all the hardships and exhaustion that Mingdi endured!"

"It would be great for Ming to work as a shop assistant at the dye shop! It's easy work, he earns good money, and the manager might even take him as his son-in-law. With Ming's skills, I think it won't be long before the entire dye shop belongs to him!"

"Uh..." The smile that was about to appear on Second Aunt's face suddenly froze.

"Mingdi, what do you think?" Chu Xuan looked at Chu Ming with a smile. "I can't come up with the money! All I can do is give you my bright future and suffer in the martial arts school in your place!"

"As for the monthly allowance you give me, I don't mind whether it's three hundred coins or two hundred coins."

Chu Ming turned his head away angrily, ignoring Chu Xuan!

"Second Aunt!" Chu Xuan looked at his second aunt again, his face sincere, "Ming-di has had it so tough. I'm really afraid he'll ruin his health one day! Let me, as his older brother, take his place..."

"Chu Xuan!"

Old Master Chu slammed his fist on the table and roared, "What do you mean? Are you trying to fool me?!"

"Don't think this is a favor! When Ming'er becomes a martial artist, others won't even have a chance to curry favor with him! Asking you to pay now is for your own good! Otherwise, how will you have the face to expect Ming'er to help you in the future?!"

"Grandpa, you're right!" Chu Xuan nodded in agreement, spreading his hands. "But I don't have any money, how am I supposed to take it?"

"No money?" Old Master Chu was even angrier, standing up angrily and pointing at Chu Xuan. "I asked you to sponsor your cousin, and you have no money! But when you go out partying, you suddenly have money, huh? You're so young and already so badly behaved; you've completely disgraced me!"

Living a life of debauchery?

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow and subconsciously looked at Chu Ming. He saw that Chu Ming's eyes were darting away, and he didn't dare to look in his direction.

"Heh!" Chu Xuan chuckled amusedly. "So, Ming-di saw me yesterday?!"

"Grandpa," Chu Ming said, feigning concern for Chu Xuan, "I walked too fast yesterday, I might have misjudged. Or maybe Brother Xuan went inside to look for someone..."

"You don't need to explain for him!"

Old Master Chu waved his hand to interrupt Chu Ming, pointed at Chu Xuan's nose and scolded, "Ming'er is going to Yundingxuan for dinner. It's a social gathering among martial arts friends. It's about making friends with important people. We can't let others look down on us!"

"And you? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror? What kind of place is Yundingxuan? Do you think someone like you, a peasant, can even enter? Do you deserve it?!"

"Father, how could you say that about Xuan'er?!" Zeng Ke couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "Ming'er is your grandson, but isn't Xuan'er also your grandson?"

Little Chu He couldn't eat anymore either. She glared at him and sat there sulking.

"I don't have such a good-for-nothing grandson!" Old Master Chu sneered.

"Mother, I'm fine!" Chu Xuan wiped the spittle off his face, comforted Zeng Ke as she sat down, and sighed inwardly.

I was hoping to get more food and maybe take this opportunity to boost my essence value.

At this point, there's no way to keep trying to get ahead of things.

He didn't bother explaining whether he had gone to Yundingxuan or not, and calmly said, "Regardless of what you think, Grandpa, I don't have any money to sponsor Mingdi! Besides, I'm going to the martial arts school to learn martial arts!"

"Pfft~"

Auntie couldn't help but burst out laughing, pouting at Chu Xuan: "Xiao Xuan, are you running a fever again? Learning martial arts requires certain physical attributes; not just anyone can practice it!"

Old Master Chu was even more furious: "You're already seventeen years old, what are you still learning martial arts for?! I think you just can't stand to see your brother Ming doing well, and you're trying to cause trouble! Let me tell you, I will absolutely not allow you to learn martial arts, and the family will not give you a single penny!"

Chu Xuan wasn't surprised by the result and calmly said, "We don't need Grandpa's help! When my father had his accident, the escort agency paid us twenty taels of silver. Grandpa has kept it for so long, shouldn't it be returned to us?"

Zeng Ke chimed in, "Father, you said this money was for Xuan'er to get married. Xuan'er is still young, why not use it to teach him martial arts? Even if he doesn't become a martial artist, he can learn a few moves and find a way to make a living in the future, right?"

Upon hearing this, Auntie Er immediately became nervous.

"No!"

Old Master Chu waved his hand irritably, his voice growing increasingly exasperated: "I told you, he's not allowed to learn martial arts! That's money my son earned with his life, we absolutely cannot let you squander it like this!"

Waste?

Chu Xuan sneered inwardly, but his voice grew even calmer: "If Chu Ming learns martial arts, the whole family will sell everything they own to support him! If I learn martial arts, and I only use the money my father left me, it's a waste! Grandpa, is that how it is?!"

Upon hearing this calm question, Chu Laoguo met Chu Xuan's gaze and felt a strange sense of unease. He subconsciously picked up his pipe and took a couple of puffs before realizing it was empty, and could only dejectedly throw it on the table.

My second aunt also stopped talking!

The eldest son's son is like a completely different person since he recovered from that serious illness!

Old Chu picked up his pipe again, deftly filled it with tobacco, lit it, took two deep drags, and exhaled thick smoke. Then he said in a low voice, "Don't even think about that money!"

"We've spent almost all of our money on supplementing Ming'er's diet during this year of martial arts training!"

"What?!"

Zeng Ke stood up in shock and said angrily, "Father, how could you do this? That money was earned by Ping An risking his life; it was meant for Xuan'er and He'er!"

Chu Xuan almost laughed out of anger.

It's all spent!

When he was critically ill and near death, the old man didn't give him a single penny.

He saw it as a waste to use it to learn martial arts.

Giving it to Chu Ming wouldn't be a waste, would it?!

"What do you know?!"

Old Master Chu said angrily, "Only if Ming'er becomes a martial artist can the Chu family prosper! I'm thinking of this family!"

"Besides, that's my son's money! I can use it however I want!"

Chu Ming, seeing that he was being dragged into this, scoffed and said, "It's just twenty taels, is it really worth it? Once I become a martial artist, I'll pay you back double! Is that alright?"

Upon hearing this, Zeng Ke felt so angry that she felt dizzy and lightheaded.

Chu Xuan helped his swaying mother up and said, "Mother, let's go!"

At this point, there's not much more to say.

What's the point of talking when all the money's gone?!

Zeng Ke lost all interest in speaking and seemed to age rapidly. With Chu Xuan's support, she turned away in a daze.

The second aunt immediately complained, "What kind of attitude is that! It's just a little money from you! Once Ming'er becomes a martial artist, he'd better not come sucking up to us!"

"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey..."

Chu He stood up, spat a few times onto the table, and muttered, "Who farted? It stinks! I'm not eating!"

With that, he turned and left. Before leaving, he also took the pig intestines that Chu Xuan had brought.

Second Aunt was so angry she jumped up and down, complaining to Old Master Chu, "Father, look at them..."

Ignoring his noisy second aunt, Old Master Chu stared intently at Chu Xuan's back and said in a low voice, "You are no match for Ming'er! Ming'er has the talent for martial arts and is destined to become a martial arts master!"

"This is fate, you have to accept it!"