章 15: Chapter 15: Grandpa Won't Stay
Boom, boom, boom.
Muffled thunder echoed through the mountains, followed by the torrential downpour.
The winter rain mixed with fine snow before being whipped up by a gale slammed mercilessly onto the earth.
Plants quivered, wild beasts shuddered.
All the living creatures in the mountains trembled under awe of the weather.
Inside the sealed cave, Lu Yuan relied on the fire pit, turning over the leftover rabbit meat from yesterday while skimming through the book he had just acquired today.
"The pages have human body diagrams with some text beside them, which looks like annotations. There are lines drawn within the body diagrams, corresponding to the various acupuncture points."
Lu Yuan flipped through the book page by page and made a judgment after reading its content: "This is probably a martial arts secret book."
Although he knew what the book might be, his heart still felt restless.
The reason was simple.
"I can't read..."
With a bitter smile on his face, Lu Yuan sighed.
The text in this world was similar to the Chinese characters in his previous life, but the meaning and pronunciation of each character belonged to a different system.
Facing these completely unfamiliar characters, even if he knew that the book before him was a legendary martial arts secret book, he was helpless.
Thanks to his previous life, watching TV dramas and reading novels involving martial arts, he had some understanding of practicing martial arts.
Therefore, he knew that learning martial arts was never an easy task - in some ways, it could be even more difficult than academics.
Because for academics, you only need to be literate and then study the classics.
With enough talent and determination in that direction, success can always be achieved.
Otherwise, where did the thousands of scholars and juren (imperial examination title holders) come from in this world?
But martial arts are different.
Practicing martial arts requires a strong physique and constant honing of your body, which in itself is an extremely demanding task.
Besides physical exercise, if you want to learn martial arts, you must be literate, recognize illustrations and know how to study these martial arts secret books, right?
So being literate is the first obstacle a martial arts practitioner must overcome.
But just recognizing characters isn't enough.
During martial arts practice, in order to aid the training and nourish the body, some herbs are needed. At the same time, spending your days with swords and daggers means getting injured is a common occurrence.
Therefore, whether it's for training or healing, a competent martial artist must have a basic understanding of medicinal knowledge.
All of these are just the basics.
According to martial arts novel logic, when martial arts are practiced deeply, they will involve one's mental state, which is quite mysterious.
So, to break through advanced realms, those grandmaster martial artists will study Buddhist and Taoist classics, and pursue breakthroughs in their spirituality.
As a result, the truly powerful martial artists are usually also masters of metaphysics, proficient in the laws of the three religions - Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and can be considered grandmasters.
"Although I don't know if the logic in the martial arts novels of my previous life is correct, based on the current situation, if I want to learn the martial arts secrets I got from Ma Ji Qing, literacy is a hurdle I can't escape."
Under the glowing red firelight, Lu Yuan gazed at the book in his hand, lost in thought.
Although three months ago, when he had gone to Dayu County, he had already discovered the cruel reality that he couldn't read.
At that time, he also secretly resolved to find a chance to learn to read.
However, due to financial constraints, it could only be a long-term plan, waiting for the right conditions to execute.
But now that he had a martial arts manual, the original plan had to be changed.
"As an ordinary person like me, even if I practice archery and swordsmanship to the highest level, I still stand no chance against martial arts experts who have actual martial arts skills.
Even though my lifespan is infinite, I can still die when faced with various lethal external forces.
Now that I have martial arts, it's a perfect opportunity to make up for my lack of power. Once I master the secret manual, maybe I can change my current life."
Lu Yuan has been in the mountains for half a year, not because he loved the rustic life, but because he had no choice.
The outside world was too dangerous.
There were not only the Black Wolf Gang, but also greedy officials, and fugitives like Ma Ji Qing.
Any of these three posed a threat to his life.
So, faced with these threats, even if Lu Yuan knew that the probability of antagonizing these parties even if he left the mountains was actually low, he still had to be cautious.
Better safe than sorry.
He had an everlasting life with great prospects ahead. He couldn't risk even the slightest danger.
"Now the mountains are not safe anymore."
Lu Yuan added a piece of wood to the fire and began to ponder his current situation: "Although I disposed of Ma Ji Qing's corpse, who knows how long the Black Wolf Gang will search the mountains?
If they search thoroughly, they might find me here."
Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches.
Although his dwelling in this remote cave was well-hidden, he had been living here for a while, and traces of his life were bound to be left behind.
The Black Wolf Gang, as the local power in Dayu County, surely wouldn't enter the mountain hastily. They might hire hunters who were familiar with the mountain to serve as guides.
While his cave may remain hidden to outsiders, it wouldn't be able to fool his fellow hunters.
So, it was certain that he would be found by the Black Wolf Gang.
Although even if they found him, they probably wouldn't discover much from him and there wouldn't be much danger.
But without danger, to be held captive for labor wasn't pleasant either.
Lu Yuan didn't want to be suddenly captured by someone.
"Now the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, and hunting is impossible. It's the perfect opportunity to go outside and find a scholar to learn to read." He thought about it.
Now that he had obtained a secret manual, he had a cognitive need for literacy. And with the threat from the Black Wolf Gang in the mountains, it was time for him to leave and perhaps avoid danger.
Why not seize this opportunity to leave the mountains? Not only would it allow him to learn to read, but it would also help him dodge this storm.
"And the biggest problem with learning has also been solved for me."
Lu Yuan took out a large money bag from his chest, tossed it casually, and the silver inside clinked as it collided.
It was taken from Ma Ji Qing.
He had checked earlier, and there was quite a lot of silver inside - about thirty taels or so.
With this money added to what he originally had, he now had over forty silver taels.
With so much silver, let alone reading, it would be enough to buy a small mansion with four rooms in Dayu County.
What does it feel like to carry enough money to buy a mansion?
The answer is: very refreshing, very blissful.
Glancing around the gloomy, damp cave, he once felt everything was tolerable when he was poor.
But now that he had money, Lu Yuan felt annoyed at the sight of his surroundings and couldn't stand it for another moment.
Thus.
...
On the second day, the thunder and rain outside slightly ceased.
Seizing this rare opportunity, Lu Yuan carried a bundle, secured the wooden door of his cave, and carefully covered it with vines.
Finally, after one last look at the home he had lived in for half a year, without any hesitation, he turned to walk towards the road down the mountain.
This time, the young master was on his way to learn new skills.
As for this broken cave, whoever wants to stay, stay - he wouldn't.
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