Chu Fan walked out of his parents' room and looked up at the sky.
The lead-gray dome of the heavens was like a torn sack of cotton, spilling out goose-feather snowflakes. In an instant, the north wind twisted them into a vast, white curtain of snow.
The only sound between heaven and earth was the soft hiss of falling snow, as if creation itself was painting everything pure white.
'I can't sell this house.'
'Even if I were to sell it, I'd have to wait until I can perform the Refinement on the Demon Suppression Stele.'
Chu Fan didn't know if the Demon Suppression Stele counted as a legendary Magical Treasure Secret Artifact.
But the "Demon Dragon Celestial Spirit Scripture" on the stele was in a completely different league from Martial Arts like the Twelve Forms Fist or the Nine Blood Soul Blades.
No matter what, he had to obtain it.
'Unfortunately, the Refinement of the Demon Suppression Stele requires fifteen hundred points of Spiritual Essence.'
'How could I possibly save up that much Spiritual Essence in less than a year or a year and a half?'
A flicker of emotion crossed Chu Fan's face. He thought of Huang Yu, and he thought of the Blood Saber Sect.
He had never met Huang Yu.
But ever since he started fishing two years ago, he had been bullied and exploited by the Blood Saber Sect. A bone-deep hatred for them was already buried in his heart.
'Finding even one good person within the brutal and tyrannical Blood Saber Sect would be a miracle!'
'These people... they all deserve to die!'
An impulse suddenly surged through Chu Fan's heart.
Deep down, it was as if a voice was tempting him to wantonly slaughter the disciples of the Blood Saber Sect.
'But I'm a law-abiding person...'
Chu Fan sighed inwardly again and suppressed the impulse.
'Even if I break through to the Blood Nourishing Realm, that's only the level of an Entry-Level disciple in these major gangs.'
'Better to be cautious for now.'
'With this level of strength, I might be able to handle a few small-time thugs.'
'But if I run into someone stronger, I'd probably just get beaten and killed.'
Chu Fan's thoughts returned to the Huang Family and Huang Yu.
It was said that Huang Yu was a Small Leader in the Blood Saber Sect.
A so-called Small Leader was a leader ranked below an Incense Master. His strength was certain to be far beyond the Blood Nourishing Realm.
'Maybe he's already at the Blood Refining Realm.'
'It's also possible he's already reached Bone Marrow Forging.'
'I need to find a Method to scout out Huang Yu's Cultivation Realm.'
It wasn't that Chu Fan was arrogant enough to think he could go kill Huang Yu right now...
It was mainly because Huang Yu had his sights set on the ancestral home, and he definitely wouldn't let the matter drop.
'There's a saying: a thief can try for a thousand days, but a defender can't be on guard for a thousand days.'
'After I find out Huang Yu's true strength, I'll make my plans.'
'Once our strengths are comparable, I'll find a chance to kill that bastard and wipe out the Huang Family. That will settle everything once and for all!'
Chu Fan retrieved the silver he had gotten from killing Liu Da and the others last night from a hole in the wall. He then went out and found Zhao Hu.
Although Liu Da and his men, and even that constable, hadn't noticed anything unusual about his parents' room...
...to be safe, he still wanted to use Mr. Zhao to verify a suspicion he had.
Chu Fan made up an excuse, asking Zhao Hu to help him clean the trash out of his parents' room while he himself hid outside the door, observing the situation inside.
'Mr. Zhao is kind-hearted and has always looked after me. Even if he did find something strange in the room, he would keep it a secret for me.'
He wouldn't dare try this with anyone else.
Watching Zhao Hu busy himself in the room, getting closer and closer to the spot on the floor where the pattern of strange, shimmering Runes was, he held his breath.
The pattern of strange, shimmering Runes didn't appear!
Zhao Hu was already standing on the exact spot where the pattern of strange, shimmering Runes should be, but there was still no reaction!
'Just as I expected...'
'That Array of strange, shimmering Runes can probably only be activated by me—or, to be more precise, by someone with Chu Family blood.'
When other people walk over it, nothing unusual happens.
With that, he could relax.
If others could also activate the Array, Chu Fan might go off to the Seven Stars Gang for a few days only to come back and find his home had been stolen. By then, it would be too late for regrets.
"Mr. Zhao, can I discuss something with you?"
Chu Fan didn't go inside. He waited for Zhao Hu to come out of the room before speaking. "You should sell your own house and move your whole family in with me."
"Huh?" Zhao Hu was stunned for a moment.
In his view, given Chu Fan's situation, the smartest thing to do would be to sell the house outright.
Sell the house, get the money, and he could go wherever he wanted.
Whatever schemes the Huang Family came up with afterward would have nothing to do with him.
'The boy is just too sentimental. He can't bear to sell the ancestral home he grew up in...'
Zhao Hu sighed to himself.
Chu Fan continued, "I don't plan on selling the house for now. My house is big and has plenty of rooms. It won't be crowded even with your family of three moving in."
"Besides, Mr. Zhao, the Huang Family has its eyes on your house too. You might as well just sell it. Get however many taels of silver you can for it."
"Is that so..." Zhao Hu rubbed his chin, looking tempted. "Then... how much for rent?"
"No rent," Chu Fan said. "Mr. Zhao, you watched me grow up. I may not be much, but I'm not an ungrateful person."
"Back when my parents passed away, you were the one who gave me food and kept me alive."
"When my house was wrecked, my fishing nets were ruined, and even my bedding was torn to shreds... you and auntie immediately brought over a new quilt, along with sweet potatoes and eggs."
"That kindness is as heavy as a mountain."
"Giving charcoal in a snowstorm... that's something a little bit of rent money can never compare to."
"So, please, don't stand on ceremony with me."
"Fan, you..." Zhao Hu's eyes began to redden.
"It's settled then," Chu Fan said. "From now on, I'll live in my parents' room. You can use the other rooms as you please."
"Also..."
Chu Fan took out four taels of silver from his robes. "I live alone, so it doesn't matter if the door has a few big holes in it. But with you all moving in, it wouldn't be right to leave it like this."
"Take this silver and help me get the doors replaced."
"..." Zhao Hu's eyes went wide.
In the past, Chu Fan was dirt poor. Even with his daily fishing, he couldn't always guarantee a full meal.
Just half a month ago, he was still chopping firewood for Zhao Hu's family in exchange for some food.
Where did he get this much silver now?
Zhao Hu seemed to think of something. His heart leaped, but he quickly calmed himself.
Seeing his reaction, Chu Fan added, "This silver is from Cao Feng, the Chief Instructor of the Seven Stars Gang. He must have seen some talent in me, so he's been looking out for me."
Zhao Hu nodded, took the silver from Chu Fan's hand, and said, "When your Uncle Zhao handles something, you can rest assured!"
The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Chu Fan asked, "Mr. Zhao, I heard you say before that Huang Shouliang's son, Huang Yu, is a Small Leader in the Blood Saber Sect. Is that true?"
"Do you happen to know what his strength is like?"
"..." Hearing this, Zhao Hu jumped in fright and stared at Chu Fan with wide eyes.
'This kid... he's not thinking of going after Huang Yu, is he?!'
His face fell. "Fan, you... you..."
"I've never practiced Martial Arts, so I don't understand anything about the power Realms of the Martial Dao. But last month, when I was selling baskets on Dragon Gate Street, I overheard some passing Blood Saber Sect Members mention Huang Yu."
"I think he's in some 'Blood Refining' Realm, and they said he was about to challenge the 'Forging' Realm?"
"Bone Marrow Forging?" Chu Fan raised an eyebrow, a trace of pressure rising in his heart.
In a few days, he would be able to break through to the Blood Nourishing Realm.
But Huang Yu had already started to challenge the Bone Marrow Forging Realm last month.
The difference in strength was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth!
"Oh, right! That's it, Bone Marrow Forging!" Zhao Hu said quickly. "Those Blood Saber Sect Members said that Huang Yu is highly regarded by the Incense Master. His strength is extraordinary, and they should interact with him more."
"Fan, I know you're gritting your teeth in hatred because of what happened to your family..."
"But that Huang Yu is terrifying! Look at Liu Da—he was just a nobody kicked out of a Martial Arts Hall, but he could shatter a bluestone with a single palm strike and torment us neighbors until we were helpless. That Huang Yu is ten, even a hundred times stronger than Liu Da and his ilk!"
"What's more, he has the entire Blood Saber Sect backing him... You must not do anything foolish!"
"I won't," Chu Fan said with a smile. "I was just asking casually."
But as he turned away, an undisguised killing intent flashed in his eyes!
'Blood Refining?'
'Even if he's at Bone Marrow Forging or Bone Tempering, he still has to die!'
But Chu Fan would never do something as foolish as throwing an egg against a rock.
'I'll let Huang Yu live for a few more months.'
Chu Fan turned back around and said, "Mr. Zhao, you should just sell that house to the Huang Family."
"If you sell it for less silver than it's worth, I'll make up the difference for you."
Chu Fan narrowed his eyes.
'By having Mr. Zhao sell the house to the Huang Family, I can better monitor Huang Yu's movements.'
'I really want to know what on earth Huang Yu is planning, buying up houses all over the place!'