Chapter 21 The Niu Family, Their Competitor In Eastwood Town
Deep inside the Great Cang Mountains, Qin Wushuang yelled out a mnemonic phrase at the large “Surging Wave” peak.
“Walk like a plow, settle like the roots!”
Hu Ziyan stepped forward as if he were a deep and profound mountain. With a sound of “Hey," he threw out a dynamic punch.
“Blue Dragon flying in the Upper Ninth Heaven, deep roots under the old tree.”
Hey! Another punch.
After a year, Hu Ziyan had mastered the offensive technique: <The Eighteen Plates>. Fang Xiaozhong was not much worse off as he had also become proficient in the <Seize The Flexible Serpent> technique.
Right now, the Martial Arts Student Exam was only less than a year away. Qin Wushuang had not only taught them a set of aggressive techniques, but he had also taught them some combat moves.
Right now, he could only do this much to help them.
With their current situation, they would not receive a bad grade on the exam after another year of training.
As for those higher level martial arts technique, it would be a waste to teach them now before they had reached the Genuine Force. In the future, if they continued to work hard and had opportunities, Qin Wushuang would not mind carrying them.
On this day, Qin Wushuang practiced some of <The Sun Force>, then worked on <The Congealed Finger> techniques. Finally, he set the <Nine-Suns Palms> as his specialization and practiced it for a while.
He had also mastered the basics of the eighth palm “The Scarce Burning of the Eight Suns” of the <Nine-Suns Palms>. He only needed some time to consolidate the strength.
If he could use this “The Scarce Burning of the Eight Suns” technique freely, then he surely would have the combat ability to be considered a Stage Seven Genuine Force Warrior!
There was one more year till the martial arts student exam. Right now, Qin Wushuang was somewhat looking forward to the upcoming exam.
The Prominent Class required at least a Stage Two Genuine Force Warrior.
The Wealthy Class required a Stage Four Genuine Force Warrior to oversee the family.
In other words, if a family had a mighty warrior at Stage Four of the Genuine Force, then they would qualify to become a part of the Wealthy Class after winning the challenge.
Of course, this was only the minimum requirement. In fact, the strength of each powerhouse would be slightly higher than this fundamental prerequisite.
Qin Wushuang never forgot his father's words. He obviously knew that the Wealthy Class Xu family and the Prominent Class Zhang family had always gone after their family's assets. They had not hesitated to kill him, the only heir of the Qin family. They were merciless!
These vicious tyrants would never yield before reaching their goals. This point was proven when that lobbyist, Gou Sheng, came to speak for the Xu Family.
In this world, more people went after profits than justice. For instance, the Wealthy Class Xu were obviously not kind people because they had acquired their Wealthy Class seat. Naturally, they would use everything to acquire what they wanted.
However, Qin Wushuang had been reborn as a human for two lifetimes, was he the kind of person to be pushed around?
It would be a negative answer.
Since this Xu family wants to rob our family’s assets, then I shall start with you!
He hoped that the Xu family would have a couple more of warriors at Stage Four of the Genuine Force. Or else, it would not be fun for him.
While he was thinking, Qin Wushuang suddenly stood up. He looked down from the mountain at Eastwood Town with a pair of cold eyes. With a solemn tone, he swore: “Whoever wants to scheme against my family, you had better be prepared to spill some blood…”
“Wushuang, Wushuang, it’s time to eat.”
Big Sister Qin Xiu’s warm call came from the foot of the mountain when he climbed down. Now, at each day's lunchtime, Qin Xiu became used to wait for her brother to come home and eat.
When he looked at his sister's slim body, Qin Wushuang’s heart felt a surge of warmth.
His big sister, Qin Xiu, was already a big girl at twenty-one years old. Hnce, she had to share some of the familial responsibility with their father. Thus, until now, she had not married.
Many girls at her age would have been married for four or five years already.
When she was sixteen years old, she was put in charge of collecting rent from tenants on the family’s lands. The Qin family was very generous to the peasants. They had the lowest rent in the entire River County. Thus, farmers loved them.
“Big Sister, you guys should eat first. There is no need to wait for me.” Qin Wushuang approached with a smile. Qin Wushuang had always felt somewhat guilty toward his sister. He knew that his sister had not yet married because he himself had not yet matured enough to share in the family’s burdens and responsibilities with their father. Thus, she, as a girl, had carried the responsibility for their family.
“How could that work? We are a family. We will not start the meal if even one of us is not present!”
Qin Xiu was confident and calm. Regardless of her temperament or appearance, she would not lose to any princess in other upper-class aristocrats.
After she took Qin Wushuang and compared his height with hers, she complimented, "Wushuang, you are growing fast! Only fifteen years old, and you are already taller than Big Sister."
"That's because Big Sister always lets me have all the food." Qin Wushuang laughed.
“Big Sister will let you have anything. However, I will not yield on this matter.” Qin Xiu also laughed. Thus, the brother and sister pair arrived home while they laughed and chatted along the way.
Qin Xiu had not expected that guests had come to the house when she had gone out to greet her little brother. What was worse was she had never wanted to see these two guests.
It was the father and son from the Niu family. They owned a herb shop in Eastwood Town.
Shopkeeper Niu laughed with his mouth opened wide. He spoke in a thunderous voice: “Yo, Missy Xiu’er is back. Little Fen, go talk with Missy Xiu’er.”
A young martial artist in his twenties stood to the side. If Qin Wushuang were to describe him using a popular phrase from his former world, then it would that “His appearance would be against the law.” Especially his large mouth. Most likely, normal people would not have that gigantic a mouth even if they grew two mouths.
It was shocking when he laughed, it was as if a river had flooded because his spittle splattered everywhere.
Qin Wushuang knew he was the eldest son of the Shopkeeper Niu. He was named Niu Fen (Poor kid, his dad gave him a name that rhymed with “Cow shits” in Chinese). He was the older brother of that bucktoothed martial art student, Niu Dou.
“Lianshan, my Little Fen has been studying martial arts outside for the past ten years. Right now, he is at Stage Nine of the Power Force. Soon, he will surpass his father for sure."
Qin Wushuang started to laugh: “Shopkeeper Niu, are you trying to introduce your son or are you bragging about your martial art strength. Oh! Regardless, please lower your voice. Our cows are still sleeping in the backyard.”
“You guys are keeping cows?” Shopkeeper Niu could not help but stare blankly. When he saw that Qin Xiu, who stood behind Qin Wushuang, laughing, he immediately understood that Qin Wushuang was mocking him. He inwardly cursed the kid for being slippery-tongued.
However, he hid his intention and did not get angry. He did not come here just for a marriage proposal. His real ambition was to scheme and to take the Humble Class seat from the Qin family.
“Haha, Lianshan, I, Niu Da will not be abstruse. Today, on the one hand, I’ve brought my Little Fen to ask for marriage, and on the other, I want to discuss our family's future collaboration." Niu Da’s face appeared to be the opposite of what he said as he hid his intentions.
Qin Lianshan adapted to the unexpected requests as he said: “Shopkeeper Niu, please be more precise with your words."
Qin Wushuang who stood to the side suddenly spoke: “If Shopkeeper Niu came to discuss the Humble Class seat with our family, unfortunately, you’ve come too late."
“Too late?” Niu Da frowned.
“That’s right. The Xu Patriarch of River County had already sent someone to deliver their ruthless intentions. They not only want our Humble Class seat, but they also want our family to become destitute and homeless." Qin Wushuang laughed.
“Eh? There was such a thing?” Shopkeeper Niu pretended to be stupid. At the same time, he asked tentatively, “Lianshan, that Wealthy Class Xu is one of the tyrants in River County. They are not afraid to do anything. What are your plans?”
Qin Wushuang did not wait for his father to speak and interjected: "We are waiting for the Xu family to demonstrate their power. Shopkeeper Niu, isn’t that what you also intend? If that's what you want, then go back to where you came from!"
Niu Da looked at Qin Lianshan and said mockingly: “Lianshan, right now, you have these children of the Qin family talking nonsense. Are you unable to make your own decision?”
Qin Lianshan rolled his eyes and asked with a cold tone: “Am I the boss? Do you approve me as the boss? If I say that the Qin family will never give away this Humble Class seat, what will Niu Shopkeeper do?”
Niu Da laughed: “In this world, everything will either prosper or decline. There is always ups and downs. Brother Lianshan, you are not going to be stubborn and care about temporary losses, right? You must understand that if you take a step back, you will see a greater sky!"
“Take a step back? The Qin family will become civilians if we take another step back. We will lose everything! Where is the vast sea, and where is the sky? By that time, I am afraid we won't even make it as slaves. Shopkeeper Niu, regardless of any matters you are going to use to persuade me, there is no chance at all. Even though I, Qin Lianshan, do not have superior techniques, my spine is still very sturdy!"
“Xiu’er, Wushuang, help Father send off the guests!”
Both the Niu father and son pair looked furious as Qin Wushuang sent them out of the door. One of them, that “Cow Shit” spat on the ground and spoke to Qin Wushuang arrogantly: “Kid, today your father won’t marry Qin Xiu to me. But later, I won’t even consider her even if you begged me!”
“Don’t worry, Young Master Niu, even if our female ox became oestrus, we would never be that tasteless. Why don't you go back to where you came from!"
Pang! The gate closed and left the Niu father and son with a bellyful of frustration.