This martial saint is too cautious.

Tang Mansion.

Lin Yan sat in the main hall, drinking the tea served by the servants of the Tang family.

As a second-stage skin-refining martial artist on temporary assignment to the Tang family, Lin Yan was naturally qualified to enter the main hall of the Tang family.

Upon hearing footsteps on the steps outside the door, Lin Yan put down his teacup, stood up, looked at the beautiful figure entering, and clasped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Miss Tang."

"The housekeeper told me you wanted to see me. Is there something you need?"

Tang Tang, dressed in a white outfit, came in and got straight to the point.

"I've come to express my gratitude to Miss Tang."

"grateful?"

"Miss Tang gifted me pills some time ago, which enabled me to break through to the third level of Skin Refinement. Without the help of these pills, I'm afraid I would have been far from reaching the third level of Skin Refinement."

Before Tang Tang could respond, the butler standing behind her opened his mouth slightly, his face full of disbelief.

If he remembered correctly, when this young master Lin first came to the Tang family to take up his post before the New Year, he had only had his skin smoothed once. How could he have had his skin smoothed three times in such a short time?

real or fake?

A glint of surprise flashed in Tang Tang's beautiful eyes: "Young Master Lin, you are too kind. Your ability to break through the Skin-Refining Realm three times is due to your own good fortune. My few bottles of pills were just icing on the cake."

If a few bottles of pills can achieve three skin-sharpening techniques, then the Tang family could wholesale three-times-sharpening martial artists.

She was well aware of this, which is why Lin Yan came to express his gratitude immediately. His gratitude was genuine, but he certainly had other motives as well.

After a moment's thought, she realized that this person had come to ask for better treatment.

The difference in treatment between two and three rounds of skin smoothing is significant.

He then smiled and said, "Since Young Master Lin has already become a three-time Skin-Refining Martial Artist, his benefits as a temporary employee should naturally be improved. According to the treatment given to temporary employees by my Tang family, Young Master Lin will receive a stipend of one hundred taels of silver from my Tang family starting this month. In addition, you will still enjoy a 30% discount when purchasing medicinal herbs at my Tang family pharmacy, except for Bone Tempering Pills."

"Can't the Bone Tempering Pill be discounted?"

Lin Yan frowned. He had originally planned to use the benefits of his temporary position with the Tang family to save money on the cost of the Bone Tempering Pill.

"I'm sorry, but the Bone Tempering Pill is not a pill that my Tang family can refine. It was transported from the prefectural city. Even my Tang family doesn't have much stock. The price that the pharmacy sells to the public doesn't make much profit. It's more about using the name of the Bone Tempering Pill to sell other martial arts pills. If a martial artist who has undergone three skin-refining treatments wants to buy the Bone Tempering Pill, they need to make an appointment in advance."

Tang Tang explained the reason: there are only so many three-stage skin-refining martial artists in the county. Many of them lose their will to advance in martial arts and will not buy bone-tempering pills. Therefore, the Tang family will not stock up on too many.

"Using the high value of the Bone Tempering Pill to bundle with other products for sale—isn't that just a luxury goods tactic?"

Lin Yan murmured to himself, understanding the meaning behind the eldest daughter of the Tang family's words. The Bone Tempering Pill didn't actually earn much, and the Tang family wouldn't stock up on too many. For a martial artist to buy it after three skin-sharpening sessions, they either had a good relationship with the Tang family or were a regular customer, and he belonged to the former category.

Seeing Lin Yan deep in thought, Tang Tang smiled and said, "If Young Master Lin wishes to enjoy a discounted price on the Bone Tempering Pill, he can choose to become a retainer of my Tang family."

"worship?"

Lin Yan was surprised. How come he had never heard of the Tang family hiring retainers?

"Martial artists who hold positions in my Tang family, if they meet the requirements and are willing, can become retainers of my Tang family. Once they become retainers, they can enjoy a 30% discount on all medicinal herbs and can also learn the superior martial arts of my Tang family."

hiss!

Lin Yan's pupils shrank suddenly. If he remembered correctly, his master had said that only the Tang family in the entire county possessed high-grade martial arts.

The middle grade focuses on momentum, while the highest grade focuses on intention.

The Mountain Splitting Fist has reached its limit, and the martial arts fruits I have accumulated are now useless. If I could learn a superior technique from the Tang family, I could put the martial arts fruits to good use.

However, treatment and effort are always balanced. The Tang family dares to offer such good treatment, so their requirements for offerings must also be extremely high.

"Miss Tang, may I ask how one becomes a retainer of the Tang family, and what one is required to do after becoming a retainer?"

"The reason I told Young Master Lin is because Young Master Lin's strength has reached a certain level. As long as Young Master Lin does not have close ties with any family that has any conflict with my Tang family, he can become a retainer of my Tang family."

Tang Tang smiled and said, "As for what needs to be done, the tasks of offering and temporary posting are roughly the same. The difference is that the temporary posting warriors can leave at any time, but the offering is calculated on a yearly basis, and the allowance is also paid in advance on an annual basis. During this year, no matter what happens to my Tang family, you are not allowed to leave without permission."

This woman is up to no good.

It's a blatant temptation to yourself.

The allure of a superior cultivation technique goes without saying, but the advance payment of an annual salary alone precisely targets his financial weakness.

The more this is the case, the more cautious one must be.

"Young Master Lin, please rest assured. Although the retainers cannot leave easily, if my Tang family were to provoke an enemy so powerful that they cannot be defeated, my Tang family would not stop you from leaving."

Tang Tang seemed to have guessed what Lin Yan was hesitating about, and reassured him.

That's good?

Is that Mrs. Qin 2.0 version?

If that's the case, I really have no reason to refuse.

After a few moments of thought, Lin Yan spoke, "I have received financial assistance from the Lin family in the city."

"Lin Family Ironworks?"

"Um."

Tang Tang smiled slightly: "That's alright. My Tang family and the Lin family run different businesses, and we have no grudges against each other."

"In that case, I am honored by Miss Tang's high regard for me and I am willing to serve as a servant in the Tang household."

Having said that, Lin Yan felt he had no reason to refuse; both money and top-grade cultivation techniques were things he needed.

"Alright, then Elder Lin, please go back first. As for the superior cultivation techniques of my Tang family, I will have someone deliver them to your door later."

……

The steward who had seen Lin Yan off returned to the main hall, a look of confusion on his face, and couldn't help but ask, "Young Miss, when did the manor begin to have offerings?"

There has never been a position of honor in the household; it is obvious that this was a last-minute decision by the young lady.

Could it be that the young lady has taken a liking to Young Master Lin?

In terms of age, the young lady is half a year younger than young master Lin, and in terms of cultivation level, the young lady has also undergone three rounds of refinement. ... Putting aside their family backgrounds, they are quite a good match.

"Isn't it there now?"

Tang Tang asked calmly, "What do you think about Lin Yan breaking through to the third level of skin refining?"

"I don't understand." The butler shook his head: "Martial artists of Lin Yan's background have broken through to the third level of the Skin Polishing Realm before. There have been others in the county's martial arts world, but they only appear once every twenty or thirty years, and they all broke through after the age of thirty."

Tang Tang picked up her teacup and took a small sip: "So, Lin Yan is very special."

She looked up at the door, her gaze distant: "Only one like this appears every few decades. It's worth the Tang family taking a gamble. If we lose, the Tang family won't suffer any loss. But if we win and Lin Yan can continue to be this special, then the Tang family will have made a profit."

There was one more thing she didn't say.

Lin Yan must have some secrets, but she won't investigate them. As long as Lin Yan can continue to make rapid progress in martial arts, that's enough for her.

……

After leaving the Tang family, Lin Yan headed to his next destination.

Lin Yan stopped in front of the Lin Family Iron Shop. The shop occupied a very large area, and various farming tools commonly used by the people were displayed on the stalls at the entrance.

Inside the shop, the shelves were no longer filled with farm tools, but with rows of weapons.

Knives, swords, spears, maces, axes... all kinds of weapons are available.

"Is the guest looking to buy weapons?"

Upon seeing Lin Yan enter the shop, a middle-aged man came forward to greet him.

"My name is Lin Yan, and I have come to see Madam Lin."

"Are you Young Master Lin?"

The middle-aged man had clearly heard of Lin Yan's name and quickly led the way, saying, "Young Master Lin, please follow me."

The main hall of the Lin residence.

Qin Yin sat on a chair in the hall, reviewing the accounts for the month. Her plain white dress accentuated her exquisite figure, her waist slender yet not thin. A single white flower adorned her black hair, making her face appear even more ethereal.

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's announcement, he put down the accounts, stood up, and looked towards the door: "Young Master Lin...you are a rare guest, please have a seat."

Looking at Lin Yan, who had followed the shopkeeper into the mansion, Qin Yin chuckled, her pretty face, free of rouge, exuding an unconscious charm.

"Madam Lin's words about being a rare guest make me feel ashamed."

Lin Yan smiled slightly: "Having received money from your esteemed household, I can't just sit idly by. The reason I've come is to inquire whether you've encountered any trouble recently."

The agreement he made with the Lin family was that no matter what trouble the Lin family encountered, they would not come to him until he had undergone three rounds of skin resurfacing.

I figured that once I said those words, Madam Lin would understand the subtext of my words.

Qin Yin did indeed understand Lin Yan's implied meaning, but precisely because she understood, her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze seemingly conveying a thousand words, yet also carrying an undisguised surprise.

This Mrs. Lin has a pair of expressive eyes.

"Young Master Lin, you've already had your skin smoothed three times?"

Because of disbelief, her voice trembled slightly. When she saw Lin Yan nod, her almond-shaped eyes lit up instantly, rippling with a youthful radiance.

"My Lin family has increased the annual sponsorship for Young Master Lin to six hundred taels."

Qin Yin's pretty face flushed, and her voice involuntarily rose. However, just as she finished speaking, a voice came from the doorway: "Sister-in-law, this is inappropriate!"

A burly man strode in, his eyes filled with a hint of greed as he looked at Qin Yin, but when his gaze fell on Lin Yan, there was obvious jealousy: "Six hundred taels a year, my brother's body is barely cold, sister-in-law, isn't what you're doing a bit too obvious?"

Seeing Zhang Xiong enter, Qin Yin frowned slightly, her tone indifferent yet distant: "Although my uncle is my husband's sworn brother, he is not a member of the Lin family, so this matter has nothing to do with him."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiong's face darkened. He and Lin Xiao were sworn brothers. When Lin Xiao was alive, he had no other thoughts, but after Lin Xiao died, the image of his sister-in-law Qin Yin and the wealth of the Lin family often appeared in his mind.

The younger brother succeeds the elder brother when the elder brother dies.

Although he was only a sworn brother, his elder brother only had one daughter, who was only four years old.

"Even if you, sister-in-law, hired a martial artist who has undergone three rounds of skin-sharpening to hold a temporary position, it would only amount to this much per year. He takes away six hundred taels a year without doing anything. If word gets out, people will gossip and might think that you, sister-in-law, have some other intentions. I'm afraid my elder brother would not be at peace even in the afterlife. As your brother, for the sake of your reputation and my elder brother's, I naturally have to stop him."

Zhang Xiong's words were full of sarcasm, and Qin Yin's face instantly turned cold. After her husband passed away, she had considered helping Zhang Xiong financially, but after several encounters with him, her intuition told her that Zhang Xiong was a wicked man and that she might be inviting trouble into her home.

When her husband was still alive, Zhang Xiong treated her with utmost respect. Now that her husband is gone, he has become frivolous in his speech.

"It's none of the business of outsiders to interfere in the affairs of my Lin family."

"Sister-in-law, my elder brother and I are sworn brothers who have exchanged incense before, so we're not outsiders."

The atmosphere in the main hall suddenly became heavy.

"How should I address this senior?"

Lin Yan, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth and extended his hand to Zhang Xiong with a smile on his face.

Zhang Xiong instinctively reached out, but withdrew his hand the instant his palm touched Lin Yan's, coldly snorting, "Zhang Xiong!"

Lin Yan looked inward at the height of the gray martial arts tree in his mind, and the smile on his face disappeared. This Xiong's martial arts tree was still some distance from three feet tall, not even three times the skin-sharpening, so there was no need for him to be polite.

"Madam Lin, now that I've accepted your financial assistance, I feel obligated to help resolve any troubles you may be facing. But I wonder, does what we're dealing with right now qualify as trouble?"

Upon hearing Lin Yan's words, Qin Yin was stunned for a moment before she understood what Lin Yan meant. Young Master Lin intended to take action against Zhang Xiong.

Young Master Lin has broken through to the third level of skin smoothing; Zhang Xiong is definitely no match for him.

Although Zhang Xiong's intentions were impure, Qin Yin, thinking of the sworn brotherhood she had with her husband, gave him one last reminder: "Zhang Xiong, I'll say it one last time, this is a matter for my Lin family, it has nothing to do with you, you can still leave now."

Looking at Qin Yin's stern face in her white dress, Zhang Xiong felt even more eager.

A woman should be pretty, even if she's dressed in mourning.

Not to mention, there's also the fact that she's his sister-in-law.

Qin Yin was already his exclusive possession, and he would absolutely not allow anyone else to touch her.

"My elder brother's body is barely cold; how can I sit idly by and do nothing?"

After saying that, Zhang Xiong turned his gaze to Lin Yan: "It seems that you are too arrogant after defeating Cheng Zonghan. You still want to attack me? Then come on."

He had heard of Lin Yan's name.

But defeating Cheng Zonghan is nothing special. Among the second-level martial artists in Guangping County, he can rank in the top three, and the Wang family patriarch who was killed can definitely outrank him.

Zhang Xiong's eyes flashed with a fierce light, his aura surged, and he suddenly pushed off with his feet, pouncing towards Lin Yan like a tiger descending a mountain!

"After studying martial arts for a few years, he's become arrogant and doesn't know his own limits!"

With a swift punch, the wind howled as it aimed straight for Lin Yan's face.

This punch was powerful and heavy, far superior to Cheng Zonghan's palm strike.

"What a foul mouth."

Lin Yan remained calm. Facing Zhang Xiong's fierce punch, he did not retreat but advanced, meeting Zhang Xiong's attack with his own punch.

boom!

The fists clashed, and a dull thud echoed through the hall.

Lin Yan remained motionless, while Zhang Xiong took three steps back, a look of surprise flashing across his face.

"this one?"

Lin Yan spoke calmly, his tone as composed as if stating a fact.

Zhang Xiong's face flushed red, and with a roar, he pounced again.

This time, the attack was even more ferocious, with numerous punches covering Lin Yan's vital points.

Bang bang bang!

Three punches collided.

Zhang Xiong stepped back again, his right arm trembling slightly, his fist already red and swollen.

He stared at Lin Yan in disbelief. How could this person be so strong?

"Now, it's my turn!"

Lin Yan took a step forward.

Zhang Xiong felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively wanted to back away, but he found that Lin Yan had already approached him like a ghost.

One punch.

A simple punch, without any fancy moves.

But the moment the punch was thrown, Zhang Xiong’s pupils shrank. He saw a sky full of fist shadows and a fist force that was pressing down like a tidal wave!

"fist……"

Before the words were spoken, the fist had already landed.

boom!

The sound of a sternum shattering echoed through the hall.

Zhang Xiong was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into a pillar in the hall before sliding to the ground. He twitched twice and then lay still.

Fresh blood slowly flowed from beneath him.

The hall was deathly silent.

Qin Yin stood frozen in place, her mouth slightly agape, her face filled with disbelief.

Zhang Xiong died just like that?

She looked at Lin Yan, whose young figure stood there quietly, his expression as calm as if he had just swatted a fly.

"Young Master Lin..."

Her voice trembled, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

Although Zhang Xiong did not break through to the third level of skin smoothing, he was still among the top performers in the second level.

Lin Yan turned around and nodded slightly to her: "Madam, has this trouble been resolved?"

If it weren't for the desire to avoid revealing too much of his strength to outsiders, one punch would have been enough to deal with someone like Zhang Xiong.

Qin Yin took a deep breath and calmed her heaving chest: "Young Master Lin, rest assured, Zhang Xiong is not from Guangping County. He was someone my husband met while traveling. After becoming sworn brothers with my husband, he followed me to Guangping County. My Lin family will handle this matter and it will not cause you any trouble."