Proving God begins with the principle that no effort is wasted.

As dusk settled, the cool twilight enveloped the alleyways and high walls, and the long-silent courtyard gate was suddenly gently knocked on.

Jiang Lan put down her chopsticks and got up to open the door. Standing outside was a middle-aged man with a government-issued brass badge hanging from his waist; it was none other than her neighbor, Old Wang.

This person usually stays at night and is secretive. Several months after moving here, we have only met a few times and have hardly exchanged a single word.

"Young Master Jiang, congratulations!" Old Wang said with a polite smile. "Now that you've reached the Nine Acupoints Realm, our whole street is proud and honored."

As soon as he finished speaking, a heavy bag of silver was stuffed directly into Jiang Lan's hand.

"Come in and have a seat," Jiang Lan said calmly.

"No need, no need, I won't disturb your peace." Old Wang quickly took two steps back, his posture humble, but his tone was deliberately ingratiating. "From now on, if there are any errands or trivial matters that need to be done for the neighbors, Brother Jiang, just give the order."

Having said that, he dared not linger, turned around and quickly disappeared into the dim alley, his movements swift and aloof.

Jiang Lan closed the courtyard gate, and noises came from the kitchen inside. Cheng Erniang, holding a spatula, poked her head out from the back kitchen, her wrist frozen in mid-air, her expression complex and unreadable. She asked in a low voice, "Who's there?"

"Neighbors from next door came to offer their congratulations and gifts."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Erniang remained silent for a long time, her spatula paused slightly, and she quietly retreated back into the kitchen.

The flickering firelight in the stove cast a somber glow on her face. Overnight, the world had changed dramatically; a poor orphan had suddenly become a martial arts master. No one could adapt to such a sudden transformation.

Before he had finished his bowl of hot porridge, there was another knock on the courtyard gate.

The three who came this time were all dressed in luxurious silk robes and had a smooth demeanor; it was clear at a glance that they were shopkeepers on the street.

Manager Zhao of the East Street Cloth Shop was the leader, followed by the managers of the grain and oil shop and the general store. Manager Zhao carried an exquisite red lacquered wooden tray with two bolts of fine Hangzhou silk on it; one person held a bottle of aged red wine, and another carried a box full of food. The aroma of cured meat and delicate pastries mingled together, filling the air with their fragrance.

"Master Jiang is a peerless talent from a young age, having broken through to the Nine Acupoints at such a young age. We, the merchants of Changping Street, have prepared a small gift to congratulate him on his great achievement."

Manager Zhao bowed deeply, his posture a hundred times more humble than usual. In the world of martial arts, martial arts are supreme, and a Nine Acupoints Grandmaster is a reliable patron.

Now that Guangchang Martial Arts School has produced a top master, everyone is scrambling to curry favor with him, hoping to live a peaceful life in the future.

Cheng Erniang stepped forward to accept the gift, her fingertips trembling slightly uncontrollably.

She carefully noted down the list of etiquette and manners for each household, and silently carried the items into the house. The shopkeepers did not dare to linger, exchanged a few polite words, and then hurriedly left.

Jiang Lan returned to the table; the warm rice porridge had long since cooled. He didn't mind and drank it all in one gulp.

Before long, the gate to the courtyard rang for the third time.

The visitor was the Liu family's personal steward, dressed in a neat dark blue silk robe with meticulously fastened copper buckles, and acted with composure and discipline.

He held the exquisite mahogany box in both hands and placed it respectfully on the threshold, bowing deeply: "Master Jiang, my master said that you are the pillar of Guangchang Martial Arts School. This is just a small token of my respect."

Jiang Lan opened the wooden box, inside which fifty taels of silver were neatly stacked, and next to it, in an oil paper package, were ten precious Qi-Nourishing Pills.

This gift was not merely a blessing, but also a means of forging alliances. The Liu family used it to solidify their position in the underworld; the underlying relationships and connections were understood implicitly.

"Please convey my thanks to Master Liu," Jiang Lan replied calmly.

The steward respectfully took his leave and boarded the waiting carriage. The curtains were drawn tightly, the wheels rolled away, and the whole journey was silent and ostentatious.

Just as Jiang Lan put away the box, another figure slowly walked towards the alley entrance.

The Zhao family steward, dressed in a gray cloth long gown, had a polite smile on his face.

The tray was covered with red silk. When the silk was lifted, one could see thirty taels of silver paired with two bolts of high-grade, finely patterned silk. The quality far exceeded that of ordinary merchants, and the weight was substantial.

"My second master specially instructed that we congratulate Master Jiang on breaking through to the ninth acupoint and look forward to the Golden Scale Gathering to witness Master Jiang's unparalleled talent."

The words sounded gentle and polite, but in reality they contained a subtle warning and a test.

Jiang Lan calmly accepted the tray, her tone indifferent: "Please tell Second Master that I appreciate your kind gesture."

The manager's smile vanished instantly. He clasped his hands in a respectful bow, then turned and left.

Cheng Erniang carefully folded the silk and put it into the cabinet, her brows furrowed tightly.

Having lived in Reed Bay for over twenty years, she knew all too well how treacherous and vindictive the Zhao family was, and how their interactions today would inevitably turn into entanglements of gratitude and resentment in the future.

A moment later, the rapid sound of horses' hooves broke the silence of the streets.

Chen Nian rode up, dismounted, and unloaded two cloth bags. He said respectfully, "Senior Brother Jiang, my master ordered me to deliver two years' worth of Nourishing Yuan Grass and twenty taels of silver. We'll meet again at the Golden Scale Gathering."

Jiang Lan accepted the gift without hesitation, watching the young man ride away and disappear into the night.

As darkness completely enveloped the sky and the streets fell silent, Jiang Lan assumed that all the guests who had come to offer their congratulations had left. Just as she was about to head to the well to wash up, she heard a series of hurried, soft footsteps outside her door.

Upon opening the door, Sun Gengsan stood at the front, followed by Shen Nian and two fellow disciples. Sun Gengsan held a paper package, Shen Nian carefully carried an inkstone, and the other two held Xuan paper and a copper ink box respectively—all simple and ordinary objects.

"This is something we fellow disciples put together; it's not worth much money. Please don't look down on it, Senior Brother Jiang," Sun Gengsan said stiffly, sounding slightly uneasy.

Jiang Lan opened the paper package, and inside lay an ordinary Duan inkstone, with a line of small characters finely engraved on the back: "Congratulations to Senior Brother Jiang of Guangchang Martial Arts School on the Nine Acupoints."

"I carved this inkstone myself." Shen Qing blushed, lowered her head, and dared not look at him. Her voice was soft. "My skills are not good. The characters are rough and the carving is very clumsy."

"Very good, I like it very much." Jiang Lan smiled and gently patted his shoulder.

A simple sentence made Shen Qing freeze. Sun Gengsan didn't say anything more, nodded slightly, and led everyone away.

As Shen Qing reached the alley entrance, she repeatedly turned back to look at Jiang Lan, who stood in front of the door, filled with awe and emotion.

The last person to arrive tonight came from the distant Reed Bay.

Li Antian and his aunt rushed over overnight, carrying dried salted fish wrapped in lotus leaves under their arms.

They carried a jar of aged wine, the red cloth tied around its opening old and simple, yet it was a heartfelt gift from the two of them.

"Alan, everyone in the village knows you've made something of yourself." Li Antian's voice trembled, his hands at a loss for words. "The Nine Acupoints Sect, what an honor! If your father knew this in the afterlife, he would be filled with pride!"

……

The two were unwilling to stay any longer, as the night was deep and the journey was long. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they bid farewell and left.

Cheng Erniang carefully placed the old wine jar inside the stove, next to the pickled vegetable pot, her back to Jiang Lan, her shoulders trembling slightly. After a long silence, she whispered, "It's only been a year. Before, we were counting the grains of rice before cooking, never having enough to eat or wear."

A single sentence encapsulates the vicissitudes of life; before he could finish speaking, he turned and went into the kitchen, saying no more.