Book 1 - What Is A Genius - Chapter 35 - County Town

The next day, the group had entered the county town. He Quanxin and his wife, who watched over He family’s business in the town, came to greet them at the town.
Under the lead of He Quanxin, apart from He Yiming and the rest three, He Yilong had also followed.
He Yixuan, He Yiming, and He Yilong were the blood-related, direct descendants of He Quanming. Hence, upon meeting each other, both sides were naturally moved.
After settling down in the He family’s Transaction House, He Quanxin immediately got to the point and asked about the Feast.
He Quanming had said a few words in reply when Lin Wenyu led He Yiming and the other two out of the hall into the room inside.
Looking at Lin Wenyu and the three siblings leave, He Quanxin deeply sighed and said:
“Second brother, sister-in-law has suffered.”
He Quanming hesitated a little before slightly nodding, “Probably has.”
To manage He family’s business, He Quanming and his wife had no other choice but to leave the He family estate. According to the rules of the family, children after the age of five must leave their parents and live alone. However, if the couple lived in the manor, they could atleast have seen their children everyday. However, living in the county town, they could hardly see their children a few times throughout the entire year.
This time, the Lord Master allowing He Yilong to join the group was undoubtedly allowing the entire family to gather together by taking the advantage of Cheng family’s Banquet.
Hence, He Quanxin and He Quanyi also turned a blind eye to it.
Lin Wenyu although was not some mistress from a big family, in Tai Cang county, she was a pearl of a small family.
Lin family was also a martial clan that had its legacy. However, the clan members were very sparse, and by the time of Lin Weyu’s generation, this legacy had already been cut off.
After she married He Quanxin, both husband and wife united themselves to push the He family to the top. In the process of He family founding their current footing, their contributions could not be overlooked.
Although Lin Wenyu’s cultivation was inferior to He Quanxin’s, she was still a cultivator who had attained the seventh layer’s peak. If she did not have to give birth to the three siblings, she actually might not have been inferior to He Quanming.
Since she was meeting her children after so long, she was not aloof as usual. Although the three siblings had gradually grown up, in her eyes, they were undoubtedly still small.
“Mother, while coming to the town, big sister Ling asked me to bring some cosmetics and jewellery. Let’s go and buy some.” He Yilong said while softly pulling on her mother’s hand.
Although the mother-daughter did not live together, they were even closer than many other mothers and daughters who always lived together.
Although the rules set by the Lord Master were rigid and bared emotions, they were not completely unreasonable.
Lin Wenyu softly stroked her daughter’s hair and unhesitatingly said:
“Come, we will go right now,” Subsequently, she raised her head and glanced at her two sons, “You two also rarely come to the county town. Come, roam with us a little.”
He Yiming and his brother naturally did not have any objection. Perhaps Tai Cang county’s county town was unknown in the district, but in their eyes, it was already a bustling place.
Having the temperament of youngster, He Yiming was filled with curiosity.
Casually talking along the way, the four individuals entered the most bustling street of the town.
Lin Wenyu had been living here for several decades. She knew every street of this region like the back of her hand. Knowing that her sons and daughter rarely come here, she had naturally devised a proper route beforehand, so that they could enjoy as much as possible before returning.
The flourishing city broadened the horizons of He Yiming as expected. He Yixuan had visited the county a town a few times before, thus, his conduct was somewhat proper. However, this was the first time for He Yiming and He Yilong. They ogled all around throughout the entire way. For them, it was simply too much to take in.
Observing his sixth brother being so excited, He Yixuan suddenly asked:
“Yiming, you think this place is fun?”
“Of course, I think so,” He Yiming said without giving it much thought. However, the next moment, he felt something amiss. Turning his head, he asked, “Third brother why did you ask such a question?”
He Yixuan slightly smiled and said:
“Sixth brother, you should know that although the main branch of the Cheng family are in the county town, anyone from their younger generation who hopes some achievements in cultivation is strictly prohibited to live in the town with the main family before the age of twenty.”
He Yiming slightly started before asking:
“Then, where do they live?”
“In the countryside; with the nature and far away from the disturbances of mundane world.” He Yixuan said in a low voice.
He Yiming didn’t reply, seeming as if he was contemplating before he asked:
“Third brother, how do you know?”
“Two years ago, I went to that place with your eldest brother and second brother to have a skill competition with the third generation of Cheng family. Therefore, I know how they operate,” He Yixuan sighed before continuing, “Cheng family is a truly big clan. After attaining the five year mark, all the children are sent to that place for training. Several of them are eliminated every year, ultimately leaving behind the true elites.”
He Yiming’s brows slightly creased. He family’s history was too short and truly couldn’t be compared to these big, influential families who had the legacies passed on through hundreds of years.
“Third brother, what is the cultivation of Cheng family’s third generation?” He Yiming asked somewhat anxiously.
He Yixuan’s face showed a faint, complacent smile as he said:
“Cheng family has a lot of members, however, their accomplishments are actually not much. Furthermore, no one has attained the seventh layer in their third generation. They are far incomparable to you and the eldest brother.”
He Yiming then relaxed and recalled that attaining the seventh layer was no easy feat.
Within the three influential families, He Yitian was the only individual who was able to luckily make the breakthrough.
As for the rest, although those who had attained the sixth layer’s peak were not a few, not of single of these had been able to cross the sixth layer’s bottleneck.
As for He Yiming….
His situation was one of a kind, and mentioning him would be confusing two different things.
He Yixuan earnestly glanced at his younger brother beside him before saying:
“Yiming, currently, your cultivation is already not inferior to that of the eldest brother, and going by your age, your future prospects are even more boundless. Therefore…” He moved his finger in a circle before continuing, “Although this place is extremely lively and prosperous, it does not suit you.”
He Yiming heavily nodded before saying:
“Third brother, I understand,” He softly said, “I will not disappoint the family.”
His voice carried incomparable determination and confidence. Even He Yihai almost felt the aura emanated by his sixth brother was the same as his grandfather’s.
Although he only felt as such momentarily, it was enough to make him apprehensive.
The truth was that since He Yiming’s strength had already stepped beyond people’s imagination, his words seemed naturally full of confidence and reason.
Since his words were the truth, his grandeur was far incomparable to ordinary people who couldn’t be too certain about the future.
Although Lin Wenyu was chatting with her daughter in low voice, she was quite attentive of the two brothers as well. Upon hearing their conversation, her face showed a faint, gratified and complacent smile.
To have such sons, what more could she want?
A clamor could be heard distantly, followed by three drum strikes. Immediately, a lot of people rushed towards the sound.
He Yilong curiously asked:
“Mother, what’s happening ahead?”
Lin Wenyu’s expression turned solemn before she said:
“Ahead is the public arena of Tai Cang county. Some people have established the life and death contract, and are about to compete.”
In Tian Luo country, martial arts was prevalent. Although the genuine primary-cultivation techniques were in the hands of influential families and some sects, several body strengthening techniques were quite widespread.
The people capable of practising the internal Energy cultivation were not much, however, people who had some knowledge of ordinary battle skills were quite a few.
In every city inside the Tian Luo country, at least one such arena had to be present.
These arenas were precisely made to provide a stage for people to compete in martial arts. The country itself had issued the law that everyone must sign a life and death contract, and after ascending onto the stage, the life and death was to be decided by the heavens. No outsider could interfere. If one even killed the opponent on-stage, the former need not compensate.
Of course, apart from the life and death, it could also be used to test one’s skill and exchange pointers. However, most of the people going up on the stage did so for the glory and spread their name in all four directions.
He Yixuan’s eyes slightly shined as he said:
“Mother, you and Yilong can return first. Me and brother will go take a look.”
Lin Wenyu slightly hesitated before softly sighing, “All right, but bear in mind: Don’t go on the stage no matter what.”
He Yixuan and He Yiming exchanged a glance and sounded their agreements at the same time. He Yilong, on the other hand, although was not willing to leave, how could she disobey Lin Wenyu. Half-pulled and half-dragged, she was taken away. Of course, as a mother, Lin Wenyu enticed her with all kinds of jewellery, ornaments… before ultimately convincing the little girl to delightedly leave.
Although everyone in the He family trained in martial arts, no one had much expectations from the exquisite sisters. In the minds of these men, they had to be the backbone of the family. As for the women, they were to be protected, and not the other way around.
Therefore, before going to the arena, all of them tacitly made He Yilong return. The two brothers, He Yiming and He Yixuan, were destined to step on the road of martial dao. Even if Lin Wenyu was not willing, she would not stop them from watching life and death battles on the stage.
After their mother and sister left, the two brothers nodded towards each other and dashed ahead.
Although a lot of people had already gathered ahead, making it difficult for them to move through, what sort of skill did these two possess? Softly waving their hands, they almost effortlessly opened up the crowd and entered.
Even though some people were discontent and deliberately knocked against them, the latter only felt themselves knocking against metal, and instead, they themselves felt a slight aching.
Then, everybody knew that although the age of these two was not much, they couldn’t be belittled. Subsequently, no one dared to block them again, allowing them to smoothly move up to the centre.