Xue Baoshan’s body jolted. His eyes widened slightly as if he had misheard, and he asked in bewilderment, "Brother Chen, this Li Family grand tournament is a prime opportunity to show what you’re made of. If you perform exceptionally well and catch the eye of the family’s higher-ups, the benefits would be unimaginable.
"We came to work for the Li Family precisely to seek resources, didn’t we?"
He had also heard that someone in the Li Family was playing matchmaker for Chen Yuan, which gave him even less reason to refuse.
Chen Yuan offered a faint smile. "I know my own strength is shallow. Rather than wasting energy on the clan tournament, I’d prefer to focus on my Cultivation and steadily improve my strength."
The main reason, however, was that his current resources were sufficient for now; there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
Seeing that Chen Yuan’s serious expression was devoid of any jest, Xue Baoshan let out a sigh. "Brother Chen, it’s truly a pity you aren’t going despite having the strength for it. Still, practicing martial arts in peace isn’t a bad choice either. Back in the day, I certainly lacked your steady temperament."
The more he interacted with Chen Yuan, the less he felt that the man before him was the same person who had continuously slain two enemies at Wankou Mountain. He was so calm and composed...
He wondered if Chen Yuan was simply someone who only struck when absolutely necessary.
"Brother Xue, you really know how to talk," Chen Yuan chuckled. "In your eyes, this is being steady, but in the eyes of others, it might just be cowardice."
Regardless, he would treat the doubtful gazes of others like flickering ghost fires and steadfastly walk his own path of playing it safe. It didn’t matter in the slightest if others looked down on him. It wasn’t as if they paid his monthly wages anyway.
When Chen Yuan informed Li Song of his decision to opt out of the Li Family’s grand tournament, the latter’s expression turned somewhat complex. "Chen, have you thought this through?" Li Song asked softly. "This is a rather rare opportunity. You shouldn’t worry about your duties either; we can arrange extra days off for you when the time comes."
He hoped Chen Yuan would receive more attention and walk a smoother path on the Martial Dao.
Chen Yuan nodded and bowed. "Please forgive me, General Manager Li. It isn’t that I don’t cherish this opportunity, but rather that I prefer a life of peaceful martial arts practice. Unless absolutely forced to, I do not wish to fight with others."
There were too many spoiled, arrogant fools in these large clans. Their backgrounds were generally strong, and they looked down on anyone from a humble upbringing. Even someone like Li Changgui, who was considered relatively level-headed, had initially been targeted just for a mere Vice Steward position.
If one wanted to perform exceptionally well, they could accidentally provoke such figures, which would in turn spawn a series of troubles.
If he were to act cautiously, investigate his opponents’ backgrounds and personalities beforehand, and then selectively choose when to strike, it would be far too restrictive. Instead of suffering such stifling grievances, it was better not to go at all.
Li Song didn’t press the matter further, choosing instead to understand Chen Yuan’s decision.
From the way he had previously given up competing for the Vice Steward position, it was clear that he was indifferent to fame and fortune, devoting himself entirely to the martial arts. And judging from the fact that he had fiercely intervened at Wankou Mountain and won two consecutive battles just to help the Fang Family that sponsored him, Chen Yuan was by no means weak. When it was time for him to strike, he would not hold back.
Such a person was highly opinionated and moved to his own rhythm.
"Alright, then practice your martial arts in peace," Li Song said with a nod. "Securing a good rank in the martial exams will be even more convincing."
Following this, upon hearing that Chen Yuan did not plan to participate in the tournament, Li Changfu also made a special trip to persuade him.
This left Chen Yuan not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Why did it feel like they were more anxious about it than he was?
Li Changfu lowered his voice and mysteriously revealed his reasoning. "Brother Chen, I have a younger female cousin. She’s the granddaughter of the Patriarch’s eldest brother. Eighteen years of age, beautiful as a flower, and proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although she’s a bit proud, she has numerous admirers.
"I heard she has taken a liking to you. If you can stand out in this grand tournament, you might just win the beauty’s heart and forge a good marriage."
Chen Yuan smiled. *Beautiful as a flower? Numerous admirers?* He could already envision a mountain of troubles surging toward him.
That was even more reason to decline!
If he were ever to marry in the future, it had to align with his philosophy of keeping a low profile. He needed someone who could help him hide his capabilities, not someone who would attract trouble.
He hurriedly said, "Steward Li, I understand what you mean. I’m honored by the young lady’s favor, but matters of marriage cannot be forced. I also don’t consider myself to be particularly outstanding. If I were to change my mind and participate in the tournament for this reason, I’m afraid it would violate my original intentions on the Martial Dao."
He fully understood the principle that beautiful women often brought disastrous trouble.
Seeing Chen Yuan’s earnest attitude, Steward Li realized he truly wasn’t interested in romance and was solely devoted to martial arts, so he had no choice but to drop the matter.
It seemed that trying to win Chen Yuan over with marriage would be rather difficult. However, from the incident with the Fang Family, it was evident that Chen Yuan remembered favors. Rather than playing matchmaker, it would be far more practical to give him a few more Strong Sinew Pills.
...
Life as a rapid response sentry was indeed relaxing. Unlike the patrol sentries, he didn’t have to go out on regular rounds. He typically spent his days practicing martial arts in his small courtyard. On average, a request for backup only occurred once every day or two. If he rushed over and the mutated beast hadn’t fled yet, killing it on the spot would even earn him some extra income.
Having been on the job for almost half a month, Chen Yuan had already scored two such bonuses, amounting to several dozen taels of silver.
After declining the Li Family tournament, his leisurely lifestyle continued undisturbed.
The scenery from his small building was also exceptional. The distant mountains were steeped in dark green, and the nearby trees were veiled in mist. The spring rain had just ceased, washing the forest clean. Everywhere he looked was refreshing, with every step revealing a new picturesque view. Accompanied by the clear breeze and bright moon, he lived freely and unfettered.
Amidst the falling petals and flowing waters, Chen Yuan’s Martial Dao Cultivation also pushed steadily forward.
However, while he immersed himself in the beautiful mountain scenery with a relaxed and happy heart, someone else was not in such a wonderful mood.
The Li Family, West Courtyard.
Inside one of the wing rooms, Li Lingshu, her cheeks rosy and fair, was pouring her grievances out to Li Mowan. "Mo Wan, look at the person you found for me! I thought Chen Yuan was so manly during the battle at Wankou Mountain! To think he doesn’t even have the courage to participate in the clan tournament. He won’t even cherish an opportunity when it’s handed to him. I’m so disappointed!"
She had wanted to observe Chen Yuan during the tournament. Who would have thought the guy wouldn’t even join?
Li Mowan looked somewhat awkward. Everyone around her was gearing up, hoping to stun the world with a single brilliant feat at the clan tournament. This Chen Yuan truly was unconventional.
She said helplessly, "I don’t know what’s going on. It’s definitely not out of cowardice, otherwise the battle at Wankou Mountain wouldn’t have happened. Perhaps he has some hidden difficulties.
"But since he’s not participating, we won’t be able to see his performance. Let’s just drop Chen Yuan from consideration and see if there are any other outstanding individuals with different surnames."
It seemed there was no hope for these two.
Li Lingshu let out a cold snort. "Chen Yuan, is it? Well, now I’m actually quite interested in you! So he’s not participating in the clan tournament—fine. The Spring Hunt before the martial exams is coming up soon anyway. I don’t believe he’ll skip the Spring Hunt too! Just wait. I want to see exactly what he’s capable of and what kind of person he really is."
Seeing Li Lingshu so worked up, Li Mowan’s expression turned a bit peculiar.
Interest was the beginning of a relationship.
Although Ling Shu’s current interest might be negative, it wouldn’t stop the connection between the two of them from deepening.
On second thought, could Chen Yuan have deliberately chosen not to participate just to attract Ling Shu’s attention?
A terrifying thought upon closer reflection.
If that was truly the case, she could only say that this Chen Yuan was very clever—and that he had already succeeded.