Translator: AnubisTL
A year had quietly passed. In the World of Eternal Night, there was no concept of winter turning to spring; it was perpetually cold and dark.
Without the cycle of sunrise and sunset, Li Qing found it difficult to keep track of time. He roughly estimated the passage of days based on the consumption of stored food in the warehouse.
He divided all the food into portions that would last about a year and a half, based on his daily intake, and used his body's internal clock to gauge how much time had passed.
However, this method was somewhat inaccurate, especially since his appetite had increased significantly after reaching the level of an Outer Strength expert.
The food that was supposed to last him a year and a half was nearly gone after just about a year.
Now, with the food in his cellar almost depleted, it was time for him to return to the other world and check on the situation there.
"This past year hasn't been wasted. My Outer Strength has grown considerably," Li Qing said, spreading his hands and feeling the surging power within his body, quite satisfied.
During his time hiding from the war in the World of Eternal Night, he had achieved a basic mastery of the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, the Ancient Mystic Hammer Art, and the Light Silk Leg Technique.
Only the Turtle Breathing Art had progressed slowly, still lingering at the introductory stage, with only a negligible amount of internal energy cultivated.
Li Qing wasn't particularly disheartened by this. Instead, he held high hopes for this internal martial art.
This internal martial art might very well determine the upper limit of his future martial path. Whether he could reach the realm of Grandmasters would likely depend on the Turtle Breathing Art.
"During this time, some events have occurred in Blackrock City. I wonder how Maple Country is faring now."
When he left, bandits were wreaking havoc on the border, but the entire Wu Li Army of Maple Country was also heading to Wangyuan City. Whether the war was still ongoing, he couldn't say for sure.
Just as Li Qing was preparing to return, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Knock, knock, knock! An elderly voice followed—it was Old An.
"Master Li, are you home?"
Li Qing walked to the courtyard and opened the gate, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
Outside his gate stood not only the hunched and diminutive Old An but also a thin, sallow-faced little girl. This malnourished girl looked to be about twelve or thirteen, her face pale and bloodless, but her eyes were clear and bright.
Most likely, this girl was Old An's granddaughter.
"Old An, why have you brought your granddaughter here so suddenly?" Li Qing glanced at the girl and then looked away.
Old An's expression was bitter as he said, "Master Li, I want to entrust my granddaughter to you, to let her be your servant, to assist you in your daily tasks. What do you think?"
"Grandpa..." The girl grabbed her grandfather's sleeve, her face filled with fear and unease.
Take on a servant? That was impossible!
He carried the secret of traveling between two worlds. How could he possibly be willing to keep such a burden by his side?
"Old An, why would you suddenly want me to take care of your granddaughter when you've been managing just fine on your own?" Li Qing's tone was cold.
"Sigh, this old man plans to go out of the city to harvest Dark Wheat Mushrooms in the next few days. The family hasn't eaten for several days," said Old An, patting his granddaughter's head.
"Old An, are you out of your mind? At your age, you still want to go out of the city to harvest Dark Wheat Mushrooms? Isn't it better to just help others sew clothes and make shoes as usual?" Li Qing raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Don't you think I want to? But the Yan Family has made it clear recently that no one in the city is allowed to do business with me."
Then, Old An recounted what had happened during this period.
It turned out that the Second Young Master of the Yan Family had taken a fancy to Old An's granddaughter and wanted Old An to voluntarily send her to the Yan Family's mansion.
Of course, Old An disagreed. He gritted his teeth and refused to let his granddaughter fall into the Yan Family's pit of fire.
In Blackrock City, the Second Young Master Yan had a notorious reputation. Any woman he set his eyes on would end up in a tragic fate after entering the Yan mansion—either going mad or committing suicide by jumping into a well.
However, what surprised Li Qing was that the Second Young Master Yan had not taken any forceful action. Given the Yan Family's influence in Blackrock City, forcibly taking Old An's granddaughter would have been a trivial matter.
Li Qing speculated that the Second Young Master Yan was satisfying his sick psychological desire by forcing Old An to voluntarily send his granddaughter to the mansion, hence all these schemes to torment Old An.
Now, Old An was at his wit's end. Unable to make a living, he had no choice but to go out of the city to harvest Dark Wheat Mushrooms, selling his labor to earn some food to survive.
It was worth mentioning that all the land outside the city where Dark Wheat Mushrooms were grown belonged to the Yan Family. Essentially, everyone in the city could be considered tenants of the Yan Family.
Those without any special skills had no choice but to go out of the city to help the Yan Family plant and harvest Dark Wheat Mushrooms, earning a small amount of the mushrooms as payment.
Harvesting Dark Wheat Mushrooms outside the city was no easy task. Beneath the mushroom fields lived creatures called Black Sand Worms, which were particularly deadly for elderly people like Old An.
Moreover, even if he didn't encounter these dangerous worms, Old An might not return to the city unscathed after finishing the farm work.
An old man like him could easily fall victim to robbery or murder on his way back to the city.
This was why Old An decided to entrust his granddaughter to Li Qing. He knew full well that this trip outside the city was likely to be his last.
After listening to Old An's story, Li Qing sighed inwardly.
The Yan Family truly deserved to die, using their power to oppress the people of the city.
Li Qing had already mastered Outer Strength and was not as afraid of the Yan Family. However, he hadn't yet gauged the depth of the Yan Family's power and didn't want to attract their attention too soon.
After all, apart from the Ancient Mystic Hammer Art, the other martial arts he had learned all originated from the Yan Family.
Li Qing absolutely did not believe that the Yan Family didn't have a few Outer Strength experts among their ranks!
"Sigh, Old An, you should take your granddaughter back. I won't take her in," Li Qing said with a sigh.
Upon hearing this, Old An's expression grew even more somber. He wanted to say something more but ultimately gave up.
"Very well, I have troubled you, Master Li. The Yan Family is indeed not one to be trifled with."
With that, Old An took his granddaughter's small hand and hobbled back home.
As he turned around, Li Qing noticed the mist forming in the little girl's eyes, and for a moment, he felt a pang of compassion.
"Wait, Old An," Li Qing called out to the grandfather and granddaughter.
"Master Li... if you find it difficult, please don't force yourself," Old An said apologetically.
But Li Qing turned around and went into the storage room of his house, bringing out all the Dark Wheat Mushrooms he had earned over the past year by helping others with blacksmithing.
"Take these. They should last you two for a long time. Wait for a while and see if the situation calms down. The Yan Family can't possibly keep an eye on you forever."
As he spoke, Li Qing handed the Dark Wheat Mushrooms to Old An.
"This... this won't do, Master Li..." Old An was momentarily flustered. He wanted to refuse but couldn't bring himself to say it.
Li Qing smiled and said, "Take them back. I don't lack for food."
"Xiao Xuan, hurry up and thank Uncle Li!" Old An urged his granddaughter to express her gratitude.
"Thank you, Uncle Li! Thank you, Uncle Li!" Tears like pearls fell continuously from An Xuan's eyes.
Hearing the repeated thanks, Li Qing's mouth twitched, and he waved his hand without saying anything before returning to the courtyard.
At just eighteen years old, he was already being called "Uncle"...
TL/N: Guys why are there so few organic comments, most of the time it's just bots or people promoting their services. Please leave some comments.
(End of the Chapter)
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