Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Scraping Together the Money

Although the name didn’t sound like much, the effect of this Fate Chart was truly heaven-defying: as long as he practiced, he would make progress, and once the progress bar was full, a breakthrough was guaranteed.

For Cultivators, the most terrifying thing wasn’t difficulty, but rather not knowing if one was on the right path.

Many spent years in seclusion, only to emerge and discover they had practiced incorrectly, their efforts completely wasted.

But Chu Bai was different; the panel gave him absolute feedback and certainty.

Looking at the progress bar stuck at 100/100, Chu Bai wasn’t so much frustrated as he was resolute.

’The progress bar is full, but I haven’t broken through. That means the path is cut off. My master didn’t lie to me—without the rest of the oral formula, this is the limit.’

This also proved, by reverse logic, that as long as he could get the oral formula or find some other complete Cultivation Technique, he could use this Fate Chart to grind his proficiency all the way up!

’Since this proper path of paying for lessons isn’t working...’

Chu Bai blew out the candle and lay down in the darkness, his eyes as bright as stars.

’Then I’ll just have to find another way. You don’t see a living man letting a full bladder kill him, do you?’

「The next day, at the crack of dawn.」

The eastern sky showed a sliver of dawn, and the air was filled with the distinct, damp, earthy scent of early morning.

The village roosters had barely crowed a few times before Chu Bai was already dressed and out of bed.

He had slept soundly, but in the haze just before drifting off, he thought he’d heard hushed whispers from his parents’ room next door.

Ever since he started practicing the Small Qi Gathering Technique, although he had no True Qi to his name, his five senses had become much sharper than an ordinary person’s.

Even through the rammed earth wall, their suppressed conversation was still faintly audible.

He hadn’t tried to eavesdrop, but he figured they must have been worrying about the ten taels of silver.

Chu Bai shook his head, pushing the chaotic thoughts from his mind. He walked to the corner of the courtyard and picked up the chipped fodder chopper.

With the rhythmic rise and fall of the chopper, the tender pig feed was sliced into small pieces. Chu Bai deftly mixed the fodder and headed for the livestock pen in the backyard.

This was a morning chore he performed every day, rain or shine.

Just as his Fate Chart, ’Unceasing Labor,’ suggested, he felt uneasy if a day went by without working.

After feeding the two scrawny black pigs, Chu Bai turned toward the chicken coop to collect the morning’s eggs.

However, as his gaze swept over the chicken coop, he couldn’t help but frown.

The chicken coop was emptier than it should be. One hen was missing.

It was the family’s most prized hen, an old speckled one that laid the most eggs and was the largest of the flock.

’I just reinforced this coop a few days ago. Not even a weasel could squeeze through. How could a hen be missing?’

Chu Bai inspected the area carefully. The fence was intact, and there were no bloodstains or scattered feathers on the ground to suggest a predator.

’If it wasn’t a wild animal, then it must have been...’

Chu Bai’s heart sank.

’Could it be... that my parents took it to sell?’

Once the thought surfaced, he couldn’t push it down.

Besides their few acres of poor land, the handful of chickens and ducks and the two pigs were the family’s only valuable assets.

If they sold this egg-laying Treasure Basin for the ten taels of silver, how would they get by in the future?

His younger siblings were at a crucial age for growth, and eggs were the family’s only reliable source of rich food. What’s more, Little Manx would be seven next year. If they wanted to send her to the academy to learn to read, that would be another hefty expense.

’If my family falls into ruin because of this, what’s the point of my Cultivation?’

Anxiety rising in his chest, Chu Bai dropped the basket in his hands and turned to leave the courtyard and find his parents.

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open from the outside.

Chu Bai froze.

His mother, Li Qing, was walking in, an empty bamboo basket hanging from her arm.

Though it was early spring and the morning air was still quite cold, a fine layer of sweat beaded on his mother’s forehead. Her pant cuffs were stained with damp dew and specks of mud, and her already heavily worn cloth shoes were soaked through.

Clearly, she had returned from a long walk.

"Mom?" Chu Bai went to meet her, his gaze falling on the empty bamboo basket. "You’re out so early... Was that our speckled hen?"

Seeing her son was up so early, Li Qing’s eyes darted away for a second before she regained her composure. She raised a hand to wipe the sweat from her brow, ignoring the question about the hen. Instead, she solemnly pulled a patched, dark-blue cloth pouch from her tunic.

"Here, son."

Li Qing pressed the pouch into Chu Bai’s hand.

It felt heavy and still carried his mother’s warmth.

Chu Bai’s fingers trembled. He didn’t need to open it; he knew what was inside just by the feel.

It was broken silver.

"Mom, this is..." Chu Bai’s throat tightened.

"It’s four taels," Li Qing said softly, walking toward the stove. "I took that speckled hen and went into the city this morning, before it was light out."

"I went to your Second Uncle’s home."

Chu Bai’s hand clutching the pouch tightened fiercely.

’Second Uncle?’

’Second Uncle ran a cloth business in the city and lived a prosperous life, but it had made him arrogant and condescending.’

’He looked down on his poor relatives more than anyone, and even during New Year’s visits, he often gave my mother the cold shoulder.’

’My mother is a proud woman. She would never have gone to Second Uncle’s home unless she had absolutely no other choice.’

"So the speckled hen... you gave it to Second Uncle?" Chu Bai asked in a low voice.

"She was an old hen. The meat’s tough, so she wasn’t worth much anyway." Li Qing’s back was to Chu Bai as she ladled water to wash a pot, her voice sounding placid. "I gave her to your Second Uncle’s family so they could have something different, and while I was there... I borrowed a little silver."

"Added to the six taels we had saved, that makes exactly ten taels for you."

Chu Bai stood in the courtyard, watching his mother’s slightly stooped back.

His mother had spoken of it casually, but he could easily imagine the scene.

Before dawn, his mother had taken the family’s most valuable hen and trudged for miles into the city.

She would have had to put on a smile at Second Uncle’s door, swallow her pride, and finally beg for these four taels of silver.

"Mom..." Chu Bai opened his mouth, but found he couldn’t say a single word.

Li Qing seemed to sense her son’s turmoil. She turned, wiped her hands on her apron, and gave him a weary but gentle smile.

"Why are you just standing there gawking? We’ve gathered the money, so you just focus on your studies. Your Second Uncle lent it to us. He can be nasty with his words, I know, but for him to help out this time is a huge favor."

"We have to remember this debt. In the future, if you make something of yourself, you must not only repay the money, but also prepare a generous gift and thank him properly. Do you understand?"

Chu Bai took a deep breath. The pouch in his hand felt as heavy as a mountain, searing his palm and making his heart race.

Last night, he had been thinking of taking his time, of finding a way to do this without spending money.

But now, his parents had cut off any path of retreat.

"I understand."

Chu Bai lowered his head and carefully tucked the pouch into the pocket closest to his chest.

When he looked up again, all hesitation had vanished from his eyes, replaced by a resolve he had never felt before.

"Don’t worry, Mom. These ten taels of silver... will not be wasted."