Chapter 26: A Martial Artist Must Not Harbor Greed

As they walked down the street, Chen Jie looked at the vibrant and youthful Liu Bamei and asked with a smile, "Bamei, I recall you mentioning that Thirteenth Aunt has been at the peak of the Copper Skin Mingjin stage for quite some time. To break through to the Iron Bone Anjin stage, she must undergo medicinal baths and dietary supplementation—it’s the only way!"

"A single course of these costs only six silver dollars. Surely, you aren't telling me that after all these years, you haven't managed to scrape together six silver dollars?"

"Doesn't the Ximen Carriage Firm command a value of ten silver dollars? Why would she spend money on a carriage firm instead of prioritizing her own martial arts breakthrough?"

Liu Bamei shook her head and explained, "How could one single portion be enough? According to Thirteenth Aunt, to reach the Iron Bone Anjin stage, she needs a full cycle of medicinal baths and supplements—that’s fourteen days!"

"Brother Chen, you do the math. How much would fourteen days cost?"

"Martial arts training is incredibly expensive. It’s manageable in the early stages, but the costs skyrocket as one progresses. Once you aim for the Iron Bone Anjin stage, the expenses multiply."

"For an ordinary family, reaching the peak of Copper Skin Mingjin is essentially the limit."

Chen Jie was surprised. "A full cycle? That certainly does cost a fortune!"

A fourteen-day cycle, with daily baths and supplements, would cost eighty-four silver dollars. In terms of this world's purchasing power, that was equivalent to eighty-four thousand! However, compared to his own world, paying less than twenty thousand to break through from Mingjin to Anjin was an absolute bargain.

When they returned home, Thirteenth Aunt and Liu Qi had not yet arrived. Liu Bamei hurried to light the fire and began brewing the medicine. The ingredients for the internal supplements were all placed in one large clay pot, while the medicinal bath ingredients were slightly simpler and were divided among four large iron pots. She had never felt so wealthy—having enough for four full courses at once! This was twenty-four silver dollars, after all. She brewed the medicine with extreme care, terrified of making a mistake.

By evening, Thirteenth Aunt and Liu Qi finally returned. They were stunned into silence when they saw the four sets of medicinal preparations Liu Bamei had brewed. Their shock only deepened when Liu Bamei whispered that Chen Jie had brought two thousand silver dollars from home and had purchased forty sets of medicinal supplies at once. They stood there dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time.

Chen Jie sniffed the herbal aroma and asked, "Should be about ready, right? It smells quite pungent—is it bitter?"

Liu Bamei shook her head. "I've never tasted it, so I’m not sure. I imagine it’s bitter. Should we add some sugar?"

Thirteenth Aunt smiled. "No sugar. It would dilute the medicinal properties. We drink it as is! I doubt it could be any worse than the taste of tiger bone broth."

Liu Qi quickly set the bowls out. Growing up, he had only ever tasted tiger bone broth, and even then, only on rare occasions once a month. Now, he was facing medicinal supplements that were dozens of times more precious. He was certain that once he consumed them, his strength would improve by leaps and bounds. In truth, Liu Qi possessed far greater talent for martial arts than either Thirteenth Aunt or Bamei.

Chen Jie suddenly remembered something and said to the three of them with a smile, "Almost forgot, I brought some gifts for you from home."

"What kind of gifts?" Liu Bamei asked as she prepared the final steps of the brewing process.

Chen Jie went to his room and returned with a backpack. He handed a pair of pure silver hairpins to Liu Bamei. "Bamei, these are for you!"

Liu Bamei set the medicine down and looked at the hairpins with delight. Chen Jie had picked them up at Old He’s Jewelry Store; they were delicate, weighing only about a dozen grams, but the key feature was the artificial diamonds inlaid in the silver, sparkling beautifully. What woman didn't love beauty? Liu Bamei, at the prime of her youth, jumped for joy.

"Such beautiful silver hairpins!" She held them, unable to bear putting them down. She looked up at Chen Jie, then lowered her head and bit her lip. For some reason, a blush spread across her face, and a bright, charming light flickered in her eyes. "Brother Chen, this—this is too expensive!"

Thirteenth Aunt watched from the side, a smile on her face, though she soon sighed, lost in her own thoughts.

Chen Jie turned to Thirteenth Aunt and pulled a necklace from his bag. "Thirteenth Aunt, this is for you."

A gold necklace!

Liu Bamei, Thirteenth Aunt, and Liu Qi were struck dumb. Gold! In this world, gold was a rarity of immense value. The golden glow reflecting off the necklace and the artificial blue diamond pendant nearly blinded them. Thirteenth Aunt couldn't find her voice, and after a moment, she tried to refuse.

"No, I cannot accept this. It is too precious—this is a gold necklace!"

To be honest, gold necklaces were never cheap. This piece, weighing nearly thirty grams with an artificial blue diamond, had cost Chen Jie thirty thousand yuan. In this other world, it wasn't just expensive; it was priceless. Thirteenth Aunt naturally dared not accept such a gift.

Chen Jie laughed it off. "It’s nothing! To me, this doesn't cost much. Please, take it. You’ve performed the 'Muscle-Splitting and Bone-Displacing' technique on me so many times—consider this a small token of my appreciation."

He then turned to Liu Qi and pulled a pair of steel-toed work boots from his bag. "Liu Qi, these are for you. Your leg techniques are so fierce; if you wear these, I guarantee your kicking power will increase significantly! Try them on and see if they fit."

Chen Jie had checked Liu Qi's shoe size previously and brought these reinforced boots accordingly. Liu Qi put them on without hesitation. They fit perfectly. *Bang, bang, bang!* He kicked the air a few times, a look of pleasant surprise on his face.

Thirteenth Aunt remained firm, refusing the gold necklace. "Young Master Chen, you have not only brought us silver, but you have changed our lives. We cannot accept more gifts! A martial artist’s most important trait is to have principles and avoid greed." She signaled to Bamei and Liu Qi, who reluctantly set the gifts down.

Chen Jie watched them and laughed heartily. "This is just a gesture of my heart; please, take them! This small amount of money means nothing to me. You all make me feel as if I have a family here. As long as you are happy, it is all worth it."

Chen Jie was not joking. To him, the three of them truly felt like family.