https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-18-Little-Hongtang-Brings-the-Meal/12834398/
Chapter 19: The Chief's Grandson
Chapter 19: The Chief’s Grandson
The blood nodule that once repulsed me turned out to be not just a nodule, but my very life force! As Hu Ma ate the bowl of meat delivered by Little Red Tang, he gradually came to understand many things. No wonder Second Uncle’s skills, which seemed more suited to solving his problems than Old Fire Pit’s, were only resorted to as a last resort by Grandma.
Because learning Second Uncle’s skills would either not help at all, or worse, expose a more fundamental issue...
His original self was already dead.
He had been brought back by Grandma’s invocation and forcefully anchored in this body.
In the village, he had always relied on the blood nodule to sustain his life, and now, he was no different.
Before, he hadn’t noticed, but now, with the fire pit lit, the truth was clear as day.
Lighting the fire pit didn’t solve his problem; it only made it more apparent.
Or perhaps, lighting the fire pit could protect him from evil spirits, but it also revealed another issue.
The nodule—only by consuming more of it could he keep his fire pit burning strong.
So he finished the nodule Grandma sent, feeling a bit embarrassed by Little Red Tang’s pouting look.
Understanding the problem brought him a sense of peace.
He finished the bowl of blood nodule, but the two steamed buns weren’t enough to fill him. He walked back, lost in thought, holding the buns.
Unaware, he didn’t notice the other boys’ eyes following him as he entered, their gazes fixed on the two large white steamed buns in his hands. Their throats moved involuntarily, swallowing large gulps of saliva.
Hu Ma was startled for a moment before he realized that white steamed buns were a rare treat in this world.
Even these slightly yellow, cold, and hard buns were a luxury, especially during the New Year.
Usually, he and Second Uncle survived on sweet potatoes, cornbread, and millet porridge. Grandma had specifically sent Little Red Tang with the blood nodule to treat his condition.
But sending two large white steamed buns along was a sign of her concern that he wasn’t eating well.
Second Uncle shook his head, thinking Grandma had sent Little Red Tang for something important, only to find it was just to bring food.
He sighed and said to Hu Ma, “Come over, let’s continue your training.”
“These boys have been practicing for over two years. If you want to catch up, you’ll need to put in some effort.”
“...”
“Second Uncle...”
Hu Ma instinctively nodded and took a few steps forward, but then he saw the other boys in the training area.
While he was out with Little Red Tang, they hadn’t been idle. A few of them were covered in mud, drenched in sweat, and breathing heavily, some with bruised faces.
It seemed this was how Second Uncle taught them to fight—simple and direct.
If you want to learn how to fight, just fight more. The more you fight, the more you understand.
But a thought from Grandma’s words echoed in his mind, and he sighed, saying to Second Uncle, “I’ll skip the training for now, okay?”
“Huh?”
Second Uncle’s eyes widened. “Why aren’t you training when everyone else is?”
Because the others have too much energy and need an outlet, while I rely on the nodule to sustain my life. Every bit of energy I expend is precious, and this kind of training would just waste the fire I’ve built up with the nodule.
When Grandma first sent him here, she said he didn’t need to learn fighting techniques, only to light the fire pit. He hadn’t taken it seriously then.
But when she had Little Red Tang remind him to conserve his strength, he finally understood that Grandma had known about his condition all along and was trying to protect him.
Hu Ma silently pondered, deciding it was best not to tell Second Uncle about these issues.
From Second Uncle’s reaction, it was clear that his current state was beyond his understanding.
So he simply said, “Little Red Tang brought a message from Grandma. She said I’m still recovering and shouldn’t overexert myself.”
“Hmm...”
Hearing it was Grandma’s order, Second Uncle was speechless and finally said, “Alright, then. Find someone to teach you the basics.”
He glanced at the other boys, who clearly weren’t interested.
The sparring Second Uncle had mentioned was fun, even if it resulted in bruised faces and aching muscles. It was a good way to release their pent-up energy.
But teaching the basics was tedious and boring, especially with Hu Ma’s delicate appearance. None of them wanted to be his instructor.
However, a chubby boy raised his hand. “I’ll do it, I’ll teach him!”
“Alright, then.”
Second Uncle looked at the boy and said, “Zhou Datong, go teach him. Teach him well, or both of you will be punished if he doesn’t learn.”
“Haha...”
The chubby boy, Zhou Datong, eagerly approached Hu Ma, watching the others fight with a relieved expression.
Hu Ma lazily replied, "Why don't you learn with them?"
"That's not learning," Zhou Datong scoffed, "That's getting beaten up!"
"I'm the grandson of the chief, for crying out loud. If they keep beating me up like this, how am I supposed to inherit the village?"
"..."
"Grandson of the chief?"
Hu Ma was genuinely surprised and a bit taken aback, "You're the chief's grandson, and they still dare to beat you up?"
"It's precisely because my grandfather is the chief that they beat me up..."
Zhou Datong frowned, "Everyone else is here to learn how to worship the evil deity, but not me."
"I'm here because my grandfather thinks I'm disobedient and sent me to learn discipline from Uncle Second..."
"..."
"..."
"Kick harder, aim for the groin... Did you not see those big balls?"
Uncle Second, who was supervising the sparring youths, shouted, "Don't be afraid of hurting each other. We don't have much in the village, but we have plenty of black ointment."
"With the strength you all have, as long as you don't use knives, any injury can be treated."
"So hit harder, the harder you hit now, the better you'll do when it really matters!"
"..."
He turned his head and saw Hu Ma and Zhou Datong sitting idly, chatting, with no signs of preparation for training.
He sighed inwardly, thinking he had misjudged Hu Ma, believing he had changed, but now it was clear he was still too pampered.
...
...
From that day on, Hu Ma started living with Uncle Second.
The group of young boys learning skills had a packed schedule every day.
In the morning, they would run through the mountains, come back for breakfast, and then lift stone weights, practice martial arts, or patrol the forest with Uncle Second to eliminate the evil spirits around the village. They would also post red paper warnings to alert the villagers.
By late afternoon, they would have their second meal, which was similar to the morning meal but without the salted meat from the white evil deity.
In the evening, they usually didn't practice martial arts. Instead, they would use the remaining daylight to learn a few characters and listen to Uncle Second's stories about the ways of the world and various taboos.
Although Hu Ma hadn't been there long, he could already see that Uncle Second was a man who had traveled far and wide in his youth. He was literate and knew arithmetic. The young boys sent to him to learn mining skills were also taught more than just how to be miners. The money from mining would last them only three to four years, but the other skills could serve them for a lifetime.
However, despite realizing his physical issues and initially planning to be more diligent, Hu Ma gradually became the opposite example among his peers.
While others ran through the mountains every day, he slept in. When they lifted stone weights to build their strength, he sat in the courtyard basking in the sun. While they fought to be the best, he contentedly played the role of a lazy fish.
He stood out for not trying.
Sometimes, even Uncle Second couldn't stand it and would scold him, but he would always be silenced by one simple response:
Grandma doesn't allow it...
During lessons on literacy and arithmetic, Hu Ma outshone the other boys. He learned characters quickly and did calculations accurately and swiftly, even surprising Uncle Second, who lamented that such a smart head would be even better if it were willing to endure some hardship.
But Hu Ma was speechless; it was hard for him not to stand out in this area...
The cultural and moral principles of this world were surprisingly similar to his past life, with only minor differences in terminology. As a college student who never failed a class in his past life, he found Uncle Second's lessons to be about the level of a primary school education. Therefore, he almost didn't need to learn, just adapt.
Of course, he had to hold back; otherwise, he would end up teaching the others while Uncle Second sat below.
Unlike his laziness in other areas, Hu Ma's progress in tending the fire pit was astonishingly fast.
Little Hongtang would often bring him the best quality blood evil deity meat. Uncle Second, though disappointed by Hu Ma's lack of effort in training, still used the large piece of green evil deity meat that Grandma had sent to prepare meals that nourished Hu Ma's body.
This meant that every day, Hu Ma's body was infused with a steady stream of warmth, all directed into the fire pit.
While others burned straw and corn leaves, his fire pit burned the finest charcoal every day.
While others practiced their skills lazily, like slowly roasting a fire, Hu Ma, who practiced diligently every day, was like using a bellows to fan the flames.
As a result, the fire within him grew stronger and stronger, and his progress was frighteningly fast.
(End of Chapter)
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