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"I wish at least half of the young ones of the clan were as sensible as you are."

"All these brats nowadays know is to play all day long. They train lousily but expect maximum benefits. Hmph! They have no idea how lucky they are to be born in a martial arts clan. If they’d been born anywhere else, they’d be in for a rough time!"

"Oh, but enough about them. Those brats are hopeless. How are you, child? Have you been eating and sleeping well? Is your uncle at least visiting you from time to time? Oh, don’t blame him too much. He’s got a lot on his plate. Managing the affairs of the clan isn’t an easy thing..."

Ren smiled wryly as Grandma Allen went into her nagging mode.

Once she gets into this mode, there’s no stopping her. Interrupting her feels rude, and she gets rather sulky to those who do.

She tends to do this when she hasn’t talked to anybody in a while. Nowadays, even though Grandma Allen is still the head of the Apothecary Hall and one of the clan elders too, she mostly just roams around to observe the clan. All the office work had been delegated to her children and grandchildren.

But this doesn’t mean that she no longer participates. Grandma Allen periodically does quality assessment checks. The timing depends on her mood, so nobody could ever predict it. This keeps everybody on their toes so nobody dares to scheme or cheat under her nose.

Grandma Allen had been in this gig for longer than most have lived. She had seen all manner of trickery and schemes that she could recognize them at a glance. Should anybody dare to cheat, lie, or scam anything that’s under her supervision, Granda Allen will personally appear before them to put the fear of god in them.

"I’m okay, Grandma. More than well, actually. I’m glad I finally get to practice actual martial arts now. I’m sorry if I haven’t visited you lately; I’ve been a little excited in my practice, you see."

"Oh, it’s alright, child." Grandma Allen waved her wrinkled hand in dismissal. "You’ve always been a sensible child. I know that you’ll never do anything to worry us."

Grandma Allen was really satisfied with Ren, obviously by how her eyes twinkle as she continues to observe him.

Unbeknownst to Ren, Grandma Allen didn’t just feel or guess his current state. She wasn’t merely speaking out of experience or something like that.

When her eyes twinkle like this, she can see Ren’s whole body. Her vision passes through his clothes and his skin, allowing her to see the density of his muscles and bones, the vigor of his blood, and the flow of his chakra.

She had seen how compact Ren’s muscles were. She could hear how they pulse with life and activity. She could see his bones and the vigorous activity of his blood.

More importantly, she saw Ren’s residual chakra. This child came here after his morning practice, so the traces of his chakra were more than visible still to her.

From the traces alone, she could tell that Ren’s chakra flow was incredibly smooth. His chakra was reactive, which displays that Ren frequently exercises control over it and was doing particularly well in that regard.

More importantly, Ren’s chakra seed was solid and healthy. She even saw it release a pulse, which Ren’s body immediately absorbed.

All of this points to Ren’s diligence and thoroughness. Unlike other brats who tend to reach for something that’s way beyond them, Ren built his foundations step by step.

He didn’t mind getting down and dirty. He wasn’t averse to putting in enough effort to build a bright future for himself.

Grandma Allen knows that Ren had the Clan Leader’s Badge, which gives him unlimited access to the clan’s Martial Hall. But instead of being dazzled or being tempted by higher grades of martial arts, Ren showed remarkable patience and maturity by staying humble and choosing some neutral but beginner-friendly martial arts to learn first.

He didn’t look down on them; he practiced them seriously and mastered them very well.

Amongst the youth in Ren’s age bracket, only those from true elite and noble clans could compete with him.

Knowing all this, how can she not be satisfied with him?

’Ah, really, if only every child of this clan were as sensible as this one, I’d die happily,’ she helplessly mused to herself.

"Ah, right, Grandma. I’m actually here because Uncle said that I can start my apprenticeship."

"Mn. I’ve heard about that. And you chose my Apothecary Hall?"

"Yes, Grandma." Ren nodded eagerly. "I want to help with the clan’s business. Besides, I’ll also learn healing arts when the others are back from the draft."

"Good child," Grandma Allen sighed.

The more he learned about this child, the more pleasing he was to her eyes. Ah, if only her children and grandchildren were as good as this one, she’d truly die happily.

She knows that Ren wasn’t lying. She’s lived for so long; how can she not recognize whenever someone’s trying to butter up to her?

Ren didn’t have an ounce of that. He has shown real interest and desire to learn about healing and medicine.

This isn’t to say that Ren wanted to be a healer or a potion maker, oh, no! This child’s spirit was way too vigorous and ablaze for the martial path.

The child just wants to help the clan. He wants to shoulder some of the burden to make life easier for others. Grandma Allen could see the righteous and mature sense of responsibility on this child.

Seeing this, how can she not be happy? Who doesn’t like such a sensible child?

"Well, if that’s what you want, I doubt that I could stop you. But child, prioritize your martial practice, okay? Don’t waste your ’golden age’ and your advantages. Wanting to help the clan is good, yes, but the clan isn’t so useless that we’re in dire need to have our youth help us carry the burden."

"The stronger you are, the more you actually help the clan. As for medicine and healing arts, it wouldn’t be too late to learn them once you’re older."

"Apprenticeship is good for now. I’ll have my son teach you personally until you can start brewing. His wife is one of our healers too, one of the better ones, actually. You can learn from her directly, no need to wait for others."

"But, once again, your priority is your martial practice. I’ve heard that you’ve awakened a Common Grade 1 Martial Physique."

"Yes, Grandma."

"That’s good. Better than most already. Don’t lament that you didn’t awaken a rare grade martial physique. With our clan’s curse, that’s very unlikely for us in the first place."

"Strive to reach the Pulse Awakening Stage before you reach the age of 25; that way, your chances of making it to the Nine Inhuman Transformations will be much better."

"If you can at least make it to the 4th or 6th transformation, that’s already enough to stabilize our clan. If you can strive higher, go for it! The clan will be your number one supporter."

"And, if by some miracle, you reach the 9th Transformation, just like our clan founder did, even the King of the Letter Kingdom would have to watch his manners when talking to you. By then, who would dare to look down on us? Hmph!"

Ren smiled wryly again. Grandma Allen sure thought highly of him. And honestly, Ren was flattered.

’Reaching the Pulse Awakening Stage by 25? That’s too old! ’

The ’Hero’ of this world went from Foundation Strength to Pulse Awakening in just five years. And he started at 18 years old! Two years later than most. And that’s with him aiming for perfect breakthroughs, too.’

’Sure, he’s got the "grandpa in the ring," but haven’t I got my own advantages too? I refuse to believe that my unparalleled comprehension was much less of a cheat than having a ghostly old man teaching me martial arts.’

By the time I reach 20 years old and I’m still not in the Pulse Awakening Stage, then I can only say that I’m an embarrassment to all the transmigrators out there! ’

Ren obviously had much higher expectations for himself. If that trashy hero can go from waste to martial god just because a ghostly old man took pity on him, then Ren, with all his accumulated advantages and gifts, should be able to do the same and do it much better too!

Forget about only reaching the Inhuman Realm; Ren had already set his sights on the Celestial Realm!

From the moment he accepted this new reality of his, he was already aiming to become a Martial God.

Why? Because only martial gods had some real freedom in this world!

Ren didn’t just want to be revered to leave a glorious legacy and history behind. He wanted power, lots of it, because only by having enough power would he be able to do whatever he wants.

It’s the only way for him to break free from the threads that bound him to this miserable world.

But obviously, that’s for much, much later.

For now, he’s got an apprenticeship to attend.