Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

For seven days, Qin Fang never left his home. He spent every day practicing his Darts, nursing his injuries, and recuperating.

His master came by a few times to bring him food, and Qin Fang managed to get another four Darts...

When he asked for the Darts this time, his master’s expression was complicated, but he ultimately agreed.

He now had five Darts in total, but due to the injury to his right leg, mobile target practice had to be put on hold for now.

However, training to attack different targets was now on the agenda.

Qin Fang practiced with great diligence. The progress on his panel was significant; in seven days, his Skill Points had reached 207.

It wasn’t particularly fast. At this rate, he estimated it would take over three months to advance to the next stage.

He greatly looked forward to the Epiphany of the next stage.

"My son!~"

A mournful wail suddenly rang out from outside, followed by the sound of funeral music.

Hearing this, Qin Fang froze for a moment, his expression turning somber.

He now knew whose family was holding the funeral...

Bald Li.

Although he was a shut-in, the neighbors had been coming and going frequently. Qin Fang had overheard people discussing the matter as they passed his courtyard gate, their voices loud enough for him to hear inside.

Bald Li’s family lived in Yangjiao Alley. He had an old mother at home.

Bald Li’s family was a wretched one. They’d actually had many children, but he was the only one to survive to adulthood; the others had all died young for one reason or another.

...The survival rate for children in ancient times was terribly low.

And now, Bald Li was dead too.

His old mother was now truly alone in the world.

Many neighbors sighed in pity.

They cursed Bald Li for being a good-for-nothing, messing around outside despite knowing his family’s situation.

Then they cursed the killer for being ruthless. Bald Li’s death wasn’t the issue, but how was his old mother supposed to go on living?

As the killer, hearing these words stirred an indescribable emotion in Qin Fang’s heart.

But in the end, he could only let out a soft sigh...

’It couldn’t be helped.

He’d had no choice.

Bald Li was pitiful.

But if he hadn’t killed him, he himself might be the one who was dead.’

Qin Fang felt sympathy, but not regret.

If he had to do it over again, even knowing Bald Li’s family situation, he believed he would still eliminate him without hesitation.

...When Bald Li died, his old mother was there to weep for him.

If he, Qin Fang, were to die, who would even care?

He hadn’t clawed his way up from being a refugee just to die a pathetic death here.

His will was firm. He paid no more mind to the commotion outside.

After some thought, he even went out. When he returned, he was carrying a stack of papercraft gold leaves.

He then lit the joss paper in his courtyard, thinking silently to himself.

’I promised you gold leaves, and now I’m burning them for you. You can’t say I don’t keep my word.’

He slowly stirred the pile of burning paper.

...This was for Wang Long.

It was something he had promised before killing him that day.

Wang Long had saved his life. A debt must be repaid.

He thought.

Bald Li’s funeral was the only piece of information Qin Fang had about any of the deceased.

He knew nothing else about the others.

...And he was even more in the dark about Wang Hu’s movements.

When he asked his master, his master didn’t know either, only warning him not to go out for the time being.

After a period of worry, Qin Fang set the matter aside completely...

’As long as they don’t find me here.’

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.

His master’s medical skills were truly no joke. After more than a month, the injury on his leg was almost completely healed.

His finger, however, was still not better... After all, the bone had been injured.

He estimated it would take another month or two to heal completely.

Besides his healed leg, Qin Fang was pleasantly surprised to find that he had put on some weight over the past month...

Nourished with good food and drink every day, his body had begun to gradually recover.

Thanks to his master’s medicine, his skin had returned to normal.

It was still a bit dark, but the extensive sunburn marks were gone.

He had finally put on a bit of meat... No longer was he a skeleton with just skin stretched over his bones.

With the Qi Blood returning to his face, another layer of the "seal" on Qin Fang’s handsome features was released... His cheekbones became less prominent, and his "sword-like brows and starry eyes" gradually took on a handsome and spirited look.

He was still on the thin side, though...

But in his master’s words, the "refugee air" about him had mostly dissipated.

Now, if he went out, only his height would be particularly eye-catching. At least he no longer gave off the "obviously a refugee at first glance" impression.

Nevertheless, Qin Fang still didn’t go out.

After all... he had no idea how far Wang Hu’s investigation had progressed. If he went out rashly and attracted Wang Hu’s attention, he’d be in deep trouble.

...He could take out Wang Long, but he definitely couldn’t take out Wang Hu.

He probably couldn’t even get close to him.

Because now, his master had gradually begun to explain some knowledge about the "Martial" path to him.

He hadn’t officially started his Martial Cultivation yet, but his master was already teaching him some of the basics.

This made him gradually understand just how terrifying an Anjin Martial Artist was...

"Your body is still too weak. Recuperate a while longer before you start cultivating."

Qin Fang had asked his master several times when he could begin Martial Cultivation, but his master always gave him the same answer.

So, Qin Fang could only temporarily set aside his eagerness and focus on recuperating.

However, to get his body in shape, he put mobile target practice on his agenda.

He hung targets in every corner of the courtyard and created a training routine for himself: race from one end to the other, attacking the targets with his Darts at top speed, retrieving the Darts in the process, and then attacking the other targets...

Once he started moving, he felt his body’s condition gradually improving.

This was mainly because he now had plenty of food. To help him recuperate, his master brought a sufficient amount of meat almost every time he visited.

And now, his stomach could finally handle heavy, oily foods.

Days like this passed in a flash.

There was no news from Wang Hu’s side, and news about the refugees no longer seemed to circulate. It was as if the previous refugee riots and rebellion were completely over.

In the blink of an eye, two months had passed since he killed Wang Long.

His left finger had also recovered some; he could move it now.

But he still couldn’t use too much strength, or it would hurt.

His master said he could now slowly start trying to use his left finger again.

Gritting his teeth, Qin Fang also began to incorporate the use of his left hand into his training.

Looking at the Skill Points on his panel...

’Hidden Weapon (Darts) (Minor Achievement): 869/1000’...

’At this rate, I should be able to reach the next stage in less than a month...’ Qin Fang thought with anticipation.

Suddenly, something cold landed on his face.

Qin Fang froze for a second and subconsciously looked up.

In the sky, a few white specks were drifting down.

The white specks grew more numerous, and soon, they were swirling down, filling the entire sky...

It was snowing.

...

A timely snow promises a good harvest.

The snow this year was exceptionally heavy.

After it began on the first day, it continued to fall for several days straight.

There was no heating in the house, and it was so cold that Qin Fang was hopping on his feet.

Fortunately, as soon as it started snowing, his master brought him a thick, padded cotton coat.

Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have been able to stand the cold.

Gazing up at the endless snowflakes, wondering how long it would last, he blew on his red, frozen hands, his breath forming a thick white mist.

A thick layer of snow had already accumulated in the courtyard. As far as the eye could see, it was a world of white—extremely beautiful, and extremely cold.

To stay warm, Qin Fang had no choice but to light a fire inside the house... But with the smoke filling the room, he had to open the doors and windows to air it out.

As a result, the room was cold one moment, hot the next, and then so filled with thick smoke he couldn’t open his eyes...

The experience was simply exhilarating.

And in the midst of this exhilaration...

The New Year arrived.