Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World-Chapter 45: House and Python Skin

Half an hour later, Cheng Zongyang emerged from the Government Office with a new deed and key, heading straight for South City.

South Pond Lane was in the eastern part of South City. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

As Cheng Zongyang stood before a residence in the lane, he took in the surrounding houses of various sizes and fell silent.

The deed and key in his hand, the well-maintained and sizable house before him... he was filled with a mix of emotions.

’For the past six months, I’ve been building connections, even selling mountain goods to the Restaurant at prices far below market value. It was all so that one day I could use Zheng Yan’s influence to get things done.’

’I can earn money, but connections are hard to come by. I knew the importance of relationships all too well from my previous life.’

’In my original plan, this favor wasn’t for buying a house. It was a safety net, something to use if my family or I ever ran into trouble I couldn’t handle on my own. Then I could turn to Zheng Yan.’

’But things rarely go according to plan. The village isn’t safe anymore, the Celestial Fragrance Tower is closing, and Zheng Yan is leaving. I had no choice but to change my plans and use the favor to buy a house.’

’I just never expected Zheng Yan to think so highly of me, to the point of trying to recruit me and even giving me a Jade Pendant.’

He knew exactly what this Jade Pendant represented. That was why he had already stored it safely in the Wilderness World to avoid losing it.

Collecting his scattered thoughts, he glanced at the nearby neighbors and noticed quite a few of them were watching him.

They seemed curious about who had bought this long-vacant house.

Cheng Zongyang was a little confused. ’It’s just a house. Why are they so curious?’

He unlocked the gate and pushed it open. The first thing he saw was a spirit screen carved with the character for "Fortune," which surprised him. ’I never thought a seemingly ordinary residence would have something like this.’

He closed the gate and walked around the spirit screen into a small, empty courtyard covered in a thick layer of dust. In a corner of the roughly sixty-or-seventy-square-meter yard was a water well, its opening covered by a wooden plank.

Cheng Zongyang walked over, lifted the cover, and took a look. His brow immediately furrowed.

’The water level is low. That means the groundwater is scarce.’

He put the cover back on. On either side of the courtyard were side rooms and a kitchen. In the center stood a large main hall.

Cheng Zongyang studied the layout, a little puzzled. ’There’s no master bedroom or anything similar?’

But then, he noticed corridors on the left and right sides of the courtyard leading to the back.

Now, Cheng Zongyang was truly surprised. ’So this front hall is just a reception area?’

He didn’t bother to inspect the reception hall, instead heading down one of the corridors to see the actual rear courtyard and residence.

Side rooms, a smaller courtyard, a main hall, inner rooms, a dining room, another water well... it had everything. Even the furniture was all there, ready for use after a good cleaning.

"This would be considered a two-courtyard residence, wouldn’t it... In that case, the front section must be for the servants. The rear courtyard is where the master’s family would live."

’I don’t know much about these conventions, but I know that given the decor, the layout, its age, and the associated taxes and fees, there’s no way this place could be bought for just four hundred taels.’

’I have some idea of real estate prices in the County Town. A two-courtyard house like this, and in such good condition, would cost at least six or seven hundred taels with all the fees included.’

"What a steal!" Cheng Zongyang murmured.

’With this house, I won’t have to worry about what might happen back home.’

’If we can’t stay in the village any longer, I’ll bring my family to the County Town!’

’If I could, I’d rather live in the village than in the County Town, with its motley crowds and restrictive rules.’

After a thorough inspection, Cheng Zongyang was very satisfied with the house Zheng Yan had found for him.

Even with several children, there was plenty of space for them to play and run around.

Back in the village, he didn’t dare let his little sister and second younger brother play outside, forcing them to stay in their tiny, cramped courtyard.

Otherwise, their well-fed physiques, so different from others, would only attract resentment.

In the main hall of the rear courtyard, Cheng Zongyang wiped the dust off a stool and sat down, lost in thought.

’I only have a little over five taels left on me now. Buying anything else is out of the question.’

’But I still need money!’

’I don’t have to buy grain for now, but practicing martial arts costs money, even if my second uncle runs a clinic!’

’Besides, if we really do move to the County Town, I’ll need to buy a few servant girls to do the chores so my parents don’t have to work so hard.’

’In these times, there are plenty of families in the villages and towns selling their children just to survive, so they’re very cheap. I don’t have to worry about that part.’

"I still have to keep selling things. But with Zheng Yan gone, I’ll have to find a new buyer for the mountain goods," Cheng Zongyang murmured.

’I’m not worried about finding buyers for the mountain goods; I’m worried I won’t have enough to sell.’

’Whether it’s the restaurants in the County Town, the butchers, or the wealthy families, there are plenty of people who want them.’

’I used to sell my goods to the Celestial Fragrance Tower at very low prices to build a connection. But I don’t need to do that anymore.’

’In a few days, I’ll become a Martial Artist myself. At the very least, ordinary people won’t dare to provoke me.’

’Everything is built on personal strength!’

’If you have strength, you don’t need connections. If you don’t have strength, you need them!’

"First, I’ll deal with the python skin to make some money, then I’ll head home." With a rough plan in mind, Cheng Zongyang stood up, ready to take care of one last thing. He needed to hurry back so his parents wouldn’t worry.

He left the house, locked the door, and paid no mind to the neighbors’ stares as he departed from South Pond Lane.

His back basket, meanwhile, had been placed into the Wilderness World.

"Now that I have a house, it’ll be easier to move things around in the future."

Looking relaxed, Cheng Zongyang glanced left and right before heading toward the East District.

About fifteen minutes later, he arrived at a shop with a sign hanging over the entrance bearing the character for "Weapons."

It was a Weapon Shop that specialized in forging and selling weapons.

"Is Master Chen in?"

Cheng Zongyang asked a young apprentice at the door.

The apprentice glanced at Cheng Zongyang and nodded. "The master is in the back room. Are you here to have a weapon forged or to buy one?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled slightly. "Both."

"Wait here, then." The apprentice gave a slight nod, put down his work, and headed to the back room.

This wasn’t his first time dealing with the Weapon Shop.

He had bought small weapons like daggers and knives here two or three times over the past few years, and the prices were fair. More importantly, the quality was good, and he was fairly familiar with the owner.

He took a palm-sized piece of python skin from his robes.

’I don’t know how to process this python skin, or even how to use it. I might as well sell it and see if I can have some inner armor made.’

A moment later, a middle-aged man who was past fifty, with rough, ruddy skin, walked out from the back room.

"It’s you, kid," Chen Kaishan said gruffly. "If you’re buying a knife, aren’t there finished ones available?"

Cheng Zongyang chuckled. "Not this time. I came to have Master Chen take a look at something for me and see how much it’s worth. I also wanted to ask if it can be made into armor."

As he spoke, he handed the piece of python skin to Chen Kaishan.

When Chen Kaishan heard this, he wondered what it could be, but then he saw what Cheng Zongyang handed him and said irritably:

"What’s the meaning of this?"

Cheng Zongyang explained, "The whole thing is too big for me to carry, so I just cut off a piece. It was a real pain to cut, by the way."

Now Chen Kaishan took it, looking a little suspicious.

It was cool to the touch and still had some grease on it, clearly untreated since being skinned.

"Hm? Python skin?" Chen Kaishan recognized it at first glance. After all, the hides of snakes and pythons were easy to identify.

"Master Chen, you’re amazing! You knew it was python skin at a glance, not just snakeskin." Cheng Zongyang laid on the praise thick. "Not like the masters at other shops who would insist it’s snakeskin just to try and rip me off."

Chen Kaishan shot Cheng Zongyang a glare. "You’re not old, but you’re a crafty one, kid."

With that, he ignored Cheng Zongyang and walked over to a workbench, where he casually picked up a small knife and tried to cut the skin.

"Huh?"

Chen Kaishan’s gaze sharpened. He looked at the dagger in his hand, then tossed it aside in annoyance.

It was dull.