Chapter 41

"Congratulations to the reincarnated person, Jiang Chen, for completing the附属 task: within three months, learn a martial art and reach at least the initial mastery level, earning a doubled expansion of the wristwatch space. The process has now begun......"

"The wristwatch space has been doubled: it is now four cubic meters in size, and can be adjusted in length, width, and height according to the reincarnated person's wishes. It can store objects without consciousness, as long as they do not exceed the space limit. The space can be expanded by completing specific tasks, and items within the space can be taken out of the reincarnation world......"

"The second附属 task has been initiated: promote the martial art you have learned, Wing Chun, so that its fame spreads throughout Hong Kong. Upon completion, you will randomly receive a cultivation method for an internal martial art, along with cultivation insights for the four realms of Ming Jing, An Jing, Hua Jing, and Dan Jing. If you fail, you will be bedridden for two months."

Time flew by, and before long, the three-month deadline arrived. With the meticulous guidance of the grandmaster Yip Man and Jiang Chen's innate foundation, he diligently practiced and finally reached the advanced level of Wing Chun. Not only did he master the use of Ming Jing, but he also grasped An Jing and even began to understand Hua Jing.

During this period, Huang Liang and others, dissatisfied with Jiang Chen being their senior disciple, challenged him one after another. As for the results of these challenges, well...... whether they were convinced in their hearts or their mouths, in the end, Huang Liang and the others all called him "Senior Brother" without fail.

Indeed, while martial prowess is not the only way to solve problems, it is often the most direct and simplest. Jiang Chen had his own goals and did not want to waste time on unnecessary matters. The martial arts he was learning were a completely different cultivation system from ancient martial arts, and he wanted to master both internal and external arts within twelve years, which was no easy task.

Fortunately, the second附属 task gave him hope for further advancement. Although he had Yip Man's teachings, obtaining the complete lineage of an internal martial art would undoubtedly be a great benefit. After all, while Yip Man was a grandmaster, his cultivation was only at the Hua Jing level, and his knowledge of the higher Dan Jing realm was limited. Therefore, he was pleased to see Huang Liang frequently bringing people to become disciples.

Similarly, for Yip Man, this was not a bad thing. Although Jiang Chen paid a lot in tuition, he could not live off just one student. The more disciples he had, the more income he would earn, and his wife and children's lives would naturally improve.

Unfortunately, Yip Man was too well-mannered and never actively asked his disciples for tuition. It was fortunate that Jiang Chen voluntarily paid every month, otherwise, his family would have struggled to make ends meet.

"It's time to collect the tuition." One noon, when Yip Man's wife, Zhang Yongcheng, came to deliver lunch, she mentioned to Yip Man with some dissatisfaction, "Although Ah Chen pays a lot every month, we still have to pay for food, rent, and the children's school fees. There's not much left."

Zhang Yongcheng was a well-bred lady, and the Yip family was wealthy. Since marrying Yip Man, she had never worried about financial issues, and they had lived a comfortable life in Foshan. However, the war had shattered this peace, forcing her to become a housewife who had to worry about daily expenses.

As Yip Man's senior disciple, Jiang Chen was acquainted with Zhang Yongcheng. Knowing that he was the most talented and diligent among Yip Man's disciples and paid the most tuition, they had a good relationship. Sometimes, she would even invite Jiang Chen to have lunch with her.

"I know." Yip Man lowered his head to eat, not daring to look at his wife.

"You always say that." Yongcheng lowered her head and spoke softly, her voice tinged with complaint.

Yip Man laughed awkwardly. For him, his wife's slightly reproachful tone was a big deal, so he could only vaguely agree, "I'll collect it... I'll collect it..."

To be fair, Yip Man's tuition was not high. However, most of his disciples, except for Jiang Chen, were poor and did not earn much. They all had to support their families, which made Yip Man feel uncomfortable when collecting tuition from these impoverished disciples.

But since Zhang Yongcheng had spoken, he had no choice. In the evening, when he closed the door, he had to summon the courage to stop his disciples who were about to leave. He rubbed his hands together, his face showing a hint of embarrassment.

Jiang Chen immediately understood that Yip Man wanted to collect tuition. He quickly spoke up, "Master, is it time to pay the tuition? Here, this is my tuition." He took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Yip Man.

In fact, when Jiang Chen first became a disciple, he had already put a thousand yuan in the envelope, which was enough for several years of tuition. He did not need to pay again, but he still paid on time every month to help Yip Man's family. He had calculated it well, giving just enough money to cover their debts and allow them to live comfortably. It was not that Jiang Chen was stingy, but giving too much could be seen as an insult to a grandmaster like Yip Man.

Seeing Jiang Chen speak up, Huang Liang and the others immediately understood and took out their money, handing it to Yip Man.

Yip Man looked at Jiang Chen with gratitude. This disciple not only gave him a significant amount of money when he was in his most difficult times but also practiced diligently and made rapid progress. Moreover, he knew how to handle social situations and stepped forward when Yip Man was in an awkward position, which was truly commendable.

"Master... I... I can only pay two yuan this time. My mother is sick..." Xu Shichang's face showed a hint of difficulty as he awkwardly took out two crumpled banknotes and handed them to Yip Man.

Upon hearing this, Yip Man immediately pushed Xu Shichang's hand back, his face full of concern, "Since your mother is sick, take her to the doctor first. We can talk about the tuition next month."

Seeing his fellow disciples pay their tuition while he could not, Xu Shichang felt a bit embarrassed. However, thinking of his mother's condition, he eventually took the money back and held it tightly. Although it was a small amount to many people, it was everything to him. He held it tightly, as if holding onto his dignity and his mother's life.

Not far away, Jiang Chen watched this scene and felt a deep sense of emotion. Although he had also experienced hardship, he had never faced such difficulties like Xu Shichang. A young man, not even twenty, had already endured so much hardship.

At this moment, Jiang Chen suddenly realized what he was missing. This was a missing insight in his life. The path of martial arts, whether ancient or modern, involves seeing oneself, the world, and all living beings, transcending life and death. Jiang Chen had seen himself and experienced the chaos of the Battle of Xiangyang, witnessing endless battles and the destruction of the land. He had seen the world, but he had not yet fully understood all living beings.

Suddenly enlightened, Jiang Chen's heart was moved. After descending from the rooftop with his fellow disciples, he called out to Xu Shichang, who was about to leave. Without a word, he took out a stack of money from his pocket and handed it to him, "Junior Brother Xu, I heard your mother is sick. As your senior brother, I can't help much, but this is a small token of my heart. I hope you won't refuse it."

"This... This isn't right." Although Xu Shichang was moved, he had his principles and quickly refused, "How can I take money from my senior brother?"

Jiang Chen knew that people in this era were very proud, so he quickly smiled and said, "Consider it a loan. Take it to treat your mother, and you can pay me back when you earn more money." Without waiting for a response, he pushed the money into Xu Shichang's hand and turned to leave.

"Senior Brother!" Watching Jiang Chen's retreating figure, Xu Shichang's voice choked up, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Among Yip Man's disciples, Jiang Chen was the most talented and skilled, but his relationship with his fellow disciples was not very good. Most of Yip Man's disciples were introduced by Huang Liang, and they all got along well with him, forming a tight-knit group. If not for Jiang Chen's exceptional skills, they would have long asked Huang Liang to be their senior brother.

Although Jiang Chen's martial prowess forced them to call him "Senior Brother," none of them did so willingly, including Xu Shichang. But today, Xu Shichang's call of "Senior Brother" was heartfelt and sincere!

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