[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-becoming-a-saint-through-physical-cultivation-st":3,"chapter-becoming-a-saint-through-physical-cultivation-st-starting-with-the-diamond-exercise-to-achieve-sa-chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting with the Diamond Exercise to Achieve Sagehood Through the Physical Body",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2125575,3478,"Chapter 2","starting-with-the-diamond-exercise-to-achieve-sa-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>“It’s not that the villagers are troublesome; we were notified long ago that the Gang Leader’s mother is celebrating a grand birthday this month, and everyone was told to prepare their gift money. But the month is almost over, and many people still haven’t paid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hu walked over with a swagger: “Your family hasn’t paid either. The mines are paying wages today, so it’s time to pay up. It’s twenty wen for you and your sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after coming to this world and bowing his head to play the subservient grandson for half a year, his acting skills honed to perfection, Xu Yang could barely hold it together at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he remembered correctly, the Three Unity Gang Leader’s mother had already held a grand birthday celebration at the beginning of the year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twenty wen? That’s too much this time. Master Hu, could you please put in a good word to lower it? The Old Matriarch’s birthday is a grand occasion, and we naturally should give a gift, but I still have to support my sister. If I take out these twenty wen, we won’t have enough to eat next month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he could take out twenty wen, he couldn’t just hand it over readily. If these heartless beasts knew you had money, they would find new excuses to demand more tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cut the crap. This is the amount set by the gang; I don’t have the ability to negotiate with them. If you’re worried about going hungry, that’s simple. Your sister is grown up now; sell her to the gang. Not only will you be rid of this burden, but you’ll also get at least ten taels of silver.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hu patted Xu Yang’s shoulder with his large hand, a smile on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang tried his best to maintain his smile, but an alarm bell rang in his heart. His sister was fourteen this year and had blossomed; he feared she had already caught the attention of the Three Unity Gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Hu, you’re joking. My father is still around; even if I were to starve to death, I wouldn’t dare sell my sister…” He shook his head repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hu also knew it was impossible to persuade Xu Yang all at once; this matter would have to be cooked slowly. His expression changed instantly: “Then hurry up and pay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes… Master Hu, please wait a moment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Xu Yang pulled a money bag from his person with a pained expression and fished out two strings of copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the money bag he had prepared in advance, containing only a portion of his wages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hu glanced at the money bag, estimating that the remaining money inside was less than two hundred wen. Knowing Xu Yang wasn’t lying, he immediately snatched the two strings of coins and walked toward the next house with a cold snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang maintained his smile as he watched Li Hu leave, then turned and headed home.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Brother, are you alright…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushing open the door, his sister Xu Qing ran over with a worried look; she had clearly heard the commotion outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang shook his head: “I’m fine, but from now on, try not to go out. If you absolutely must, cover your face well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At fourteen, her features were becoming more beautiful, and her eyes were as bright as clear springs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Qing nodded: “I will be careful from now on. By the way, how much were the wages this month?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They paid six hundred and twenty wen, Li Hu took twenty, so there’s only six hundred left…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang said, taking out the money bag and handing it to Xu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cave-ins happened from time to time in the mines; he never knew when he might be buried inside, so he always left his money with Xu Qing for safekeeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Qing took the money bag happily: “Oh… six hundred wen again! Brother, you’re amazing. With this, we have two taels and five qian of silver. If we work hard for another year, it will be enough for you to practice martial arts at a martial arts school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an apprenticeship at a martial arts school, the typical fee is two to five taels per month, depending on the school’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang’s goal was the cheapest school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, enrolling in a school requires paying at least three months of fees upfront, which is six taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus, after starting, he would have to stop working entirely and eat well—at the very least, meat with every meal—so he would need to prepare one tael of silver per month for food. In other words, if he wanted to practice martial arts, he needed at least nine taels of silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t wait a year. He Laosan told me today that if I’m over eighteen, the martial arts schools won’t take me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang shook his head inwardly; he had only learned this today as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Qing’s expression changed: “What should we do then… Is Heaven not even leaving us a way to survive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had watched Xu Yang earn more and more money mining, thinking that as long as they saved enough to practice martial arts, he could get ahead. She never expected that schools wouldn’t accept anyone over eighteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly took a deep breath, as if having made a decision, and bit her lip: “Brother, why don’t you sell me? Then you’ll have the money to practice. Once you become a martial artist, you can buy me back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never have that thought again. Even if I never practice martial arts in my life, I won’t do that. If you dare to do this on your own, I will never forgive you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang hadn’t expected her to have such a thought and immediately issued a stern warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew Xu Qing was bold; if he wasn’t strict, the little girl might actually sell herself in secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Xu Yang’s serious and stern expression, the little girl immediately lowered her head, not daring to mention selling herself again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Father wants us to go over for dinner tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s calling us for dinner? The sun must be rising in the west.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentioning his nominal father, Xu Yang’s expression turned even colder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About six years ago, their mother passed away. Not long after, their father, Xu Laoer, hooked up with a widow surnamed Zhang in the neighborhood. Back then, he and Xu Qing were still young, and Xu Laoer would occasionally provide some food and come home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since he turned fifteen and could earn some money, Xu Laoer had moved directly into the widow’s house and stopped caring about the siblings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fifteen-year-old child having to fend for himself while raising his sister in such chaotic times—the bitterness of it can be imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today is Father’s birthday. Brother, say some nice things when we go over later, and I’ll mention that you don’t have enough money for martial arts. Father should support you a bit; after all, you are his own son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Qing gave a sly smile and added: “Even if he doesn’t give us anything, it won’t be a loss to go and have a meal. It’s a birthday celebration; there will at least be meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang didn’t speak, somewhat swayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To save money for martial arts, he hadn’t eaten meat in months. A free, good meal was indeed not a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was his biological father; could he really be so heartless as to ignore his son’s future?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Putting the money away, the two soon left and walked toward Widow Zhang’s house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Widow Zhang’s name was Zhang Cuiting, and she had quite a background. Her late husband had been a martial artist who died outside for unknown reasons, making Zhang Cui a well-known wealthy widow in the area. After Xu Laoer hooked up with her, he stopped caring about his own children and went to live with Zhang Cuiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was mainly because Zhang Cuiting disliked these two burdens and wouldn’t allow Xu Laoer to look after them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cuiting’s house wasn’t far from Xu Yang’s, just a ten-minute walk. The courtyard was impressive, much better than the stone house Xu Yang lived in, with red bricks and blue tiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the two even stepped into Zhang Cuiting’s house, they smelled the aroma of meat. Many greedy children from the neighborhood were hiding outside the courtyard, sniffing the air with all their might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping into the house, three people were sitting inside. One was Xu Yang’s father, Xu Laoer, who had fair skin and well-defined facial contours; he was quite handsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of this appearance that Zhang Cuiting had taken a fancy to him. Sometimes, Xu Yang even admired this father of his—even though he was a gigolo, he didn’t \"drive a tank.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cuiting had been able to marry a martial artist, so she naturally didn’t look bad. Plus, having the inheritance left by her late husband meant she didn’t have to work. She looked to be in her thirties, with a plump and full figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last one was a youth, the son of Zhang Cuiting and her late martial artist husband, named Yang Jun. Seeing Xu Yang and Xu Qing appear, a trace of imperceptible disgust flashed in his eyes, but he quickly hid it and instead revealed a hint of a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yang saw all of this and was secretly puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, Yang Jun would never hide his disgust. He didn’t know what had gotten into him today that he was actually pretending to be friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhang Cuiting, her reaction today was also different from the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, Aunt Zhang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The siblings cupped their hands and looked at the three people sitting around the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been called for dinner, but the others hadn’t waited for them to arrive before starting to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A-Yang, Xiao Qing, you’re here. Auntie thought you weren’t coming, so I didn’t wait. Go ahead and get your own bowls and rice.” Zhang Cuiting stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone was affectionate, but the disgust deep in her bones was the same as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, Aunt Zhang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Qing nodded obediently, secretly nudged Xu Yang, and then unceremoniously went to get bowls, serving herself and Xu Yang a large bowl of rice each, which made Zhang Cuiting wince inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to stop them several times, but thinking of the purpose for having the siblings over today, she held it back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit down and eat first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Laoer also spoke, pulling a long bench for the siblings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the meal, Xu Qing helped Zhang Cuiting clear the bowls and chopsticks. Xu Laoer \"showed concern\" for Xu Yang’s recent situation and finally said: “I called you over today because I have something to tell you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, he seemed to find it hard to speak and stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how shameless or heartless he was, the person in front of him was his own son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after only a moment of hesitation, he continued: “A-Jun has started practicing martial arts. His master says he has good potential and can become a martial artist in the future, but he needs medicinal supplements to keep up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From now on, take half of your income from the mines to support A-Jun’s training. When he becomes a martial artist in the future, you, as his big brother, will also benefit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Xu Yang had been mentally prepared, knowing this meal wouldn’t be simple, he hadn’t expected this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, how can you say such things? The little money Brother earns at the mines isn’t even enough to support the two of us. Giving half to Yang Jun—are you trying to starve us to death?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xu Qing screamed and ran over, her face flushed with anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had thought her biological father had finally found his conscience and called them over for his birthday, but it turned out he was eyeing her brother’s hard-earned money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, even the shameless Xu Laoer felt a bit of shame and didn’t retort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Qing, how can you speak to your father like that? Your brother Jun can become a martial artist; others don’t even have the chance to curry favor with him. Asking you to contribute some money is for your own good; you’ll be able to benefit in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t think we don’t know that the wages at the mines are around four hundred wen. Two hundred wen a month is enough for you and A-Yang to live on. If you do some extra work for others, there’s absolutely no problem with giving half to your brother Jun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cuiting also came out, acting as if she were giving them an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Jun held his head high: “It’s only two hundred wen. Once I become a martial artist and pick up the connections my father left behind, the scraps that fall through my fingers will be enough for you to enjoy for a lifetime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Laoer spoke earnestly: “That’s right. If our family can produce a martial artist, everyone will benefit. How can he, as the big brother, not contribute?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had originally felt ashamed, but once he thought about the benefits of Yang Jun becoming a martial artist, that shame vanished without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>",2245,"2026-06-16T11:21:15.023Z","2026-06-16T12:23:14.066Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","23055432128eb4727ba2eca2b965ab63012dfe7a0b7a559814171383e1bfba36","starting-with-the-diamond-exercise-to-achieve-sa-chapter-3","starting-with-the-diamond-exercise-to-achieve-sa-chapter-1",410,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-with-the-diamond-exercise-to-achieve-sa-cover.jpg"]