[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult":3,"chapter-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-31":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Don't Mock the Poor Old Man: Gains a Year of Cultivation Every Day!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312523,4520,"Chapter 31: Jiang Ye Acts!","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-31",31,"\u003Cp>The refugees from Lushan County have arrived?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciples who had just been eagerly discussing Hu Tian’s whereabouts suddenly seemed as if their throats had been clamped shut at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clamor died instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged glances; the fleeting curiosity and gossip about others’ futures vanished, replaced by a far heavier emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lushan County… wasn’t it sealed off?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Refugees made it here? Then… does that mean…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This morning I heard rice and flour prices had risen again—now that refugees are here, they’ll shoot straight to the sky!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many are there at the city gate? A hundred? A thousand? Will the authorities even manage them?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Panic spread through the martial arts academy like an invisible plague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All earlier talk about Hu Tian, about Zhang Xu, about Jipin Martial Arts Hall, now seemed distant and trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, this rapidly fermenting panic did not last long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the end of the Wushen hour, fresh news arrived from the city gate, barely quelling the rising turmoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the disciples who had rushed ahead to scout the gate, the refugees from Lushan County were indeed numerous—roughly a hundred souls, dragging families and belongings, utterly disheveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the crucial detail was this—they had escaped before Lushan County was fully sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant Lushan County had not yet fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaos had not yet spread here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, another detail caught the attention of those who paid close attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had escaped before Lushan County’s lockdown were almost all martial artists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were disciples from Lushan County’s local martial arts halls; others were bodyguards hired by wealthy households.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relying on their agility and sharp senses, they had fought their way out at the final moment, just before the gates were locked, bringing their families with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the academy’s main gate, Jiang Ye sat motionless on his glossy little stool, eyes half-lidded, seemingly indifferent to the surrounding clamor and panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Martial artists who escaped before the lockdown…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye shook his head slightly, a flicker of unusual light passing through his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was foreseeable that once these people entered the city, Anxi County would grow noticeably more tense and restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Ye pondered, a middle-aged man in a light green training suit, lean and composed, walked slowly toward the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye rose slowly and bowed slightly to the newcomer: “Master Zhou, you’ve come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was Zhou Yue, head of Lingyue Martial Arts Academy, who maintained a decent relationship with Liu Qingshi and often visited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Jiang Ye was no stranger to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Jiang, your complexion is as good as ever!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yue greeted Jiang Ye politely, then stepped inside the academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye stood outside the gatehouse, watching Zhou Yue’s figure vanish behind the moon gate deep within the academy; his aged eyes narrowed slightly, a thoughtful glint flickering in their depths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Yue coming here now—there must be something important he wants to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the academy’s study, tea steam curled gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi poured hot tea for Zhou Yue; the two sat facing each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last rays of sunset streamed through the window lattice, casting a warm golden glow on the desk, yet unable to dispel the subtle heaviness hanging in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So today you’re not teaching fistwork? You’ve got time to come over?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi lifted his teacup, a faint smile on his face, his tone as steady as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yue first lowered his head to sip tea, savoring it on his tongue for a moment, then raised his eyes and gazed at his old friend with a half-smile: “I heard your academy has a traitor—I came to offer you comfort.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi shook his head and chuckled, the smile holding a touch of genuine resignation: “Good news never travels far, but bad news spreads like wildfire—this rumor moved fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jipin Martial Arts Hall’s tactics have grown increasingly despicable over the years—every promising talent they see, they try to steal, no matter how crude their methods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yue sighed lightly, then shifted tone, his gaze sharpening with scrutiny: “Still, your disciple’s problem is serious too—swayed by petty gains, easily deceived. His character and discipline still lack depth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the tea leaves drifting in his cup, his expression solemn, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Zhou Yue dropped the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He set down his teacup, cleared his throat, and his demeanor grew serious:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget all that. Let me tell you the real reason I’m here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up at Liu Qingshi and spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve heard about the martial artists who fled from Lushan County, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These refugees aren’t ordinary,” Zhou Yue lowered his voice, tone heavy: “Three of their martial arts hall heads are Hua Jing martial artists; their disciples include several An Jing experts, not to mention the countless Ming Jing ones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, his voice even heavier: “Together, they form a force not to be underestimated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve heard the County Magistrate’s plan—to accept them, let them settle in Anxi County, and strengthen our local martial strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi’s brow twitched slightly; he sensed what was coming next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, Zhou Yue continued: “The Martial Gathering will proceed as scheduled. And…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He deliberately paused, “The Lushan County martial artists will join as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Liu Qingshi, usually as unshakable as a mountain and never revealing emotion, could not hide the shock in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the current chaos, are we still holding the Martial Gathering?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Anxi County, the Martial Gathering was an annual grand event, held for over a decade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this day, the three major martial arts halls and several academies gathered at the northern training ground to send their disciples to compete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not only a gathering of martial artists but also the entire county’s focal point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disciples who performed well would bring prestige to their halls, attract more students, and could be noticed by wealthy families like the Su or Zhang clans, securing sponsorship and a better future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi had assumed the news of Lushan County’s turmoil would lead to this year’s gathering being canceled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never expected it would not only proceed—but include the “river-crossing dragons” fleeing from Lushan County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could already foresee how fiercely those outsiders, desperate to establish themselves in a foreign land, would fight on the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could almost foresee the fierce determination and relentless grit the foreign cultivators, eager to establish themselves in a foreign land, would unleash on the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi frowned, lifted his teacup, and drank—the tea was cold, bitter on his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His academy’s disciples already lagged slightly behind those from martial arts halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to that the Lushan County “river-crossing dragons”…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This year’s competition would be far fiercer than ever before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yue watched his old friend’s furrowed brow and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came to warn you. This year, our academies will likely be crushed by the martial arts halls and these outsiders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rose and walked to the window, his voice tinged with complexity: “The County Magistrate has his reasons—in chaotic times, more martial strength means more security. But as instructors, seeing our own disciples trampled underfoot… it’s hard to swallow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The study fell into brief silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news that the Martial Gathering would proceed in three days spread like a stone dropped into a pond, sending ripples through the academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The outer courtyard exploded first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These young disciples, who didn’t even qualify to compete, became the most excited group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They gathered in small clusters along the edges of the training ground, whispering the latest rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you hear? Did you hear? The Lushan County refugees are joining the gathering!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then there’ll be a show! I want to see how Lushan County’s fistwork differs from ours!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard one of their disciples is only seventeen and already An Jing—is that true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who cares if it’s true or not? It doesn’t concern us—we can’t even step on the stage…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True enough, heh—heh, just watch the show.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast to the outer courtyard’s lighthearted excitement, the inner courtyard’s atmosphere was far more complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During breaks in training, small groups of inner courtyard disciples clustered beneath corridors or beside wooden dummies, all conversation inevitably circling back to the gathering in three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On their young faces, expressions varied: some thrilled and eager, others grim and gloomy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lushan County martial artists are joining? That means we’ll have dozens more opponents this year?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a chance to see just how strong the Lushan County martial artists really are!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re too optimistic. I heard among those who escaped, there are three hall heads—all Hua Jing—and their disciples number at least twenty or thirty, with countless Ming Jing and several An Jing…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what if they’re An Jing? We’ve got An Jing senior brothers too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder who from our academy will compete this year…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the inner courtyard disciples discussed, their eyes unconsciously drifted toward Liu Yiyi, Su Yan, and Zhao Gang—the core disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the pillar, Liu Yiyi stood with arms crossed, clad in plain white training attire, her sleeves stirred gently by the evening breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remained as cold and icy as snow, as if the surrounding excitement and anxiety were separated from her by an invisible veil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only her clear, piercing eyes gazed toward the sinking dusk, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the stone steps nearby, Su Yan practiced her fistwork with focused stillness—she had reached the peak of Ming Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after her “absurd battle” with the white-haired elder a few nights ago, she felt a crucial gate within her had been pierced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the stone steps nearby, Su Yan focused her mind and practiced her fists; she had reached the peak of Ming Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after that absurd battle with the white-haired elder a few nights ago, she felt a certain key point in her body had been pierced through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had a premonition that she would soon break through to Dark Force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is... utterly absurd. Am I really going to rely on that to spur my breakthrough...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yan’s mind involuntarily flashed the image of her “fierce battle” with the white-haired elder; her pale ears subtly flushed red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her breathing subtly grew rapid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And carried a faint, alluring heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, Liu Yiyi nearby seemed to sense something and turned her gaze toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it her imagination, or had Su Yan glimpsed a faint sheen of moisture in Liu Yiyi’s cold, snow-like eyes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could Yiyi also be thinking about that...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought had just crossed Su Yan’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yiyi instantly averted her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet from the slight rise and fall of her chest, it was clear the girl’s heart was anything but calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the training ground, Zhao Gang was sparring with several junior brothers, each movement steady as a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the senior disciple of the martial hall, he had always been the pillar the inner disciples relied upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, his face still wore his usual kind smile, but beneath it lurked a subtle gravity others could hardly perceive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed swiftly; before they knew it, three days had gone by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dawn had not yet broken; only a faint pale blush tinged the eastern horizon, and on the open ground before the gate stood an aged figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye slowly assumed his stance, beginning the Five Animal Fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body suddenly sank, his spine arched like a tiger coiling to strike, then his feet lightly tapped the ground, and he leapt nimbly as a spirit deer of the mountain stream, landing without a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he tilted his shoulders and back, delivering a Bear Shoulder strike into empty air—there was a faint, muffled thud...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several kinds of force shifted and merged with one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye stood still, his eyelids lifting slightly as his gaze settled on a green stone beside him, half a man’s height.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone had been leftover debris from repairing the gatehouse years ago—thick and solid, weighing at least two hundred catties—and had lain forgotten in the corner ever since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye would occasionally glance at it while sweeping the ground daily, but never gave it further thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, as he stared at the stone, his right hand rose suddenly, fingers loose and limp as if drained of strength, and he pressed his palm lightly upon it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surface of the green stone remained utterly unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even a single crack appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if someone had crouched down and examined it closely, they would have been horrified to see fine powder slowly crumbling from the stone’s underside, the part touching the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The powder was extremely fine, like sifted flour, silently piling on the ground, rising in a faint haze of dust beneath the morning light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye withdrew his hand, glanced down at the stone—its surface intact, its interior utterly shattered—and a flicker of satisfaction passed through his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Host: Jiang Ye\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lifespan: 85\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strength: Dark Force (Late Stage)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Destiny: Ascending the Divine Stairway [Effect 1: Extraordinary Comprehension]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mastered Martial Art: Five Animal Fist [Mastery, 808\u002F1000]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mastered True Meaning: Tiger Moves Like Illness, Monkey Changes a Thousand Ways\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undeniably, the effect of extraordinary comprehension was terrifying; after three days of cultivation, Jiang Ye’s strength had already risen to Late Stage Dark Force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was now close to Breaking Through to Soft Force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would happen within these few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Jiang, aren’t you going to watch the Martial Gathering?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingshi’s voice interrupted Jiang Ye’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a solemn dark robe, followed by his fully armed disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye waved his hand. “I’m old now. All that fighting and killing among the young is too stimulating. I’ll stay by this gate and enjoy some peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had gone to watch the gatherings before; each time, the most prominent performers were always the Extreme Fist Martial Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he had other business today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jiang Ye refuse, Liu Qingshi did not press further, gave a slight nod, and led his large procession toward the northern part of the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps, murmurs, rustling robes faded gradually, finally scattered by the morning breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye stood by the gate, watching the young figures vanish at the far end of the long street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the last trace of their presence had vanished, he turned and returned slowly to his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he stepped out again, the man standing there was no longer the frail old gatekeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stature had risen, his back straight, his face lean and hard, his brow charged with an aura of chilling hostility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down at this unfamiliar body, flexed his fingers, and confirmed it was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s time to end this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slipped away soundlessly from the martial academy, heading toward the Zhang family mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through gossip among the academy’s disciples these past days, he had learned that Zhang Xu—the monster—was still alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the bastard hadn’t died yet, Jiang Ye would make sure he died today—completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the Zhang family employed a Soft Force martial artist as a retainer—unpredictable in movement, rarely seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today was the day of the Martial Gathering; nearly all prominent martial artists in Anxi County would gather in the northern quarter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soft Force retainer would surely not miss such a grand event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, today was the perfect opportunity to assassinate Zhang Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About half an hour later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye appeared in a quiet alley outside the Zhang family estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not rashly scale the wall; instead, he hid in the shadows, listening silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he heard a piece of news that left him speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Xu, the monster, still weak from his injuries, barely holding on to life, had been carried by servants to the Martial Gathering today to watch the spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, Jiang Ye could only detour toward the northern quarter to see if a suitable opportunity arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, Zhang Xu must die today.\u003C\u002Fp>",2659,"2026-06-20T12:57:27.461Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bfd828f19aed147a196bf847da3dd7a87e59baed3417c3147da028a35adb6105","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-32","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-30",268,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdon-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-cover.jpg"]