[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback":3,"chapter-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-17":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rising from Obscurity: My Martial Path Comeback",{"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},2265852,4424,"Chapter 17: Returning Home","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-17",17,"\u003Cp>Since ancient times, winter brings sorrow and solitude; I say winter surpasses the dawn of spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lone crane soars through the clear sky, carrying poetic inspiration to the azure heights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen’s heart burned with warmth, his steps light and swift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mood was incomparable to half a year ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a year ago, he returned home with anticipation—though excited, his path in martial cultivation was still unclear; now that he had truly stepped onto the martial path, his eagerness to return stemmed less from ambition and more from longing for his family, from an urgent desire to share this joy with his father, mother, and elder brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached the village entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen slowed his pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Fei had returned to the village long ago; with his big mouth, word of Lin Chen’s outstanding performance at the Martial Hall had surely spread throughout the entire village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who doesn’t have a touch of vanity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen admitted he was no exception; vanity wasn’t evil—it could even be a driving force, pushing a man forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as it didn’t blind him, a measured amount of vanity was perfectly acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Lin Chen encountered a villager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Chen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villager didn’t dare confirm—it had been months since Lin Chen last returned home, and he’d left the next day without delay; many villagers hadn’t seen him since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the past year at the Martial Hall, Lin Chen’s blood and qi had surged rapidly, transforming his stature and appearance dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes gleamed with vitality, his complexion flushed and healthy, his frame strong and powerful—utterly unlike the village boys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Li, it’s me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen gave a slight nod, waiting for Uncle Li’s exaggerated praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Chen, you’ve returned just in time—something’s happened at your place. Someone came to cause trouble. Your father…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the villager finished speaking, Lin Chen’s figure had already sprinted over ten zhang away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed stunned him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen’s heart was racing too—surely not this cliché.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he stepped onto the martial path, trouble struck his home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This plot was so clichéd, even web novel authors wouldn’t dare write it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sprinting straight home, Lin Chen saw a crowd gathered ahead and exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers weren’t gathered at his own door—they were gathered at the Lin family ancestral home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t his house that was in trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slightly relieved, Lin Chen stepped into the crowd. At his current height, he was already among the tallest in the village, and he could see clearly to the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin’s father, his uncles, and his elder brother stood holding hoes and shoulder poles, facing off against several burly men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them stood his grandfather and Auntie One; Auntie Two held Lin Hui, who lay paralyzed on the ground, tears streaming down her face; his mother held his cousin Cheng Xi; Auntie One was nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Debt must be repaid—it’s only right. Your family borrowed ten taels; now, with interest, it’s fifteen. Pay up, or hand over the land deeds. Otherwise, taking it to the government office won’t help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead burly man sneered, his face thick with fat: “If you can’t afford it, don’t pretend to train in martial arts. Think about what kind of family you come from.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lin Chen frowned—were these men from the moneylender’s?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had his grandfather borrowed ten taels from the moneylender?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without his father involved, Lin Chen wouldn’t have cared at all. Since the family had split, the grandfather and Uncle One’s debt was none of his business. But now his father was caught up in it—he couldn’t stand by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Zhang, please step aside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Xu, let me through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen tapped the shoulders of the surrounding villagers. They turned, startled, but quickly made way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s Lin Chen back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Chen? The youngest son of the Lin family? I heard he did exceptionally well at the Martial Hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like Gu’s boy wasn’t lying. This kid’s grown at least a foot taller—my son spent a year at the Martial Hall and barely grew half a head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers murmured among themselves. Lin’s mother, seeing her son return, was overjoyed, clutching Cheng Xi and moving toward him: “Why are you back now? Gu Fei said you still had a month left at the Martial Hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came to see Mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had there been no crisis before him, Lin Chen could have indulged his mother’s vanity with a simple “I’ve cultivated essence.” But now he needed to know what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, what’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin’s mother pursed her lips: “Last month, Lin Ming came back for money. You know your grandfather—he dotes on his eldest grandson. He secretly borrowed ten taels from the moneylender, agreeing to five taels interest per month. If he didn’t pay, they’d take the land deeds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen’s lips twitched. He glanced at his grandfather standing behind his father and gave a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How dare he borrow at such exorbitant interest?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder—he’s the Lin family’s only grandson. Ten taels wasn’t enough, so he borrowed another ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this has nothing to do with our family, right? Father and Second Uncle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the grandfather borrowed the money, and the land was assigned to Uncle One during the split, it had nothing to do with Lin Chen’s family or Second Uncle’s, who got the fishing boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They came demanding payment. Your grandfather refused, a fight broke out. Lin Hui happened to come home and saw it—he thought they were bullying your grandfather, rushed over, and got beaten down…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen understood. The grandfather refused to hand over the deeds, so these men beat Lin Hui. His father and uncles rushed over upon hearing the news, and the villagers gathered too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If outsiders had caused trouble, Linhu Village would have stood united.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these were moneylenders—clear contracts, written evidence. The Lin family had no legal ground. The villagers had no reason to intervene. Besides, anyone who ran a moneylending business wasn’t harmless; even these few burly men were enough to intimidate the villagers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin’s mother explained the situation, then added softly: “This is your grandfather and Uncle One’s affair. Don’t get involved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen knew she feared he’d soften and take on the debt for his grandfather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t soften.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment the family split, he had severed all familial ties to his grandfather and Uncle One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, they have the IOU—it’s only right. If you block them today, they’ll come tomorrow with the government office to seize the deeds. There’s no point resisting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen spoke directly to his father. Before his father could answer, Auntie One erupted from behind:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen’er, how can you side with outsiders? These are the ancestral lands passed down through generations of the Lin family! If we lose them, how can we face our ancestors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who cares about your few acres of worthless land if you can repay? We’re all from the same town. Our moneylender is always reasonable—we state the interest upfront. Many in Linhu Village have borrowed from us. Have you ever seen us cause trouble?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead burly man snorted, glancing at Lin Chen: “This young man understands. Dragging this out will only cost more when the government office gets involved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>County government office officials never came to the villages—they charged travel fees for every trip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So disputes in villages or towns were usually settled by the village head or respected elders. Going to the government office was extremely rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We won’t give it up. It’s the root of our Lin family,” said Grandfather Lin Chaoyang. “My eldest grandson wrote me yesterday—he’s cultivated essence. Give us a few more days. We’ll repay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivated essence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the crowd erupted in murmurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Ming cultivated essence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably. He’s trained nearly three years. Look at the Lin family’s condition three years ago—now? They split the family. Spent so much money—they must’ve broken through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Lin Ming cultivated essence, the Lin family’s fortunes will turn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers’ envious words brought a smile to Grandfather Lin’s face. Auntie One’s expression turned smug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t told anyone about her son’s breakthrough—she’d planned to announce it grandly when he returned. But now her father had spoken first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, with so many villagers here, today was as good a day as any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Postpone? Pah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead burly man’s expression didn’t change. He spat a thick wad of phlegm on the ground, freezing the smiles on Auntie One and Grandfather Lin’s faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three years to cultivate essence? He might never open his dantian. Pay today, or hand over the deeds. No other options.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Do you really think we didn’t investigate your family before lending?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead burly man sneered. He knew exactly what kind of man Lin Ming was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ming had drained his family’s savings, piled up debts, and barely scraped through to cultivate essence. Such a man had no future in martial cultivation—he couldn’t even afford his next training elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they were already enemies, he might as well crush them completely—cut off all their financial lifelines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandfather Lin Chaoyang trembled with rage. His precious grandson, who’d spent so much to cultivate essence, was being dismissed as worthless—right here, before the entire village. How could he accept it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, Third—these are our ancestral lands. We can’t lose them. If they want money, you three brothers pool yours. Pay them now. Once Ming cultivates essence, you’ll get your money back soon enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandfather Lin Chaoyang turned to Lin’s father and Second Uncle. What should have been a great family celebration had been ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second Uncle was tempted. He didn’t understand martial cultivation, but Lin Ming had often spoken of the glory that followed cultivating essence. Helping now would earn him his nephew’s gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin’s father glanced at Lin’s mother and Lin Chen. The household finances were in his wife’s hands, and she mostly listened to their youngest son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We won’t contribute a single tael.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen looked at his grandfather’s domineering posture and sneered: “That man was right—three years to cultivate essence? With Uncle One’s situation, your cousin won’t even have money for his next training step.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1696,"2026-06-19T20:25:56.550Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","74d81006a90bc5ec4c9dc469614911843d59f75d29ee78d46a31879e02c2b3b8","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-18","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-16",591,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-cover.jpg"]