Chapter 194: 194
'So, this is Black Tiger Technique's third grade!' It was only now that Yang Ze understood why no one in the entire Azure Dragon Continent wasn't able to practice it and why, even with the help of enlightenment, it took him such a long time.
The third grade of the Black Tiger technique wasn't just about martial technique anymore; it was more like turning oneself into a Demonic Beast.
Yang Ze quietly stayed in his position. He could feel the control over his new body. Though it was somewhat awkward and he wasn't used to it, he was sure he would be able to control this new body of his in a few minutes if he were to go out in the open. But for now, he just stayed cramped in the room.
Feeling the massive power in his body that made him feel like he could destroy the world… Although this feeling came from the sudden increase in strength and was in no way truly capable of destroying a mountain, much less the entire world, it was still enough to show just how much stronger he had gotten physically.
Other than the massive boost in his physical strength, the most important thing was the addition of an innate skill.
The skill that suddenly appeared out of nowhere in his head was enough to draw a few cold breaths from Yang Ze.
The first innate skill was the ability to summon ghosts… He could use his mental energy as well as internal energy to summon the ghosts of people who died recently within a one-mile radius. Although the ghosts wouldn't have their memories or the ability of a simple conversation, and their strength would be at most limited to pulse opening realm… it was still a neat trick that could come in handy.
Feeling the rapidly declining internal energy in his body, Yang Ze cancelled the black tiger form and found himself standing in the centre of the room that was now beyond recognition. Every single piece of furniture was destroyed. Yang Ze first looked around him in silence and then noticed the fact that he was standing stark naked.
"Well…" He didn't say a word; instead, he picked up a new set of clothes and put them on before walking out of the house.
The moment he stepped out of the house, the first thing that greeted him was the sight of a bustling city in the distance. Due to his current location being at the top of a small mountain that was hardly a hundred meters in height, he could clearly see the small bustling city in front of him.
It only took him a moment to realise where he was.
"Yuyang City…" Yang Ze couldn't help but mutter softly.
Who would have thought that he would be back here so soon? This was the place where he started his journey, and even though not much time had passed, he felt like it had been a lifetime.
From Lin Wan to her escort mission, to her kidnapping and then going to rescue her with Lin Yue and Xiao Ruolan… Everything felt like a dream.
A long dream that he had finally woken up from. The only thing left was the lingering memories of the people he met and the woman he loved. Even now, Yang Ze was having a hard time coming to terms with his new life… a life without Cang Yue.
The house he was currently in was located at the very top of the mountain, separating it from the rest of the houses, which were clustered under the mountain. Thankfully, there were no people around him, giving him a rare moment of peace.
Yang Ze quietly sat there for a long time, thinking about his next course of action. He thought about going down to look for suitable talents to sign in, but he couldn't lift his feet. He just felt a sense of mental exhaustion and for a moment couldn't care less about the talents or cultivation. For a while, he just wanted to be left alone and live in silence.
And so, for the next few days, Yang Ze resumed his early life… a life that he had always wanted but never got.
He would wake up in the morning and sit in front of his house, quietly looking at the city that would soon be filled with all kinds of people. Then he would walk around the mountain aimlessly for a while before tending to the small garden that he created after ploughing the land. Though there weren't any crops or precious herbs, he had managed to gather a variety of colourful flowers from all over the mountain, planting them directly in front of the house.
During this time, he didn't even use his Enlightenment, look at his personal panel or try to cultivate. He just lived like a mortal… an ascetic monk who had given up on the world.
And when it was night, he would once again sit in front of the house, quietly admiring the night view of Yuyang City as well as the starry sky.
And so, for the next few days, Yang Ze lived like this peacefully. It was as if he had almost given up on everything.
Living like this should have given Yang Ze anxiety. After all, he still had to take revenge on Han She, as well as resurrect his dearest Cang Yue, but he didn't. Instead, he felt a sense of calm and serenity that he never felt before.
It was only after the figure of an enchanting woman appeared in the mountain that this peaceful life of Yang Ze was disturbed. But instead of being irritated, he had a sense of peace and calm about him… a sense of maturity that was missing earlier.
"What the…" Lin Meilin, who was standing in front of the house, was stunned for a long time.
Looking at the clean house as well as the spotless stone road and a properly arranged small flower garden, she couldn't help but rub her eyes, wondering if she had come to the wrong place.
It was only after the door to the house opened, and the short figure of a man in his late thirties walked out of there, that she realised that she was in the right place.
But after that came extreme disbelief.
She knew Yang Ze's condition better than anyone else.
Not only was his right hand cut off, but both of his eyes were also gouged out. And not to mention the countless broken bones, as well as the hideous injuries that riddled his body. Under such extreme conditions, it was a miracle that he was even able to stay alive, much less talk.
When she brought him back safely from the Heavenly Sword Sect, he asked for revenge, but she knew it was spoken in a fit of desperation and anger.
She knew that once he woke up and regained his senses, the first thing he would seek wouldn't be revenge. Instead, he would choose death.
And facts proved that she was right.
The moment Yang Ze woke up, she could feel the aura of death on him. She knew he had given up on him. She knew that he wanted to die. In fact, she was sure that if she weren't there, he would have definitely killed himself.
That was why she told him a story… a story to try to bring him out of his desperation. A story that perhaps might give him hope.
And facts proved her right.
After she finished her story, she felt a will to live from Yang Ze. She knew that the boy was no longer going to seek death and wanted to live a life… perhaps not for himself, but definitely for Cang Yue.
And just for that, she left him alone here, giving him the time he needed to make his mind clear.
But who would have thought that when she returned, there would be such massive changes?
In this world, the only things that could recover someone from such life-threatening injuries as well as regrowing limbs could be counted on one's hand.
And most of those treasures had become extinct.
Right now, the only thing that could grow limbs and eyes, as well as give such a complete recover was the 'Nectar of Life' she had and nothing else.
And she knew that she hadn't given him the Nectar of Life.
But if it weren't the Nectar of Life, then what was it?
One could only imagine the shock in her heart while she tried her best to keep a straight face.
"...." The two pairs of eyes met, quietly looking at each other in silence.
It wasn't until a few moments passed that Lin Meilin let out a gentle smile before speaking in a soft voice.
"My, my… Aren't you full of surprises?"
Yang Ze didn't give an immediate reply but instead looked at her quietly for a while before opening his mouth to speak in a soft tone.
"Thank you…"
Although there were a lot of things Yang Ze wanted to say to her, in the end, all that came out of this mouth was a single thank you.
Looking at the mature woman in front of him with a plump chest, a head full of white lusturous hair and a white dress, revealing her fair arms and slender neck as well as showing off her alluring curves, Yang Ze took a deep breath.
This was definitely the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life, and that was after he had spent time with Lin Wan, Lin Yue, Xiao Ruolan and Cang Yue.
Were it before, Yang Ze would have been spellbound by her beauty. But now… With the death of Cang Yue, there were no waves in his heart for this enchanting, mature woman.
"So, what are you going to do from now on?" Lin Meilin didn't ask him about how he recovered or what he used. There would be plenty of time and opportunity to find out about it in the future.
"What am I going to do…" Yang Ze repeated Lin Meilin's words in a daze before letting out a bitter smile.
"What do you think?" Instead of a direct answer, he asked back.
"...."
"...."
Lin Meilin quietly gazed at the boy in front of her for a while before letting out a sigh.
"Didn't you say you wanted revenge?"
The moment the word 'revenge' was mentioned, Yang Ze's body trembled as he clenched his fists.
He wanted revenge... He wanted to tear Han She with his own hands, but he knew now was not the time. Once he gains sufficient strength, he will definitely kill her.
"Good." Lin Meilin nodded in response before speaking further. "Judging by your reaction, you definitely want revenge. But…"
Hearing the 'but' in her sentence, Yang Ze's eyes narrowed into slits.
"But the current you is no match against her."
"..."
"..."
"I know." Yang Ze replied after a brief silence. But just because he wasn't strong right now didn't mean he wouldn't be strong in the future.
"You seemed to have misinterpreted my words." Lin Meilin's glossy red lips curled up in a slight smile as she spoke further. "Even if your cultivation realm gets higher than hers, you won't be her opponent."
"She is strong…" Lin Meilin's words had a rare solemnity in them. "Stronger than me… Stronger than Yun Ning… And stronger than the Behemoth you met at the Crimson Valley."
This time, Lin Meilin spoke without holding back, not even pretending anymore. From the moment she fed Yang Ze 'Nectar of Life', he became aware of her identity. She knew it… But the two of them still pretended to be strangers.
But now… Now, for the first time, she shed that pretence and spoke in a rather solemn voice.
Listening to her words, Yang Ze's breathing almost stopped. He could still remember those massive eyes that appeared in the sky when Yun Ning stepped into the Heaven Step and the gigantic figure of the Primordial Earth Sovereign that was almost three times the size of a giant mountain with eyes that were akin to the moon.
Although he didn't know just how strong Lin Meilin was, he had a lingering suspicion that she, too, was in Heaven Step.
And now for her to say such solemn words… Yang Ze couldn't help but clench his fists. But thinking about how he had a cheat, his tense nerves relaxed. If he couldn't beat Han She with sheer strength, then he would pile up heaven-defying treasures like the clock and pile up his talents.
He didn't believe that he would be able to crush her then.
Looking at his tense expression, Lin Meilin simply raised her hand and, before Yang Ze could react, poked his nose.
"But I can help you."
Yang Ze, who was about to pat her hand away, froze mid-air after listening to her words.
"HOW?" Yang Ze couldn't help but ask.
"I can teach you." Lin Meilin's answer was simple.
"I have seen you fight and let's say…" Lin Meilin's corner of lips twitched as she found it hard to come up with words to describe it.
"Well… let's just say you have a peculiar way of fighting."
She didn't say his fighting skills were like a child swinging a rotten branch aimlessly. She was afraid it would give a blow to his self-confidence, which was slowly beginning to recover.
"I can teach you how to fight… I can teach you how to practise."
"So, what do you say?" With a slight smile on her face, she poked his nose once again.
"Do you want to learn from me?"
"Please." Yang Ze didn't even hesitate to agree.
Before Lin Meilin could even react, he immediately gave her a respectful bow.
"Hmm…" Lin Meilin simply patted his bowing head before whispering in a leisurely tone.
"In that case, I will be your master from now on."
"..." Yang Ze simply nodded in response.
"Well then…" Lin Meilin clapped with a slight smile before speaking.
"Let's get started with your first lesson."
The moment she spoke those words, Lin Meilin gently snapped her fingers and in that instant, two dishevelled figures appeared out of thin air, falling face-first in front of Yang Ze.
"What the…" Yang Ze couldn't help but take a step back as he looked at Lin Meilin in shock. He didn't know how she was able to do it. And just when he was about to ask her, his eyes were drawn by the two people kneeling in front of him.
"These are…" It took a moment for him to realise who the people kneeling in front of him were.
"These are my gifts to you…" Lin Meilin's soft words echoed in his ears.
"Now, show me your resolve."
"Show me you are capable of it."
"..."
"..."
"KILL THEM."
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