AST 1102 – Huo Sanxing, do you still remember me, Lin Zhanhan!
Golden Fragrance Jade？
Qing Shui didn't expect the next recipe to be Golden Fragrance Jade. In his memory, Golden Fragrance Jade was not an medicine but rather a type of Jade. It was a beautiful jade which emanated an alluring fragrance. It was a sort of rare item which people had tried to find for a long time and was only recorded in historical annals. It did not have an extraordinary appearance but there have been sayings like "You wouldn't be able to tell even if you see a Golden Fragrance Jade" or "You wouldn't be able to buy a Golden Fragrance Jade even if you had money".
The Golden Fragrance Jade with an alchemy recipe must meant that it was as rare as a Golden Fragrance Jade. Or otherwise, it could also refer to Golden Fragrance Jade who is an immortal. The medicine she created was extremely valuable. Thus, there is a legend that Golden Fragrance Jade could also cure illnesses.
500,000 experience points wasn't considered a lot but that didn't mean that it was not valuable. Medicinal Pills could be classified into two general types: one-time effect or permanent effect. A alchemy recipe for a one-time effect medicinal pill requiring 500,000 experience points definitely seemed rarer than a medicinal pill with permanent effect which required 1,000,000 experience points.
Shaking his head, he looked through the ingredients required for making Spiritual Drops. 10,000 Spiritual Limestone, Mysterious Fruit, Five Element Fruit, Feathered Spirit Grass and Spiritual Crystal. He already had Five Element Fruit and Mysterious Fruit. He could tell that Feathered Spirit Grass was a medicinal herb but he had never heard of it before.
Qing Shui heard about 10,000 year Spiritual Limestone before. It formed from the ceiling drippings of rocks in certain old caves where the accumulation of spiritual energy was high.
Qing Shui also had information about spiritual crystals. Spiritual crystal were very rare. They were a type of crystal which formed in a Spirit beast's brain when their strength was higher than 10,000 stars. But its occurrence was by luck and if one was unlucky, it would not appear even after killing over 10,000 demonic beasts. Of course, when the demonic beast was stronger, the chances of it possessing a spiritual crystal also increased.
As there was no description about the effects of Spiritual Drops, Qing Shui felt a little dispirited but he wasn't too concerned about it. He would know that once he created it. More importantly, the ingredients were all very difficult to obtain. After all, with Mysterious Fruit and Five Element Fruit in the list, he could already tell the value of the medicine. ……
After a few days, Qing Shui and his group finally reached the Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region. Once they entered the region, the first impression that Qing Shui had was that it was cold but it had a sort of refreshing feeling ladened with energy. The cold air was filled with spiritual qi, even denser than that of the Eastern Victory Divine. This was also the reason that there were many expert cultivators here.
However, that was not the reason Qing Shui was in awe of this place. The thing that surprised him was that the effects of the laws of Heaven and Earth was at least 10% weaker. That was to say that people here could exceed the normal restrictions of this law by up to 10%. That was probably why this place attracted even more powerful cultivators.
Qing Shui remembered Qiu Feng's warnings about other cultivators who could ignore the laws of Heaven and Earth but with his current ability, he wasn't that worried. However, as long as that law existed here, Qing Shui was confident that he could eliminate all the obstructions before him. Even a large sect like Lion King’s Ridge was nothing to him. With these thoughts, he unconsciously clenched his fists. He was doing this all for a woman and Yiye Jiange's image surfaced in his mind.
She had a pair of resplendent eyes which shone like the luminous moon and her beauty was heart-stopping. Then, she had that incredible aura, with her hair bundled up using her ivory jade hairpin. Her jade-like body underneath those feathered clothes had the most perfect gentle curves. Her god-sculpted proportions were just right and put women with big bosoms and buttocks to shame. She was like an immortal that exuded purity, like one untainted by the secular world, one who lives in a valley hidden away from the vulgarity of common life.
Qing Shui was in a daze as he sat on his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. His eyes drifted to Yiye Jiange who was nearby. He did not look at her with lust but with a sort of infatuation and a hint of something indescribable.
A person can feel someone gazing at them from the back, furthermore, Qing Shui was looking at her from her side. Yiye Jiange had actually noticed Qing Shui looking at her for some time. But when she turned to catch a glimpse of him, she was slightly stunned and felt a little nervous because Qing Shui was gazing at her with a longing expression…
The other women also quickly noticed this but Qing Shui realized this when he saw Yiye Jiange's reaction so he shook himself out of his daze. Qing Shui's face was a little red as he laughed awkwardly. Yiye Jiange was also blushing, she looked different, she seemed moved by him and there was an indescribable sweetness about her.
"Sister Jiange, I'm so jealous. That person has never looked at me like that," Di Qing said half-truthfully, she was sitting in front of Yiye Jiange.
Hai Dongqing and Yu He joined in, laughing, throwing a few fake bitter glances at Qing Shui. Actually, Yu He was rooting for them and Di Qing liked teasing Qing Shui but there was definitely a tinge of woman's jealousy in their expressions.
Luan Luan chuckled gleefully as she sat beside Qing Shui.
"Daddy!"
Little Fatty, Lin Zhanhan and Yiye Jiange were sitting at the tail of the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant so they were about ten meters away so they couldn't really hear his conversation with Luan Luan.
"Little Lass, what do you want to say?" Qing Shui asked his grown-up daughter.
"I was wondering when you will get married to my mom," Luan Luan laughed cheekily.
"Children shouldn't interfere with grown-up matters. I am already preparing the gifts for my proposal." Qing Shui rubbed Luan Luan's head.
"Daddy, I am already an adult. Could you not rub my head like this." Luan Luan pouted.
"No. Even if you're an adult, you'll always be my daughter. I'll rub your head even more!" Qing Shui laughed.
…… After they reached the Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region, they advanced forward with Qing Shui's Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant so that they could be more familiar with the terrain. They continued north and saw that the buildings in this region were all very tall and majestic-looking! The people who lived here also had a sort of wild, hardy aura. All of them looked unaffected by the climate.
"Grandfather Lin, let's go to the Lin Residence to have a look. It shouldn't be far," Qing Shui suggested to Lin Zhanhan.
"Okay, though I'm not hopeful. I am the only one left in the Lin Clan," Lin Zhanhan lamented as he sighed and shook his head. Even if those events happened so long ago, it was still painful for him.
"Grandfather Lin, don't be too sad. Maybe, the people from Lion King’s Ridge didn't kill everyone. Perhaps, there are still survivors." Qing Shui consoled with a smile.
"Hopefully!" Lin Zhanhan could only return a bitter smile.
Dongxiang City…
The name of this place had already changed to Dongxiang City. Lin Clan was once prosperous so their residence was situated at Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region, even though it was at the outskirts.
They quickly reached the place where the Lin Residence once was. There was another manor in its place. It was rather large and seemed to have been built in the past few decades. As most of the buildings here were over a few centuries old and even some which were over a few millennia, the building was comparatively new. It looked very normal and sturdy and the interior seemed to be decorated based on the owner own preference. Qing Shui and his companions got down from the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. They stood in front of the manor, the land belonged to the Lin Clan once but now 'Huo Residence' was carved outside. Qing Shui quickly noticed Lin Zhanhan's furious face. Lin Zhanhan glared at the two words with his reddened eyes, trembling slightly with anger.
"Grandfather Lin, who are these people?"
Who else could make Lin Zhanhan so angry? Qing Shui already knew the answer but he still asked that question.
"The people from the Huo Clan are Elders in Lion King’s Ridge. They are the ones who used the name of Lion King’s Ridge to drive my Lin Clan to such a state. They wanted to get the techniques of Heavenly Talisman from our Lin Clan. They knew that it was our pride." Lin Zhanhan continued trembling with fury as he stared at that board with those two words.
Qing Shui lifted his hands.
"Boom!"
The huge signboard with the words' Huo Residence' fell to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust. It split into pieces upon hitting the floor.
"Grandfather Lin, you can vent your anger today! We will start with the Huo residence!" Qing Shui exclaimed shortly after the signboard fell.
"Bastards! You don't know who you're dealing with! How dare you create trouble at our Huo Residence! I'll get my brothers to get you!" the leader of the guards at the gate shouted when he saw the signboard on the ground but he did not rush forward. Instead, he instructed his men to attack.
Qing Shui and his companions did not move. Lin Zhanhan released his Shadow Demonic Panther.
The large Shadow Demonic Panther was like a demon, its large body moved stealthly like a fleeting shadow and erased those men from existence.
This was all part of Qing Shui's plan. Carrying this grudge for so long, he knew that it was best for Lin Zhanhan to do this with his own hands. The reason he fed Lin Zhanhan's Shadow Demonic Panther low-grade Sacred Beast Pills was not only for the old man's protection and the safety of his Qing Clan. The main reason was so that Lin Zhanhan could use his own demonic beast to kill his enemies and vent his pent up frustration.
In a split second, all the men were killed. For now, the man who shouted previously was still alive, that man ran toward the main building yelling desperately. Suddenly, they heard multiple footsteps heading their way and quite a few people flew down from the air.
There were young and old men, there were guards wearing armor and also Elders from the Huo Clan who were clad in lavish clothes with lion emblems.
They were from Lion King’s Ridge!
"Huo Sanxing, do you still remember me, Lin Zhanhan?!" Lin Zhanhan hollered, the anger in his voice was on the verge of insanity. His eyes glowed furiously as he stared at an old man in embroidered clothes, who was floating in the air.
That old man had a Lion emblem from the Lion King's Ridge sewn on his clothes. He frowned when he saw Lin Zhanhan but once he heard that name, he relaxed his brows.
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AST 1103 – Kill, Lin Clan's descendants, Lin Zhanhan's woes
Though the Shadow Demonic Panther was powerful and had no trouble killing some normal people and cultivators whose strengths were below the restrictions of the laws of Heavens and Earth, it was no threat to Huo Sanxing.
"Lin Zhanhan, after all these years, why didn't you just hide and lead the remaining days of your life quietly? Do you think I can't kill you?" Huo Sanxing's replied disdainfully with a coarse threatening voice.
"If I say that I'm here to collect the debt you owe me, I wonder if you could still laugh aloud." Despite the previous massacre and outburst, Lin Zhanhan managed to calm himself down so he wasn't as agitated as before.
"Hahaha! Of course I can. Do you know that you're just an ant in my eyes. You’re not even worth my laughter." Huo Sanxing burst into a fit of raucous laughter.
"Grandfather Lin, let’s keep these people here," Qing Shui leaned over and said to Lin Zhanhan. Lin Zhanhan nodded with a sigh.
"Was anyone from Lin Clan spared?" Qing Shui asked as he looked at Huo Sanxing.
"Who are you? Why should we tell you?" Huo Sanxing replied as he looked at Qing Shui with contempt. How powerful could an associate of Lin Zhanhan be? Huo Sanxing simply couldn’t be bothered dealing with Qing Shui, it was a joke to him that they even declared that they’d deliver justice for what happened to the Lin Clan. Since many members of Lion King's Ridge were actually involved in that affair, did that mean that they were going to annihilate the entire sect? What a joke!
Qing Shui was dumbfounded. How could that old man spout out such rude words? Seeing that old man’s contemptuous expression and hearing his insolent tone, Qing Shui slapped Huo Sanxing's mouth traversing the distance between them in an instant.
Smack!
A crisp sound rang out in the air as Huo Sanxing spat out some blood and a few broken teeth. Qing Shui didn’t move that fast, many people even saw a glimpse of Qing Shui's palm but no one could process what had just happened.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone, to the extent that some of them even forgot to breathe. Huo Sanxing was the pillar of the Huo Clan and one of the Elders in Lion King's Ridge. He had a prestigious status and was highly regarded, yet they had just witnessed him being slapped on the mouth…
"How could you speak so crudely at your age? I don’t understand how a person like you has even survived to today. I’m going to ask you the same question. If you don’t answer me properly, I’ll chop off one of your arms. Once I’ve chopped off both arms, I’ll chop off your legs. After that, it’ll be your head. Was anyone from Lin Clan spared?" Qing Shui didn’t use a questioning tone, he just stated his words.
"Kill…Kill him!" Huo Sanxing was caught off-guard when he felt that slap. He boiled with anger when he finally reacted to the situation, totally disregarding Qing Shui's warning.
Qing Shui shook his head and waved his left arm!
Lion King's Imprint！
A ferocious gigantic head of a lion lunged at Huo Sanxing. Qing Shui was determined to use Lion King's Ridge's own techniques to kill these people.
Roar!
Lion King's Roar!
Qing Shui revealed his true aura before he used Lion King's Imprint. Then, his explosively loud Lion King's Roar filled the air, invading every orifice like an unrelenting flood forcing at least half the people to kneel down holding their heads. Unfortunately, covering their ears was of no help as the sound seemed to tunnel directly into their brains.
Lion King's Imprint，Confine！
Boom!
The attack exploded upon contact and Huo Sanxing's left arm disappeared instantaneously. This was followed by his cries and a look of shock. "Who are you? Why do you know Lion King's Imprint? Why are you attacking members from Lion King's Ridge?"
Huo Sanxing was bewildered. How could this young man use Lion King's Imprint with such consummate precision, displaying the technique to such an extent beyond even his own skills? How could that young man have such an insane amount of spirit energy, sufficient to restrict his movements?
"I’m going to repeat myself. Was anyone from Lin Clan spared?" Qing Shui maintained his calm tone but this time his voice sounded more terrifyingly than any thunderstorm those men had ever braved.
"Yes, yes…" Since Huo Sanxing didn’t know Qing Shui's background nor his purpose, he just braced himself when he answered.
"Bring them here immediately!"Qing Shui commanded firmly, there was no room for negotiation in his tone.
"We don’t know where they are…"
Qing Shui lifted his brows and waved his arm again. A fire snake appeared, whipping out towards Huo Sanxing. With that, Huo Sanxing's remaining arm was also amputated.
Ahhh….
Lion King's Imprint had blasted one of Huo Sanxing's arms to smithereens and now his other arm fell on the ground in front of everyone, cleanly cut off from his shoulder. This sight along with Huo Sanxing's screams made all the other men tremble in fear as they lowered their heads.
"I’m going to repeat myself again. I’ll spare the person who can tell me the whereabouts of the surviving members of the Lin Clan. Otherwise everyone here will die. There’s nobody else to blame but yourselves for the many evil deeds you’ve done and for following the wrong leader." The primordial flame snake in Qing Shui's hand spat fire continuously.
" l know…"an old man stood up after quite a long silence.
"Are you certain? If I find that you lied to me, I’ll definitely let you die in a more painful manner," Qing Shui threatened.
"I’m not lying. At that time, I felt that those two children were too young so I sent them away secretly. They still live around here. They already have huge families of their own," the old man sighed and explained without hesitation.
Lin Zhanhan trembled with emotion. He was so happy that he couldn’t say a word. Those must be his grandson and granddaughter. Now, they even have their own families…
"Bring us to meet them!"
"Okay!"
"You can all go first. I’ll follow shortly," Qing Shui said to Lin Zhanhan and the women.
After a few minutes, the Huo residence was burnt to ashes along with the entire property.
When he walked out of the residence, the old man turned back to look at the destroyed residence. He heard a few short cries and then silence. The young man returned very quickly.
100 li was not a long distance for any of them but they still rode on a beast carriage as that was a little faster. Otherwise, they would have to fly there.
"Old sire, what’s your name?" Qing Shui asked on the carriage.
"I’m Cheng En!"
"How are they now?" Qing Shui asked with a smile.
"At that time, they were very young so they only have very vague memories of what happened. Furthermore, they’re just normal people. Naturally, they gradually forgot about matters in the martial world. A man, with the surname Yu, brought both of them up," Chen En said with a sigh.
He couldn’t tell if it was his kindness he displayed at that crucial point in the past that saved his life.
After 15 minutes, the beast carriage stopped in a remote place. Transportation was inconvenient,and it even felt a bit like a village. Qing Shui was quite surprised that there were still poor people and underdeveloped areas in such a prosperous place like Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region.
The buildings here were large; they had two storeys and even a courtyard which meant that they had quite a unrestricted use of land. This was probably because this place was at the edge of Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region so the powerful and the influential don’t fancy living here.
The house was quarter of a hectare and had a common design. It had a red door and the wall surrounding the property was about three meters. The house itself had two storeys. It was sturdy, big and looked suitable for a big family.
Cheng En brought along Lin Zhanghan, Qing Shui and the others into the courtyard. They saw a dozen children playing, there were girls and boys in thick clothes. A few old men were drinking tea and playing chess,they were also wearing thick winter wear because of the cold weather but looked well-built. Even the young boys were as bulky as buffalo, while the girls were as muscular as leopards.
"Yu Rong, there’s someone here to meet you," Cheng En said when he entered the courtyard.
"Uncle Cheng! You’re here!" one of the men playing chess stood up and reacted immediately. Over the years, Cheng En had given him quite a lot of help.
Then, he looked at the group of people who just came in. He was shocked when he saw Lin Zhanhan because that man’s appearance was still the same. Even though he didn’t remember the events that happened previously that clearly, he could still remember and recognize his grandfather’s face.
"Bao Hong…" Lin Zhanhan called out to him emotionally, using this name
"Grandfather…you’re my grandfather…" he always remembered that his actual name was Bao Hong, just that his name was changed to Yu Rong. …… Bao Hong looked almost as old as Lin Zhanhan. Because he was just not a cultivator, he aged at a normal pace so it was nothing unusual. Furthermore, it was precisely because he didn’t practice any martial arts that nobody doubted their identities.
"Bao Hong, where is Bao Lan?" Lin Zhanhan asked cheerfully.
"I’ll call her." Bao Hong laughed with reddened eyes.
"You don’t have to be so anxious. Are these your grandsons and granddaughters? Can you introduce them to me?" Lin Zhanhan shouted with joy as his tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Yao'er, come over here. This is your great-great-grandfather…"
Bao Hong finally came. She was already an old granny but when she saw Lin Zhanhan she couldn’t help crying. She also had many children and grandchildren but both families were so close that they were like one big family.
Knowing how they led their lives, Lin Zhanhan became extremely happy. Even if they were normal people, as long as Lin Clan had descendants and they were happy, he was already satisfied. But for his Lin Clan to only have these two survivors…
Lin Zhanhan no longer wished for them to become powerful cultivators. He didn’t want to disrupt their peaceful lives since they were already comfortable with their current lifestyles.
"Grandfather Lin, let’s bring them along when we’re leaving. They can come live with Qing Clan!" Qing Shui suggested after considering for some time.
Lin Zhanhan shook his head, "They’ve already lived here for so many years. They’re already accustomed to this place. If any of them wish to become stronger and have been working towards that, we can bring them back to the Qing residence for training. Otherwise, we should just let them continue living here."
After everything, Lin Zhanhan had already let go of a lot of his convictions. He even stopped reminiscing about Lin Clan's past glory. To him, he had already realized that there would always be people who were stronger. A normal person might lead the safest life, as long as they led proper lives, they could continue their lineage, generation after generation.
As the saying goes, good fortune doesn’t last past three generations. If they continued as a family of cultivators, there was a risk that they’d get hurt. There were already too many sects and clans which have been erased from existence and Lin Clan had already had an unforgettable experience. Lin Zhanhan had been separated from them for too long so he didn’t want to influence their decisions. After all, they were already normal people who led normal lives.
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AST 1104 – A man must kill and kill without mercy
Qing Shui was a little stunned by Lin Zhanhan's decision but he quickly responded with a smile. He felt that Lin Zhanhan's decision was the best outcome. To Qing Shui, the best way of dealing with things was to adapt to the natural flow of things and direct them accordingly rather than using brute force to control all situations.
The Huo residence had already been totally razed to the ground. It seemed like a simple feat but it had been something impossible for Lin Zhanhan for so long. The destruction of Huo residence was of great significance to Lin Zhanhan and finding that Lin Clan still had descendants had also fulfilled some of his long-time desires. With that, he found some relief from the anger and grievances that he carried with him all these years.
Feeling that a large burden had been lifted, Lin Zhanhan couldn't help feeling that the weather was great even though there was barely any sunlight, he wore his happiest smile on his face.
Some people say that a person's life is determined by the sum of their emotions, so people should live life to their fullest and not let anyone look down on them. If a person is extremely depressed everyday, their lives would also be very bitter and difficult. In the worst case scenario, it would be worse than death and they would just breakdown.
Qing Shui knew how difficult it was for both Lin Zhanhan and Yiye Jiange, so he never stopped working towards resolving the issues which haunted them for so long. This was because he already treated their burdens as his. No man lives on an island. He felt that it was too selfish to just live for himself and he wouldn't be happy if he chose to live that way. To him, happiness can be very simple. Seeing the happy faces of his family, lovers and friends already brought him great joy!
The people from Huo Clan were members of Lion King’s Ridge so killing them today meant that Qing Shui and his group were officially challenging Lion King’s Ridge. Furthermore, they were in Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region where Lion King’s Ridge had a colossal influence so their actions were an obvious provocation.
To such a sect, this was a humiliation that they could not ignore. If one of their men was killed, they would kill the murderer's entire family just to show their status and power and to warn others that they could not be offended.
However, Qing Shui was very difficult to track because he used Nine Continents Steps Effect to travel around. Even if the people from Lion King's Ridge followed him closely, they needed time to catch up with him. Thus, they were still unable to find for him even after searching for him for some time.
Qing Shui and his group stayed in Lin Zhanhan's grandchildren's house for a day. Qing Shui actually wanted Lin Zhanhan to stay here until they were ready to fetch him but he insisted on going along with them as he argued that him staying there would attract the attention of others.
Qing Shui was not sure what Lin Zhanhan said to Bao Hong and Bao Lan, he could only guess that it was their family matters. When they left, they did not leave them any gifts. Qing Shui only told Cheng En to take care of that family.
If they didn't want to disrupt their peaceful lives, they knew they couldn't leave any gifts for them or give them any other ideas. Just as they came with a warning, they left quietly without any commotion.
"Qing Shui, Grandfather Lin needs to thank you!" Lin Zhanhan said happily with an earnest tone while they were riding the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant.
"Grandfather Lin, we are family, you don't have to be so courteous to me. I'll feel awkward," Qing Shui laughed.
Lin Zhanhan grinned and did not say anything else. Qing Shui turned and flashed a smile at Yiye Jiange, she couldn't help wanting to thank Qing Shui sometimes but Qing Shui always took advantage of that…
When Qing Shui noticed Yiye Jiange's hesitation and her slight intention to avoid him, he chuckled and stealthily stroked her back. Yiye Jiange made a scoffing sound and turned her head away.
Such interactions gave Qing Shui an exceptionally good mood, he enjoyed them and they lifted his spirits.
He was especially delighted to see Yiye Jiange blushing and would have continued with his teasing if no one else was around them.
After they had flown for some time, Qing Shui started thinking about the place in Peng Meng Mountains. He decided that he would go there after he settled the matter with Lion King’s Ridge and before going to the Four Continents. He wanted to test his luck to see if there was anything special there.
Lion King’s Ridge was located within a man-made valley in a large mountain range and supposedly it took numerous workers to develope the area. The sect had many disciples of elite calibre and they were spread throughout every city north of the Northern Sea and they were usually the leaders of the cities.
There were definitely other groups which had the capability of challenging Lion King's Ridge's influence and power and perhaps more than one expected but most of them were weaker than the latter. However, Lion King's Ridge would have to risk too much to take over these groups. To avoid losses from both parties, these other groups usually avoided confrontation with Lion King's Ridge and vice versa.
To the contrary, Qing Shui had been searching out Lion King's Ridge members in each city throughout their journey, killing off all powerful members.
Within 10 days, Qing Shui had already killed over 1000 Lion King's Ridge members and each of them was of a certain standard. About 100 of them were even Martial Emperor and above. He felt that he hadn't reached a unconceivable realm in terms of such massacres but he felt that he could in the future….
A man must kill without mercy[1] Killing is a never-ending cause. In the past, people spoke of promises and brotherhood. There were villains who killed indiscriminately, for a mere infraction, disregarding the value of life. Then, there were also heroes and warlords, who killed countless men… Killing a person every three steps, Killing even if one's heart stopped. Blood flowing like a river, Corpses piling up like mountains…
The strong will prey on the weak, this is the law of nature. This will not change even if one has principles. Don't ask anymore, for a man has his own ways. A man must be cruel and vicious. Ignore morality and benevolence. A man must show his worth on a battlefield. With the courage of a bear and the savagery of a wolf. As a man, one must kill. A man knows how to protect his loved ones without ever being taught.
Kill one man and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men and you are a hero. Kill them all and you are a hero among heroes. Yet all heroes profess a different purpose. Disillusioned by the facade of morality, Seeking only to be known. Preferring infamy to good reputation, Feeling no guilt even after killing millions…
Qing Shui did not wish to be a hero, much less a hero among heroes. He wanted to live for himself and for the people he cared for. He did not wish to kill even one innocent person. He believed that people who killed indiscriminately have their reasons, so those words are merely an ideal.
Qing Shui felt heavy-hearted when he thought of this massacre song, the number of people he killed was still far from that described in the lyrics but he still had many years ahead of him… Actually, this series of events had made him uneasy, he was afraid that he would unintentionally take the path of bloodlust… ……
Qing Shui did not know why Lion King's Ridge hadn't take any action. Was it because they were too large to care about this because it was all too common? Or were they waiting for him to be negligent so that they could stealthily deliver a lethal blow.
Copper Pot City…
Copper Pot City was not far from Lion King's Mountain, it was already considered the central zone of Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region. Lion King's Mountain was at the north of Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region and there were many powerful groups nearby.
Copper Pot City got its name because it looks like a huge copper pot from the sky. There was a Copper Pot Spring in the city. Many cultivators looked forward to bathing in the extremely famous Copper Pot Hot Spring here because it could relieve tiredness, boost one's immune system and help people to reach breakthroughs.
At least, it was rumored that it had such benefits. The claims about the breakthroughs were questionable. Perhaps, there was such an incident which later added to the mysterious properties of this hot spring but it could indeed relieve tiredness, boost immunity and boost one's cultivation a little.
In addition, due to its central position, various groups have branches in the city including Lion King's Ridge. Of all these groups, Lion King's Ridge's branch was the strongest, at least in name.
This was an important branch which was governed by two Supreme Elders and one Elder. There were also quite a lot of normal members. Actually, not many members actually stayed within Lion King's Mountain. In fact, the ones there were all living fossils.
They were the foundations of Lion King’s Ridge and the trump cards of the sect. They were so powerful that they could communicate with people from the Four Continents. Qing Shui heard about them throughout their journey. This information was not secret so he obtained it easily.
The Lion King’s Ridge branch in the west of Copper Pot City. The people from the groups in the city were not only cultivators, their families and disciples all ran businesses such as cloth shops, auction houses, etc to amass wealth or medicinal herbs.
The larger the sect or aristocratic clan was, the more important wealth was to them so it was common for them to gain rare treasure by using certain underhanded schemes or adventurers in their group would organize treasure hunts…
Not long after Qing Shui group arrived in Copper Pot City, more than ten humongous demonic beasts flew towards them.
Lion King’s Ridge!
Once he saw their clothes of the riders, he knew they were from Lion King’s Ridge.
Qing Shui smiled because this was the first time that Lion King's Ridge took a proactive approach. It wasn't much of a surprise to Qing Shui that they could find him as his group had been killing their members all throughout their journey and he did not make any attempts to hide their whereabouts.
Two old men led the Lion King's Ridge group, they floated in the air without any demonic beasts, as their white long hair flowed to their ankles. Their faces were covered with deep wrinkles, like dried tree bark. At that moment, they looked calmly at Qing Shui's group.
The youngest men among them were also past middle-age. They looked over fifty but were probably older and they were also eyeing Qing Shui and his companions.
Yiye Jiange, Yiye Tian and Luan Luan were on Qing Shui's left side while Lin Zhanhan and little Fatty were on his right. The other women were at the rear.
"So you are the one who wants to get revenge for the Yiye Clan!" the old man said to Qing Shui, without any joy or anger. He sounded just like a thousand year old tree.
All this while, Qing Shui had been openly announcing his intentions to seek revenge for the Yiye Clan, on behalf of Yiye Tian and Yiye Jiange!
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TN: [1] Part of a prose written in remembrance of Nanking massacre
AST 1102 – Huo Sanxing, do you still remember me, Lin Zhanhan!
Golden Fragrance Jade？
Qing Shui didn't expect the next recipe to be Golden Fragrance Jade. In his memory, Golden Fragrance Jade was not an medicine but rather a type of Jade. It was a beautiful jade which emanated an alluring fragrance. It was a sort of rare item which people had tried to find for a long time and was only recorded in historical annals. It did not have an extraordinary appearance but there have been sayings like "You wouldn't be able to tell even if you see a Golden Fragrance Jade" or "You wouldn't be able to buy a Golden Fragrance Jade even if you had money".
The Golden Fragrance Jade with an alchemy recipe must meant that it was as rare as a Golden Fragrance Jade. Or otherwise, it could also refer to Golden Fragrance Jade who is an immortal. The medicine she created was extremely valuable. Thus, there is a legend that Golden Fragrance Jade could also cure illnesses.
500,000 experience points wasn't considered a lot but that didn't mean that it was not valuable. Medicinal Pills could be classified into two general types: one-time effect or permanent effect. A alchemy recipe for a one-time effect medicinal pill requiring 500,000 experience points definitely seemed rarer than a medicinal pill with permanent effect which required 1,000,000 experience points.
Shaking his head, he looked through the ingredients required for making Spiritual Drops. 10,000 Spiritual Limestone, Mysterious Fruit, Five Element Fruit, Feathered Spirit Grass and Spiritual Crystal. He already had Five Element Fruit and Mysterious Fruit. He could tell that Feathered Spirit Grass was a medicinal herb but he had never heard of it before.
Qing Shui heard about 10,000 year Spiritual Limestone before. It formed from the ceiling drippings of rocks in certain old caves where the accumulation of spiritual energy was high.
Qing Shui also had information about spiritual crystals. Spiritual crystal were very rare. They were a type of crystal which formed in a Spirit beast's brain when their strength was higher than 10,000 stars. But its occurrence was by luck and if one was unlucky, it would not appear even after killing over 10,000 demonic beasts. Of course, when the demonic beast was stronger, the chances of it possessing a spiritual crystal also increased.
As there was no description about the effects of Spiritual Drops, Qing Shui felt a little dispirited but he wasn't too concerned about it. He would know that once he created it. More importantly, the ingredients were all very difficult to obtain. After all, with Mysterious Fruit and Five Element Fruit in the list, he could already tell the value of the medicine. ……
After a few days, Qing Shui and his group finally reached the Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region. Once they entered the region, the first impression that Qing Shui had was that it was cold but it had a sort of refreshing feeling ladened with energy. The cold air was filled with spiritual qi, even denser than that of the Eastern Victory Divine. This was also the reason that there were many expert cultivators here.
However, that was not the reason Qing Shui was in awe of this place. The thing that surprised him was that the effects of the laws of Heaven and Earth was at least 10% weaker. That was to say that people here could exceed the normal restrictions of this law by up to 10%. That was probably why this place attracted even more powerful cultivators.
Qing Shui remembered Qiu Feng's warnings about other cultivators who could ignore the laws of Heaven and Earth but with his current ability, he wasn't that worried. However, as long as that law existed here, Qing Shui was confident that he could eliminate all the obstructions before him. Even a large sect like Lion King’s Ridge was nothing to him. With these thoughts, he unconsciously clenched his fists. He was doing this all for a woman and Yiye Jiange's image surfaced in his mind.
She had a pair of resplendent eyes which shone like the luminous moon and her beauty was heart-stopping. Then, she had that incredible aura, with her hair bundled up using her ivory jade hairpin. Her jade-like body underneath those feathered clothes had the most perfect gentle curves. Her god-sculpted proportions were just right and put women with big bosoms and buttocks to shame. She was like an immortal that exuded purity, like one untainted by the secular world, one who lives in a valley hidden away from the vulgarity of common life.
Qing Shui was in a daze as he sat on his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. His eyes drifted to Yiye Jiange who was nearby. He did not look at her with lust but with a sort of infatuation and a hint of something indescribable.
A person can feel someone gazing at them from the back, furthermore, Qing Shui was looking at her from her side. Yiye Jiange had actually noticed Qing Shui looking at her for some time. But when she turned to catch a glimpse of him, she was slightly stunned and felt a little nervous because Qing Shui was gazing at her with a longing expression…
The other women also quickly noticed this but Qing Shui realized this when he saw Yiye Jiange's reaction so he shook himself out of his daze. Qing Shui's face was a little red as he laughed awkwardly. Yiye Jiange was also blushing, she looked different, she seemed moved by him and there was an indescribable sweetness about her.
"Sister Jiange, I'm so jealous. That person has never looked at me like that," Di Qing said half-truthfully, she was sitting in front of Yiye Jiange.
Hai Dongqing and Yu He joined in, laughing, throwing a few fake bitter glances at Qing Shui. Actually, Yu He was rooting for them and Di Qing liked teasing Qing Shui but there was definitely a tinge of woman's jealousy in their expressions.
Luan Luan chuckled gleefully as she sat beside Qing Shui.
"Daddy!"
Little Fatty, Lin Zhanhan and Yiye Jiange were sitting at the tail of the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant so they were about ten meters away so they couldn't really hear his conversation with Luan Luan.
"Little Lass, what do you want to say?" Qing Shui asked his grown-up daughter.
"I was wondering when you will get married to my mom," Luan Luan laughed cheekily.
"Children shouldn't interfere with grown-up matters. I am already preparing the gifts for my proposal." Qing Shui rubbed Luan Luan's head.
"Daddy, I am already an adult. Could you not rub my head like this." Luan Luan pouted.
"No. Even if you're an adult, you'll always be my daughter. I'll rub your head even more!" Qing Shui laughed.
…… After they reached the Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region, they advanced forward with Qing Shui's Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant so that they could be more familiar with the terrain. They continued north and saw that the buildings in this region were all very tall and majestic-looking! The people who lived here also had a sort of wild, hardy aura. All of them looked unaffected by the climate.
"Grandfather Lin, let's go to the Lin Residence to have a look. It shouldn't be far," Qing Shui suggested to Lin Zhanhan.
"Okay, though I'm not hopeful. I am the only one left in the Lin Clan," Lin Zhanhan lamented as he sighed and shook his head. Even if those events happened so long ago, it was still painful for him.
"Grandfather Lin, don't be too sad. Maybe, the people from Lion King’s Ridge didn't kill everyone. Perhaps, there are still survivors." Qing Shui consoled with a smile.
"Hopefully!" Lin Zhanhan could only return a bitter smile.
Dongxiang City…
The name of this place had already changed to Dongxiang City. Lin Clan was once prosperous so their residence was situated at Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region, even though it was at the outskirts.
They quickly reached the place where the Lin Residence once was. There was another manor in its place. It was rather large and seemed to have been built in the past few decades. As most of the buildings here were over a few centuries old and even some which were over a few millennia, the building was comparatively new. It looked very normal and sturdy and the interior seemed to be decorated based on the owner own preference. Qing Shui and his companions got down from the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. They stood in front of the manor, the land belonged to the Lin Clan once but now 'Huo Residence' was carved outside. Qing Shui quickly noticed Lin Zhanhan's furious face. Lin Zhanhan glared at the two words with his reddened eyes, trembling slightly with anger.
"Grandfather Lin, who are these people?"
Who else could make Lin Zhanhan so angry? Qing Shui already knew the answer but he still asked that question.
"The people from the Huo Clan are Elders in Lion King’s Ridge. They are the ones who used the name of Lion King’s Ridge to drive my Lin Clan to such a state. They wanted to get the techniques of Heavenly Talisman from our Lin Clan. They knew that it was our pride." Lin Zhanhan continued trembling with fury as he stared at that board with those two words.
Qing Shui lifted his hands.
"Boom!"
The huge signboard with the words' Huo Residence' fell to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust. It split into pieces upon hitting the floor.
"Grandfather Lin, you can vent your anger today! We will start with the Huo residence!" Qing Shui exclaimed shortly after the signboard fell.
"Bastards! You don't know who you're dealing with! How dare you create trouble at our Huo Residence! I'll get my brothers to get you!" the leader of the guards at the gate shouted when he saw the signboard on the ground but he did not rush forward. Instead, he instructed his men to attack.
Qing Shui and his companions did not move. Lin Zhanhan released his Shadow Demonic Panther.
The large Shadow Demonic Panther was like a demon, its large body moved stealthly like a fleeting shadow and erased those men from existence.
This was all part of Qing Shui's plan. Carrying this grudge for so long, he knew that it was best for Lin Zhanhan to do this with his own hands. The reason he fed Lin Zhanhan's Shadow Demonic Panther low-grade Sacred Beast Pills was not only for the old man's protection and the safety of his Qing Clan. The main reason was so that Lin Zhanhan could use his own demonic beast to kill his enemies and vent his pent up frustration.
In a split second, all the men were killed. For now, the man who shouted previously was still alive, that man ran toward the main building yelling desperately. Suddenly, they heard multiple footsteps heading their way and quite a few people flew down from the air.
There were young and old men, there were guards wearing armor and also Elders from the Huo Clan who were clad in lavish clothes with lion emblems.
They were from Lion King’s Ridge!
"Huo Sanxing, do you still remember me, Lin Zhanhan?!" Lin Zhanhan hollered, the anger in his voice was on the verge of insanity. His eyes glowed furiously as he stared at an old man in embroidered clothes, who was floating in the air.
That old man had a Lion emblem from the Lion King's Ridge sewn on his clothes. He frowned when he saw Lin Zhanhan but once he heard that name, he relaxed his brows.
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Note: I’m back from the army, bonus chapter releases will resume next week!
AST 1103 – Kill, Lin Clan's descendants, Lin Zhanhan's woes
Though the Shadow Demonic Panther was powerful and had no trouble killing some normal people and cultivators whose strengths were below the restrictions of the laws of Heavens and Earth, it was no threat to Huo Sanxing.
"Lin Zhanhan, after all these years, why didn't you just hide and lead the remaining days of your life quietly? Do you think I can't kill you?" Huo Sanxing's replied disdainfully with a coarse threatening voice.
"If I say that I'm here to collect the debt you owe me, I wonder if you could still laugh aloud." Despite the previous massacre and outburst, Lin Zhanhan managed to calm himself down so he wasn't as agitated as before.
"Hahaha! Of course I can. Do you know that you're just an ant in my eyes. You’re not even worth my laughter." Huo Sanxing burst into a fit of raucous laughter.
"Grandfather Lin, let’s keep these people here," Qing Shui leaned over and said to Lin Zhanhan. Lin Zhanhan nodded with a sigh.
"Was anyone from Lin Clan spared?" Qing Shui asked as he looked at Huo Sanxing.
"Who are you? Why should we tell you?" Huo Sanxing replied as he looked at Qing Shui with contempt. How powerful could an associate of Lin Zhanhan be? Huo Sanxing simply couldn’t be bothered dealing with Qing Shui, it was a joke to him that they even declared that they’d deliver justice for what happened to the Lin Clan. Since many members of Lion King's Ridge were actually involved in that affair, did that mean that they were going to annihilate the entire sect? What a joke!
Qing Shui was dumbfounded. How could that old man spout out such rude words? Seeing that old man’s contemptuous expression and hearing his insolent tone, Qing Shui slapped Huo Sanxing's mouth traversing the distance between them in an instant.
Smack!
A crisp sound rang out in the air as Huo Sanxing spat out some blood and a few broken teeth. Qing Shui didn’t move that fast, many people even saw a glimpse of Qing Shui's palm but no one could process what had just happened.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone, to the extent that some of them even forgot to breathe. Huo Sanxing was the pillar of the Huo Clan and one of the Elders in Lion King's Ridge. He had a prestigious status and was highly regarded, yet they had just witnessed him being slapped on the mouth…
"How could you speak so crudely at your age? I don’t understand how a person like you has even survived to today. I’m going to ask you the same question. If you don’t answer me properly, I’ll chop off one of your arms. Once I’ve chopped off both arms, I’ll chop off your legs. After that, it’ll be your head. Was anyone from Lin Clan spared?" Qing Shui didn’t use a questioning tone, he just stated his words.
"Kill…Kill him!" Huo Sanxing was caught off-guard when he felt that slap. He boiled with anger when he finally reacted to the situation, totally disregarding Qing Shui's warning.
Qing Shui shook his head and waved his left arm!
Lion King's Imprint！
A ferocious gigantic head of a lion lunged at Huo Sanxing. Qing Shui was determined to use Lion King's Ridge's own techniques to kill these people.
Roar!
Lion King's Roar!
Qing Shui revealed his true aura before he used Lion King's Imprint. Then, his explosively loud Lion King's Roar filled the air, invading every orifice like an unrelenting flood forcing at least half the people to kneel down holding their heads. Unfortunately, covering their ears was of no help as the sound seemed to tunnel directly into their brains.
Lion King's Imprint，Confine！
Boom!
The attack exploded upon contact and Huo Sanxing's left arm disappeared instantaneously. This was followed by his cries and a look of shock. "Who are you? Why do you know Lion King's Imprint? Why are you attacking members from Lion King's Ridge?"
Huo Sanxing was bewildered. How could this young man use Lion King's Imprint with such consummate precision, displaying the technique to such an extent beyond even his own skills? How could that young man have such an insane amount of spirit energy, sufficient to restrict his movements?
"I’m going to repeat myself. Was anyone from Lin Clan spared?" Qing Shui maintained his calm tone but this time his voice sounded more terrifyingly than any thunderstorm those men had ever braved.
"Yes, yes…" Since Huo Sanxing didn’t know Qing Shui's background nor his purpose, he just braced himself when he answered.
"Bring them here immediately!"Qing Shui commanded firmly, there was no room for negotiation in his tone.
"We don’t know where they are…"
Qing Shui lifted his brows and waved his arm again. A fire snake appeared, whipping out towards Huo Sanxing. With that, Huo Sanxing's remaining arm was also amputated.
Ahhh….
Lion King's Imprint had blasted one of Huo Sanxing's arms to smithereens and now his other arm fell on the ground in front of everyone, cleanly cut off from his shoulder. This sight along with Huo Sanxing's screams made all the other men tremble in fear as they lowered their heads.
"I’m going to repeat myself again. I’ll spare the person who can tell me the whereabouts of the surviving members of the Lin Clan. Otherwise everyone here will die. There’s nobody else to blame but yourselves for the many evil deeds you’ve done and for following the wrong leader." The primordial flame snake in Qing Shui's hand spat fire continuously.
" l know…"an old man stood up after quite a long silence.
"Are you certain? If I find that you lied to me, I’ll definitely let you die in a more painful manner," Qing Shui threatened.
"I’m not lying. At that time, I felt that those two children were too young so I sent them away secretly. They still live around here. They already have huge families of their own," the old man sighed and explained without hesitation.
Lin Zhanhan trembled with emotion. He was so happy that he couldn’t say a word. Those must be his grandson and granddaughter. Now, they even have their own families…
"Bring us to meet them!"
"Okay!"
"You can all go first. I’ll follow shortly," Qing Shui said to Lin Zhanhan and the women.
After a few minutes, the Huo residence was burnt to ashes along with the entire property.
When he walked out of the residence, the old man turned back to look at the destroyed residence. He heard a few short cries and then silence. The young man returned very quickly.
100 li was not a long distance for any of them but they still rode on a beast carriage as that was a little faster. Otherwise, they would have to fly there.
"Old sire, what’s your name?" Qing Shui asked on the carriage.
"I’m Cheng En!"
"How are they now?" Qing Shui asked with a smile.
"At that time, they were very young so they only have very vague memories of what happened. Furthermore, they’re just normal people. Naturally, they gradually forgot about matters in the martial world. A man, with the surname Yu, brought both of them up," Chen En said with a sigh.
He couldn’t tell if it was his kindness he displayed at that crucial point in the past that saved his life.
After 15 minutes, the beast carriage stopped in a remote place. Transportation was inconvenient,and it even felt a bit like a village. Qing Shui was quite surprised that there were still poor people and underdeveloped areas in such a prosperous place like Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region.
The buildings here were large; they had two storeys and even a courtyard which meant that they had quite a unrestricted use of land. This was probably because this place was at the edge of Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region so the powerful and the influential don’t fancy living here.
The house was quarter of a hectare and had a common design. It had a red door and the wall surrounding the property was about three meters. The house itself had two storeys. It was sturdy, big and looked suitable for a big family.
Cheng En brought along Lin Zhanghan, Qing Shui and the others into the courtyard. They saw a dozen children playing, there were girls and boys in thick clothes. A few old men were drinking tea and playing chess,they were also wearing thick winter wear because of the cold weather but looked well-built. Even the young boys were as bulky as buffalo, while the girls were as muscular as leopards.
"Yu Rong, there’s someone here to meet you," Cheng En said when he entered the courtyard.
"Uncle Cheng! You’re here!" one of the men playing chess stood up and reacted immediately. Over the years, Cheng En had given him quite a lot of help.
Then, he looked at the group of people who just came in. He was shocked when he saw Lin Zhanhan because that man’s appearance was still the same. Even though he didn’t remember the events that happened previously that clearly, he could still remember and recognize his grandfather’s face.
"Bao Hong…" Lin Zhanhan called out to him emotionally, using this name
"Grandfather…you’re my grandfather…" he always remembered that his actual name was Bao Hong, just that his name was changed to Yu Rong. …… Bao Hong looked almost as old as Lin Zhanhan. Because he was just not a cultivator, he aged at a normal pace so it was nothing unusual. Furthermore, it was precisely because he didn’t practice any martial arts that nobody doubted their identities.
"Bao Hong, where is Bao Lan?" Lin Zhanhan asked cheerfully.
"I’ll call her." Bao Hong laughed with reddened eyes.
"You don’t have to be so anxious. Are these your grandsons and granddaughters? Can you introduce them to me?" Lin Zhanhan shouted with joy as his tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Yao'er, come over here. This is your great-great-grandfather…"
Bao Hong finally came. She was already an old granny but when she saw Lin Zhanhan she couldn’t help crying. She also had many children and grandchildren but both families were so close that they were like one big family.
Knowing how they led their lives, Lin Zhanhan became extremely happy. Even if they were normal people, as long as Lin Clan had descendants and they were happy, he was already satisfied. But for his Lin Clan to only have these two survivors…
Lin Zhanhan no longer wished for them to become powerful cultivators. He didn’t want to disrupt their peaceful lives since they were already comfortable with their current lifestyles.
"Grandfather Lin, let’s bring them along when we’re leaving. They can come live with Qing Clan!" Qing Shui suggested after considering for some time.
Lin Zhanhan shook his head, "They’ve already lived here for so many years. They’re already accustomed to this place. If any of them wish to become stronger and have been working towards that, we can bring them back to the Qing residence for training. Otherwise, we should just let them continue living here."
After everything, Lin Zhanhan had already let go of a lot of his convictions. He even stopped reminiscing about Lin Clan's past glory. To him, he had already realized that there would always be people who were stronger. A normal person might lead the safest life, as long as they led proper lives, they could continue their lineage, generation after generation.
As the saying goes, good fortune doesn’t last past three generations. If they continued as a family of cultivators, there was a risk that they’d get hurt. There were already too many sects and clans which have been erased from existence and Lin Clan had already had an unforgettable experience. Lin Zhanhan had been separated from them for too long so he didn’t want to influence their decisions. After all, they were already normal people who led normal lives.
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AST 1104 – A man must kill and kill without mercy
Qing Shui was a little stunned by Lin Zhanhan's decision but he quickly responded with a smile. He felt that Lin Zhanhan's decision was the best outcome. To Qing Shui, the best way of dealing with things was to adapt to the natural flow of things and direct them accordingly rather than using brute force to control all situations.
The Huo residence had already been totally razed to the ground. It seemed like a simple feat but it had been something impossible for Lin Zhanhan for so long. The destruction of Huo residence was of great significance to Lin Zhanhan and finding that Lin Clan still had descendants had also fulfilled some of his long-time desires. With that, he found some relief from the anger and grievances that he carried with him all these years.
Feeling that a large burden had been lifted, Lin Zhanhan couldn't help feeling that the weather was great even though there was barely any sunlight, he wore his happiest smile on his face.
Some people say that a person's life is determined by the sum of their emotions, so people should live life to their fullest and not let anyone look down on them. If a person is extremely depressed everyday, their lives would also be very bitter and difficult. In the worst case scenario, it would be worse than death and they would just breakdown.
Qing Shui knew how difficult it was for both Lin Zhanhan and Yiye Jiange, so he never stopped working towards resolving the issues which haunted them for so long. This was because he already treated their burdens as his. No man lives on an island. He felt that it was too selfish to just live for himself and he wouldn't be happy if he chose to live that way. To him, happiness can be very simple. Seeing the happy faces of his family, lovers and friends already brought him great joy!
The people from Huo Clan were members of Lion King’s Ridge so killing them today meant that Qing Shui and his group were officially challenging Lion King’s Ridge. Furthermore, they were in Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region where Lion King’s Ridge had a colossal influence so their actions were an obvious provocation.
To such a sect, this was a humiliation that they could not ignore. If one of their men was killed, they would kill the murderer's entire family just to show their status and power and to warn others that they could not be offended.
However, Qing Shui was very difficult to track because he used Nine Continents Steps Effect to travel around. Even if the people from Lion King's Ridge followed him closely, they needed time to catch up with him. Thus, they were still unable to find for him even after searching for him for some time.
Qing Shui and his group stayed in Lin Zhanhan's grandchildren's house for a day. Qing Shui actually wanted Lin Zhanhan to stay here until they were ready to fetch him but he insisted on going along with them as he argued that him staying there would attract the attention of others.
Qing Shui was not sure what Lin Zhanhan said to Bao Hong and Bao Lan, he could only guess that it was their family matters. When they left, they did not leave them any gifts. Qing Shui only told Cheng En to take care of that family.
If they didn't want to disrupt their peaceful lives, they knew they couldn't leave any gifts for them or give them any other ideas. Just as they came with a warning, they left quietly without any commotion.
"Qing Shui, Grandfather Lin needs to thank you!" Lin Zhanhan said happily with an earnest tone while they were riding the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant.
"Grandfather Lin, we are family, you don't have to be so courteous to me. I'll feel awkward," Qing Shui laughed.
Lin Zhanhan grinned and did not say anything else. Qing Shui turned and flashed a smile at Yiye Jiange, she couldn't help wanting to thank Qing Shui sometimes but Qing Shui always took advantage of that…
When Qing Shui noticed Yiye Jiange's hesitation and her slight intention to avoid him, he chuckled and stealthily stroked her back. Yiye Jiange made a scoffing sound and turned her head away.
Such interactions gave Qing Shui an exceptionally good mood, he enjoyed them and they lifted his spirits.
He was especially delighted to see Yiye Jiange blushing and would have continued with his teasing if no one else was around them.
After they had flown for some time, Qing Shui started thinking about the place in Peng Meng Mountains. He decided that he would go there after he settled the matter with Lion King’s Ridge and before going to the Four Continents. He wanted to test his luck to see if there was anything special there.
Lion King’s Ridge was located within a man-made valley in a large mountain range and supposedly it took numerous workers to develope the area. The sect had many disciples of elite calibre and they were spread throughout every city north of the Northern Sea and they were usually the leaders of the cities.
There were definitely other groups which had the capability of challenging Lion King's Ridge's influence and power and perhaps more than one expected but most of them were weaker than the latter. However, Lion King's Ridge would have to risk too much to take over these groups. To avoid losses from both parties, these other groups usually avoided confrontation with Lion King's Ridge and vice versa.
To the contrary, Qing Shui had been searching out Lion King's Ridge members in each city throughout their journey, killing off all powerful members.
Within 10 days, Qing Shui had already killed over 1000 Lion King's Ridge members and each of them was of a certain standard. About 100 of them were even Martial Emperor and above. He felt that he hadn't reached a unconceivable realm in terms of such massacres but he felt that he could in the future….
A man must kill without mercy[1] Killing is a never-ending cause. In the past, people spoke of promises and brotherhood. There were villains who killed indiscriminately, for a mere infraction, disregarding the value of life. Then, there were also heroes and warlords, who killed countless men… Killing a person every three steps, Killing even if one's heart stopped. Blood flowing like a river, Corpses piling up like mountains…
The strong will prey on the weak, this is the law of nature. This will not change even if one has principles. Don't ask anymore, for a man has his own ways. A man must be cruel and vicious. Ignore morality and benevolence. A man must show his worth on a battlefield. With the courage of a bear and the savagery of a wolf. As a man, one must kill. A man knows how to protect his loved ones without ever being taught.
Kill one man and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men and you are a hero. Kill them all and you are a hero among heroes. Yet all heroes profess a different purpose. Disillusioned by the facade of morality, Seeking only to be known. Preferring infamy to good reputation, Feeling no guilt even after killing millions…
Qing Shui did not wish to be a hero, much less a hero among heroes. He wanted to live for himself and for the people he cared for. He did not wish to kill even one innocent person. He believed that people who killed indiscriminately have their reasons, so those words are merely an ideal.
Qing Shui felt heavy-hearted when he thought of this massacre song, the number of people he killed was still far from that described in the lyrics but he still had many years ahead of him… Actually, this series of events had made him uneasy, he was afraid that he would unintentionally take the path of bloodlust… ……
Qing Shui did not know why Lion King's Ridge hadn't take any action. Was it because they were too large to care about this because it was all too common? Or were they waiting for him to be negligent so that they could stealthily deliver a lethal blow.
Copper Pot City…
Copper Pot City was not far from Lion King's Mountain, it was already considered the central zone of Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region. Lion King's Mountain was at the north of Sealed Northern Ice Emperor Region and there were many powerful groups nearby.
Copper Pot City got its name because it looks like a huge copper pot from the sky. There was a Copper Pot Spring in the city. Many cultivators looked forward to bathing in the extremely famous Copper Pot Hot Spring here because it could relieve tiredness, boost one's immune system and help people to reach breakthroughs.
At least, it was rumored that it had such benefits. The claims about the breakthroughs were questionable. Perhaps, there was such an incident which later added to the mysterious properties of this hot spring but it could indeed relieve tiredness, boost immunity and boost one's cultivation a little.
In addition, due to its central position, various groups have branches in the city including Lion King's Ridge. Of all these groups, Lion King's Ridge's branch was the strongest, at least in name.
This was an important branch which was governed by two Supreme Elders and one Elder. There were also quite a lot of normal members. Actually, not many members actually stayed within Lion King's Mountain. In fact, the ones there were all living fossils.
They were the foundations of Lion King’s Ridge and the trump cards of the sect. They were so powerful that they could communicate with people from the Four Continents. Qing Shui heard about them throughout their journey. This information was not secret so he obtained it easily.
The Lion King’s Ridge branch in the west of Copper Pot City. The people from the groups in the city were not only cultivators, their families and disciples all ran businesses such as cloth shops, auction houses, etc to amass wealth or medicinal herbs.
The larger the sect or aristocratic clan was, the more important wealth was to them so it was common for them to gain rare treasure by using certain underhanded schemes or adventurers in their group would organize treasure hunts…
Not long after Qing Shui group arrived in Copper Pot City, more than ten humongous demonic beasts flew towards them.
Lion King’s Ridge!
Once he saw their clothes of the riders, he knew they were from Lion King’s Ridge.
Qing Shui smiled because this was the first time that Lion King's Ridge took a proactive approach. It wasn't much of a surprise to Qing Shui that they could find him as his group had been killing their members all throughout their journey and he did not make any attempts to hide their whereabouts.
Two old men led the Lion King's Ridge group, they floated in the air without any demonic beasts, as their white long hair flowed to their ankles. Their faces were covered with deep wrinkles, like dried tree bark. At that moment, they looked calmly at Qing Shui's group.
The youngest men among them were also past middle-age. They looked over fifty but were probably older and they were also eyeing Qing Shui and his companions.
Yiye Jiange, Yiye Tian and Luan Luan were on Qing Shui's left side while Lin Zhanhan and little Fatty were on his right. The other women were at the rear.
"So you are the one who wants to get revenge for the Yiye Clan!" the old man said to Qing Shui, without any joy or anger. He sounded just like a thousand year old tree.
All this while, Qing Shui had been openly announcing his intentions to seek revenge for the Yiye Clan, on behalf of Yiye Tian and Yiye Jiange!
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TN: [1] Part of a prose written in remembrance of Nanking massacre
