Guang Yuan shook his head, and said in helplessness, “Boy, you don’t look like a master who settles in his place. This lord acting as your bodyguard will most definitely encounter some danger, maybe even handing over my life.”
“Don’t worry, at most a little danger, death is impossible!” Ling Han patted his shoulder.
“Whatever, now that this lord has already decided to ride on your pirate ship, there’s no need to think more of it.” Guang Yuan was one who unexpectedly met gains and losses with equanimity, no longer fussing over being Ling Han’s bodyguard for a year.
Ling Han said, “‘Three Yang breaks heaven, origin’s lock is layered’, this verbal chant is the problem when you cultivate. I met a person who was just like you, understanding those words as sealing origin power within the third backbone; this certainly can increase explosiveness, but with time, it will cause immense damage. If you continue to cultivate this way, in no less than three years, your backbone will collapse, and you’ll become a cripple.”
Guang Yuan couldn’t help but be moved. For a formidable Spiritual Ocean Tier cultivator, once their cultivation progress was lost, it was no different from dying. Moreover, with his recalcitrant personality, he often offended many people, and once he lost his cultivation, many people would definitely beat him when he was down… the terrible result of that need not be said.
“May I ask Young Master Han how this verbal chant should be interpreted?” He lowered his posture to seek guidance from Ling Han.
Ling Han smiled slightly; speaking of which, it really was coincidental. In his previous life, he met someone who cultivated the Large Sun Heaven Heart Scroll and also ‘derailed’ on that phrase of the verbal formula; moreover, the situation back then was much worse as the man’s backbone was completely shattered.
He was entrusted to refine a heaven grade pill that restored bones. Under careful consideration, he also took time to understand Large Sun Heaven Heart Scroll to be absolutely safe, and that was how he was able to see through Guang Yuan’s problem with a glance.
“Then let us talk it over,” Ling Han said.
After a few minutes, Guang Yuan revealed a faithful look; with each expression he became more solemn and respectful. In his mind, Ling Han’s status rose infinitely.
To know Large Sun Heaven Heart Scroll was already impressive, but he obtained the incomplete scroll in an ancient tomb. Knowing the technique was one thing, one only needed a superb memory to remember it.
However, Ling Han surpassed the level of learning by rote, being even more knowledgeable about it than he was. It made him him feel sudden enlightenment at times, with some parts that he normally didn’t understand instantly becoming clear.
No wonder Ling Han said that he had a chance to advance into Spiritual Pedestal Tier. Ling Han’s understanding was like that of a martial artist master, which made him feel extremely small.
Ling Han took a glance at him, and revealed a smile. Subduing Guang Yuan was only on a whim as he considered Feng Yan’s threat and how Wu Song Lin and Fu Yuan Sheng couldn’t wander behind his butt all day.
However, at most in one year, he would definitely reach Spiritual Ocean Tier and Guang Yuan would naturally be unable to help him. So, he set the period of a year; as for whether Guang Yuan wanted to leave or not, then that’d be based on whether or not he had the heart to take him under his wing.
Guang Yuan had to make arrangements, so he promised to go find Ling Han three days later at Hu Yang Academy.
“A formidable Spiritual Ocean Tier cultivator has so easily fallen under your control?” Liu Yu Tong still somewhat couldn’t believe it.
“A mere Spiritual Ocean Tier.” Ling Hang sighed. Put in his previous life, he wouldn’t even want a Spiritual Ocean Tier to watch his door, but he was too weak right now, so he’d have to make do with Spiritual Ocean Tier.
Liu Yu Tong rolled her eyes. If a formidable Spiritual Ocean Tier cultivator entered Liu family, it’d be guaranteed that Liu family’s top brass would welcome him and shower with heavy promises.
‘Will you die if you don’t show off!?’
“I’ll be Ling Han’s bodyguard too!” Hu Niu said, unwilling to be outdone.
Ling Han laughed aloud, and said, “Good, from now on, I’ll rely on Hu Niu for protection!”
Hu Niu instantly cracked a smile, appearing to be very happy.
After the three returned to the academy, Liu Yu Tong returned to her quarters, and Ling Han held Hu Niu’s hand and returned to their courtyard. From afar, he saw a girl guarding the door, glancing around with an expression full of angst.
It was Yun Shuang Shuang.
“What, is Madam Yan inviting me for a meal?” Ling Han smiled as he said.
“Please, Young Master Han, save me!” Yun Shuang Shuang kneeled abruptly onto the ground.
Chapter 200
Translator: _Dark_Angel_ Editor: Kurisu
“What’s the matter?” Ling Han asked.
Yun Shuang Shuang only continued to weep. Thankfully, this place was quite remote. Otherwise, anyone would have thought Ling Han was bullying her.
“If you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to help you? Fine, finish crying, then tell me.” Ling Han opened the door and went back in. Right when he was about to close the door, Yun Shuang Shuang squeezed in and grabbed onto the corner of his shirt with a delicate hand.
“I say, why do all of you like to grab onto the corner of my shirt? It’s understandable if it was Niu Niu, but men do this, and women do this too. I am really troubled by this,” Ling Han said, shaking his head.
“En!” Hu Niu gave a strong nod, and made her opinion clear. “Ling Han is Niu’s!”
“Milady, Milady, she…” It was obvious Yun Shuang Shuang was not in the mood for jokes. She had just opened her mouth to explain when she started to cry again.
Ling Han sighed, and said, “In three breaths’ time, if you still persist in sniveling, I’ll throw you out!”
“So mean!” Liu Ru Er walked out of the house, and glared harshly at Ling Han.
“En, it seems that it would not be enough to just simply throw one out!” Ling Han shuffled his sleeves.
“Haha, damn scoundrel, let me tell you. I have already recovered about 70% of my cultivation, and no longer need to fear your threats!” Liu Ru Er said proudly.
“Then why aren’t the two of you quickly getting lost? Everything you eat and use everyday is mine, don’t you know all that needs money?” Ling Han said in irritation.
Liu Ru Er instantly exploded in anger. She felt that this guy did not have the slightest inclination to feel tender and protective towards women. It was obvious that she and her sister were rare beauties, but this guy did not bear any ideas or intentions towards them at all. What a weirdo!
Yi, could it be that he preferred men?
That was possible. Otherwise, how could he simply ignore the charm of her sister and her?
When she thought about this, she could not help but feel a shiver all over her body.
But after being interrupted by the banter between the two of them, Yun Shuang Shuang finally regained her composure, and said, “Please take me in, Young Master Han. Shuang Shuang has no other place to go.”
“En?” Ling Han was startled, and said, “Aren’t you of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion? But you actually came here to beg me for shelter; what kind of logic is that? Do you all think that my place is a garbage collection ground? One, two, and now three, and who knows if there will be even more in the future?”
Liu Ru Er was instantly furious, and said, “Who are you calling garbage?”
“Young Master Han, Milady… Milady is too cruel!” Yun Shuang Shuang once again began to weep.
“All right, all right. Just calm yourself and speak slowly. Start from the beginning. Don’t keep speaking in one breath and crying in the next; otherwise, I really wouldn’t be able to stand it,” Ling Han said.
“Come, sit down first.” Liu Ru Er rolled her eyes at Ling Han, and
helped Yun Shuang Shuang into the house. After helping her to sit down, she even fetched a cup of hot tea to calm Yun Shuang Shuang down.
Ling Han looked at Hu Niu, and Hu Niu looked back at him. The two simultaneously shrugged. They were the real owners, but why was it they seemed more like outsiders here?
Yun Shuang Shuang held onto the cup of tea and rested for a while before finally opening her mouth and telling her story.
Yan Tian Zhao managing to awake was supposed to be a good thing, but for Yun Shuang Shuang, it was the beginning of her nightmare. She had coincidentally eavesdropped on a conversation between Lady Yan and Yan Tian Zhao—it seemed that it was not because Lady Yan wanted a place to invest her energy and hopes into that she had been adopted. Instead, there had been a different motive for her adoption right from the beginning…
She was a furnace!
Lady Yan most likely knew that her son would not be able to awaken for quite some time, but there was only so much optimal time for cultivation for a martial artist, so how could she allow her son to lag behind at the starting line.
It just so happened that she had obtained an unusual cultivation technique that was divided into two—main and subsidiary—techniques. The subsidiary technique was to be cultivated by one person, while the main technique was to be cultivated by another. When the time came, as long as the two people cultivated together, then the person who had cultivated the main technique would be able to easily “swallow” the person who had cultivated the subsidiary technique—her cultivation and even vitality!
And the cultivation technique that she had practiced since her childhood was precisely the subsidiary technique, in order for her to pave the way for Yan Tian Zhao.
The reason why they had not taken action immediately was because Yan Tian Zhao had only just awakened, and had just begun to cultivate the main technique. As long as he was slightly accomplished in his cultivation, they would take action, and by that time, not only would Yun Shuang Shuang lose all her cultivation, she would also lose her vitality. She would, in an extremely short period of time, become an old woman.
“If Milady had treated me sincerely, I am willing to die for Milady, no questions asked. But I can’t accept this!” Yun Shuang Shuang had cried so much, her eyes were red.
“She’s so evil! Too evil!” Liu Ru Er wiped her tears as well where she was standing. She was so easily moved to tears that Ling Han mocked her inside his head. ‘Hey, you’re an assassin, okay? Don’t be so emotional, all right?’
Ling Han pondered for a moment, then said, “Lady Yan has been active for so many years, and must have a very wide system of connections and a similarly wide information network in the Imperial City. The fact that you’re staying here would not be able to stay hidden for very long. At that time, when Lady Yan comes to seek you out, would you be able to resist?”
If she decided that she wanted to take her adopted daughter with her, that would be a right and proper thing. Even the laws of the Empire would side with Lady Yan—if Ling Han attempted to stop her, then it would be he who had kidnapped her daughter.
Ling Han had his backers, but so did Lady Yan, and her backer was also very powerful.
Yun Shuang Shuang could not help but pale, and began to shudder. She would rather die than be taken back by Lady Yan.
“That’s right. Those two girls should have mostly recovered from their injuries. Why don’t you go with them and leave Rain Country?” Ling Han suggested to Yun Shuang Shuang. That would be great; he’d be able to solve three huge problems in one go.
“Who told you we were leaving Rain Country?” Liu Ru Er leaped up. “I am definitely going to kill that traitor!”
“I think you’re more likely to die than kill anyone!” Ling Han pointed out, dampening her enthusiasm, and continued, “It would be better if the two of you return and work hard on your cultivation. Xu Ke Xin has been deceived once, so she would definitely not fall into the trap a second time. The two of you no longer have the chance to set up a trap to ambush her.”
Liu Ru Er pouted. She wanted to argue, but knew that Ling Han was telling the truth. The power gap between the two of them and Xu Ke Xin was too large, and they had also lost the advantage of taking the initiative. Thus, it was practically impossible for them to once again attempt to assassinate Xu Ke Xin.
“Mister Ling is right.” Liu Feng Er walked out as well, and said, “When we finally recover from our injuries, we will immediately leave Rain Country. We are extremely grateful for how you have taken care of us for this period of time, and hope that there will be a chance for us two sisters to repay your kindness, Mister Ling.”
“Ha, it would be the best repayment for me if you leave,” Ling Han said bluntly.
“En! En!” Hu Niu nodded seriously as well.
This detestable guy!
Liu Ru Er humphed, and said, “Scoundrel, if you come to Fire Country in the future and get into trouble, remember to look for us. We will definitely take‘very good’ care of you!”
She emphasized the words ‘very good’ heavily; obviously, she held a big grudge towards him.
“All right. You can stay with the two sisters for tonight, and leave after a few days,” Ling Han said to Yun Shuang Shuang, pretending he had not heard anything.
“Thank you, Young Master Han. Thank you, Misses.” Yun Shuang Shuang lowered into a bow.
Peng, peng, peng. It was at this moment that there came a knock on the door, causing the four of them to be startled at the same time.
“Mister Ling, are you there?” A soft, sweet voice was heard from outside, yet it was this voice that caused Yun Shuang Shuang to shiver uncontrollably. Her face had paled completely from terror.
“Lady Yan?” the Liu sisters mouthed.
Ling Han nodded.
“Kill her!” Instantly, Liu Ru Er was boiling with killing intent.
Chapter 201
Translator: _Dark_Angel_ Editor: Kurisu
“Kill your sister!” Ling Han snorted.
“You’re rebuking me?” Liu Ru Er felt extremely wronged, and immediately pouted.
“The person outside is in Spiritual Ocean Tier!” Ling Han exclaimed.
Liu Ru Er was instantly silenced. It was precisely a Spiritual Ocean Tier elite, Xu Ke Xin, that she and her sister had lost to. If they had been able to kill a powerful martial artist like that, then they would have had no need to hide here to recover from their injuries.
“Then what do we do?” Yun Shuang Shuang turned towards Ling Han. Having not completely shrugged off Lady Yan’s authority, she was completely at a loss what to do.
Ling Han thought for a moment, then said, “All of you go and hide inside the inner room.”
The three girls quickly rushed into the inner room, whereas Ling Han walked towards the main door and opened it.
At the doorway, Lady Yan was standing in a beautiful pose, exuding a mature, exquisite grace. It was definitely not something that a wet-behind-the-ears young girl could compare to. She smiled softly, and asked, “What were you busy with, Mister Ling? I was waiting for quite a while outside here!”
She was suspicious?
Ling Han was naturally calm and collected. This woman held a deep, powerful love for her son; there was no doubt about that. However, he had never thought that she would have schemes so terrifyingly profound; she had already included Yun Shuang Shuang in her plans quite a few years ago. If it was not for the fact that Yun Shuang Shuang had so coincidentally overheard the conversation between her and Yan Tian Zhao, then perhaps Yun Shuang Shuang would still feel overwhelmingly grateful to her, even until the moment of her death.
But when he thought about it, how could Lady Yan be a simple character if she was able to make the business of Cherishing Flower Pavilion into such a booming establishment?
“Nothing much. I was just playing around with Hu Niu.” Ling Han smiled, and said, “Does Lady Yan have some business with me?”
“So I can’t just come by for a chat if I don’t hav
e any business with you?” Lady Yan smiled sweetly, her charm on full blast.
However, this only gave Ling Han goosebumps. ‘You’re already a middle-aged woman in your forties, and no matter how enchanting and charming you are, you still would not try and make a move on a young man like me, right?’ He frowned and said, “It is not proper for a single man and woman to be together alone.”
“Mister Ling is really good at making jokes. You and Tian Zhao are brothers, and members of a younger generation than I, how does your theory about a single man and woman make sense, then?” Lady Yan said calmly. Then, she giggled, and with a light tremble of her body, she said, “Mister Ling, could it be that you are hiding a beauty in your residence, and fear that I would discover her?”
She forced herself in, and Ling Han had no way to stop her. A Spiritual Ocean Tier martial artist was far stronger than he.
Hu Niu instantly glared at her, and naturally thought Lady Yan to be an enemy.
Ling Han picked Hu Niu up so that the little girl would not be injured by Lady Yan if she actually dared to attack the latter. He followed at Lady Yan’s heels, and said, “I do indeed have a young girl hidden here.”
“Oh, who is it?” Lady Yan asked casually.
“How could it be anyone but this little girl here?” Ling Han laughed. He knew that Lady Yan was already suspicious, which was why she had forced her way in. It was obvious that Yun Shuang Shuang was of critical importance to Lady Yan, so much that she could even turn hostile against him for her.
…This concerned Yan Tian Zhao’s future prospects.
One should never underestimate the maniacal lengths a mother could go to; she could do unimaginable things for the sake of her child.
Lady Yan slightly started, and instantly dissolved into a bout of delicate laughter. She did not mind showing off the “waves” of her body in front of Ling Han, causing Ling Han to feel disgusted. This body was a bit too old for his tastes. He had zero interest in seeing anything at all.
“Mister Ling, has Shuang Shuang come here previously?” She suddenly stopped, turned and asked him.
Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao c1-1294 Page 116