《Rebirth of The Heavenly Demon (Taegyu)》 Chapter 0 - Prologue Prologue Was there anyone ignorant enough to not know of the name Zhang Hu (L)? He was the third person in the world who had managed to take up the title of the Heavenly Demon (ħ) after the creation of the Martial Realm (). In just eight years after his appearance in the Martial Realm, he crushed the mighty Demon Alliance (ħ) by his lonesome, announcing to the world the appearance of a new ruler of the realm. But his legend ended there. The day he took down the Demon Alliance, the moment he took up his glass of wine in order to celebrate its destruction, he was attacked by 3000 experts, both from the so-called Right and Evil side. Though he fought with viciousness that was truly fitting of the strongest martial artist, he ended up running away with tears of blood streaming down his face. The entire situation mightve been different had his five subordinates, the five Demon Phantoms, hadnt betrayed him. Had his glass of wine not been poisoned with a hundred and forty eight different kinds of toxins, everything would have changed. No, if the Three Great Heavens, the experts that were hailed to be the strongest before him, hadnt come out of their seclusion just to fight him, perhaps he couldve survived to reign as the sovereign ruler in the Martial Realm. But alas, the heavens were not kind to him on this day. Zhang Hu was chased all the way to the Lianhua peak () of Huangshan (Sɽ) in the end. He had nowhere left to go, nor did he have the strength to go anywhere else either. They say it rained quite a bit that day. Crackle, bam! The sky was wailing! But for who? Who was it letting out its sorrows for? Was it because of the man who was standing at the Lianhua peak, threatening to split the mountain in half? The mans body was dotted with tens of various swords, knives, and spears. It was almost strange to see that he was still standing. But anyone in the world would nod in understanding if they heard the mans name. Heavenly Demon Zhang Hu! The strongest man in the Martial Realm, and perhaps even an expert who could stand as one of the five greatest experts in history! It was said that he had just turned seventy three that year, and yet he looked not a day older than twenty. All thanks to the fact that his martial accomplishments and skill allowed his body to undergo rejuvenation. This was also proof that he had surpassed the stage of the Peak Demon Stage (Oħ). The stage that was said to be the highest a person could reach with a demonic technique. Zhang Hu had become a Transcendent Demon (Óħ), something that only two before him had ever managed to become. Three old men were standing in a triangular formation around Zhang Hu. They were the Three Great Heavens, the experts who had come out of seclusion in order to defeat him. Behind the Three Great Heavens were five people dressed in black, who were hidden in the shadows with expectant eyes. They were the Five Demon Phantoms, the subordinates and brothers of Zhang Hu, and coincidentally also the ones who had betrayed him. The Five Demon Phantoms and the Three Great Heavens quietly observed the man. The Heavenly Demon stumbled almost drunkenly, as if it was hard to even stand. But his two eyes emitted a light that made him resemble a starving tiger, constantly looking for a chance to strike. The Mad Monk () of the Three Great Heavens spoke in astonishment. Amazing! You truly are worthy of the name Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon smiled. And you are not worthy of your title of the Three Great Heavens. How are you even referring to yourselves as the heavens itself, when you are attacking me with such shameful methods? The Scholar (幫) nodded with a bitter face after hearing this. You are correct. We wont try to deny it. The Drunk Immortal () of the Three Great Heavens took a sip from a gourd in his hand, and held it out to Zhang Hu. Want some? Zhang Hu laughed. Im sick of drinking, especially after drinking all the poisoned wine I could ever have wanted. Having said this, Zhang Hu glared at the Five Demon Phantoms. They stood unflinchingly under his gaze. The Drunk Immortal stepped forward after putting the gourd on his waist. In that case, lets end this. Dragging on such a depressing event would make this harder for everyone. The Mad Monk nodded, and pulled up his sleeves. Yes, lets. Just who would go to hell for this, if I do not? The Scholar let out an uncomfortable sigh, and took out a fan. Viiin! When the three experts began circulating their qi, the rain around them began to float upwards, back to the clouds. The Heavenly Demon glared at the Three Great Heavens and clenched his teeth. Shaaaaa! The centre of Zhang Hus forehead split, emitting a red light. Materialized qi started to take shape in the form of six arms behind him from his shoulders. This was an effect that came from practicing the Asuras Heaven-Destroying Technique (_ħ), which was the very thing that gave Zhang Hu the title of Heavenly Demon. This caused the civilians to stop perceiving the Heavenly Demon as a human being, but a calamity with three eyes and six arms. But due to his injury, the Demon Eye of Shura (_ħ) did not take on its proper shape. The legendary Six Heaven-Destroying Arms (۰) that Zhang Hu possessed became a blurry projection. Even so, the Three Great Heavens were unable to approach him. After what seemed like an eternity, the Mad Buddha made his first move. Haaaah! He was using the Hundred Steps Godly Fist (ٲȭ), the strongest technique recorded in the Shaolin Temples Hundred and Eight Techniques (ٰ˹ˇ). At the same time, the Drunk Immortal traced a circle in the air with his hands. Reverse Yin-Yang (), First Foundational Change (һԪ). The power of destruction that comes when one breaks the harmony of Yin-Yang, and flips the truth of the Dao! This was a demonstration of one of the Ten Forbidden Techniques (ʮ\) of the Wudang Sect. The Scholar opened his fan, and spun his body, as if he were dancing. Then, his body soon disappeared, and changed into a frighteningly powerful wind. This was the 10,000 Li Tornado (Lf), the technique that allowed the Scholar to climb to the top of the Martial Realm despite having been a mere scholar at the Hanlin Academy. Baaaaang! The falling rain exploded outwards, and the Lianhua Peak shook violently. When the sound faded, the rain quickly dispatched the cloud of dust formed from the Scholars technique. At the centre of where the dust cloud had been, was Zhang Hu, who had fallen down on the ground. The Three Great Heavens, who were looking down at him, could also be seen. The Mad Monk put his hands together in prayer. Namo amitabha. The Drunk Immortal grabbed the gourd of alcohol from his waist, and spoke. This is the end, right? The Scholar nodded. Right then. Zhang Hu opened his eyes. At that moment, the Three Great Heavens became anxious and fully alert. But once they realized that Zhang Hu was quickly losing consciousness, they calmed down. Zhang Hu looked at the Three Great Heavens and screamed. Hear me. I may die like this today, but know that this is not the end! I shall return one day, and will stand in front of you once again! I will dye the rivers with blood, and create mountains out of corpses! The living will envy the dead, and the dead will curse the living. Then, and only then, will I truly be called the Heavenly Demon! After shouting this, Zhang Hus breathing stopped completely. But the Three Great Heavens were unable to move, and just trembled instead. It was a terrifying curse. But the dead cannot come back to life. No, this might not be true. If it was Zhang Hu, if it was this demon, it could be possible that he would come back to life. This fear lingered in their mind like a ghost. The Five Demon Phantoms finally approached the three men around then. You have worked hard. The Three Great Heavens frowned at the five. The first of the Five Demon Phantoms, the Apocalyptic Phantom (Ľħ`) stepped up to them. We will take care of the corpse. He then took out his sword. How will you take care of it? When the Scholar asked this, the Apocalyptic Phantom smiled a chilling smile. Feed him to the dogs, obviously. The Mad Monk turned red in rage. Must you do this? The Apocalyptic Phantom nonchalantly responded back. Thats the only way we can stay calm. What if he really does come back? Haha, its better to really be sure the mans dead. Would you like to watch? The Drunk Immortal clicked his tongue. Lets go. Id rather drink than stay with these vermin. The Mad Monk and the Scholar nodded. The three disappeared over into the horizon in a flash. By the time they were completely out of the phantoms sight, the five finally began to walk towards Zhang Hu. It was at that moment Zhang Hu raised his head. Are they gone yet? The five didnt seem at all surprised about this. The Apocalyptic Phantom casually put his sword back into his sheath. Yup, think theyre gonna drink. Zhang Hu opened his eyes. Theyre not coming back to check if Im dead, are they? The second of the phantoms, the Blood Rain Phantom (Ѫħ`), let out a word of complaint. Didnt you hear what he told them? We can just dice up some pig and then tell them its you. Zhang Hu stood up with an exhausted face. Oh lord, those old dudes hit hard. I thought I was gonna die. The third of the Five Demon Phantoms, the Night Phantom (ҹħ`), crossed his arms. He seemed incredibly annoyed. So why didnt you just pretend to die quietly?! What the hell is up with all of this, seriously! Zhang Hu glanced at him before quietly muttering an excuse. I mean I can live quietly, and you can take over pretty easily. Its all good, isnt it? The fourth of the Five Demon Phantoms, the Heaven-killing Phantom (욢ħ`), opened his mouth. I never agreed to this. The fifth, the Cruel Phantom (ħ`), raised his hand. Me neither. Also, what was up with those last words? So cheesy. You almost made me laugh out loud right there. Zhang Hu grinned. I have a reputation to uphold, you know. It doesnt look pretty if I go ughhh Im dying agh and die like that. I need to make up a fancy curse or something. Otherwise the general masses wont be wowed at all, yeah? The Night Phantom shook his head. Yeah, nah. In any case, are you really going to live quietly from now? You arent gonna come back later going just because youre bored? No, you idiot. Youre way too suspicious of everything, dear god. Big brother, please, rethink this. This is our world. You can change the entire nation according to your will. This is all meaningless. You should become a Transcendent Demon as well. Youll understand. The Night Demon complained out loud. Fuckin ay, you think Im you or something? Zhang Hu pretended he didnt hear that. He stood up and started pulling out the various weapons stuck on his body. Ho damn, theres a bunch of stuff here. Isnt this that Dragon Roar Sword (Qz) or something? And this must be that Lightning Spear (Z), right. Its almost like they were sticking flowers into a pot or something. Zhang Hu kicked the mass of weapons over to the five with a bored face. You want it? The Night Phantom snorted. Think were good. Why dont you buy yourself some ice cream with it instead? Zhang Hu grinned. The Apocalyptic Demon looked at him concernedly. Cant you rethink this? Zhang Hu shook his head. Im already seventy-three. Ive attained the Shuras Demonic Treasure (_ħ) when I was thirty-eight, while searching for a way to destroy the Demon Alliance. Since then, we have come out into the Martial Realm eight years ago, with me mastering the Asuras Heaven-Destroying Technique, and you five mastering the Five Wheels Demon Technique (݆ħ). We accomplished our lifes mission just ten days ago. And what comes after that? Nothing. This was my entire life. Isnt that just boring? I want to live a fulfilled life with the little amount of time I have left. The Night Phantom smacked his chest in frustration. Thats why Im telling you to conquer the world and live like a king! You can become an actual king if you want to, if youre not satisfied with that! Its fine. Ill be going now. Zhang Hu waved his hand and walked away. The Blood Rain Demon and the Night Demon just sighed in frustration and the Cruel Phantom and the Heaven-killing Phantom just looked up at the sky. It was raining quite hard. Zhang Hu couldnt restrain his laughter as he descended down the Lianhua Peak. Im free! He finally escaped the wheel of death. Wrinkles began to appear on his young face. He was expelling his life force, his inner qi, into the surrounding atmosphere. He didnt need martial arts now. He was sick of it. If he were to go back to the past where he first obtained the Shuras Demonic Treasure, he wouldve thrown it away immediately. While it was a precious treasure that allowed him to take revenge on the Demonic Alliance, which had taken away the lives of his family, it also made him perform evil acts that were far worse than the actions of the Demonic Alliance itself. Only when he became a Transcendent Demon was he able to understand what he did, and become regretful. He had decided to throw away his chains of regret, but he still decided to live the rest of his life like a sinner. Im going to live a proper life. He would live like a proper human. He was thinking of buying a cow and a carriage along the way. If he started farming now, he should be able to harvest food by next year. He would give out everything he produced, leaving just enough for him to survive. He would sit in his room, spending the winter watching the snowfall, and farm again when the spring came.. Hahahaha. Just thinking about it made him laugh in glee. Right then, the rain stopped. The sun began to rear its head from the clouds. Mm? Zhang Hu looked up. A five-colored light shone towards him. Caressing him. Telling him that everything was fine now. Telling him that it was his time to leave. Telling him to become a part of nature itself. Tears began to roll down Zhang Hus cheeks. Ah! This wasnt death. It was life. Life itself was coming to invite him to its stead. Hahaha, to think Id experience Ascension (𻯵) A rustling sound came from Zhang Hus body, and his body began to crumble away into sand. Where his body was, were now little particles of light shining in five different colors. With this, he would become truth itself. A being that did not feel happiness, sadness, nor pain. Moments before the light completely melted him away, however, Zhang Hus heart became tainted black. No! Zhang Hu shouted. No, not yet! I havent lived a fulfilled life yet! He raised his hands to the sky beggingly. Please, give me a bit more time! Just a little bit more! The five-colored light began to fade into a whisper in his ear. Do you really want this? You might never get this chance ever again. Zhang Hu whispered back with a smile. I want to live. Like a human being. WhooshC. Zhang Hus body crumbled away into a pile of sand. Where his heart used to be was now a red pearl. The five-colored light wrapped itself around the marble and began to move. It passed mountains and gorges, rivers and plains. It soon stopped on top of a small, plain house. It dropped the red marble inside the house before fading away completely. The following winter passed. By the time summer came the next year, the couple in the house gave birth to a baby boy. The couple became delighted, and named the child Zhang Hu. When asked why the couple named the child like this, they responded that the baby whispered the name into their ears. This earned them ridicule, of course. But the couple looked dead serious saying it. And sixteen years passed. Chapter 1 - Boss! It’s an emergency! Boss! Its an emergency! What the hell? Whys there so little?! A large man shouted this with wide eyes. A small middle-aged man on the other side of this man sweated profusely as he bowed multiple times. W-we werent able to turn in a good amount of money this month. Please forgive us. The large man pulled back his sleeves. A tattoo of a large black snake could be seen on his bare arm. See this? Im an official member of the Black Snake Gang. Im not like those common bullies who just extort cash from you. R-really? I-Im so sorry for being unable to recognize you. Right, you should be. So if you are sorry, why arent you showing it through your actions? Do you know what happens if you just use words to apologize? What happens? This happens. The large man punched. The old man rolled on the floor crying in pain. The nearby merchants all turned to look at the commotion. The large man straightened his back and shouted at all of them. What, you see anything bad going on? Ah? You wanna get beat up too? The merchants quickly got back to their work. The large man turned back to the older man with a grin on his face. Stand up, now. Ill count one punch as one coin. Since youre missing fifteen coins, itd be fifteen punches. The older man stood up immediately and retorted to the larger mans statement. Since I already got hit once, wouldnt it be fourteen hits? Youre good at math, arent you? I dont like people who are good at math. Two more hits. The large man grabbed the older man with his left hand. He balled up his right hand, and prepared to strike. But then, a moment before he actually punched the man, a sharp yell came out from behind him. Stop it! The man turned. There was a woman who seemed to be around forty standing before him. She wasnt particularly pretty, but her looks suggested that she mightve been quite a looker back in the days. The man frowned. What do you want? What in the world do you think youre doing in broad daylight?! The large man let go of the man in his hand, and looked over the woman. He almost resembled a butcher sizing up a pig before killing it. The woman didnt at all seem intimidated by this. The man smirked. Hah! Look at this! Youve lived a fine life, havent you? You really dont know how the world works? A merchant shouted urgently at the man. S-stop! Do you even know who she is? The gang member gave a big nod. Of course I do. Shes a fearless idiot. The merchant immediately tried to respond. T-this person is But before he managed to say anything, the woman took a small pouch out of her pocket. Take this. This should be about two coins. The gang member looked over the pouch and the womans face and snatched the pouch away from her. Fine. Ill just end it here. Its good to be nice, lady, but being too nice can bring you a lot of trouble. Be careful next time on the streets. He pushed the womans shoulder lightly, causing her to lose her balance and fall. Everyone on the street gave a collective gasp. How strange, the gang member thought. Well, whatever. It probably didnt matter much. Lets not let something like this happen next month, alright? Hahahaha! The gang member snuck away the cash into his pockets as he walked away. When the man disappeared, all the merchants on the street came to check up on the woman. M-Mrs. Nam, are you alright? The woman they addressed to be Mrs. Nam stood up, and smiled brightly. Im fine. You arent h-hurt anywhere? The woman shook her head. No. Ah? She pulled up her sleeves. There was a small scratch mark on her arm. Looks like I scraped my skin when I fell. All the merchants around her collectively frowned. In the midst of the crowd, someone whispered. Fuck. *** Mrs. Nam immediately headed for the kitchen after coming back home. She needed to prepare dinner for her son out in the fields. Even though she became unable to shop for groceries today, her son was sure to enjoy the food. Once the sun began to set, her son walked back home with the hoe on his shoulder. He sat down in front of the meal that Mrs. Nam prepared for him. Its even tastier than usual, mother. Just as she thought. Mrs. Nams face broke out into a wide smile. But at some point while eating, her sons chopsticks stopped in midair. Mother, youre hurt? Ah? This? Someone pushed me at the market, so I scraped myself a little. The boys eyes narrowed. Someone pushed you? The son carefully put down his chopsticks and stood up. Mrs. Nams eyes widened like little coins in confusion. What is it, son? Arent you going to eat some more? Her son smiled softly. I forgot something back at the fields. Ill be back in a minute. Oh, really? Come back quick. Right. I wont take long. *** No one in the Martial Realm considered those of the Dark Way (ڵ) as true martial artists. They were people who extorted money from street vendors, lent money with huge interest rates, and kidnapped women to sell them as slaves. How could such trash even be considered to be martial artists? But there was just one person in the Dark Way who the Martial World recognized to an extent. It was the leader of the Black Snake Gang, Noh Wongil. This wasnt just because he controlled the night world of Canglixian, one of the biggest grain producers in the area. This wasnt just because he had morals, unlike most of those in the Dark Path. It wasnt because he was a moderately powerful expert, either. It was because he had kept his spot as the leader of the Black Snake Gang for over fifteen years already. An impressive feat indeed, considering how most other gangs changed hands almost yearly. One could only guess how this was the case here. Maybe it was because Noh Wongil had a certain charismatic charm about him? In any case, the man was someone who was actually well-respected in the martial realm. Because of this, the people who visited the gang on this day treated the man with utter respect. The group believed that Noh Wongil would accept their request kindly, but the mans reaction was completely different from what they expected. I cannot! The guests faces immediately turned savage. Some even put their hands on their sword hilt in rage. But when one of them raised her hand, everyone calmed immediately. Noh Wongils eyes became transfixed at the woman who raised her hand. The woman seemed to be someone just over twenty. Her beauty was something that could earn her a spot at the top three of all the women Noh Wongil slept with in his life. Like most who claimed to be a hero, Noh Wongil was someone who liked women greatly. He was someone who was willing to do anything he could to sleep with a beautiful woman he saw. But not this one. This one was dangerous. Sir, do you know who we are? Noh Wongil nodded slowly. I do. You are heroes of one of the biggest groups in the Verdant Forest (G), the Tiger Phantom Bandits (). The woman responded. Then you should know who I am? Of course I do. Youre the sub leader of the Tiger Phantom Bandits, as well as a member of the famed Five Verdant Pythons (G). The Flying Twin Sword, Jin Yanhui. The woman nodded. Correct. Then you should know my personality quite well, yes? Yes. I-Ive heard a lot about it. Noh Wongils voice crawled back into his throat. It was said that Jin Yanhui hated the people of the Dark Path to an unusual extent. It was even said that she destroyed up to ten different gangs in the past. Jin Yanhui sighed. To think youd act like this Its quite annoying. Were just trying to find a single person here. Id be fine with helping you if you were looking for someone anywhere else. But I cant help you with the Southern area no matter what. Why? That place Anywhere but that place.. Jin Yanhui sighed once again. Hah, I suppose Ill have to talk it over again next time with a new leader of the Black Snake Gang. Noh Wongil had been the leader of the gang for two decades. Of course, the woman was making a threat here. One she could very easily accomplish. But Noh Wongil refused to budge. Go ahead. No matter who you set as a leader here, they will all say the same thing. A no is a no. Jin Yanhui narrowed her eyes. But soon enough, she flashed a smile at Noh Wongil. Understood. Well be leaving then. The five martial artists behind her all widened their eyes. Miss, this is Jin Yanhui put her finger on her mouth to silence them. Ill be leaving, then. Noh Wongil responded politely. I hope you have a safe trip. Unfortunately, it doesnt look like I can follow you outside. Jin Yanhui turned to leave, and the five martial artists shot a deadly look at Noh Wongil as they exited. Noh Wongil didnt flinch. It was to be expected of one of the three greats in the Dark Path. Right at that moment, though A single man ran into the guest room in great panic. S, s, s, sir! Its an emergency! Noh Wongil frowned. What are you doing? I told you not to come in before I told you to. Dont you know I have important guests here? The man spoke hurriedly. The newbie! The newbie! Stop it with this! Get out of here this instant! The newbie touched Mrs. Nam! At this precise moment, Noh Wongils eyes widened almost inhumanly. After a moment, Noh Wongils lips parted. M-Mrs. Nam? Yes! Mrs. Nam! T, t, that Mrs. Nam? Yes! That Mrs. Nam! What do we do? W, w, were fucked! Everyone! Run! Run! *** Jin Yanhui, who was just walking out the gates of the Black Snake Gang, stopped to look back. The gang members were all running somewhere in a hurry. Whats this? How did these people get so agitated all of the sudden? Even Noh Wongil looked agitated. He was acting almost like a madman. One of the martial artists chipped in. As expected as those of the Dark Path. Tsk tsk. Miss, whyd you just walk out like that? I know how these people work better than anyone. Break a few limbs, kill a few people, and theyd come crawling to us asking for forgiveness. Just give me the order and Ill take care of it this instant. Jin Yanhui shook her head. Its fine, I know how they work as well. I just didnt want to cause any trouble here. I had heard recently that the Martial Alliance and the Five Demon Churches began to take notice of what was going on. We cant let them know whats going on. The five martial artists bowed in understanding. Jin Yanhui turned to these five. Were already here. Just a little more work, and everything will be finished. Im planning on visiting the Black Snake Gang after all this ends. Why dont you five accompany me then? I think well have quite the time here. Jin Yanhui grinned savagely. The five others smiled similarly as well. Now, lets go finish this damn mission. Jin Yanhui walked out of the gang. As she walked, she noticed someone walking towards her from the other side of the road. The darkness of the night made it hard to tell who it was, but Jin Yanhui wasnt affected by the darkness at all. A boy? The person seemed to be around fifteen years old. Oh? Hes quite handsome. The five martial artists behind her turned to look at the boy as well. The boy was indeed quite handsome. His clothes were dirtied, as if he just dug himself out of a pit full of dust, but that wasnt enough to hide his features. In fact, cleaning him up a bit would make him look just like a young lord from a noble household. The two quickly neared each other, and they soon stood right in front of each other. Jin Yanhui broke out into a smile. Even handsomer up close, huh. The five experts all frowned. The reason why Jin Yanhui was able to become the sub leader of the Tiger Ghost Gang was because of her unrivaled intellect. But she had a flaw. She liked handsome boys far too much. If the situation wasnt like this, the woman would probably have tried to kidnap the boy home. Jin Yanhui licked her lips and lamented the fact that she didnt have the time to spare for the boy. By this time, the boy had nearly passed her. Jin Yanhui decided to turn around to look at the boy. Excuse me, young lad? The boy stopped moving. What is it? Jin Yanhui smiled brightly. What is your name? The boy scanned Jin Yanhui with his eyes briefly, then smirked. He didnt say anything, and kept walking. Jin Yanhuis face stiffened on the spot. The five experts turned red from trying to restrain their laughter. Jin Yanhui smiled awkwardly. Yet another reason to come back to Canglixian, huh. Her eyes began to shine like that of a poisonous snake. That face disappeared in almost an instant, though, and the five experts followed behind closely. The boy who passed by Jin Yanhui kept walking forward, and eventually reached the gates of the Black Snake Gang. Chapter 2 - It’s the Black Snake Gang’s fault. Its the Black Snake Gangs fault. The boy, who entered through the open doors of the Black Snake Gang, stopped. He gave a glance at every gang member around him, before turning to look at Noh Wongil. Soon enough, one of the gang members noticed the boy and stopped moving. One by one, the gang members came to a halt, and in the end, everyone froze in their place. Noh Wongil tried to speak. U, u, um. The boy whispered something quietly. You know, dont you? All the gang members shook their head in one fluent motion. The boy whispered again. You totally know. Noh Wongil let out a desperate shout. Y-young lord! The thing with Mrs. Nam was a mistake made by a newbie! I didnt know anything about this! The boy called Zhang Hu clenched his fist with a grin. Yeah? That means I can make a mistake too, right? *** Babababang! The buildings of one of the biggest organizations in Canglixian began falling down one by one. Fire began to spread, and screams began to resound everywhere. We didnt know anything about this! Sir! Please! Just once! Uaaaaah! The people of Canglixian all got out of their homes, and looked at the bright flames that colored the night with a dumb look. One of the people cluelessly asked a neighbor a question. What happened? Mrs. Nam got hurt by one of the newbies in the Black Snake Gang. Ha?! H-how badly? She scraped her arm. Yeah? Her arm got scraped? The man looked on at the flames as he said one thing in a very obvious tone. Yeah, they deserve it. *** There was one person in Canglixian who was not to be touched, no matter the circumstance. A middle-aged woman who was often referred to as Mrs. Nam. Her name was Nam Junghye (϶ޥ). She was a very normal woman. She was born in Canglixian, and she hadnt stepped outside this town for a whole 43 years of her life. There was nothing abnormal about her, nor was there anything strange about her. The reason why she became untouchable was because of this one thing. It was because of her son, Nam Zhang Hu. Zhang Hu was a geniu no, no. A monster. He was a filial monster who would destroy the entire town if anything happened to Mrs. Nam. Strangely enough, though, the only one who did not know about this fact was Mrs. Nam herself. All the Black Snake Gang members, along with Noh Wongil, stared at the pile of ashes that used to be their base with blank gazes. One of the gang members made his way to Noh Wongil on his knees, and whispered something in Noh Wongils ear. Sir, we cant keep living like this. We should strike that monster down at once. Even if its the Filial Demon (Т), if we all run in at once The term Filial Demon was what the people of Canglixian used to refer to Zhang Hu. It meant that he was an evil being who was dead set on being a filial child. Noh Wongil said this to the gang member beside him. Have you heard of the assassin Shaohen (ޚ)? Of course! Wasnt he one of the Ten Great Assassins of Jiangnan, who is said to be willing to kill even the emperor just for cash? I made a request to him two years ago with all the money I had. All of it. I asked him to kill that Filial Demon. And? Did you hear anything about that assassin in the last two years? Come to think of it, no. W-wait, theres no way that the Filial Demon would be able to do anything to that assassin, right? Right? I think so too. But its true that the assassin disappeared right after I made my request. And that demons still alive, burning my house down just like that. Noh Wongil began to sob. Just what did I do to deserve something like this? Around then, footsteps were heard from the front gate. Soldiers began to stream through one by one. There were around about fifty of them in total. The governor of the town walked in after these soldiers. He seemed almost exasperated. I cant take this anymore! Just what do you people think youre doing!? Noh Wongils face brightened. Oh, sir! Whyd you take so long! It seemed that the governor himself came to deal with the Filial Demon. Zhang Hu, after setting a fire to the last building in the area, walked over with a curious look. The governor looked at Zhang Hu with absolute fury in his eyes. You! Do you know what you have done?! Zhang Hu simply stared. Then, he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Following this, the governors eyes of fury changed targets right over to Noh Wongil. Didnt you hear what I said? Do you understand just what youve done here?! What? Noh Wongil blinked. The governor shouted again. Hah! You! Did you really think youd be safe even after touching Mrs. Nam?! Soldiers, what are you doing! Arrest these thugs at once! Sir? Sir? Sir! You cant do this! The governor firmly gripped Noh Wongils shoulders. He leaned over to put his head right next to the gang leaders ears. Come on man, I want to live too. Noh Wongil began shouting as he got dragged off to the carts. Wow! Just wow! I didnt think of you this way, but holy hell! And I threw so many sacks of cash at you too! You son of a! As the soldiers rounded up the rest of the gang members, the governor turned to Zhang Hu with a smile. Please forgive us, young lord. Zhang Hu let out a snort. You better watch what youre doing. The governor bowed. Yup, yup, of course. Hehehehe. Zhang Hu threw away the torch and walked away. When he walked out of the Black Snake Gang, and went past the downtown of Canglixian to the South for the town, the lights dimmed. The houses next to the road became fewer and further in between as well. In the end, he reached a tiny house at the end of the road. He straightened his clothes in front of the door, and put a bright smile on his emotionless face. He opened the door, and entered with a polite voice. Im back, mother. Im pretty late, arent I? He was unable to see his mother waiting for him in the front yard as usual. Is she sleeping? Zhang Hu walked into the house saying this. The lights in Mrs. Nams room was turned on. Zhang Hu walked over to the door. Mother, Im back. Only now did Mrs. Nam respond. Oh my, is that you, Zhang Hu? Mrs. Nam opened the door to get a peek. She looked around with a nervous face, as if she was guarding something. Mother? Mrs. Nam waved Zhang Hu over. Come in. Zhang Hu carefully opened the doors to quietly enter the room. His eyes narrowed. In the corner of the tiny room, there was a woman laying down on the bed. Mrs. Nam spoke hurriedly. This miss fell out of the sky a few minutes after you left. Just look at her. Have you ever seen someone this pretty? She must be an angel. Really? Zhang Hu pretend-smiled as he looked over the woman. There was a red stain on her hips. An injury. To think shed just fall out of the sky, what a troublemaker Zhang Hus eyebrows shifted as he said this. *** Han Liyuan (nY) was already awake. But since she felt that pretending to be unconscious would be better for her, that was exactly what she did. It was hard for her not to be found out, though. After all, it was very hard for her not to burst out laughing when she heard the conversation between the couple next to her. Me? An angel? Right. She might look like an angel. She was pretty beautiful, after all. The boy seemed to think otherwise, though. But shes a little too dirty to be called an angel. Han Liyuans lips twitched. Thats just because I havent washed myself, damn it! I was still this pretty, even though I havent slept for ten days, washed myself for ten days, and havent eaten for ten days. Isnt that pretty impressive? was what she wanted to say, but she couldnt do anything since she was pretending to be unconscious. The middle-aged woman spoke next. Even so, isnt she really pretty? Oh dear, look at me. I forgot to take in the laundry. You should go do that, then. Ill watch over this lady. Right. Give me a moment. The middle-aged lady left the room. The boy walked over to the girl, and stretched out his hands towards Han Liyuan. Liyuans lips twitched again. Oh? Look at him? Hes trying to touch me? Did this country bumpkin lose his mind after seeing a pretty girl like her? She wondered briefly if she wanted to open her eyes, but then Zhang Hus hands went right under her body. He lifted up Liyuan to step out. Hes taking me somewhere? Could it be? Liyuan couldnt take it anymore, and decided to open her right eye. The boy was taking her to the front door of the house. So hes trying to rape me in a shady place outside. Country Bumpkins really are quite scary. This boy he dares! Liyuans eyes scrolled up to scan the boys face. He dare oh, hes handsome. The boy was totally her type, actually. Hes a bit young, but he looks alright. Actually, he looks really alright. But you cant forgive someone for his actions just because hes handsome! I should punish him. While she was thinking all this, the boy had stepped out the front gates already. Liyuan finally opened her eyes, and opened her mouth to say something. The boy managed to speak before her, though. Bye. Mn? Who was he saying that to? But before Liyuan could even figure that out, the boy dropped her on the floor and left. Liyuan immediately jumped up with a frown, but the boy had already gone back inside. The doors closed on her with a bang. Liyuan blinked. Did I just get thrown away? She was able to hear the middle-aged woman inside the house. Zhang Hu? I dont see the angel from before! Where did she go? The boy responded with an innocent voice. She flew away. Liyuan glared at the gates as she whispered under her breath. She didnt fly away, you threw her away. She angrily stomped her feet a few times, composed herself a little bit, then knocked on the doors. Excuse me? Hello? Is anyone there? She could hear the middle-aged woman speak inside again. Zhang Hu, I think someones outside. They say theres a crazy woman roaming the streets these days. Dont worry about it. What? A crazy woman? Liyuan ground her teeth before shouting at the top of her lungs. Oi! You bastard! *** The six shadows that were busily moving towards the Southern part of Canglixian suddenly came to a halt. These were the five verdant forest experts and Jin Yanhui from before. You heard, right? The five experts nodded. It was that bitch Liyuan, right? The experts nodded again. Yanhui turned to where the sound came from. Lets go. One of the experts opened his mouth. But didnt we scout that area before already? Another one of the experts voiced his opinion. Perhaps its a trap? Yanhui smirked. You know the girl isnt that smart. The five experts nodded simultaneously. True, true. The experts turned to shadows again, and moved towards the location of the voice. *** Liyuan made a regretful face. Ah, damn it! My personality really is a problem. That Yanhui and her experts were already close to her. They mightve heard you, you idiot! Liyuan didnt know what to do. But at this moment, Mrs. Nam opened the door to look outside. Ah? Its the angel lady? Zhang Hu was behind Mrs. Nam, letting out a frustrated sigh. Looking at this made Liyuan feel her fears rushing away out of her. Rage came flooding in to replace it instead. But when her rage managed to make its way right up to her throat, she noticed Mrs. Nam smiling in front of her. So you woke up. Thats good. So why are you outside? When Liyuan came in contact with Mrs. Nams innocent face, she couldnt dare say anything mean. So she responded nervously instead. I I just wanted to get some fresh air. I see. Are you alright? It looked like you were hurt. Its not good to get cold air like that. Come inside, Ill get porridge for you. N-no, I mean Liyuan was hesitant. She couldnt afford to move, especially when the Verdant Forest experts were so close by. It might be better to just leave the area altogether. Zhang Hu chipped into the conversation. Mother, it looks like this lady better be on her way quick. Now then, miss, goodbye. He tried to close the door on herC again. And Liyuan became filled with rageC again. Wow! How can someone be so rude? Mrs. Nam made a disappointed face before muttering to herself. Well, I suppose youre right. Her parents must be looking for her. Liyuan almost shouted. Nope! No ones looking for me, and Im not busy at all! Her voice calmed down a little. Would it be alright if I could stay for one day? If that doesnt bother you at all? Zhang Hu threatened her with a vicious look. Of course, Liyuan hit him back with a glare of her own. Mrs. Nam, oblivious to all of this, waved her in. Of course its not a bother. Come on in, lady, quick. Liyuan moved next to Mrs. Nam, and grabbed her by the arm. Thank you, mother. Ah? Its fine if I call you that, right? You remind me of my deceased mother. She then made a face that was about to cry. Mrs. Nam stroked her head softly. Its fine, of course its fine. Come inside, its cold out here. Thanks mother. Liyuan came inside whilst hugging Mrs. Nam. Zhang Hu glared at her intensely. She just smirked in response. The two went inside the house, and Zhang Hu, left alone, sighed towards the sky. Then, he began to walk towards the gates. He closed the doors, and walked to the left doorpost. He pressed the symbol on the post, and a small button appeared out of it. Zhang Hu spun that button three times to the left, and twice to the right, then pushed it back in. The roof of the gates then began to emit fog out of it that surrounded the house. Zhang Hu turned back in satisfaction. He could hear his mother laughing from inside. It seemed that Liyuan had just told her a funny story. Zhang Hu shook his head in defeat. Ill let her be till morning. He spoke with a hushed tone as he walked over into his room. Chapter 3 - The Six Treasures A few moments after Zhang Hu entered his room, six shadows landed in front of the front gate. It was Yanhui and the five experts. The woman looked around her carefully. The voice was from around here, right? The five nodded, and the group immediately walked towards the door. But as soon as they reached it, they all simultaneously turned, and walked alongside the wall. After walking around the house once, the six people arrived at the gate again. They stopped. Yanhui looked pretty tired. Looks like she moved somewhere else. The five experts clicked their tongues in disappointment. It looked like none of them were able to see the house. Yanhui turned her back to the door to speak. She couldnt have gone far. Lets look around here. The five experts began walking. Right then, one of the men in the group opened his mouth with a curious look on his face. Uhm, miss. Yanhui stopped to look back. What is it? The man opened his mouth nervously. We looked over here a moment ago, didnt we? Yes, we did. Wasnt there a house here before? Yanhui nodded with a surprised look. Youre right! There really was. Wasnt it around here? The house disappeared? It cant be that the house came to life and moved on its own In that case! Yanhui thought for a moment before looking at the front gate of Zhang Hus house. She lowered her voice and spoke up with a very serious tone. I think that the Martial Worlds famous 15 Strange Illusions Formation might be installed here. The five experts all turned to look at the front gate with Yanhui. After a moment of silence, the group of six all burst out laughing. Puhahaha! What a joke! Your sense of humor is wonderful as always! One of the ten great formations, installed here? Bahahahah! Of course! Of course that would be it! Yanhui smiled before turning back. Lets get going, now. She couldnt have gone far. Yes maam! Yanhui took off with the five. Inside Zhang Hus room in the house, the boy inside muttered to himself as he covered up his ears with his blankets. Theyre weird * * * Though the spring already came a while back, the winds still got quite chilly once the sun starts setting. Zhang Hu stretched his back after a while of plowing the fields. Phew. He looked up at the red sky as he wiped the sweat off of his head. There was a smile on his face. But the moment he saw a couple of people walking on the road next to him, his face stiffened. These people all looked quite savage, and each had a weapon on their shoulders. They were practically advertising that they were martial artists. So that kid from the Xiawu Guild is around here? I told you, yeah. Didnt you hear about the six experts from the Tiger Phantom bandits searching this place like mad? Hah. So whats up with the girl anyway? The other man lowered his voice. Apparently she has one of the six treasures in her hands. The six treasures? Are you serious? Yeah. I mean, there has to be a reason why the demon church, the alliance, and the Tiger Phantom Bandits are chasing after her. Hoh, makes sense. But when are the experts from the church and the alliance coming here? Dunno man. But it wont take long. Thats why we need to find her before then. Lets see I wonder where shed be in that case? The men noticed Zhang Hu in the fields and immediately approached him. Zhang Hu turned away, pretending not to notice, and started walking back home. By that time, however, the men had already reached him. Hey kid, let me ask you something. Zhang Hu let out a frustrated sigh. Go on, then. One of the men took out a piece of paper. You ever seen a girl like this? Zhang Hu took a look at the woman on the paper. She looked incredibly similar to Liyuan. But he ended up shaking his head. No, I havent. Did you even look properly? The other asked angrily. Yes, I did. Zhang Hu walked away without saying anything more. One of the men grabbed his shoulder with an annoyed look. Hey, kid. Have you no respect? You dare The other quickly tried to diffuse the situation. Hey, hey. Itd be strange if a woman like this was noticed by a kid like him of all things. Theres bound to be a lot of people looking for her here. Lets not start trouble on the first day. The man grabbing Zhang Hus shoulder let go reluctantly. Count yourself lucky, kid! Think of this as your second life and live respectfully from now. I already do. Zhang Hu promptly walked away. Look, just look at that kid! Hes not even saying goodbye!, said the man. Thats just what kids are like these days. Come, come. Nows not the time for this. We have a girl to catch. Zhang Hu kept walking without looking back even once. Soon enough, houses started appearing on the road he was walking on. After walking for quite a bit longer, he came to a stop in front of a small hill. He started making a few gestures with one hand in the air. Whoosh. A door appeared in front of him after a small gust of air passed by. Zhang Hu opened the door, and another gust took the door away just like that. Zhang Hu stopped in front of Mrs. Nams door. He cleared his throat a few times. Im back, mother. Zhang Hu spoke cheerily. Mrs. Nams voice came through the doors. Oh? Youre back? You must be tired. Come in. Zhang Hu stepped inside. He found his mother sitting on the bed. She looked the same as always. Cheerful and happy. But there was something different about her today. There was a woman on her lap. Liyuan. Youre back, Zhang Hu? You must be tired. The woman waved her hand at him with a bright smile. Zhang Hus eyes twitched ever so slightly in response. * * * Mrs. Nam smiled as she brushed Liyuans cheek softly. Little Yuans skin is so soft, isnt it? Zhang Hu found himself muttering to himself softly. Little Yuan? Liyuan grinned. Yours is even better than mine, mother. Just how did you take care of yours? Your makeup must be fantastic. I want to use it too. Hohoho, I dont use any makeup. I just eat well and sleep well is all. Liyuan lifted her head in surprise. Wow! You were born with it? Im so jealous! Nothing to be jealous of. After all, its my first time seeing someone as pretty as you! Liyuan waved her hands in denial. Youre just as pretty. Speaking of which, dont we look kind of alike? People would mistake us as sisters if we went out. Do we? Hohoho. Ah, its almost time for dinner, isnt it? Would you like a pear before we eat? Yes, mom! Right. Wait here. Mrs. Nam stepped out with a happy face. As soon as she was out of sight, Zhang Hus face turned almost demonic. Liyuan let out a snort. Whats up? Youre not leaving? I am. You said youd leave this morning. She told me to eat lunch, though, so I had to stay. So did you eat lunch? I did. But I have to eat the pear now. Leave after that, then. What about dinner? Zhang Hus eyes twitched. Liyuan, on the other hand, was smiling. The two glared at each other. So when are you leaving, then? Zhang Hu initiated. Ill leave when I want. Whens that? Who knows? What, you planning on throwing me out? If I have to. Try me. If I do? Zhang Hus voice turned icy. That moment, Liyuan let out a cry. Motherrrrrrr! The boy twitched in surprise. Clearly something that he didnt expect. Mrs. Nam walked in with a surprised face shortly after. Did something happen, Liyuan? Liyuans eyes stayed right on Zhang Hu the entire time. You see, Zhang Hu What did he do? He said I was like a sister to him. Did he? Mrs. Nam turned to Zhang Hu for confirmation. The boy could only nod with an awkward smile. He told me hed like me to stay a while. Liyuan said. Did you really? Mrs. Nam clearly seemed surprised. She turned to Zhang Hu once again. And again, the boy could only nod with a smile. His eyes, though, clearly held malicious intent directed towards Liyuan. * * * This is strange. Yanhui was quite troubled. It was quite strange. Liyuans tracks just disappeared into thin air yesterday. That itself wasnt too surprising. But the marker they placed on her couldnt be erased at all. That in itself was impossible. Yanhui turned to the experts around her. The girl mustve erased her marker for this to be possible. Do you think thats really what happened? The five immediately shook their head. As far as they knew, there were only two ways for the marker to be erased. One was for the person to bathe in a special herbal mixture. But the Tiger Ghost Bandits were the only ones who knew how to create this mixture, so there was no way for this to be true. The second way was for an expert to use their life force to burn away the marker. But there were only fifty experts in existance who were skilled enough to perform such a feat. Not even the leader of Liyuans organization could do it. What the hell happened? Yanhui paced around with a frustrated voice. Liyuan, Liyuan. What in the world did you do? Han Liyuan. Just saying the girls name made Yanhuis eyes turn more and more vicious. Why do you hate that girl so much, by the way? You two got along well as children One of the experts asked. I was never friends with her! How could someone like me, the associate leader of the Ghost Tiger Bandits, be friends with a girl from a family of gamblers? Yanhui snapped back. The five flinched. Yanhui was clearly furious. Its not because she stole my pet cat after gambling with her! Its not because she took away my first love either! I just hate the girl! I was never friends with her! Ever! Do you understand! The five nodded energetically. U-understood. Yanhui seemed to have calmed down after that. Theres no time. Weve delayed things for too long. The experts from the Righteous Association and the Five Demon Wheels Church will arrive soon. Lets search the hill where she disappeared again. Yanhui took off towards the hill where Liyuan was last seen saying this. * * * Oh? You won again! Youre very good at this, mom. Liyuan let go of a stick in her hands saying this and extended her wrist. Three hits, right? Go on. Mrs. Nam shook her head with a smile. Its fine. In any case, this card game is pretty fun. Right? Do you want to try again? Sure. Liyuan smiled. Mother, dont play this game with anyone other than me though, alright? Why? Liyuan paused. What do I say? Should she tell the lady a few scary stories to chase her away? Maybe that one story about Mr. Jin, the person who lost all of his riches just playing the card game? I cant tell her that I was the one who took his money, though? Liyuan couldnt think of a proper response in the end. Just because. Mrs. Nam tilted her head in confusion. Damn, whats up with this lady being so innocent and cute? I wish she was my mom. Mrs. Nam asked a question. Not even with Zhang Hu? Liyuans eyes drifted off to a corner of the room. She could see the boy glaring at him with his arms crossed. Liyuan glared back as she opened her mouth. But the boy doesnt know how to play. Zhang Hus lips parted right then. I do. Liyuan smirked. Ah, so you do! So hes had experience gambling a little with this kiddie friends, eh? Tsk tsk, this kid Mrs. Nam tried to wave the boy over. Yeah? Would you like to play in my place, then? Zhang Hu tried to shake his head. But then, Liyuan waved her cards towards him with a mocking smile. She mouthed a few words at him. How would you like to lose a few games? Zhang Hus lips curled upwards into an angry smile. I suppose I will. Chapter 4 - A Duel of Cards A Duel of Cards Mrs. Nam headed for the bed, and Zhang Hu took her seat in her stead. Zhang Hu put his hands on the table. Lets begin. Liyuan smiled mockingly. She shuffled the cards as she observed the boys face. This card game, known as the Blade Duel, had 28 cards in the deck. Each player would get a hand of five, and would duel using the combination of these. She served two cards between each other, to begin. Zhang Hu picked up his cards. Just looking at this made Liyuan snort. The boy looked so amateurish! Shes never seen a novice like this one before. But then again, hes probably just played around with his friends every once in a while, and nothing more. What more would she expect from him? Liyuan gave the boy two more cards, before getting herself two more. She peeked at the four cards in her hand. Not bad. She snuck a look at Zhang Hu. She couldnt read the boys face, but his hand was trembling. He clearly didnt have a great hand. Liyuan grinned. Dont you complain even if I hit a bit hard. Zhang Hu didnt say anything in response. He just put a card on the middle of the table. Liyuan did the same. These were cards to be thrown away. Liyuan served two cards to each other. Now, there were five cards in each persons hand. The duel was to begin. Can this even be called a duel? She smiled. It was almost embarrassing, focusing this much to play a game with a farm boy. She could see Zhang Hus eyes tremble in nervousness. His hand sucks, huh? Heh. She didnt even have to look at the cards to know. Should we go with five slaps on the wrist? Zhang Hu initiated. What? Its no fun to go with one slap per game, isnt it? Especially if were deciding this over skill, not luck. Liyuans smile instantly turned cold. This kid You You think you can take it? Zhang Hu just smiled. You think you cant? Liyuan let out an exaggerated sigh before shaking her head. The heck was this kid doing? He was practically punching a sleeping tiger! Itd be smart for the boy to kneel and beg for forgiveness right at that moment, but Of course he wasnt going to do that. Hes a kid! Hell have to learn about what hes done the hard way, then. Liyuan glared at Zhang Hu from across the table. Is five enough for you? How about we go with ten? Zhang Hu nodded. If youre going to do ten, why not do twenty? If youre scared we can just go with one. Liyuan smiled. Trying to pressure her now, was he? She nodded. Fine. Twenty slaps. Show me your cards. Zhang Hus eyes shook a little right then. Are you sure? Its going to be twenty slaps, or five punches. You can give up now if you want. Zhang Hu said. Liyuan just grinned. Show me your cards. You first. Liyuan flipped her cards one by one. It was a Sword of The General. The girl pulled up her sleeves. Ready for a beating? Right then, Zhang Hu let out a snort. He dumped his cards on the table. It was the Changing Sword. The one combo higher up on the ladder than the General. Liyuan stiffened. Do you want 20 slaps or 5 punches? Zhang Hu asked. Liyuan swallowed. S-slaps. Come on, then. Liyuan extended his left hand. Zhang Hu gripped this firmly with his right. This will hurt a bit. Liyuan laughed. A slap from a farm boy? Hurting? Kid, Im a martial artist, you know? Its fine, kiddo. Do your worse. Zhang Hu nodded, and lightly slapped the girls wrist with his fingers. Slap. It sounded so innocent. But the pain? Unreal. Liyuan felt her head turn completely white. She couldnt think. It hurt so much that she couldnt even scream. It almost felt like her wrist got severed just then! Zhang Hu grinned. Since he was just hitting the nerves, it shouldnt look like anything on the outside, but the pain should be incredible. Now, the second slap. Liyuan struggled to escape. But her arm wouldnt move no matter what she did. Slap. Liyuan almost fainted from the pain. Third, now. Slap. Fourth. Slap, slap, slap, slap Twenty. Liyuan only managed to gain freedom after almost collapsing. There was nothing wrong with her wrist when she looked at it, though. It was just a little red, if anything. She could hear Zhang Hus voice in the background. Should we stop, big sister? Hes taunting her, isnt he? She wanted to stop, she really did. But her pride wouldnt allow it. No! One more game! * * * Its always a bit difficult to tell the passage of time when youre gambling. Liyuan was no different. She didnt even realize its been four hours since Zhang Hus started playing with her. That is, she had to endure intense pain for almost four hours straight. Big sis, why dont we make this our last game? Winning all the time is getting kind of boring now. Zhang Hu pretended to yawn as he said this. Liyuans beautiful face scrunched up into a devilish scowl. To think Id lose all 35 rounds! She couldnt believe it. When you ask anyone on the street who was the best at this card came, no one would hesitate to come up with an answer. The thirsty ghost of Jiangbei, Han Sabu, and Han Liyuan of the casino. This Liyuan lost 35 rounds. This doesnt even make sense! Make this round the last one? Im going to win! Her swelling wrist hurt quite a bit. She was scared of the immense pain that followed after each slap as well. But her pride was at stake here. Her pride as a gambler! Liyuan spoke with a solemn voice. Why dont we raise the stakes even higher, then? Zhang Hu nodded lazily. Doesnt really matter for me. Sure. A hundred hits! How about it? Zhang Hu smirked. Ah Again with that face. Its so annoying! But then again Hes handsome. Im fine with it, but how about you? Your wrist hurts, doesn it? Liyuan snorted. Just dont complain after losing. Now! Lets get it on! Whoosh! The cards spun in the air as Liyuan shuffled. It almost looked mesmerizing watching her work so fluently. But Liyuans heart was full of nothing but nervousness. That look Zhang Hu had on his face was giving her the chills. Cold. His eyes seemed incredibly cold and calculating. It was fine, though. Her hands were faster than the eye could see. There was no turning back now. Ill have to use that technique. Zhang Hu gets the card from the bottom of the deck. She gets a card from the top. He gets one from the bottom again But then. Zhang Hu grabbed hold of Liyuans wrist. Bottom dealing now, eh? What are you talking about? You got proof? Of course I do. You gave me the Changing Sword for my hand. And youd have the Five Heavenly Kings on yours. Zhang Hu flipped his cards. It was indeed the Changing Sword, the second best hand that a player could get in the game. Fine! I bet a thousand slaps that I dont actually have the Five Heavenly Kings as my hand! You can back off now if youre scared, kiddo. Zhang Hu smiled. Fine. Mother, if you could act as a witne He found Mrs. Nam sleeping when he turned. After looking at her silently for a second, he opened his mouth softly. Lets stop. He stood up and picked the woman up in his arms. Mrs. Nam flinched a little, but didnt end up waking up. Zhang Hu carefully lowered her onto a bed. He tried to put a blanket over her, but was interrupted by Liyuan promptly putting herself on the same bed. What are you doing? Zhang Hu scowled. What do you think? Im going to be sleeping with mom. Is it alright if I sleep with you, mom? Who are you calling mo Mm Yuan? Mm. Sure. Lets sleep. Mrs. Nam hugged Liyuan as she returned to sleep. Liyuan poked her tongue at Zhang Hu before going to sleep herself. Zhang Hu let out a very small sigh as he put a blanket over the both of them. As he turned to leave, he stopped over the table. He lifted Liyuans hand and waved it at her to see. Liyuan peeked with her left eye. It was the Five Heavenly Kings. Liyuans face reddened in embarrassment. Zhang Hu smiled, and turned off the lights. Zhang Hu found himself letting out a tiny laughter as he headed for his rooms. He stroked his cheek in surprise. I laughed? He probably laughed. He couldnt remember how long its been since the last time hes done that. Was that fun? It was kind of fun, now that he thought about it. He looked back at the dark room behind him. Fine. Ill let you be till morning. He headed back towards his room. * * * Zhang Hus door opened moments before dawn. He walked out into the front yard with an expressionless face. There was not a sound coming from the yard, not even those from bugs. He looked back at Mrs. Nams room. After confirming that he couldnt sense anyone in it, he turned back to the gate in front of him. Whoosh. A blue light formed around Zhang Hus head, forming a third eye. The eye shot out a beam of light at the gate. The gate turned translucent, and revealed six experts on the other side. It was Yanhui and her group of experts. They looked quite tired after being lost in the formation for the entire night. Zhang Hu crossed his arms. Bandits these days are quite something, huh. Yanhui tilted her head in confusion. This is very strange. The track just stops here. But the tracker we placed on her is still here, which means that she should be here. But we cant find her She sighed. Did she fly up into the heavens?, one of the experts asked. She mightve dropped down into the ground. Another answered. It was a ridiculous joke, but Yanhui seemed to have gotten an idea from it. Right! She mightve holed up in the ground somewhere. Several experts in the Martial World, especially assassins and spies, liked to hole up in the ground waiting for their target for days. As the story went, the best assassin of the Martial World, Wan Wuju, holed up for a full month in order to assassinate the Emperor of the Fist, Tie Liba. The man ended up failing, but he did end up making the martial arts community reevaluate the true worth of the technique. And out of all the organizations in the Martial World, the one organization that was likely to have obscure and nigh-useless techniques like holing up in the ground was The Xiawu Clan, of which Liyuan was the associate leader of. Holing up That makes sense. The five experts nodded in agreement. Yanhui looked over them with a sharp gaze. Its been a day since shes disappeared, yes? If shes holed up here somewhere, she wouldve lasted four days at most. Lets split up into two groups. Ill stay here with Mr. Huang and Mr. Jin. The rest of you can keep searching. The five quickly bowed. Yes maam! Yanhui whispered under her breath. My senses are telling me Yanhui looked over the area before continuing. That bitch is here somewhere.