Zhang Yong calmly watched as Su Ming recounted his story, which took an entire chapter.
Su Ming stared into the void and dug into his heart.
"His response made me wonder... was I asking for too much, just hoping he'd look at me and acknowledge me? Can't someone be accepted or recognized unless they're perfect...? Can't he just see me as his son? I really don't understand why it's so hard... even though I trained every day, trying not to fail... even though I won and won and won... he never accepted me. It all felt... worthless."
Zhang Yong looked at Su Ming expressionlessly.
Then suddenly, he raised his hand and punched himself hard.
Su Ming's heart leapt. "W-what are you doing?!"
Zhang Yong held the spot he struck and rubbed it.
"Nothing. I just felt guilty for calling you a bastard all this time."
Su Ming sighed deeply.
"Anyway, after I left, I met my master. He took me on a training journey until I entered a competition and won. That's when he gave me a letter and the Purple Star Sect token, telling me to come here. And aboard the ship... I met you. That's the end of my story."
Zhang Yong clenched his fist.
"No, it's not over yet. You still have to go back and make your father realize his mistake."
Su Ming chuckled lightly.
"It's not like I hate my father. After all, he is the one who brought me into this world. All I really want... is for him to notice me. But let's change the subject. What stage are you at in the sword path?"
Zhang Yong thought for a moment and shook his head in confusion.
"I don't know. I don't think I know anything about the sword path."
Su Ming looked a bit surprised.
"Don't you use a sword? I thought you were a sword cultivator. Shouldn't you have sword power by now?"
Zhang Yong shook his head.
"No. I use a sword because it's easier for fighting and cutting. Usually, I use daggers. As for sword power... I know nothing."
Su Ming stood up and grabbed his sword.
"Sword power doesn't necessarily require spiritual energy. Though it often does, it's more about what makes a sword a sword. The sword path relies on the wielder's personal understanding. And sword intent is even more powerful , It's said that someone who comprehends sword intent in a Heaven-rank technique can cut through nearly anything with air alone. That's why I was so excited when you gave me that technique."
He grabbed the edge of his sword and pointed it toward the void in front of him.
At that moment, a red-golden aura covered his blade and began swirling around it like a vortex. With a single strike, he sent a blade of that aura flying into the sky.
"This is one form of sword power. Earth-rank sword intent like the one you that you gave me would be even stronger."
Zhang Yong smiled calmly as he watched the strike."Then shouldn't you begin condensing your own sword intent?"
Su Ming thought for a moment.
"No. Now's not the right time. Just condensing sword intent might take a long time, and we won't have time to gather more resources. It's best to delay it."
Su Ming lay back on the ground"I'll rest for a bit. You should too. No one can reach this place anyway."
Zhang Yong sat cross-legged and entered his spiritual sea.
Once there, everything was normal. He asked,"What happened to that King-rank soul?"
Ling Xi turned around while holding a cup of tea.
"Oh, you're finally here. That soul was worthless, so I turned it into a table."
Zhang Yong's jaw nearly dropped when he saw the soul kneeling on all fours, being used by Ling Xi as a table to hold her tea.
'all the King-rank prestige had gone'
The soul pleaded"Mercy! I apologize for intruding! I'll be your slave, your dog, even your horse, just don't destroy me!"
Zhang Yong coughed awkwardly.
"I didn't expect this... what do you all think we should do?"
The Empress raised her hand, helplessly.
"Is there even a need to think? Just turn him into mental energy and absorb him."
Everyone nodded in agreement—except Ling Xi.
"Wait! He's my table! You can't just destroy him!"
The King soul's eyes lit up with a sliver of hope.
Zhang Yong smirked and snapped his fingers, transforming the scene into a beach with a sunshade and a chair beside a table.
Ling Xi immediately reclined on the chair.
"Okay, you can get rid of him now."
The King soul's face turned dark immediately and begged,
"Please! I've lived long and... and I possess many skills and knowledge!"
"Oh?" Chang Yong suddenly looked interested.
"Then, do you know any method to repair a shattered energy core?"
The soul trembled violently.
"N-no! There's no such thing!"
"Then disappear."
Zhang Yong instantly erased the soul, converting it into pure mental energy and sat down to absorb it.
When he finished, he looked up, a new understanding dawning on him. He had gained one of the King's memories—a light manipulation technique
Not particularly strong, but useful and tied to mental power, probably his limits for now
He turned to the others.
"I've finished absorbing him. I'm heading out."
Zhang Yong left his soul sea and stood up, summoning the Mountain-Splitting Axe.
"uni, can you change the axe's weight?"
(The axe is yours to command. As long as you will it, its size and weight can change.)
He closed his eyes.
'Let's see... I'll try 50 kilograms.'
The axe grew noticeably heavier, though not to his limit.
'Make it seve—no, 100 kilograms.' he thought boldly.
It became so heavy he had to grip it with both hands and began swinging it in every direction with difficulty.
One hour... two... three...
The sun began to rise, but Zhang Yong didn't stop. Sweat dripped from his body.
[Status]
Name: Zhang Yong (Heijai Naoto)
Age: 15
Body:
Life and Death affinity physique lvl3
Ice and Fire Chemical Body lvl5
Heaven-Defying Body lvl1
Level: 41× (15,000,000 / 53,900)
Strength: 300
Endurance: 273
Agility: 320
Intelligence: 232
Spiritual Energy: 41×
Stat Points: 18
Emotion Points: 34,215
Abilities – Shop – Inventory – Quests
Gambling)
"Good, my stats have improved a little."
As the sunlight hit the tree, the exposed bark began to burn, waking Su Ming instantly.
"What's this?"
The sound drew Zhang Yong's attention, and he rushed over.
Flames consumed the bark, revealing carvings underneath.
They saw markings a lot of X with one different mark: a dot.
Zhang Yong's first thought was a map. But to where, he didn't know.
"Su Ming, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked calmly.
Su Ming nodded.
"Maybe? We don't think alike, but yeah... this could be a map of this small world inside the shrine. If we assume the dot is our location, then what are the other marks? There are ten."
Chang Yong pointed to the closest one.
"What about this place?"
Su Ming studied it.
"That must be where we first met."
Chang Yong rubbed his chin.
'That area was near the valley where I killed Jian Yi and the others. But nothing there was specia—'
His heart skipped. He remembered the Emerald Pillar.
'Could the map point to the Emerald Pillar or something else?'
He turned to Su Ming and pointed to the second-closest mark.
"Let's head here next. Who knows what we'll find?"
Su Ming nodded, and the two departed the mountain early, knowing it was best to avoid being seen.
After walking for several miles, they reached a swampy area full of footprints.
Upon entering, they immediately increased their speed.
As they approached, their brows furrowed.
Before them lay a massive lake—but covered in thick white fog, with a faint tint of blood.
It wasn't easily noticeable, but more than that—what enraged them was the sight of a lake made of blood. It wasn't human, but still red.
They had arrived at the Blood lake
But they weren't alone. Dozens of silhouettes stood before the red water.
Su Ming muttered,
"Are they all here for the Blood Lotus?"
Zhang Yong glanced sideways.
"Blood Lotus, huh? Definitely a treasure people would crave. We can't let them take it. Be ready for battle."
Su Ming nodded, hand on his sheathed sword. They advanced.
At the center of attention was a girl—black hair cascading over her shoulders, a black dress embroidered with gold. The only phrase to describe her: "As beautiful as jade."
Everyone's eyes were fixed on her, as if nothing else existed.
Someone exclaimed,
"She's Sister Chu Ning from Purple Star!"
Everyone seemed to snap out of it.
Zhang Yong turned to Su Ming—who, strangely, had his eyes closed... technically avoiding even looking at her
The two continued forward, ignoring the commotion.
Chu Ning noticed and called out,
"You two, where do you think you're going?"
They quickened their pace, not wanting to draw attention.
Chu Ning stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Yong's shoulder.
"I wonder who the younger brother is."
Zhang Yong sighed in annoyance and turned around.
"Take your hand off me before I make your head fly."
She trembled—not in fear, but with a blushing face as she saw his face , she stood in place , looking dumfounded from his appearance
"Y-you don't have to speak so harshly... why don't you talk to this—"
But Zhang Yong stumped the earth with his foot and turn fast towards her , dagger pressed to her neck—millimeters from piercing it.
His killing intent surged.
"Keep bothering me, and you'll see hell."
She gulped and raised her hands.
"O-okay! You can go."
The gazes of those around were filled with disbelief. How could these two ignore such beauty? They wanted to protest and step forward to steal the spotlight, but Chu Ning raised her hand and didn't allow anyone to block their way.
Zhang yong retracted his blade and continued with Su Ming. They swallowed a Fog Barrier Pill, surrounding themselves in white mist.
Chang Yong asked,
"What's this pill even for?"
Su Ming answered calmly,
"The Blood Sea's fog causes hundreds to get lost. The pill's mist counters it, keeping us on track. But the real danger isn't the sea... it's what lives in it. A fourth-rank Blood Shark dwells here. The pill lets us float above it, but if we make too much noise—we're dead."
Zhang Yong nodded, walking behind Su Ming.
Soon, they spotted the Lotus—purple side petals and a blood-red core.
'So that's the Blood Lotus,' Zhang Yong thought, reaching out to grab it—
Suddenly, a sword slashed toward his arm. He dodged and turned.
Su Ming looked around and searched for the source of the attack before speaking, "Who's there?"
A voice answered from the fog.
"You can't take that Lotus little brother"
Su Ming warned"Zhang Yong, be careful. That sword... it might've been imbued with sword intent , but definitely it's strong"
Zhang Yong's heart skipped"Are you sure?"
Su Ming nodded, eyes tense.
A tall man in his thirties appeared, with jet-black hair and glowing red eyes. His red robe was loose, but his sword remained visible from his sleeve
Without hesitation, Zhang Yong dashed forward and punched.
Slash!
Blood splattered, mingling with the bloody swamp.
The man's sword had pierced Zhang Yong's fist, slicing between his ring and middle finger, stopping at the palm.
Zhang Yong backed off in shock.
"Your sword... it's mid-grade mysterious rank!"
The man grinned arrogantly, looking at the bloodied blade.
"Oh? Poison in your blood? Interesting. I'll dissect you after I kill you."
Zhang Yong gritted his teeth"You disgusting bastard."
Zhang Yong reached out and grabbed his sword tightly and attacked
Their blades clashed again and again. From afar, it looked even—but an expert would see: Chang Yong was being pushed back. His opponent was a sword expert; Zhang Yong was a beginner. It was an obvious result
Su Ming shouted,
"Zhang Yong! Stop fighting!"
Zhang Yong glanced to the sides—two shark fins appeared from the blood sea.
The man laughed,
"Afraid of beasts? Even if you run, my men are outside waiting!"
Zhang Yong made a final strike and tried to retreat—
Thud!
The man's sword stabbed into Zhang Yong's stomach.
He looked up—the sharks were meters away, about to leap.
Clutching his bleeding hand, he smiled,
"We'll both die, bastard."
He raised his hand toward Su Ming, and a shadow darted out.
'Kuro, take Su Ming and the lotus away!'
'But what about you, Father?' Kuro asked in panic.
'I'll be fine.' Zhang Yong smiled softly—
And then, he and the man were devoured by two different sharks.
Su Ming screamed as Kuro grabbed him and the lotus, flying away.
"Zhang Yong!"
No one knew what became of him.
Chang Yong was swallowed, and his fate was unknown