"If you won't hand it over, then die!" Zhang Yangrui charged, eyes blazing with murderous intent.
Lang Lin panicked. The distance between them was no more than eight meters—too close, far too close. And Yangrui was far faster than any ordinary man.
Clang!
A strange sound rang out behind Lang Lin. His heart leapt.
That sound… it was the dimensional gate!
Like the call of salvation itself, the noise filled him with sudden hope. Without hesitation, he spun around and dove through the gate.
Fwoom!
The portal sealed shut behind him just as Yangrui's saber slashed down. The blade missed by a hair's breadth.
Clang!
Yangrui's strike struck the surface of the gate instead. His face twisted with rage. "Damn it! Just one more inch!" he cursed.
But the skull atop the gate glowed red. A chill, endless aura poured forth—like eternal darkness given form.
Yangrui's eyes widened in horror. He tried to pull his saber back, but it was too late.
A crimson beam lanced from the skull's eye, sharper and deadlier than any laser. His weapon shattered in an instant, and his head was blasted into a gaping hole, blood spraying everywhere.
He died bewildered, never understanding why a crippled ant like Lang Lin could summon such a thing to kill him.
But the gate had not yet vanished. The skull sneered, its silver teeth clattering—chi, chi, chi—as its jaw opened wide.
A red mist poured forth, and within it, a tongue emerged, long and grotesque.
The tongue lashed out, wrapping around Yangrui's corpse. Crack, crack—the sound of bones grinding filled the air. His eyes bulged hideously, blood gushing to stain the crimson tongue even darker.
The skull lifted him high into the air, then slowly dragged him into its maw.
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
Its countless layers of teeth spun like the gears of some nightmarish machine. Flesh and bone were shredded mercilessly, like meat minced for a hamburger… except the sauce that dripped down its fangs was blood.
Back in the main world…
"I thought I was done for… thank heavens the gate appeared in time." Lang Lin collapsed onto the ground, heart pounding like a drum. His brush with death had rattled him to the core.
He had never imagined the dimensional gate would cast him into such a slaughterhouse, where martial artists battled to the death. For them, killing him would've been no harder than crushing an insect.
If not for the gate's sudden appearance, he'd be lying dead in that world now.
"I'm still too weak," he muttered, trembling. "If next time I end up in such a place again… I may not be so lucky." The memory of a saber point aimed at his chest made his whole body quake.
He was nothing compared to those warriors—an ant beneath the boots of giants.
Strength. That was what he needed. Strength above all.
He pulled out the thin book he had brought back: the Breathing Technique for Water Immersion. Barely ten pages, each filled with runic symbols he didn't understand and illustrations of figures meditating underwater.
The only way to master it was with experience points. He had a little over a thousand, barely enough.
But if he used them here, advancing his "Dimensional Apprentice" rank would have to wait.
He weighed the choices for a long time. Yet the book pulled at him like a magnet. He had seen firsthand the might of cultivators. If this came from their world, then surely it could strengthen him too. Perhaps even cure his crippled legs.
Then he remembered the other item—the jar of ancient giant's blood. It had granted more experience points than the breathing technique itself. Surely that meant it was even more valuable.
He set the black jar before him. About the size of a ten-liter container, sealed with a red stopper. At first glance, it could've been mistaken for ordinary liquor.
"Ancient Giant's Blood… what can I even use this for?" Lang Lin wondered aloud.
Unable to guess, he pulled the stopper.
Fwoosh!
A wave of metallic stench burst out. His eyes turned red instantly, his body trembling uncontrollably as a single word echoed in his mind—Kill. Kill. Kill.
Terror seized him. Slamming the stopper back on, he panted wildly. For a moment, he had almost lost himself. His body no longer felt his own.
"This blood… it's dangerous. I should seal it away." Shaking, he stored the jar back into the spatial ring. Had he lingered even a second longer, he might have gone insane.
Calming himself, he finally made his choice.
"The breathing technique… I'll learn it now."
Even though it cost more experience than it had granted, he had no choice. Asking the ring gave him no answers—it only remained silent. Sighing, he willed it to begin.
"I want to learn the Breathing Technique for Water Immersion!"
The book dissolved into light, which shot into his forehead. A flood of information seared his mind.
It was agony. His skull burned as if aflame, stuffed with endless streams of knowledge. He could not hold back his cries.
Fifteen minutes.Fourteen minutes.An hour passed.
At last, the trembling ceased. His eyes snapped open, gleaming like sharpened blades—only to fade back to normal a moment later.
"How long… was I out? That was even worse than when I first bonded with the ring." He massaged his temples, still dizzy. Night had fallen; the air was cold, mosquitoes buzzing.
"It's incredible. A thin little book, yet so powerful… If I train this every day, maybe my legs…" He grinned faintly. The technique was etched into his mind now, as if he had practiced it a thousand times. But knowledge alone wasn't enough—he would have to cultivate diligently.
Clenching his fists, he longed to plunge into water and begin immediately. But it wasn't the right time. Zhang Bao should be back with groceries soon. If he disappeared now, it would only worry him.
So he turned home.
When he entered, the aroma of cooking greeted him.
"Cooking already?" He stepped into the kitchen, finding Zhang Bao plating stir-fried meat and vegetables. The fragrance made his stomach growl.
"You're back, Boss," Zhang Bao beamed. "I thought you'd be hungry, so I cooked while waiting."
Cooked for me? Not just for yourself? Lang Lin thought skeptically.
"Well, it does look delicious," he admitted. "Make sure you save some for the rabbit too."
"Of course, Boss."
Lang Lin stepped into the small dining room.
Meep! His little rabbit leapt onto the table, paws pointing toward the kitchen as if to complain.
"What? You missed me already?" Lang Lin teased, scratching its chin.
Soon, Zhang Bao brought three steaming dishes to the table. Each looked mouthwatering, rich with meat and vegetables. The rabbit sniffed eagerly, feigning disinterest but staring with round eyes.
For Lang Lin, this was the first proper meal in days after surviving on instant noodles.
"Alright, let's see how it tastes." He picked up a piece of meat, chewing slowly. Zhang Bao watched anxiously, sweat beading at his temple.
Setting his chopsticks down, Lang Lin smiled. "Delicious. You could open a restaurant with cooking like this."
Zhang Bao chuckled sheepishly. "Boss flatters me. It's good, sure, but not that good." Then he dug in himself, shoveling food at an alarming speed.
Lang Lin cursed inwardly. Damn! No wonder Uncle Wu didn't want him around—he eats like a pig! If I don't hurry, the plates will be empty before I get my share…