Death… and me

Chu Yang's hands and eyes were agile, quicker than Meng Chao Ran's. He struck Shi Qian Shan in the chest, and only a 'pow' was heard as the bones around Shi Qian Shan's chest shattered into pieces. Shi Qian Shan's body jerked up, eyes widened, and blood flowed from his ears, nose, and mouth. In a few breaths, his body went limp and he stopped breathing.

"Ah?" Meng Chao Ran looked at Chu Yang, and he immediately understood Chu Yang's intention, letting out a sigh.

"Master, it was better for me to do it. He bullied us for years, so this was a chance for me to vent my anger." Chu Yang said calmly.

Meng Chao Ran stared at him and patted him on the shoulder. He wanted to say something to Chu Yang, but in the end, he just quietly walked out.

With Meng Chao Ran's personality, if he had to kill a disciple he raised for eight years with his own hands, then he would be haunted by it forever. However, if it was Chu Yang, it would be different. Even though Shi Qian Shan still died in front of him, it was ultimately not by his own hand, hence he felt less burdened.

How could Meng Chao Ran not know Chu Yang's intentions?

Chu Yang sighed, and while looking at Shi Qian Shan's corpse, he couldn't help but say bitterly, "Dying so easily… you were really let off easy."These words were not wrong. If Meng Chao Ran had not suddenly come over, with Chu Yang's tactics combined with the hatred accumulated from two lifetimes, Shi Qian Shan would have been abused to the point that he no longer wanted to live.

Finally, Chu Yang understood why Meng Chao Ran named as such. Firstly, because of the word 'Chu' from that jade pendant. Secondly, because of the word 'Chu' from Ye Chu Chen. Didn't Chu Yang sound similar to the term 'the early morning sun'?

As for'Chu Chen', did that not have a similar meaning as his name as well?

For the 'Tan' in Tan Tan, did it not carry the meaning of 'short lived'[1]? Was this not Meng Chao Ran expressing his lamentation for his short-lived love?

Chu Yang suddenly understood the immense suffering that his master carried in his heart. In life, the most unbearable thing one could experience was to be separated in life and death. The words 'separated in life' came first, which meant that it was much tougher to be separated while still alive than to say goodbye due to death.

'Parting in death' was only temporary discomfort, but living apart would torment one for life. A person only had to be alive for the pain to become engraved deep inside and to be tortured without end!

"Ye Chu Chen…" Chu Yang quietly noted. Staring in the direction Meng Chao Ran walked, he thought, "Master, I will remember this name."

Looking back at Shi Qian Shan's corpse, whose eyes were wide open, Chu Yang remained silent for awhile, after which conflicting emotions emerged in his heart. He finally came to a realization: he had transformed the lives of others!

In the previous life, Shi Qian Shan would have lived for another four years. However, after no more than a month after rebirth, he died by Chu Yang's hands…

After a moment of silence, Chu Yang covered the body with a blanket and leisurely carried it outside. When everything was taken care of, Chu Yang discovered something surprising. During the course of this event, Tan Tan prepared another meal and set it out on the table, still steaming hot.

Even more surprising was the fact that Meng Chao Ran, instead of disappearing, was quietly sitting at the table as if waiting for Chu Yang. Everything was just like any other day.

As Chu Yang entered, Tan Tan asked shakily, "That… Eldest Senior Brother… ah, Shi Qian Shan…?"

"He died. I killed him."

Chu Yang said calmly then sat down. With a nod, Tan Tan kept his head down and suddenly lost his appetite. When he heard the things Shi Qian Shan said earlier, he thought death was not a good enough punishment. However, he now still felt an inexplicable feeling of loss. Regardless of everything, they had lived together for many years. On top of that, until today, Tan Tan did not discover Shi Qian Shan's true nature.

With a serious face, Meng Chao Ran picked up his chopsticks and said, "Let's eat." His gaze was calm as if the earlier event never occurred and the Purple Bamboo Garden never had a disciple named Shi Qian Shan.

The three were quiet. The air around them was heavy with tension near breaking point.

Chu Yang did not say anything else. Meng Chao Ran did not need any consolation. Even though he did feel slightly regretful, it was not something he couldn't get over in a couple of days. The only thing was, before dying, Shi Qian Shan said words that renewed the pain deep inside Meng Chao Ran's heart. That pain would probably continue to torment him for a long time…

When Meng Chao Ran was done eating, he saw that Chu Yang was eating voraciously. He could not help but grin and spoke, "Chu Yan, was this really the first time you killed someone? If I remember correctly, you have not even killed a chicken before."

Stupefied, Chu Yang answered, "Yes…!" At this moment, he realized that he was too calm after killing someone. In the eyes of an experienced person like Meng Chao Ran, this extraordinary reaction was questionable.

Whether it was a martial artist or an evil person with countless crimes, after killing for the first time, there should be a reaction of some sort. Yet Chu Yang had just killed a person for the first time, his eldest martial brother of eight years, and he could still eat as if nothing had happened…!

How could this not unnerve others?

"Your mind is extremely fortified. It's as if you are a natural born killer."

Meng Chao Ran smiled as he talked. Suddenly he remembered Wu Yun Liang's proposal. He realized sending Chu Yang on that dangerous mission might not have been so unreasonable.

This level of calmness was too extreme. If he were sent on the mission, he would absolutely not reveal any weaknesses. Yet, Meng Chao Ran was still worried about his disciple so deep inside he was conflicted.

There was a good chance that Chu Yang could die!

"Natural born killer…" Chu Yang laughed to himself. He thought to himself, "Even though it was my first time in this life, in my previous life, I have sent thousands of souls to the underworld. Can it really still be considered a cold-blooded reaction? My heart had died a long time ago. Killing a man, strangely enough, was no different than killing a chicken…

"Even with death, Shi Qian Shan did not pay for all his sins. Disciple's act of killing him was simply a matter of doling out justice. There was no pressure or hesitation, and it was also my pleasure to do so." Chu Yang answered.

Meng Chao Ran looked at him and suddenly smiled, "Very good!"

In the blink of an eye, three days passed!

That night, Chu Yang was sitting alone in the depths of Purple Bamboo Forest, feeling the energy of heaven and earth. He had a feeling that today would be the day he would have a breakthrough in his cultivation and advance to the level of Martial Warrior!

Since the day he killed Shi Qian Shan, a violent force buried deep inside him had awakened. Chu Yang also felt a frightening aura fluctuate wildly in his dantian – as if a bloodthirsty emotion had awakened and was struggling and howling inside him.

This was the cruelty ingrained in his soul from practicing sword arts without love in his previous life. Chu Yang spent a lot of effort suppressing this emotion in order to continue to cultivate peacefully. Just then, an energy inside him suddenly surged up as if trying to break away from some invisible shackles!

Chu Yang eyes narrowed as he manipulated the vortex of energy with special attention to his dantian. At this point, the little Nine Tribulation Sword Spirit seemed to become the center of everything. The vortex from his dantian swirled around the Nine Tribulation Sword Spirit nine times and shot straight into the meridians at the speed of lightning. Like a massive force of nature, it flooded his meridian channels!

Gradually growing powerful, the energy swirled around his meridians nine times and became a powerful wave. Chu Yang's concentration was disturbed as this wave pushed past the level of Martial Pupil and aggressively advanced into the level of Martial Warrior!

Boom!

Chu Yang could only hear an exploding sound coming from within him. His whole body shook violently and suddenly fresh crimson blood shot out from his mouth and nostrils.

At this time the vast energy had risen up and broken through his barriers, flooding into new meridian channels. Chu Yang was meticulous in controlling his energy flow because after a breakthrough, using new meridian channels could lead to injuries if not managed properly. These injuries would be the invisible force that limited a martial art practitioner's achievements in the future.

He was being careful as if crossing a bridge made of a single log. After leading his energy around the meridian channels once, Chu Yang was soaked in sweat. However, he did not falter and continued with maximum effort.

One round, two rounds… nine rounds were completed!

After the cycle was done, Chu Yang let out a powerful breath. He felt as if he had less than half his strength. Then, a relaxed feeling came over him as if he was immersed in warm water.

Chu Yang spit out a dark mass. Even in the night, it flashed a bright light and then dissipated into thin air.

In a hidden place in Purple Bamboo Forest, Meng Chao Ran stood upright. His whole body was covered in the night's dew as he was attentively watching over his disciple.

At the moment Chu Yang succeeded, Meng Chao Ran also let out a sigh of relief. Chu Yang had just progressed by another step in his cultivation path.

"Meridian purification!?"

Meng Chao Ran was flabbergasted when he saw Chu Yang spit out that demonic dark mass. Unable to control himself, his eyes opened wide and his mouth suddenly uttered those words. This… this was the impurities from his meridians!

[1] It was actually a whole phrase referencing a flower called Tan Hua or Queen of the Night , which blooms rarely and only at night