Death… and me

Tan Tan became shocked. His eyes popped out of his head. "Master… you didn't need to stuff the whole chicken down your throat even if you're studying how hens lay their eggs…"

[I'm studying how hens lay their eggs?]

Meng Chao Ran spouted smoke through the seven orifices. He stretched out his hand and put it in his mouth. Then, he pulled out the snow chicken's head and threw it away with a 'whooshing' sound. He then clutched Tan Tan's collar, "You, you… why are you eating random stuff…?"

"Eating random stuff?" Tan Tan was astonished, "I'm not eating random stuff."

"Okay. What did you eat a moment ago?" Meng Chao Ran blew his top. He grabbed the bag as he trembled uncontrollably, "Would this thing be called casual eating material? You might as well eat a dead person's body too!"

"This thing…?" Tan Tan was shocked when he saw that the package was full of inner cores of spirit beast. In fact, he couldn't even believe it, "Did I eat this?"

Meng Chao Ran became shocked. [Tan Tan doesn't remember that he ate the inner core of spirit beast?]

[What's happening?]

"How could I possibly eat this?" Tan Tan fiercely jumped up. He had a look of panic on his face. He clutched his hair and stamped his feet. He shouted, "How can I eat this? I will explode now… what do I do?"

Meng Chao Ran looked at his disciple in astonishment, and felt like he would collapse at first. But then, he collected himself.

It was a long while before he powerlessly said, "You… don't remember?"

"I… I don't remember…" Tan Tan was anxious and perplexed as he repeated. He had become very frightened, "I would've killed myself before I had eaten this if I had known…"

"Then, you circulate your martial power now. Do you feel any abnormality?" Meng Chao Ran carefully asked. [Tan Tan's appearance doesn't leave me to believe that he's lying. So, what's wrong with him?]

[I've heard that some injuries can't be felt. And, the situation would've become incurable by the time they can be felt…]

Tan Tan sat on the ground with a 'thump' sound. Then, he started to circulate his martial power.

A long while passed. Then, he opened his eyes with a look of astonishment on his face, "I don't feel anything…"

"You don't feel anything?" Meng Chao Ran was baffled, "Not even a little bit?"

"Um…" Tan Tan tried to feel for a while. He then replied with pain in his expression, "I do feel…"

"What do you feel?" Meng Chao Ran hastily questioned.

"Master… I feel quite hungry…" Tan Tan scowled miserably.

Meng Chao Ran stumbled when he heard this.

Then, Tan Tan's hungry stomach made a growling sound. He held the roasted chicken in his hands, but looked extremely pitiful for some reason. He took a bite, and started to chew it. However, it seemed as if he was eating poison. He rolled-and-mixed it in his mouth, but couldn't swallow it down.

A long while passed like this. Then, he spat out the snow chicken's meat despite having chewed it to dregs. Moreover, it seemed that he was so frustrated that he didn't wish to live. He heaved a long sigh, "Master, I'm starving to death. But, I can't swallow this…"

Meng Chao Ran heaved a deep sigh.

[How should I handle this? This guy… has become incapable of eating human food, ah!]

Tan Tan sighed in despair. He painfully stroked his belly and unconsciously looked towards that package full of spirit beast inner cores from the corner of his eyes. Then, a 'swoosh' sound came from the corner of his mouth. And, his shiny saliva drooled down from the corner of his mouth… drip drip…

"You're not allowed to eat these!" Meng Chao Ran yelled.

"I won't eat them! Master, don't worry. I won't eat these!" Tan Tan shook his head. The flesh of his cheek shivered as he solemnly said, "I will starve to death. But, I won't eat these!"

…

Meng Chao Ran had done many experiments by now. He had roasted the meat and had carefully prepared food for Tan Tan. In fact, he had even made a bowl of delicious meat soup for his disciple in such conditions of food scarcity…

Master Meng had spared no effort!

However, Tan Tan…

Meng Chao Ran was anxious in his heart. He was at a loss. After all, Tan Tan didn't feel like eating anything now. It didn't matter whether it was food made of rice or meat — he couldn't swallow any of it.

The only things he was interested in were the inner cores of spirit beasts! In fact, it seemed that he was craving for them.

Meng Chao Ran tossed from side to side in the morning. He tossed from side to side in the afternoon. He tossed from side to side because of the growling sound of Tan Tan's hungry belly. Meng Chao Ran had eaten two more meals by now. But, Tan Tan's condition was still the same. His stomach was hungry, and was making growling sounds. His eyes were hungry, and seemed greedy. But, he was still unable to eat anything…

[Tan Tan's body has become powerless because of the hunger. But, he's still unable to eat anything… this is a very big problem.]

Meng Chao Ran locked his eyebrows tightly.

Tan Tan held his belly since it was endlessly growling in hunger. None of the two had realized that the golden color on Tan Tan's eyebrows, that strange mark between his eyebrows, and that mark on his stomach had become dull. They couldn't be seen flickering anymore. But, they were indeed flickering still…

Meng Chao Ran had no strategy left to try by the time it was evening. So, he made Tan Tan lie down in the cave since they didn't have a better choice. And then, he went out in snowy area to practice. And, he conveniently allowed the ice-cold snowflakes to cool his head down…

[It has only been a day that Tan Tan hasn't eaten anything. So, there shouldn't be any problem because of hunger even if he's starving for the time being. In fact, he wouldn't starve to death even if he doesn't eat for ten days… But, it won't be good if he eats the inner core of spirit beasts… After all, his body might explode!]

Meng Chao Ran would rather let his disciple's stomach remain empty. But, he wouldn't dare to let him eat things that could cause him harm…

Tan Tan had painfully covered his belly in the cave. However, greed had been sparkling in his eyes.

[I am going to starve to death… I will starve to death…]

Grumbling and rumbling sounds were coming from his stomach. Tan Tan was howling in grief. He was unable to endure it…

He couldn't help but look at the package. And, he felt hungrier every time he looked at it. And, the hungrier he felt — the more thunderous those growling sound in his stomach became!

Meng Chao Ran heard the thunderous sounds of Tan Tan's belly even though he was outside the cave. So, he shouted, "You're not allowed to eat them!"

Tan Tan's body quivered when he heard this. He took a look at his hand, and found that it was already stretched towards the package. So, he withdrew his hand quickly… as if he had got an electric shock. Then, he muttered, "I must not eat these! I must not eat these! I must not eat these. I must not eat these…"

Tan Tan closed his eyes and continuously repeated, 'I must not eat'. Then, he lay down on the ground and went to sleep. Moreover, he even kicked the package to one side and sent it far away before he slept off…

He gradually slipped into in a daze, and fell asleep.

…

Meng Chao Ran couldn't practice even though he tried. He thought for a while, but he didn't understand anything. A long while passed like this. He then sighed and returned to the cave. But, he saw that his darling disciple was in a deep sleep… [He's holding that package in his arms?]

[Moreover… it is open?]

Meng Chao Ran's complexion changed. He grabbed the package from Tan Tan's arms, and looked into it. Then, he counted them. [As expected… three of the spirit beast inner cores are missing!]

[Obviously, the ones missing are the fourth or fifth grade ones…]

"Tan Tan!" Meng Chao Ran bellowed!

Tan Tan woke up from his dream, turned around, and sat up. He had a drowsy look about him, "Master, what happened?"

"What happened… you're the one to ask…?" Meng Chao Ran ruthlessly looked at him, "Bastard! Why did you secretly steal and eat them?"

"I didn't do it! I haven't stolen and eaten anything!" Tan Tan felt wronged. Two teardrops twinkled at the corners of his eyes. "Master, you must believe me. I didn't eat anything, ah! Master, do you not trust in my moral standing… huh?"

However, he suddenly became flabbergasted and stroked his belly as he said this. Then, he giggled. He then said with some uncertainty, "I am not hungry…? Why don't I feel hungry anymore…?"

Meng Chao Ran's complexion turned black in anger, "Do you even have a moral standing?! Then, you tell me… you haven't eaten anything, right? So, how come you're not hungry anymore?"

"Right, I haven't eaten anything. So, how come I am not hungry then?" Tan Tan remained perplexed despite giving it much thought. He then gently stoked his belly, while his eyes filled with look of contemplation. Then, he muttered, "This is extremely strange…"

"Alas~~" Meng Chao Ran sadly heaved a deep sigh. Then, he blew his top and grabbed the package. You haven't eaten anything, right? Alright, then count these! How come three of these are missing? Where did they go – in a dog's belly?"

Tan Tan's complexion turned pale. He spoke-up in fright, "I didn't eat… I didn't…" He started to count the inner cores left in the package, and his complexion turned green. He then suddenly wailed, "Master, I wasn't awake… I was obviously sleeping! So, how can I steal and eat them…?"

Tan Tan rolled his eyes and said, "Could it be that this thing melts?"

Meng Chao Ran puckered up his brows at first. Then, he closed his eyes… wishing he were dead…

He stretched his hand, and held the veins of Tan Tan's wrist. Then, he circulated his martial power to examine. But, Meng Chao Ran hastily drew back as soon as his spiritual power went in. In fact, it seemed as if he had got bitten by a viper!

He opened his eyes wide and looked towards Tan Tan as if he had seen a ghost. [My spiritual power suddenly got pulled away like a tide the moment it came in contact with Tan Tan's spiritual power. It seemed like an abyss with a vast and limitless suction force…]

[Perhaps Tan Tan would've absorbed my entire life-worth of hard-earned cultivation if I hadn't pulled away my hand in time!]

Tan Tan was at a loss. So, he ignorantly asked, "Master… what happened?"

Meng Chao Ran looked at the innocent expression on Tan Tan's face, and nearly collapsed…

[How can this happen?]

"Tan Tan, you go out and circulate your spiritual power with all you've got. I've examined you, and there is something unusual," Meng Chao Ran used the most stupid way.

Tan Tan scratched his head in doubt and confusion. However, he went out dragging his shoes, and stood in the snowy area.

Then, he assumed a strange posture with a "Hey Ah~~" sound.

Meng Chao Ran attentively observed as Tan Tan practised. His complexion had turned solemn and respectful. But then, he ferociously slammed his mouth wide open. In fact, he had opened his mouth with such a strength that his jaw had nearly gotten dislocated!

Meng Chao Ran rubbed his eyes with all his strength. However, his eyes rolled backward, and revealed the white of his eyes instead as he almost fainted. A crown had gradually risen on the top of Tan Tan's head. It rose up to thirty feet. Then, it suddenly rose up to three-hundred feet in the air along with the eruption of Tan Tan's aura!

[Second Grade King Level Expert?]

Meng Chao Ran was at a loss! [Tan Tan was barely a ninth grade Revered Martial Artist a few days ago… How can he suddenly become a second grade King Level Expert?]

However, Tan Tan again gave him a big shock immediately-afterwards. He loudly shouted, and his shout was like the roar of a wild beast. The energy in his Dantian ferociously erupted out. It even had the aura of Single Horned Dragon. Then, it faded away without a trace. In fact, it had changed into the mild and peaceful aura of Tan Tan by now…

However, the crown above his head had suddenly expanded to three times its size. Moreover, it had risen to more than a thousand feet with a 'whoosh' sound. In fact, it had risen high up in the sky like a splendid golden moon!

It became golden and dazzling in the surroundings!

The freely fluttering snow also caught a tinge of this golden brilliance!

'Ka-cha'!

Meng Chao Ran suddenly closed his open mouth. He then issued a strange "oh" sound. It turned out that he had firmly bit his own tongue. Then, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted!

He only had one last thought before he fainted, [This is impossible! This is absolutely impossible!]

[He promoted from a ninth grade Revered Martial Artist to a second grade King Level Expert. It seems like a miracle. But, how could it have happened? I've had such an enhancement myself a few days ago. So, I can say that I accept it… But, who has seen such a sudden upgradation from ninth grade Revered Martial Artist to second grade King Level Expert at once… And then, he only shouted once… and became a ninth grade King Level Expert?]

[A ninth grade King Level Expert?!]

[How in the world is this even possible? I will surely go insane!]

…