Wun Ching Yeung thought for a long while before suddenly lifting the brush. His brushstrokes were agile as a soaring dragon and vigorous as an angered lion. There was a wildness to his calligraphy as he wrote, “Bare your arms and hold, hold men, hold things, hold ocean and river, hold with fear of nothing.”
Past, present, heavens and earth juxtaposed with men, things, ocean and river.
“Haha! Excellent literary sense, Ching Yeung. An immaculate reply to the first verse,” said Hung Yun Zak as he clapped his hands. He observed Wun Ching Yeung’s words closely before letting out an admiring sigh, “I can always feel that rich wildness in your words whenever I look at them.”
Wun Ching Yeung’s personality was the same as what he wrote. He was a tolerant man who could hold everything without contempt, but he had an inner ferocity. Anyone who angered him would have to suffer the terrible consequences.
Wun Ching Yeung was a little embarrassed by Hung Yun Zak’s praise. He waved his hand and chuckled in response. Just then, he saw Wun Fan thinking deeply by his side. So, he asked expectantly, “What is it, Fan? Did you want to give it a try as well?”
However, Wun Fan was currently deep in thought. His senses were dulled and he hardly heard what Wun Ching Yeung said. After a long while, he snapped out of his trance and smiled confidently. He approached the paper, dipped his little finger in some ink and brushed a corner of the paper slightly. He looked closely and noticed that the paper was on the softer side and absorbent, leaving behind clear layers of the ink. He glanced at the brush holder on the table and picked up a hard brush.
Soft paper demanded hard brushes, while hard paper required soft brushes. It was a matter of balance. He wasn’t very practiced at calligraphy, but his adoptive father from his previous life was well-learned in the discipline. He was practically a master of the craft. Under his influence, Wun Fan had picked up some things as well.
He picked up the brush and dipped it in ink. He approached the table and pulled his sleeve up. Finally, he started writing his thoughts. He had a dashing posture and wrote with confidence and decisiveness, but the calligraphy itself was…lacking. To Wun Siu Lan’s eyes, it looked like a bunch of graffiti, along with a few worms and snakes. She couldn’t help but say, “A gentleman when he speaks, a rotting tree when he writes.”
However, Wun Fan didn’t care. He slowly put the brush back on the brush holder and appreciated his reply to the first verse of the couplet, “Draw my sword and kill, kill men, kill gods, kill monsters and demons, kill with no exception!”
Hung Yun Zak stared at the words before him, his smile frozen on his face. The relaxed expression faded after two seconds, replaced by a cautious look in his eyes. Wun Ching Yeung, on the other hand, was completely stunned to see what Wun Fan had written. Wun Siu Lan and the great elder didn’t pay too much attention to Wun Fan’s words initially. However, when they finally read them seriously, they realized the overwhelming killing intent behind them. This did not seem like something a teenager would write.
Everyone fell deathly silent. Wun Fan noticed the odd atmosphere in the room and spoke up, “Well, you know, it’s just something I wrote without really thinking…”
“Heheh, teenagers have the boldest ideas, don’t they?” Hung Yun Zak noticed the atmosphere and immediately tried to shift the mood. While everyone was trying to figure out how to respond, Siu Ha walked into the hall and said respectfully, “Clan master, there is someone at the gate. They handed over a large wooden box with the Chan Clan’s seal and specifically requested to be delivered to the third young master.”
“Bring it in.” It was a lifesaver. Wun Ching Yeung immediately steered the topic of the conversation away from the heavy atmosphere. However, after two seconds, he seemed to recall something. He suddenly looked at Wun Fan and asked curiously, “Fan, you have associations with the Chan Clan?”
Wun Fan looked confused. This must be something Chan Chi Yuet had sent over. He was speechless. This didn’t seem like something that Chan girl would do. What benefit was there to exposing their business connection so early? He couldn’t understand at all.
More importantly, he could feel the cold and deadly stare on his back, threatening to burn a hole into his skin.
Hung Yun Zak looked at the seal on the box and seemed to have understood something. He said, “Oh, the seal of the girl from the Chan Clan. Makes sense, makes sense. An eighteen-year-old girl in her prime and a teenage prodigy. A perfect match indeed.”
Wun Fan panicked slightly and replied in a timid voice, “Er, I think you might have misunderstood, Mr. Mayor…”
Hung Yun Zak yawned and pretended not to have heard Wun Fan’s words. However, worry flickered in his eyes, an emotion he kept to himself. The Wun Clan alone was already enough and now they’re making allies with the Chan Clan?
A few seconds later, two muscular servants brought the giant box into the room. The wooden box was decorated with exquisite carvings. Setting aside its contents, the box alone would make a nice piece of furniture in his room. Wun Fan stepped forth and opened the box. A strong medicinal fragrance rushed into his nose and quickly spread throughout the meeting hall.
Wun Ching Yeung looked closer and saw that the box was filled with herbs and pills meant to rejuvenate the mind and help one recover their spirits. It was obvious that these were meant for Wun Fan. Wun Ching Yeung tapped the wooden box. There was a hint of discomfort on his face as he thought to himself, The Chan Clan’s intelligence network is a little too broad, isn’t it? They are practically everywhere. Fan just woke up and they’re already here.
However, Wun Ching Yeung wasn’t too worried. This was clearly a show of goodwill from the Chan Clan towards the Wun Clan. He didn’t need to overthink their gesture. That said, there was probably a need to clean house and sweep out the dust in the Wun Clan.
Hung Yun Zak thought for a moment and said, “Little Fan, my niece will be visiting Green Sea Town soon. Why don’t I introduce you to her and our clans can get closer as well?”
“Har?” Wun Fan’s mouth opened wide in shock. Was this matchmaking?
Compared to Wun Siu Lan’s surprise, the great elder and Wun Ching Yeung clearly looked interested. After all, Wun Fan was twelve this year. Many clans would marry off their children at twelve, so that they could start having children of their own and increase the members of the clan. If they were lucky enough, they would have children of their own the very same year they got married.
“Haha, that’s a good idea,” said Wun Ching Yeung as he glanced at Wun Fan. Meanwhile, he was already making calculations in his mind. He would make sure Wun Fan gets married as soon as possible. Best if he had two children in three years, so that he could pass on his lineage. It would be nice to be able to watch his grandchildren grow up while he still had the strength to take care of them.
An alliance with the Hung Clan wasn’t a bad choice. At the very least, they were a good match for Wun Fan. Wun Fan was only his adopted son. Being able to have a marriage with a member of the Hung Clan was more than good enough already.
Perhaps things might actually come to fruition with Hung Yun Zak’s help. The two middle-aged men immediately started getting along as they discussed the matter. They whispered with each other, chuckled and laughed. The atmosphere in the room was harmonious once again. The great elder would join the conversation every once in a while as well. Everyone was having a great deal of fun. For some reason, Wun Siu Lan got frustrated listening to the conversation. She leaped out of her seat disinterestedly, said goodbye and quickly left the room.
Wun Fan knew he was in trouble when he saw that. He wanted to chase after Siu Lan, but Wun Ching Yeung made him stay, saying that they had something to discuss. Wun Fan had no choice but to watch as Siu Lan walked away.
It was probably best to just leave her alone for the moment.289Please respect copyright.PENANArSDaBJBQd7
After Hung Yun Zak left, the great elder and Wun Ching Yeung brought Wun Fan to the arena, looking as if they had something serious to do. Even though it was well into the morning already, the light snowfall meant that fewer disciples were practicing in the arena today.
A few disciples saw the serious expression on Wun Ching Yeung and the great elder’s face and Wun Fan following behind them and grew curious. They stopped what they were doing and looked at them expectantly.
Wun Ching Yeung said gently, “Fan, you awakened your martial soul, yes?”
Wun Fan nodded, but before he could say anything, Wun Ching Yeung asked again, “It’s a black dragon, isn’t it?”
Wun Fan nodded without thinking too much about it. He wasn’t too curious why his father knew what his martial soul was. A little deduction and he knew that his father must know something about his background. Of course, if his father wouldn’t tell him, he wouldn’t ask either.
“Good! Good! Good!” Wun Ching Yeung seemed a little overwhelmed with emotion at Wun Fan’s reply. He gripped his fists tightly as his face turned red. If it wasn’t for the great elder holding his shoulder and getting him to calm down, he would definitely have lunged at Wun Fan and swept him into a bear hug. Wun Ching Yeung calmed himself down and regained his usual composure. Wun Fan realized that Wun Ching Yeung would always appear very on edge when his abilities and future were on the line, completely different from his usual self.
It was almost as if he had been requested by someone to make sure he grew up properly.
…Was it his birth father?
Wun Fan didn’t dare continue the train of thought. He didn’t really want to find out the truth at this stage. He just wanted to enjoy the warmth of family that he had now. However, Wun Ching Yeung suddenly took out a long, black sword from his storage ring. He pointed the tip of the blade at the ground as he stared at Wun Fan with sharp eyes. Wun Fan was intimidated by this and didn’t know what to do. Wun Ching Yeung said, “Fan, ever since you started training, I have never personally instructed you on your martial journey. For one, you were always stuck at sixth-level. I didn’t want to give you extra pressure. Secondly, I myself, as your father, didn’t want to confront the uncomfortable truth of your condition.”
“I am sorry I did not fulfill my responsibilities as your father. However, now that you have recovered, grown-up and even awakened your martial soul, it is time I do my part.”
“What?” Wun Fan’s eyes opened wide as dinner plates. He could see Wun Ching Yeung was serious. He wanted a serious fight! Wun Fan hastily called for help, “Old Lei, help me!”
“I’m busy,” said Old Lei coldly. He left behind a small tip for Wun Fan, “Get to know your martial soul. That black dragon of yours is an exotic martial soul. The greatest advantage that exotic martial souls have over ordinary martial souls is that they have innate martial techniques. You don’t have to go through the grueling process of learning your own martial techniques.”
“Sense your martial soul!” Having said that, he cut off the connection with Wun Fan and left him to his fate.
But I’ve never done that before! Wun Fan screamed internally, but got no reply. He could only put on a smiling face as he tried to butter up his father, “Father, we can talk about this. We don’t have to resort to sword right away, do we?”
To his surprise, Wun Ching Yeung didn’t budge at all. He seemed resolute on teaching Wun Fan how to fight. He replied sternly, “You are the one who taught me that we must draw our sword and kill, kill men, kill gods, kill monsters and demons.”
Lethality: Sword of the Risen Sand and Sweeping Clouds.
His feet moved as he pressed towards Wun Fan. Layers of soul energy wrapped around the sword. Wherever the soul energy reached, it cast the sand on the ground into the air. The sand merged into clouds and rushed at Wun Fan. The purpose of this technique was to bind the enemy’s hands. It was focused on disabling the opponent and contained no killing intent at all.
“Martial soul, descend!” Wun Fan was no ordinary kid either. Upon seeing his pleas for mercy fall on deaf ears, he immediately switched to a different strategy. His expression and aura changed instantly, radiating killing intent from his entire body. His bloodthirsty gaze unnerved Wun Ching Yeung. Wun Ching Yeung couldn’t even imagine how such killing intent came from an eleven-year-old boy.
Li’l Black roared furiously inside Wun Fan’s martial heart. Its roars echoed throughout his meridian and resonated with Wun Fan’s killing intent. Wun Fan’s soul energy was fully stimulated. Old Lei, who was watching from within the Spiritstartler Ring couldn’t believe his eyes and blurted out, “Martial soul resonance?”
At this moment, Wun Fan’s heart was still as stagnant water. His senses were focused.
He remembered what he was in his previous life, a monster that killed without batting an eye.289Please respect copyright.PENANAFodvHp3vMx