Chapter 31 – Breakthrough

Chu Yang’s hands and eyes were agile, quicker than Meng Chao Ran. He palmed Shi Qian Shan in the chest. Only a pow was heard and the bones around Shi Qian Shan’s chest shattered into pieces. His body jerked up, his eyes widened, and blood foamed 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, he immediately understood Chu Yang’s intention and let out a sigh.

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

Meng Chao Ran took a looked thoughtfully 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 by his own hand then he would be plagued by it forever. However, if it was by Chu Yang’s hand, then, even though Shi Qian Shan still died in front of him, it was still not by his own hand and he would be less burdened.

Chu Yang’s intentions, how could Meng Chao Ran not know?

Chu Yang sighed. He looked at Shi Qian Shan, unable to hold back his resentments, he said: “Dying so easily… that was too comfortable for you.”

These words were not exaggerated. If Meng Chao Ran had not suddenly come in, then Chu Yang’s tactics in combination with the hatred accumulated from two lifetimes would certainly have made Shi Qian Shan no longer want to live.

Chu Yang finally understood why Meng Chao Ran named him so. First, because of the word ‘Chu’ from that jade pendant. Second, because of the word ‘Chu’ from Ye Chu Chen.

Chu Yang, did it not sound the sun’s early morning light?

‘Chu Chen’ did that not have a similar meaning as well?

The ‘Tan’ in Tan Tan, did it not carry the meaning of fleeting beauty? (TLN: it was actually a whole phrase referencing a flower called Tan Hua or Queen of the Night , which blooms rarely and only at night)

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. For people, the most difficult things to deal with are separation in life and parting in death. The words ‘separation in life’ were first, because compared to ‘parting in death’, it was much more difficult.

‘Parting in death’ was only temporary discomfort, but in living, one was tormented 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 Meng Chao Ran’s direction, he thought, “Master, I will remember this name.”

Looking back at Shi Qian Shan corpse with his eyes rolled back, after a long silence, conflicting emotions emerged in Chu Yang. He finally came to a realization: he, himself, have 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 in this second life, he has 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 had prepared another the meal and had 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 martial 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 losing his appetite. When he heard the things Shi Qian Shan said earlier, he thought death was not enough for him. However, he now still felt an inexplicable feeling of loss. Regardless of everything, they still lived together for many years. Plus, 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 Purple Bamboo Garden never had a disciple named Shi Qian Shan.

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

Chu Yang did not add anything else. Meng Chao Ran did not need any consolation. Even though he did feel some regrets, it was not something he cannot get over in a couple of days. The only thing was, before dying, Shi Qian Shan spoke those words that renewed the pain deep inside Meng Chao Ran’s heart. This pain will 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 grinned and said, “Chu Yan, was this really the first time you killed someone? As I recalled, 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 experience 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 has just killed a person for the first time, his eldest martial brother of eight years, and he could still eat well as if nothing has 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 remember Wu Yun Liang’s proposal. He realized sending Chu Yang on that dangerous mission might not be so unreasonable.

This calmness was to the point of extreme. If he were sent on the mission, he would absolutely not reveal any flaws. Only, Meng Chao Ran was still worried about his disciple so his thoughts were conflicted.

This would be an opportunity or it could be a perilous path! (TLN: Chinese saying again – nine deaths, one life)

“Natural born killer…” Chu Yang laughed inwardly. 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 rest. Can it really still be considered a cold-blooded reaction? My heart was dead 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 killed him was simply a matter doling out justice. There was no pressure or reservation; plus it was my pleasure.” Chu Yang answered.

Meng Chao Ran looked at him and suddenly smiled. He simply said, “Very good!”

In the blink of an eye, three days have 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 enter into 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 awaken and was struggling and howling from 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 breakout 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, like lightning, shot straight into the meridians. Like a massive force of nature, it flooded throughout 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 from inside him like thunder. 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 broke 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 can lead to injuries if not carefully done. 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 one time, Chu Yang was soaked in sweat. However, he did not falter and continued applying all his efforts.

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 has less than half his strength. Then, a relaxed feeling came over him like he was immersed in warm water.

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

In a hidden place in Purple Bamboo Forest, Meng Chao Ran stood erect. His whole body was covered in the night’s dew, 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 has just gained 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!