by Dragon King
Hao Ren waved his hand at the door and closed it behind him after walking out. The big apartment was quiet with Su Han in it alone.
Eating the breakfast that was still warm, Su Han was deep in thought, and her long eyelashes fluttering.
In the practice battle, she wanted to instruct him. However, Hao Ren’s unstructured sword attacks inspired her. Since her own sword techniques needed polishing, Hao Ren would be a good partner in training.
“Besides, this guy can cook good breakfasts.”
Hao Ren got to the underground parking lot and drove the Ferrari out of the Flower City Complex. When he got out of Su Han’s apartment, he had toyed with the thought of visiting Lu Qing’s home. On second thought, he decided against it.
He called Zhao Yanzi, but she didn’t answer. Then he called Zhao Hongyu, but the result was the same. Worried, he called Lu Qing and was told that Zhao Yanzi and her family had gone to the Dragon Palace to inspect the altar.
From Lu Qing, Hao Ren also knew that Lu Linlin and Lu Lili had gone out shopping. He congratulated himself on the decision of not visiting Lu Qing’s home. Otherwise, he would be dragged by the girls to go shopping.
He drove the car into the garage of his home on the seaside. He wasn’t planning to drive it in the recent future; it was too eye-catching to drive it around the school.
The house was quiet and lonesome since Grandma was absent while Uncle Wang had also returned to his home. After cleaning the house, he glanced at the cloudy sky before sitting down cross-legged in front of the window and starting to cultivate.
In the sounds of surging sea waves, Hao Ren felt like he had returned to his childhood, and Xie Yujia’s figure flashed in his mind.
It was a little girl with big round eyes, and her hands and feet were dirty with mud.
Hao Ren opened his eyes and glanced at the cell phone by his side. After a moment of consideration, he picked it up and dialed Xie Yujia’s number.
It was about nine in the morning, but he was sure that Xie Yujia was up.
After two rings, the call was connected.
“Is it Ren? Yujia has gone out for groceries. What’s up?” A deep voice sounded on the phone.
After a moment of startle, Hao Ren immediately realized that it was Xie Wanjun. Obviously, Xie Yujia didn’t take the phone with her.
“Well, nothing special. I just wanted to talk to her,” Hao Ren said.
“Why talk over the phone? Take her out on a date!” Xie Wanjun scolded him on the phone.
“Ugh… Ok. When she comes back, tell her I called,” Hao Ren said in a low voice and ended the call.
He closed his eyes again and tried to continue cultivating, but he couldn’t concentrate. His mind kept summoning the images of Xie Yujia when she was little. He stopped cultivating and looked at the ocean outside of the window, immersed in his childhood memories.
He didn’t have a clear memory of Little Carrot, but the image of her was buried deep in his subconsciousness. At that time, he didn’t understand what love or affection was; he just felt like that girl was annoying, following him everywhere.
But when she was gone, he had missed her for a long time.
Buzz… His cell phone vibrated.
Seeing Xie Yujia’s name on the screen, he answered it immediately.
“Hao Ren, you called me? What did you want to talk to me about?” Xie Yujia’s clear voice came to him over the phone.
“Oh, nothing special. Did you go out for groceries?”
“Yeah. My brother wants to eat Hot Chilli Oil Fish Filets and Chicken fried with Bean Sprouts. I just went out for the ingredients, and I am about to prepare lunch for him,” Xie Yujia said.
Xie Yujia didn’t sound cold; instead, she told him the minor details. It meant that she was no longer angry with him.
Holding the phone in his hand, Hao Ren didn’t know how to continue.
Xie Yujia hesitated for a few seconds before asking, “Hao Ren, do you believe the stuff like… Cultivation?”
191 Elevation! Elevation!
“Cul… cultivation?” Hao Ren’s heart raced, and he almost dropped the phone.
“Hehe, nothing. I happened to see it on TV. It has gotten cold recently; remember to dress warm,” Xie Yujia continued.
“Ok. You take care as well,” Hao Ren said. He suddenly felt like they were quite intimate expressing such concerns for each other.
“When Grandma is back, I’ll go visit her,” Xie Yujia said gently before hanging up.
With the cell phone in his hand, Hao Ren felt warm inside. At least, Zhao Yanzi would never be considerate enough to remind him to dress warmly in the cold weather.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Hao Ren sat back down cross-legged and continued to cultivate. With a happy mind, the knot in his heart was gone.
Beams of five-colored light flashed around him, which was the result of the combination of the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll and the Spirit Concentration Scroll.
The weak sword energies traveled through and around his body. Gradually, although still at Kan-level, Hao Ren felt like he was becoming one with the swords.
The seven openings in the Dragon Core were absorbing and releasing Nature Essence, transmitting five elements into his meridians and blood.
Only three more openings were needed before he could reach Li-level; it would be another significant milestone for him.
He cultivated until midnight, and he felt a bit lonesome when he opened his eyes. Life was a lonely journey.
Pitter, patter. It was drizzling.
The raindrops slipped down from the eaves of his room, dripping on his windows and creating rhythmic sounds.
He tossed and turned on his bed and couldn’t sleep.
Finally, the morning came, but he didn’t want to get up in the coldness even though he was starving.
The lazy atmosphere on this rainy day permeated the whole house. Bored, he picked up a book but found it uninteresting.
If Zhao Yanzi’s Third Uncle’s Heavenly Tribulation wasn’t close, Hao Ren should have been in Zhao Hongyu’s studio helping her.
He was debating with himself if he should get up when he suddenly heard a gentle voice.
“Gongzi!”
He was so startled that he almost jumped out of his bed.
In pale blue casual clothing, the grinning Lu Linlin and Lu Lili pushed open his door and walked in.
“Why… Are you here?” Hao Ren pulled the quilt tightly around him and rolled to the corner of the bed.
“We are here to take care of you, Gongzi.” Lu Linlin walked closer with a grin. She pulled the quilt off him before handing him a change of clothes. “Gongzi, get up and change.”
“And your breakfast is in the living room,” with long pigtails on her back, Lu Lili said softly.
Seeing Hao Ren not moving, Lu Linlin asked again, “Do you want us to help you change?”
“No! No!” Hao Ren waved his hand immediately. “You can go out now.”
Lu Linlin lifted her hand to cover her snickering, and Lu Lili lowered her head and smiled.
They exchanged a look before backing out of his room with satisfaction. Hao Ren heaved a sigh of relief. Hurriedly, he took off his pajamas and changed into the clothes they gave him.
An ordinary guy would feel extremely happy to be followed by two beauties all day long. However, Hao Ren was alarmed by their sudden appearance.
Moreover, the Lu sisters were Kun-level Masters and thus couldn’t be driven away by force. Their ‘services’ were happy tortures.
After walking out of his room, Hao Ren went downstairs and saw a big breakfast on the dining table. He knew that their cooking skills were tolerable. Last time when Zhao Jiayi and the others got the runs after eating the cake the sisters made, the sisters attributed it to the elixir they added in the cake, but Hao Ren was skeptical.
Looking at the big breakfast, Hao Ren didn’t want to hurt their feelings by refusing to eat it. Yawning, he sat down with a frown before eating t
entatively.
“Huh? This sandwich is delicious. This piece of bread is quite good. And this salad, too.” Seeing the surprise on Hao Ren’s face, Lu Linlin and Lu Lili looked at each other and smiled. “Gongzi, how are our cooking skills?”
Hao Ren looked up at them with surprise. “Excellent!”
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili gave him beautiful and content smile before saying in unison, “We are glad you like it!”
Then, they each grabbed a white apron and began to clean the house. The cold and quiet place suddenly became lively.
“Gongzi, we went and visited Taijun yesterday,” Lu Linlin said while handling the vacuum proficiently.
“Oh?” Hao Ren finished the breakfast and stood up.
“We are glad to report that Taijun is in good health, Gongzi,” Lu Lili added.
“Grandma must have been very pleased to see them. The sisters know how to make Grandma happy,” Hao Ren thought to himself.
They were indeed considerate since they spent a whole day visiting Grandma and keeping her company.
“Why do you want to come and do the cleaning for me?” Watching them in aprons like two maids, Hao Ren asked as he began to clear the table.
Today, they still had their hair up, but the difference was that they were wearing the decorative glasses they had once worn.
Combined with their beautiful faces and gorgeous figures, they looked as cute as buttons!
“Gongzi, we are here to apologize.” Lu Lili said, wiping the lamp with a cloth.
“Apologize?”
“Yeah, we shouldn’t have quarreled with your Class President that day,” Lu Lili continued.
Thinking of his mean attitude toward them, Hao Ren felt a bit guilty. “Don’t worry. I hope you won’t quarrel with people in the future.”
“We won’t!” Lu Lili promised with a smile. However, Lu Linlin didn’t speak, obviously still angry at Xie Yujia. Lu Lili must have dragged her here to apologize.
“And we have good news!” Lu Lili’s tone suddenly became joyous.
“What good news?” Her happiness lifted Hao Ren’s mood. The house had become lively with these two girls moving around.
“My sister and I have broken through!” Lu Lili’s eyes sparkled like twinkling stars.
“To… Low-tier Qian-level?” Hao Ren asked cautiously. He remembered Su Han had once told him that Lu Linlin and Lu Lili had possessed powers equivalent to top-tier Kun-level when they were released from the Dragon Palace.
“Our cultivation power is not calculated with that system, but it’s equivalent to the level you just said!” Lu Lili’s face was full of joy.
By her side, Lu Linlin nodded as well.
Low-tier Qian-level!
Two Qian-level Masters! What was more? They were two Qian-level Masters who could coordinate with each other seamlessly.
Su Han was only at middle-tier Qian-level, and Zhao Kuo, who was preparing to the Heavenly Tribulation, was only at top-tier Qian-level!
“Anyway, we didn’t disappoint you and recovered some of our cultivation power,” Lu Linlin looked at Hao Ren and said.
“Well, keep up your good work!” Hao Ren nodded. In fact, he didn’t know what to say.
He wouldn’t be surprised if they elevated to middle-tier Qian-level in a short time. No wonder Su Han was concerned about them.
“From what I see, your cultivation strength has also increased,” Lu Lili said as she looked at Hao Ren closely.
“Yeah. I have unlocked seven openings. I guess I will reach Li-level soon,” Hao Ren said.
“Gongzi, you are awesome!” They complimented him.
Ugh… Hao Ren was embarrassed, knowing that his progress was tiny compared with their leap from Kun-level to Qian-level.
“And you seem to have joined the Inspector System?” Lu Linlin gazed at Hao Ren and said.
“How do you know?” Hao Ren looked at her in surprise.
“There is a faint golden flame mark on your forehead. It’s the symbol of Inspector,” Lu Linlin poke his forehead with a finger and said.
Hao Ren couldn’t see his forehead, but he guessed that there must be a mark that could only be seen by cultivators. Although as an Assisting Inspector, he didn’t have much power, the mark was a protection to him.
Although he had never thought of asking Su Han for protection, he was grateful toward her.
Seeing the doubt on Lu Linlin’s face, Hao Ren explained, “I’m not an Official Inspector but just an assistant who runs errands for Su Han.”
“Assisting Inspector?” Lu Linlin pursed her lips in consideration. “As far as I know, Assisting Inspectors are usually not involved in the business of Dragon God Shrine and are only responsible to their Official Inspectors. But…”
She paused, and Hao Ren felt like something was not right.
“But what?” he asked.
“But the Assisting Inspectors have to be tested each year. If they don’t pass it, the consequence is huge…” Lu Linlin said.
“Damn!” Hao Ren almost yelled.
“Su Han, the sly woman! She played me again!” Hao Ren thought that Su Han was only doing a favor to him, but he was tricked into a corner by her.
“Well, according to what we know about it, the Assisting Inspectors are candidates for the positions of Official Inspectors. They are chosen and eliminated each year. Only those with true powers can work with the Official Inspectors. When their strengths grow strong enough, and they have passed the final test, they can become Official Inspectors,” Lu Lili added.
Hao Ren was incensed, knowing that he was tricked by Su Han.
“Beside the relationship of superior and subordinate, Assisting Inspectors and Official Inspectors are also partners. The Official Inspectors would tutor the Assisting Inspectors on cultivation while the Assisting Inspectors would help the Official Inspectors accomplish some tasks,” Lu Lili said.
“Stop! Stop!” Hao Ren raised his hand to stop them, feeling a huge headache. He asked the most important question, “Can I quit?”
“Once you become an Assisting Inspector, your name is registered in their headquarters. You have to pass the tests and become an Official Inspector before you can quit. If you quit without permission, you would be eliminated,” Lu Lili answered him.
“Eliminated…” Hao Ren heard the cruel word again.
Life was as cold as snow.
192 The Heavenly Tribulation Activated!
After seeing Hao Ren’s astonished expression, Lu Lili continued, “Inspector System is too huge for us to fight against.”
Hao Ren waved his hand and said, “You don’t have to worry about it.”
Inspector System was a mysterious existence, and Hao Ren didn’t think that it was such a bad thing for him to be partly involved in it.
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili stood beside him for further instructions.
“Oh, you haven’t told me your opinions on Natal Dharma Treasures,” Hao Ren said.
“Basically, every cultivator would have a Natal Dharma Treasure, and some techniques would allow for two Natal Dharma Treasures, one for the defense and one for the offense. However, you are cultivating the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll which will eventually enable you to kill enemies with the sword energies alone. I don’t think you need to obtain a Natal Dharma Treasure right now.” Lu Linlin’s opinion was surprisingly similar to that of the little Daoist Zhen.
“What are your Natal Dharma Treasures?” Hao Ren asked.
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili waved their wrists, revealing two exquisite bracelets.
“Qian-Kun Bracelets can be used for defense and attack. Also, they could trap and tie down enemies. They come in a pair, and my sister and I each have one. Their powers would be maximized when both the Qian Bracelet and the Kun Bracelet are used together,” Lu Lili explained.
“Are they mighty?” Hao Ren asked curiously.
“Gongzi, look!” Lu Lili took off her bracelet and tossed it out.
It flew to the sky above the ocean,
turning into the size of a small mountain instantly!
Boom!
The bracelet released a golden light, blowing a massive hole in the surface of the sea. Since the water near the beach isn’t deep, even the seabed was revealed!
A huge whirlpool was created instantly as water flowed back into the hole.
The seawater surged up as high as about a dozen meters, and the violent air current it caused rushed up and pierced a hole in the dark clouds above!
Hao Ren was dumbfounded. With a smile, Lu Lili waved her hand, and the bracelet resumed its original form before flying back onto her delicate wrist.
Fortunately, they were at a tourist beach instead of a harbor, and it was a rainy morning so that no tourists or boats were out. Otherwise…
Seeing Hao Ren’s astonishment, Lu Lili stuck out her tongue and poked his shoulder. “Gongzi, I just used one-tenth of its power.”
“One-tenth!” Hao Ren gasped.
“It was only one-tenth of the power! If she unleashed the full power of the Qian-Kun Bracelets, it would be powerful enough to wipe out East Ocean City!”
Now he understood why Su Han was nervous about them.
Seeing Hao Ren’s expression turning from astonished to alarmed, Lu Linlin covered her mouth as she smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Gongzi. We won’t abuse our power!”
“However, I think you can still get a Natal Dharma Treasure for defense. After all, you can use the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll for attacking,” Lu Linlin continued.
“In my opinion, you don’t need a defensive Natal Dharma Treasure as well! The sword energies would be enough to defend you and attack your enemies. If you don’t have top-tier materials to make a Natal Dharma Treasure, it would be a waste of time and efforts,” Lu Lili said.
“Ok.” Hao Ren nodded. After listening to their explanations, he had lost a lot of interest in the Natal Dharma Treasures.
“When I cultivate the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll to an advanced level, I can release thousands of sword energies. By then, I could use 500 of them to attack my enemies and use another 500 to form a sword energy wall around me!” Hao Ren thought to himself.
Imagining having thousands of sword energies under his command, Hao Ren became excited and felt like he would very dashing.
