Chapter 38: Lu Ruyi

  "There's still some energy left to be refined," Su Tianhao murmured, watching the girl rest peacefully for a moment longer before reluctantly averting his gaze.

  He adjusted into a perfect lotus posture and closed his eyes. Cultivation—that was the only thing on his mind right now.

  Whoosh!

  The dormant vortex within his dantian activated and began refining the leftover blood essence that hadn't been fully absorbed. The process flowed almost completely on its own, natural and effortless.

  After several minutes of deep meditation, Su Tianhao opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed in their golden depths.

  "Still lacking energy," he murmured with a bittersweet smile. "Looks like I really won't be breaking through to the 7th level today. I had hoped the remaining energy would be enough, turns out that was only wishful thinking."

  But as the old saying goes—"in the midst of disappointment, there's always a hidden surprise."

  Although he hadn't broken through to the 7th level, he had gained something unexpected. The cultivation session had flowed so naturally, almost like second nature, that he had gained deeper insights into the first layer of the Supreme Dragon Transformation Technique without even trying.

  "Great Success! My mastery of the technique has finally reached Great Success!" Su Tianhao exclaimed softly, his expression melting with satisfaction.

  "With Great Success mastery achieved, the next step is Perfection," he murmured, his breathing quickening with anticipation. "And when I break through to the Martial Disciple Realm, the second layer of the Supreme Dragon Transformation Technique will naturally unlock..."

  "I wonder what surprises it'll bring..." His words trailed off, carried by a gentle gust of wind that rustled his robes and fluttered his air.

  The atmosphere was peaceful, but suddenly—

  Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.

  Under the pale light of the moon filtering through the forest canopy, a strange creature emerged from the thick underbrush and made its way slowly toward the cave. Its body was covered in gleaming silver scales that shimmered faintly in the darkness. Roughly the size of a large hunting dog, it moved with a low, careful grace—each step almost completely soundless despite its heavily armored frame. Its long tail dragged behind it like a plated whip, and its narrow eyes glowed faintly with bluish light as it sniffed the air cautiously.

  "Is that... a Silver Pangolin?" Su Tianhao breathed in quiet surprise.

  He slipped out of the cave quickly but carefully, making sure not to disturb the unconscious girl.

  Up close, there was no doubt. "It really is a Silver Pangolin!"

  Silver Pangolins were rare creatures known for their extraordinary natural defense.They also carried an Uncommon bloodline—a tier above Common, and had the potential to evolve into grade four, even grade five beasts—reaching strength equivalent to Martial Soul Realm expert.

  "Luckily, this one is still very young—not yet grade two. But from its aura, it's extremely close to breaking through." Su Tianhao said, studying its energy flow.

  'It must have secured this cave as a safe location for its final breakthrough,' he realized. 'Too bad it's encountered me instead.'

  He shook his head with a slight smile. In the cultivation world, the strong preyed on the weak. Even a quasi-grade two beast on the verge of advancement posed no real threat to him at his current level.

  "Silver Pangolins have extremely valuable parts sought after by alchemists and weapon craftsmen alike," Su Tianhao noted with quiet satisfaction. "Looks like I struck gold."

  Just then, the Pangolin arrived at the entrance, spotting him. Its gaze turned immediately hostile.

  Hssssrrrk...

  A soft hissing growl echoed from deep in its throat—subtle but clearly threatening.

  Without further warning, it charged. The Pangolin curled into a tight ball and launched itself like a spiked cannonball directly at Su Tianhao.

  He didn't bother to dodge. With his current strength, attacks from grade one beasts posed virtually no real threat.

  BOOM!

  He simply extended his hand and caught the rolling beast in his open palm, stopping its momentum completely.

  "Still struggling?" he chuckled, feeling the creature spinning rapidly against his skin, desperately trying to grind through it.

  "Far too weak for that." He scoffed, released his grip, and tossed it into the air.

  "Raging Dragon Fist!"

  CLANG!

  A sharp metallic sound rang out as his fist collided against the Silver Pangolin's scales like rock striking solid steel. The beast was sent flying, crashing hard into the earth and uprooting grass and soil from the sheer force.

  Krr-chk... krr-chk...

  A low metallic scraping sound resounded as the Silver Pangolin slowly uncurled itself. It glared at Su Tianhao with pure hatred, as if he had personally wronged its entire bloodline.

  "As expected of the Silver Pangolin," Su Tianhao chuckled. "I used at least sixty percent of my full strength in that blow, and there's barely a scratch on its scales."

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  Shrreee!

  The Pangolin let out a sharp metallic screech and prepared its next attack, clearly unwilling to surrender its territory without a real fight.

  Su Tianhao crossed his arms casually—but then, he was remained of one of his rogue laws during his thievery days: "no matter how small the opponent, never underestimate your enemy."

  The Silver Pangolin began shaking its armored body rapidly. Without warning, it fired a barrage of razor-sharp metallic scales like a volley of silver darts, aimed directly at Su Tianhao's vital points.

  "Shit!" He cursed and dashed aside, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile that swiftly crashed into the cave wall behind him with a series of sharp impacts.

  "That was way too close," Su Tianhao muttered, sweat beading on his forehead. His own carelessness had nearly cost him.

  BOOM!

  His aura exploded outward without restraint. "I'm getting serious now."

  Whoosh!

  He launched forward with explosive speed, shattering the earth beneath his feet as he appeared directly above the Silver Pangolin like a falling mountain.

  "Raging Dragon Fist!"

  A phantom dragon roar echoed from within him as his fist came crashing down like a meteor.

  BOOM!

  The impact struck the Pangolin's armored back with tremendous force. Its protective scales cracked visibly under the pressure.

  Hiss!

  The Pangolin screamed in pain, its instincts screaming danger. Without hesitation, it turned and drove itself into the ground with a powerful stomp, cracking the earth open as it desperately dove underground to escape.

  "Too tricky!" Su Tianhao hissed, clenching his fist until his knuckles turned white. His veins bulged visibly along his arms, internal energy roiling like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

  "Raging Dragon Fist!"

  His voice rang out like a battle cry through the night. A powerful phantom dragon roar resounded as he unleashed over 1,800 pounds of force—his complete physical strength plus the thirty percent boost from the Raging Dragon Fist at Small Success mastery—in one devastating strike aimed squarely at the cracked scales.

  BOOM!

  A thunderclap rang out across the silent forest. Fresh blood sprayed from the Pangolin's back as both its protective scales and spine shattered completely under the overwhelming force.

  Su Tianhao seized the beast's thick tail before it could disappear entirely and dragged it forcefully out from the hole.

  WHAM!

  He slammed it hard into the ground, finishing whatever life remained.

  The beast went still.

  Su Tianhao looked at his kill with quiet satisfaction. If any other cultivator had witnessed this exchange, they would have winced at the sheer excess of it. The creature had clearly been finished—that final slam was arguably unnecessary. But Su Tianhao had learned his lesson about carelessness tonight.

  "I can't devour its blood essence," he said flatly. "The Silver Pangolin's body is simply too valuable a specimen to waste that way."

  He crouched beside the creature and examined it carefully. "The internal organs are valuable for alchemy. The scales are perfect raw materials for weapon crafting. Even the flesh is considered an excellent delicacy by those who can afford it."

  He reached into his robe and retrieved a small, sharp dagger—prepared specifically for this kind of work.

  'Luckily I came ready for this,' he thought as he began the careful process of peeling away the intact scales without damaging them.

  The night was still young. He had work to do before dawn.

  ---

  Sizzle... crackle... sssss...

  The sound of crackling flames and burning wood echoed through the cave in the quiet night. The rich smell of roasted meat filled the air like a living fragrance, warm and inviting against the cool forest darkness.

  Sitting before the campfire was Su Tianhao, golden eyes fixed on the cooking meat with obvious anticipation. After carefully removing the most valuable parts of the Silver Pangolin and storing them in a small leather bag, he had decided the flesh deserved a better fate than being left behind—a well-earned victory meal.

  Before long, the meat was thoroughly cooked, steam rising in lazy curls that carried the rich aroma throughout the entire cave.

  Unknown to Su Tianhao, that same aroma reached the nose of the mysterious girl behind him and slowly pulled her from unconsciousness.

  Her eyes fluttered open—two beautiful crystalline blue eyes that sparkled with inner light, now clouded with confusion as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.

  "Where am I?" she murmured, scanning the unfamiliar cave. Then her gaze landed on the back of the young man sitting by the fire, and those blue eyes turned immediately ice cold.

  Su Tianhao remained completely unaware, already eating with obvious delight.

  "It's not an exaggeration when people say the Silver Pangolin's meat is one of a kind," he muttered contentedly to himself—when suddenly a cold voice cut through the cave like a blade from a frozen hell.

  "Who are you?"

  Gulp.

  Su Tianhao swallowed his mouthful nervously and turned around—only to find a gleaming sword pointed directly at his throat.

  He jolted, quickly raising both hands. "This is a misunderstanding! I saved you and brought you here. If I hadn't, you would have been devoured by forest creatures!"

  "You did?" The suspicion in her voice was unmistakable, though it carried a trace of something slightly warmer than before.

  Seeing that she wasn't entirely unreasonable, Su Tianhao carefully pushed the sword blade away from his neck and turned to face her properly.

  He smiled bitterly at the cold beauty watching him. "You fell unconscious after defeating the Berserk Bear. If I hadn't stepped in, you would have been completely defenseless. The inner forest at night isn't forgiving."

  The girl studied him for a long moment, then she slowly lowered her sword.

  "Thank you, benefactor," she said quietly, bowing her head in gratitude.

  "This—" Su Tianhao blinked, caught off guard by the gesture. "Don't call me benefactor. My name is Su Tianhao." He paused. "You can just call me Tianhao."

  "Tianhao... Tianhao..." The girl repeated the name quietly, once, twice, three times. Her brows drew together as something stirred in her memory. The name reminded her of a certain mischievous boy who had crept into her room one night during her childhood—bold enough to steal from the Lu family right under their noses.

  Her eyes suddenly brightened. She leaned forward, looking directly into Su Tianhao's golden eyes with sharp focus.

  "It's you!" she exclaimed, the surprise in her voice carrying an odd warmth—as if she were looking at an old friend she hadn't seen in years.

  "Do I know you?" Su Tianhao asked, completely thrown aback by the sudden shift.

  'Isn't this change a bit too sudden?' he thought in bewilderment.

  The girl laughed softly at his confusion. "I knew you seemed familiar, but I just couldn't figure out why." She tapped her lips thoughtfully, studying his face with obvious amusement.

  "Ahh—" Su Tianhao suddenly realized how close she was standing and scrambled backward, his face flushed red.

  "Who are you exactly?" he demanded, trying hard to hide his embarrassment.

  "Oh, you don't remember me? How sad," she said, shaking her head in exaggerated disappointment.

  Shing!

  A clean metallic sound rang through the cave as she smoothly sheathed her sword. She sat down across from him with a teasing smile playing at her lips.

  Su Tianhao watched her helplessly. "I genuinely do not know you."

  "Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "Then do you remember the night you broke into the Lu family's young miss's room to steal?"

  Su Tianhao's eyes went wide. "No way..."

  "That's right, little rascal—it's me!" She laughed, the sound ringing out like silver bells through the cave.

  "Lu Ruyi!" Su Tianhao stared at her in complete disbelief.

  'Is there really such a coincidence in this world?' The girl he had stolen from as a child—had now grown into someone who could stand against a Berserk Bear alone and walk away victorious. 'I never imagined the kind little girl would become an abnormal genius. As expected of someone with a heavenly constitution.'

  Before receiving his parents' inherited memories, he had known little about heavenly constitutions beyond the name. Now his understanding ran deep. His mother had been considered a peerless genius precisely because of hers. His own Heavenly Devouring Dragon physique was itself a form of heavenly constitution—special physiques that carried unique advantages depending on their grade and unlocked potential, the most consistent being an extraordinary capacity for rapid cultivation advancement.

  "How have you been all these years?" Lu Ruyi asked. The last traces of her earlier coldness had vanished entirely, replaced by something warm.

  "My life has been... unexpected," Su Tianhao smiled wryly.

  He couldn't help but trace the arc of it in his mind—street orphan, adopted son of a patriarch, celebrated genius, fallen trash, and now the hidden son of a Supreme Immortal Dragon and an Immortal Sword Saint. Not a single step of it had gone the way anyone could have predicted.

  Lu Ruyi nodded at his answer. Then her expression turned more serious. "I hope you've stopped your thieving ways."

  The words struck something deep. He remembered exactly what she had said to him that night seven years ago: "I hope this is the last time you need to steal, Tianhao." Those words had settled into him and stayed. That night was the night he had chosen to change—to end his life on the streets entirely. If he hadn't made that choice, who knew where he would have ended up? Perhaps he would have taken Zhu Shan's offer and joined the Iron Tiger Gang. His path would have turned darker, and whatever was left of his moral compass would have been bent beyond repair.

  Su Tianhao looked at her and bowed slightly. "I never got the chance to thank you properly for what you said that night. Those words truly changed me."

  "I'm glad you chose to change," Lu Ruyi said, her gaze soft but knowing—as though she could see exactly what kind of person he had become without needing to be told.

  Su Tianhao was quiet for a moment. Then he reached into his robes and drew out a diamond pendant necklace.

  He removed the pendant and carefully held it out to her.

  "I believe this belongs to you," he said with a warm smile.

  Lu Ruyi glanced at the pendant, then back at him. "You didn't sell it?" she asked, clearly surprised.

  "No."

  She looked at him for a long moment. Then her delicate hand reached out—not to take the pendant, but to gently fold his fingers closed around it.

  "It's yours now," she said. "Like I told you back then, I never liked that gaudy thing anyway." She shrugged lightly, as if the matter were already settled.

  Su Tianhao nodded, reconnected the pendant to his necklace, and turned back to the fire.

  He tore off a generous piece of the roasted meat and held it out to her. "Here. You should eat something."

  Lu Ruyi accepted it without ceremony. Her eyes flashed briefly with hesitation, then she finally took a bite.

  "Mmm!" Her eyes widened slightly. "What kind of meat is this?" she asked, clearly unable to help herself.

  "Silver Pangolin," Su Tianhao said with a straight face.

  "Those are quite rare," she said, giving him a measuring look. "I didn't expect you to find one—much less kill it."

  "What do you mean by that?" Su Tianhao asked with a slight frown.

  Lu Ruyi's blue eyes settled on him fully. The casual warmth from moments before had been replaced by something more direct—sharp and unhurried, as though she were reading every detail of him at once.

  "Because... you're weak."

  The words landed quietly in the space between them, simple and without cruelty, just pure, brutal honesty.