"Come… Come with me."
Han Cang Zi retrieved Tranquil East Tribe’s map and stood up. The flush on her beautiful face darkened, even her ears turned red, arousing a strange feeling within all those who saw her.
Su Ming was taken aback. He did not understand what was going on with this woman.
Han Cang Zi’s heart was pounding as she moved up the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe from another direction. She looked graceful from the back, and as she walked, her elegance could be seen from her movements.
Su Ming lifted his hand to rub his nose instinctively, but he only touched the mask. He laughed bitterly and stood up to follow Han Cang Zi. He still could not understand why she would show such an expression.
Han Cang Zi did not say a word, and neither did Su Ming. The two of them moved along another path to the top of the mountain. Before long, a mountain cave appeared in the forest before him.
The mountain cave was well hidden. Unless someone was familiar with the area, they would be hard pressed to find the cave.
"No one will come here. I treated this place as my playground when I found it accidentally when I was young. When I grew up, I still came here often alone. I placed some Freezing Sky Clan s.h.i.+elds here, it’s very safe." Han Cang Zi did not turn her head back outside the cave. She had her back towards Su Ming as she spoke quietly.
Su Ming frowned. He looked around the area and spread out the Branding Art as he stared at Han Cang Zi silently.
"Come… Come in."
Han Cang Zi gritted her teeth once again and moved into the cave. Su Ming hesitated for a moment. Once he was certain there was nothing out of place around the area, he walked in.
The cave was not big. It was about the size of a room, but was a little on the dark side. Yet Su Ming could still see what was inside clearly, albeit not as clear as he could during the day.
"Did you bring me here to…" Su Ming frowned and spoke, but his words suddenly faltered. He instinctively took a few steps back and stared at Han Cang Zi dumbly, unable to say another word.
Han Cang Zi still had her back turned towards him, but as he spoke, she lifted her hands and removed her robes, showing off her beautiful back. During the moment Su Ming was stunned, Han Cang Zi took off all her clothes with a s.h.i.+ver, revealing a perfect woman’s back.
The curves, the exquisite skin tone, the thin hair which Su Ming could see rising up on her skin due to her trembling, and the curve on her back that took a breath-taking dip on her waist which later rose in a wide arc at her posterior—all drew out a picture that left Su Ming with his jaw falling slack.
"You…"
Su Ming took a few more steps back, staring at Han Cang Zi, not knowing what to say.
"This is my proof."
Han Cang Zi trembled and turned around with her arms covering her chest. Tears fell from her eyes, but she looked at Su Ming resolutely.
"You saw the Berserker Seed in Fang Mu. I didn’t lie about what happened to him… As for me, Si Ma Xin planted love in me, but only in my heart.
"I can give you my body. Although it won’t break the love he planted in me, it’s the only way for me to make you trust me."
Su Ming remained silent. He swept his gaze across Han Cang Zi’s body and did not speak even after a long time.
Han Cang Zi stood in the cave quietly as tears fell from her eyes and she waited.
After a moment, Su Ming asked calmly, "Why did you choose me?"
"Because I saw some things that I shouldn’t have seen in your memories… I believe that you can do it. Even if you can’t do it now, you will be able do it in the future."
Han Cang Zi looked at Su Ming resolutely. She may have been crying, but there was a determination in her beautiful face that made Su Ming respect her.
"How can I trust that you saw my memories?"
Su Ming fell silent for a moment to calm the shock brought by Han Cang Zi’s sudden actions and regain his cool.
"Void, four years, chains, refusal, the head of the second G.o.d of Berserkers!" Han Cang Zi said softly. She did not know whether Su Ming had remembered something, but she believed that he would know some of the things she just said.
Su Ming took a deep breath to quell the shock in his heart. He looked at Han Cang Zi for a long time before walking towards the trembling woman standing before him.
As he got closer, Han Cang Zi closed her eyes and waited for what would happen next. She was already prepared for it. For the hatred that she had yet to fully disclose, she was willing to give up everything.
Su Ming stood before Han Cang Zi and an elegant, light fragrance wafted into his nose, as if it was fusing into his body. He looked at this woman, who was completely different from Bai Ling, and the promise she asked of him echoed in his ears. He lifted his right hand and pressed it against the center of her brows.
Han Cang Zi shuddered. She gritted her teeth and remained still.
After a long while, Su Ming crouched down silently and picked up the clothes she removed so that he could drape them around her shoulders and cover her alluring body.
"There’s no need for this. I’ve seen the love Si Ma Xin planted in your heart. It came from the same person who planted the Berserker Seed in Fang Mu… I promise you."
Su Ming whispered in Han Cang Zi’s ear. The moment he finished speaking, he turned around and moved towards the entrance of the cave.
Han Cang Zi trembled and opened her eyes, staring at Su Ming leaving with a dumbfounded expression. More tears gathered in her eyes. She did not expect Su Ming to leave at this moment.
"Freezing Sky Clan has the map you want. I can’t get it, but I know it exists!" she said instinctively, and her words made Su Ming’s footsteps falter.
"Thank you. Let’s meet in Freezing Sky Clan."
Su Ming did not turn back and walked out of the cave.
"Freezing Sky Clan will only take in Han Fei Zi as their disciple this time. They won’t consider anyone else… Even if you challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, it’ll be difficult for you to join, you…"
Han Cang Zi did not know why she said those words. She should not have, but she still said them.
"I know."
Su Ming walked out of the cave. He looked at the stars and the moon in the sky before he left Tranquil East Mountain.
After a long while, Han Cang Zi also walked out of the cave. Her expression showed how conflicted she felt, and she stood there stunned for a moment.
"I should be the one thanking you… Thank you…" Han Cang Zi mumbled.
On that night, Su Ming sat on the mountain from which he had first seen Han Mountain City. From there, he could see the contours of it.
The mountain breeze was strong. As it blew past him, the wind lifted Su Ming’s hair. During the night, he sat silent and alone on the mountain. He did not look at Han Mountain City, but at the stars in the sky, though not even he himself knew what he was looking for in their glittering s.h.i.+ne.
‘Freezing Sky Clan has the map I need. I have to get into the school. Even if I’m afraid of the truth, I still need to find the map. I can’t back down just because I’m afraid…
‘I promised Fang Shen that I would heal Fang Mu’s injuries, and it’s also a chance encounter between me and that child during these years, even if I have to offend Si Ma Xin because of this…
‘As for my promise with Han Cang Zi… This is a very special woman. She’s not unique because of her appearance, but because of her thoughts…’
"I broke my promise once. Let’s hope that this time, I will keep my promise…" Su Ming mumbled.
‘I can’t use the ident.i.ty as Tranquil East Tribe’s guest anymore, or else it’ll cause trouble. Han Fei Zi will also search for me because of that. There’s also the tribe leader of Lake of Colors Tribe, Yan Luan…
‘Han Cang Zi said that Freezing Sky Clan will only take in Han Fei Zi this time. Even if outsiders challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, it’ll still be difficult for them to join Freezing Sky Clan… As for this… I will have to make detailed preparations, and if that’s the case, I’ll have to use a new ident.i.ty.
‘Qualification… I will simply need to be qualified to enter Freezing Sky Clan. Even if that qualification has already been set, but if I use a different method to obtain it, I will also get different results.
‘I will need to amaze them!’
A glint appeared in Su Ming’s eyes. He stared at the mountain belonging to Puqiang Tribe behind Han Mountain City and narrowed his eyes.
‘I already have all the materials needed to create Spirit Plunder and I’ve also planted Sky Flute Branch. In a few days, I can start creating the medicine.
‘All I lack now is the aura of death needed to create this pill… I need to quench the herbs using the aura of death, the moment this pill is created, the punishment for larceny will fall upon me, which I will use the aura to receive the punishment, and when it shatters, the pill will be created!
‘I might be able to use this pill as the material for me to create my Origin Berserker Vessel when I Awaken!’
With a glow in his right hand, a black pearl instantly appeared in his palm. That pearl was the Death Essence Pearl he had obtained from the Puqiang tribe member when he had woken up from the deep slumber induced by the burning of blood.
He looked at the pearl for a moment before putting it away.
‘If I challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, I must challenge Puqiang Tribe’s Chain! Besides obtaining the right to join Freezing Sky Clan, once I succeed, I can also ask of something from Puqiang Tribe.
‘If I use any other method, the closed off Puqiang will definitely refuse to give me the aura of death for me to create this pill. Even if they agree to it, I’ll have a lot of setbacks as well…
‘Only by challenging the Chains of Han Mountain will I be able to get all these in one go!’
Su Ming stared at the mountain that belonged to Puqiang Tribe basking in the darkness. He could not see its top. There was a thick layer of fog covering the top. As he continued staring at it, resolution appeared in his eyes.
On the morning ten days later, the sky was covered in grey clouds and m.u.f.fled sounds of thunder rumbling in the sky could be heard. Rain poured from the sky and crashed into the stones on the mountain before they fell to the ground. There were few people walking on the streets of Han Mountain City, and even these pedestrians were wearing bamboo hats and straw capes.
Those who have stayed in the city for a long period of time knew that this sort of rainy weather would only pa.s.s after several months. Even the occasional sunny days would not last for long.
The three tribes were quiet as usual during this rainy morning. The three colored layers of fog surrounding the three mountains still filled the air and enveloped the mountains, causing them to still remain as mysterious as ever.
On this day, a person walked towards Han Mountain City from afar. He was the same as the other people; he wore a straw cape and a bamboo hat. His face could not be seen clearly. The only thing that could be seen on him was the black robes underneath his bamboo hat and straw cape.
He quietly came forth and walked into the gates leading to Han Mountain City. He stepped on the puddles and welcomed the rain as he walked on the streets and along the mountain path until he reached the stone gate leading to the third layer of the city. It might be raining, but there were still people from the three tribes standing at the rain shelter outside the gate. They were yawning, and as usual, were selling the plates leading into the third layer of the city.
Fang Lin was also there. He was the first to see that slightly unusual person walking forth from afar. With the lesson he had learned that one time, he had become much more cautious. He looked at the person walking forth unhurriedly. Before that person entered the door, he paused for a moment and looked at him. Fang Lin immediately put on a smile on his face. This was the smile he learned to have after what he experienced that year.
Soon after, that person who wore the ordinary looking straw cape walked into the stone door, and immediately, a shocking ripple appeared on the stone door.
‘Awakening!’
Fang Lin immediately perked up, but for some unknown reason, once he did so, the image of that person kept repeating in his head. He had a feeling that the person seemed rather familiar when he stopped just now…