Chapter 16

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

Liu Dongdong was surprised. He said, “Clan Head, you’re so perspicacious! I can’t hide anything from you!”

“I have also mastered a technique called the ‘Nine-Fold Strength’! It can increase one’s martial strength by at most nine times.”

Liu Tao’s eyes widened. He held his breath in astonishment. His hand, which was originally stroking his beard, trembled involuntarily and tore off a few strands of beard.

Liu Fan was also surprised in his coffin.

He hadn’t expected that Liu Dongdong would comprehend this combat technique. This unique technique was what had brought fame to Liu Fan during his time. As the manifestation of the highest physical strength, it was extremely powerful.

When used in conjunction with the Secret Technique of the Bulldozer, one would become literally unbeatable.

In the ancestral temple, Liu Tao urged that Liu Dongdong must cultivate harder and ascend to the Fish Dive State as soon as possible.

“You must be patient and focused when learning that Nine-Fold Strength combat technique. That’s the one that made our ancestor famous.”

Speaking of that, Liu Tao suddenly paused and said with some hesitation, “According to our family booklet, this combat technique originally belonged to the Nine-Fold Clan, which was later exterminated by our great ancestor. The clan’s Nine-Fold Strength technique was then stolen away by our ancestor. Today, there’s a Nine-Fold Holy Land located in the depths of the City of Scorpio. I don’t know if these two clans are related.

“You’ll have to use it with caution! If you’re seen using it, you must kill those who saw you. It’s dangerous to allow any witnesses to live!”

Liu Tao exhorted Liu Dongdong solemnly, with murderousness in his eyes. “Even if the witness is a beautiful woman, you’ll have to kill her! You mustn’t be merciful.”

Liu Dongdong’s heart shuddered. He engraved Liu Tao’s words into his heart.

Having heard Liu Tao, Liu Fan began recalling what had happened more a thousand years ago…

He remembered that he had indeed wiped out the Nine-Fold Clan back then. It was an utter bloodshed, and even chickens and dogs were not spared. Could it be that there were members from this clan who had slipped through his hands?

“If there was, it would cause big trouble.”

“When one has fully mastered the Nine-Fold Strength, it will evolve into an extremely terrifying palm technique, which can topple mountains and overturn seas. It will become an unstoppable disaster unless I am revived…”

Liu Fan was worried.

Luckily, the Liu clan was now in decline. If the descendants of the Nine-Fold Clan really wanted to take revenge on the Liu Clan, they would have done so long ago. The fact that there had been no news after so many years revealed that there might be other reasons that he did not know of.

In the ancestral temple, Liu Tao was giving extra lessons to Liu Dongdong, explaining to him the gist of martial arts cultivation.

Liu Dongdong was a talented student. With little help from Liu Tao, he was already able to comprehend and draw inferences from what he had learned.

Liu Tao was delighted. He looked at Liu Dongdong with extreme fondness in his eyes.

At this moment, a clan member ran over from outside the courtyard and reported, “Clan Head, someone has just entered Lady Meimei’s room.”

“Who is it?”

“The young lord of the Lord Governor’s Mansion, Zhuo Tianyou!”

“The fish has gone on the hook!” Liu Tao smiled.

Liu Dongdong was anxious. He urged, “Clan Head!!!”

Meimei was a beautiful girl. With Zhuo Tianyou coming to meet her in the middle of the night, Liu Dongdong would not believe that the two had no feelings for each other.

“Do you like Meimei?”

Liu Tao suddenly turned to look at Liu Dongdong.

The flurry in Liu Dongdong’s eyes vanished in an instant. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, “You must be joking, Clan Head. She’s my paternal cousin. I dare not develop such feelings for her.”

“But Zhuo Tianyou is a dandy who has always been engaging in romantic affairs and visiting the brothels. I’m afraid that he will ruin Meimei’s reputation.”

“Well, your worry is reasonable. Go and protect her well!” Liu Tao said.

“Of course, I’ll protect Meimei!” With a serious look on his face, Liu Dongdong hurried out of the courtyard.

“Forgot to tell you that Meimei is actually your maternal cousin…”

Liu Tao said when Dongdong had already reached the gate of the courtyard.

Liu Dongdong staggered.

“I’ll protect my cousin!”

His voice was loud, with a hint of joy.

Outside the ancestral temple, as Liu Dongdong ran farther away, Liu Tao stroked his beard while smiling and muttered to himself, “Actually, Meimei is your sister…”

“Silly boy, wait until you’ve experienced love, pain, and hurt. You’ll grow up. Once your state of mind has matured, it’ll be time for you to advance to the Fish Dive State!”

In the coffin of the ancestral temple, Liu Fan witnessed this scene and couldn’t help worrying about Liu Dongdong.

If Liu Tao’s move was successful, a real martial arts hero would emerge from the Liu clan.

If it failed, Liu Dongdong would be driven into the abyss of no return.

…

Zhuo Tianyou came to Liu Meimei’s yard.

With his excellent Qinggong1, he landed silently at Liu Meimei’s window, which was situated on the second floor.

Through the window, he saw Liu Meimei crying with her head hung low. Her crying face looked sad and mournful, striking on his heartstrings. It was just like that feeling when the two had met for the first time on their way to the Than Hsiang Temple this year.

He sighed. A burst of energy shot out from his palm and shattered the window catch. He broke in through the window.

“Ahh?…”

“Ahh!…”

“Ahh—”

Shouts of different tones came from the room.

Liu Meimei’s mood changed within an instant. She felt as if she had gotten on a roller coaster.

Then, the couple started to talk to each other quietly. After a while, Liu Meimei’s charming laughter came from the room.

“That pretty boy really knows how to please girls!”

Liu Dongdong had arrived at the garden downstairs.

Liu Xiaoxiao, the snotty boy, was gnawing at a pig’s tail at his side.

“Brother Dongdong, who’s with Sister Meimei in the room? They sound so happy!” Liu Xiaoxiao asked, his eyes blinking.

“Someone who’s a liar, a very bad guy. He’s fooling your Sister Meimei at this moment. He’ll come after your pig’s tail and eat it later,” Liu Dongdong explained bitterly.

He looked up at the two figures on the second floor. No matter how he looked at them, he felt that one of them was unpleasant to his eyes. When Liu Meimei laughed, he felt even more unhappy.

“Ahem…”

He coughed vigorously and loudly.

The laughter in the attic stopped abruptly.

A smug smile appeared on his face, but in the next second, his smile froze.

He had just seen the light upstairs go out.

They’d also closed the curtains!

“What’s going on inside?”

“Why did they blow off the candles? Why did they draw the curtains?”

Liu Dongdong was confused.

“Daddy and Mommy blow off the candles and draw the curtains too when they sleep together…” Liu Xiaoxiao mumbled.

Liu Dongdong’s expression changed. He wanted to rush up to the attic but felt that it would be inappropriate.

He looked at Liu Xiaoxiao.

He fished out a pig’s ear from his pocket and shook it in front of him. “Xiaoxiao, do you want to eat piggy?”

Liu Xiaoxiao snorted hard and corrected Liu Dongdong with a scowl. “It’s called ‘pig,’ not ‘piggy.’ The Elder said, saying ‘eat piggy’ is disrespect to the ancestor1!”

While speaking, he couldn’t remove his eyes from the pig’s ear Liu Dongdong was holding. The boy swallowed his saliva secretly.

Liu Dongdong didn’t like kids, but the sight of the dark attic made him anxious. He said hurriedly, “Take this pig’s ear to your Sister Meimei and ask her if she wants it. If she doesn’t, it’ll be yours!”

The boy bit his lips and asked very seriously, “But what if Sister Meimei wants it? Do I still get some pig’s ear?”

“Don’t ask too much, just go now!” Liu Dongdong pretended to be angry, raising his hands as if he was going to spank the boy.

The kid took the pig’s ear and hurried up the attic.

When he was going around the corner, he realized that Liu Dongdong was not following him. Seeing that there was no one around, he spit on the pig’s ear.

“This is Liu Dongdong’s saliva!”

His small eyes were sparkling with slyness.

He rushed up the stairs and pushed open Liu Meimei’s door without knocking.

“Sister Meimei, Brother Dongdong wants to give you this pig’s ear!”

“But let me tell you a secret. He had secretly spit on the pig’s ear. If you don’t believe me, look at it. It’s still wet. Eww…”