Chapter 42

Some women are uneducated, but they may fare better than you by winning over a successful man with their pretty face, good fashion sense, and sweet, flirty voice.

Some men dropped out of primary school, but he can still look down on you from his fancy sports car by clinging onto a sugar mommy using their sexy voice and handsome appearance.

Most people despise them and disapprove of their way of life. But when we become fathers and mothers, we will have to wake up early and stay up late every day to take care of our children, to make breakfast and do other house chores. At that time, we may come to the realization that there is no “correct” way of living.

We all have different experiences, which lead us to different lifestyles. Hence, none of us is in a position to judge someone else’s way of living.

So it was with Yang Shou’an.

In his early days, he was a homeless man, searching for a living on his own. People ridiculed him and sent assassins for his head. The woman he had loved for years didn’t love him back. He saw her flirt with another man.

He was once desperate and jumped off a cliff because he believed that there might be opportunities and treasures hidden under the cliff.

However, he only found hungry vipers and wolves at the end of his fall.

With great difficulty, he survived. But he had also become a completely different man. After years of hardship, he joined the Scythe Army in the end.

The first night after he had become a Scythe Army soldier, he killed the woman who had broken his heart and her man. He butchered them for the jealousy he had suffered.

Today, he barked like a dog in a cell and voluntarily changed his name to Liu Yanggou. He felt proud of himself.

“The change of my name is a change of my destiny!” Yang Shou’an believed.

He waited at the entrance of the dungeon.

Meanwhile, Liu Tao and Liu Liuhai were interrogating the captive.

But the woman remained tight-lipped. She simply sneered all the time.

Liu Tao gave up and walked out of the dungeon. He told Yang Shou’an, “Make her talk. I don’t care what you do to her, but I want to know why the Living Dead is investigating my clan!”

“Understood!” Yang Shou’an answered.

“If you can do it well, I will take you as my adopted son and your name will appear on our family booklet!” Liu Tao said.

“Ah—! Yes, my lord! I will not let you down!” Surprised, Yang Shou’an knelt down on the ground. His whole body was shaking in excitement.

This was a chance to finally get rid of his past miserable life. He must seize it!

After Liu Tao and Liu Liuhai had walked farther away, Yang Shou’an returned to the dungeon. A cruel smile appeared in the corner of his lips as his eyes met that of the woman in chains.

Meanwhile, Liu Fan was observing the cell using his sensitivity.

“This Yang Shou’an is an interesting man!”

“He has great potential for a lackey!” Liu Fan thought.

He wanted to see how this man would make his captive talk.

He knew that people like Yang Shou’an would play a pivotal role in helping the Liu clan rise to power.

…

Liu Liuhai accompanied Liu Tao and walked out of the dungeon.

“Clan Head, why do you intend to take Yang Shou’an as your ward?”

“That man has no self-respect. He stops at nothing to achieve his goal. A cunning and ruthless person like him is like a sharp blade. Don’t you think he is a perfect candidate for the Silent Shadow Army?”

“The Silent Shadow Army…”

Liu Liuhai pondered.

Liu Sanhai was in charge of the enlistment of Silent Shadow soldiers, but he hadn’t been able to make any progress, which had severely impeded the development of the Liu clan. Hence, perhaps the head of the clan wanted Yang Shou’an to assist Liu Sanhai.

Liu Tao met Liu Liuhai’s eyes. He put on a faint smile as a cold light flashed across his eyes.

Liu Sanhai wasn’t doing his share of helping the family. He had been following Liu Dahai closely every day, not doing anything useful. Indeed, he’s a man who wouldn’t improve!

If Yang Shou’an could prove himself useful, Liu Tao would replace Liu Sanhai with Yang Shou’an and let this loyal dog build the Silent Shadow Army for him.

As for Liu Sanhai…

He could make a decent swineherd!

“But we have to watch Yang Shou’an before any decision is made. Then, I’ll bring him to the Ancestor. The Ancestor will know whether he is truly loyal!” Liu Tao said.

He was reminded of Liu Chao, the spy from the Lu clan, and of Zhao Laosan. They had somehow revealed their true selves once they had entered the ancestral temple.

Liu Tao couldn’t explain why, but he believed that there was a mysterious force wandering in the ancestral temple.

At this moment, night had fallen.

The snowflakes were falling thick and hard, decorating the Liu houses.

Liu Tao spotted Liu Erhai.

The Elder was checking on their clan members’ nightlife in the company of a few subordinates.

He told the man of each household, “Come on! Make your wives pregnant by winter!”

Ever since Liu Erhai had become the matchmaker, he had fully utilized the wealth and power they had gained to allocate wives and concubines for every man in the clan.

Hence, he would supervise and urge people to get on with the deed every night.

“The Second Elder used to be a lazy man. Look how hardworking he is now!” Liu Tao praised.

“Agreed! He’s a good man!” Liu Liuhai said. As he thought of the girl assigned to him, Liu Liuhai felt his desires coming.

The girl was his concubine. He had had a wonderful time during the past few nights.

As he recalled what he had done with the girl, he couldn’t hold it any longer and hurried back to his room.

“This old man…” Liu Tao couldn’t help but laugh. He also felt jealous.

Liu Meimei had chased away the girls Liu Erhai had found for him.

“I’m destined to be single!”

Liu Tao sighed. Then, he started cultivating the Wind Walker on the snow.

…

Meanwhile, Liu Dahai and Liu Sanhai came to the ancestral temple.

They were here to refine Liu Fan!

After they had refined him into a battle puppet, the pair would come and control Liu Fan once every few days in an attempt to improve his sensitivity.

But today, Liu Dongdong was guarding the door of the temple. He studied the two men cautiously.

“You may pay your respects to the ancestor, but you shall not open his coffin!” Liu Dongdong said. His eyes were cold.

“Of course! What are you thinking?”

Liu Sanhai deliberately put on an angry face. Then, he mumbled, “Meimei and Tianyou are having a date tonight. Yet you are standing here guarding the temple as if it’s none of your business!”

He’d said it to make Liu Dongdong leave.

As expected, Liu Dongdong’s expression changed. But he soon regained his cool and showed no intention of leaving.

“Oh? Are you not worried?” Liu Sanhai was surprised. He winked his eye at Liu Dahai.

Liu Dahai took the hint and said, “Dongdong, I know you must be worried. Go and find her! I’ll guard the temple for you tonight!”

Liu Dongdong looked at them and shook his head. He then gazed at Liu Fan’s spirit tablet and said, “Yes, Meimei is beautiful. But no one can compare to the Ancestor!”

“I have decided to be a watchman. I will guard the Ancestor every night until my last night in this world!”

Liu Fan felt touched. He opened his eyes.

“What a good lad!”

“He has abandoned his love just to protect me.”

“What a great man!”

Liu Dahai and Liu Sanhai frowned. They left grumpily after pretending to have paid their respects to Liu Fan.

“In the next clan meeting, we should push for a change. We can’t let Dongdong guard the temple every night!”

“You are right! This boy is still young. He should be fighting with all the great fighters out there and challenge those on the List of Heroes. He’ll literally become a living dead if he continues being a watchman!”

The pair mumbled as they left in the snow.

…

Liu Dongdong glanced around. After he was certain that no one else was coming, he walked into the ancestral temple and opened Liu Fan’s coffin. His eyes were filled with sincerity and admiration.

“Ancestor, I have decided not to go after Meimei just because I want to touch you. Please watch over me, Ancestor! Help me understand more of your powerful cultivation techniques!”

Liu Dongdong held his palms together as he prayed to Liu Fan.

Then, he reached into Liu Fan’s coffin…

After his recovery, Liu Fan was now able to selectively hide the techniques he didn’t wish people to learn.

He had also hidden some methods from Liu Dongdong because he was too young and too inexperienced to control certain advanced techniques. Therefore, Liu Dongdong hadn’t learned much though he had seized every opportunity to touch Liu Fan.

Instead, the improvement in Liu Dongdong’s state of mind had resulted in rapid progress in his cultivation.

The snow had finally stopped at dawn.

Servants were sweeping snow in the yard, and members of the Liu family were cultivating on the training court near the altar. Even kids of Liu Xiaoxiao’s age were also cultivating.

The Liu clan specialized in physical cultivation, which focused on refining body structures, building strength, and improving blood circulation.

Hence, their cultivation regime consisted of rolling in the snow, rubbing ice cubes against their muscles, and bathing in icy water…

At this moment, they heard a commotion from afar.

Liu Liuhai was laughing, holding the hands of a young squad leader of the Scythe Army.

“Sickle soldier Yang Shou’an has performed an exceptionally meritorious deed. He cracked our enemies’ evil plan. Today, the head of our clan will take him as his adopted son. All of you are welcome to join us at the ceremony!”

His voice was loud and traveled far through the morning air.