Leaving (2)

When Lin Zheyu returned home, it was already late at night.

After several days of recuperation, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit had returned to their peak once more.

After returning, he took off his outer robe and continued training.

In the courtyard, Lin Zheyu's figure moved swiftly. Every so often, he lashed out with a whip kick, striking the wooden post with a crisp smack.

He trained madly for more than an hour.

Hiss—

He felt a spasm run through his muscles, and his face turned deathly pale.

He had reached his limit.

At that moment, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit condensed into one, and Source Power increased by one unit.

"Whew..."

Lin Zheyu stopped and let out a long breath.

"After growing stronger, my endurance improved as well. Breaking through my body's limits once has become much harder."

Lin Zheyu sighed.

As his strength rose, breaking through his physical limits became increasingly difficult.

Not only that, after breaking through his limits so many times, both his bodily endurance and mental resilience had increased greatly. This made it even harder for him to break through his limits.

Heaven Rewards Diligence

Name: Lin Zheyu

Source Power: 4

Skills:

Wild Bull Fist (Mastery 5%)

Golden Goose Skill (Second Layer 24%)

Turtle Breathing Technique (Third Layer 0%)

Lin Zheyu looked at the data in his mind. He had accumulated four units of Source Power again.

The Turtle Breathing Technique had made almost no progress.

After reaching the third layer, its cultivation difficulty rose in a straight line, far surpassing what someone in the Bone Forging Realm could cultivate.

The later layers involved matters concerning Qi and blood.

Using Source Power to cultivate the Turtle Breathing Technique to the completion of the second layer was already Lin Zheyu's limit. If he wanted to improve further, he could only raise his strength to the Qi and Blood Realm.

The next day.

Setting Sun.

Outside Songyi City.

Lin Zheyu and Han Mo stood silently, watching Master Liang depart.

"I wonder if we'll ever have another chance to see Master Liang."

Lin Zheyu gazed at the horizon where Liang Song had vanished, his expression somewhat desolate, filled with the melancholy of parting.

"We will."

"Master is so strong. Nothing will happen to him."

"If Junior Brother Lin encounters any difficulties in the future, come find me. Whatever I can help with, I will do my utmost." Han Mo patted Lin Zheyu on the shoulder.

After spending this time together, Lin Zheyu had also come to understand Senior Brother Han's character.

They said one's appearance was born from one's heart. Han Mo looked just as he seemed—upright and honorable, someone worth befriending.

"Senior Brother, do you still have to go patrol later?"

"No. I took the afternoon off," Han Mo said.

"Since you're free, why don't we trade a few moves in the courtyard later?"

Lin Zheyu was feeling stifled and wanted to find something to vent his frustration on.

"Sure. It's not like I have anything else to do." Han Mo smiled.

The two stood silently for a while longer, watching the direction Liang Song had gone, before turning and heading into the city.

Because of the war, there were even more refugees outside the city. Corpses of starving people everywhere—the sight was too ghastly to bear.

Several prominent families and wealthy merchants had set up porridge distribution points outside the city, but faced with the ever-growing number of refugees, it was nowhere near enough.

As they passed by, Lin Zheyu spotted a familiar figure.

It was Ren Qingying of the Ren Family, a very beautiful young woman.

"Why are you staring at that young lady like that? Taken a fancy to her?"

Han Mo laughed. "Want your senior brother to go propose on your behalf?"

"Stop fooling around."

"That's Miss Ren Qingying from Ren Residence, right?"

Lin Zheyu pointed at the beautiful woman at the porridge station. "I was once a refugee too. When I fled to Songyi City, it was thanks to Miss Ren's porridge. Otherwise, Senior Brother would never have met me."

"Then you really should properly thank Miss Ren," Han Mo said.

Looking at the refugees scattered across the ground, he could not bear the sight, yet there was nothing he could do.

Every day, their City Guard patrolled once and burned the corpses of the dead. The feeling was exceedingly unpleasant.

"I heard the Rebel Army might attack Songyi City. Senior Brother, you're in the City Guard—do you have any inside information?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"I don't know. Those officials reassure the soldiers every day, saying there's no need to worry and that Great Wei will soon send troops to suppress them."

"No one knows the exact news from the front."

Han Mo shrugged helplessly. He also wanted to know what the situation at the front was really like. If things were going badly, he wanted to send his wife, children, and elderly family members away first.

"Don't worry. Look, even the young lady of Ren Residence is still here. The situation probably isn't that bad."

"Ren Residence started out in trade, and their information network is well-connected. Many people keep their eyes on them. If Ren Residence shows any unusual movements, then something has most likely happened."

Han Mo pointed at Ren Qingying.

By then, Ren Qingying had finished distributing porridge. She brushed back a strand of hair and looked at the refugees with a trace of sorrow on her face.

Escorted by the guards of Ren Residence, Ren Qingying broke free of the refugees and returned to the city.

"What a fine young lady. I wonder whose wife she'll become someday," Han Mo sighed.

"What, Senior Brother, do you have ideas?"

"Get lost. If your sister-in-law heard that, wouldn't she ignore me for days?" Han Mo said with a laugh.

Clop, clop, clop.

A group of soldiers approached, their footsteps neat and forceful.

At their head was a burly man in armor, seated atop a horse.

The rapid clopping of hooves drew near as the horse charged straight at Lin Zheyu and Han Mo.

"Move!"

Han Mo pulled Lin Zheyu aside, avoiding the horse's charge.

Neigh—

The man yanked the reins, and the horse stopped in front of Lin Zheyu and Han Mo.

"Xing Penghai, what are you doing?!"

Han Mo frowned and glared angrily at the man on horseback.

"Oh, isn't this Centurion Han? I didn't look carefully just now. My apologies."

"But I heard Centurion Han took leave today. Why are you out here?"

"What, does Centurion Han want to imitate those wealthy people and set up a porridge station outside the city?" Xing Penghai removed his helmet and said with a smile.

He was an ordinary-looking man with a conspicuous scar at the corner of his eye.

"Centurion Xing is joking. Han doesn't have that much silver." Han Mo replied flatly.

Standing at the side, Lin Zheyu sensed that something was off between the two. It seemed they had some sort of conflict.

"This little brother beside Centurion Han is rather handsome. Won't you introduce him?" Xing Penghai looked at Lin Zheyu, his eyes narrowing with a smile.

"What the hell does it have to do with you?" Han Mo snapped back.

"I think it has plenty to do with me."

"Xing suspects he's a spy sent by the Rebel Army, one who may endanger Songyi City's safety." Xing Penghai wore a fake smile as he looked at Han Mo in a strange, mocking manner.

"Hmph. Xing Penghai, don't force me to turn hostile." Han Mo said angrily.

"Haha, it was just a joke."

"Centurion Han is still as unable to take a joke as ever." Xing Penghai laughed.

"Xing Penghai, I'm warning you. If you dare act recklessly, I, Han Mo, am not someone to be trifled with."

Han Mo's expression turned icy. He turned to Lin Zheyu and said, "Let's go. Ignore him."

"Mm."

Lin Zheyu silently followed at Han Mo's side as they entered Songyi City.

Behind them came Xing Penghai's unrestrained laughter.

"Senior Brother, do you have a grudge against that man?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"Yes, a little."

"You don't need to worry. That fellow wouldn't dare do anything rash. He just looks for chances to disgust me now and then," Han Mo said, telling Lin Zheyu not to worry.

Lin Zheyu nodded and did not ask further.