A Match Made in Heaven

Deer blood and deer meat were great tonics, strengthening the body and building the physique.

Even if ordinary families managed to hunt one, they would scarcely have enough to eat themselves. Why would they be willing to give it away?

Though the reason Zhang Tai gave was perfectly sound, Zhao Hong understood that this had to be Zhang Yuan's idea.

He was an orphan in the village.

He had never shown much talent for martial arts, either.

Though he lacked neither food nor drink, he still could not compare to families with parents to provide for them.

Using Zhang Tai's apology as a pretext, they had also sent him some deer blood and meat. No one could find fault with that.

Once he grew stronger, he had to hunt something good for the village first.

The stray thought flashed through his mind. Zhao Hong picked up the small jar of deer blood and drained it in one gulp.

Glug glug glug!!

As the deer blood entered his stomach, warmth spread through him, swiftly permeating every limb and bone.

Zhao Hong rose to his feet and assumed the stance of the Six-Part Body-Strengthening Art.

This was a simple body-training method the village adults had bought from the county long ago. It was inexpensive and crude.

It was quite effective at strengthening boys of fifteen or sixteen.

The moment he assumed the stance, Zhao Hong froze.

The warmth in his body faded with astonishing speed.

"It's already been absorbed?"

Deer blood had powerful nourishing effects.

Let alone him—even an adult would have to move around a little to digest an entire jar.

Yet he had not even started moving.

There had been a brief flicker of warmth, and then nothing.

Were Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones really this fierce?

A flicker of shock crossed Zhao Hong's eyes. Then his feet pivoted as he twisted his waist and swung his arms.

A full half hour passed.

His body was only faintly warm. Not a drop of sweat had appeared, and he merely felt a little tired.

The only reason he stopped was because he felt hungry.

After devouring all the remaining deer meat, Zhao Hong began practicing in the courtyard again.

This session lasted an entire hour.

By the end, he even felt that the postures and movements of the Six-Part Body-Strengthening Art no longer had any training effect.

So he simply picked up the fifty-pound stone pedestal on the ground and started moving it around.

Another half hour passed.

Only then did he gradually begin to feel exhausted.

"Fierce. Damn fierce."

"Worthy of Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones."

Zhao Hong set down the stone pedestal and wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes gleaming brightly.

If Zhang Tai had seen what he had done over these two hours, his eyes would have popped out of their sockets.

Even if Zhao Hong still could not match Zhang Tai, the gap was no longer far.

Overnight, he had become like a completely different person.

"The small square at the village entrance has a three-hundred-pound stone pedestal, the heaviest one there."

"I'll go give it a try."

After resting briefly, Zhao Hong headed to the small square at the front of the village.

It was nearly noon, and there was no one in the square.

He walked straight up to the heaviest, three-hundred-pound stone pedestal, bent down, and reached out.

"Up you go."

Zhao Hong roared inwardly, feeling immense strain.

He did not give up. Bracing himself, he exerted all his strength, his face flushing crimson and his backside lifting into the air.

A sudden hum rose from his muscles and bones, while his flesh trembled.

Whoosh!

The massive stone pedestal rose off the ground.

Two breaths later, it fell back down.

Zhao Hong staggered back a step, gasping heavily. Feeling the aching strain in his arms, he could hardly believe his own eyes.

Hugging something with both hands and lifting it one-handed were fundamentally different things.

Even so, being able to lift it off the ground in his arms was already utterly astonishing.

It was even more incredible than he had expected.

"Beating Zhang Tai flat on the ground probably won't take many days."

Thinking of Zhang Tai's sharp words from before, Zhao Hong could not help revealing a strange smile.

That scene would surely be magnificent.

Grrr!

Zhao Hong rubbed his stomach, his brows tightly furrowed.

"I'm hungry again. Damn, has my appetite changed this much?"

"Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones have absorption effects beyond compare. I need meat and blood to greatly increase my strength, but food and drink are going to be a problem from now on."

He could not exactly mooch meals off other people every day, could he?

Things like beast meat and beast blood were not something every household had in abundance.

But relying on himself to enter the mountains and hunt was still far too dangerous.

Thinking of the remaining grain at home, Zhao Hong shook his head helplessly. He would just have to get through these next few days first.

It was not as if he could starve himself to death.

He turned and headed home.

Just before reaching his door, he ran into someone coming from the opposite direction.

Wang Chuan.

The village chief's son, a martial artist who had cultivated qi and blood.

"Uncle Chuan."

"Ah Hong, looks like you're truly all right now."

Wang Chuan examined Zhao Hong's complexion and laughed heartily.

"I made everyone worry." Zhao Hong scratched his head with a smile.

"It's good that you're fine. But for the next few days, don't run around recklessly. Rats may be timid, but the fact that one dared to come near the village makes it a serious hidden danger. Old Zhang and I have been searching nearby these past two days, but we still haven't found that demon rat."

Wang Chuan's expression was grave.

Zhao Hong's heart stirred.

Come to think of it, he ought to thank that demon rat.

Otherwise, he would never have awakened his memories of a past life and his talent.

If he was going to thank it, then finding the demon rat and personally cutting it down would be the proper thing to do.

"Uncle Chuan, what level of strength would it take to deal with that demon rat?" Zhao Hong asked curiously.

"What level of strength?"

Wang Chuan grinned. "Based on what you described before, and on the demon rat's reaction, after you heard its 'squeak squeak,' you became muddle-headed and dazed. Your mind was bewitched by its demonic aura. But you recovered completely in just two days, which shows that demon rat isn't too formidable yet."

"If we met face-to-face, I alone could kill it."

"Still, demons have strange and sinister methods. If we truly find it, we must remain cautious."

Zhao Hong frowned slightly.

He had recovered completely in two days, but only he knew the truth.

Without his talent, there was at least a fifty-percent chance that he would have died, and there was no way he could have recovered in three to five days.

That demon rat's true strength was likely greater than Uncle Chuan had anticipated.

Fortunately, Wang Chuan's words had been extremely cautious. If they found its trail, he certainly would not pursue it alone.

Zhao Hong relaxed slightly.

"I've only ever heard the uncles talk about demons before. This is the first time I've encountered one, and it was terrifying. If you find its trail, Uncle Chuan, you must be careful too. Make sure everyone is gathered before taking action."

To be safe, Zhao Hong offered a reminder.

"Do I need a brat like you to remind me? Do you take your Uncle Chuan for someone who eats for free?" Wang Chuan laughed and scolded him. Then his brows suddenly rose as his gaze passed over Zhao Hong and fixed suspiciously on the village entrance.

"Who's that?"

Zhao Hong could not help turning to look. He saw a young man in black robes slowly walking in from outside the village.

"No one has gone to the county these past few days. Could he be someone from the county?"

"He doesn't look very old..."

As the young man drew closer, Wang Chuan's muttering abruptly stopped. His pupils contracted, and his entire body tensed as if facing a formidable enemy.

"So strong."

"What?"

Zhao Hong looked at Wang Chuan in disbelief.

Wang Chuan's reaction filled him with alarm.

Uncle Chuan was in the prime of his life and the strongest man in the village. He was even a little stronger than Zhang Yuan. Yet after merely one look, he had said the young man was strong?

When the young man came within three zhang, his gaze swept over them.

Zhao Hong's entire body tightened. The sudden palpitations that arose in that instant made him feel this was several times more terrifying than facing the demon rat that day.

The young man looked around twenty-five or twenty-six. His face was sharply cut, his frame tall and lean, and his expression calm, yet he carried an indescribable presence.

"Uncle Chuan?"

"You are?"

Wang Chuan froze. He searched his memories carefully, and a figure seemed vaguely similar to the young man before him.

Zhao Hong was also stunned upon hearing that form of address.

He stared intently at the young man, then suddenly cried out, "You're Zhao Yang—Uncle Yang?"

"Zhao Yang? It really is you?"

Wang Chuan blurted out right after him.

Zhao Yang smiled dashinglly and nodded slightly. "It's me."

He examined Zhao Hong thoughtfully. "You're Ah Hong from Brother Iron Mountain's family, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes, that's me."

Zhao Hong nodded frantically, the excitement in his heart nearly overflowing.

The man before him was truly extraordinary.

Zhao Yang was currently around twenty-four or twenty-five. He was somewhat related to Zhao Hong's family and belonged to a higher generation, so Zhao Hong had to call him uncle.

Six or seven years ago, Zhao Yang had entered a Great Martial Arts Hall in the prefectural city and been accepted as a disciple. From then on, he had left Stone Valley County for the prefectural city.

At the time, it had caused a sensation throughout Stone Valley County.

What kind of place was the prefectural city?

Ten Stone Valley Counties put together could not compare.

He had heard that martial arts hall was exceptionally formidable even in the prefectural city.

And now, Uncle Yang had returned.

I have the talent of Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones, too.

Isn't this a match made in heaven?