Going Home

Su Han listened quietly, committing this knowledge to memory.

As Lu Xunxiang spoke,

he took the booklet and a small bottle out of the drawer.

"These are the training and fighting methods for the later stages of Hua Jin, Baodan, and True Gang. Take your time practicing them."

"And this is secret medicine. It helps with cultivation."

"Take one pill before each practice session, and it'll speed up your progress."

"Thank you, Master." Su Han accepted them.

"We're family. There's no need for formalities."

Lu Xunxiang patted him, his eyes full of delight he couldn't hide.

Su Han nodded. Now he had a path to follow to grow stronger.

But he still had enemies lurking in the shadows, and they were backed by a powerful force. He couldn't drag the martial arts school down with him.

So he made an excuse.

"Master, I'll head back and take my time practicing and absorbing everything."

"Good. Go back and let it all sink in. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me later."

With his master's permission, Su Han bowed to him.

He put away the Celestial Phenomenon Secret Method and the secret medicine, then turned to leave.

By the time he left the martial arts school, it was broad daylight.

But Su Han had only just reached the street corner when someone stopped him.

There were three of them.

They all wore training clothes that looked like those of the Celestial Phenomena Martial Arts School.

"You're Su Han, right?" Jing Tianjun had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold. "I'm Jing Tianjun. Care for a chat?"

"What is it?"

Su Han looked at them coldly.

"There is something," Jing Tianjun said. "It's about Senior Sister Lu."

Su Han fell silent for a moment.

"Where?"

"The alley over there. It's quiet." Jing Tianjun pointed to a nearby alley.

"Lead the way." Su Han nodded.

The three surrounded him as they walked into the alley.

It was a dead end.

Jing Tianjun turned around, the smile gone from his face.

"Kid, I don't care whether you're a real genius or a fake." He stared at Su Han, a warning in his eyes.

"Stay away from Lu Yu."

Su Han said nothing.

Jing Tianjun couldn't help stepping forward.

"Did you hear me?"

"I've got my eye on Lu Yu. You just got here, so don't push your luck!"

One of his lackeys, a man named Hu Shuo, chimed in.

"Junior Brother Su, Young Master Jing's family is in industry, and they've got a lot of influence in Jinghai. If you know what's good for you, you'll have an easier time at the martial arts school going forward."

"Exactly. We're all fellow disciples here. Let's not sour things," the other lackey added.

Su Han looked at them and suddenly felt a little tired.

He could also tell that Jing Tianjun, their leader, was probably one of Lu Yu's pursuers.

He had only just taken a master, learned something new, and glimpsed hope of growing stronger.

And then these three jumped out.

Had they come to pick a fight with him over a woman?

"Are you done?" Su Han was growing impatient.

"What's with that attitude?"

"I said I got it. Now I'm leaving, so stop bothering me." Su Han's patience was nearly at its limit.

Jing Tianjun laughed in anger.

"Leaving? Did I say you could leave? Let me tell you, my dad is the boss of Jingtian Industries, and I'm very close with people from the Jinghai Earthly Condemnation Department. If you dare..."

Before he could finish,

Su Han moved.

His time was limited. He couldn't be bothered listening to these men run their mouths, much less wasting time on such a childish matter.

Jing Tianjun's vision blurred, and pain struck his chest.

He looked down to find Su Han's fist buried in his chest.

Crack!

Bone shattered.

He wanted to scream, but he couldn't make a sound.

Blood gushed from his mouth. He could only stare wide-eyed, his face full of disbelief.

He couldn't seem to understand how, when he had only meant to give the other man a warning,

how...

how Su Han's attack could be fatal.

Hu Shuo and the other man froze as well.

Before they could react, Su Han was already in front of them.

Two punches!

Crack! Crack!

Two more sharp cracks rang out. Both men's chests caved in, and they died on the spot.

Su Han shook out his hands and paid them no further attention.

He turned and walked out of the alley.

People came and went on the street, and no one noticed what had happened in the alley.

Su Han walked along the street, his heart calm.

It had been a minor, inconsequential episode.

Apart from his two goals of growing stronger and taking revenge,

nothing else mattered.

Nothing could stand in his way.

Jiayuan Residential Complex, Xinghua Street, Luofu District.

Su Han stood downstairs, looking up at the familiar window on the fifth floor.

This was his home.

Five days ago, he had still been living a peaceful, cozy life here. His parents ran a noodle shop, his older sister was a kindergarten teacher, and he was in college.

Everything had been happy and harmonious.

But now, it was all gone.

Su Han's emotions were complicated, and his heart felt as heavy as if a stone were weighing it down.

He couldn't find the killer.

The trail had gone cold too.

His lifespan was still dwindling, and he truly didn't have much time left.

With a thought, Su Han opened his panel again.

[Name: Su Han]

[Age: 19]

[Lifespan: 178 days]

[Physique: 317]

[Comprehension: 320]

[Skills: Basic Fist Technique (perfected), Celestial Phenomenon Stance Technique (perfected), Heavenly Phenomenon Secret Martial Arts (training method: second layer perfected, fighting method: not yet initiated)]

[Buff ① · Divine Body: Your strength increases with every passing moment, never stopping until you transform into a "god."]

[Buff ② · Nether Prison of Rebirth: Current progress: 25% (consumes 1 day of lifespan and adds 1 point of progress per hour)]

His physique and comprehension were rising constantly, and both had now broken through the three-hundred mark.

He was growing stronger and stronger.

Yet he felt as though he had strength but nowhere to use it, utterly lost.

Like a headless fly, he was crashing around everywhere, battering himself bloody.

Yet he didn't even know who the real killer was or where they were.

Irritation and anxiety.

His heart was filled with rage, but he had nowhere to vent it.

After standing downstairs for ten minutes,

Su Han calmed himself and finally started upstairs.

He climbed the stairs, his footsteps echoing through the stairwell.

When he reached the turn on the fourth floor,

footsteps sounded from upstairs at the same time.

Two people happened to be coming down.

Their footsteps were light but steady.

Su Han continued upstairs.

But the instant they passed one another,

suddenly,

the two moved.

The person on the left flipped a hand, and a dagger slid out of their sleeve, stabbing straight for Su Han's ribs.

The person on the right struck at the same time, a dagger flashing coldly as it stabbed toward his heart.

Their movements were fast, precise, and ruthless.

These two were clearly trained fighters, and not weak ones.

But Su Han was faster.

Almost without thinking, both his hands darted out like swimming snakes, precisely catching the two wrists holding the daggers.

Crack!

Two sharp cracks sounded at once.

Their wrist bones shattered.

Both grunted, and their daggers clattered to the floor.

Only then did Su Han get a clear look at their faces.

They wore black masks that left only their eyes exposed, and those eyes were now full of disbelief.

"Who sent you?" Su Han demanded.

But they didn't answer. They merely struggled, swinging their other fists at him with a rush of wind.

Since they wouldn't talk, Su Han couldn't be bothered asking again.

He simply squeezed hard with both hands.

Crack-crack!

The bones in their entire arms, from their wrists to their elbows and shoulders,

shattered!

Both opened their mouths, but before their screams could escape,

Su Han had already let go and sent both fists crashing out with the speed of thunder, too fast for them to cover their ears!

One punch for each.

Their chests caved in, and their ribs pierced their internal organs.

Both flew backward, slammed heavily into the wall, then slid down and lay motionless on the floor.

Blood seeped from the edges of their masks and dripped onto the floor.

Su Han shook out his hands and stepped over them.

His expression was impassive, as though nothing had happened.

Su Han had guessed it.

From the moment he left the patrol station, the other side would not let him go.

Just as he had expected, while he went looking for the killer, the killer would come looking for him too.

Very good.

At least he no longer had to crash around like a headless fly.