A year has passed by,
Chop! Chop!
In the middle of a snowy forest, Nan Heng chopping wood alone. His figure became a little bit tall, and a little bit muscular. Wiping his sweat on his face.
"Huh, my shirt is wet already?"
Looking at his shirt, filled with sweat. He took of his shirt and wring it out. Sweat was dripping from the clothes. He then put his shirt down.
"That's enough for today."
He grabbed the wood on the table and bring it inside his house. Placing it in the fireplace, heating the whole room. Nan Heng sat down on a carpet infront of the fireplace.
Taking a deep breath, He placed his hand on top of his leg. The fire from the fireplace slowly circulating around him, surrounding his body. The fire was flowing slowly yet stable.
As time pass by, the fire slowly entered his body, rising the temperature in his body. His body began sweating.
"Gah!"
Nan Heng quickly opened his eyes. The fire surrounding him disappeared. His breathing became unstable.
'Damn, i still can't get a hold of it.'
Nan Heng was cultivating his body, he already reached the level of middle Renzhu. Nan Heng relax his body, slowly his breathing became stable.
"Haah."
He leaned back against the chair. Watching the fireplace, as the wood inside it start to burn.
'Damn, cultivating is tough.'
He look at the window, looking at his reflected figure.
'But still, i can't believe it. It has already been years huh since i came here.'
Nan Heng then stand up, walking into his bedroom. He changed his clothes, wearing a white robe and a white shirt tucked inside it.
'Time to go back to Huangzhang.'
Realizing that his physical body have became stronger, Nan Heng decide to go back to Huangzhang. He then started packing up all of his thing, he looked at the Art essence manual on the table near him.
He grabbed the manual,
'Right, i almost forgot about it. Even though it's not useful anymore for me, might aswell bring it.'
He put the manual inside his bag. He went outside the house. Before going back to Huangzhang, he walked to the back of his house.
"I'm here father.."
Nan Heng sat down infront of the grave of his father. He put his father's axe on top of his grave. He looked at his grave for awhile.
"I'm going back to Huangzhang, i hope you're happy up there."
He closed his eyes and take a deep, he then stood up and turned around. Taking a glance once more before leaving his father grave. Finally, he went off to Huangzhang.
Arriving at Huangzhang, Nan Heng stood still.
'Hah, it is still crowded as ever. Well not that i will stay here for a long time.'
He walked around, searching for the library where he used to go.
"Huh?"
Nan Heng widen his eyes, the library that he used to go had already changed into a sword shop. Nan Heng went inside the shop.
"Excuse me?"
The shop owner was cleaning the sword stand, he turned around looking at Nan Heng.
"Yes, how can i help you?"
"Is this place used to be a library?
"Yeah, it used to be library. Why?"
The shop owner asked Nan Heng.
"May i know where the library now?"
"Im sorry, but that would be hard."
The shop owner scratched his hair.
"The owner of the library sold this place, i doubt he will make another one."
Nan Heng was shocked.
'What? The owner sold the library?'
"I see, thank you for answering."
Nan Heng wave his hand at the shop owner.
"No problem."
Nan Heng left the sword shop. He let out a sigh, knowing the library he used to go is gone now.
'Haa, where should i go now to kill time?'
Nan Heng then noticed something, a crowd was gathering infront of the arena.
'Is there another martial art tournament?'
Nan Heng walked up to the crowd. As he predicted, there was another martial art tournament.
'Good, i can have some entertainment.'
He handed out 2 silver coin to the guard at the entrance. He then went inside the arena, and took a seat. Nan Heng observed the young talent inside the arena.
'They're good.'
There were many talented kid in the arena right now, Nan Heng could tell just by taking a glance at them. Nan Heng recognized one of the kids.
'Ah, the girl from back then.'
It was Gan Yueha, the little sister of Gan Hao.
'She is attending this year tournament huh? She is definetly talented.'
He observed Gan Yueha a little more before, Gan Yueha noticed him. She stare Nan Heng right into his eyes.
'She noticed my gaze? Amazing.'
Nan Heng was surprised. Gan Yueha then turned her gaze back.
'Huh, that guy... where have i seen him before?'
That thought flashed in Yueha's mind. She shake her head and decided to ignore it. Nan Heng then watched through the entire tournament, not like before where he ran away because of embarrasment.
'Wow, that was amazing.'
Every fight in the tournament was really good, Nan Heng was entertained. All of the spectator were leaving one by one. Nan Heng stood up.
'That was entertaining.'
Nan Heng walked toward the arena exit, just like the other spectator. He was finally outside the arena.
"Hey you."
Someone called, but Nan Heng ignored it. He figured maybe that voice was calling someone else.
"Hey you, the one in white robe."
Nan Heng turned his head around. Looking for the voice calling him. A girl with a black hair wearing an elegant black dress stood behind him, It was Gan Yueha.
"Ah, yes how can i help you?"
Nan Heng smiled at her.
"Have... we meet before?"
Nan Heng paused for a while.
"Yes, we already have. But don't bother trying to remember, i am not worth knowing by someone like you miss Yueha."
Nan Heng smiled.
'She doesn't need to know.'
As they were talking,
Boom!
A loud explosion can be heard. Gan Yueha quickly raised up her guard, feeling a dangerous aura.
'What was that?'
She quickly ran to the explosion. While Nan Heng just stood still, remaining his calmness.
'An explosion? That's new.'
No one would dare attack a prefecture let alone a big one like Huangzhang. If someone who could have actually done it, it's probably someone who reached Zenzhu, if not Xizhu.
While trying comprehend the situation, Nan Heng suddenly felt someone was spying on him.
Clank!
Someone attacked him from the tree. Nan Heng quickly took out his staff from his bag, blocking the attack. The man took a step back.
"Weird, i can't sense anything from you. Yet, you can block my attack."
'What is this guy talking about? He can't sense my Renzhu? Am i really that weak?'
The man who attacked him jumped toward him, lightning aura emitted from his sword. As Nan Heng was about to block the attack.
Clank!
"Get away from here!"
It was Gan Yueha, blocking the man sword. The man jumped back once more, standing still observing Gan Yueha.
"Are you Gan Yueha?"
"Why should i give you my name?"
"Hahaha. Looking at your answer, you are Gan Yueha."
The man chuckled.
"Good, i don't need to search for you. As my mission is to kill you."
The man point his finger toward Yueha. Gan Yueha lowered her body, getting into her stance. His palm began to emit a pure green aura. She was using the Deathly Palm martial art, while using Hanzhu.
"Haa.. to think im going all out against a kid, that's the Gan familly for you."
The air around him changed, his sword was emitting a bigger and thicker aura than before, he was at peak level Hanzhu.
'Peak level Hanzhu? Yueha can't win against that.'
Both of them jumped together at the same time, clashing against each other. Nan Heng just stayed still, waiting for the right time for him to help Yueha. Nan Heng knew that Yueha can't win against someone who already reached peak level Hanzhu, judging from the tournament before.
Bang! Bang!
The both of them clashed for awhile, but Yueha was losing. Her aura slowly began to shrink as they fight. She was also starting to become tired, while the man was still going with full energy.
"What's wrong? Is that all you got?"
The man swing his sword. Gan Yueha tried to dodge but it was too fast.
Slash!
"Gah!"
The sword reacher Yueha left's arm, she then took a step back. Blood was flowing down from her arm, her arm was bleeding. She hold her right arm with her left hand, pressing it to stop the bleeding.
While she was trying to stop the bleeding, the man was already infront of her.
"I guess this is the end for you, Gan Yueha."
Yueha looked up, as the sword start to swing down.
'So... this is my end?..... No, no, i don't want to die..... i want to... live!'
"He....lp."
Clank!
"Stand up."
She looked at the man infront of her. The man looked at her.
"Or both of us will die."