Poor Chu Chenqi had collapsed under the weight of successive revelations. She never expected things to unfold this way.

But Clark had a different perspective:

• "Truthfully, I can't humor her. She brought these calamities upon herself."

•"In the end, the Huang Bo family aspires to unite the royal families to easily reach the throne."

•"And the Chu Chenqi family is a perfect opportunity not to be missed."

•"Naturally, they'll forget relationships and everything else."

•"In politics, there are no brothers, fathers, or friends."

•"It's all personal gain. They tell you they respect you, but the moment you lose your position or fall, you'll find them devouring you completely, bones and all. They won't spare you."

After this conversation, Clark went outside where the other families were waiting for him.

No sooner had Clark stepped outside than the three rushed toward him, terror on their faces.

Qiu Ran asked:

•"How? How dare you challenge the Poison King in an alchemy competition?"

Clark replied:

•"Because I'm naturally better than him. This Poison King child - you exaggerate in praising him. In the end, he's just a drop in the ocean and hasn't seen the true sects."

Tian Ling said:

•"So you can defeat him. But do you have an alternative plan if you lose?"

Clark laughed:

•"Hehehehe! Of course my backup plan is flawless, perfected to the smallest detail."

•"Which is to deliver a decisive blow, kill my opponent mercilessly, and steal the Buddhist Root."

•"There are many paths to victory, but the most reliable are three:"

•"1. Speed in decision-making and execution."

•"2. Strategic planning."

•"3. Overwhelming force crushes everything. Plans and speed all fail before overwhelming force."

Clark stood before them as a complete political strategist. His analysis of events was terrifying, as if he was born to the throne.

He went back inside to tell Chu Chenqi his plan, but she was completely broken.

Clark looked at her with pity, but raised a single finger, using a technique called:

•"Awakening Technique: Dark Monarch's Finger!"

A single finger filled with crouching dark Qi. By directing vibrations to the brain, it would feel like a massage. Chu Chenqi would wake from her shock!!!

This was the technique Clark had invented.

Whoosh... Vibrations began in Chu Chenqi's head. She quickly regained consciousness, but her gaze was sad.

She turned to see who was beside her. Clark was still stunned by her beauty: "This heaven has opened, and who above could match Chu Chenqi's beauty?!"

Chu Chenqi said in a sad tone:

•"Oh Zu Long, I apologize for letting you see me in this pitiful state."

•"Despite your help and preparing everything, I've failed."

Clark replied:

•"Don't worry, Chu Chenqi, I have..."

Mid-sentence, Chu Chenqi grabbed Clark's hand and rushed off with him. Clark didn't understand what Chu Chenqi wanted, but she gave him no chance to speak.

Yet she was terrifyingly fast. Clark didn't understand the reason for her speed.

Chu Chenqi stopped before a magnificent hill of exquisite beauty. Only crimson roses and a small dilapidated hut were present.

Clark was surprised by the abundance of flowers. Chu Chenqi said:

•"This hill was the home of me and my younger brother."

•"Those roses were planted for me by my brother before he left for the Poison King's temple."

•"He said: 'You'll remember me whenever you see the flowers.'"

•"But I waited and waited, and he never returned, until his severed head came to me in a brutal way."

•"He was killed. I never knew who sent it, but it was clearly the Poison Elder."

•"Everyone thought my brother was a traitor, but in truth, my brother left under the arrangement of the former clan leader to obtain the recipe for curing the Venomous Dragon's poison."

•"But he died in the end, breaking my heart."

•"But now... I don't know. Yet with your arrogance, Zu Long, you remind me of my brother."

Clark joked:

•"After all these events, you still see me as a brother?"

But strangely, Chu Chenqi turned to Clark, removed her veil, and kissed Clark.

It was the most beautiful kiss Clark had ever received. He didn't understand what was happening.

Chu Chenqi said:

•"Don't call me sister anymore. Call me Chu Chu."

Clark replied:

•"Alright, Chu Chu, I'll do what you ask."

The devil's heart inside Clark was intensely angry. He felt disgusted by these actions. Love, a soft heart - these weren't part of his nature.

But he calmed down nonetheless, for the Buddhist Root was a great opportunity that didn't come every day.

Clark began repairing the small house. Although he hated the course of events, he felt a peace and purity. A peace he hadn't experienced while constantly fighting either with his mind or his fists.

The atmosphere was pleasant and beautiful with Chu Chenqi. How wonderful to accompany a beautiful girl like her!

Clark said happily:

•"Finally, I've finished this dilapidated house."

Chu Chenqi sat smiling a beautiful smile that could shake the heavens and all within:

•"Thank you, Zu Long."

•"Since I lived in the clan building, I haven't seen this place, and now I'm here with you."

•"And I see my house, which was in poor condition, has returned to how it was, even better."

Clark smiled. He felt the purity of the moment and the air caressing his face gave him a feeling of happiness.

Soon Clark stood up saying:

•"After two continuous hours of work, I'll prepare a delicious meal for us."

Chu Chenqi replied:

•"You can cook???"

Clark laughed:

•"One of my many talents! Hahahahahaha!"

Chu Chenqi laughed:

•"Well, but remember I'll criticize your food."

•"Heh! Let's see if you'll eat your fingers because of my cooking."

Clark began gathering firewood and lighting a fire. The atmosphere was very pleasant: two people around the fire talking happily without any concern for life's problems and tragedies.

Clark began preparing spices, placing tomatoes and onions, then putting Ketchibi thigh over them (similar to deer but tastier).

Then he prepared rice. Clark's work was meticulous and suggested experience.

Finally finished. He put sauce over the rice and cooked it for five minutes so the rice would absorb the flavor perfectly.

Done. Clark wiped sweat from his face and said:

•"Hahaha! I'm finished."

Chu Chenqi was excited.

The two began eating. Chu Chenqi said happily:

•"Your cooking is great, Clark! I wish I had the opportunity to eat it more often."

Her face was sad.

Clark replied to her:

•"Don't worry, I don't like being indebted to anyone."

Chu Chenqi responded:

•"But how can I involve someone I love in my current problems? You should go far away, Clark!"

•"In the end, your only desire was to cure your illness."

That word alerted Clark. He thought to himself:

"Yes! I only came to cure my illness, and I've achieved my goal."

"Why should I care about trivial emotions? All this time I've been a lone tiger on high mountains."

"I devour my prey alone, and my achievements speak for me."

"My sword clashes with what lies beyond the clouds, and with my fist I crush enemies' skulls."

"And now three things are firmly established in my mind:"

"Temper my sword!!!"

"Temper my will!!!"

"Temper the world!!!!"

"That's who I am, not a dog for women."

Clark calmed down and his cold gaze returned. He changed his words to Chu Chenqi saying:

•"I'll do what must be done, and I don't like being indebted to anyone."

Darkness fell. Chu Chenqi was sad, for Clark had completely closed his heart.

Clark and Chu Chenqi returned inside the hut to sleep. Though Clark lay beside her, he turned to the opposite side from Chu Chenqi and slept.

---

When Clark slept, old memories appeared that Clark knew nothing about. They were from his second life.

Clark was heartbroken and distressed, yet unlike many youths his age, he had a job. But his employer was merciless, harsh-tempered and cruel.

Clark had weak talent and was expelled from his clan due to his weakness.

He had to carry goods to high mountains. When the caravan arrived, sometimes small things would fall from him accidentally, and the caravan leader would beat Clark cruelly and make him sleep outside the tents.

But there was a young man with a kind heart who considered Clark his younger brother. He cared for the injured Clark and placed warm water on his bruises.

Instead of Clark going down again, this man would go down himself and retrieve the items Clark had dropped.

But despite this, the journey was exhausting. The caravan traveled thousands of miles, and Clark traveled with them on foot, not riding any mount.

His feet would blister, and his body would grow heavy. Yet, Clark's young friend made Clark ride his donkey with him in the back.

But Clark's only support contracted a serious illness due to travel and work exhaustion.

In that man's final words:

•"Cough cough! I apologize, Clark. It seems there will be no one left for you."

•"Cough!" Again. Clark with his long hair looked at him with deep sadness, for he had lost the last person he considered family.

The man continued:

•"The world is harsh on secondary characters like us."

•"Clark, we weak ones possess nothing."

•"But how many great men and towering mountains have surpassed the heavens though they were born among the poor and were weak?!"

•"You can reach further! You can become the main character in your story!"

•"For only the persevering reach the highest heavens!!!!"

This was just one of the stories Clark lived. Perhaps he lived two hundred years, perhaps thousands - he remained a mysterious man after all, mysterious even to himself.

But his experiences spoke volumes: He tasted humiliation, disgrace, loss, betrayal, love, emotions. All these and more made Clark's heart hard and raw.

In the end, what gives life meaning? Nothing but immortality!

What use is a beautiful woman? In the end, she will turn to bones then dust.

Sons will die and forget you.

A king too will be forgotten.

In every circumstance, you will be forgotten or lose everything.

Clark doesn't care whether he finds immortality or not - he doesn't want it to live an eternal life, but to establish his status among the powerful. That is the meaning of his existence.

That a lowly person of no value can split the clouds and reach mountain peaks - that's what made Clark's heart!!!!

Rushing forward, defying the heavens, breaking the will of fate, a lone swordsman cutting through hardships, strengthened by his experiences and a heart that doesn't surrender but perseveres, cutting through the heavens overcoming obstacles.

After all, he is still tempering:

"Tempering himself!!!!"

"Tempering his freedom!!!!"

"Tempering his perseverance!!!!!"

To be continued.....

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