Chapter 39: A Low Growl

Longyin closed the door behind him, his gaze unfocused, lost in thought, his heart growing ever more confused. He listened intently to the sounds outside for a moment, then silently hauled out a heap of high-grade materials. The scents mingled in the air as he unconsciously tossed ingredients into the bowl, slowly grinding them, his mind blank, his actions purely instinctive. Longyin was whittling away the time, and with it, his mood.

That year, the flowers bloomed with dazzling brilliance; that year, he basked in the spring breeze of success...

Longyin seldom reminisced about the past, but his repeatedly stirred heart forced him to recall it, where all the bittersweet flavors melted into salty tears. He wiped his face haphazardly, poured the wasted materials into the recycling bin at the side, and sat on the bed. Longyin knew this wasn't right. To rid himself of the stifling gloom, he gritted his teeth, crossed his legs, and recklessly began to assault the SSS-level mental barrier. His lashes, like feathered fans, quivered slightly as he forcibly used SS-level spiritual power to crash against the SSS-level wall. Each collision wracked him with pain, as if a hammer was pounding his head; the greater the pain, the more stubbornly Longyin pressed on. Under the relentless assault, he was soon curled up on the bed, convulsing, foam beginning to seep from the corners of his mouth. Yet even this failed to make him forget certain things. Clutching the sheets, his knuckles turned pale and bluish from the force, the pain immense—but still not enough... not enough...

The pain was as if forged by iron hammers, pounding his body and those memories alike, the ceaseless blows tempering the recollections repeatedly until they condensed into a knot—heavy and solid...

When Longyin could no longer endure and cried out loud, his sweat-soaked eyes fluttered open. He saw Xiao Chui and Yuan Shaolin rush in, and with a hint of relief, he fainted, the slight curve of his lips and the relaxed brow suggesting he'd finally accomplished something and could rest easy.

He truly had accomplished something: Longyin had sealed away most of his past life's memories. Unless he breaks through SSS-level mental power again, no one will be able to disturb his emotions; simple in theory, but in practice, it was fraught with peril. One misstep, his immense spiritual power could reduce him to a fool, but Longyin knew that only this method would let him pass Yuan Shaolin's test—and his own. The self of his previous life was dead; how could he let those memories continually disrupt his present peace? He had never forgotten vengeance, but revenge was not the sole focus of his life.

In this life, he had a family who loved him, and he preferred living as Longyin. If he had to choose between his family and revenge, he would unhesitatingly choose family! In his previous life, he brought his clan glory beyond compare, giving up his future and life in his prime to perish with the family's secrets alongside their enemies. All he could do was done in that past life; in this one, reborn, he was not obsessed with revenge.

So his seemingly reckless act was, in fact, an inner choice: he refused to be shackled by his past. When he realized Yuan Shaolin was affecting his emotions, he knew the memories of Dongfang Ning had to be suppressed. He wouldn't delude himself by erasing them, but he wanted to treat them rationally, to view Dongfang Ning and his story as though from another's perspective.

At last, he smiled—for he had succeeded.

Xiao Chui crashed through the door, but Yuan Shaolin was quicker, scooping Longyin into his arms. Longyin was like someone fished from water, drenched in sweat, limp and pallid, though a faint unnatural flush colored his cheeks. Black hair clung to his forehead, lips bright red, a trace of foam still lingering at the corners. Black, white, red—each so vivid on that beautiful, picturesque face, even in illness and disarray, it was strikingly radiant, so lovely that one's gaze could not turn away. Yuan Shaolin was momentarily stunned; the seductive promise already evident—what havoc would he wreak in the future?

Yuan Shaolin frowned, placing Longyin into warm water and began to rub his body through the clothes. Xiao Chui, who followed in, tacitly accepted Yuan Shaolin's method—he had encountered such cases before, though this time seemed more severe. Yet seeing the curve of Longyin's lips, Xiao Chui relaxed, raised the water temperature slightly, and said, "Right now, massaging his temples will make him feel better!"

Yuan Shaolin paused, then moved his hands to Longyin's forehead, pressing the temples precisely, feeling the subtle pulse beneath his fingertips. Two fingers gently kneaded, just as Xiao Chui had said, and Longyin's expression seemed to ease. Yuan Shaolin was silent for a moment, then looked at Xiao Chui. "Do you know what's going on?"

Xiao Chui's eyes, round as copper bells, blinked; his mouth slightly open, he scratched the back of his head, his honest demeanor suggesting uncertainty in how to answer.

Yuan Shaolin turned his gaze back, the corner of his mouth quirking up. Like master, like pet—both possessed clever minds and cunning hearts. That was good, Yuan Shaolin thought.

Xiao Chui dropped his bear paw in boredom, crossing his arms, his honest face vanishing in an instant. He puckered his lips, "Longyin told you his origins, so there's nothing much to hide here. He said he's practicing mental power! He's fainted often before; you'll get used to it."

Practicing mental power? Yuan Shaolin felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Over the years, his investigations had revealed a vague truth about why the Dongfang clan had been destroyed. Yuan Shaolin's fingers kneading the temples slowed for a moment, then resumed their careful, gentle motion.

"This matter..." Yuan Shaolin began, but Xiao Chui's booming voice interrupted, "I know—the fewer who know, the better."

Yuan Shaolin nodded, then looked at Xiao Chui. "Do you want to improve your abilities?"

Xiao Chui's copper bell eyes instantly lit up, his huge head nodding eagerly. "Do you have a way?"

Yuan Shaolin nodded, then pondered for a moment. "The fastest way to increase your strength is to keep throwing yourself into danger, constant killing—at the brink, you'll be forced to think and unleash your potential. That's the quickest and most real improvement. But, it means you’ll have to leave Longyin from time to time, and you’ll always be at risk of dying. And don't forget—you’re a Card Beast!"

"You mean, I might be sealed?" Xiao Chui grinned, revealing a row of sharp white teeth. "Don't worry about that—no one can seal me!" He patted the crescent-shaped white fur on his chest, proudly lifting his head. "I’m a royal Chui Mountain Bear—ordinary people wouldn’t dare try. The royal line of Chui Mountain Bears has never been sealed, and it’s all thanks to this royal mark! Nobody can seal me!"

Yuan Shaolin shook his head. "It’s not that you can’t be sealed, just that using a divine-level summoning card to seal you isn’t worth it. Still, be careful—when Longyin grows, you’ll become his weakness. How you handle it is up to you."

Xiao Chui was stunned, staring at Yuan Shaolin for a long time before sitting cross-legged. His huge form cast a shadow even over Yuan Shaolin. His expression turned serious. "You’re right. I’ll become Longyin’s weakness if this continues. Humans are good at long-term planning. I've learned something today—thank you. Tell me, where can I train to grow quickly? The elders always said my physique is the best in Chui Mountain Bear history, that I might break the limits. I will never be a burden to Longyin—I’m his best partner!"

Partner? Yuan Shaolin had never thought that word could touch him, but he chuckled softly, then looked up at Xiao Chui. "Very well, I’ll do all I can to create chances for you to train!"

Xiao Chui squinted his round eyes at Yuan Shaolin and let out a low growl—the sign a Card Beast gives when accepting a challenge. Though not loud, it carried undeniable force.