Chapter Twenty-Two: Battle with the Ninth-Grade Demonic Beast

"Shihan, please don’t cry. Grandpa Feng isn’t dead; he will surely return to find us. Besides, fate favors the good—believe that nothing will happen to him. He’s not the sort of reckless person; all we need to do is wait for him to come back." Lin Yanghao’s heart ached as he watched Feng Shihan in her current state, and so he hurried to comfort her.

"Is what you say true?" Upon hearing Lin Yanghao’s words, Feng Shihan’s mood became lighter, no longer weighed down by sorrow. She thought to herself: That’s right, Grandpa isn’t someone who acts rashly; he will surely return safely. In an instant, her sadness faded, and she wiped the tears from her face, hugged Lin Yanghao tightly, and buried herself in his arms.

Lin Yanghao gently stroked Feng Shihan’s soft hair and spoke to her with deep affection, "The heavens may grow old, but love endures. If you do not abandon me, I will stand by your side through life and death. I am willing to devote my entire life, if only to win your heart for a lifetime..." When he finished, he looked at Feng Shihan, whose eyes shimmered with tears, clearly moved by his words. Lin Yanghao spoke no more, simply holding her quietly, then slowly closed his eyes.

Time passed swiftly, as if the sun and moon were shuttlecocks.

Lin Yanghao and Feng Shihan remained in this place of death for another two years, still without news of Feng Batian, who remained missing without a trace. Their lives truly echoed an old saying from Earth: every day was spent in a secluded existence, with the man tilling and the woman weaving.

Of course, Lin Yanghao never neglected his martial cultivation, remaining diligent in his daily practice.

Thanks to the effects of the Flame Sun Pill, and his own remarkable comprehension, Lin Yanghao’s progress over these two years was astonishing. The advances he made in this short time eclipsed what some might not achieve in a lifetime. His cultivation soared to the terrifying realm of the Ninth Heaven of the Martial Artist, and he felt that reaching the Martial Emperor realm was within reach.

If others heard of Lin Yanghao’s speed of cultivation, they would hardly believe it. Those who spent decades to reach the Ninth Heaven and still felt proud would surely die of shame if they learned how quickly he had surpassed them.

"My husband, drink some water first, and practice a bit later." Lin Yanghao glanced toward the cottage and saw a young woman in white carrying a bowl of water toward him—it was Feng Shihan. Over the past two years, her former innocence had faded, and her manner of addressing Lin Yanghao had changed; she now called him husband and cared for him with meticulous devotion. She had grown even more beautiful and alluring than before; perhaps this is the difference between a girl and a woman.

"Alright." Lin Yanghao promptly stopped his cultivation and took the water from Feng Shihan. He mused, "The ancient times really were better; women observed the virtues of obedience and propriety. On Earth, not only would you not expect your wife to fetch water for you—if she didn’t expect you to fetch it for her, that would already be a blessing."

He looked around at his surroundings and sighed inwardly, "To spend a lifetime here, at ease and relaxed, wouldn’t be so bad; at least life wouldn’t be so exhausting. But I cannot abandon my ambitions. If I live muddled and aimless, what difference is there between me and a corpse? I must not waste the second chance that heaven has given me—I must seize it."

"Wife, you should go back first; I’ll return soon." The fire of ambition rekindled in Lin Yanghao’s heart, and after sending Feng Shihan away, he silently resumed his cultivation.

The energies drifting between heaven and earth streamed continuously through the vital acupoints in Lin Yanghao’s body, most of them absorbed by his flesh. The essence of heaven and earth entered his body, part of it flowing into his slender meridians, transforming into strands of white vapor, traveling along the meridians and completing a cycle swiftly.

This was the method of cultivation in the Martial Artist’s Qi Refining realm: absorbing the energies of heaven and earth for one’s own use. Yet Lin Yanghao felt that his situation differed from what Feng Batian had described. After reaching the Ninth Heaven, he was far stronger than his peers. He puzzled over this for a long time—even if the Divine Elephant Vajra Art and the Furious Tiger Claw could be combined for greater power, it shouldn’t be to such a degree.

Now Lin Yanghao was extremely confident in his strength—even facing experts in the Martial Emperor realm, he believed he could hold his own. He had seen Feng Batian’s power as a Martial Emperor and compared his own abilities accordingly; he felt that even Feng Batian might not be stronger than him now. Greater strength, after all, was always a blessing, so Lin Yanghao didn’t bother to dwell on it—he welcomed every increase in power.

The small black dagger hanging at his waist suddenly flashed, then returned to its usual dullness. Lin Yanghao, engrossed in cultivation, didn’t notice the scene unfolding at his waist.

He practiced for a long time, but his cultivation failed to advance any further. Perplexed, he guessed, "Perhaps it’s because of all the recent breakthroughs—my foundation is unstable. Forget it, tomorrow I’ll find a ninth-tier beast and spar with it; cultivation must proceed steadily!"

The next morning, Lin Yanghao rose early, preparing to venture into the deepest part of the Chaoyang Mountains. He knew these mountains like the back of his hand; over the years, he had hunted beasts and monsters throughout the range. After bidding farewell to Feng Shihan, he headed straight for the territory of the ninth-tier beast, the Undead Hound. Upon entering, the hound eyed him warily, not attacking, clearly sensing the killing intent and strength radiating from Lin Yanghao. Without hesitation, Lin Yanghao launched an attack at the hound’s head. Despite his overwhelming strength, he remained vigilant—the Undead Hound was renowned for its speed. Its defenses were weak, but its attack power was formidable.

"Furious Tiger Claw!"

"Giant Demon Fist!"

Lin Yanghao unleashed a barrage of attacks, yet none struck the hound; instead, he wasted some energy.

"This hound’s speed is no joke—truly the king of speed among beasts." Lin Yanghao wiped the sweat from his brow and murmured in admiration.

He realized that he had focused only on breakthroughs in strength, neglecting training in speed and reflexes. That was why he chose this Undead Hound today—to hone his agility and responsiveness.

The move "Giant Demon Fist" was a martial technique Lin Yanghao developed during countless battles with beasts over the past two years. Though not as powerful as "Furious Tiger Claw," it surpassed the ordinary first-rate techniques, testament to his extraordinary talent for comprehension.