C3 Hope

Just then, his pocket suddenly emitted a red glow, which gradually enveloped the bloodstain on his clothes, seemingly consuming it bit by bit. Aotian gaped at his pocket, utterly bewildered. He had no idea what was happening and could do nothing but let it unfold.

The red light slowly faded, and his pocket began to quiver uncontrollably. Aotian, with nerves on edge, reached into his pocket, only to feel something clamp down on his hand. It bit him sharply, and he could feel his blood rushing out, as if being drained by an unseen force. Dizziness overcame him. Was this the end?

"Mom, am I about to come see you?"

No! It can't end like this. There's so much I haven't done. I refuse to die. I have to survive. I made a promise to you; I vowed to persevere, to prove myself to the world, to show the Loong family that I'm not worthless. They will see me in a new light. I can't die! "I won't die!" he screamed. Then, everything went black, and he knew no more.

After what felt like an eternity, Aotian's eyes fluttered open. His first coherent thought: I'm not dead. "I'm not dead, haha, I'm still alive!" he exclaimed with a weak chuckle. But he was so feeble now that he couldn't muster the slightest strength. It was then that he remembered the thing that had nearly taken his life. Flipping his pocket inside out, he spotted the offender. It dawned on him that the stone he had found was responsible for his near demise. Frantically, he searched his pocket for the "culprit," but to his dismay, found nothing. Instead, there was a mysterious ring, fiery red and warm to the touch. Aotian scrutinized the ring intently.

"Could this be the thing that harmed me?" he pondered, holding the ring.

"Yeah, it has to be you! You nearly killed me!" With that thought, Aotian was ready to hurl the ring off the cliff.

"You're finally awake, my destined one!"

Suddenly, Aotian heard the voice!

"Who's there? Who's speaking? Are you talking to me?" Aotian asked, his voice tinged with nervousness.

"Yes, it's me! I am the ring upon your finger. Your blood has awakened me!" The ring pulsed as it spoke.

"Who are you? I mean, who are you, really?" Aotian, still a child, stared at the ring in his hand, his eyes wide with fright.

"Fear not. I was once a member of the Divine Divinity, but I fell victim to a treacherous ambush during a great battle. Thankfully, I had this divine artifact—Teng Long—in your possession. A fragment of my primordial spirit survived, narrowly escaping disaster!"

With this revelation, Aotian scrutinized the ring more intently. The ring was a fiery red, sculpted in the likeness of a spiraling dragon. It made sense why it was named Teng Long—it resembled a dragon indeed! Aotian mused silently. "What happened to that traitor?" he inquired.

"My final blow vanquished him."

"And how did you end up here with us?"

"After that ordeal, I used the last of my strength to travel to this continent. To find a successor, I left parts of my cultivation secrets here, hoping someone would master them and, upon ascending to immortality, help me rebuild my body," explained the ring.

"I see. So, have you found your successor?"

"Hehe, yes, I have. But whether he'll succeed remains to be seen."

"And who is he? Where is he now? Let me take you to him."

"He's right before your eyes."

"Right before me? Where? I don't see anyone. Wait, you don't mean me, do you?" Aotian's tone was laced with incredulity.

"That's right, I'm referring to you. What's the matter? Can't it be you? Listen, kid, consider yourself lucky that I've chosen you," the ring declared with a hint of pride.

"Really? But I—I can't practice martial arts," Aotian said, his spirits sinking.

"Are you referring to your Nine Yin Meridian issue?" the ring inquired.

Upon mentioning the Nine Yin Meridian, Aotian sank into despair. "Why am I afflicted with the Nine Yin Meridian? Why have the heavens dealt me such an unfair hand?" he lamented. "Yes, I have the Nine Yin Meridian and cannot practice martial arts. How did you come to know this?" Aotian inquired with a sense of resignation.

"Haha, I've been by your side all along, aware of everything that's transpired over these last couple of days! Nine Yin Meridian? Hahaha—I've known about it for some time. I've been searching for someone with the Nine Yin Meridian for ten thousand years. After such a lengthy search, I've only found two others, but they lacked the aptitude to delve deeply into my Blood Refinement Arts, remaining at the preliminary stage, unable to progress further. Would you be willing to become my third disciple?"

"Is that true? So, the Body Refinement Art is your technique? Were those two Divine Level masters from a millennium ago your disciples? Can I truly learn your martial arts?" Aotian asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

"What's the matter, young one? Doubting me? If you're willing, I can teach you martial arts. However, should you gain the strength in the future, I'll expect you to repay me by helping to reconstruct my body and join me in seeking vengeance. The one who ambushed me may be gone, but the power behind him persists. I need your help to eradicate them!"

"Yes, of course. If that day comes, I will surely seek vengeance on your behalf!" Aotian replied, his excitement palpable at the prospect of learning martial arts.

"Very well, you are now my disciple! But be warned, learning my martial arts is no easy feat. You must have an unyielding will. If you falter, there are only two possible outcomes: at best, you'll never progress again; at worst, you could be rendered a complete invalid. Think it over carefully. Once you begin, there's no turning back."

"Master, rest assured, no matter how arduous the path, I will persevere to the end, even if it costs me my life!" Aotian declared, then knelt solemnly before the ring and bowed deeply three times.

"Excellent, hahaha, excellent! You've got the spirit I once had! Good! I, Dark Night, have gained another fine disciple! Now, go rest today. Starting tomorrow, we begin your training! And remember this! Your master's name is Dark Night - Zhan! I expect you to remember it!"