C15 To Show His Loyalty

Nan Chenhai's departure left Meng Yang with a lingering sense of loss.

The once crowded, dilapidated house had seen better days.

With a wistful smile, Meng Yang approached Nan Chenhai's bed and lifted the pillow, revealing a sealed letter.

Nan Chenhai had once teased him for hiding a soul stone like a child would hide a secret under their pillow.

Sadly, though the words remained the same, their meaning had shifted with time.

Before he left, Nan Chenhai instructed Meng Yang to open the letter upon achieving the First Strike of the Innate level.

Curiosity gnawed at him, but Meng Yang honored the promise and waited.

After tidying up, he intended to practice his cultivation to clear the unease in his heart.

Yet, before he could commence the Soul Stealing Palm technique, a voice echoed from outside.

"Meng, is Master Meng present?"

Recognizing the voice, Meng Yang's brow furrowed slightly as he stepped outside.

There stood Ma Qingshan and three others, quivering in place, their eyes darting around in sheer panic.

Just the day before, they had contemplated causing trouble for Meng Yang.

Little did they expect that the news from the Steward Courtyard would leave them shaking in their boots.

The confirmation that Meng Yang was now a core disciple had drained the color from their faces.

They spent the entire night in fear, dreading the possibility of meeting their end before dawn.

Come morning, Ma Qingshan, with eyes red from lack of sleep, decided that something had to change.

Rather than wait for Meng Yang to seek retribution, he chose to take the initiative to apologize and attempt to make amends.

The four of them had gathered the soul stones they had collected from the lower and intermediate training partner disciples over the past months.

Initially, they had planned to save some to curry favor with higher-level training partners. However, they ultimately valued their lives more. If they could align themselves with Meng Yang, even the high-level training partners would show them respect. With resolve, they made their way to Meng Yang's room.

Upon seeing Meng Yang, their hearts pounded uncontrollably.

Without waiting for Meng Yang to speak, Ma Qingshan quickly stepped forward, head bowed, and presented the carefully concealed bag he was carrying.

He had intended to flash Meng Yang a harmless smile, but fear twisted it into something more unsettling.

"Congratulations to Master Meng on your promotion to core disciple of the Lin family. I regret any previous misunderstandings. Please don't hold them against me. The soul stones in this pouch are a token of my congratulations."

Meng Yang harbored little resentment toward Ma Qingshan; in fact, he was quite thankful. Without Ma Qingshan and his cohort's unwitting assistance in enhancing his flesh puppet proficiency, Meng Yang might not have triumphed over Gao Yubo.

Upon accepting the pouch and seeing his wealth value soar by three thousand, Meng Yang graciously gestured with his hand.

"You jest. I had put the matter behind me as of yesterday. I must thank you, Brother Ma, for this generous gift."

Ma Qingshan, taken aback by Meng Yang's courteous response, repeatedly insisted he was unworthy of such thanks.

Yet, with those words, Ma Qingshan's previously lodged heart could finally rest easy.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ma Qingshan and his companions took their leave. Watching their retreating figures, Meng Yang weighed the pouch in his hand and mused, "Thirty Whispershards, nearly half a year's wages for them. Ma Qingshan is surprisingly adept at currying favor."

Wealth: 3090.

Level: Mortal.

Physical Body: None.

Heart Sutra: Scripture of the Triune Soul (Entry Level).

Martial Arts: Level 2 Soul Stealing Palm, Level 2 Water Serpent Style, Level 2 Flesh Puppet.

After a cursory glance at his status, Meng Yang allowed himself a slight smile, "So be it!"

"Advancing to Level 2 Flesh Puppet means that neither defense nor the 15,000 proficiency cap can be raised by mere endurance anymore. A hundred wealth value can boost martial arts proficiency by 1,000, and 1,000 wealth value equals 10,000. The further I progress in martial arts, the more wealth value I'll need. Figuring out how to rapidly increase my wealth value is now my top priority."

Two days later, at the Steward Courtyard, Lee Shen stood before Meng Yang with a look of earnest respect.

Behind him, numerous servants bowed their heads in deference.

The realization that Gao Yubo had an elder brother in the First Strike realm gave Meng Yang an instant headache. He had only recently come to appreciate the formidable nature of the Innate First Strike level. It might be the most basic tier of martial cultivation, but the ability to kill someone not yet initiated into the First Strike realm was as effortless as squashing an ant. The disparity between them was vast, akin to the difference between heaven and earth. Even Lin Zitong, despite being in the First Strike realm, was little more than a slightly stronger ant in comparison. And Meng Yang, who had not even begun to transform his Qi and blood or completed the De-boned process, was all the more vulnerable.

It was sheer luck that allowed him to knock out Gao Yubo. Had his opponent not underestimated him, Meng Yang might have been the one unconscious on the ground. And if Gao Yubo had truly wielded his Whip Sword, Meng Yang would have met his end long ago. This served as a stark reminder to Meng Yang of the critical role weapons play in combat.

With this in mind, Meng Yang turned to the grinning Lee Shen and inquired, "How do you rate my strength against that of a true disciple?"

"Are we talking about the same level?" Lee Shen asked, his eyes cautious as he regarded Meng Yang.

"Yes, assuming equal strength."

Lee Shen had assessed Meng Yang's capabilities two hours earlier, and his sycophantic behavior had a clear motive. With Meng Yang now a disciple, a steward would be needed in the Disciple Courtyard. If Lee Shen could curry favor with Meng Yang, he could escape the dismal Steward Courtyard. In doing so, Lee Ming would find himself in a much more advantageous position.

"Without a weapon, Master Meng would be unbeatable," Lee Ming stated slowly, careful not to speak too quickly and risk losing coherence or misreading Meng Yang's reactions. "But with weapons involved, Master Meng would be at risk. Taking Master Gao Yubo as an example, I fear you wouldn't last more than three moves against him."

Lee Ming was meticulous with his words, fearing the repercussions of offending Meng Yang. Although he had slipped and referred to Gao Yubo as 'Young Master,' Meng Yang's expression remained unchanged. To demonstrate his loyalty, Lee Ming dared to address Gao Yubo by name in Meng Yang's presence—a serious offense typically met with severe punishment. But at that moment, Lee Ming's concerns lay elsewhere.

Lee Ming's candidness was precisely the reason Meng Yang had kept him close. Had it been anyone else, they might have exaggerated Meng Yang's prowess just to ingratiate themselves with him.

"I wouldn't last more than three moves..."

With a light chuckle and a shake of his head, Meng Yang mused, "Unexpected, yet not entirely surprising. Well, since the disciple identity exchange is complete and the celebratory banquet is over, it's time to discuss serious matters."

At these words, Lee Ming's eyes sparkled with anticipation, as if he longed to transform into a seductive demon fox and disrobe to tempt Meng Yang. Yet, Meng Yang paid him no heed, instead turning his attention to a young man standing behind Lee Ming, who was holding a scroll.

New disciples enjoyed numerous privileges, including the ability to design their own service attire and weapons, which would then be crafted for them.

This prompted Meng Yang to let his imagination run wild in search of the perfect designs. As someone from the modern era, he had fantasized countless times about donning ancient attire and conquering all in his path. But now, faced with the actual decision, he realized how conflicted he felt.

After much deliberation, Meng Yang finally settled on a design for an outfit that had indeed existed in Chinese history. He sketched out his vision and the weapon to accompany it, completing the task with satisfaction.

Upon receiving the scroll back, the young man, who had seen many different garments before, was nonetheless captivated by the design. Lee Ming, with just a glance, was taken aback, finding that the more he looked at it, the more it resembled a dress. He knew that if Meng Yang were to find out, he might be on the receiving end of a scolding for his ignorance.

"Master Meng, may I inquire if there are names for the attire and the weapon?" the young man asked, his admiration growing with every moment.

"The weapon is named Serpent's Kiss, and the attire is the Silverfin Garb," Meng Yang replied with a warm smile, his voice smooth and authoritative.

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