Chapter 580 - 579: The Golden Duo
After speaking, he swiftly exited the room, moving with incredible speed.
Chen Tianlong gave a bitter smile; Old Chen always had this personality. It was already quite good for him to settle down and talk so much with you.
In the kitchen, Chen Tian was cooking while sinking into memories.
Nine years ago in Lotus Village.
Chen Tianlong’s family was a fresh scene. At that time, he was only nine years old. Chen Kang and his wife Wang Yali lived a stable and happy life. Chen Tian lived with his brother’s family, sharing laughter every day.
Such days quietly passed for three months.
Then one day, a man about thirty-four or thirty-five years old came from out of town to visit his brother Chen Kang. The two stayed inside the house for half a day before emerging. However, from his brother’s expression, Chen Tian seemed to sense something big had happened.
Soon after, he heard his brother say that Chen Tianlong was already engaged, and if anything happened, he hoped Chen Tian could help handle it.
At the time, Chen Tian felt uneasy. What did he mean by "if anything happened"? His brother’s words carried ambiguity.
Just three months later, his brother’s home was suddenly surrounded by a dozen black-clad attackers. For reasons unknown, they killed anyone they saw, and unfortunately, his mother Wang Yali was struck in the chest and died.
Chen Tian, holding the sleeping Chen Tianlong, desperately fled, narrowly escaping. When he returned, his sister-in-law’s body was gone. He heard from villagers that his brother Chen Kang had taken his wife towards the Summer Resort Mountain in Lotus Village.
But when Chen Tian arrived there, he scoured the entire mountain but found no trace of them. From then on, his brother vanished.
Yet, within half a year, news spread that the leaders of the eight major Ancient Martial Sects had also disappeared. Some said that before they vanished, they had seen a person.
That person claimed to be Chen Feng, and beside him was a masked expert. The two were known as the Thunderbolt Heroes.
The scene returns to the present.
"Mr. Chen, we’re so hungry, is the food ready?" Mo Jing rushed into the kitchen, speaking anxiously.
"Alright, alright, Xiaojing, we’ll eat soon." Chen Tian knew he had wasted time and quickly responded.
In a short while, the four sat around a large table of food and began to eat.
During this time, Chen Tian clearly remembered some things. Speaking of Chen Tianlong’s marriage, it seemed that his father had agreed to two marriages in the past, though they were childhood betrothals. While Chen Tian didn’t support such marriages, it was the last thing his brother entrusted him with, so he had to fulfill it.
But upon seeing Chen Tianlong, who was evidently very attached to Wu Mengting, the thought of making him give up on Wu Mengting to marry a girl he had never met seemed utterly absurd.
Seeing Old Chen hesitate, Chen Tianlong thought for a while and then asked, "Old Chen, is there something you want to tell us?"
"Ah? Oh... Mengting, if... I mean, hypothetically, if Chen Tianlong were to have two... Ugh, forget it." Chen really couldn’t say it.
"Old Chen, two what?" Wu Mengting was puzzled, not thinking along those lines.
"Nothing, I was just babbling, let’s just eat." Chen Tian wanted to drop the subject. After all, Chen Tianlong was still young, and his life was ahead of him. It wasn’t time to interfere yet.
The two shared a bitter smile and started eating.
After the meal, Chen Tianlong took Wu Mengting and Mo Jing to their old home, which had become unrecognizable after almost a decade of wind and rain.
Some houses had collapsed under heavy rain. As he pushed open the small wooden gate of the yard with a creak, countless memories flooded Chen Tianlong’s mind.
"Tianlong, a steady horse stance is the foundation of martial arts strength. However, we practice martial arts not for fighting but for health. It must not be used for killing."
His father’s words once again echoed in his ears, but Chen Tianlong hadn’t listened and eventually became an assassin.
To survive, to earn money for Old Chen’s medical treatment, there was no other choice. As the saying goes, in the world, one is not in control. Now, thinking back to his father’s words, he indeed felt some shame.
What comes around, goes around.
Chen Kang understood the meaning of these words, hence why he urged Chen Tianlong not to stain his hands with blood.
But did Chen Kang manage this himself?
Did changing his name make it any easier on his conscience?
The three of them walked to the side of the house, looking at the large wooden door riddled with holes made by termites and draped with layers of cobwebs. Chen Tianlong couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
Is this really the place where I grew up?
Who exactly killed mother, did father Chen Kang jump off the cliff, these questions were always buried in the deepest part of Chen Tianlong’s heart. What exactly did those ten black-clad individuals want with their family, and why did they disappear without a trace overnight, leaving him with no way to seek revenge?
"Chen Tianlong, are you sure you want to go in?" Wu Mengting looked at the house, sensing danger, and hurriedly reminded him.
"Mengting, if you’re worried, stay outside, I want to go in for a look." Chen Tianlong turned back, his expression calm without a hint of emotion.
"I’m not worried at all, wherever you go, I go!" Wu Mengting had a stubborn temperament.
"Mo Jing, you stay outside and play for a while. It’s a bit dirty inside." Chen Tianlong turned back to Mo Jing and said.
"Okay." Mo Jing, not being their biological child, had no memories here nor knew what had happened. She had only heard from her brother later that their parents were dead, so she assumed she was an orphan.
Chen Tianlong exerted force to open the door, immediately hearing a "crash" as it fell to the ground in pieces. This wasn’t surprising; after nearly a decade of exposure to the elements and neglect, termites had consumed it, leading to such a result.
This time, Chen Tianlong entered the room not for reminiscing, but to find the Heart Method Mantra.
Old Chen certainly knew something but just didn’t want to tell him. However, Chen Tianlong felt that Old Chen had hinted that the Heart Method was within his father’s words.
The two looked around; many roof tiles had already fallen, and though chaotic, the structure of the building was still solid.
Chen Tianlong took a deep breath, gazing at the desolate scene, and couldn’t help but feel a bit downcast.
"Tianlong, it’s okay." Wu Mengting tightly held Chen Tianlong’s hand, fearing he might recall sad memories.
"Mm."
Chen Tianlong nodded and began walking towards another room.
Father generally didn’t leave things out in the open, especially something as important as the Heart Method Mantra. Moreover, when those people came before, they had already turned his house upside down, so nothing could possibly be out in the open.
After searching for a while, Chen Tianlong simply closed his eyes and started utilizing the Heart Method.
After using his eyes this time, he suddenly discovered that not only could he achieve temporary X-ray vision, but he could also have multi-angle panoramic vision. Standing in one spot, he could see all around him very clearly.
After a few minutes of scanning, Chen Tianlong still found nothing.
Meanwhile, Wu Mengting wandered around the house and suddenly found an adorable ornament on the wall of the hall. Although covered in dust, it hadn’t lost its luster...