Chapter 585 - 584: Memories
After saying that, with a swift movement, he dashed out of the room at incredible speed.
Chen Tianlong chuckled bitterly; that’s just how Old Chen is. It’s already good enough that he’s willing to sit down and talk to you for so long.
In the kitchen, Chen Tian was cooking while lost in thought.
Nine years ago in Lotus Village.
Chen Tianlong’s home was a fresh new scene; he was only nine years old at the time. Chen Kang and his wife Wang Yali were leading a stable and happy life. Chen Tian lived with his brother and family, chatting and laughing every day.
These peaceful days lasted for three months.
Then one day, a man in his mid-thirties came from out of town to find brother Chen Kang. The two stayed in the house for half a day before coming out. However, from his brother’s eyes, Chen Tian seemed to sense that something big had happened.
Soon after, he heard his brother say that Chen Tianlong was already engaged and that if he wasn’t around in the future, Chen Tian should help him handle things.
At that time, Chen Tian felt something was wrong. What did he mean by "not around"? His brother’s words were ambiguous.
Only three months later, his brother’s house was suddenly surrounded by a dozen men in black, for unknown reasons, killing everyone on sight. And the poor mother, Wang Yali, was hit in the chest by a palm strike and died.
Chen Tian fled desperately with the sleeping Chen Tianlong and barely escaped. When he returned again, his sister-in-law’s body was gone. Villagers said that brother Chen Kang had taken his wife and run towards the Summer Resort Mountain in Lotus Village.
But when Chen Tian arrived, after searching the entire mountainside, he couldn’t find a single trace. From then on, his brother disappeared.
However, less than half a year later, news came from outside that the sect leaders of the eight great Ancient Martial Sects had simultaneously disappeared. Some said that before they vanished, they saw a man.
The man called himself Chen Feng, and beside him was a masked master. Together, they were known as the Thunderbolt Heroes.
The scene returned to the present.
"Mr. Chen, we’re so hungry. Is the food ready?" Mo Jing rushed into the kitchen and asked anxiously.
"Alright, alright, Xiaojing, we’ll start serving soon." Chen Tian knew he had delayed and quickly said.
In a short while, four people sat at a big table full of dishes and began to eat.
During this time, Chen Tian seemed to remember some things. When talking about Chen Tianlong’s marriage, it seemed that Chen Tianlong’s father had agreed to two marriage arrangements, but they were childhood engagements at the time. Although Chen Tian didn’t support such a marriage, it was, after all, the last thing his brother had entrusted to him, and he had to fulfill it.
But looking at Chen Tianlong again, he was really into Wu Mengting. If he truly made him give up Wu Mengting and marry those girls he’d never met, it would be ridiculous.
Noticing Old Chen hesitating to speak, Chen Tianlong thought for a moment and asked, "Old Chen, is there something you want to tell us?"
"Ah? Oh... Mengting, if... I mean if, Chen Tianlong were to have two... oh, forget it." Chen Tian just couldn’t bring himself to say it.
"Old Chen, two what?" Wu Mengting was puzzled and didn’t think in that direction.
"Nothing, I was just rambling. Let’s eat quickly." Chen Tian didn’t want to say more because, after all, Chen Tianlong was still young, and his life journey was far ahead. It’s not right to interfere so early.
The two chuckled and started eating.
After the meal, Chen Tianlong took Wu Mengting and Mo Jing to their old home, which had already been battered and changed after nearly ten years of rain and storm.
Some houses had collapsed under the heavy rain’s wash. As they pushed open the courtyard’s small wooden gate, it creaked, filling Chen Tianlong’s head with memories.
"Tianlong, your stance must be stable; that’s the foundation of martial arts for health. However, we practice martial arts not for fighting but for strengthening the body and certainly not for killing."
His father’s words once again echoed in his ears, but Chen Tianlong hadn’t listened and eventually became an assassin.
It was a necessity for survival, to earn money for treating Old Chen’s illness. Indeed, it’s said that in Jianghu, one cannot control their destiny. Looking back on his father’s words now, it caused some shame.
Those in Jianghu sooner or later face their obligations.
Chen Kang knew the meaning of these words, and thus instructed Chen Tianlong not to let his hands be stained with blood.
However, did Chen Kang achieve this?
Could changing one’s name really ease the conscience?
The three arrived alongside the house, staring at the termite-infested, heavily damaged wooden door and the layers of spider webs draped everywhere, leaving Chen Tianlong a bit heartbroken.
Is this really the place where I lived as a child?
Who killed mother? Did father Chen Kang jump off the cliff? These questions have always been buried deep within Chen Tianlong. Those ten men in black back then, why did they come after his family, and why did they vanish overnight, leaving him no path for revenge?
"Chen Tianlong, are you sure you want to go in?" Wu Mengting looked at the house, seemingly dangerous, and quickly warned.
"Mengting, if you’re worried, wait outside; I want to go in and have a look." Chen Tianlong turned back, his expression natural, without any emotion.
"I’m not worried; wherever you go, I’ll go too!" Wu Mengting was stubborn.
"Then Mo Jing, play outside for a while; it’s a bit dirty inside." Chen Tianlong turned and said to Mo Jing.
"Okay." Mo Jing didn’t have any memories of this place, so she didn’t know what had occurred here. She only later heard her brother say that their parents had passed away, so she assumed herself to be an orphan.
Chen Tianlong applied force and pushed the door open. With a "boom," it fell to the floor, turning into a pile of wood debris. It was no wonder, after nearly ten years of exposure to the elements and neglect, termites had devoured it, resulting in this outcome.
This time, Chen Tianlong entered the room not to reminisce but to search for the Heart Method Mantra.
Old Chen surely knew something, but just didn’t want to tell him. Yet, Chen Tianlong felt that Old Chen was certainly hinting to him earlier, suggesting the Heart Method was hidden in the words his father had spoken.
The two looked around. Many tiles had fallen from the roof, and although it was in shambles, the structure of the house was still somewhat solid.
Chen Tianlong took a deep breath; looking at the desolate scene, his mood inevitably sank.
"Tianlong, it’s okay." Wu Mengting held Chen Tianlong’s hand tightly, afraid he would recall some sad memories.
"Okay."
Chen Tianlong nodded, heading towards another room.
Father generally wouldn’t place items in obvious places, especially something important like the Heart Method Mantra. Besides, those people who came over before had already turned his home upside down, and nothing could be left exposed.
Chen Tianlong searched for a while, then simply closed his eyes and ran the Heart Method.
Through this application of his eye technique, he suddenly found that he could not only achieve short-term X-ray vision but also perform multi-angle surveillance, seeing things from all directions from a single position, very clearly.
After a few minutes of scanning, Chen Tianlong still hadn’t found anything.
Meanwhile, Wu Mengting was aimlessly wandering around the house and suddenly found a lovely hanging decor on the wall in the living room. Although it was already covered with dust, it hadn’t lost its luster...