Chapter Two: Lingering Thoughts

Yet they failed to notice.

At this very moment, the jade pendant hanging around Lu Hao’s neck emitted a beam of golden light.

In his unconscious state, Lu Hao faintly heard an ancient, weathered voice whispering by his ear.

“I am the Patriarch of the Lu family, once unrivaled and supreme. As I departed from this world, I left a sliver of my consciousness within this jade—this is the inheritance treasure of the Lu lineage.”

“Who would have thought, after all these years, that the descendants of our clan would fall into such disgrace!”

“Today, fate has brought us together. I shall impart all that I have learned in my life to you.”

“Remember this well!”

“Now that you receive my legacy, you must never commit acts of wickedness or betray the heavens and conscience—otherwise, you will meet a miserable end, with no place for your remains!”

Immediately after, the jade pendant transformed into a golden dragon, which shot directly into the center of Lu Hao’s brow.

“Ugh…”

Lu Hao felt a stabbing pain in his head and abruptly awakened from unconsciousness.

Upon waking, he was aware of his face being smothered by two soft objects; not only that, but there was a milky fragrance, bouncy and firm, pressing down on him so that he could barely breathe.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

“Ah Hao, you’re awake!” Zhao Cuihua clung tightly to Lu Hao, her voice trembling with concern. “You gave me such a fright just now.”

Lu Hao hurriedly sat up, coughing twice as he struggled free from her embrace.

Looking around, Lu Hao realized he was still at the village entrance and immediately thought of Sun Wenguo and Xu Juan.

“Where are those two scoundrels?”

“Alas.” Zhao Cuihua sighed at Lu Hao’s rage. “Ah Hao, perhaps it’s best to let it go. They’re city folk, powerful and influential. People like us can’t possibly go up against them.”

Zhao Cuihua deeply sympathized with Lu Hao’s plight, but such was the world—only the strong survive. Much less now, with Lu Hao crippled; even if he were whole, to challenge Sun Wenguo would still be a fool’s dream.

Ignoring her words, Lu Hao picked up the wedding invitation that had fallen to the ground.

July 29th!

Four Seas International Hotel!

Lu Hao clenched his fists, fury flashing between his brows.

So you’re getting married in four days.

Even if I am crushed to pieces, I will make sure you suffer!

Xu Juan! Sun Wenguo! The two of you, just you wait!

“Ah Hao? Ah Hao, why won’t you say something? Don’t scare me!” Zhao Cuihua, seeing him silently staring at the invitation, feared something was wrong with his mind and hurriedly called out.

Lu Hao snapped out of it and smiled at her.

“I’m fine, sister-in-law. Truly, you’ve done so much for me—sorry to have made you worry.”

She waved her hand. “Ah Hao, you don’t need to be so formal with me. You were even helping me with acupuncture just before.”

Lu Hao smiled and stood up, preparing to head home.

“Wait, Ah Hao!”

He’d only taken two steps when Zhao Cuihua called after him.

“Yes, sister-in-law?” Lu Hao turned, puzzled.

She stared wide-eyed at his legs, incredulous. “Your legs… Why aren’t you limping?”

Lu Hao’s expression flickered at her words. He tested his right leg—his movements were smooth and free. Excitement broke out on his face.

“My leg is healed!”

The next instant, a sharp pain pierced Lu Hao’s head, and in a flash, his mind was overwhelmed.

He was stunned.

For not only had his mind acquired secret medical arts, but also cultivation methods, arcane skills, and mysterious techniques…

Could it be…

That was no dream, but real?

Lu Hao touched his neck.

Sure enough, the jade pendant that had always hung there had vanished!

“Wonderful!” Lu Hao clenched his fists in excitement. Now that he had inherited the Azure Dragon’s legacy, revenge would be within easy reach!

Just remembering the ugly faces of Xu Juan and Sun Wenguo filled him with a burning desire to tear them limb from limb to soothe the pain in his heart.

But first, he had to hurry home and tell his family the good news about his recovery, so they would no longer worry about his condition.

...

Meanwhile, in a modest cottage in a corner of Peach Blossom Village, a young man with bleached yellow hair and a thick gold chain around his neck leered at the mother and daughter seated before him.

“Auntie, though we’re all villagers here, as the saying goes, even brothers settle their accounts clearly!”

“You owe my family four hundred thousand—when do you plan to pay it back?” As he spoke, he slapped the IOU down on the table.

“Four hundred thousand?” Liu Xiulan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I only borrowed forty thousand from your family! How did it suddenly become four hundred thousand?”

Back then, Lu Hao had needed a bride price of one hundred thousand yuan for Xu Juan. With no way to raise the sum at home, she’d gone to borrow forty thousand from Village Chief Zhou Fuguo, and signed an IOU.

But now, to her shock, Zhou Fuguo’s son Zhou Run was claiming they owed a full four hundred thousand!

“Auntie, it’s all in black and white, written out perfectly clear! Don’t think you can deny it!” Zhou Run said with a grin.

“That’s impossible.” Liu Xiulan glanced at the IOU and nearly fainted from rage; the sum was indeed four hundred thousand.

“This can’t be! Absolutely not!”

But soon, she realized Zhou Run must have tampered with the document. She had written the IOU herself—she could tell the difference between forty thousand and four hundred thousand, especially with those extra zeros, so obviously added later, their handwriting different from the rest.

“Zhou Run, you… you’re shameless! How could you alter the IOU?”

“Oh, now, Auntie—let’s stick to the facts! You say I changed the IOU—who can prove it?” Zhou Run retorted, utterly brazen.

“I…” Liu Xiulan was momentarily speechless.

Seeing her at a loss, Zhou Run continued, “Auntie, your signature and fingerprint are right here on the IOU! Even if you want to renege, you can’t just accuse me, can you?”

“When your family needed money, we lent it without hesitation. Now you want to back out—don’t you think that’s a bit much?”

“You… you!” Liu Xiulan hadn’t expected Zhou Run to be so shameless, not only altering the IOU but now turning the blame on her.

Holding back her outrage, she pleaded through tears, “Zhou Run, we’re all from the same village. Why torment us like this?”

“Besides, you know our situation. Even if we sold everything, we couldn’t scrape together four hundred thousand.”

At this, Zhou Run feigned sudden understanding. “So it’s about the money! That’s easily solved.”

“Auntie, how about this: marry Hanhan to me, and I’ll treat the four hundred thousand as your bride price from our family,” he said, ogling the just-of-age Lu Han. “That way, your debt is wiped clean, and Hanhan gets a fine husband like me. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?”

He finished by licking his lips with a lewd expression.

Lu Han had just turned eighteen, still in school, but her figure was already shapely, her youth vibrant. Zhou Run had coveted her for a long while.

“You beast!” Liu Xiulan could never have imagined that this scoundrel would set his sights on Lu Han.

“She’s only eighteen and still in school! How dare you even say this!”

“What about it? Can’t you marry at eighteen?” Zhou Run sneered. “Besides, what good is studying? Look at your son—admitted to a top university, but now he’s a cripple. If you ask me, better to marry early and have kids.”

“You animal! Absolute animal!” Liu Xiulan, trembling with fury, pointed at him. “I will never let my daughter marry you—not in a million years!”

“Fine!” Zhou Run shrugged, his face turning cold. “Then pay up! If you don’t, I’ll make sure your family knows no peace. Don’t come begging me when you’re at the end of your rope—it’ll be too late then!”

“Auntie, you’d better think it over. Everything I’ve said is for your own good.”