Chapter 37

"Really? Third Brother, you're going to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains?" Lin Dao put down his chopsticks and said in surprise.

"Third Brother, the Ten Thousand Great Mountains are not as simple as they appear. You've been in there three times and should know it well. Your current strength is still not enough to dominate the mountains." Lin Wen calmly analyzed.

"Third Brother, did you and Sister-in-law have some kind of disagreement? Ouch..." Lin He didn't finish his sentence when Lin Qin beside him hit him on the forehead with a chopstick.

"Third Brother, you can't be serious? There are many extremely fierce beasts in those mountains." Lin Qian also tried to persuade him.

"Everyone, be quiet, let Lin Zheng speak his mind." Lin Chu patted the table and said.

Everyone fell silent for a moment, their eyes focusing on Lin Zheng.

"Although my strength has grown rapidly in recent times, my foundation is indeed the weakest among all of you. I have been constantly consolidating and strengthening it over the past few months, but it still seems to be lacking something. Moreover, the most important thing is that my body cannot keep up with my intuition, which is my current weakness. I must solve all these problems. And these problems cannot be solved by merely cultivating here."

Seeing everyone nod thoughtfully, Lin Zheng continued, "I seem to have grasped the path ahead. My father went through countless battles, and only after breaking through did he achieve the legendary status. My eldest brother has also gone through countless battles and experienced countless insights between life and death, which led to his great reputation. Even Lin Dao and the others have gone through great trials, accumulating for years to finally burst forth. What I need most now is battle, the battle between life and death!"

"But..."

"There's no 'but'!" Lin Zheng interrupted Lin Wen, speaking calmly, "I, Lin Zheng, cannot live such an ordinary life! I have already lost one opportunity, and now that heaven has given me another chance, I will walk this path no matter how difficult it is. For me, I would rather die than be ordinary!"

For a moment, everyone lost the desire to speak. Li Ruoshui looked at Lin Zheng with a mix of understanding and confusion, her face calm.

"I don't want to lose again, ever!" Lin Zheng said quietly, but everyone could feel the fiery passion beneath his calm.

"Good! That's the man of the Lin family! I thought it would take you some time to understand, but now you have seen it clearly. Do everything according to your own will." Lin Chu slapped the table and said loudly.

"Okay, everyone, don't worry, I know what I'm doing, and I'll take good care of myself!"

...

"Ruoshui, don't worry, everything will be fine. Stay in the village and cultivate. I'll come back as soon as the training is over."

"Okay, I know, but I'm still worried." Li Ruoshui leaned on Lin Zheng's shoulder and whispered.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. When I come back, I'll tell you everything." Lin Zheng looked at Li Ruoshui's pale cheek and said softly.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

"Ruoshui."

"Yes?" Li Ruoshui lifted her head from Lin Zheng's shoulder, gently pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her bright eyes looking at Lin Zheng.

Lin Zheng's face slowly approached Li Ruoshui's, and she widened her eyes as his face drew closer, her cheeks instantly flushed. They could smell each other's breath as their faces drew closer. Lin Zheng looked at her approaching red lips, leaned down, and finally their lips met. A soft, sweet, and moist sensation spread through their bodies like an electric shock. Li Ruoshui let out a weak moan and slowly closed her eyes, her arms instinctively hugging Lin Zheng's neck, while Lin Zheng gently placed his arms around her slender waist. Li Ruoshui felt her heart beating faster, and the sensation on her lips became more intoxicating. Her closed eyes fluttered, and her long lashes trembled.

It was their first kiss, both awkward and sweet, driven purely by instinct. Lin Zheng's tongue slowly explored Li Ruoshui's mouth, entwining with her tongue. After a long while, they finally parted. Li Ruoshui fell into Lin Zheng's arms, her face flushed, tightly hugging him, her body trembling. Lin Zheng, unsure of what to do, simply held Li Ruoshui tightly, gently inhaling the fragrance of her hair.

It was late at night before they slowly parted, a bit awkward, a bit sweet, and a bit warm. Li Ruoshui held Lin Zheng's arm, leaning against him as they walked back to the courtyard.

When Lin Zheng returned to his small house alone, he lay in bed, still feeling a faint sweetness. The events of the evening replayed in his mind, and that night, Lin Zheng did not cultivate, but fell into a deep sleep with a faint fragrance lingering on his lips.

The next morning, Lin Zheng got up early as usual to practice in the square. After breakfast, he packed his essentials, including some necessary pills and crystals, and prepared to set off for the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

"Third Brother, be careful."

"Third Brother, remember to bring back some tendons from suitable beasts for me to make strings!"

"Third Brother, we want lots of fun things!" Xuanxuan and the other kids also came to join in.

"..." Everyone shuddered at Lin Qin's words and felt quite helpless about the kids' requests, but the tense atmosphere was instantly relieved.

Lin Zheng nodded lightly, hugged Li Ruoshui, and then turned and walked away.

Until Lin Zheng's figure disappeared from sight, everyone returned to the village. Li Ruoshui stood quietly outside the village for a while before slowly walking back, seemingly making a decision.

Soon, the villagers resumed their usual busy lives, returning to their usual calm.

...

At the edge of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, Lin Zheng looked at the endless mountains, a sea of trees, and the green waves stirred by the mountain breeze. But who knew how many bones were buried beneath this peaceful tranquility, and how many dangers were hidden?

Lin Zheng took a deep breath, as if trying to expel all the air from his body. After a long while, he straightened his back and walked into the forest with large strides. The bright sunlight shone over the entire mountain, but the dense forest was not as bright as expected. The sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves, casting a dappled light on the ground. As the sun rose higher, the forest gradually became humid and hot. Lin Zheng moved forward cautiously, knowing that any danger could suddenly appear from any direction!

Be careful, be careful, be even more careful! Lin Zheng knew that in these mountains, a single mistake could cost him his life, especially since he was currently in an awkward stage, with his body extremely uncoordinated. By now, Lin Zheng had crossed a forest without encountering any fierce beasts, which was normal, as this was just the outer edge of the mountains, and the deeper one went, the more dangerous it became.

Lin Zheng leaped onto a large tree, having already checked that it was safe. Living in the trees could sometimes be safer than staying on the ground in the forest. Lin Zheng rested for a while, as prolonged mental concentration was very draining. After sitting quietly for a moment, he looked into the distance and decided on his next direction. He needed to find some beasts to practice on.

"Roar!" A low growl came from the throat of a golden leopard. The human in front of it had invaded its territory, an unforgivable act. In the jungle, dignity cannot be violated, and the victor reigns supreme while the loser becomes bones! The golden leopard, a fourth-level beast, had the strength of a fourth-rank cultivator. Although its rank might be low, beasts had their unique racial advantages. The golden leopard was incredibly fast, and its sharp claws could easily kill prey. With its speed, the damage would be maximized, and even ordinary cultivators would not dare to face it head-on.

Lin Zheng stood calmly with his hands hanging down, staring at the golden leopard like an ordinary person. The golden leopard's eyes showed a hint of surprise. Why was this human so calm, without the panic and confusion usually seen in humans? No matter, the outcome for intruders was only one!

Suddenly, the golden leopard's powerful hind legs pushed off the ground, and it pounced at Lin Zheng like a bolt of lightning. A golden flash streaked through the air, and Lin Zheng bent his body, his hands instantly clenching into fists and striking the golden leopard's abdomen as it leaped over him.

The abdomen was the golden leopard's soft spot. With a series of cracking sounds, the leopard's back arched, and its spine shattered, with broken bones piercing its internal organs. With a thud, the golden leopard fell to the ground, unable to understand why the seemingly weak human could suddenly burst with such power!

Lin Zheng retracted his fist, looking at a scratch on his shoulder, and smiled bitterly. Although the golden leopard had only torn his clothes without injuring his skin, his body had briefly lost control when he crouched and punched. Lin Zheng quickly abandoned control of his body and followed his intuition, unexpectedly hitting the golden leopard's weakest spot and killing it with one blow.

Sigh, my body's reaction is still too slow. Lin Zheng glanced at the dead golden leopard and turned to leave. This place would soon be taken over by other beasts looking for food, and he needed to find his next opponent.

At the edge of a swamp, Lin Zheng saw a giant crocodile basking in the sun, its massive tail occasionally swishing and creating a whistling sound. Its exposed teeth, like long spears, gleamed with a cold light, and bits of meat from some unknown animal were stuck between them.

Lin Zheng lightly stretched his body and suddenly grabbed a vine, swinging toward the giant crocodile. The resting crocodile suddenly revealed fierce eyes, a hint of cunning flashing in them. It had already noticed Lin Zheng!

The crocodile turned its head nimbly, opening its massive mouth. The rows of sharp teeth opened like a gate, and drool dripped from them, as if it intended to tear Lin Zheng in half!

These days, cunning isn't just a human trait!

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