Chapter 5: Cultivation Art

The room fell silent as the few occupants inside were startled by the sudden turn of events. Their eyes fixed on the handsome young man who sat upright on the bed, a cold smile playing on his lips. It was unclear how he had managed to summon the strength to sit up, given the evident pain radiating through his thin, fragile frame. His dry, yellowish-black hair hung disheveled over his shoulders, a stark contrast to the trace of gentleness etched between his brows. His pitch-black eyes, akin to ancient wells, held an intriguing mix of arrogance and dominance.

The two guards, pointing accusatory fingers at Lin Yang, could hardly believe their ears. The audacity with which he addressed them left their faces flushed with anger.

"Who do you think you are, talking to us like that?" one of the guards bellowed in disbelief, his voice dripping with rage.

Lin Yang's lips curled into a misogynistic grin as he responded without hesitation, his tone laced with disdain, "Two pathetic mutts like you should know your place and come crawling to me, begging for mercy. Consider yourselves fortunate that I am granting you a reprieve today. Or else, I will shatter your bones and leave you as mere lifeless husks!"

The evil that lay dormant within Lin Yang's very being could no longer be contained. Acting swiftly, his loyal handmaiden hastened to assist him as he struggled to maintain his composure on the bed. Though she couldn't quite articulate it, she sensed an unsettling change in her young master. He exuded an indescribable air of overbearing confidence and rudeness, leaving those in his presence feeling an unexplainable pressure.

The two guards, their faces aflame with humiliation, bore witness to Lin Yang's brazen demeanor. As servants, nothing was more abhorrent than hearing themselves referred to as dogs. A surge of fury overwhelmed them, making it difficult for them to think clearly.

"You wretched scum! If it weren't for the fact that you're already at death's door, I would make sure you suffer even more!" one of the guards seethed with anger, unable to contain his rage.

The fiendish-looking, burly man, already irritated by the insults flung at him, couldn't control his fury any longer. With a menacing laugh, he lunged towards Lin Yang, his stride weighted with impending doom. His colossal hand, reminiscent of a palm-leaf fan, reached out to grasp Lin Yang's neck, intending to crush him like a helpless chick.

Fear crept into the eyes of the young handmaiden, Su Ling, who desperately yearned to intervene. But before she could react, Lin Yang's lightning-quick reflexes surpassed her own. He seized the incoming hand with a strength that belied his emaciated body, clenching it in a vice-like grip.

By all accounts, Lin Yang's frail form, weakened by injury, should have made it virtually impossible for him to match the might of Wang Ba's practiced body tempering fist technique. Yet, Wang Ba quickly realized that appearances could be deceiving. The moment Lin Yang's seemingly brittle hand clamped around his own, a paralyzing numbness coursed through his body, disabling his every movement. An inexplicable force seemed to sap his strength, leaving him powerless against the gripping hold.

The Essence Revolution Art.

Though Lin Yang's exterior hinted at fragility, a smile gleamed on his lips while a smug sneer danced in his eyes. From his grip, a steady stream of pure Qi flowed, energizing his weakened body and replenishing his injured primordial energy.

The Essence Revolution Art, a secret technique of the Mystical Grade, had been birthed from Lin Yang's ingenuity in his previous life. This peerless technique had propelled the Thunder Savorgion to countless victories, invincible on every battlefield.

An insidious art, it allowed the user to siphon an enemy's Essence Qi and convert it into their own, an endless source of healing and rejuvenation.

Embedded deep within Lin Yang's being, the secret method activated instinctively, absorbing the Essence Qi from Wang Ba's marrow and restoring Lin Yang's own vitality.

Captivated by a sense of dread, Wang Ba became the first victim of Lin Yang's newfound prowess. He observed helplessly as the Essence Qi within him dissipated, his formerly sturdy body growing weak and feeble.

The middle-aged man, his countenance clouded with confusion, could no longer bear the sight of Wang Ba's terrified expression. He took a step closer, his face grim, and berated Wang Ba sharply. "Wang Ba, are you an imbecile? Why have you not yet eliminated this wretch? What are you waiting for?"

Wang Ba teetered on the brink of madness, his frustration palpable. How could this man be so foolish? Couldn't he discern the danger lurking under Lin Yang's seemingly frail facade? Urgency coursed through his veins; he needed to call for help. Something was dreadfully awry with this feeble young man!

Fortune seemed to favor Lin Yang, and he relished the situation with glee. "Perfect timing. You two seem to be good comrades. Why don't you embrace the idea of facing your demise together? Both of you, come at me!" Lin Yang's laughter reverberated through the room, as he seized hold of the gloomy middle-aged man's arm as well. Activating the Essence Revolution Art once more, a surge of pure Essence Qi flowed forcefully from the middle-aged man's body, replenishing Lin Yang's drained reserves.

Terror seized the middle-aged man as he watched his own Essence Qi rejuvenate Lin Yang's battered form. It felt as though his internal organs were being soaked in a rejuvenating hot spring, exuding a flush of rosy color to his previously pallid face, as though intoxicated.

Relishing the newfound vigor coursing through him, Lin Yang chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with cold determination. "How invigorating! I have not employed this technique in a while, not since reaching the pinnacle of my cultivation. It seems I require some practice indeed!" Lin Yang's gaze settled on the two men, their expressions now filled with desperation and supplication. A frigid smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he increased the potency of the Essence Revolution Art, completely draining them of their Essence Qi in one ruthless swoop.

The Essence Qi within these two individuals surpassed even that of a two-hundred-year-old ginseng. Instantaneously, Lin Yang's injuries were healed, and he became fully reinvigorated.

With a haunting "puchi," the two guards slumped to the ground, their Essence Qi extinguished. All that remained were two withered corpses, devoid of life, mere shells of their former selves.

The young handmaiden remained motionless, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her mouth hung agape, and her long eyelashes trembled with astonishment. She resembled a vulnerable, yet endearing, creature, caught in a whirlwind of emotions.

Observing her reaction, Lin Yang couldn't help but smile, briefly releasing the tension within his sore arm. He playfully tapped the dazed handmaiden on her head, eliciting an startled yelp. Shielding her head, she squealed in protest, her face contorted with a mix of confusion and distress. "Young Master, please be careful! Young Master!"

Lin Yang's smile widened as he surveyed the idyllic scenery outside the door, where verdant mountains and crystalline waters stretched into the distance. "Dispose of these foul remains. I shall be absent for a while. If anyone inquires, inform them I am resting and block their passage. And if all else fails, inform them that I have been taken to the back mountain by these two individuals!"

As the young handmaiden's gaze followed Lin Yang's, her body trembled. Witnessing two living beings transmute into a pile of desiccated wood in the blink of an eye was ghastly beyond words. When had her Young Master become so fierce and terrifying? Strangely, she found herself undeterred. Instead, a rush of satisfaction simmered within her, as if an enigmatic hostility within her own heart affirmed that this was the natural order of things. This realization not only surprised the handmaiden, but also unnerved her.

Still dazed, she managed to stammer her response. "Young Master, please take care!"

Lin Yang waved his hand dismissively, a sinister gleam in his eyes. "Do not fret. Your Young Master is no longer a helpless fish, awaiting slaughter on the chopping block! Those who dare to consume the fish should fear the bones lodged in their throats. And Su Ling, do you happen to know the whereabouts of the Lin family's medicinal field?"