Chapter 39 — Section Thirty-Nine: Dark Souls
Battle Will Across the Vast Sky · Page 1 of 3
"This sword accompanied the True Man through his whole life. It has an innate sensitivity to the Crane Sect's martial arts. The reason I was able to sense that someone had cultivated the second level of the Dual Crane-Body Force was thanks to this sword. Carry it with you, and it will help you find that person. I do not know who they are, but I have faith in your ability. If even you cannot save the Crane Sect, then it is fated to be destroyed."
"Go now. Take your leave of your mother."
Old Crane's gaze was deep and wise, and a gentle smile rested on his deeply lined face.
He Renzhen solemnly fastened the sword to the silver-thread sash at his waist, smoothed the creases from his garments until not a speck of dust remained, and his expression once more grew calm. He bowed respectfully to Old Crane, then turned and walked away without hesitation.
The young man in white, sword in hand, wound his way down the mountain path and its stone steps, his gait unhurried and elegant. The mountain wind lifted his silver hair; his face, smooth as warm jade, was calm and resolute.
Along the way, the Crane Sect disciples who looked at him wore expressions too complex for words.
Before that figure, straight and upright as a sword, all words seemed pale and powerless.
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When it came to the scale of the Northern Yan library, even Tianjing could not compare. The successive headmasters of Northern Yan had all apparently been fanatical collectors, and under their management generation after generation, they had built a library of truly astonishing size.
Access to the library was strictly tiered, but Han Zhao held the highest clearance and could browse any text at will. Few people came here, and it was very quiet—Han Zhao's favorite place to pass the time.
Today, however, she was not here to pass the time.
She pulled books from the shelves and pushed them back again, repeating the same action all morning.
Suddenly she stopped, her gaze caught fast by the ancient volume in her hands.
"Demonization: a special state into which a person enters when negative emotions erupt under extreme circumstances. The strength of one who has demonized increases dramatically; instinct dominates the body, and killing, savagery, and other negative emotions take the leading role.
The probability of an ordinary person triggering demonization is very small.
There are two kinds of people prone to demonization: those with special bloodlines, and dark martial artists. When a martial artist with a special bloodline encounters an extreme environment, the power hidden deep within the bloodline awakens and triggers the demonized state. Killers, assassins, and other dark martial artists accumulate too much killing and negative emotion in their daily lives, and are likewise prone to demonization..."
Han Zhao read it word by word. The demonization Tang Tang had displayed that day in his battle with the Ink-Armored Iron Rhinoceros had left a deep impression on her.
Tang Tang was a person full of mysteries that seemed like coincidences—but as time passed, Han Zhao had a feeling that none of these coincidences were coincidences at all!
Dark martial artist? Han Zhao thought of Tang Tang's ever-cheerful manner and could not help shaking her head. How could a fellow like that possibly be a dark martial artist?
Then it could only be a special bloodline!
Could it be that Tang Tang possessed some very special bloodline?
Han Zhao stood frozen in place.
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The Emerald Marsh Bamboo Sea.
Tang Tang flitted through the bamboo sea, his feet tapping lightly on the bamboo branches from time to time, borrowing their spring to propel himself onward. There was nothing graceful about his movements, but his speed was tremendous, every step precise. Whenever he encountered bamboo leaf bees along the way, he would strike them down with the Shadow-Shatter Palm.