Chapter 355 - 352: Shame
Chapter 355: Chapter 352: Shame
At the news, Tie Zhan’s eyes snapped open. The hand Qing Man was using to wipe her blade stilled. Shi Feng forgot his groans, and Yan Ling shot her head up.
The room fell into a deathly silence.
The initial shock on their five faces quickly gave way to a potent sense of absurdity and disbelief.
’Alone? He killed that Shadow Leopard? The same one that forced the five of us to flee in a disastrous rout, a beast with power approaching the Upper Three Grades?’
’How is that possible?’
"Impossible!"
Shi Feng was the first to cry out, his agitation tugging at his wounds and making him grimace in pain.
"We experienced that beast’s ferocity firsthand! Its body is like steel, and it’s as fast as a phantom. Even with the five of us coordinating... Him, by himself? There’s no way!"
Qing Man pursed her lips, her eyes also full of suspicion. "Perhaps... it’s a rumor? Or maybe the one he encountered wasn’t the same one we did?"
Yan Ling’s eyes, however, lit up slightly as she recalled the incredible rumors about Fang Han.
She opened her mouth as if to speak, but she swallowed her words when she saw the grim expressions on her seniors’ faces.
Tie Zhan was silent, his expression shifting uncertainly.
As the team leader, he knew better than anyone how terrifying that Shadow Leopard was.
It was true that Fang Han was a prodigy, but he had a deep, personal understanding of that Shadow Leopard’s terrifying power.
Doubt couldn’t help but sprout in his heart. He spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Go and confirm it. Get the full story. Go... and see it with your own eyes."
Not daring to disobey the order, the constable quickly left to investigate and confirm it himself.
The wait felt exceptionally long.
No one spoke in the private room. There was only the sound of heavy breathing and the pervasive smell of medicine. Shi Feng tried to speak several times but was silenced by a look from Tie Zhan.
Finally, the constable returned, his face flushed from running and excitement, his eyes filled with shock.
"Sir, I... I saw it!"
The constable was panting, unable to speak clearly.
"It’s laid out right at the entrance to the Fang Mansion! It’s massive and black, several times bigger than an ox. It’s definitely that Shadow Leopard!"
"A huge crowd has gathered around it. The Fang Family members are saying that Young Master Han hunted it down in the mountains all by himself!"
The constable’s description was detailed and conclusive, leaving no room for disbelief.
Inside the room, the air seemed to freeze.
"That must be the one we encountered!"
A muscle in Tie Zhan’s cheek twitched. His face, originally pale from blood loss, now flushed an unnatural red.
Qing Man lowered her head, looking at her arm in its sling.
Shi Feng’s eyes went wide. He stared blankly at the ceiling, his lips moving but no sound coming out as the color drained from his face bit by bit.
Yan Ling let out a soft breath. She gave her companions a complicated look, then gazed out the window, lost in thought.
Shame.
Like a red-hot branding iron, it seared the hearts of the four—everyone except Yan Ling.
The five of them were experienced Demon Hunters from the Demon Suppression Bureau, well-equipped and with seamless coordination. Yet, they had barely escaped the beast’s claws with their lives, returning heavily injured.
And the Sect prodigy whom they had considered ’lacking in Demon Hunting experience’ and a ’potential liability’ had returned single-handedly, carrying the Shadow Leopard’s corpse.
Facts speak louder than words.
Their previous judgments now seemed so laughable and narrow-minded.
The feeling of utter mortification made Tie Zhan, Qing Man, and Shi Feng wish the ground would open up and swallow them.
Night Owl was still unconscious. Perhaps that was a blessing in disguise.
For the next two days, the five members of the Demon Hunting Team barely left their rooms.
The discussions about Fang Han slaying the Shadow Leopard grew more fervent both inside and outside the city. Every word of praise that reached their ears felt like a silent slap in the face.
Once Night Owl’s injuries stabilized enough for him to be moved, Tie Zhan impatiently submitted a request to the County Yamen to return to the Commandery City immediately to recuperate and to report that the Demon Beast here had been eliminated.
The County Yamen couldn’t convince them to stay and had no choice but to arrange a carriage and horses.
On the day of their departure, the sky was just beginning to brighten at dawn.
The carriage slipped silently out the back gate of the Government Office, disturbing no one.
They had arrived full of confidence; they left covered in scars and filled with shame.
...
At the Fang Mansion, in the private courtyard behind Tingyu Pavilion, the massive corpse of the Shadow Leopard had been moved.
Tough hide, sharp claws and fangs, hard bones, flesh rich with abundant blood and Essence Qi... This Demon Beast, with strength approaching the Upper Three Grades, was a treasure trove of rare materials from head to toe.
Fang Han was not a stingy person. He summoned Patriarch Fang Lingyuan and pointed at the Shadow Leopard’s corpse on the ground.
"Patriarch, the materials from this beast will be of great benefit to my Cultivation of the Xuanwu True Skill. I will take most of the meat."
"The remaining meat, as well as the bones, hide, claws, and fangs, I will leave for the family to handle."
"On behalf of the family, I thank you."
Fang Lingyuan was both surprised and delighted to hear this.
This Shadow Leopard was incredibly valuable, yet Fang Han only took some of the meat and asked for nothing else.
Whether the family used it themselves or traded it for other resources, what they received would be enough to deepen the family’s foundations considerably.
He solemnly agreed and immediately arranged for trusted hands to begin butchering and processing it.
Soon, Fang Han’s portion was delivered to a room specially set aside in Tingyu Pavilion.
The most conspicuous part was the large chunks of Shadow Leopard meat. It was dark red in color with a fine texture, and even in death, it faintly radiated warmth and the fluctuations of pure blood and qi.
In the current weather, there was no need to worry about it spoiling.
That evening, a fragrant aroma filled Tingyu Pavilion as a large pot of meticulously stewed Shadow Leopard soup was brought to the side hall where Fang Han’s family was dining.
The broth was a faint golden-red, its rich aroma assailing the senses. Just smelling it was enough to make one’s blood quicken.
Fang Zheng, Lin Wan, and Fang Ying curiously took a few bites.
The meat was stewed until it was fall-apart tender, melting in their mouths. A warm yet powerful current of heat immediately rose from their stomachs and spread rapidly to their limbs.
"It’s so hot..."
Lin Wan was the first to feel uncomfortable. A blush rose on her cheeks, and sweat beaded on her forehead.
Fang Zheng’s face also grew red. The blood and qi surged in his body, creating a faint sensation of bloating. He quickly put down his bowl and chopsticks to digest the sudden rush of heat.
The youngest, Fang Ying, ate only two small pieces before crying out that she was hot all over. Her little face was flushed, and Lin Wan quickly stopped her from eating any more.
"Han’er, this Demon Beast Meat... its Medicinal Power is too strong."
Fang Zheng took a moment to catch his breath.
He had eaten less than half a bowl, but he already felt his blood and qi growing restless and unbearable.
"Father, Mother, Xiaoying, you should only have a small taste."
Fang Han was not surprised.
This Shadow Leopard’s strength was close to the Upper Three Grades. The energy contained in its meat far surpassed that of ordinary beasts or even Low Grade Demon Beasts.
For people like his parents and little sister, whose Cultivation was shallow or nonexistent, it was an extremely potent tonic. They were too weak to handle it and would be harmed rather than helped.
He moved the majority of the pot of soup in front of himself and, under the astonished gazes of his parents and sister, began to eat.
He didn’t eat fast, but he ate steadily, chewing every piece of meat thoroughly.
As the meat entered his stomach, a current of heat exploded within him!
This current of heat was pure and domineering, surging like lava through his limbs and washing over every inch of his muscles, bones, and skin.
Fang Han could even hear the faint roar of his blood and qi rushing through his body.
His expression remained unchanged. His stomach was like an efficient furnace, rapidly digesting the high-energy meat.
One piece, two pieces, three... Meat and broth alike, Fang Han’s eating pace was steady, his stomach like a bottomless pit.
He ate a good dozen pounds of it, finishing off more than half the pot of soup before he slowly put down his chopsticks.
A light sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead, a faint red glow flowed beneath his skin, and the aura around him grew a fraction more powerful.
"I’m going to the Cultivation Room to cultivate and digest."
Fang Han said to his parents before heading straight to his Cultivation Room.
Inside the Cultivation Room, he assumed the training stance for the Xuanwu True Skill.
As he held the strange posture, the surging heat in his body found a clear path to follow.
It was rapidly absorbed and refined, used to strengthen his body.
BOOM—
Under this torrent of heat, or rather, this flood of Essence Qi, his muscles, bones, skin, and organs greedily absorbed it like parched earth receiving a long-awaited rain.
He could clearly feel his muscle fibers becoming more resilient, his bone density subtly but constantly increasing, and his skin growing tighter and tougher, as if it were leather being repeatedly forged.
This feeling of enhancement was several times stronger than when he had cultivated using the Blood Essence Pills!
Back at the Sect, he had also eaten Demon Beast Meat to aid his Cultivation, but most of it came from low or mid-grade Demon Beasts and had limited energy.
This was his first time eating the meat of a Demon Beast like the Shadow Leopard, one whose strength approached the Upper Three Grades and was known for its physical prowess.
The effect was immediate.
Driven by this high-quality essence of blood and qi, his progress in the Xuanwu True Skill clearly accelerated.
’This really is good stuff.’
Fang Han understood in his heart.
To cultivate a Horizontal Training external technique and temper the body, besides the Cultivation Technique and arduous training, the supply of resources was equally crucial.
High-quality Demon Beast Meat was undoubtedly one of the best forms of fuel for this purpose.
He focused his mind and pushed the Xuanwu True Skill to its limits, guiding the rampaging heat inside him to continuously temper his entire body.
In the Cultivation Room, there was only the sound of his long, powerful breaths and the body beneath the blue robes that was quietly undergoing a transformation.
The occasional, faint CRACKLE was like a spring sprout breaking through the earth, full of burgeoning life.
Outside, the night deepened, but Liangshui City was still immersed in a state of excitement and relief from the day’s shocking news.
Inside Tingyu Pavilion, candlelight illuminated Fang Han’s calm, focused face. A tempering, both internal and external, was steadily advancing in the silence.
...
The fifth day of the new year was a good day for visiting friends and relatives.
In the early morning, before the thin mist had dissipated, Tingyu Pavilion was already a hive of activity.
Fang Zheng and Lin Wan had risen early, directing servants to load the prepared gifts onto a carriage one by one.
Gift boxes of all sizes were piled high on the carriage. There were silks and fine fabrics Fang Han had brought back from the Commandery City, medicinal herbs and tonics selected from the family’s storehouse, and also some gifts sent by the various powers in the city.
They were exquisitely wrapped and tied with red silk, looking both presentable and festive.
Fang Han stood under the covered walkway with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his lips as he watched his parents bustle about.
Little Fang Ying wore a brand-new peach-pink jacket and skirt, her hair tied in two topknots. She darted around the courtyard like a cheerful sparrow, occasionally peeking curiously at the gift boxes only to be laughingly shooed away by Lin Wan.
"Brother, are we going to Grandpa’s house?"
Fang Ying ran to Fang Han’s side and tilted her little face up, her big, dark eyes full of anticipation.
"Mhm, we’re going to pay Grandpa a New Year’s visit."
Fang Han gently stroked his little sister’s hair, his tone warm.