Liu Dongdong was cultivating on the open platform on the ninth floor of the Ancestor Tower with his legs folded. Liu Tao and Liu Liuhai were paying their respects to Liu Fan in the ancestral temple.
Liu Liuhai looked extremely sincere. Every bow of his was 90 degrees.
“Hear our prayers, Ancestor. Please help us understand the sickle cultivation technique. We have more than 1000 Scythe Army soldiers at the moment. But they will never be a true Scythe Army without the sickle technique!”
Liu Liuhai lowered his head and prayed. Then, he kowtowed to Liu Fan.
In order to make the Scythe Army even more powerful, Liu Liuhai had come to touch Liu Fan after obtaining Liu Tao’s approval. He was hoping to master the sickle cultivation technique this way.
Liu Fan felt worried.
He wasn’t the original creator of this technique. In fact, he had taken it from the Sickle Clan after he wiped them out.
The weapon used for this technique was a crescent-shaped sword.
The technique would be even more powerful when used under the moon.
In the beginning, Liu Fan thought that it was just a strange but impressive technique. It was only later that he realized the mysterious connection between the cultivator and the moon in the late-stage. Moreover, this method could enable strong cultivators to control their weaker counterparts.
In addition, if the cultivator lacked a strong will, he might easily lose control in the late-stage of cultivation. He would be possessed by the sickle technique and become an unstoppable killing machine.
“This sickle technique is more like a Fiendish cultivation method,” Liu Fan thought.
Regrettably, he had killed every single member of the Sickle Clan before he’d had a chance to ask where they had learned the technique from.
“Creek…”
Liu Tao opened Liu Fan’s coffin.
“Come, Sixth Elder. Touch him!” Liu Tao said.
Liu Liuhai was excited. He bowed again at Liu Fan’s spirit tablet before approaching the coffin. Then, he began touching Liu Fan’s back.
This time, he touched him for a long time. He stopped only when the incense was about to burn out.
“How was it?!” Liu Tao asked hastily.
Liu Liuhai looked delighted yet disappointed. He said, “I couldn’t master the Sickle technique, but I’ve learned the Wind Walker!”
“Congratulations! You will be able to cultivate this Qinggong technique!” Liu Tao said as his eyes brightened up.
Liu Liuhai nodded happily.
He had always admired it whenever he saw Liu Tao flying around using Qinggong. Now that he had learned this technique, he could show off in front of his soldiers too.
“But I couldn’t find the Sickle technique. Is it because it’s not meant to be mine?!”
Liu Liuhai sighed. Liu Tao didn’t know how to comfort him either.
Liu Tao had begun to question whether this technique had truly existed when, one time, he almost found it when touching the Ancestor. Besides, it was recorded in the family booklet, so it couldn’t be a lie.
At this moment, a Scythe Army soldier came to report that they had captured a scout from the Living Dead Clan.
“The Living Dead?!”
Liu Tao looked thrilled. He said, “According to the family booklet, one of the women who loved the Ancestor was a belligerent warrior. She founded the Living Dead Clan so as to match up with the Ancestor’s invention of the Law of Cultivation. She then challenged the Ancestor to single combat once every ten years.”
“The woman lost for the first 13 times, but she didn’t give up. After years of laborious training, her hair turned white.”
“The Ancestor felt sorry for her. They had their final combat before the Ancestor died. That time, the Ancestor deliberately let her win. However, the woman died from excitement immediately after she had won.”
Liu Liuhai was astonished. He said, “In that case, the Living Dead Clan is our family! What a lovely story!”
Liu Tao smiled wryly and said, “Not at all. At that time, the Living Dead had already become a powerful clan. Their clan members blamed the death of their founder on us. Luckily, they didn’t see us as enemies, but they had since cut their connection with us.”
“Then this time, why did they…?”
“My guess is as good as yours…” Liu Tao said as he looked at Liu Liuhai.
Then, the pair walked downstairs.
They saw the Living Dead scout in the dungeon.
It was a woman dressed in a white mink coat.
She was a true beauty. But her mouth was blocked with a rag and her fair skin was besmirched by whip wounds and blood.
When Liu Tao and Liu Liuhai entered the cell, Yang Shou’an was torturing the woman with a whip to make her reveal what her intentions were for coming.
Beside them was an iron bar that was glowing red under high heat. Yang Shou’an was ordering his people to burn the woman’s pretty face with the iron.
Liu Liuhai coughed to draw their attention.
Yang Shou’an turned and was shocked to see Liu Liuhai and Liu Tao.
“My name is Yang Shou’an. It’s my pleasure to see you, Clan Head and Chief Commander!”
He knelt down on one knee. The Scythe Army soldiers and jailers immediately knelt down with him.
“I heard that you captured her and that you destroyed their secret meeting place at a tavern. Is that true?” Liu Liuhai asked.
Yang Shou’an answered humbly, “I will not take all the credit to myself. Our mission was successful thanks to our Scythe Army brothers, and two of our brothers have sacrificed themselves!”
When he said that, he rocked his eyes with physical energy, which immediately caused his eyes to tear profusely.
He had spent a long time cultivating this trick. There were even a few times when he had almost rocked his eyes out by using too much energy.
Therefore, this trick wasn’t a no-brainer at all!
When commoners wanted to fake a cry, they sprayed chili juice in their eyes. But that couldn’t fool those wily old birds.
Liu Liuhai supported Yang Shou’an to stand up. Then, he told Liu Tao, “Clan Head, this is the Yang Shou’an I told you about. He has a sharp nose which has helped him accomplish many missions. It’s said that he has captured more than 100 scouts and spies! People call him Dog Yang!”
“Oh?! Dog Yang?”
Liu Tao smiled, his eyes shining. He looked at Yang Shou’an and said, “It’s not a nice name, isn’t it? It sounds as if you are a dog raised by our Liu clan[1]!”
Yang Shou’an felt a chill down his spine. He immediately realized that Liu Tao was insulting him on purpose and that he would die a miserable death on the spot if Liu Tao found him untrustworthy.
Without a word, he got down on all fours in front of Liu Tao and started barking like a dog.
“I will serve the Liu clan until the last day of my life because I, Yang Shou’an, am a dog in the Liu family house! I will serve my master well!”
Yang Shou’an knelt on the floor and said loudly, “If it pleases my master, I will rename myself to Liu Yanggou[2]!”
“Liu Yanggou! What a brilliant name!”
Liu Tao laughed.
Liu Liuhai helped Yang Shou’an get back on his feet and patted his shoulders. He looked satisfied and pleased. “Good name!”
Yang Shou’an was happy that he had found the right master.
He was expecting a pay-raise, a promotion, and a new cultivation technique to be rewarded to him soon.
But he didn’t see the disdain and scorn in his prisoner’s eyes. The woman was almost pitying him.
At the same time, she was angry that she had been captured by the Liu family’s dog! After all, she was a core disciple of the Living Dead Clan. She knew that she would become a laughingstock once her clan members found out.
[1] In Chinese, “Yang” and “raise” share the same pronunciation
[2] Literally means Liu’s dog, as “gou” means dog