Blood-Stained Love Chapter 147

Suddenly, the girl adopted a strange stance, standing on the tips of both her toes as she spoke again.

"Come on, serve as the target for my training results, Grandpa"

Having said that, with slow steps, Lin Lin advanced, raising both her hands as if saluting, then suddenly thrust them forward, aiming for Gan-lopek's chest.

"Ehhh, don't..."

Gan-lopek was scared half to death and quickly threw himself backward, tumbling away when he heard the fierce whistle of wind emanating from the girl's strike. The extremely dangerous striking energy swept straight forward and...

"kraaakkkkk"

The tree trunk standing behind Gan-lopek snapped and fell.

"Eh, vicious!"

"Eh, cruel!"

Gan-lopek jumped up and down.

"Are you trying to kill me, you wild brat?"

For a moment, Lin Lin herself was stunned witnessing the devastating effect of her blow, but then she became extremely delighted, approaching and wrapping her arms around the old man's shoulder while laughing.

"Why would I want to kill you, Grandpa? Even if I wanted to, how could I? Don't joke around."

"Heh-heh-heh-heh, you are the one joking around, Lin Lin. Your strikes are powerful, your forms are extraordinary, and you have succeeded. Congratulations, congratulations..."

"Grandpa, thank you very much. You were the one who guided my training method so that I could master the *sin-kang* energy that has always surged within me since I started practicing these striking techniques."

"Hemmm, I don't know which devil bestowed this devilish technique upon you. Even though you won't tell me and I'm not interested in knowing, the forms you are practicing are devilish forms that are only on par with the skills possessed by the *Thian-te Liok-koai*. Terrifying."

Suddenly, the old man jumped up and slapped his own head.

"Wah-wah-wah, I enjoyed myself too much with a beautiful girl in this forest and forgot that the time has come. Let's go to the peak, lest we be late to watch the greatest spectacle under heaven!"

After saying this, he took the girl's hand and dragged her, urging her to run fast. However, laughing, Lin Lin pulled her hand free and said.

"Grandpa Gan, let's race quickly to the peak!"

So the old man and the girl ran like two flying devils, incredibly fast, leaping and bounding while laughing. Secretly, the old man was immensely impressed. He began to doubt whether his choice of disciple was correct, because he saw a wild and untamable nature in Lin Lin, whereas his disciple, Lie Bok Liong, was a patient and non-hooligan youth. Meanwhile, a different thought arose in Lin Lin's mind than what Gan-lopek was thinking. The girl was thinking about Suling Emas. She had always thought about Suling Emas with a heart containing various feelings. She was angry and frustrated because Suling Emas had left her and seemed angry at her, even though she had struck down a woman who was Suling Emas's great enemy.

Why was Suling Emas angry at her? Why did Suling Emas help the woman who was nearly killed by her powerful blow? Didn't that woman swear to kill Suling Emas's wife and children? Didn't that cruel woman declare her love for Suling Emas in front of her father's grave? A woman like that must be killed. Daring to love Suling Emas. And daring to swear to kill Suling Emas's wife. Even though Suling Emas's wife, if he ever had one, would surely be... herself. Thinking up to this point, Lin Lin's cheeks flushed red, and she took a long breath, her gaze tender as she recalled the incident in the emperor's library when Suling Emas hugged and kissed her.

However, her face turned gloomy because she immediately remembered that Suling Emas had done that because of a misunderstanding, thinking she was someone else. Her stomach burned thinking about this. Besides being angry and frustrated with the hero she adored, she also felt worried and anxious. Therefore, she desperately wanted to meet Suling Emas quickly. So, after Gan-lopek invited her to the peak, she felt as if she wanted to fly so she could quickly reach the summit and meet the idol of her heart. She didn't care at all about the match between the *Thian-te Liok-koai*, which Gan-lopek called the greatest spectacle under heaven.

Let us leave Lin Lin and Gan-lopek, who were running swiftly toward the peak, for a moment to check on Suling Emas, whom we have left for a long time. When Suling Emas witnessed and heard the oath spoken by Bu-eng-sin-kiam Tan Lian in front of the grave of the late Hui-kiam-eng Tan Hui, he turned pale, so deeply was he shaken. Truly, his life had caused many great calamities. The problem between the girl's father and his mother had been explained by Bu Kek Siansu and was a matter between themselves that actually had nothing to do with Tan Lian and him. However, now another disastrous matter seemed to arise: the bitter reality that the girl in green, the sword expert, had fallen in love with him. "Twelve calamities!"

And Tan Lian swore in front of her father's grave to kill his wife and children.

One can imagine how shattered Suling Emas's heart was, how mournful and regretful. But this trial that struck his heart became even more severe when Lin Lin suddenly appeared and attacked Tan Lian without him being able to prevent it. That devastating blow could only be the result of studying the striking technique left behind by Pat-jiu Sin-ong; its power was immense, and with just one glance, Suling Emas knew that he would not be able to save Tan Lian's life. No one in this world would be able to, except, of course, the Medicine King on the slopes of Thai-san. So, without further ado, he carried Tan Lian's body, and after admonishing Lin Lin, he shot away, leaving Lin Lin behind.

There were three reasons why he intentionally left Lin Lin while carrying the severely wounded body of Tan Lian. First, to go find the *Yok-ong* (Medicine King) on the slopes of Thai-san. Second, to represent his late mother in meeting and testing skills with the members of the *Thian-te Liok-koai*. And the third reason was that he deliberately wanted to distance himself from Lin Lin. He felt how great the danger would be if he continued traveling with the girl. The young girl clearly showed affection for him, showing passionate love, and seemed convinced that he reciprocated Lin Lin's love. And this was what he was most worried about. Being close to Lin Lin was like being close to a beautiful, fragrant flower that brought joy and happiness to the heart.

It felt heavy to maintain his resolve. Heavier than facing a hundred formidable opponents. He knew that sooner or later he would fall, too; it was impossible for a normal man not to have his heart crumble when facing such a beautiful girl, with a face similar to his former lover, Suma Ceng, with such a cheerful, lively, and pure character, untainted by any worldly filth. If he continued his association with Lin Lin, eventually his ego (self-interest) would defeat him, and if that happened, he would inevitably fill the emptiness in his heart with Lin Lin, as a replacement for Suma Ceng. However, that was not the basis of Suling Emas's feelings.

He did not want to ruin Lin Lin's life. The girl was still a teenager, while he was quite mature, too old for Lin Lin. His heart was too dry for romance. Especially after the incident like Tan Lian's oath, he did not want to drag anyone else, especially Lin Lin whom he cared for, into that terrifying chain of vengeance. Thus, with a suffering heart, Suling Emas ran quickly, carrying Tan Lian toward Thai-san. He had to admit that the few days of travel with Lin Lin were enough to make him feel longing now, feeling a sense of loss, so he realized how great the danger would be if that shared journey lasted any longer. Suling Emas, being broad-minded, was not angry at Lin Lin for striking Tan Lian so viciously.

As an experienced person, he could understand why Lin Lin did that, and this reinforced his conviction that he was not wrong: Lin Lin loved him. This was what made Lin Lin strike Tan Lian. Didn't Lin Lin also hear the oath? The oath that stated Tan Lian loved Suling Emas and would kill his wife and children? This was why Lin Lin struck Tan Lian—because she wanted to defend him, because... she was jealous, too. When they stopped briefly by the edge of a small river outside the forest, just to refresh themselves and drink, Tan Lian groaned softly and opened her eyes. The girl was laid down by Suling Emas on the green grass; Suling Emas immediately approached her.

"... you...?"

Tan Lian stared wide-eyed, then rubbed her eyes with her hands, as if doubting her sight, feeling as if she were dreaming. Suling Emas moved his hand, preventing the girl from getting up. But he didn't really need to do this because as soon as she moved, Tan Lian grimaced in pain and couldn't stand up.

"You are severely wounded, please do not move. I am taking you to Thai-san, to ask for help from Kim-sim Yok-ong (Gold-Hearted Medicine King). Please be calm, Tan-siocia (Miss Tan), I believe the *Yok-ong* will be able to heal you."

Tan Lian looked anxious.

"You... you heard everything...?"

Suling Emas could guess what the girl was anxious about. He took a long breath, nodded, and said gently.

"I heard everything, but I have already forgotten what I heard."

His answer meant that the things he heard the girl say were not being dwelled upon, and he guaranteed he would not tell anyone else. Although Tan Lian understood the meaning of this answer, she could not help but feel sorrowful and ashamed. Tears streamed out, and she sobbed.

Suling Emas sighed again. He knew what caused the girl to cry, so he couldn't say much. Secretly, he felt great pity for this brave and formidable woman warrior in green. He knew that Tan Lian was a female hero whose martial arts skill was high, much higher than Lin Lin's. If Lin Lin had not used the skill she obtained from the *Beng-kauw* sacred staff, it would have been impossible for Lin Lin to defeat Tan Lian, especially with just one blow. The skill Lin Lin possessed was truly powerful and extremely dangerous, fierce and devastating. Let alone Tan Lian, even he himself, if that skill were well-trained by Lin Lin, would not easily defeat her. *Pat-jiu Sin-ong* was not famous for nothing as a great figure decades ago, and the skill he created was the essence of all the expertise that became the sacred skill of the *Beng-kauw*.

"Calm down, Miss. Indeed, it is our bad fate, dragged by the waves caused by our elders, bound by bad karma. However, both your father and my mother have passed away, why don't we bury their history along with their remains? Why must we tie our fate to their history and affairs? Ah, Tan-siocia, I hope you do not have such a narrow view..."

Tan Lian stopped crying, looked with red eyes, and held back a sob as she spoke,

"A narrow view? You... you haven't felt it, so of course you are good at criticizing. In this world, I only lived with my father. My father's death, killed by your mother, left me utterly alone. Do you blame me if I swore vengeance and intended to avenge my father's death? But *Thian* had no pity on me. I was too late."

Her voice choked.

"I was too late after I trained with great difficulty for years, after I willingly lived alone... refusing to marry... becoming an old maid... all for one purpose: to avenge my pain. After I felt strong enough and intended to seek out your mother, I heard news of her death and about her descendant, which is you. What else could I do but place the burden of vengeance upon you? But... I am incompetent... I... I couldn't defeat you..."

At this point, Tan Lian cried again.

Suling Emas frowned. He could imagine the inner suffering that had afflicted Tan Lian all this time. It was truly severe and heavy, and secretly he praised Tan Lian's devotion, who, for the sake of filial piety to her father, sacrificed so much, wasting her own life's happiness, willing to become a girl who was already somewhat past her prime, roughly thirty years old, even though this girl was beautiful and formidable. Surely, at the age of seventeen or eighteen, she would have been someone's wife if her father had not died, killed by his mother.