Chapter 565: Thirty Years Later

The 30th year of Xiangwu!

Sanshui Wharf.

At dawn, the lake surface was shrouded in thin mist.

The petty official in a soap-colored robe responsible for collecting fees yawned while starting his work on the wharf.

He gazed at the lake surface and suddenly blinked his eyes.

From within the thin mist, a small, dilapidated boat was slowly sailing over.

It looked incredibly aged and broken... even after being patched up, it was still constantly leaking.

Finally...

"What year is it now?"

Aaron executed his movement technique and vanished in the blink of an eye, causing the petty official to rub his eyes vigorously, thinking he had seen a ghost!

"That must be Cao Baojin, right? One of the Eight Steeds of the Cao Family, with exceptionally high martial arts; he entered the Dark Energy realm at twenty-five, a future Grandmaster in the making?"

【Talent: Immortality】

It must be said that after the Six Kings Rebellion, because the population decreased and resources became available, the government implemented a policy of resting with the people, and the market was actually much more prosperous than thirty years ago—a scene of a restored golden age!

However, the home of Si Niangzi had long since changed occupants, and asking the surrounding neighbors yielded no information on where that mother and daughter had gone, leaving Aaron feeling slightly melancholy.

He intentionally kept a thick beard to avoid anyone at the wharf recognizing him after such a long time.

Cao Hongyan, hadn't she become an Old Matriarch with skin like chicken skin and hair like a crane?

Aaron downed a cup of strong liquor directly.

"That Cao Family is the premier noble clan in our prefecture; back then, Old Matriarch Cao beheaded the Anti-King Song Shentong in battle—she was a true Transformation Energy Grandmaster!"

The next moment, his smile froze on his face.

"This is what you call living..."

The waiter asked back politely.

But the boatman was not flustered in the slightest; he simply pushed off with his pole, his figure leaping up like a large bird, his toes tapping the water surface twice before he landed on the wharf.

【Age: 60】

Although the younger generation of the Cao Family had a few talents who were said to be future Grandmasters, Aaron had a lot of say in such matters and knew that achieving Transformation Energy was not that simple.

Having reached this point, the Iron Shirt Fist could advance no further, so Aaron chose to come out of the mountains—no, out of the lake!

"Things remain but people have changed, and everything is at an end... It seems I should plan my revenge first!"

Aaron looked at himself in the bronze mirror and was quite satisfied; the most crucial thing was that his skin was incredibly smooth and clean, without a single wrinkle.

The petty official in the soap-colored robe beamed, preparing to pay his respects to the great expert.

Because this 'great expert' was wearing tattered clothes no better than a beggar's, with matted hair and a face full of whiskers, yet his eyes were piercingly bright.

He glanced at the Attribute Panel again:

【Name: Fang Yu (Aaron)】

"Sir, you mustn't speak such nonsense." The official turned pale with fright, his legs went weak, and he nearly knelt down directly: "Grand Tutor Huang was loyal to the country his entire life; he passed away from illness ten years ago, and ten thousand people lined the streets of Jingcheng to weep and mourn... The Emperor posthumously granted him the title 'Wu Zheng' to honor his great contribution in quelling the Six Kings Rebellion and supporting the throne!"

【Realm: Transformation Energy】

Aaron pondered to himself, walked out of the guest room, and arrived at the inn's lobby.

The waiter answered with a face full of reverence.

At this moment, several fine horses swept in like the wind; each one was a rare, spirited steed, and they were very intelligent, stopping their hooves in unison at the entrance of the Cao residence.

"The Bone Shrinking Technique has innate limitations and truly cannot go any higher... As for the Iron Shirt Fist, it only has three layers: one layer of Bright Energy, one layer of Dark Energy, and one layer of Transformation Energy..."

The official thought very clearly: regardless of whether this unkempt great expert was crazy or not, he could easily take his life, so he had to be served like a master.

"It's still the Xiangwu era? Huang Wenlong hasn't usurped the throne yet?" Aaron was somewhat surprised.

While eating and drinking, he called the waiter over: "I heard that in Taize Prefecture City, Cao Hongyan of the Cao Family was a peerless talent decades ago; I wonder how she is now?"

As for the subsequent Transformation Energy, it had cost Aaron no small amount of effort—ten years of bitter cultivation—before he achieved it just last month!

From then on, the Bright Energy and Dark Energy within his body fused into one, allowing him to release and retract at will, reaching the highest realm of martial arts!

At a wine stall by the entrance of the Cao residence.

Well, thirty years had passed; the bones of the original Old Matriarch Cao had turned to dust, and Cao Hongyan seemed to be a few years older than him.

"Is the guest asking about Old Matriarch Cao?"

"To be able to walk on water, even for a few steps... Could it be... the legendary... Transformation Energy Grandmaster?!"

Just thinking about that peerless beauty who once wielded the 'Red Thread Sword' to repel ghosts and gods, and who ultimately beheaded the Anti-King Song Shentong, now turned into an old lady, Aaron couldn't help but sigh.

"But to let the Cao Family decline so naturally... wouldn't that be letting them off too easily?"

"Reporting to you, sir, this year is the 30th year of Xiangwu!"

"Is this... a martial arts expert?"

After ordering a table of wine and dishes and pouring himself a full cup of wine, he picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth; it was so delicious he gasped.

"Old Matriarch?"

Aaron tipped a few coins and let the waiter leave, his eyes gradually becoming profound.

"And there is the eldest young lady of the Cao Family, Cao Shao... she is a famous beauty in the prefecture city."

"Giddyup..."

Several young masters and ladies in bright clothes and on fine horses dismounted amidst the fawning and flattery of the gate servants, looking every bit like the favored children of heaven.

Beauty fades easily!

This is the ultimate truth!

During his fifteen years of seclusion on Qianlong Island, he successfully dispersed his cultivation and switched to practicing the "Iron Shirt Fist."

"So that's how it is."

At a distance of several dozen meters from the pier, it sank directly...

The strong liquor entered his throat, feeling like fire in his belly, and a heart of vengeance finally began to burn fiercely.

After making inquiries during this period, Aaron discovered that although the Cao Family was still the number one noble family in Taize Prefecture, there were hidden dangers!

In fact, among the supplies he purchased, he had also prepared a razor.

"Thirty years!"

Aaron stood with his hands behind his back, letting out a sigh, fully embodying the image of an expert living in seclusion.

Over the next few days, Aaron wandered around Taize Prefecture City.

'The Cao Family is still here... Very good, this debt still has to be settled.'

And he was already sixty...

"Hmm, I can pick a nickname, for example, Qiu Ran Ke?!"

【Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Fist Third Layer (1000/1000)】

【Skills: Fishing (95/100), Sea Gathering Residual Art (4/5), Disguise Technique (90/100), Bone Shrinking Technique (49/100), Medicine (61/100)】

He broke through to Dark Energy all the way without the slightest bottleneck, reaching Great Success in Dark Energy in just five short years!

While hurrying toward Taize Prefecture City, Aaron sighed to himself: "Only thirty years?"

The lack of successors that the Liu Family suffered back then had finally happened to the Cao Family.

Inn.

Taize Prefecture City.

Perhaps because the Slow Dispersal Method did not damage his foundation and even provided benefits, his subsequent progress in martial arts could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds.

After having the waiter fetch hot water and enjoying a bath and a change of clothes, Aaron merely trimmed his beard without shaving it off, then changed into a large purple robe, which indeed made him look heroic and extraordinary.

Aaron's mouth twitched.

"That sword-carrying Young Master should be the top of the Prodigy Ranking who has recently risen to fame—Nie Renlong, who reached Great Success in Dark Energy at twenty-two? Tsk tsk... The Old Matriarch of the Cao Family is actually holding a birthday banquet and even invited him; what tremendous face!"

Aaron watched those people and continued to drink.

Recently, he received news that in a few days, it would be Cao Hongyan's sixty-fifth birthday!

(End of this chapter)