Ning Fengzhi's Choice

"What kind of child did you bring back from the wilderness?"

Chen Xin raised his hand and slid his sword into its sheath.

"My child, and a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"That's enough."

Black mist descended from above.

Gu Rong landed on the ground as well. Several stones by his feet could not withstand his force and had already split into pieces.

"Old Sword Man, he went from level ten to level twenty in one night, and a second Martial Soul appeared above his head."

"You think you can sweep this under the rug just by saying he's your child?"

"What do you intend to ask?"

"Does he have Twin Martial Souls?"

Ning Fengzhi raised a hand, stopping Gu Rong.

"Uncle Gu, we can't make that determination yet."

"The wine pot flew right over his head. What are you still waiting for?"

"Seeing the wine pot doesn't mean we know where it came from."

Gu Rong folded his arms.

"When he awakened at six, he only had the Azure Lotus Sword. Today a wine pot appeared too, and his Soul Power went from level ten to level twenty."

"Isn't that enough to show what he is?"

Chen Xin raised his head and looked toward the mountaintop.

"He hasn't admitted it himself."

"His Martial Soul has already appeared. Do you still need him to put it in writing for us?"

"When he's willing to speak, he will."

"What if he isn't willing?"

"Then he doesn't have to say it."

Gu Rong took a step forward.

"Old Sword Man, you're protecting him too closely."

Chen Xin rested a hand on his sword hilt.

"Anyone who wants to examine him by force can ask my sword first."

The elders nearby all stopped in their tracks. Not one of them came a step closer.

Ning Fengzhi did not ask Chen Xin to let go of his sword. Instead, he turned his gaze to Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong placed the wine pot beside Li Zhexian, then took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Rongrong, send him back to the courtyard."

"I'll take him back."

"You stay here."

"I want to take him back."

Ning Fengzhi glanced at his daughter.

"Listen to me."

Ning Rongrong bit her lip, then let go.

Chen Xin came over to Li Zhexian, bent down, and picked him up.

"I'll take him."

Ning Fengzhi did not stop him.

Only after Chen Xin had carried Li Zhexian away did activity resume in the meeting hall.

The second elder was the first to speak.

"Sect Master, the commotion tonight can no longer be concealed."

"So what are you trying to say?"

"Li Zhexian and Rongrong have already broken off their engagement, yet the sect is still using medicinal herbs to sustain him."

"Now another Martial Soul of unknown origin has appeared. We might as well send him to Spirit Hall and let them investigate."

"What do we do once they've found out?"

"If he has Twin Martial Souls, let him stay."

"If he doesn't, we can make arrangements sooner."

Gu Rong let out a laugh.

"What do you mean by arrangements?"

"Send him out of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"

The elder did not back down.

"The sect can't support a good-for-nothing, and it can't keep a source of trouble of unknown origin here either."

Ning Fengzhi watched him the whole time.

"He is a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"He's already twelve, yet he's been stuck at level ten. Tonight he only broke through to level twenty by drinking wine."

"He has no Soul Ring, and his foundation is unstable. Who can guarantee he won't stop progressing again?"

Ning Fengzhi raised a finger and tapped it several times on the table.

The sound of his jade thumb ring striking the wooden tabletop rang out clearly.

"Who told you he'll definitely stop progressing?"

"Rongrong needs someone capable of protecting her."

"Shi Potian may have lost once, but his background is known, and his Soul Power has been increasing all along."

Ning Fengzhi raised his head.

"Shi Potian damaged the sect's courtyard wall."

"That was only a spar."

"He brought people to block the gate to Rongrong's courtyard. Was that sparring too?"

The elder opened his mouth, but said no more.

Ning Fengzhi raised his hand and slapped it down on the table.

The teacup on the table jumped from the impact, and when it came down again, a piece had broken off its rim.

"Li Zhexian is still on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's register, so he is a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"No one may treat him as a resource."

"Nor may anyone send him to Spirit Hall."

No one in the meeting hall spoke again.

Ning Fengzhi picked up the chipped teacup and poured himself a cup of tea that had already gone cold.

"Keep what happened tonight under wraps."

"Change all the guards on the rear mountain."

"Everyone who saw the wine pot is to keep their mouth shut."

Gu Rong looked in the direction Chen Xin had gone.

"Old Sword Man can protect him for one night, but he can't protect him for a lifetime."

"I never said I would protect him for a lifetime."

"Then why did you slap the table just now?"

"Slapping the table doesn't cost money."

Gu Rong couldn't restrain himself and burst out laughing.

Chen Xin took Li Zhexian back to the courtyard and laid him on the bed.

After the sound of footsteps outside had faded into the distance, Li Zhexian opened his eyes.

He braced himself against the wall, walked out of the room, and came to the outside of the meeting hall.

He heard every word Ning Fengzhi had just said.

The words "No one may treat him as a resource" lingered in his mind for a long time.

Since waking up in the wilderness, he had seen many things chosen by others.

Things with value were kept.

Things without value were thrown away.

He had originally thought the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was that kind of place too.

But what Ning Fengzhi had just said gave him another problem he was unwilling to acknowledge.

Perhaps there really was someone here who saw him as a disciple.

Li Zhexian lowered his head, touched the tassel on the Azure Lotus Sword, then turned and went to Ning Rongrong's courtyard.

The sword light in the courtyard fell just as he arrived.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand rose into the air. The image of its second level had already lit up, and golden light fell upon the wooden post.

A crack appeared in the post.

She recalled her Martial Soul, and when she turned around, she saw Li Zhexian.

"What did you come here for?"

"To say goodbye."

"You're planning to leave?"

"Yes."

"Is it because of the broken engagement?"

"That's one reason."

"What other reasons are there?"

Li Zhexian looked at the jade pendant hanging from her waist.

"While I've been here, my cultivation has been too steady."

"Isn't steady a good thing?"

"It's very good."

"But this way, I can only grow slowly."

"You already reached level twenty tonight."

"Tonight I reached level twenty."

"So all the more reason for you to stay."

"I want to find other people and have them beat me."

Ning Rongrong looked at him, and for a while, she said nothing.

"Can't you say something that makes sense?"

"That does make sense."

"When other people beat me, things drop."

"You're using jokes to hide things again."

"I wasn't joking."

"Was spitting blood not a joke either?"

"That was an accident."

"Going straight from level ten to level twenty was an accident too?"

Li Zhexian did not answer.

He couldn't tell Ning Rongrong that his Soul Power had actually surpassed level ten long ago.

The golden shield over his chest suppressed more than just his Soul Power.

It also suppressed his path to continued survival.

Ning Rongrong walked up to him, untied the jade pendant from her waist, and pressed it into his hand.

"Take it."

"This jade pendant is yours."

"I already gave it to you."

"Once something has been given away, it can't be taken back."

"Then you take it."

"Our engagement has already been called off."

"I'm talking about this jade pendant."

"Things should change along with the relationship."

Ning Rongrong pinched the edge of the jade pendant between her fingers.

"Those are two different things."

"In my eyes, they're one and the same."

She raised her hand and pressed the jade pendant against Li Zhexian's chest.

"Take it."

Li Zhexian moved his hand away from the jade pendant.

"There's no reason to take back something that's already been given away."

Ning Rongrong did not try to push it on him again.

She simply stood in front of Li Zhexian, holding the jade pendant.

Her eyes had reddened a little, but no tears fell.

"Are you leaving because I said you couldn't keep up?"

"That's one reason too."

"Are you blaming me?"

"No."

"You clearly are."

"I only want to leave."

"The sect gave you food, medicinal herbs to use, and a place to practice swordsmanship. It even arranged a marriage for you once."

"And now you say you're leaving, and just leave?"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can't give me a way to reduce my shield."

Ning Rongrong raised her head.

"What kind of shield?"

"The layer of golden light over my chest."

"So you really have been hiding something all along."

"I didn't hide it very well."

"Then tell me now."

"I can't tell you."

"If you don't tell me, how do you know I won't understand?"

"Because you already gave the jade pendant back to me."

Ning Rongrong's fingers clenched even tighter.

"Those are two different things."

"To me, they're the same thing."

Ning Rongrong looked at him for a long time.

At last, she pressed the jade pendant back into his palm.

"You have to keep it."

This time, Li Zhexian did not return the jade pendant.

Only after seeing Li Zhexian accept the jade pendant did Ning Rongrong continue asking questions.

"When are you planning to leave?"

"Once I finish writing down what needs to be written."

"Who are you writing to?"

"Uncle Jian."

"Nothing for me?"

"You don't need it."

"I want to read it too."

"You wouldn't understand it."

"Li Zhexian."

"Mm."

"If you die out there, I won't go looking for you."

"The road is right under your feet."

"There you go again, saying things like that."

"It's a fact."

Ning Rongrong turned her head to the side.

"The way you talk is really annoying."

"You used to say I talked too little."

"You're still not much better now."

The sound of a wooden bucket knocking against something came from beside the well.

Some water spilled out of the bucket and splashed all over the ground.

Li Zhexian turned and walked toward the courtyard gate.

"I'm leaving."

"Wait a moment."

"What else is it?"

"Once you reach level twenty, you should look for a Soul Ring first."

"I'll look for one."

"You can't just look for any Soul Ring. You need to find one that suits you."

"You don't need to tell me that."

"I'm telling you anyway."

Li Zhexian stopped beside the courtyard gate.

Ning Rongrong looked up at him.

"You have to come back here alive."

"I'll do my best."

"Doing your best isn't enough."

"Then I'll definitely come back."

"You said that too casually."

"Because I haven't drunk enough wine yet."

Ning Rongrong picked up the wooden sword beside her and threw it at him.

Li Zhexian turned sideways, caught the wooden sword, and put it back beside the wall.

"See you tomorrow."

"Nobody wants to see you."

Li Zhexian was already walking away into the distance.

Ning Rongrong gripped the jade pendant tightly in her hand.

The jade had already pressed a red mark into the back of her hand.

She kept watching the courtyard gate, and only after Li Zhexian's figure had completely disappeared did she speak in a very quiet voice.

"Liar."

Li Zhexian returned to his room, took out some xuan paper, and laid it flat on the table.

He picked up a writing brush and dipped it in ink.

As he prepared to set the brush to paper, he paused for a while.

This letter was not meant to be a farewell.

At least, he himself did not intend to admit that it was a farewell letter.

He only wanted to write down the words that needed to be said.

That way, after he left, no one would use those words to bother him.

Traces of ink fell upon the paper.

"What has cast me aside-yesterday's day cannot be made to stay."