"All right, you can go." Jie Ning released his control over the unfamiliar Saint Realm expert before him.
Hearing this, the trembling Qiu Li felt as though he had heard heavenly music.
Especially after the other party spoke, he was finally able to control his body again. For a moment, he even felt somewhat moved.
"Thank you, my lord, for sparing my life." Qiu Li hurriedly thanked the unfamiliar lord for his mercy.
Then, seeing that the other party had nothing more to say, Qiu Li—a Saint Realm expert normally regarded as lofty and untouchable by ordinary people—immediately fled as though for his life.
With a monster like that around, who cares about any Divine Spark? Get out of here...
Jie Ning sensed the direction in which Qiu Li was leaving, his expression somewhat strange. He gave up just like that?
Having watched everything unfold, Arannis finally smiled and said to Jie Ning, "You really scared that Saint Realm expert half to death."
Jie Ning shook his head. "If his attitude hadn't been so bad, I wouldn't have needed to scare him like that."
Ever since parting with his grandfather in the Death Desert, Jie Ning and Arannis had not intended to remain there for long.
Thus, after making a few preparations, the two of them set out on their planned journey back to Tieling Town.
But little unexpected surprises always appeared along the road.
Starting two hours earlier, Jie Ning had noticed Saint Realm experts occasionally flying overhead, each of them heading in roughly the same direction.
Driven by curiosity, when he encountered another Saint Realm expert flying past, Jie Ning stepped forward to ask about the situation.
However, this Saint Realm expert seemed to have quite a temper. The moment Jie Ning stopped him, he became extremely irritable, so Jie Ning had no choice but to help him regulate his temper first.
Life Fluctuation
Unlike his previous crude methods, this time Jie Ning merely temporarily severed the connection between the Saint Realm expert's mind and his body's Life Fluctuation, then temporarily took control with his own spiritual power.
I have to admit, purely in terms of physical strength, this Saint Realm expert's body isn't bad. As Jie Ning controlled the other man's body, he unconsciously evaluated it as well.
The instant Qiu Li lost control of his body, he felt that he was doomed this time. He bitterly regretted never fixing his habit of speaking too quickly. This time, he had provoked someone he could not afford to offend. It was over...
In Jie Ning's eyes, after this "friend" lost the influence of his "irritable body," Qiu Li's mind instantly became "calm."
Especially when he discovered that Jie Ning wanted to ask some questions, Qiu Li very "sincerely" and "proactively" told Jie Ning a great deal of information.
Jie Ning discovered that he really did seem destined to encounter Divine Sparks.
The Divine Spark that his grandfather had mentioned being fought over was nearby. A Saint Realm expert named Qina had seized it, but had been hunted ever since and had recently fled into this area.
After learning what he wanted to know, Jie Ning generously released the man.
"What do you think, Jie Ning? Are you going to join in the excitement? I can wait for you here." Arannis was actually curious as well, but she knew her own limits. A battle between Saint Realm experts was simply far too dangerous for her.
Jie Ning was tempted, but he still shook his head. "The Divine Spark isn't much use to me anyway, so forget it."
"Let's first—"
"Huh..." Halfway through his words, Jie Ning turned his head toward the west in surprise. He sensed several familiar auras.
Coincidentally, Jie Ning was directly in their path. Before long, they seemed to sense his aura as well and swiftly approached him.
"Jie Ning, it really is you." At that moment, Jie Ning saw a familiar group flying in from afar, and the leader greeted him from a great distance away.
Before the words had even faded, the group had already landed in front of Jie Ning. It was Duke Darut's familiar party, except this time, Gru rather than Duke Darut was leading them, and there were several unfamiliar faces among the group.
"Senior Gru." "Duke Darut."...
Jie Ning and Arannis greeted them one by one.
After exchanging pleasantries.
Jie Ning looked at the group. "Senior Gru, are you here for the Divine Spark too?"
Gru first laughed heartily, then pointed at Duke Darut and said, "I originally didn't plan on coming, but Grandfather was worried he wouldn't be able to defeat some of the people coming to seize the Divine Spark and might be in danger, so he made me come along. There's really nothing I can do about the old man."
Looking at Duke Darut's youthful face, Jie Ning honestly still could not get used to associating him with an old man.
"Gru, don't go telling everyone everything..." Noticing Jie Ning's gaze, Duke Darut hurriedly stopped Gru from continuing.
"Grandfather, Jie Ning isn't an outsider. Your nickname, the 'Cautious' Duke, has long since spread—" In the end, Gru stopped under Duke Darut's murderous glare.
Thus, Gru pointed at the Saint Realm experts Jie Ning did not recognize. "Still, it worked out nicely. A few of my friends were interested too."
They exchanged greetings with Jie Ning.
"After that, everyone decided to come watch the show together. So aside from a few fellows who are out training in seclusion, you could say every Saint Realm expert in Duke Darut's Territory has come out this time." Changing the subject, Gru also asked Jie Ning, "Why are you here, Jie Ning? Are you planning to try and seize the Divine Spark too?"
Jie Ning sighed. "I'm not here for the Divine Spark. I was planning to return to Tieling Town, and I happened to run into you while passing through."
"I only just learned that a Divine Spark had appeared nearby."
After catching up for a while, Gru invited Jie Ning, "Want to come join us and watch the excitement?"
However, Jie Ning had already made his decision, so he naturally declined Gru's invitation.
"Forget it. We've been away from Tieling Town for quite some time. We still want to go home first."
Gru did not press the matter. He waved goodbye to Jie Ning. "Then we'll be going first, or we'll miss the excitement."
"Kid, we're leaving." That was Duke Darut.
After saying goodbye to Jie Ning, everyone departed.
Watching Gru and the others leave, Arannis nudged Jie Ning. "Why aren't you going?"
Jie Ning looked at Arannis beside him and shook his head. "That kind of excitement isn't worth watching."
"Besides, compared to something so trivial, I think going home is more important."
"Oh? Impressive. Our Lord Jie Ning actually thinks this is such a trivial matter now." Arannis teased.
"Hmph, hmph, Lannie, you underestimate me." Playing along with Arannis's teasing, Jie Ning said with a proud expression, "Soon, you'll be calling me Lord Jie Ning the god."
"Are you serious this time?" At first, Arannis thought Jie Ning was joking as usual, but she suddenly realized that his tone seemed unusually certain this time. She asked suspiciously.
"Didn't I tell you?" Jie Ning blinked, looking innocent. "When we left the Death Desert, I was already not far from becoming a god."
Arannis rolled her eyes at Jie Ning fiercely. "You're always saying you're not far from becoming a god. How was I supposed to know which time was real?"
Jie Ning could only chuckle at Arannis's complaint. "As long as one comprehends the Laws and Profound Mysteries and reaches a certain level, every Saint Realm expert can say they aren't far from becoming a god. I wasn't wrong."
Jie Ning felt that ever since comprehending the Life Law, his mentality had become increasingly youthful, and he had grown increasingly fond of teasing Arannis.
Arannis immediately bit Jie Ning's arm. "You liar..."
"Hey, hey, hey, this time it's real." Feeling the pressure of her small teeth on his arm, Jie Ning immediately explained for the sake of Arannis's teeth.
"I can become a god whenever I want now."
"I don't believe you. Then why haven't you become a god yet?"
Arannis looked at Jie Ning with suspicion.
Feeling as though he had lost his beloved wife's trust, Jie Ning could only continue, "The law I comprehended for becoming a god this time is the Life Law. I have a premonition that the living beings around me will receive some kind of benefit when the time comes."
"So of course I have to return to Tieling Town before becoming a god."
Arannis first looked suspiciously into Jie Ning's eyes, as though confirming whether he was teasing her again.
Jie Ning's gaze was naturally as sincere as could be.
Then, suddenly, Arannis threw herself into Jie Ning's arms. "Let's go."
"Huh?" Jie Ning did not react for a moment.
Arannis patted Jie Ning's arm. "What are you standing around for? You're about to become a god, so why are we still wandering around outside?"
"Let's hurry and fly back." Arannis was even more excited than Jie Ning himself. Her pretty face was flushed red, and she seemed to be imagining the scene of Jie Ning becoming a god.
Jie Ning had originally wanted to travel back slowly, treating it as the conclusion to their honeymoon.
But clearly, Arannis had no mind for leisurely travel now. Jie Ning could only smile helplessly.
"All right, taking off right away."
Jie Ning picked up Arannis and flew swiftly toward home.
Thus, Tieling Town, which would originally have taken several months to reach, appeared before them after only a few days.
Work stabbed me in the back today. My brain feels like it's about to give out.
I deleted and rewrote things several times while writing tonight, but I couldn't find the right feeling.
I'll try my best and see if I can write another chapter.
Before you continue