Jingjing

Night had fallen over Qingyang City. The streets were dimly lit, with few pedestrians, yet beneath the surface, an unusual current was surging.

At the corners of the streets and alleys, a squad of Wang Family martial artists dressed in black carried lanterns and weapons as they went door to door, conducting searches.

Their faces were grim, their gazes sweeping over the surrounding pedestrians like hawks, searching for the killer responsible for the hunting squad's annihilation.

"Damn it! There's still no trace of the killer?" the leading martial artist growled angrily, his face filled with anxiety and unease.

"The killer's aura seemed to vanish the moment he reached the county town. Strange, truly strange," another man said in a deep voice.

"Keep searching! It's impossible for him to disappear without a sound." The black-clad martial artist snorted and continued searching ahead with his men.

Chu Ning wore a gray robe and blended into the crowd. His steps were steady, and his eyes were calm.

Although Wang Family martial artists conducted checks along the way, he possessed the dual identities of an enforcer from Thunderclap Martial Hall and a constable from the county yamen. Though those men eyed him grimly, they could only watch helplessly as he left, not daring to stop him.

However, Chu Ning knew that although the Wang Family had not acted against him, suspicion was already churning beneath the surface.

I must completely erase every suspicious trace.

At that moment, the air was suffused with a faint smell of blood, along with a trace of sulfur that seemed to be there and yet not there.

These were all traces left by the earlier battle. If the Wang Family noticed them, they would inevitably grow suspicious.

Chu Ning drew a deep breath, and his thoughts stirred slightly. His palm grew faintly warm. The Void Spirit Bell instantly released an invisible ripple that spread outward like gentle waves upon water.

In an instant, the aura around Chu Ning abruptly contracted.

The bloody scent clinging to him seemed to be washed clean at that moment, vanishing without a trace. Even the trace of sulfur in the air seemed to have been sealed away in another space.

Chu Ning lowered his head and looked at the Void Spirit Bell in his hand, which shimmered with a faint, cold light. He marveled inwardly.

This thing... truly does more than conceal cultivation.

Not only could it conceal his aura, it could even clear away the traces left by battle. Even the faint, nearly imperceptible killing intent about him seemed to have been completely covered.

What a treasure.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly as he headed toward the martial hall.

In the distance, the Wang Family patrol suddenly stopped. One of them frowned and sniffed the air.

"Strange. I could've sworn I smelled blood just now... How did it suddenly disappear?"

"Was it just an illusion?"

"Perhaps. Keep searching!"

Chu Ning walked past them with an unchanged expression.

The Wang Family martial artists noticed nothing amiss. They could only watch helplessly as he left.

Chu Ning let out a cold laugh inwardly.

The Wang Family probably never imagined that I'm right beneath their noses.

A short while later, he passed through the crowd and arrived at Thunderclap Martial Hall without incident.

The inside of Thunderclap Martial Hall was brightly lit.

The disciples were training at night, their shouts booming like thunder. The wind from their synchronized punches and kicks surged through the courtyard like rolling muffled thunder. From afar, every disciple seemed to carry thunderous force, their feet stamping the ground and shaking the entire martial hall with a majestic aura.

Chu Ning pushed open the heavy gate and walked toward the rear courtyard.

In the courtyard, a sturdy figure sat before a stone table. Draped in a loose gray robe, he held a wine pot in one hand and slowly poured a cup of clear liquor. The fragrance of wine spread through the night breeze.

Lei Wanjun looked up at Chu Ning, his gaze deep and carrying a hint of inquiry.

"What have you learned from Li Jing'an recently?" he asked casually. Though his tone was relaxed, his gaze seemed capable of seeing straight into people's hearts.

Chu Ning sat down across from him, picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, and gently swirled it. "Some simple methods of controlling force, as well as techniques for concealing my aura."

Lei Wanjun raised his brows slightly, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes. "Concealing your aura? How is it that I can't sense your cultivation now?"

Chu Ning chuckled. "Li Jing'an taught me a technique for concealing my cultivation. It draws my true qi inward and restrains my aura so that nothing shows outwardly."

Lei Wanjun fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. He promptly changed the subject, his voice lowering. "The Wang Family is making such a huge commotion outside. What happened?"

Chu Ning casually swirled his wine cup. "The Wang Family's hunting squad went to Black Wind Forest to hunt the Azure-Eyed Snow Fox. They were wiped out to the last man."

Lei Wanjun suddenly froze, his gaze turning razor-sharp. "Wiped out? What about Wang Li, the Wang Family's direct descendant?"

"He died too." Chu Ning's tone remained calm, as if he were merely stating something utterly unimportant.

Lei Wanjun's expression instantly became complicated. First came shock, and then, surprisingly, a flush of wild joy.

He slammed his palm onto the table and burst into loud laughter, his eyes filled with the exhilarating satisfaction of revenge.

"Good! The Wang Family has finally gotten its comeuppance! They harmed my loved ones, and now they've finally tasted the pain of losing their own!"

But just as he was immersed in that satisfaction, his expression shifted slightly, as though he had realized something.

He looked deeply at Chu Ning and slowly said, "How could you know so many details? Could it be... that this has something to do with you?"

Chu Ning nodded lightly and answered calmly, "I killed them."

Lei Wanjun's pupils contracted slightly. He stared at Chu Ning in silence for a long time.

A moment later, he suddenly threw back his head and laughed, his voice reverberating throughout the entire courtyard.

"Good! Good! Good! Chu Ning, you've made me happier than I can say!"

When his laughter faded, his eyes shone with deep admiration. He looked solemnly at Chu Ning and said, "For this alone, from now on, you are the next hall master of Thunderclap Martial Hall!"

Chu Ning waved his hand. "Hall Master, I'm still young. It would be difficult for me to win everyone's respect."

Lei Wanjun was taken aback, then laughed heartily and nodded. "That's true, that's true. Making you hall master so abruptly would indeed be too hasty."

Lei Wanjun raised his wine cup, his gaze suddenly growing deep. "Chu Ning, if you take first place at the Azure Cloud Arena, I'll betroth Jingjing to you."

Chu Ning's fingertips trembled, and the wine nearly spilled. Suddenly, he saw the image of his elder sister curled up in the corner of a thatched hut—the harsh winter of that year, when debt collectors had kicked over the brazier and his mother's bloodied hand had clutched his clothing with all its might.

"Hall Master." His throat tightened. "Someone like me isn't worthy of discussing marriage."

Lei Wanjun slammed the table, sending the wine cup leaping three inches into the air. "Do you take me for a hidebound old fool? When Jingjing was thirteen, the Wang Family plotted against her, and she nearly died. If you can sever this man-eating world for her—" He suddenly stopped, tipped back his head, and drained the remaining wine. "Forget it. As for the arena, you can decide for yourself."

Chu Ning frowned slightly and thought inwardly, Even someone as powerful as the hall master, with the martial hall's forces behind him, still can't guarantee his family's safety completely... I must grow stronger as quickly as possible!

Lei Wanjun suddenly laughed. "You already agreed to represent Thunderclap Martial Hall at the Azure Cloud Arena. Don't tell me you'll go back on your word just because I want to marry my daughter to you."

Chu Ning looked somewhat awkward and hurriedly waved his hands. "I won't, I won't."

Lei Wanjun laughed heartily, his gaze carrying a trace of deeper meaning. "Don't worry. Jingjing's beauty and talent are absolutely a match for you."

Chu Ning could only accept. "Thank you for your kind intentions, Hall Master."

"The prize for the Azure Cloud Arena is a fragment of the Nine Heavens Thunder Canon." Lei Wanjun ran his fingers over the repaired Thunderclap Saber. "Do you know why the Thunder Saber Sect was destroyed back then? It was because someone believed that—" He abruptly shattered the teacup with a slash of his hand. "Whoever gathers all three volumes of the Thunder Canon can summon a heavenly tribulation to exterminate immortals!"

Lei Wanjun's tone shifted, and his expression grew solemn. "The Azure Cloud Arena is about to begin. You should prepare to depart for the prefectural city."

Chu Ning raised his wine cup and slowly drank, his gaze flickering faintly.

He had heard the hall master mention the Azure Cloud Arena long ago. It was a martial contest that gathered prodigies from every side. The victor would not only receive generous rewards but also rise to fame in a single battle, making his name known throughout the prefectural city.

Lei Wanjun's expression tightened slightly. "This arena is very different from those of previous years. Though past events were already packed with powerful fighters, this time, the strongest disciples of the major sects will also attend. Some of the top sects in the prefectural city have even sent their core disciples here."

Chu Ning set down his wine cup. "Sects from the prefectural city?"

Lei Wanjun said in a deep voice, "That's right. The prefectural city's Heaven Thunder Sect, Cold Mountain Sect, and even people from Marquis Wu's Estate will be present."

Chu Ning's heart trembled slightly. Marquis Wu's Estate was a martial clan that wielded true power, and none of its descendants were ordinary.

Lei Wanjun continued, "If you can make a name for yourself in a single battle at the arena, you'll not only bring honor to the martial hall but also gain additional cultivation resources. At the same time, being too prominent will attract quite a few enemies."

Chu Ning smiled. "Perfect. I want to see exactly what level I'm at now."

Lei Wanjun revealed a trace of satisfaction upon hearing this, then glanced at him again. "However... have you made proper arrangements at home before leaving?"

Chu Ning frowned slightly and slowly said, "My elder sister is still at home. I'm indeed a little worried."

Lei Wanjun laughed freely and waved his hand. "What's so difficult about that? Bring her to live at the martial hall. As long as she's here, even the Wang Family won't dare cause trouble lightly."

A flicker of gratitude crossed Chu Ning's eyes. He rose and cupped his fists. "Thank you, Hall Master."

Lei Wanjun raised his wine cup and lightly clinked it against Chu Ning's. The liquor rippled faintly, like the stillness before thunder descended.