Martial Artist Privilege

Chu Ning listened, and his gaze darkened slightly. A cold glint faintly surfaced deep within his pupils.

As Chu Ning listened, his fingers slowly rubbed the edge of the table, his knuckles exerting slightly more force. Beneath his fingertips came the delicate texture of the wood. His gaze darkened slightly, and a cold glint faintly surfaced deep within his pupils.

"The Qingzhou Prefecture Office?" he repeated slowly, his voice low, as if savoring the implications hidden behind those words.

Wind rose outside the window, lifting one corner of the bamboo blind. Sunlight cast mottled shadows across the room, illuminating the faint furrow between his brows.

Qin Henian's eyes flickered as he explained in a deep voice, "The greatest martial authority in Qingzhou Prefecture is Marquis Wu's Estate, but administrative power still rests in the hands of the Qingzhou Prefecture Office. The marquis suppresses the region, so naturally no one dares act rashly, but he cannot openly shelter a murderer."

Chu Ning narrowed his eyes slightly. His tone was slow, yet concealed a sharp edge. "It can be suppressed... but why?"

Qin Henian paused, as if weighing his words. Only after a moment did he say, "It is not merely the marquis's prestige. More importantly, it is the strength Young Master has displayed."

Chu Ning's gaze was as sharp as a blade. "Strength?"

Qin Henian nodded. "In the Great Gan Dynasty, Martial Artist Privilege stands above the law."

Chu Ning's gaze turned cold, his tone calm yet keen. "What about Feng Li? He was a martial artist too, and his rank was higher than mine. According to what you said, if I killed him... I wouldn't have broken the law?"

"Yes." Qin Henian's expression was complicated. "Among the Martial Artist Privileges, there is an unwritten hidden rule: if a low-rank martial artist can kill a high-rank martial artist across realms, they will receive even greater protection. Such a person has greater potential to become a true powerhouse."

Chu Ning's eyes darkened slightly, and he gave a derisive snort. "So they only care about martial artists and the powerful?"

A trace of chill drifted through the courtyard. The tree shadows swayed faintly, casting a shadow between Chu Ning's brows.

"And what about the prefectural city?" Chu Ning asked slowly, his voice unhurried, yet cutting through the disguise like a sharp blade.

"What about the poor people who died of hunger and abuse... They don't care about them?"

Qin Henian took a yellowed case file from his robes and tapped the vermilion notation reading "the third year of Yongchang" with his fingertip. It recorded how three hundred starving refugees had frozen to death outside the city. At the end was stamped in black ink: "Martial artist dispute. Case not accepted."

"Does Young Master know that last month, a charcoal seller was beaten to death in the street by a Wang family martial artist?" His withered finger rubbed over the ink seal. "The prefectural office ruled that he had 'run into a noble and brought about his own destruction.' Even his corpse was fed to wild dogs."

Chu Ning's knuckles tightened until they turned white. Frost on the window lattice spread with his killing intent, blooming across the bluestone floor in spiderweb-like cracks.

Chu Ning let out a cold laugh. His voice was slightly hoarse, carrying a trace of mockery. "So that's how it is... The laws of Qingzhou Prefecture only protect those with identity and status."

His voice was soft, yet it pierced the heart like a blade's edge.

Qin Henian's expression stiffened slightly before he revealed a bitter smile and sighed in a low voice. "What Young Master said... is indeed true. The law is not equal for everyone."

Those words were undoubtedly an admission of everything.

Qin Henian stood bowing before him, his face piled high with a respectful smile.

Yet another thought surfaced in Chu Ning's mind.

Was Marquis Wu's Estate really trying to win him over for such a simple reason?

"Steward Qin." His voice was indifferent, yet carried an irresistible authority. "Your Marquis Wu's Estate has treated me so generously. What is the true reason?"

The smile on Qin Henian's face faded slightly. In the end, he sighed and said, "Young Master, the marquis has already seen that your future will never stop here. Qingzhou is now on the eve of a storm. The marquis is merely making arrangements in advance."

He paused, then said meaningfully, "Perhaps Young Master should also consider the road ahead for yourself."

Chu Ning narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Qin Henian with a faint, unreadable smile. "On the eve of a storm...?"

Qin Henian fell silent for a moment before slowly nodding. "Young Master is meticulous. I imagine you have already sensed it."

He did not ask anything further, but the light in his eyes was deeper than the shadows of the trees.

Chu Ning's gaze was deep. He restrained the sharpness in his earlier words and slowly said, "The marquis has treated me so generously. I should naturally go and offer my thanks."

Qin Henian paused slightly before shaking his head. "Young Master may not know this, but the marquis has guarded the northern frontier against beast tides for many years. He has not returned to Marquis Wu's Estate for ten years."

A flicker moved through Chu Ning's eyes as he pondered inwardly. No wonder Marquis Wu never appeared on the day Xie Mingli returned to the estate. No wonder Marquis Wu's Estate has weakened somewhat in recent years. It is not only because Xie Jinghong went missing, but also because the marquis is trapped in the northern frontier and cannot break away.

Chu Ning let out a soft sigh. "Since that is the case, please convey my thanks to the marquis on my behalf, Steward Qin."

Qin Henian cupped his hands and agreed. "Young Master, rest assured. I will relay your words truthfully."

After that, the room fell silent for a time. The wind outside stirred faintly, brushing against the bamboo blind and raising several delicate rustling sounds. Chu Ning lowered his eyes as if deep in thought, while Qin Henian stood silently.

After a while, Qin Henian seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke. "Oh, right, Young Master. The young lady instructed me that if you emerged from seclusion, you were to go see her at once. The young lady has something to discuss with you."

Chu Ning was slightly taken aback. Then a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips. "Miss Xie?"

Qin Henian nodded solemnly. "Precisely."

Chu Ning's eyes lowered slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "That is true. I should indeed go and thank Miss Xie."

His tone was even, yet his expression was impossible to read.

Seeing this, Qin Henian said nothing more. He gave a slight bow, then led Chu Ning toward the inner courtyard.

Chu Ning stood before Xie Mingli's courtyard as a gentle breeze brushed past, setting the bamboo leaves rustling.

Night descended. Dim lantern light filled the courtyard, casting her figure in a hazy, elegant glow.

"You're here."

Xie Mingli stood beneath the corridor in a white robe, her features as lovely as a painting, a faint smile hidden in her eyes.

"Miss Xie, did you ask me here for something?" Chu Ning asked, cupping his hands.

Xie Mingli raised her brows slightly and looked at him with a half-smile. "'Miss Xie'? That doesn't sound like the way you addressed me when you deliberately angered Feng Li that day."

Chu Ning froze, then gave a sheepish laugh and scratched his head. "He was too rude. I only wanted to teach him a lesson. I didn't expect him to be so narrow-minded."

Xie Mingli smiled faintly and said no more. She turned and walked into the room.

Chu Ning followed. After they took their seats, she personally poured him a cup of tea. As the fragrance curled through the air, her gaze flickered slightly. "Are you planning to sign up for the Azure Cloud Arena?"

Chu Ning lifted the teacup and took a light sip. His gaze was deep and resolute. "That's right. I am determined to obtain the Nine Heavens Thunder Canon."

Xie Mingli sighed softly, her tone somewhat grave. "The competition in the Azure Cloud Arena is more complicated than you imagine. Every faction has long been making secret arrangements. The Wang family, the Cold Mountain Sect, the Heavenly Thunder Sect, the Li Fire Palace... None of these sects or aristocratic clans will allow someone unaffiliated with any sect to lay hands on the championship."

The corners of Chu Ning's lips rose slightly, a sharp glint showing in his eyes. "I know."

Xie Mingli pushed open the carved wooden window. A cold wind swept the Azure Cloud Arena's registration list across the desk. As the pages fluttered, Chu Ning caught sight of the names "Wang Qianjue" and "Saint Son of the Li Fire Palace," circled in cinnabar, the winding ink resembling blood.

"Ten years ago, a martial artist won twelve matches in a row." She lightly tapped the final page. A damaged portrait was pasted there, with only half of a charred sword tassel remaining. "On the eve of the finals, someone poisoned his food with Crimson Scorpion Powder. The next day, on the arena, his opponent tore him in two with his bare hands."

The candlelight flickered between bright and dim, illuminating half her profile like an asura and the other half like an immortal.

Xie Mingli stared at him. After a moment of silence, she asked softly, "You refused to join Marquis Wu's Estate because you don't want to associate with the 'powerful and privileged'?"