See how I am now?

Chapter 17: 17. See how I am now?

Ning Xuan slowed his steps, slowly stopping before a row of white walls. He stood ramrod straight, tilting his head back slightly, his eyes flickering with complex emotions.

The voices from the study in the distance gradually quieted. The two people inside were clearly conversing in a more subtle, more hidden manner.

However, even mere fragments were enough for Ning Xuan to glimpse the tip of the iceberg of the truth.

This was a truth about his family.

This world was clearly not, as he and the vast majority of people perceived, a world of just low-level martial arts and Jianghu.

The imperial court of this world possessed a very mysterious power. This could be subtly inferred from terms like "Great General Qin Shanjun," "Dragon Qi," and "Celestial Master realm."

And his father's true identity was, more likely than not, a member of this mysterious court.

He didn't know what his father did before the age of thirty-five, but he knew that his father already had a descendant at that time, a descendant he hoped would inherit his mantle. This person was the one who "called himself brother."

But that mysterious court seemingly did not permit his father to do so.

The reason, he could roughly guess.

To prevent the emergence of a "hereditary local emperor."

Ning Xuan could perfectly imagine that with his father's prestige, a single word from him would cause many powers in the surrounding Prefecture Cities to flock to his side. This was even when he was just a pampered, useless fop. If it were someone who had completely inherited his father's mantle, it would truly be a complete "private dominion," which the mysterious court would absolutely not allow.

Therefore, his elder brother could not be exposed.

Therefore, his own birth became logical.

To cover his tracks, his father had a child with his mother.

He was then naturally cultivated into a dissolute fop who indulged in drinking, whoring, and gambling, all to put the mysterious court at ease.

Speaking of which.

He inherited wealth and status from his father, while his brother inherited skills, danger, and a life of hardship.

Now, his father's vitality seemed to be fading. Ning Xuan, no matter how unwilling he was to admit it, could feel that his father didn't have many years left. Within his seemingly refined body, his flesh and blood had already decayed to the point of an octogenarian.

Therefore, a marriage alliance was imperative.

The mysterious court clearly had rules. These rules required the "potential successor" to be completely removed from their original territory, hence the court wanted him to marry.

His father also had his own plans. His father wanted to consider him, his mother, and the entire Ning family. Therefore, he had secured a marriage alliance that, from his father's perspective, was already quite good.

Moving to Hanzhou Ranch and marrying the illegitimate daughter of General Qin was, in essence, not much different from becoming a live-in son-in-law.

But General Qin must be powerful.

His father's thought was: It's a compromise, so be it. Who isn't making compromises? Living safely and prosperously is all that matters.

For a moment, Ning Xuan couldn't tell who his father favored.

Suddenly, his thoughts drifted.

He remembered when he was a child, his father taking him horseback riding, galloping across the ancient plains, admiring all the blooming flowers, and telling him "fairy tales from other worlds" that he'd heard from who knows where. His father carried him on his back, running around, holding his hand, teaching him to fly kites. He never scolded him for mistakes; in short, he doted on him to the extreme.

Ning Xuan could imagine that for his father to reach this point, he must have been a ruthless, decisive, and ambitious person, otherwise, he wouldn't have made this move.

Yet, such a father had given him the best tenderness of his entire life.

In this life, his father was his true father.

Therefore, he should cooperate with his father.

He shouldn't let his father's plan have any variables.

He shouldn't put his entire family in danger due to his own willfulness.

Thus, he could fulfill this lifetime of father-son affection.

"Hanzhou Ranch."

Ning Xuan's mind's eye already conjured an image of a boundless grassland with leisurely white clouds.

He had sent Xiao Jie away to avoid angering his primary wife; he was living under someone else's roof, trying his best to behave, carefully restraining his power, only revealing a little at a time to gain status; his primary wife was an illegitimate daughter and occasionally became the target of frustration at home. He, in turn, needed to be the target of frustration among the targets of frustration, becoming someone who appeared to be a useless wretch on the surface, but was actually growing stronger, all while thinking every day, "One day, one day."

Night fell.

Ning family study.

Old Master Ning was not yet asleep.

The door opened again.

Old Master Ning looked gently at the entering youth, a kind smile on his face, and then said, "I knew you wouldn't be able to sleep and would come to find me for an explanation. I already had the cook prepare wine and food. By the way, have we two ever drunk together?"

"Dad."

Ning Xuan interrupted him.

Ning Taiyi looked at him with interest and smiled, saying, "Do you have a surprise for Dad?"

Ning Xuan nodded.

Ning Taiyi's smile faded. He stood up and said solemnly, "Dad is looking forward to it."

As he said he was looking forward to it, he actually wasn't. He had already guessed what his son was going to do: it was nothing more than restlessness, thinking himself a martial arts prodigy and wanting to refuse the marriage alliance to Hanzhou because of it.

He was extremely tolerant of his son's "immaturity," so he wanted to listen carefully to his son's explanation first, and then slowly persuade him to understand: Warriors in this era are just more flavorful flesh and blood, just cannon fodder on the battlefield of the new era, just trash.

However, to his surprise, Ning Xuan calmly said, "Dad, I know you always plan things thoroughly. This arranged marriage at Hanzhou Ranch was also decided after considering all aspects."

Ning Taiyi was stunned for a moment and said, "My Xuan'er has grown up."

Ning Xuan said, "That's precisely why I don't want any variables in Dad's plan."

Ning Taiyi asked curiously, "What variables?"

Ning Xuan said, "Dad, can you see a person's level by observing their qi and blood?"

Ning Taiyi nodded.

Ning Xuan said, "Then look at me now."

As his voice fell, he no longer concealed the calm qi and blood within his body. Even without using the Heavenly Demon Scroll, he was already a Physique 2.2.

If his qi and blood were just a calm little river before he spoke, after his words fell, that qi and blood immediately boiled and surged, roaring like a tide.

He clenched his fists, his lean muscles like steel cables bulging, his eyes raised like a predatory beast in the midnight forest, his imposing aura fierce like raging smoke, making it difficult to breathe and sending chills down one's spine.

He was truly a monster in human skin.

After his physical body's Physique broke through 2.0, Ning Xuan had vaguely felt that "2.0" was likely the limit for warriors.

Breaking through this limit required external force.

And he had a natural external force—the Heavenly Demon Scroll.

He had already easily broken through the seemingly impossible limit that was incredibly difficult for others.

Ning Taiyi's pupils showed a look of disbelief.

The next moment, he suddenly shouted sternly, "You've contracted the Yao plague?!"

Ning Xuan was stunned, "What Yao plague?"

Ning Taiyi quickly stepped forward and anxiously raised his hand to point at his brow.

The refined old man suddenly shone with golden light.

He closed his eyes, clearly examining Ning Xuan.

After a long while, he withdrew his finger and said in a somewhat bewildered voice, "You... you haven't contracted the Yao plague? Impossible. Without the Yao plague, it's absolutely impossible to reach this level. You... you..."

Ning Xuan honestly replied, "I train hard every day, it's not just talent."

Ning Taiyi said, "How did you train?"

Ning Xuan told him about his daily training.

Ning Taiyi was clearly a bit flustered. He rubbed his forehead and said, "Xuan'er, go rest first. Let Dad sort this out, just let me sort it out."

Addendum: It's summer vacation. Today, I'm traveling with family and children. After a morning train ride, I took a short rest after lunch and have been typing in the hotel ever since. The first chapter is now being released.

Updates might be a bit late these few days, but there will be no less content. I'm explaining the reason in advance. My apologies, my apologies.