The Second Path

The Second Path

That night, Ning Xuan went to sleep as usual.

He had already "shown his old man what made him special." Surely his old man would think twice before picking him up as a chess piece. If, after all that, his old man still wanted him to go to Hanzhou Ranch and marry the Qin Family's illegitimate daughter, then so be it.

His old man controlled the grand scheme of things. Whatever judgment he made, he naturally made with the bigger picture in mind.

Ning Xuan still couldn't see things clearly, but he would cooperate.

He wouldn't arrogantly assume he was right when he knew so little.

That would only put the Ning Family in grave danger.

He slept soundly until dawn.

The scent of a woman still clung to him.

Ning Xuan had just finished breakfast when a servant came to deliver a message. "Young Master, the master wishes to see you."

Ning Xuan answered and went to the study for the third time.

Ning Taiyi stared intently at him, his voice complicated as he said, "Xuan'er, I have to admit that you may be a martial arts prodigy, one the world sees only once in a century. Now, I'm giving you two choices."

Ning Xuan nodded.

Ning Taiyi said, "First, starting today, you can flaunt your strength throughout the surrounding area and build your reputation. That way, when you go to Hanzhou Ranch, you won't be looked down on for being known only as a playboy. By then, perhaps you can rely on your abilities to carve out a place for yourself.

"But it's also fraught with danger. An illegitimate daughter is no legitimate daughter, and she certainly won't be content to remain one. If you're nothing but a playboy, then the Qin Family will have beaten their illegitimate daughter down to rock bottom, leaving her with no hope at all. Misfortune leans on fortune; this way, you can live in peace and prosperity.

"But if you're not—if you do your best to show what you can do—then that illegitimate daughter will surely start plotting. You'll be swept into the whirlpool. Either you see it through to the end, or you die halfway, with nowhere to bury your bones. That's fortune hiding within misfortune. It may look glorious, but danger lurks on every side.

"Still, with such power in your hands, you surely won't be content. If you choose this path, my advice is to show off your martial skills, but not too much. Don't let Qin Jin'er's ambition flare up because of you. That way, you can keep yourself safe and protect the Ning Family."

Ning Xuan shook his head.

He didn't particularly want to get dragged into another family's sordid mess, spending every day scheming against one another, scraping by, and then having to play the miserable lackey.

He wanted to slack off, not turn into a pile of rotten shit.

So he asked, "What about the second path?"

Ning Taiyi fell silent for a moment, then said, "The second path requires you to do something first. Once you've done it, I'll tell you more. Otherwise, you'll take the first path like a good boy."

Ning Xuan nodded. "I'll do it."

Ning Taiyi clapped his hands.

A flash of golden light suddenly appeared on the ground beside him. In the blink of an eye, it faded, revealing a purple-robed Daoist wearing a bronze demon mask.

The Daoist was otherworldly. Standing there, he carried a carefree air of detachment, yet the bronze demon mask lent him a few more shades of menace and terror.

The moment the purple-robed Daoist appeared, he did something unexpected.

He reached up to the mask and casually removed it, revealing a horrifying face.

His flesh was torn and ragged, pitted and scarred, his face ruined beyond recognition.

Yet that very face smiled at Ning Xuan before the Daoist put the mask back on. Then he said, "My name is Ugly Slave. Thanks to Mr. Taiyi, I've made it this far. I'm now a Celestial Master of Wangyue Prefecture and the surrounding nine counties and twenty-eight townships. In private, Young Master may call me Ugly Slave. In front of outsiders, just call me Celestial Master."

Ning Xuan recognized the voice.

It belonged to the man who had called himself "Big Brother" yesterday.

In other words, this was his older brother.

Big Brother had truly suffered.

For a moment, Ning Xuan felt certain his old man favored him.

Ning Taiyi said, "Xuan'er, I won't tell you anything until you've done that task. But I still want you to know that Ugly Slave isn't an outsider. Treat him as you would an elder brother. In private, you mustn't call him Ugly Slave."

The purple-robed Daoist smiled. "Just call me Ugly Slave. I prefer it."

"Big Brother." Ning Xuan bowed with utmost sincerity.

Suddenly, the air fell silent.

For a brief moment, Ning Taiyi froze.

For a brief moment, the purple-robed Daoist's eyes reddened.

But it lasted only an instant.

A moment later, the purple-robed Daoist returned the bow. "As expected of Mr. Taiyi's son. You're just as courteous to men of talent as he is."

Ning Taiyi seemed delighted and laughed heartily. "You're no mere man of talent. You're the greatest cultivation genius I've ever seen in my life."

Then he turned to Ning Xuan with a solemn expression. "Xuan'er, remember: you can always trust Ugly Slave. He won't harm you. In fact, you may not know this, but Ugly Slave watched you grow up. He only ever watched from afar and never came near."

Ning Xuan nodded.

Ning Taiyi waved a hand. "What you have to do is act as Ugly Slave's Daoist Boy.

"Ugly Slave will explain the details.

"Only after you pass will I be able to truly determine whether you can survive after stepping into this world and seeing its true face."

Ning Xuan looked at the purple-robed Daoist.

Ugly Slave said, "Young Master, we still need to make arrangements first. I'll come for you in a month."

Ning Xuan said, "I'll wait."

Ugly Slave's figure blurred. Golden light welled up from the ground, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.

Starting the next day, Ning Xuan doubled his training.

He carried a boulder the size of a small hill on his back and frog-jumped. He balanced a giant rock upside down on the soles of his feet and did one-finger meditation on a cliff. He gripped a python in both hands and shook it back and forth like a battle rope. He wrapped his arms around a small hill and tried to uproot it. He leaped down from a great height and endured the powerful recoil. Of course, he also ran long distances, did push-ups and sit-ups, and practiced the Swallow Return Stance, so his strength wouldn't become rigid and lifeless.

He took a saber and practiced that single move, Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse, over and over.

He racked his brains, trying to uncover a hint of its mystery within the Mountain Crashing Bear's demonic arts, so he could use Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse without summoning the Heavenly Demon Scroll.

Day after day went by.

After grueling training, Ning Xuan's constitution rose from "2.2" to "3.0," while the bonus from the Mountain Crashing Bear Heavenly Demon Record fell to "1.7."

Once he summoned the Heavenly Demon Scroll, his body could now fully withstand the transformation without mutating again.

Not only that, Ning Xuan had truly found a hint of the force behind Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse within the demonic art. That force was profoundly mysterious, rooted in flesh and blood; only someone with an exceptionally clear understanding of the Mountain Crashing Bear could possibly grasp it.

Ning Xuan didn't know what this power was.

But the demonic art was clearly no longer suitable.

Soon, a month had passed.

Ugly Slave arrived right on time.

He tossed Ning Xuan a blue Daoist robe with wide sleeves and a crossed collar, along with a matching bronze demon mask.

"Put these on. Until Mr. Taiyi decides whether you can take the second path, your identity must remain hidden." Ugly Slave thought for a moment, then added, "Starting today, we'll call you Qingfeng for now. Forgive the indignity, Young Master—you'll have to be my Daoist Boy."

Ning Xuan had seen Daoist Boys before.

That day, the Yellow Robe Daoist had floated in midair, eyes closed as he cast his spell and unleashed Golden Snake Entangles Demon.

Two Daoist Boys had guarded him from either side, holding their swords as they anxiously and warily looked around.

Now it was his turn.

Ning Xuan quickly put on the Daoist Boy's clothes and donned the mask.

Ugly Slave asked again, "You use a saber, right?"

Ning Xuan nodded. "I learned the Swallow Chasing Wind Saber from Master Zhang."

Ugly Slave said, "Then a lighter, more agile long saber should do."

Ning Xuan shook his head.

Ugly Slave looked puzzled.

Ning Xuan said, "I use the Beast Slaying Saber. The longer and bigger, the better."