Old Master Ning's Identity

Old Master Ning's Identity

With the Celestial Master nearby, the alchemists who had already arrived around them, and more alchemists streaming in one after another, Ning Xuan naturally would not summon the [Stealing Incense Rat] at such a time and let himself give off a demonic aura.

However, he had still gained something extra.

That was the use of "force."

Ever since comprehending Swallow Cry Force, he had not had the chance to unleash it to his heart's content.

Yet this time, when facing the ten-zhang Bodhisattva Body stolen by the Stealing Incense Rat, he had used this force in almost every slash, employing it at the very edge of life and death. Especially later, when he shattered the Bodhisattva Body, he had seemed utterly possessed.

Nightmares were both talisman cultivation and martial training.

Who else could temper themselves between life and death again and again as he did?

This gave him a deeper understanding of "force."

The bright moon hung overhead. The mountain shadows were black and towering, and from time to time, the howls of beasts deep in the mountains drifted over from afar.

The dancing campfire stretched the shadows of the trees and his own shadow long, so very long.

He closed his eyes and sorted through these insights.

About half an hour later, he suddenly rose to his feet, and the Beast Slaying Saber shot from its sheath.

Buzz~~

The blade tore through the air.

Ning Xuan shook his head, dissatisfied.

What he had comprehended was simple.

It was the fusion of "moves" and "force."

"Moves" were executed through one's posture, movements, and surface strength, while "force" drew upon the writhing of deep muscle and flesh.

When he had struck at the Bodhisattva before, he had first brought down a slash of "Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse," then made his sinews and bones ring. Without moving the blade, he had unleashed a further strike with "Swallow Cry Force."

This meant that although he had clearly slashed only once, once it landed, the ensuing force would surge toward the enemy wave after wave like raging tides.

This was the succession of "moves" and "force."

But if he removed that "succession" and allowed "moves" and "force" to reach the target at the same instant, then it would become "fusion."

At that time, the two powers would erupt simultaneously, neither before nor after the other, each driving the other onward.

Then, he would not be delivering two consecutive slashes, but using two of his own powers to jointly deliver one slash.

"Swallow Cry Force" propelled "Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse," while "Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse" also amplified "Swallow Cry Force."

Ning Xuan kept adjusting. After trying for another half hour, inspiration suddenly struck, and he slashed out.

A hurried, piercing buzz suddenly rang out in the air, sharp to the utmost extreme.

Ning Xuan saw the muscles in his right arm bulge with a bang.

The slash he had delivered froze in midair.

At once, quite a few figures nearby turned their gazes toward him. They stared at Ning Xuan's movement in astonishment, only then realizing that the sound just now had merely been caused by his blade cutting through the air.

But what level did one need to reach to slash out such a hurried, such a piercing buzz?

Ning Xuan rubbed his arm and felt only a slight soreness in his muscles.

He returned the blade to its sheath, then flexed his fingers in the air before relaxing them.

He roughly understood the level of this slash.

This slash was likely the utmost limit that "Constitution 3" could withstand, yet the power it unleashed had already far surpassed "Constitution 3."

If he had comprehended this slash back when he fought the Bodhisattva, then even if he still had not been a match for it, he would not have let it retreat unscathed after he fought for his life.

This slash could at least have left a deep gash on that Bodhisattva's hand.

I'll call this move Yan He.

Ning Xuan gave the move a name, marking a certain point in his martial training, then planted the Beast Slaying Saber beside the campfire.

This was the return point from the previous "nightmare."

Yet now, it was merely the side of an ordinary campfire.

Ning Xuan felt a wave of ease. He stretched out his body and lay down in a comfortable position.

Inside the tent.

Ugly Slave was not sleeping well.

And after hearing Ning Xuan's blade, all traces of drowsiness vanished completely.

It was not because the sound of the blade had been too loud, leaving him unable to fall asleep after being awakened. Although the Celestial Master's constitution was still inferior to that of an ordinary person and sleep was an important part of recovery, he usually placed great importance on rest and self-cultivation. A minor accident would not be enough to disturb his state of mind and keep him awake.

Nor was he shocked by the fierceness of the blade wind.

No—more precisely, compared with the fierce blade wind itself, what began to trouble him was the meaning behind it.

Because the moment he heard that blade wind, he already knew that Ning Xuan had surely passed.

His own younger brother truly was a martial arts prodigy.

If he had been infected with the demon plague, that would have been one thing. Yet there was not the slightest trace of demonic aura on him.

That was extraordinarily rare.

At the very least, he had never seen such a thing before.

And whether Ning Xuan passed this test would completely alter Ning Taiyi's subsequent arrangements, as well as his actions on Manfeng Mountain this time.

Originally, he had intended to wait and see a little longer.

But now, that whistling blade wind had let him see it.

Ugly Slave simply stopped sleeping. He sat up directly, a trace of resolve gradually flashing through his eyes.

He drew a deep breath, actually put on his robes, and headed outside. When he saw Ning Xuan lying there in comfort, he said, "Qingfeng, we're going up the mountain now."

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sky had yet to brighten.

Yet the gates of Ning Manor in Star River County were already being pounded nearly to breaking.

The servant rubbed his sleepy eyes, cursing inwardly as he came to the gate. Before he could even ask who it was, he saw the flickering firelight through the crack in the door.

The flames illuminated grim black-painted armor. Beneath the helmet, a pair of bloodshot eyes stared straight at him.

The servant's heart clenched. Frightened out of his wits, he fell backward onto his backside and scrambled away.

"Open the gate."

The voice outside was cold-blooded.

The servant's heart lurched, his head buzzing as his face turned pale.

A voice came again from outside.

"Open the gate at once."

The servant stood there dumbfounded.

But a sharp-eyed guard in the rear had seen and heard everything. He hurriedly turned and ran into the inner quarters to summon the master.

After taking a moment to recover, the servant finally got to his feet and rushed forward to open the gate.

Outside stood a dense mass of people. Several dozen men in identical black heavy armor blocked the entrance, their terrifying presence crushing the servant so thoroughly that even the words "Who are you?" stuck in his throat.

Fortunately, Old Master Ning arrived in time.

Old Master Ning hurried over, glanced at the several dozen grim black-armored soldiers, then shifted his gaze to the carriage behind them and gave a slight nod.

The black-armored soldiers said nothing more and directly parted to make way.

Old Master Ning walked over in tacit understanding, then boarded the carriage.

Inside the carriage.

A young man dressed like a scholar sat to one side, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

In the seat of honor sat a round-faced man in brocade robes. Smile lines creased his face, yet he looked utterly indifferent at the moment. Clearly, Old Master Ning was not someone worth greeting with a smile—or perhaps Old Master Ning had done something that displeased him greatly.

Ning Taiyi did offer a salute, smiling as he said, "Manager Zhao, what wind has blown you here?"

As he spoke, he turned to the young man and smiled as he revealed his identity. "Top Scholar."

The brocade-robed man called Manager Zhao was the steward of General Qin's residence. He swept Ning Taiyi a glance and said, word by word, "He is no longer the Top Scholar. Next month, he will take your position."

Ning Taiyi smiled. "But that is next month. It is only the beginning of this month."

Manager Zhao said, "I know you have built your foundations here for nearly thirty years. Naturally, you are unwilling to accept it, unwilling to watch your family decline. But wasn't everything afterward already decided? Why did you still have to meddle with Manfeng Mountain?

Better to live poorly than die well. Even if your descendants must endure humiliation, they can still retain wealth and rank. What is there for you to be dissatisfied with?"

Ning Taiyi said, "There are unusual signs on Manfeng Mountain. I sent people to take a look."

Manager Zhao paid no heed to his explanation, his voice gradually turning stern. "What is there to look at? That Manfeng Mountain is proof of your incompetence, and the Dragon Qi on Manfeng Mountain is meant for your successor.

Once the number of missing people is fully exposed, the common folk will surely be thrown into unrest. That will be precisely the opportunity for your successor to win back their hearts. And now you want to snatch it away?! What use is it if you do?"

As he spoke, his eyes rolled slightly. "Or did you think you had found some opportunity and wanted to stir up trouble?"

Ning Taiyi smiled. "Manager, you misunderstand."

Manager Zhao said, "Whether I misunderstand or not, withdraw the Celestial Masters under your command."

Ning Taiyi promptly replied, "All right. I'll call Ugly Slave back."

Manager Zhao's expression eased somewhat.

Ning Taiyi sat upright. Golden light suddenly surged around him, making his entire person appear incomparably majestic.

In a commanding voice, he shouted, "Ugly Slave, come see me."

The five words sank into the earth and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Manager Zhao watched intently. Seeing that Ning Taiyi had not played any tricks, his expression relaxed considerably.

However.

The time it took to burn an incense stick passed.

Half an hour passed.

Yet Ugly Slave, who could burrow through the earth, never appeared.

Ning Taiyi roared again in fury, "Ugly Slave, come see me."

Those five words sank into the ground once more.

An hour passed.

Ugly Slave still did not appear.

Ning Taiyi flew into a towering rage. "Rebellion! Rebellion!!"

Manager Zhao said, "Drop the act. He's already entered the demon region. Only after entering that area would Dragon Qi be unable to reach him. Ning Taiyi, what the hell are you playing at?"

Ning Taiyi said, "I truly was only taking a quick look."

Manager Zhao said, "Let's hope so."

Ning Taiyi glanced at the scholar beside him. "Why is the Top Scholar so impatient? At the slightest rustle of wind or grass, you ran to the Great General's Residence and brought such a grand show of force."

The scholar did not answer. He merely said lightly, "Ugly Slave has yet to arrive. It seems we'll need to wait a while longer. Prefect Ning, shall we play a game of chess?"

Every commoner knew that Wangyue Prefecture's Prefect did not bear the surname Ning.

Yet the scholar had called him Prefect Ning.

And Ning Taiyi did not deny it.

He merely smiled. "I'll oblige."