Xiao Jie had done a good deed.
And Qin Yi'er had once again jolted Ning Xuan awake with a single remark.
Ning Xuan decided to grant Xiao Jie's wish and keep this Tea King well cared for in his own inner quarters. That way, he could consider it an arrangement for a great general to guard the rear.
And so, he took a concubine.
Xiao Jie became his concubine.
After becoming his concubine, Xiao Jie never spoke of going far away again. She held Ning Xuan's face in her hands, gazed at him tenderly, and then asked, "A concubine in a wealthy household sometimes has to entertain guests. When a guest is staying over and can't bear to sleep alone, the concubine has to warm his bed and share his pillow, delighting in each other's company. Would my lord send me off to do that?"
Ning Xuan pondered for a long while before murmuring, "That'll cost extra."
Xiao Jie bit her lip, her eyes glistening, and nudged his chest with a dainty foot. "You're so mean. You only know how to bully me. I was going to play a new game with my lord, but you've truly hurt my feelings."
Ning Xuan looked at her.
Among flowers, there was always a queen, a single branch that outshone all the rest.
Ning Xuan had never taken that saying seriously.
But lately, he had become a general, with no one able to boss him around. He had moved across from Chenxiang Pavilion, giving him the advantage of living right by the water. He had truly spent a long, long time indulging himself, rolling among the flowers, and only then had he realized the saying was absolutely true.
Simply put, the pleasure Xiao Jie could give a man all by herself surpassed that of every courtesan in Chenxiang Pavilion combined.
It was like climbing a hundred little mounds, only to find they couldn't compare to scaling a distant mountain in the full bloom of spring, with flowers in every shade and fragrance in the air.
She always had a surprise in store for him.
She always kept herself fragrant, making the little beauty in his arms truly worthy of the name "soft jade and warm fragrance."
When she slept in his arms, she was always like a light, graceful dove returning to its nest. Not only did she put no pressure on him at all, she even made his masculine pride swell.
Now, hearing her mention it, Ning Xuan asked curiously, "What was it?"
Xiao Jie didn't answer.
She was angry.
You could see her anger from head to toe.
Her eyes were angry, her slender waist was angry, and even her full, glistening toes curled up in anger.
But he knew her anger was only meant to tempt him, to give him even greater pleasure.
So he simply couldn't bring himself to be angry with her.
Ning Xuan began to coax her.
After coaxing her for a while, Xiao Jie finally cheered up.
She hopped off the bed, took a length of silk ribbon from the sandalwood stand, and tossed it lightly toward the crossbeam. Once it had passed over, she rose onto her toes and, as if by magic, tied herself up.
She swayed in the breeze like a pitiful little flower, delicate and moving, radiating charm.
Looking at Xiao Jie like that, Ning Xuan laughed. "I give up. You're too much."
He walked over and circled around behind her.
He looked at her petite, delicate body and approached without a moment's hesitation.
Xiao Jie had a story of her own.
Her earlier behavior might have been one thing, but the methods she used to drive Qin Yi'er out in this latest battle for the harem were hardly those of an ordinary woman. And the way she had tossed the ribbon just now was quite unusual.
The ribbon was extremely light. Even a man would have to try many times to toss it over a beam in one go, let alone a woman. Yet Xiao Jie had done it on her first try, and there was an indescribable elegance to her movements.
Ning Xuan had plenty of patience.
He would patiently wait for his concubine to tell him her story.
After Xiao Jie "got promoted," she certainly made a point of "starting with three blazing fires."
Ning Xuan's life also began to change. He stopped going to Chenxiang Pavilion across the street.
Xiao Jie was more fun than all of Chenxiang Pavilion put together, and he never tired of her. She really was a rare little demoness.
He liked little demonesses.
He no longer had any interest in those who couldn't measure up to one.
It was like how, once he could easily run faster than a horse, he stopped enjoying riding them; once he could easily hunt fierce beasts in the mountains, he stopped enjoying falconry and hunting dogs. And as for cockfighting, what was the point?
It was the same principle.
Thus, Ning Xuan began to feel that "Wangyue Prefecture may be vast, but there's nowhere worth having fun." He returned to his simple daily routine.
He went out into the wilderness.
Among a range of towering mountains.
First, he summoned the Heavenly Demon Scroll of the Stealing Incense Rat, raising his spirit to "5.5." Only then did he swallow the "Stealing Incense Rat pill," refined by Immortal Aunt Yaozhen using "the Dragon Fire of an entire prefecture."
Half a day later, he had fully digested the pill.
How did he know it was digested?
Because after he dismissed the Heavenly Demon Scroll, his spirit had gone from "1" to "5."
The method of "using the stronger to drive the weaker forward" evidently worked quite well for "taking pills," too.
After that, he directly summoned Master Baiyue's Heavenly Demon Scroll and began to train.
Long-distance running, weighted exercise, push-ups, sit-ups...
Ning Xuan trained hard every day.
When dusk fell, he would head back.
Every time, Xiao Jie would prepare a soothing medicinal bath for him.
It not only washed away his sweat but also soothed his muscles, improved his circulation, and eased his mood.
Quite a few beautiful young women would help him bathe, some from Chenxiang Pavilion and some from who knew where.
Xiao Jie had arranged it all.
She was always proving her worth, making sure Ning Xuan understood that with her alone, he had as good as gained countless women.
In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed.
The cicadas shrilled like a sudden downpour, growing more and more grating.
Today, Ning Xuan didn't go out.
He had reached the point where there was nothing left to train.
He had digested every bit of power his body could absorb.
Now he was lounging lazily in a wicker chair, while Xiao Jie sat in the one across from him, her pale thighs exposed.
The wicker chairs rocked back and forth, while two maids stood behind the general and "Lady Jie," fanning them.
Though Xiao Jie was a concubine, everyone in the household called her "Lady Jie," because practically nothing in the estate had been arranged without her. Even the estate itself had been bought by her.
The creaking rocking chairs, the steady strokes of the round fans, the cicadas, and the maids' breathing composed a drowsy scene in the afternoon.
Sunlight filtered through gaps in the lush green leaves, its dappled patches swaying across Ning Xuan.
Ning Xuan suddenly thought of Immortal Aunt Yaozhen. It seemed he hadn't seen her for a while, not since the day she gave him the Demon Core and shared the secret decree. His lips moved, and he asked through the Whisper Chain, "Where have you been busy?"
There was no answer.
After a long while, an irritated reply finally came from the other end.
"Obviously, I went as a reinforcement to guard the outskirts of Hell of Cold Ice and suppress the demons!"
Ning Xuan wasn't surprised.
After all this time, he had come to understand Immortal Aunt Yaozhen quite well.
Though Immortal Aunt Yaozhen was his partner, her identity as the Son of Heaven's Emissary actually took precedence over that of his "partner." The Dragon Qi she needed for cultivation was also directly provided by the Son of Heaven, so naturally, she was utterly loyal to him.
Still, Ning Xuan found it rather amusing.
At their first meeting, Immortal Aunt Yaozhen had seemed like a cold, aloof immortal maiden, but now she seemed more like a punching bag, always fuming. Even now, her words carried resentment, as though she were blaming him for having the nerve to hide away in Wangyue Prefecture without lifting a finger.
Ning Xuan grabbed the iced sour plum drink on the table, took a big gulp, and then yawned contentedly.
So what if he stayed cooped up in Wangyue Prefecture and refused to risk his life?
He casually glanced at his status panel:
[ Ning Xuan ]
[ Vitality (Constitution): 10 ]
[ Essence (Spirit): 5 ]
Everything had already reached the peak he could attain for now.
As for why Master Baiyue's White Mountain Bear demon had been looking for a weapon, he understood that now, too.
The reason was simple.
Once his constitution reached 10, he felt an indescribable "clumsiness."
It wasn't that he was slower than ordinary people or had slower reflexes.
Quite the opposite: in the eyes of ordinary people, his speed and reflexes were already godlike.
But that still wasn't nearly enough—not for a body with "Constitution 10."
It was like a child suddenly gaining the body of a strongman. He could swing his fists around all he wanted, but he still couldn't unleash his full strength. So, a weapon was absolutely essential.
"All else being equal, the longer the weapon, the stronger the reach" suddenly applied again.
Of course, a weapon suited to a powerhouse with "Constitution 10" couldn't be an ordinary one. Ning Xuan's flying dagger, for instance, could at the very least streak across the sky like a sword controlled by telekinesis.
But Ning Xuan felt that even with a weapon to make up for it, the "clumsiness" itself hadn't actually been resolved. It was like a fat shut-in who couldn't put his strength to use. So, he chose to carry two pistols.
"Have Liu Shirong come see me."
Ning Xuan gave the order.
Ever since he had been dragged into one affair after another, his old drinking buddy had gone off to trade for the first time in his life. Now that Ning Xuan had settled into his position, it was time for that old friend to return.
Several days later.
To Ning Xuan's great surprise, it wasn't Liu Shirong who showed up, but a group of unwelcome guests.
They gave off the rough aura of men of the martial world, yet also carried a strange air of arrogance.
At their head was a young man dressed in a traditional martial artist's outfit. A piece of green jade hung at his waist, smooth and lustrous as solid ice. As it swayed, a curious sheen flowed across it, calming the mind of anyone who looked upon it. It was clearly no ordinary treasure.
Though the young man was proud, he wasn't arrogant. Following proper etiquette, he introduced himself as a disciple of the hidden Qiao family and said he had an important matter to discuss with General Anyuan.
Ning Xuan received the Qiao family disciple.
In the reception hall,
Ning Xuan sat upright in the central seat. It was his first time receiving a guest in such formal fashion.
Behind the young Qiao family disciple stood four burly men. All four wore animal hides and stood with their hands behind their backs, chests thrust out. Their eyes were calm, yet held a trace of madness.
Ning Xuan could tell at a glance that the four were Demon-Plague Warriors.
The young man could have four Demon-Plague Warriors as servants, willing to stand behind him. Ning Xuan immediately took an interest.
After all, he had been thinking of exploring the world beyond his own.
A hidden family suddenly showing up at his door was, of course, a fine opportunity.
The Qiao family disciple saw the "interest" in Ning Xuan's eyes. He smiled faintly and said, "The Qiao family is not well known and has long kept to the mountains and wilderness. Perhaps you've never heard of us. However, my Qiao family has existed longer than Wangyue Prefecture.
"Wangyue Prefecture only received its name sixty years ago, when the late emperor redrew the boundaries of the prefectures and provinces. My Qiao family already existed then. As it happens, our lands aren't far apart, so you could say we're neighbors."
Ning Xuan narrowed his eyes at him, then moved his lips and asked through the Whisper Chain, "Have you ever heard of the Qiao family near Wangyue Prefecture?"
Immortal Aunt Yaozhen replied soon after.
"Never heard of them. Things are a bit dangerous where I am, so your sudden voice gave me quite a scare."
Ning Xuan asked, surprised, "Really never heard of them?"
Immortal Aunt Yaozhen thought for a moment and said, "They may be an insignificant family in the martial world, scattered among the common folk. Nothing unusual about that."
The Qiao family disciple clearly hadn't noticed anything unusual about the "whispering."
He rose with elegant poise. Seeing him stand, the four Demon-Plague Warriors straightened up even more.
The Qiao family disciple said, "Roll on the ground."
The four Demon-Plague Warriors hesitated.
The Qiao family disciple suddenly grabbed the green jade at his waist. Holding it in his hand, he flicked it with a finger.
A clear, crisp chime rang out.
The four Demon-Plague Warriors stopped hesitating. One by one, the four burly men stepped forward, rolled on the ground without the slightest concern for their dignity, then stood up and returned to their place behind the Qiao family disciple.
The Qiao family disciple smiled and said, "I've heard that although the general is brave, he has no useful soldiers at his command. Consider these four servants of mine a gift. We can have more dealings in the future."
Ning Xuan said, "I don't accept gifts without doing something in return. What do you want?"
"Nothing much," the Qiao family disciple said. "You have a concubine named Xiao Jie. Just hand her over to us.
"As it happens, this woman has ulterior motives and has been deceiving you all along."
Ning Xuan said, "Oh?"
The Qiao family disciple said, "Her real name is Bai Yufei. She's a cunning female bandit, notorious in the martial world and hunted by our families.
"I imagine you wouldn't want a crafty female bandit like that around, so why not do us a favor and hand her over for us to deal with?"
Ning Xuan asked, "Who told you Xiao Jie was the 'female bandit' Bai Yufei?"
"A Lady Jie in a general's residence is certainly worth looking into," the Qiao family disciple said.
Ning Xuan didn't believe that bullshit, of course.
He closed his eyes and tapped the armrest with a finger.
A name quickly sprang into his mind: Qin Yi'er.
Xiao Jie had been fine for years. The only person she could have offended recently, and the only one capable of digging up her past, was Qin Yi'er, the Third Miss of the Great General Qin's household.
After a few thoughts passed through his mind, Ning Xuan opened his eyes.
The Qiao family disciple smiled politely. "General, this woman appears kind, but she's actually cunning. Keeping her by your side is like a farmer warming a snake in his bosom—you never know when she'll bite back. You haven't lost anything important in your household, have you?"
His polite smile carried the deep-seated arrogance of someone certain of his own strength.
He was using impeccable manners to press Ning Xuan relentlessly.
He had clearly learned a few things about this general from certain channels.
A warrior of no rank, timid and fearful, who had even asked for an entire prefecture to be cut off to avoid the demons.
Ning Xuan said, "Then I should thank you."
The Qiao family disciple replied, "There's no need. We've all suffered at her hands, and a near neighbor is dearer than a distant relative."
He put extra emphasis on the words "near neighbor."
Ning Xuan said, "She's still my concubine, and she's done a lot for me. If you want to take someone, you should at least try your hand first, shouldn't you?"
The Qiao family disciple's brows creased slightly. "General, didn't I tell you? This woman is... cunning."
He put even more emphasis on the word "sly."
Ning Xuan smiled and ignored the nonsense.
The Qiao Family disciple stood with his hands behind his back, matching Ning Xuan's hostility blow for blow.
Ning Xuan said politely, "I can't just let you take someone from my General's Manor for no reason. No matter the circumstances, that's impossible. Let's test your strength instead. Did you bring anyone today?"
The Qiao Family disciple glanced at the four Demon-Plague Warriors behind him. "I brought four. Is that enough?"
"Let's find out," Ning Xuan said.
With that, he leaned back slightly and looked down at the four Demon-Plague Warriors. His aura locked onto them as he began tapping the armrest with his fingers.
Tap. Tap-tap.
With each tap, a layer of his restrained blood energy spread outward.
When its pressure reached the standard of "physique 2.5," the four Demon-Plague Warriors tensed all over, their faces stiffening. Like wolves that had spotted a tiger, their eyes held a frantic look of bluff and bluster, all bark and no bite.
When his blood energy expanded to the standard of "physique 3.5," the four could no longer withstand the pressure. Their backs hunched, their heads bowed, and they nervously avoided his gaze.
Ning Xuan had a rough idea: the four Demon-Plague Warriors' "physique" was probably below 2.
Even after being infected with demonic power, they still couldn't reach 2. They really were useless.
He withdrew his aura, glanced at the Qiao Family disciple, and smiled. "Young Master Qiao, it seems that isn't quite enough."
The Qiao Family disciple paused, then saluted. "I am Qiao Ying. It seems the rumors about you aren't true after all, General."
"Rumors stop at the wise," Ning Xuan said. "Young Master Qiao, would you like to try again?"
Qiao Ying considered it. "I'll come pay you another visit in a few days, General."
With that, he stood and took hold of the green jade pendant. He hesitated briefly, but still placed it on the table before saying, "Since I said it was a gift to mark our first meeting, then it's a gift to mark our first meeting."
Ning Xuan rose. "You've come a long way, and you're a neighbor besides. Stay and have a drink."
Qiao Ying sighed. "You don't trust me, General. There'd be no point in drinking together. I'll come visit another day."
Then he, too, saluted.
Ning Xuan gestured toward the exit. "Please."
Qiao Ying withdrew.
After he had left, Ning Xuan glanced at the four Demon-Plague Warriors and said, "Come with me."
The four hurried after him.
Once they reached a secluded spot in the rear courtyard of the General's Manor, Ning Xuan suddenly flicked the green jade pendant with a finger and asked, "Why did Qiao Ying really come here?"
One of the Demon-Plague Warriors said, "For the female thief Bai Yufei. She stole a lot in the past and offended plenty of people."
"Oh."
Ning Xuan nodded, then pointed at him. "Kill yourself."
The Demon-Plague Warrior froze.
Ning Xuan flicked the green jade pendant.
Though the Demon-Plague Warrior still looked conflicted, he reacted at once, clenching his fist and slamming it toward his heart.
Clearly, this green jade pendant could completely control him.
But in Ning Xuan's eyes, the punch only looked fierce. In truth, it wouldn't kill him—at most, it would injure him.
Smack.
Ning Xuan caught his hand.
The Demon-Plague Warrior let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Master."
"Don't mention it," Ning Xuan said. He looked over the other three. "You all, kill yourselves."
Then, to everyone's surprise, he made another move. He didn't even wait for the four to speak before quickly flicking the green jade pendant.
The four stood frozen on the spot.
Ning Xuan had flicked it too quickly for them to react.
They didn't respond, but Ning Xuan did.
He released his aura without pushing it to its limit, letting it rise casually to around six or seven. The four immediately dropped to their knees with a thud.
"Tell the truth," Ning Xuan said.
One of the Demon-Plague Warriors hurriedly pleaded, "Spare us, General! Young Master Qiao offered us benefits, so we agreed to enter the General's Manor as his moles."
Ning Xuan continued to intensify his aura.
The stench of urine began to fill the air, and all four Demon-Plague Warriors had wet their trousers.
At once, all four confessed.
The truth was simple: there was no Qiao Family at all. Qiao Ying was merely an assumed name. He was actually Ma Yingxiao, the young master of Flying Eagle Tower, an organization in the martial world. He had put on a show of strength he didn't possess, and he had indeed done it for Xiao Jie.
Xiao Jie really was the "female thief" Bai Yufei, but they didn't know what Bai Yufei had stolen—or whether she had stolen anything at all.
Flying Eagle Tower was an underground power in the martial world. Its main base wasn't in Wangyue Prefecture, but out in the surrounding wilderness, on unclaimed land. In that sense, calling them a "hidden lineage" might be overstating things, but they did count as a "hidden family."
The four served as Attendants to Flying Eagle Tower because it possessed a method that could "suppress the inner demons of Demon-Plague Warriors." They had come here to act as moles.
Afterward, Ma Yingxiao would lay a trap elsewhere to lure Ning Xuan out, while the four took the opportunity to abduct Xiao Jie.
Ma Yingxiao had originally told them that "Ning Xuan's strength is below the ranks; even if he's stronger than you, he can't be much stronger." That was why they'd agreed to come.
In the face of an overwhelming powerhouse, the weak couldn't hide a thing.
Ning Xuan quickly learned everything.
Then he separated the four and questioned each one in turn, checking minor details against one another. When he felt there was nothing left to ask, he casually pointed a finger.
In the eyes of the four Demon-Plague Warriors, his fingers, which he thought clumsy, moved as fast as lightning.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Four corpses fell to the ground.
Golden light surged across the ground, revealing a masked figure.
"Big Brother, give me a hand."
As he spoke, Ning Xuan went to fetch the iron shovel from the corner so he could bury the bodies.
Ugly Slave shuddered. "Why should the General have to do this himself? I'll take care of the four bodies. I guarantee no one will know they're dead."
"So the young master of Flying Eagle Tower really is bold," Ning Xuan said.
"I heard everything," Ugly Slave replied.
"The General needn't lift a finger. On this little patch of land in Wangyue Prefecture, he won't get away."
After a moment's thought, he added in a low voice, "General, Qin Yi'er hasn't been gone long, and someone has already dug into Lady Jie's background. It's hard to believe no one from Great General Qin's manor is secretly stirring up trouble."
"I guessed as much." Ning Xuan smiled. "More than that, I'm curious what Xiao Jie has that makes people unable to forget her.
"She's been with me for almost three years. And now, after all this time, some ordinary power learns that she's in my manor, learns she's Lady Jie, and still dares to risk setting up a scheme.
"Is my Ning Family really so weak that every Tom, Dick, and Harry dares to come knocking and provoke us?"
"Ask the Madam about this yourself, General. I'll take people to deal with Flying Eagle Tower," Ugly Slave said coldly.
His tone was calm, but there was an unmistakable ruthlessness in it. Clearly, he had dealt with this sort of thing plenty of times.
Ning Xuan nodded. "Be careful."
At that moment, he felt a little resentment toward the emperor.
Why write down that his strength was "below the ranks"?
Wouldn't writing "first rank" have been better?
Hiding too much only invited trouble.
Before you continue