Narrow Road for Enemies

These two young men in scarlet brocade robes were both very handsome and stood in front of Ning Xiaochuan. One of the younger ones was smiling as he stared at him; it was Wang Yunchong from the Celestial Elephant Marquis's Mansion.

Wang Yunchong was the same age as Ning Xiaochuan, also sixteen this year.

Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly, staring at Wang Yunchong, and said, "Do I know you?"

"Haha! Sickly Ning, did you die once and now you don't even recognize me, your young master? Then you must still remember Yu Yan, the Silver-Ranked Music Courtesan from the Jade Viewing Pavilion, right?" Wang Yunchong hadn't expected to run into Sickly Ning here and immediately felt that it was truly a narrow road for enemies. This sickly scoundrel was too unlucky! Haha!

Three days ago, at the Jade Viewing Pavilion, Ning Xiaochuan and Wang Yunchong competed for the Silver-Ranked Music Courtesan Yu Yan, which led to a dispute between the two fops. Ning Xiaochuan's constitution was weak, and he was knocked to the ground by a light palm strike from Wang Yunchong, triggering his congenital disease and causing his heart to stop, leading to his death.

At the time, Wang Yunchong was scared half to death. Fortunately, Ning Han from the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion was also present, so a few fops worked together to suppress the matter, claiming that Ning Xiaochuan had died of anger after failing to win the courtesan.

However, no one expected Ning Xiaochuan to come back to life and crawl out of his coffin. This news scared Wang Yunchong so much that he didn't sleep well all night, fearing that Ning Xiaochuan would reveal the matter, which would bring him great misfortune.

Later, news came from Ning Han's side, claiming that the matter had been suppressed and that even if Ning Xiaochuan reported it, it would have no effect. Only then did Wang Yunchong truly feel at ease.

Therefore, when he saw Ning Xiaochuan today, he dared to come forward and greet him, and incidentally wanted to see Ning Xiaochuan's reaction upon seeing him.

Anyway, Wang Yunchong wasn't afraid of him going crazy. He was just a sickly scoundrel; one slap could knock him to the ground. The only worry was using too much force and killing him with one slap.

Ning Xiaochuan seemed to understand something. A name Ning Xiner had mentioned surfaced in his mind: Wang Yunchong. It seemed the previous owner of this body had been angered to death in a pleasure house by that fop.

"You are... Wang Yunchong?" Ning Xiaochuan wanted to confirm the other party's identity.

Seeing that Ning Xiaochuan finally remembered him, Wang Yunchong burst into laughter, "That's right! Sickly Ning, you finally remember me, your young master. Honestly, I have to say, how can a royal marquis's descendant be such a sore loser? It was just a pleasure house woman! And you were directly angered to death! It's one thing to have a weak constitution, but a man's tolerance shouldn't be small!"

Wang Yunchong knew perfectly well that Ning Xiaochuan had been killed by his palm strike, but he deliberately said this to mock him, wanting to see him go crazy.

However, to his disappointment, Ning Xiaochuan's reaction was not significant. It was as if he was listening to something very unfamiliar. He just lightly said "Oh" and prepared to leave.

Just "Oh"? This was a result Wang Yunchong couldn't accept, so he quickly blocked him again and sneered, "Sickly Ning, I'm afraid Ning Han has already told you the fate of that Silver-Ranked Music Courtesan, right?"

Wang Yunchong knew that Ning Xiaochuan had a good impression of that Silver-Ranked Music Courtesan and also knew that Ning Han wanted to silence her, so he deliberately said this, once again staring at Ning Xiaochuan's expression with anticipation.

Endure, let's see how long you can endure?

Although Ning Xiaochuan had a good temperament, he couldn't stand Wang Yunchong's repeated provocations. His frown deepened, and he said, "Ning Han? He died yesterday, didn't you know?"

"What? Ning Han is dead?" Wang Yunchong's face changed drastically, and he quickly retreated two steps, almost collapsing to the ground.

After a while, Wang Yunchong steadied himself, his face slightly better, and he burst into laughter, saying, "Scaring me? Trying to scare me! Haha! Sickly Ning, I, your young master, wasn't scared as a child. Who would dare to kill a descendant of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion in the Imperial City? Can you try another way to scare me? Please scare me! Haha!"

Steward Hua, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand it anymore. His face was extremely gloomy. Someone actually dared to provoke a Heart Nourisher of the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall, and in front of him, a deacon! This was completely disregarding him!

It was simply like pulling hair from a tiger's back or urinating on a divine dragon's head! "Bastard!" Steward Hua's voice carried a strong martial dao profound qi, forming faint circular ripples that made Wang Shi and Wang Yunchong tremble all over, as if a large hammer had struck them.

Wang Shi, who was at the Profound Qi Ninth Level, only turned pale and broke out in a cold sweat.

As for Wang Yunchong, he was just a fop with only Profound Qi Fourth Level cultivation. At this moment, a trace of blood hung from the corner of his mouth, and he was trembling all over. If Wang Shi hadn't gently supported him, he would have definitely collapsed on the ground.

"Master!" Ning Xiaochuan stood beside Steward Hua and could feel the powerful profound qi fluctuations, like a large mountain standing beside him. That aura made it difficult to breathe.

As expected of the sixth-ranked deacon of the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall, his cultivation was unfathomable, definitely surpassing the Profound Qi Ninth Heaven.

Steward Hua's eyes were full of anger as he stared at Wang Yunchong and said, "This is the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall, and this person before you is an Elementary Heart Nourisher of our Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall. How can you, a mere child, insult him so casually? Guards, drag him out, break his legs, and cut off his tongue."

Two guards wearing scarlet scale armor walked over, carrying a strong killing intent. Swish, swish! Their crimson battle blades were unsheathed, the blades very curved, like two blood moons, emitting a scarlet light.

There was no need to guess; these two guards were ruthless characters who had killed many people, and their battle blades must have frequently drunk blood to have such a strong killing intent! Wang Yunchong was directly scared to his knees, trembling as he said, "Th-th-there's a misunderstanding, ab-ab-absolutely a misunderstanding. He... he's just a... a waste from the Sword Pavilion... Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. He... he can't be a Heart Nourisher. De-deacon sir, you've been deceived by him. I killed him with one slap just two days ago. He can't even cultivate martial dao profound qi, how could he be a Heart Nourisher?"

Ning Xiaochuan keenly overheard a sentence. Wasn't the previous owner of this body angered to death? Why would he say he was slapped to death by him?

There must be a hidden reason! Steward Hua's face grew even darker. He said, "Nonsense! Do you think my eyes are blind? Can't I distinguish between a peerless genius and a sickly waste? Don't listen to him anymore. Anyone who dares to deliberately cause trouble in the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall, even the descendant of a Royal Marquis, is unforgivable. Drag him out!"

Wang Yunchong was so scared his legs trembled. A wet liquid flowed down his thighs, soaking his scarlet brocade robe and emitting a foul odor.

Wang Shi hadn't expected things to escalate this much. He also knelt down and begged for mercy. The background of the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall was terrifying; even their Celestial Elephant Marquis's Mansion couldn't afford to offend them. This time, they had truly hit a wall.

"Wait!" Ning Xiaochuan said with a smile, "Steward Hua, could you hand this person over to me? I think there might be a misunderstanding, and I'd like to have a good talk with him."

Wang Yunchong, who had already been seized by two fierce guards, quickly knelt before Ning Xiaochuan, kowtowing repeatedly until his head was bruised. He cried out, "There's a misunderstanding, there really is a misunderstanding! Sickly Ning... Brother Ning, Boss Ning, save me, save me, I'm innocent, save me!"

Wang Yunchong cried heartbreakingly, almost shouting "Godfather Ning" and "Grandpa Ning".

Since the person involved said there might be a misunderstanding, Steward Hua naturally couldn't say much more and handed Wang Yunchong over to Ning Xiaochuan to handle himself.

Inside a quiet room in the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall, an incense cauldron burned. Only Ning Xiaochuan and Wang Yunchong were inside.

Ning Xiaochuan, wearing a Novice Heart Nourisher robe, sat on a vine wood armchair, holding a cup of tea and sipping it slowly.

Wang Yunchong had been scared out of his wits earlier. Now, having recovered slightly, he knelt on the ground with a thud. "Brother Ning, I was wrong, I was truly wrong. I shouldn't have competed with you for Yu Yan. She's yours, I've known she was yours for a long time. You must spare me this time!"

Ning Xiaochuan placed the jade tea bowl back on the table and said, "Answer one question for me, and perhaps I can spare you this time."

"Don't just say one question, even a hundred questions, if I know the answer, I will definitely tell you," Wang Yunchong said fearfully.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "Now everyone knows I was angered to death in the Jade Viewing Pavilion after failing to win the Courtesan. Why did you say you slapped me to death? Who is covering up the truth?"

Given Wang Yunchong's character, Ning Xiaochuan didn't believe he could calmly handle the aftermath after killing someone.

Wang Yunchong quickly said, "It was all Ning Han, it was all Ning Han. He instigated you to compete with me for the musician courtesan, stirring up conflict between us, and then I angrily slapped you to death... I didn't mean to, I really didn't mean to. I didn't know your body was so weak... I... I..."

Ning Xiaochuan said, "Alright, alright, I know you were also set up by Ning Han, you didn't do it on purpose."

Wang Yunchong was moved to tears, feeling that Ning Xiaochuan was truly understanding. He said, "Actually, behind Ning Han is a powerful figure. Without that powerful figure's instigation, Ning Han would never dare to plot to kill you."

"Oh! Who is it?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.

"It's Ning Han's father, the Fourth Master of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, Ning Qianwu," Wang Yunchong said righteously, hoping Ning Xiaochuan would let him off the hook. "This Ning Qianwu is truly ambitious. He knows that the Sword Pavilion Marquis dotes on you and might pass the Marquis position to you in the future, so he wants to eliminate you."

Ning Xiaochuan's eyes narrowed, and Ning Qianwu's figure appeared in his mind. No wonder every time I see this Fourth Uncle, I can feel a faint killing intent emanating from him.

So the person behind the scenes who wants to kill me is him! Ning Qianwu is a master of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. Even Ning Xiner's cultivation is far inferior to his. If he weren't concerned about the Old Marquis who is in seclusion, he might have personally killed me long ago.

It seems I can't stay in the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. Staying in the Marquis's Mansion is no different from staying in a wolf's den. Once Ning Qianwu discovers that I can cultivate Martial Dao Profound Qi, he will definitely try to eliminate me at all costs.

Ning Xiaochuan knew that the fact he was cultivating the Martial Dao couldn't be hidden for long. Once this matter was exposed, there would likely be more people in the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion who wanted to kill him than just Ning Qianwu.

To continue hiding, he could only leave the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion.

Ning Xiaochuan somewhat regretted using his real identity in the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall. I should have used an alias. In short, my experience is still too shallow, and I don't have a deep enough understanding of the dangers of this world.