The Old Marquis's Decision

Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, Deliberation Hall.

Sword Pavilion Marquis sat in the seat at the very top. Though he was already over eighty, with a few strands of white at his temples, he remained vigorous and sharp-eyed, radiating an imposing majesty even without anger.

For someone whose cultivation had reached the Martial Venerable level, eighty was not considered old. Some long-lived Martial Venerables could even live to be one hundred and eighty.

Ning Qianwen, Ning Qianwu, and the other prominent figures of the second and third generations of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion sat properly below. No one dared meet the Old Marquis's gaze. It was the inherent might of a Martial Venerable, towering above all martial artists.

Ning Qianwu said, "Father, the Blood Devouring Demon Sect actually dared to openly murder direct descendants of our Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion in the Imperial City. This is practically a challenge to the dignity of our Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. This grudge must be avenged!"

The Old Marquis said unhurriedly, "This could not have been the work of the Blood Devouring Demon Sect!"

Ning Qianwu said, "But those two servants truly had all the blood essence drained from their bodies and died as shriveled corpses. Other than the Blood Devouring Demon Sect, who else would know such vicious and tyrannical demonic arts?"

"I said it was not them, so it was not them. I am not old enough to need you to judge matters for me, am I?" The Old Marquis's blood energy was vast and dense, his voice ringing like a great bell. It shook Ning Qianwu's blood energy into turmoil, leaving him unable to utter a single word.

The old man's cultivation has grown stronger again. Ning Qianwu was horrified. The Old Marquis's voice had made his eardrums ache, and all nine blood channels in his body had been sealed. He could not even circulate his Martial Dao Profound Qi.

The Old Marquis said, "Fourth, I know your son is dead and that hatred fills your heart. But I dare guarantee that this was not the Blood Devouring Demon Sect's doing. The murderer must be someone else. This matter must be investigated until the water runs clear and the stones show at the bottom. Whoever dares become an enemy of our Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion must pay a grievous price."

"Qianwu understands!" Ning Qianwu withdrew. Arguing with the Old Marquis was not a wise course of action. The old master had lived nearly a hundred years; his eyes could not tolerate even a grain of sand, and nothing could be concealed from him.

The Old Marquis continued, "In three months, it will be time for Heavenly Emperor Academy to recruit students. The various Marquis Mansions will certainly compete against one another again. The more descendants a Marquis Mansion has who enter Heavenly Emperor Academy, the stronger it proves its next generation to be. This time, we cannot lose to the other Marquis Mansions. Qianwen, how many descendants of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion's younger generation have reached the Profound Qi Seventh Level?"

Ning Qianwen was the Old Marquis's eldest son. More than half of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion's estate was managed by him. Though already over fifty, he remained deeply respectful toward the Old Marquis. "There are one hundred and thirty-four young descendants under eighteen who have reached the Profound Qi Seventh Level. Among them, Xin'er reached the Divine Body Realm not long ago. Her talent is truly astonishing."

"Oh!" The Old Marquis's stern face immediately broke into delight. Slapping the armrest beneath him, he burst into laughter. "Good! Excellent! That girl Xin'er has truly done us proud. Entering the Divine Body Realm at only fourteen, she is even more formidable than I was in my youth. She deserves to be called the number one genius of our Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion."

The Old Marquis was overjoyed, yet Ning Xiaochuan's figure surfaced in his mind once more. If not for his congenital fetal ailment, that unfortunate child would certainly have been even more outstanding than his younger sister. Alas! What a pity!

Without changing expression, Ning Qianwen continued, "Quite a few of these young geniuses from the Marquis Mansion are training outside, while some have even entered the army to temper themselves. A total of seventy-nine have now returned, all with cultivation at the Profound Qi Seventh Level or above."

The Old Marquis said, "Call them all in! Also... bring Ning Xiaochuan in as well. I have an important matter to announce."

Ning Qianwu's eyes narrowed, and his expression became somewhat unnatural. Could the Old Marquis be planning to make that sickly wretch the heir of the Marquis Mansion?

Many people in the Deliberation Hall revealed strange expressions, sharing the same thought as Ning Qianwu.

Although Ning Xiaochuan suffered from a congenital fetal ailment and could not cultivate martial arts, he could still marry and have children.

The Old Marquis was still in his prime. Given his favoritism toward Ning Xiaochuan, he could completely wait another few decades and raise Ning Xiaochuan's son to become the heir of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion.

This was what truly worried Ning Qianwu, and also why he was so eager to get rid of Ning Xiaochuan.

Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion's Deliberation Hall was grand and immense; even several hundred people could fit inside without it seeming crowded.

Ning Xiaochuan entered the Deliberation Hall alongside seventy-nine geniuses of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion's younger generation. In perfect formation, they respectfully bowed to Sword Pavilion Marquis.

Walking among the many geniuses, Ning Xiaochuan was slightly astonished. Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion had far too many young experts. There were men and women alike; the men were heroic and dashing, while the women were beautiful and proud. Every one of them was a martial arts powerhouse, and not a single one had a lower cultivation than his.

These were not merely direct descendants of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion. Many were collateral descendants as well.

This was the thousand-year foundation of a hereditary Marquis Mansion: deep-rooted and powerful, far beyond what those non-hereditary Marquis Mansions could compare with.

The Yulan Empire had been founded for more than eight hundred years. It had countless kings, marquises, generals, and ministers, and was now a flourishing empire in an age of splendid prosperity, with kings and marquises emerging in endless succession and martial arts thriving.

Kings and marquises were further divided into "hereditary kings and marquises" and "non-hereditary kings and marquises."

The so-called hereditary kings and marquises referred to the Eighteen Founding Heroes from the founding of the Yulan Empire: the fourteen great marquises and Four Great Princes. These kings and marquises could pass their titles down through generations. When a father died, his son could continue as king or marquis; when the son died, the grandson could continue as king or marquis.

Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion was one of the Fourteen Great Hereditary Marquisates. It had endured for nearly a thousand years, with deep foundations, immense influence, and numerous branches of lineage. In terms of strength, it was far beyond those non-hereditary marquises who had entered the path halfway. Even compared to sects and martial academies, it was not much weaker.

Hereditary kings and marquises were also known as Noble Marquis, while non-hereditary kings and marquises were known as Humble Marquis.

Ning Xiaochuan cast a slight glance in Ning Qianwu's direction, then immediately withdrew his gaze. He hurriedly drew all the Martial Dao Profound Qi throughout his body into his heart palace and continued pretending to be a sickly invalid.

"In three months, Heavenly Emperor Academy will open its gates for the once-every-five-years recruitment. You are all the finest descendants of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, and now is your best time to make a final sprint. Over the next three months, you will be sent to Fire Demon Mountain for training. This training will be exceedingly arduous, and it is even possible that you may die there. Whoever does not dare go may step forward now." Seated above, the Old Marquis calmly swept his gaze over the young descendants below.

Upon hearing the words "Fire Demon Mountain," even the elders of Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion's second and third generations changed expression slightly.

"It is said that Fire Demon Mountain is a primordial mountain range stretching several thousand miles. Black Fire Wood grows there, and the soil in its mountains burns year-round, never extinguishing even after a thousand years. It is a truly perilous demonic mountain."

"I heard there are ferocious profound beasts within, their bodies as enormous as palaces, capable of tearing mountains apart with a single claw."

"I heard that Martial Venerables have fallen within Fire Demon Mountain, becoming Mountain Guardian Corpse Slaves. They appear at night and specifically kill martial artists who enter Fire Demon Mountain."

Though those young descendants were deeply wary of Fire Demon Mountain, their wills were still quite resolute. No one withdrew.

The Old Marquis nodded in satisfaction. "Rest assured. With your cultivation, entering Fire Demon Mountain would merely be courting death. The place where you will train this time is only the Five Desolate Mountain Range at Fire Demon Mountain's northwestern corner. It is part of Fire Demon Mountain's outer region, so the danger is comparatively much lower."

Hearing this, the young geniuses immediately let out sighs of relief.

The Old Marquis continued, "For this training in the Five Desolate Mountain Range, each of you will receive one hundred drops of First Grade Heart Nourishing Elixir and one hundred drops of First Grade Blood Accumulation Elixir. Strive to achieve a qualitative breakthrough in your cultivation and attain outstanding results in Heavenly Emperor Academy's assessment three months from now. Anyone who enters Heavenly Emperor Academy will be rewarded with one Intermediate Pill. The most outstanding among you may even be awarded a profound weapon."

Boom!

The hall erupted! The rewards were far too generous, making everyone tremble with excitement. An "Intermediate Pill" was something every martial artist dreamed of, while a profound weapon was an invaluable treasure of war.

Ning Xiaochuan inwardly sighed. As expected of a hereditary Marquis Mansion passed down for nearly a thousand years. They truly have wealth enough to rival a nation. One hundred drops each of Heart Nourishing Elixir and Blood Accumulation Elixir per person is already an immense fortune, let alone the value of an Intermediate Pill and a profound weapon.

Marquis estates truly did not begrudge spending wealth to cultivate talented descendants. Only geniuses could receive such treatment.

"There is one more matter I must announce!" The Old Marquis fixed his eyes on Ning Xiaochuan. His gaze held emotions of extreme complexity: affection, regret, helplessness, struggle. At last, as though he had made up his mind, he said, "My grandson Ning Xiaochuan was born with a fetal ailment and cannot cultivate Martial Dao Profound Qi. I intend to bestow Begonia Manor in Nanshan Village outside the Imperial City upon him. From this day forward, he will be the master of Begonia Manor and need no longer live in the Marquis Mansion. Xiao Chuan, are you willing?"

Everyone gazed at Ning Xiaochuan with pity.

Although the Old Marquis had bestowed an estate upon him, anyone with eyes could see that the Old Marquis had completely given up on him. He was being exiled to Nanshan Village and left to fend for himself.

He no longer even had the qualification to live in the Marquis Mansion. He had completely become a peripheral figure of the Marquis Mansion and would be even less likely to become its heir.

Ning Qianwu was overjoyed. It seemed the Old Marquis had truly abandoned Ning Xiaochuan. But that was only natural—who would keep raising a sickly invalid forever, wasting vast amounts of the Marquis Mansion's resources for nothing?

Ning Xiner said anxiously, "Grandfather, although Begonia Manor is not far from the Imperial City, my brother's body is weak. If he goes to Begonia Manor, and no one is there to care for him, he..."

"Xin'er, the Marquis is doing this for Xiao Chuan's own good. Begonia Manor has an elegant environment and fresh air; it is a paradise beyond the world. Servants will naturally care for him there. It is an excellent place for recovering from illness!" Ning Qianwen rebuked her.

"Uncle."

Ning Xiner clenched her teeth tightly, then looked at the Old Marquis again with pleading eyes. "Grandfather, if you truly mean to send my brother to Begonia Manor, then I will not train in the Five Desolate Mountain Range, nor will I attend Heavenly Emperor Academy. I will go to Begonia Manor and care for my brother. I have only one brother. No one is more important than him!"

She pressed her lips together and tightly wrapped both arms around Ning Xiaochuan's arm, afraid someone would take her brother away.

Ning Xiaochuan gently patted Ning Xiner's small hand. With a solemn expression, he said, "I am willing to go to Begonia Manor. I accept the Marquis's reward."

"Brother!" Ning Xiner said.

"Xin'er, will you not listen to your brother anymore? Go train properly in the Five Desolate Mountain Range. Once your cultivation becomes powerful, come visit your brother at Begonia Manor. Your brother will certainly be very pleased." Ning Xiaochuan smiled.

Ning Xiaochuan feared exposing the fact that he could cultivate Martial Dao Profound Qi and had long wanted to leave the Marquis Mansion. Now that such a fine opportunity had come before him, how could he possibly give it up?

Heaven truly is helping me! Seeing that Ning Xiaochuan had actually agreed on his own initiative to go to Begonia Manor, Ning Qianwu revealed a knowing smile. This boy was completely finished!