Pruning Her Wings

After a four-day, three-night enlightenment session, not only was the fight over, but the people from the Tianyi Sect also left.

Moreover, due to the wind and sand, not a single trace was left.

Yang Ning wasn't in a hurry. He first took out a piece of aluminum and modified the Moon Golden Wheel under his feet.

This thing belongs to Little Fatty after all. If someone recognizes it, wouldn't that be an admission of guilt?

He put a Wave-riding body- structured shell on the outside, which changed the overall shape, but the speed was not significantly affected.

It can reach 241 m/s when unloaded and 180 m/s when loaded.

Then, Yang Ning rode the modified Moon Golden Wheel and flew off in one direction.

The trials of mortals, or games like PUBG, have maps that are at most a few kilometers in size.

However, the map for the cultivators' trial was over 13,000 kilometers long and over 8,000 kilometers wide. Fortunately, Yang Ning had obtained Moon Golden Wheel, so he didn't have to spend too much time just traveling.

Twenty minutes later, a giant city appeared in front of Yang Ning.

In a city built on the banks of the Abundant River, building materials are no longer limited to sand and gravel; other colors have also begun to appear.

Moreover, the building's layers and structure have become more complex.

The most striking feature is the enormous statue, hundreds of meters tall, in the center of the city.

The statue in Abundant City is that of the city's deity, the God of the Abundant River God.

"Sure enough, there are even more Purple Heart Stone here, and Xue Xian is here too!" It's not that there aren't women in this world who can endure hardship, but Yang Ning believes that a girl like Xue Xian, who has been pampered since childhood and has been groomed as a Born Snow Master after joining the Tianyi Sect, should not be among them.

Since Boiling Sheep Yang is collecting the Purple Heart Stone, why should I bother? Wouldn't it be better to settle down in a big city and enjoy life?

Yang Ning pressed down on the Moon Golden Wheel and manipulated his facial muscles to disguise himself as a member of the Xuantian Sect.

Even from a distance, Yang Ning could smell a stench that was a mixture of heavy metals, urea, and feces.

A large number of ragged civilians gathered at the city gate, waiting for the city gate soldiers to check them. They all had their hands down and their heads bowed, their expressions blank. They were not infected by the Red-tailed Heart-controlling Gu, but were bent over by the weight of life.

A baby started wailing. The woman holding the baby, oblivious to everyone else, lifted her collar and began to breastfeed. But her chest was so dry that the baby couldn't suckle anything after sucking for a long time.

A child of about thirteen or fourteen years old stood unsteadily for a while, then suddenly his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground.

The soldiers nearby casually pulled him out of the line and threw him to the roadside, completely disregarding whether the scorching sun and burning sand would cause him to die.

Yang Ning's arrival caused a commotion among the crowd, but they spontaneously made way for Yang Ning.

Judging from Yang Ning's attire and fair skin, he was clearly a person of high status. Commoners have their own philosophy of survival and dare not block the way of these important figures.

"I thought the people of Taiheng were already suffering enough, having to use primitive farming tools to tend large fields and bear heavy taxes. But it turns out that this place is even worse off than Taiheng?" Yang Ning walked through the crowd, but his emotions were no longer agitated.

This wasn't due to the <Black Tortoise Breath Concealment Technique>, but rather because after attaining enlightenment, I instinctively felt that these things were irrelevant to me.

It wasn't that he had become cold-blooded, but rather that he had come to understand the true meaning of seeking the Dao and clarified the mindset required to achieve immortality.

"My lord, please come in!" The city gate guards did not stop them, but merely reminded them, "My lord, according to the <Taiyi Agreement>, fighting among cultivators is prohibited within the city."

The scene inside the city wasn't much better than outside.

Everywhere you look, there are people squatting on the streets begging for food. The filth and garbage are everywhere and no one is cleaning up. Children run around in the garbage heaps and occasionally reach out to pick up something to eat.

When some children saw Yang Ning, who was dressed neatly, they immediately ran over, hoping to ask him for a job as a guide or something similar.

Yang Ning waved his hand, stopping him three meters away. He could scan the entire city with a single Spiritual Manifestation; what use was a guide to him?

The closer you get to the city center, the more bustling and clean the streets become. Patrol soldiers appear on the streets, and beggars disappear. The muddy road underfoot is transformed into a flagstone road paved with blue striped stones.

Finally, Yang Ning stopped in one place.

"Qiúsheng Inn!" An inn with an extremely large area, more like a royal garden than an inn.

"Sir, are you here for a meal or to stay at the inn?" A waiter immediately came forward when he saw Yang Ning at the door.

"Check into a hotel!" Yang Ning said calmly.

"What kind of accommodation do you prefer?" the waiter asked. "A single room, a small courtyard, or a garden?"

"Is Heaven Character Number Eleven Garden still empty?" Yang Ning asked.

"Ah, yes!" The waiter's eyes lit up. "I'll take you there right away!"

The two entered the inn and were surprised to find it surprisingly lavish, with pavilions and towers everywhere, winding corridors, each vying for space and vying for dominance.

Yang Ning felt that this place was less like an inn and more like a palace.

The place where cultivators live could easily be called a palace.

"Are all the residents here cultivators?" Yang Ning asked.

"Yes!" the waiter quickly replied, "Our Abundant City is the largest city within a thousand miles, and Qiúsheng Inn is the most prosperous inn in Abundant City. Therefore, cultivators from all around the thousand miles who come to Abundant City will stay here!"

"Hmm!" Yang Ning nodded. He had noticed that a large number of Purple Heart Stone had gathered here, which was why he came.

"Because we Qiúsheng Inn has equipped the training grounds within the garden with numerous formations used by cultivators, such as soundproof formations and light-blocking formations, to facilitate your cultivation!"

"We also provide the food that practitioners need. You only need to ring this bell, and our people will come at your call."

"We also provide various services, such as errand running, buying things, and delivering things."

"Oh, by the way, because fighting is prohibited in Abundant City, the cultivators get along quite harmoniously. They often hold exchanges on Daoist techniques and trade fairs. Would you like to participate, sir?" the waiter asked.

"Communication of Daoist arts? How can we communicate if we can't fight?" Yang Ning asked.

"Uh, I don't know anything about cultivators," the waiter said with a simple smile. How could I possibly know that?

"When is the next trade fair?" Yang Ning asked again.

"There's one tomorrow night!" the waiter said. "However, tonight Lady Xue Xian is hosting an Elite Gathering. Would you like to participate?"

"Elite Gathering?" Yang Ning nodded. "When and where?"

"Oh, it's right there, on Abundant Island in the middle of Abundant Great Lake!" Can you believe there's a lake in this inn, and an island in the middle of it?

It can only be said that the lives of the rich are unimaginable to the poor. Outside, commoners sell their children and can't even get milk, while inside, the inn that serves cultivators can occupy such a large area, even owning a lake, and holding some kind of Elite Gathering on it!

The drought is killing them, and the floods are killing them—it couldn't be more apt!

"I will go!" Yang Ning said.

"Yes!" The waiter smiled obsequiously and led Yang Ning to the entrance of No. 11, the "Heavenly" section. As for settling the bill, that was something to worry about after they left.

Yang Ning wondered if anyone would skip out on their bill, but he guessed that even if someone did, the inn wouldn't dare to do anything about it.

It's a very simple principle: weak nations have no diplomacy.

Don't be fooled by the seemingly powerful Abundant River God. In reality, it's just a small force without sovereignty or powerful figures. None of the disciples who can participate in the trial have powerful backers that Abundant River God can afford to offend.

Even the Abundant River God is someone they can't afford to offend, so who are they going to ask for money from at the inn?

Unless the inn itself owns shares in a major sect.

After the waiter left, Yang Ning placed his hand on the door, about to push it open, when suddenly someone from number eleven jumped out and said, "Hey you, you can't stay here!"

The two gardens are adjacent, but because of the size of the gardens, the distance between the two gates is actually not close.

The two gates are 1,800 meters apart, but to a cultivator, it's no different from being face to face; they can hear each other even if they speak softly.

The man was 1.95 meters tall, with a muscular build, short hair, and wearing a red short-sleeved shirt; he looked like a basketball player.

"Why can't I stay here?" Yang Ning asked, turning his head.

"I said you can't stay here, and that's final! There's no excuse!" the crew-cut man said irritably. "And you can't stay in numbers 12 or 13 either. Go stay in number 14!"

Yang Ning smirked. "What if I insist on staying?"

"Then I'll have no choice but to send you to your death!" The man raised his fist and charged forward.

Yang Ning remained completely calm, not even moving a step, because someone would stop him.

Sure enough, after he had only sprinted four hundred meters, a girl in white walked out from the spot where he had just emerged.

As soon as the girl stepped out the door, Yang Ning felt a cool sensation.

Her face was as white as snow, yet she showed no signs of weakness or illness. Bathed in the blazing sun, she resembled a clear spring, appearing elegant and refined, with unparalleled beauty.

"Little Dragon Girl?"

This was Xue Xian's first impression of Yang Ning, because the two were dressed so similarly that if this were modern times, she wouldn't even need to change costumes to play Little Dragon Girl.

However, Little Dragon Girl's pale complexion was due to not being exposed to the sun while living in the ancient tomb, while Xue Xian's complexion was natural due to her Snow Jade Glazed Body, making her look much healthier than Little Dragon Girl and adding to her youthful vitality.

Although Xue Xian was adorable, she had a decisive personality. She opened her mouth and shouted sharply, "Han Di, what are you doing?"

"!" The moment the girl spoke, the buzz-cut boy stopped in his tracks and hurriedly explained, "No, nothing, I just saw this brother is new and wanted to say hello!"

"Is that so?" Xue Xian looked at Yang Ning.

"Of course!" Yang Ning nodded, seeing the pleading look in the buzz-cut boy's eyes.

The short-haired boy breathed a sigh of relief, then heard Yang Ning continue, "But this guy seems to really like the numbers 11, 12, and 13, so he's going to move me to room 14!"

"Han Di?" Xue Xian's eyes immediately turned cold.

"Lady Xue Xian Fairy, please let me explain!" Han Di hurriedly shook his head. "No, I, I didn't!"

"I know what you're thinking, and I know what you mean by doing this, but let me tell you, this isn't for my own good; it's ruining my reputation!" Xue Xian said coldly, "From now on, don't do such things again!"

Han Di nodded dejectedly. "Yes!"

"It was your friend who was overthinking things. We took some measures, and we hope this friend will forgive us!" Xue Xian moved with light steps, her whole body as graceful as a fairy, traversing the eight hundred meters in an instant, and arrived in front of Yang Ning. She then handed him an invitation. "Tonight, I am holding Elite Gathering on Abundant Island. I wonder if I have the honor of inviting you, young master?"

Yang Ning accepted the invitation and nodded slightly.

Xue Xian breathed a sigh of relief and then smiled sweetly.

That smile was like a hundred flowers blooming, and for a moment Yang Ning even felt as if spring had arrived.

"I'm glad you don't blame me, young master. I still have to prepare for the Elite Gathering tonight, so I'll have to take my leave!" Xue Xian raised her hand and formed a hand seal, giving Yang Ning a greeting he didn't recognize.

"Please, miss, do as you please!"

Seeing Xue Xian leave with Han Di, Yang Ning asked, "Does 'Zi' mean to refer to himself?"

"It doesn't exist in Taiheng. 'Zi' is a respectful term for others. Perhaps it's different in the Tianyi Sect?" Deep Blue said.

Yang Ning scratched his head. This girl's self-reference was strange; it sounded unfamiliar and not cute at all.

Moreover, they have extremely high emotional intelligence and are very shrewd.

Yang Ning didn't like dealing with people like that.

"She's quite skilled, her footwork is superb, and she might even be familiar with some illusion techniques. It's possible that the eight people she brought aren't as strong as her. The bodyguards are just a facade!" Yang Ning said calmly.

He admitted that Xue Xian was indeed charming, but not enough to make eight cultivators so infatuated.

It's only possible that Xue Xian used her charm and strength to subdue them from multiple angles and in all aspects.

The evidence is also quite clear: Han Di for Xue Xian were more fear than love.

Opening the door and entering room number eleven, Yang Ning didn't wander around but went straight to the training ground by a pond in the center of the garden.

Yes, although it is located on the river, Abundant City is indeed a water-scarce desert city.

But it's not just Qiúsheng Inn that has a lake; each garden also has its own lakes and ponds.

"Let's make Jiang Yunhao's curriculum a bit more intensive!" Yang Ning said to Deep Blue.

He himself did not intend to do anything in Jiang Yun Nation, after all, he was destined to be just a passerby in Jiang Yun, but that did not mean that he would let the things he disliked continue to exist.

It was naturally left to Jiang Yunhao.

"So, all the people in the Tianyi Sect enjoy spying?" Yang Ning asked loudly.

"Knowing I'm from the Tianyi Sect, you're still so arrogant?" A young man dressed in black brocade robes, with long purple eyebrows and pink eyeshadow, appeared on the courtyard wall beside the training ground.

The boy, carrying a short gun, looked both dashing and effeminate, domineering and sinister.

Of course, that's a polite way of putting it. To put it bluntly, this kid doesn't know how to do makeup but tries too hard to look beautiful, and ends up looking like a Visual Kei.

"Isn't it you who's being arrogant? Fighting is forbidden in Abundant City, yet you climbed over the wall to sneak over and find me. You didn't come to invite me for a drink, did you?" Yang Ning laughed.

"You think you're worthy of being invited for drinks?" the young man said coldly. "I'm here to tell you to stay away from Xue Xian. Don't think that just because she's speaking to you politely and invited you to the Elite Gathering, you're some kind of genius. Know your place!"

"So Xue Xian is in charge of being beautiful and maintaining her image, while you guys are responsible for doing the dirty work, dealing with stalker fans, and helping Xue Xian maintain her image? This division of labor is quite suitable!" Yang Ning laughed. "So, does Xue Xian know you came to me?"

"Xue Xian is pure and innocent, naive to the ways of the world. She might not be able to see the ugliness beneath some people's faces, so of course she needs people like us to help her deal with it!" The boy grinned. "So, of course Xue Xian doesn't know!"

As he spoke, he raised his spear and pointed it at Yang Ning: "Let me teach you how to properly get along with Xue Xian. Don't worry, it'll be quick. I won't kill you; I'll just broaden your horizons!"

"One last question!" Yang Ning raised his hand. "Isn't it said that fighting is prohibited in Abundant City?"

"Heh, does the Abundant River God dare to interfere in the affairs of our Tianyi Sect?" The young man chuckled, his eyes full of mockery as he looked at Yang Ning: "Ever since Xue Xian checked into this inn, his gaze has dared not linger here!"

"That puts my mind at ease!" Yang Ning nodded.

"What are you worried about?" The boy was taken aback, then started laughing again.

He saw Yang Ning clasp his hands together, seemingly about to launch an attack.

"Not only do you not surrender, but you even dare to fight back?" The young man laughed heartily, "Very good, very good. It'll be perfect for you to see the difference between a major sect and a minor sect. I'll stand still and let you fight. If you can even make me move one step, I'll admit defeat!"

"Boom!" A crescent-shaped Law Artifact suddenly appeared between Yang Ning's palms, and disappeared before the boy's eyes after a violent roar.

The boy only saw a flash of azure light, and then his gaping mouth froze on his face.

He stared blankly, "Spirit Artifact? How could it be Spirit Artifact?"

And even if it's Spirit Artifact, why is it so fast?

The distance between the two was less than 20 meters, and after Yang Ning attained enlightenment, the speed of the Moon Golden Wheel had reached 25 times the speed of sound!

Therefore, from the moment the boy saw the Moon Golden Wheel to the moment his throat was slit, he had only 0.002 seconds to react.

Can you react in time?

If he could react in time, he wouldn't be a cultivator at the Body Refinement Realm.

Even some Qi Refining cultivators couldn't react in time!

This is the essence of science: whether it's a child or an adult, anyone can pull the trigger. Whether it's a Barrett Sniper Rifle or DF-41 Missile, the button can be pressed with just one person's strength!

You can judge a person's strength based on their cultivation level, but you cannot judge the power of a modern weapon they wield based on their cultivation level.

The Moon Golden Wheel flew less than 60 meters before changing direction and beginning to trace an arc in the air.

Its kinetic energy was too enormous. If they didn't want the Moon Golden Wheel to fly dozens of kilometers away and be seen by everyone in the city, they could only let Moon Golden Wheel circle in the air and dissipate all its kinetic energy.

This is also a drawback of the Gauss Cannon. It is powerful, but it is too conspicuous. If that bright blue lightning were to be fired, people dozens of miles away could see it.

Yang Ning also manipulated the electromagnetic field to slow down the Moon Golden Wheel, while simultaneously withdrawing the current from the Moon Golden Wheel to change its flight attitude and increase air resistance.

Although there was still a whirring roar, the training ground had an array that isolated sound, light, and electricity, so there was no fear of it getting out.

Yang Ning finally stopped the Moon Golden Wheel once its speed completely dropped below the speed of sound, and then put it into his Storage Bag.

Approaching the boy, Yang Ning squatted down, looking at the sinister boy whose face still held a look of confusion and whose head and body had been separated, and began to collect his Storage Bag.

The boy treated it all as a game; he was just standing up for Xue Xian.

Yang Ning, however, regarded all of this as a hurdle on his path to immortality, and he participated in this trial with an unwavering belief in victory.

The difference in their mindsets determined the ferocity of their attacks. The young man only wanted to teach Yang Ning a lesson, while Yang Ning was thinking of cutting off Xue Xian's wings.

People from smaller sects might hand over the Purple Heart Stone out of fear of Yang Ning's martial prowess, but he and Xue Xian share the same goal, and Taiheng and Tianyi are sworn enemies, so there's no reason for them to coexist peacefully.

That's the rule; we can only fight to the death.