"What did you say?"
Ni Lue had not yet grasped the meaning of the servant's words, but Ni Yin's expression had already changed dramatically. He hurried forward, swift as a gale, reached the servant, and asked anxiously, "Explain yourself clearly!"
As he spoke, one hand unconsciously clamped down on the servant's shoulder, making the man howl in pain. Only then did Ni Yin come back to his senses and release him.
The servant had run here in one desperate burst, holding his breath all the while. After forcing out those words, he had not even had time to draw another breath before Ni Yin seized his shoulder and squeezed. The breath in his chest was pressed down again. With his inner and outer breaths colliding, his eyes rolled back, and he fell backward in a faint!
This outcome greatly alarmed the Ni father and son—by now, Ni Lue had understood the urgent meaning behind the servant's words as well. Shock and disbelief filled his face.
"The more hurried one is, the greater the confusion!" Ni Yin looked at the servant lying on the ground, sorted through his thoughts, and took a deep breath. He instead calmed down, though the message contained in those words still gnawed at his heart, making his emotions surge and churn.
Yet that only forced him to become still calmer. After all, he was a Great Fall general who had been through battle. Though he was advanced in years, the skills forged through decades remained. They showed themselves at this moment—at the very least, he could still appear composed. Ni Yin then turned to look at his younger son, whose forehead was drenched in sweat, and said in a low voice, "The more it is a time like this, the more you must hold steady. Do