Before the Lintai Hunting Valley, figures of cultivators appeared one after another. In just a short moment, the vast open space was already filled with people.
These were all cultivators participating in the training within the Lintai Hunting Valley.
A month was not a long time, and the elders from the various families stationed here had not left. When the Lintai Hunting Valley closed, they all came to greet their disciples returning from the training.
There was joy and sorrow. The joyful ones were naturally the families who saw their disciples return unharmed. The sorrowful ones were those who could not find their disciples, and some even discovered that far fewer people returned safely this time compared to previous years, with an unusually high casualty rate.
Could it be that the environment within the Lintai Hunting Valley was particularly dangerous this time?
A quarter of an hour later, the passage to the Lintai Hunting Valley slowly closed and would not reopen until three years later.
Standing on high ground, Emperor Chenghao, along with the elders of various families who oversaw the opening of the Lintai Hunting Valley, scanned the crowd below. They too noticed that the number of returning cultivators was significantly lower than in previous years, and their hearts sank slightly.
When Chenghao’s gaze landed on Ning Yuzhou, who appeared holding a white jade pot in one hand and a small rabbit in the other, his tense heartstrings finally eased, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Before the smile could fade, a loud shout suddenly broke out: “You are not cultivators from Dongling! Who are you?”
A figure shot into the air, flying directly toward the foreign cultivators who appeared before the Lintai Hunting Valley.
Ning Yuzhou raised his eyes and saw that the person taking action was Elder Ning Huayuan of the Ning clan.
When the Lintai Hunting Valley opened this time, Ning Huayuan had also come to guard the area. However, he had remained hidden in the shadows, so not many people were aware of his presence.
It was Ning Huayuan who first detected these foreign cultivators.
Emperor Chenghao and the other family elders reacted swiftly, leaping into action to assist Ning Huayuan in capturing the foreign cultivators.
These outsiders were easy to identify. Perhaps the sudden closure of the Lintai Hunting Valley left them unprepared to disguise themselves, exposing their true identities. Their unfamiliar appearances and peculiar behavior naturally drew the attention of Ning Huayuan, whose divine sense had been monitoring the exit of the Lintai Hunting Valley. Without hesitation, he struck first.
As expected, when Ning Huayuan made his move, several guilty-looking foreign cultivators were immediately flushed out. They turned and fled toward the Lintai Mountain.
This sudden incident caused a stir at the scene. The crowd hurriedly scattered, fearing that they might accidentally get caught in the conflict and meet an untimely death.
The Qianlin Guards quickly moved to protect Ning Yuzhou and escorted him to the side.
Wen Mei happened to be near Ning Yuzhou and was pushed aside by the crowd. Because her injuries had not yet healed, she was unable to avoid the chaos and ended up in a somewhat disheveled state. Just then, a sneer sounded nearby.
Turning her head, she saw Wen Xian not far away.
Wen Xian glanced at her with schadenfreude before her gaze shifted to Ning Yuzhou, who was being protected by the Qianlin Guards. When she noticed that Wen Qiao was not beside him, her eyes flickered with surprise. She looked around but still couldn’t find Wen Qiao’s figure and quickly understood.
She must have died tragically in the Lintai Hunting Valley.
The Wen Qiao, who was presumed to have perished in the Lintai Hunting Valley, was nestled in the white jade pot. She shook her leaves and, taking advantage of no one paying attention to her, carefully released her divine sense to observe the battle. She noticed that the cultivators fighting Ning Huayuan were all unfamiliar and not the three she had previously encountered: Xu Jiuxiu and his companions.
Scanning the crowd, she still didn’t see Xu Jiuxiu and his group. She wasn’t sure if they had died in the Lintai Hunting Valley or managed to slip away.
The cultivator fighting Ning Huayuan was exceptionally skilled, managing to hold him to a draw.
This cultivator was a young man with a baby face and a cheerful demeanor, making him appear younger than his actual age. However, his attacks were sharp and unyielding, not only able to withstand Ning Huayuan’s strikes but also managing to restrain him.
The crowd grew increasingly alarmed as they watched. They knew Ning Huayuan’s strength was not trivial; he had a Yuan Bright stage cultivation level, making him one of the top experts in Dongling. But the fact that this young outsider could hold his own against Ning Huayuan was extraordinary. Who was this genius disciple cultivated by some unknown power outside of Dongling, and what was his purpose in coming here?
At this thought, the elders of the various families grew uneasy, only hoping that the arrival of these people would not bring disaster to Dongling.
Emperor Chenghao and the others had already subdued the suspicious foreign cultivators, anxiously watching the battle between Ning Huayuan and the unfamiliar cultivator. However, they were unable to intervene.
Just then, a slightly commanding voice rang out: “Xingliu, stop!”
The baby-faced cultivator struck out with his palm, forcing Ning Huayuan back. He swiftly retreated and stopped beside a young man in a light blue brocade robe, who exuded an extraordinary aura. The baby-faced cultivator looked at everyone present with an arrogant and unruly gaze, his condescending expression making it clear he did not regard the Dongling cultivators as worth his attention.
In their eyes, these Dongling cultivators were indeed unimpressive. Although Ning Huayuan’s cultivation level was not low, his age placed natural limits on how far he could advance in his cultivation path.
Taking advantage of the pause, Ning Huayuan withdrew his hand, his sharp gaze fixed on the pair.
It was only then that the crowd noticed the man in the blue brocade robe, and they were stunned. Standing there, his presence was like a deep abyss. If he hadn’t spoken, no one would have even realized he was there.
Suddenly, they saw that standing beside the extraordinary man in the blue robe was none other than the Third Prince, Ning Zhezou.
The crowd gasped in surprise, then grew puzzled, unable to understand how Ning Zhezou could be associated with these two foreign cultivators.
Emperor Chenghao furrowed his brow slightly and called out, “Zhezou?”
Ning Zhezou took a step forward and respectfully said, “Father, Elder Yuan, please rest assured. These two harbor no ill intentions toward our Dongling.”
The man in the blue robe gave Ning Huayuan a slight nod and said calmly, “I am Yin Xingheng, and this is my junior brother, Yin Xingliu.”
Yin Xingheng? Wasn’t that the name mentioned by Feng Sanniang as a disciple of the Sacred Martial Hall?
In an instant, Ning Yuzhou, Wen Qiao, and the others simultaneously recalled Yin Xingheng’s reason for coming to Dongling—it was to find the so-called “Heaven’s Chosen One.” Looking at Ning Zhezou, who stood beside Yin Xingheng, they suddenly understood.
It seemed Ning Zhezou was the “Heaven’s Chosen One” that the Sacred Martial Hall had been searching for.
Wen Mei looked at Ning Zhezou with a complex expression.
She had always known her fiancé was exceptional, but she hadn’t expected that he would turn out to be the Heaven’s Chosen One. Although she didn’t fully understand what the title meant, the term “Heaven’s Chosen” alone hinted at its extraordinary significance. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have drawn such attention from the Sacred Martial Hall.
Ning Huayuan’s sharp eyes scrutinized the pair, then shifted to the subdued foreign cultivators. He spoke slowly, “Are these individuals also your companions?”
“No,” Yin Xingheng replied. “We are not associated with them.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Huayuan’s expression softened slightly. He continued, “If that’s the case, we will handle them according to Dongling’s laws. I trust you have no objections?”
Yin Xingheng smiled faintly and allowed them to do as they pleased, indicating he had no intention of interfering in Dongling’s affairs. In fact, his attitude was remarkably amicable, showing no sign of relying on his superior cultivation to assert dominance.
However, this very attitude caused Ning Huayuan and the others to feel an even heavier sense of unease. They were certain that something significant was happening; otherwise, so many foreign cultivators wouldn’t have gathered here. Yin Xingheng’s attitude only heightened their anxiety.
Seemingly unaware of their wariness, Yin Xingheng smiled again and addressed Ning Huayuan and Emperor Chenghao: “Might I have a word with you in private?”
Ning Huayuan replied, “Of course.”
Yin Xingheng then turned to Ning Zhezou and said, “Young Master Ning, you should join us as well.”
Ning Zhezou’s expression remained indifferent as he nodded slightly.
With that, Ning Huayuan led Yin Xingheng, his junior brother, and Ning Zhezou away from the scene. Emperor Chenghao glanced at Ning Yuzhou among the crowd, ordered the subdued foreign cultivators to be taken into custody, and followed them.
—
After the group departed, those who remained exchanged puzzled looks.
Judging by the Yin brothers’ demeanor, it was evident they came from an extraordinary background. However, no one could figure out why they were seeking out the Ning family or what their purpose was. Were they specifically targeting the Ning family, or was their aim broader, directed at Dongling as a whole?
Although everyone was deeply puzzled, with Ning Huayuan present and the Yin brothers’ cultivation levels so high, no one dared openly inquire about the situation. They could only suppress their curiosity for now and focus on organizing the disciples returning from the training.
Wen Mei watched Ning Zhezou’s departing figure until he was out of sight, then lowered her gaze, hiding the thoughts in her eyes.
Compared to Wen Mei’s calm suspicion, Wen Xian was more impatient. She didn’t know what had happened to Ning Zhezou, but seeing how respectfully Yin Xingheng treated the Ning family, she guessed it must be something good, which stirred a wave of jealousy in her heart.
The more outstanding Wen Mei’s fiancé was, the more envious Wen Xian became. This time, so many foreign cultivators had entered the Lintai Hunting Valley—why hadn’t any of them managed to kill Wen Mei?
Meanwhile, the four major families of Dongling distractedly counted their disciples and listened to their reports. When they learned from the surviving disciples that most of those who had fallen in the Lintai Hunting Valley this time were killed by foreign cultivators, they were furious.
For a moment, the families who had suffered significant losses were all enraged at the foreign cultivators. They hastened to find the Ning clan members escorting the captured foreigners, hoping to learn more and seek justice for their fallen disciples.
Wen Mei and Wen Xian quickly moved toward the Wen family members they spotted.
Amid the crowd, Ning Yaozhu was also feeling uneasy.
She couldn’t understand how Ning Zhezou had gotten involved with the powerful Yin brothers but had a nagging feeling that Ning Zhezou was about to benefit from the situation again.
In her panic, she searched for her elder brother, Ning Pingzhou. Before she could find him, however, she spotted Ning Yuzhou not far away.
Ning Yuzhou was holding a white jade flower pot, still looking as warm and gentle as ever. Yet the gaze he cast her way sent an inexplicable chill down her spine, causing her to shiver uncontrollably as coldness seeped into her hands and feet.
“Ah Jiu.”
Ning Yaozhu, unnerved by Ning Yuzhou’s gaze, felt a surge of relief when she heard her brother’s voice.
“Fifth Brother, what happened to you?” She rushed toward him.
Ning Pingzhou’s face was pale, his expression fatigued, and his aura unsteady—clear signs of serious injury. He barely managed to steady himself as his impetuous sister threw herself at him. Exhausted, he said, “I’m fine. I just got hurt a bit.”
Tears welled up in Ning Yaozhu’s eyes as she clung tightly to her brother’s hand, finally feeling a little safer.
Noticing her uneasy expression, Ning Pingzhou asked in confusion, “Ah Jiu, what’s wrong?”
Ning Yaozhu hesitated, wanting to tell her brother about the encounter with Ning Yuzhou and his wife in the maze, as well as what one of her followers had done. Before she could speak, however, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye. The Qianlin Guards were escorting a cultivator toward Ning Yuzhou. As the man passed by, he called out, “Ninth Princess, save me!”
Ning Yaozhu shuddered and stared at him in terror.
Ning Pingzhou turned his gaze toward the cultivator and recognized him as Sun Hongmao, a member of a collateral branch of the Sun family and one of his sister’s followers. Sun Hongmao often stayed by Ning Yaozhu’s side, going to great lengths to please her, his intentions all too obvious.
This cry for help also caught the attention of the surrounding cultivators. They looked on in bewilderment, though none acted rashly since they recognized the Qianlin Guards as elite warriors trained by the Ning clan.
Sun Hongmao’s elders, however, grew anxious. One of them couldn’t help but step forward, grabbing hold of a Qianlin Guard and asking, “May I ask where you are taking Hongmao?”
The Qianlin Guard replied coldly, “Sun Hongmao colluded with the Ninth Princess in an attempt to frame our Seventh Highness during the Lintai Hunting Valley trial…”
“I did not!” Ning Yaozhu screamed. She pointed at Sun Hongmao. “I didn’t do anything—it was all his doing!”
The Qianlin Guard did not argue but added, “The Ninth Princess should come with us as well.”
Ning Yaozhu’s throat tightened, cutting off any further protests. Panic filled her heart. Although she was jealous of Ning Yuzhou and wished for his downfall, she had never thought of personally harming him. Besides, Ning clan disciples were forbidden from killing each other, with violators facing severe punishment—how could she dare?
Back in the maze, it was Sun Hongmao who had acted on his own. It had nothing to do with her!
The Qianlin Guards remained unmoved and repeated, “We ask the Ninth Princess to come along.”
Ning Yaozhu was unwilling to go. She feared Ning Yuzhou would act against her and had a gut feeling that going would result in disaster.
“Ah Jiu, I’ll go with you.” Ning Pingzhou held his sister’s hand and said to Ning Yuzhou not far away, “Seventh Brother, as Ah Jiu’s elder brother, I hope you won’t mind if I accompany her?”
Ning Yuzhou responded indifferently, “As you wish.”
With that, surrounded by the Qianlin Guards, he turned and left, heading toward the station at the base of Lintai Mountain.
The onlookers watched Ning Yuzhou and his group depart. Based on what they had overheard, they pieced together the sequence of events and concluded that Sun Hongmao and Ning Yaozhu were incredibly foolish.
Knowing Ning Yuzhou’s standing in Emperor Chenghao’s eyes, evidenced by the special assignment of a Qianlin Guard unit for his protection, how could anyone be foolish enough to plot against him? If they had the capability to kill him within the secret realm without witnesses, that might have been one thing—once dead, there would be no one to hold accountable, and even Emperor Chenghao couldn’t do much.
But to fail and let him return alive? It was their own misfortune.
The Sun family’s elder watched as Sun Hongmao was taken away, his expression dark and grim.
Sun Hongmao was merely a disciple from a collateral branch and was not particularly valued. His entry into the Lintai Hunting Valley for training had only been possible due to the Ninth Princess Ning Yaozhu granting him a spot. That was why Sun Hongmao clung to Ning Yaozhu, willingly serving as her attendant.
The Sun family had many such collateral members like Sun Hongmao and wouldn’t be too concerned over his loss. However, they worried whether the Ning clan would use this incident to pressure them, especially Emperor Chenghao, who was notoriously protective of the “useless” Seventh Prince. If the emperor decided to seek justice for the Seventh Prince, who could say whether he might take the opportunity to target the Sun family?
With this in mind, the Sun family elder instructed others to settle the returning disciples and hurried off to make arrangements, hoping to minimize the potential fallout.