In the eyes of the world, Ning Yuzhou was an arrogant good-for-nothing.
Clearly just an ordinary mortal, yet because he had a capable father, he acted without any scruples.
His past behavior fully demonstrated his audacity. Although it was true that Ning Yaozhu and Sun Hongmao were wrong to harm him, his aggressive demeanor was deeply off-putting. Not to mention that even Ning Pingzhou, a prince of the Ning clan with outstanding talent, had to consult him before taking action, which showed just how brazen Ning Yuzhou was, relying on Emperor Chenghao’s favoritism.
For a mortal who couldn’t cultivate to behave so arrogantly, he hadn’t lived this life in vain.
“Fifth Brother, I don’t want to go in…”
Ning Yaozhu’s face was full of resistance. Not only did she have a bad feeling that misfortune awaited her if she went inside, but she also didn’t want to face Ning Yuzhou. Clearly, they were the ones the Ning clan should value. So why did they have to yield to that useless Ning Yuzhou?
This time, the Lintai Hunting Valley was opened because he himself wanted to enter it. When the labyrinth collapsed, why didn’t he just die in there?
Ning Pingzhou pulled her along and said, “Ah Jiu, if you don’t want to be punished by the elders of the Hall of Discipline, you’d better admit your mistake to him first.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong! I didn’t know Sun Hongmao would make a move at that time. Fifth Brother, you have to believe me!” Ning Yaozhu said anxiously.
Ning Pingzhou patted her face and said gently, “I know you wouldn’t do such a thing. But… Ah Jiu, haven’t you noticed that the Third Miss Wen has yet to show up?”
Ning Yaozhu froze for a moment. Realizing something, her face paled slightly.
She hadn’t seen Wen Qiao earlier, which left only one possibility: Wen Qiao had already died in the Lintai Hunting Valley. Though Wen Qiao was a sickly person doomed not to live past twenty, dying of illness was one thing. But if someone caused her death prematurely, it was an entirely different matter.
“Could it be…” Ning Yaozhu’s throat felt dry. “She already died when the labyrinth collapsed, attacked by the beast?”
Before the labyrinth collapsed, Ning Yaozhu and the others had been fleeing, only to see Ning Yuzhou carrying Wen Qiao, covered in blood and seemingly lifeless. Wen Qiao’s appearance at that time had been terrifying. She had lost a lot of blood, her breath was faint, and she might truly have died…
Even if she hadn’t, the fall from the collapsing labyrinth—tens of thousands of feet high—would be hard to survive for someone gravely injured.
Ning Pingzhou’s eyes darkened slightly, and he said, “Ah Jiu, regardless of the truth, you should apologize to Ning Yuzhou and seek his forgiveness.”
“I…”
“Be obedient!”
Ning Yaozhu’s expression turned sour. Reluctantly, she said, “Fine.”
Seeing her agree, Ning Pingzhou patted his sister on the head again, then led her toward Ning Yuzhou’s tent.
According to usual practice, after the Lintai Hunting Valley closed, a small marketplace would be held here.
Disciples from various families would trade resources they didn’t need from the valley, typically through bartering for items they lacked. With the royal Ning clan and elders from the families jointly overseeing the event, there was no worry about anyone killing to seize treasures. This kind of small marketplace was very popular among cultivators.
Eventually, even many merchants and cultivators who hadn’t entered the Lintai Hunting Valley would come here to purchase various resources, making the temporary marketplace even more prosperous.
Thus, after the valley closed, cultivators usually stayed for a day or two before leaving. Naturally, the camps of the various families remained in place and wouldn’t be taken down too early.
When the siblings arrived at Ning Yuzhou’s tent, they saw the Qianlin Guards stationed outside.
Ning Yaozhu felt uncomfortable again. The Qianlin Guards were elite soldiers meticulously trained by the Ning clan, yet they were sent to protect a good-for-nothing. It was simply overkill. Clearly someone who contributed nothing to the clan was using its resources with complete ease. Even the most good-natured person would feel resentment and jealousy.
Their father, the emperor, was a wise and just ruler in all other matters. Yet whenever it came to Ning Yuzhou, he became inexplicably muddled.
The Qianlin Guards did not stop them, clearly having received Ning Yuzhou’s instructions.
Upon entering the tent, they saw Ning Yuzhou seated in the main position. Besides Qian Shou, who stood waiting on the side, and Sun Hongmao, who had been brought in by the Qianlin Guards, Wen Qiao was indeed nowhere to be seen.
Ning Yaozhu felt a chill in her heart and suddenly didn’t dare to meet Ning Yuzhou’s gaze.
The tent was silent, and no one spoke.
Ning Pingzhou raised his head to look at Ning Yuzhou, who sat at the head of the tent. Ning Yuzhou held a white jade flowerpot in his arms, in which a two-inch-tall seedling was planted. It was impossible to discern what type of spiritual herb it was. Beside him, on the small table, lay a rabbit slightly larger than a palm. The rabbit hugged a spiritual pill with its paws, occasionally licking it, all the while glancing around at the people.
Ning Yuzhou, the flowerpot, the seedling, and the rabbit… This combination was truly bizarre.
Sun Hongmao slumped to the ground, his face lowered.
His complexion was pale, and his aura was a complete mess. With just a glance, Ning Pingzhou noticed that Sun Hongmao’s spiritual aperture had been destroyed.
With his spiritual aperture ruined, his cultivation was completely gone. He was now no different from a mortal, forever unable to cultivate again.
Ning Yuzhou’s move was indeed ruthless. Sun Hongmao must already harbor deep hatred toward Ah Jiu and would certainly turn against her.
“Seventh Brother, the previous matter was indeed Ah Jiu’s fault. She’s here now to apologize to you.” Ning Pingzhou spoke, subtly nudging his sister.
Ning Yaozhu still felt indignant, but when she thought of the possibly deceased Wen Qiao, she couldn’t help but feel deflated. She whispered softly, “Seventh Brother, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect Sun Hongmao to act that way back then.”
Sun Hongmao lifted his ghastly pale face, glaring venomously at Ning Yaozhu. He let out a chilling laugh and said mockingly, “Ninth Princess, the situation was urgent back then. If we didn’t do something, we’d have been killed by that beast. I acted out of desperation. Besides, I did it for your sake. Don’t you despise the Seventh Prince, thinking he’s a useless waste who hoards the Ning clan’s resources? It was the perfect chance to kill him…”
“Silence!” Ning Pingzhou shouted sharply, glaring at Sun Hongmao. “This is a matter of the Ning clan. What business does an outsider like you have interfering? Even if there are conflicts among Ning clan disciples, we handle them privately. There’s no need for someone like you to meddle!”
Sun Hongmao was stunned into silence by the reprimand.
Without giving him a chance to retort, Ning Pingzhou continued, “Ah Jiu may be a bit spoiled, but she knows the Ning clan’s rules and wouldn’t act against her kin without cause. What you wanted was simply to find someone to cover for you, to buy yourself time to escape while currying favor with Ah Jiu. You never expected Seventh Brother to survive…”
Sun Hongmao’s actions were easy to understand, but Ning Pingzhou wasn’t about to let such a despicable person tarnish his sister’s reputation.
Sun Hongmao’s heart burned with hatred. He tried to argue but was cut off repeatedly by Ning Pingzhou’s sharp rebuttals, leaving him gasping for breath. Choking on his anger, he coughed violently, glaring at them with venomous eyes.
Why was it that he acted for Ning Yaozhu, killing someone she hated, but in the end, he alone bore the consequences?
Since he could no longer cultivate, he might as well drag someone down with him!
Ning Yaozhu, unsettled by his gaze, instinctively hid behind Ning Pingzhou.
Ning Pingzhou ignored Sun Hongmao and turned to Ning Yuzhou. “Seventh Brother, Ah Jiu was deceived by this vile person. If you wish to punish her, I won’t object.”
“Fifth Brother…” Ning Yaozhu was shocked, staring at him in disbelief. He had been pleading for her just moments ago; why had he changed his stance now?
Ning Yuzhou had remained silent all this time, watching the proceedings with a leisurely demeanor.
When Ning Pingzhou finished speaking, Ning Yuzhou finally chuckled and said, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
Ning Pingzhou and Ning Yaozhu: “…”
“I didn’t call Ning Yaozhu here to punish her,” Ning Yuzhou said calmly. “I just wanted to let her know that Ah Qiao suffered because of her, and I won’t forget it. However, since Ning Yaozhu is a member of the Ning clan, it wouldn’t be proper for me to bypass the elders and deal with her directly. I’ll report this matter to the elders of the Hall of Discipline and let them handle it according to the clan’s rules.”
Ning Pingzhou’s expression darkened.
He had initially intended for Ning Yuzhou to punish Ning Yaozhu; as long as Ning Yuzhou vented his anger, it would be better than handling the matter according to clan rules.
Who would’ve thought Ning Yuzhou summoned them not to seek justice for himself and Wen Qiao but seemingly to enjoy a performance.
Even though Ning Pingzhou had always felt there was no need to bicker with a mortal who couldn’t cultivate, a faint anger welled up within him at this moment. He felt as though he had been played.
Ning Yuzhou paid him no mind and instead turned to Sun Hongmao, saying, “As for you, you owe Ah Qiao a life. You should return it to her.”
Return it? How?
Sun Hongmao was still in shock when the Qianlin Guards covered his mouth and dragged him away. He was never seen again.
Ning Yaozhu appeared terrified, shrinking against her brother like a cicada in the cold, not daring to meet Ning Yuzhou’s gaze.
As a cultivator, she had witnessed her fair share of life and death and had even killed those who dared to offend her. Yet, Ning Yuzhou, a mere mortal, could casually take a life relying on the Qianlin Guards. His ruthlessness was unfathomable, even surpassing that of cultivators.
Would there come a day when Ning Yuzhou, finding her disagreeable, could just as easily kill her without a second thought?
“You may leave now,” Ning Yuzhou said calmly, lowering his gaze to the white jade flowerpot in his hands, as if unwilling to spare them another glance.
Ning Pingzhou looked at him, said nothing, and led his sister out.
After leaving Ning Yuzhou’s tent, Ning Pingzhou took Ning Yaozhu back to their own tent to rest.
Once inside, Ning Pingzhou couldn’t hold it back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground. Ning Yaozhu screamed in panic.
“Fifth Brother, what’s wrong…” Ning Yaozhu cried.
Ning Pingzhou swallowed a healing pill, and after resting for a while, the searing pain in his chest gradually subsided. He finally said, “Ah Jiu, Ning Yuzhou is not someone to be trifled with. He will not let this matter go. Be mentally prepared.”
His tone softened toward the end, filled with reluctance.
He had underestimated Ning Yuzhou in the past, thinking that a mere mortal could cause no real trouble. Who would’ve thought he would return safely from the Lintai Hunting Valley and that his sister would end up embroiled in conflict with him?
Ning Yaozhu felt aggrieved and was also afraid of the punishment she might face. She nodded blankly, her mind adrift.
Ning Pingzhou patted her head and sighed.
After a while, Ning Yaozhu muttered, “Fifth Brother, I’m still unwilling! Ning Yuzhou is just a useless waste. Why must we always give in to him? Is it just because Father dotes on him?”
Ning Pingzhou froze briefly, then sighed softly. “Do you think Father’s favoritism toward Ning Yuzhou hasn’t caused discontent within the Ning clan? But over all these years, has anyone ever said anything?”
“Isn’t it just because Father is being tyrannical…”
“Heh, while Father is the clan leader of the Ning clan, he cannot entirely act as he pleases. There are still the elders above him. Elder Yuan, for example, is a fair and impartial figure who handles matters justly. Have you ever heard him object? If it weren’t for the elders’ approval, do you think Father would dare to show such blatant favoritism toward Ning Yuzhou? Would the Ning clan’s resources be at his disposal so freely?”
Ning Yaozhu stared at him in stunned silence, as if her long-held beliefs were suddenly being overturned.
Could it be that the disciples of the Ning clan were truly inferior to a mere mortal like Ning Yuzhou?
Seeing this, Ning Pingzhou felt a pang of heartache.
His sister was naïve and innocent. Although she envied Ning Yuzhou, she was incapable of causing true harm. Her jealousy was merely that of a young girl’s—petty and inconsequential. He had always indulged her, allowing her to act as she pleased. Yet this time, Sun Hongmao’s foolish scheme had dragged her down, pitting her directly against Ning Yuzhou.
They were anxious and restless, while Ning Yuzhou remained calm and composed. The contrast in strength and weakness was as clear as day.
Ning Yuzhou never considered himself a good person. Regardless of whether Ning Yaozhu’s actions were intentional or not, he had no intention of letting her off.
A little jealousy in a young girl was understandable, but if she was foolish enough to be used by others, then what right did she have to call herself a cultivator? She might as well be a mortal—it would save everyone trouble.
After dismissing the Qianlin Guards, Ning Yuzhou brought out spiritual medicinal liquid to feed the little seedling while chatting with her.
The tent was protected by a soundproof array, so there was no need to worry about anyone overhearing their conversation.
“Ah Qiao, Sun Hongmao caused your death. Simply crippling his spiritual aperture is too lenient. Handing him back to the Sun family, I’m sure they’ll know how to deal with him.”
Wen Qiao, while drinking the spiritual medicinal liquid, rubbed him with her leaves, indicating that she had no objections to his decision. After all, her husband was standing up for her, and whether Sun Hongmao lived or died wasn’t something she cared about.
Ning Yuzhou’s eyes curved slightly in amusement. He would have preferred to handle the matter himself, but he didn’t want to leave Ah Qiao with the impression that he killed casually. By returning Sun Hongmao to the Sun family, he trusted their wisdom—they wouldn’t keep such a threat around and risk offending the Ning clan.
After feeding her the medicinal liquid, Ning Yuzhou carefully observed the small seedling in the white jade pot and sighed softly.
The little seedling wiggled her leaves in confusion, as if asking him what was wrong.
Ning Yuzhou touched the mischievous little seedling, who leaned over to hook his finger with her leaves, and said gently, “I wonder when you’ll grow a little bigger…”
Over the past few days, he had combed through his inherited knowledge and managed to find a few examples of spiritual herbs cultivating into human forms.
It was said that some high-grade spiritual herbs, if blessed by the heavens and earth, could cultivate and transform into yao spirits—beings whose flesh, blood, and bones were treasures in themselves. However, for spiritual herbs to take human form, the process required far more time than for demonic beasts—sometimes hundreds or even thousands of times more effort and years.
Wen Qiao’s yao body appeared to lean more toward that of a spiritual herb.
Although she currently looked like an ordinary weed, her essence blood was capable of breaking the seals in his body and attracting mutant demon rabbits to fight for her protection. She was undoubtedly no ordinary divine bloodline, likely some kind of rare and precious treasure.
Among yao spirits, the more powerful the bloodline, the harder it was to take human form.
The silver lining was that Wen Qiao was born human. Her body had simply inherited half of some unknown ancestor’s extraordinary bloodline, awakening that power and transforming into her yao form. Unlike naturally born spiritual herbs, she didn’t need to spend millions of years to gain a human form.
Still, compared to human cultivation speed, the process might take a bit longer.
Ning Yuzhou sighed again and resolved to research further after they returned. He would feed her more spiritual medicinal liquid to accelerate her growth.
Wen Qiao, completely clueless, was left blinking in confusion.
She had no idea when she could transform. Poor development wasn’t her fault, nor was the lack of inheritance from the other half of her bloodline. For now, all she could do was explore her path step by step.
Thankfully, now that everything was out in the open and her husband was there to protect her, she no longer needed to cautiously hide her cultivation. This gave her more confidence in achieving her transformation.
Wen Qiao was rather optimistic.
So, she turned around to comfort her husband, assuring him that she was fine as she was, would work hard on her cultivation, and that he didn’t need to worry.
Ning Yuzhou was both amused and softened by the little seedling’s comforting gestures. How could she be so adorable?
The more he looked at her, the cuter she seemed. He couldn’t help but want to do something for her.
After some thought, Ning Yuzhou retrieved a large piece of spiritual jade from his storage pouch.
“Ah Qiao, how about I make you a new flowerpot? This white jade pot is nothing compared to one made of spiritual jade. You’ll also be able to absorb the spiritual energy from the jade to aid your cultivation—it’s a win-win.” Ning Yuzhou’s voice was warm and gentle. Without waiting for her response, he took out a carving knife and began sculpting the flowerpot.
Wen Qiao: “…”
Was her husband being too good to her? Spiritual jade wasn’t something you just casually used for flowerpots! What a waste!
As Ning Yuzhou finished carving the flowerpot, Emperor Chenghao, having wrapped up his business, came to see him.
“Seventh, what are you doing?”
When Ning Yuzhou saw Emperor Chenghao, he was slightly surprised. Glancing outside, he asked, “Father, have the people from the Sacred Martial Hall left?”
Emperor Chenghao froze, astonished. “You know they’re from the Sacred Martial Hall?”
Ning Yuzhou nodded and recounted his encounter with Feng Sanniang in the Lintai Hunting Valley.