pertwk Page 46
Page 46
Jiang Ning smiled slightly and said, "We are all fellow disciples, Senior Brother, why be so formal?"
"Let's go back first."
Ning Zhongze then spoke.
After the group walked out of the woods, they happened to run into an old farmer driving a donkey cart. Ning Zhongze hired the donkey cart and let Linghu Chong lie down on the thick straw, while she and Jiang Ning sat in the front seats of the cart.
Chapter 75: Yue Buqun: Awesome!
Ning Zhongze asked, "Ning'er, was the sword strike you used earlier a sword aura?"
The incident happened so suddenly that she couldn't catch up with Jiang Ning and Tian Boguang for a moment and fell a little behind, but she saw Jiang Ning's final sword strike.
Jiang Ning nodded: "Yes."
Ning Zhong was even more surprised.
Sword energy is a manifestation of internal force being released externally. To unleash sword energy, one needs profound internal force, requiring at least a first-rate master. Moreover, releasing sword energy also takes time, usually a year or several years, but Jiang Ning accomplished it in just two months.
Yue Buqun had mentioned Jiang Ning's high talent to Ning Zhongze more than once, but this direct observation still left her speechless.
It took Jiang Ning, Ning Zhongze, and Linghu Chong more than half an hour to return to Hengshan City. After resting for a while, Linghu Chong's condition had improved a lot, and his face was no longer so pale. Before, his face was so white that he looked like he was about to die at any moment.
"Let's go, we'll go to the Liu residence first, and then have your master use the Purple Cloud Divine Skill to heal your injuries."
Ning Zhongze said to Linghu Chong.
Linghu Chong said with shame, "This disciple is incompetent and has disgraced Master and Mistress."
Ning Zhongze laughed and said, "You have done very well. Tian Boguang is a first-class master. You have managed to hold your own against him until now and even rescued the Hengshan Sect disciples. Your master will not blame you."
She had also learned what had happened from Linghu Chong on the way there.
Although Linghu Chong was no match for Tian Boguang in strength, he was brave, resourceful, and quick-witted, which satisfied her greatly.
Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong felt not comforted, but rather a strange, unsettling feeling.
He was able to survive Tian Boguang's brutal attack thanks to his cunning and resourcefulness, but Jiang Ning was able to fight Tian Boguang to a standstill and even force him to retreat, which made him, as the senior brother, feel extremely bitter.
When they arrived at the back gate of the Liu residence again, the dozen or so men from before were standing there. When they saw Jiang Ning, Ning Zhongze, and a young man coming over, their faces lit up with joy, and they quickly stepped forward to greet them.
"Miss Ning, gentlemen, my master instructed us to wait for you here. Please come in."
One of them spoke to Jiang Ning and the other two with a big smile, while the others ran inside to report.
"Young master, let me help you up."
A man saw that Linghu Chong was pale and rushed forward to help him, but Linghu Chong refused.
"no need."
Linghu Chong declined the Liu family's offer of hospitality and went straight inside, with Jiang Ning and Ning Zhongze following behind.
After passing through the main hall and corridor, they entered the inner hall. Yue Buqun, Ding Yi, Tianmen Daoist, and Yu Canghai each sat silently on their armchairs, while Yilin stood next to Ding Yi, her eyes red and her little face tearful, making her exceptionally pitiful.
"Master."
Jiang Ning walked quickly, being the first to enter the inner hall and heading straight for Yue Buqun.
Yue Buqun, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them upon hearing this and smiled when he saw Jiang Ning.
"Have you found Chong'er?"
"Master, I'm here."
Linghu Chong's voice rang out from outside the hall, and he and Ning Zhongze walked in.
"It's Senior Brother!"
"Senior Brother is alright."
Lu Dayou and Yue Lingshan were overjoyed to hear Linghu Chong's voice, but when they saw the bloodstains and miserable state on Linghu Chong's body, their faces immediately showed worry.
"Brother Linghu."
When Yilin saw that it was Linghu Chong, she exclaimed in surprise and wanted to go forward to help him up, but she froze on the spot after Dingyi snorted coldly.
"Senior Brother, how are you? Is it serious?"
Yue Lingshan arrived at Linghu Chong's side like a gust of wind, looking at him anxiously.
"Junior sister, I'm fine."
Linghu Chong smiled.
When Yue Buqun saw Linghu Chong's injuries, he was also a little nervous. However, he realized that Linghu Chong's injuries were not fatal. Although they looked terrible, they were not life-threatening. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at Ning Zhongze.
"Junior sister, did you and Ning'er encounter Tian Boguang when you went there?"
Ning Zhongze nodded and said, "When we got to that grove, Ning'er and I split up to search. I didn't find anything on my side, but when I went to look for Ning'er, I heard fighting sounds on his side. I rushed over and saw him fighting with Tian Boguang. Ning'er had the upper hand. When I was about to go and help, Ning'er drove Tian Boguang back. When Tian Boguang was escaping, Ning'er seriously injured his left arm. But unfortunately, he still managed to get away in the end."
Ning Zhongze spoke these words with exceptionally loud voice, as if afraid that Yue Buqun might not hear her clearly.
"what?"
"Could he possibly defeat Tian Boguang?"
"That can't be right, how old is he?"
After Ning Zhongze finished speaking, it caused a great reaction among the others. They all looked at Jiang Ning with disbelief on their faces.
Yue Buqun's smile deepened as he heard Ning Zhongze's words, especially when he heard that Jiang Ning had seriously injured Tian Boguang.
All eyes were on Yue Buqun, and he saw the shock and disbelief in their eyes.
Cool!
Although Jiang Ning did not kill Tian Boguang, Yue Buqun did not care much; he had already achieved the desired effect.
Yue Buqun shook his folding fan and said to Jiang Ning, "That Tian Boguang is known as the Lone Ranger, and his lightness skill is unparalleled. Back then, many masters couldn't catch him. It's normal that he escaped. There's no need to be discouraged."
Although Jiang Ning was not discouraged, Yue Buqun said he was, so he could only nod and say, "Yes."
Yue Buqun then looked at Linghu Chong, his brows furrowing slightly.
Just now, when questioning Yilin, a disciple of the Hengshan Sect, about what happened, the claim that Linghu Chong and Tian Boguang were in cahoots had been cleared. However, Linghu Chong's words about nuns were really unbearable to hear. He said things like he would always lose gambling whenever he saw a nun, that nuns were born unlucky, and that he was annoyed whenever he saw a nun. These words made Dingyi furious, and Yue Buqun, who was listening from the side, was also embarrassed.
Although he knew that Linghu Chong was saying these things to save people, it was still very difficult for him, as the leader of the Huashan Sect, to face Master Dingyi.
Originally, Yue Buqun was going to reprimand Linghu Chong, but seeing him like this, Yue Buqun's heart softened and he couldn't bear to scold him anymore.
"Gentlemen, since this is a misunderstanding, let's let it go. I, Liu Zhengfeng, am extremely grateful that you have graced me with your presence at my retirement ceremony today."
At this moment, Liu Zhengfeng, dressed as a wealthy man, walked to the center of the crowd and said with a smile, "The Golden Basin Gathering is about to begin. Please move aside."
Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun stood up, nodded to Liu Zhengfeng, and then went to the main hall, while the others also left.
"Jiang Ning...Junior Brother."
The Huashan and Hengshan sects left side by side, with Jiang Ning walking behind. A voice came from the side, and when he turned around, he saw Yilin speaking.
"Is something wrong, Senior Sister?"
Jiang Ning glanced at her.
"No...it's okay."
Yilin shook her head softly and said, "Thank you for saving Brother Linghu. If Brother Linghu hadn't risked his life to save me, I would have fallen into Tian Boguang's hands. If he had really been killed by Tian Boguang, I really wouldn't know what to do."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning glanced at her, then turned back to look straight ahead, his eyes fixed straight ahead: "Senior Brother is a disciple of my Huashan Sect. It was my duty to save him. Senior Sister, you don't need to thank me."
After speaking, Jiang Ning quickened his pace and walked ahead.
Yi Lin stared at Jiang Ning's retreating figure, her gaze momentarily pausing.
For some reason, she felt that Jiang Ning seemed to dislike her.
Chapter 76: The Ceremony of Retiring from the Past
After passing through the same corridor again, Jiang Ning, Yue Buqun, Ding Yi, and other members of the Five Mountains Sword Sect arrived at the front courtyard in front of the main hall.
The front yard was full of people, but the center was empty.
A tent was set up in the center of the crowd, with a table placed under it and several armchairs around it. It was undoubtedly prepared for the Five Mountains Sword Sect.
Yue Buqun, Tianmen Daoist of the Taishan Sect, and Dingyi Shitai of the Hengshan Sect sat on the grand master's chair as a matter of course, with the disciples of the sect standing behind them.
"Master, where is Master Mo?"
Jiang Ning stood in a position close to Yue Buqun and noticed that two of the armchairs present were empty.
These two grand master chairs were clearly prepared for the Songshan School and Master Mo.
Of the Five Sacred Mountains Sword Sects, only the Songshan Sect had not yet arrived, and Liu Zhengfeng himself, the leader of the Hengshan Sect, was nowhere to be seen.
Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun glanced at the two empty armchairs, shook his head slightly, and said, "I don't know either. However, I heard that Junior Brother Liu seems to be at odds with Master Mo. I don't know the specific reason, but it is rumored in the martial arts world that Master Mo is jealous of talent and ability, and that Junior Brother Liu's martial arts surpasses his own. Perhaps that is why the two of them are at odds, and that is why Liu Zhengfeng wants to retire from the martial arts world."
Every family has its own problems. Not only does Yue Buqun's own Huashan Sect have a host of issues, but other sects naturally have their own problems as well.
But if it were truly that Master Mo was jealous of Liu Zhengfeng's superior martial arts skills, then why would Master Mo not even show his face when Liu Zhengfeng had already held a ceremony to retire from the martial world? Did he not even want to put on a show? Is the conflict between the two of them really that deep?
Thinking of this, Yue Buqun shook his head slightly and said softly, "Who cares about anything else? Today we just need to attend the Golden Basin Gathering. After it's over, we can just pretend that Liu Zhengfeng never existed in the martial arts world."
Upon hearing Yue Buqun's words, Jiang Ning said nothing more and began to watch the Golden Basin Gathering.
It has to be said that Liu Zhengfeng is really popular. The front yard, which can accommodate thousands of people, is almost full of martial arts figures who have been invited by Liu Zhengfeng. The scale of this event is truly impressive.
"Distinguished heroes and seniors, friends of the martial arts world, I am deeply grateful for your presence at my inauguration ceremony. From this day forward, I, Liu Zhengfeng, will retire from the martial arts world and no longer concern myself with its affairs. I have invited you all here to bear witness to this."
After Liu Zhengfeng finished speaking, all the martial arts figures present congratulated him. Although they did not know what they were thinking, they all gave Liu Zhengfeng face.
Jiang Ning, who was watching this scene, glanced at the group of martial arts figures. Among them were some well-known sects in the martial arts world, some were chivalrous knights who liked to travel the world alone with their swords, and most of them were people who mingled at the bottom of the martial arts world.
Jiang Ning noticed something unusual as his gaze swept over the group of people.
Among the crowd to the southeast, there was one person who stood out from the others.
The others were dressed cleanly, but he wore straw sandals, his body was covered in mud, his clothes were tattered, his hair was unkempt, his face was covered in grime, and he was hunched over, looking like a ragpicker.
But his eyes were very bright.
Originally, no matter how abnormal this person was, Jiang Ning had no interest in investigating him. However, when Jiang Ning looked over, he found that this person was staring intently at him, while not even glancing at Liu Zhengfeng, who was in the center of attention.
When he realized that Jiang Ning had noticed him, the man opened his mouth and silently said something to Jiang Ning before turning around and disappearing into the crowd.
Ok?
Seeing this, Jiang Ning narrowed his eyes slightly.
He didn't understand lip reading, but the man's actions clearly indicated that he was coming for him, and the man's departure at the end was a hint for him to follow.
“Master, there’s a strange person leading me out. I’m going to take a look.”
Jiang Ning leaned down and whispered to Yue Buqun.
"Who?"
Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun immediately turned his gaze to the group of martial arts practitioners present.
Jiang Ning said, "He has already left."
Yue Buqun frowned slightly: "Be careful. If you notice anything amiss, come back immediately, or shout loudly, and I will come right away."
The Golden Basin Tournament has already begun, and he and Ning Zhongze cannot leave halfway through. If Lu Dayou and the others go out with Jiang Ning and something goes wrong with that person, Lu Dayou and the other disciples will become a burden to Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning nodded, then quietly left without attracting anyone's attention.
After bypassing the crowd, Jiang Ning followed the man's trail and left the Liu residence, heading towards a nearby alley.
Seeing this, Jiang Ning felt a little strange. This place was not far from Liu's residence. If this person wanted to harm him or set up an ambush, he would at least be far away, not near Liu's residence.
He doesn't seem to be someone with ill intentions.
Even with this thought in mind, Jiang Ning did not let his guard down. Instead, he approached the alley with full vigilance, his hand already on the hilt of his sword at his waist, ready to draw it at the slightest sign of trouble.
However, when Jiang Ning arrived at the alley entrance, he found the alley empty except for the hunchbacked man who had led him out.
Looking at the person in front of him, Jiang Ning narrowed his eyes and was about to ask a question, but the next second the person knelt down in front of him with a thud, his head deeply touching the ground.
“I had no choice but to lead you here, sir. I am burdened with a blood feud, and you are the most benevolent and righteous of all. In this world, only you can avenge me. I had no other option but to resort to this desperate measure. I beg your forgiveness, sir. I implore the heroes of the Huashan Sect to help me. If you can help me avenge my grievances, I am willing to pay any price.”