Chapter 186: Little Li Learns Swordsmanship, Long-Term Pioneering

There was no summer in Duanjie City.

The temperature was erratic, like swarms of mosquitoes, buzzing with hot winds one moment and chilling to the bone the next, quite bothersome.

Shao Xiaoli carried out a pot of bean porridge she had just cooked, the steaming heat rising onto her flushed cheeks.

Ning Changjiu's mind ran through the Daoist techniques he had learned in his previous life at the Unobservable Institute. Most of those techniques were not as profound as a reflection in water or the moon in a mirror; rather, they seemed like the origins and foundations of many spells.

Light filtered through the lattice window onto his face. Ning Changjiu opened his eyes, his pupils illuminated by the light.

He reached out a finger to touch the light in front of him.

"Surpassing light…" Ning Changjiu pondered this phrase in his mind.

In this world, many masters could unleash swords that surpassed sound.

Sword and sound emerged simultaneously; the sword arrived first, then the words, and the head had already fallen.

Yet, no one had ever believed their sword or movement technique could surpass light. All techniques concerning this were mere fantasies.

He didn't fully trust Ye Chu's words either.

He knew his master was powerful, so powerful that even in his previous life, when he had reached the Three Legendary Realms and was about to ascend, he was utterly powerless against her sword.

But despite that fated death, he had ultimately survived and returned twelve years into the past.

Was this still within the realm of fate?

Shao Xiaoli brought the bean porridge to him.

After finishing the porridge, Ning Changjiu looked at the young girl beside him and said, "The imperial city's ban has been issued."

Shao Xiaoli nodded gently. "I heard," she said. "The King has issued a kill order to find the monster named Chong Sui. We won't be able to leave the city for the next three months."

If Ning Changjiu wanted to leave, he had ways to get out of the city, but he was starting to doubt if it was meaningful.

Even powerful beings like Ye Chu and Siming were still trapped in this world, one hidden in the snow valley, the other in the royal city, seemingly engaged in an invisible chess match.

Shao Xiaoli also found three months an eternity. She asked worriedly, "Boss, you're not planning to sneak away, are you?"

If he left, her own death wouldn't be far behind.

Ning Changjiu shook his head. "I'm not leaving for now," he said.

Shao Xiaoli believed his words unconditionally.

Suddenly, Ning Changjiu asked, "Can you endure hardship?"

Shao Xiaoli recalled how, after learning she wasn't of royal blood as a child, she had desperately cultivated, trying to pass herself off as a true royal descendant, even resorting to stealing elixirs to consume.

The pressure and fear back then far surpassed what she felt now.

She nodded vigorously. "I can!"

Ning Changjiu said, "Very well. From today, for the next three months, you will learn swordsmanship from me."

Even though Ning Changjiu had mentioned it yesterday, she still found it somewhat abrupt. After a brief moment of stunned silence, Shao Xiaoli knelt to the ground and said, "Disciple greets Master!"

Ning Changjiu gently shook his head. "You don't have to call me Master."

"Uh..." Shao Xiaoli looked up, unsure whether to stand. She asked, "Then what should I do?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Add a bit more sugar to the bean porridge from now on."

With that, Ning Changjiu walked back into the house.

Shao Xiaoli watched his retreating back, thinking that such a simple first sentence from him carried a hint of philosophical depth, and it left a strangely sweet feeling in her heart. He truly was the boss.

She pondered in her mind, while respectfully saying aloud, "Understood, Boss!"

Learning swordsmanship was more arduous than Shao Xiaoli had imagined.

Shao Xiaoli's cultivation level, if she were outside, would likely place her as a girl in the early or middle stages of the Immortal Path, comparable in strength to Le Rou.

In this world, however, cultivation levels evidently had a hard limit. Even Siming and Ye Chu, who might once have been Divine Monarchs, were now suppressed below the Purple Court. What they truly relied on was their fragmented authority.

Therefore, Ning Changjiu didn't let Shao Xiaoli immerse herself in cultivation, as practicing it here was much less efficient than outside.

He first taught Shao Xiaoli some fixed stances and methods of applying force.

On the first morning, after standing in a horse stance for an hour outside the door, Shao Xiaoli finally couldn't hold on any longer. The erratic hot and cold weather sometimes made her feel parched, and at other times made her shiver. Ning Changjiu, meanwhile, sat comfortably in a chair under the eaves, covered as if by a blanket of shadow.

Shao Xiaoli gritted her teeth.

Ning Changjiu stipulated that in the initial stage of sword training, she needed to practice fundamental skills like standing stances and was not allowed to use spiritual energy. All she could use were her most basic physical movements and muscles, much like the emphasis on 'qi' and 'strength' in traditional martial arts schools. Only by training her raw body to be coordinated could she truly control her internal energy with ease.

Finally, after an hour and a half, Shao Xiaoli could no longer endure. She secretly activated a wisp of spiritual energy and channeled it into her legs. The energy felt like a sweet dew, bringing her much relief from her aching and numb body. She adjusted her breathing, then covertly glanced at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu kept his head slightly raised, gazing at the sky, his thoughts seemingly adrift.

Shao Xiaoli felt a little more at ease.

By the time two hours were up, the entire morning had passed. Shao Xiaoli, holding her aching waist and groaning, stumbled over to Ning Changjiu's chair and asked, "Boss, when will you teach me sword techniques?"

Ning Changjiu said, "When you can honestly stand for two full hours, I'll teach you."

Shao Xiaoli's cheeks flushed slightly. She thought, 'As expected, I can't hide anything from Boss,' but she was genuinely tired and offered no excuses. "I understand," she said.

Ning Changjiu also reflected that his own personality was too easygoing to be a strict master. If it were Lu Jiajia, scolding and a disciplinary ruler would probably have already been brought out by now.

These days continued for several days.

Shao Xiaoli's interest in swordsmanship gradually waned with each boring day of standing stances. She was also afraid of angering the boss by giving up halfway, but even when she occasionally tried to be serious, her excruciatingly sore thighs prevented her from lasting the full two hours.

She grumbled inwardly about the boss's strictness, thinking that these were exercises practiced in commoners' martial arts schools. For her, a dignified royal young lady, practicing such things was useless and demeaning.

Shao Xiaoli was listlessly holding her horse stance when suddenly, as she looked up, her somewhat unconcerned gaze froze.

On the chair under the eaves, the boss's figure was gone!

She had grown accustomed to the boss sitting there all day these past few days. His sudden disappearance made Shao Xiaoli's heart skip a beat.

He wouldn't have abandoned her and secretly run off on his own, would he...?

The thought had barely crossed her mind when, immediately afterward, a premonition of danger came from near her temple. In the corner of her vision, a fist rapidly enlarged, and the preceding wind from the punch stung her temple with a dull ache.

An ambush!

Shao Xiaoli instinctively wanted to channel spiritual energy to counterattack, but the opponent was too fast. Before her spiritual energy could surge forth, the person's hand landed on her head.

Shao Xiaoli's body swayed to the side, then she fell onto the grass. She cried out, clutching her head, "It hurts so much..."

Ning Changjiu withdrew his hand, sighed, and said, "I didn't even touch you."

Shao Xiaoli paused for a moment, then released her hand from her head. She felt a lingering ache where her palm had been, but it wasn't real pain; it was a phantom pain, just like Ning Changjiu's punch that seemed to hit her head but didn't. He hadn't touched her; her fall was caused only by a force she had imagined.

"Boss..." Shao Xiaoli knew it, but her girlish temper flared up, and she complained tearfully, "Why did you hit me?"

Ning Changjiu said, "I didn't use any spiritual energy with that punch, nor did I hit you, yet you fell. Have you thought about why?"

Shao Xiaoli replied, "Because Boss is powerful, of course."

Ning Changjiu shook his head. "Because you haven't truly mastered spiritual energy; you can't instantly unleash it with every movement. Channeling spiritual energy from your Qi Sea and letting it surge through your body takes time, however brief. But in a confrontation between masters, that brief moment can be fatal, especially against assassins. However, in Duanjie City's royal city, you wouldn't encounter assassins, or even thieves, so this minuscule delay has no impact on you in daily life. Outside the city, you're always on guard, and the monsters there aren't particularly strong, so you wouldn't be ambushed either."

Ning Changjiu paused, then continued, "But what if someone truly ambushed you suddenly?"

Shao Xiaoli opened her mouth, thinking, 'Besides you, Boss, who else would be so bored?'

She mumbled hesitantly, "I don't know."

Ning Changjiu said, "In that short time, only your physical body can save you. Your current body would crumple after a couple of hits. If you fall behind even one move, you're guaranteed to lose, even if your opponent's cultivation is far beneath yours, under relentless pressure."

'Crumple...' Shao Xiaoli instinctively clutched her chest, but she understood something deep down.

Ning Changjiu looked into her eyes and sighed. "You might think these things are useless, but have you considered how you will survive when I eventually leave?"

Shao Xiaoli's somewhat muddled mind suddenly seemed to be illuminated by a ray of light. In that instant clarity, her back straightened considerably. She looked at Ning Changjiu and asked, "Are you really going to leave...?"

"Yes."

"Then what about me?"

"You must become stronger, stronger than Canshang, stronger than the King, stronger than everyone. Only then will you not die," Ning Changjiu stated this simple truth.

It was then that Shao Xiaoli belatedly realized.

So this was why the boss wanted to teach her swordsmanship...

She tremblingly got up from the grass and asked, "Boss... you don't want me to die, do you?"

Ning Changjiu paused for a moment, then hummed in affirmation.

A wave of warmth swelled in Shao Xiaoli's heart, and her eyes welled up with tears. She thought, 'Cooking and slaving away for the boss these past few days really wasn't in vain! The boss truly has been moved by me. Instead, I was the fool, kept in the dark all this time!'

"Boss!" Shao Xiaoli called out again.

Ning Changjiu turned his head and saw her meticulously holding her stance, her beautiful eyes, still brimming with tears, showing a hint of determination.

Ning Changjiu smiled with satisfaction.

Half an hour later, Shao Xiaoli still couldn't hold on.

She had held the stance for too long earlier, and the accumulated physical exhaustion ultimately, mercilessly, overpowered her conviction and emotion. But Ning Changjiu said nothing, instead smiling and offering her a couple of comforting words. Shao Xiaoli looked at his exceptionally handsome face, every hint of a smile like an awl striking her heart, making her blood churn.

Shao Xiaoli secretly vowed to master peerless swordsmanship.

But if she truly mastered it, would the boss then feel at ease and leave...?

She felt conflicted internally.

"When will I be considered to have graduated?" Shao Xiaoli asked softly.

Ning Changjiu said, "When you can withstand that palm strike of mine, then you'll have graduated."

Ah... was Boss implying he'd be with her forever?

Shao Xiaoli thought to herself, then confidently said aloud, "I'll work hard to graduate soon!"

Today's conversation gave Shao Xiaoli immense motivation. In less than three days, she painstakingly managed to last the full two hours.

That afternoon, Ning Changjiu began to train her reaction speed.

He sent out several streaks of sword energy to entangle Shao Xiaoli, and she had to constantly dodge within the irregularly moving streaks to avoid being hit.

This was much more interesting than the tedious standing and moving stances.

Shao Xiaoli rediscovered the joy she felt as a child, outwitting mosquitoes in her room. After an afternoon of practice, she was so battered by the sword energy that she could barely walk steadily.

After nightfall, Ning Changjiu, as usual, came to her room, pulled her out from under the covers, summoned the Golden Crow, and secretly healed her injuries.

Unbeknownst to her, the girl's body grew warmer day by day.

After healing her injuries, Ning Changjiu didn't slack off, as he also needed to cultivate.

Ye Chu and Siming, along with Chong Sui, who was hiding in the shadows, were all powerful and terrifying enemies. If his own cultivation stagnated, and should Duanjie City face catastrophe one day, standing beneath its crumbling walls, he would find it difficult to ensure his own safety.

Thus, after dusk, he would secretly go outside the city to kill demonic beasts that could be refined into elixirs to enhance his cultivation.

In less than half a month, the fire snakes in the deep canyon valley were nearly exterminated by him. Even Bloodfeather Lord, who had previously dominated the area, couldn't bear to watch and began lecturing him about not overexploiting resources.

"Overexploiting resources?" Ning Changjiu chuckled. "I've heard of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs."

Bloodfeather Lord, whom Ning Changjiu had named 'Red-Headed Chicken,' immediately fell silent.

However, Ning Changjiu wasn't truly overexploiting resources in that sense. He had long discovered that these fire snakes weren't actual snakes, but rather fire-elemental demonic spirits born from underground magma. Beneath their scales wasn't flesh, but scorching molten rock.

"Hey, Master Ning, since you've already killed them all, why not share a bit of the souls with me?" Bloodfeather Lord thought, 'If gentle persuasion won't work, surely sharing a piece of the pie is acceptable?'

Ning Changjiu casually picked a few and gave them to it. Bloodfeather Lord secretly cursed his stinginess while devouring them with gusto.

Although this world contained no spiritual energy, there was still a significant amount of spirituality hidden within its living beings. When Ning Changjiu refined them for his own use, he could even capture some of their residual innate divine abilities.

Ning Changjiu ventured further and further, reaching the dead forest where he had first encountered the black eagle. The ash-gray withered trees stood in the darkness like rigid corpses.

Ning Changjiu placed his hand on the trees.

Trees took great effort to grow for a hundred years, and their spiritual energy was deeply rooted throughout their bodies. Moreover, tree spirits, though sharing a common origin with humans, were fundamentally different. For an ordinary person to try and absorb them would be like trying to chew on a stone.

But this did not faze Ning Changjiu.

His fingers, pressed against the tree trunk, flexed slightly and sank into the wood.

"How can you not even spare corpses?" Bloodfeather Lord remarked, looking at the already pale and seemingly dying trees.

Ning Changjiu gave a faint scoff. "Your crossed eyes obviously wouldn't be able to tell," he said.

These trees' 'playing dead' couldn't fool him.

Although they generally appeared deathly gray, it wasn't because they were dying or already dead. On the contrary, their gnarled trunks were still dense. They simply hadn't grown those self-deceiving leaves, adhering to the principle of playing dead.

Ning Changjiu's fingers delved into the gray wood. He then performed the Daoist technique he had used on his first day in the imperial city to absorb Ning Qinshui's cultivation. This technique, appearing quite aggressive, almost like a dark art, allowed his palm to assimilate with the tree. He then disguised himself as a branch or leaf needing nourishment, cunningly drawing the wood spiritual energy into his body.

Next, he used the Concealment Art to hide his aura, preventing the trees from immediately realizing they had been deceived and rejecting his body. Ning Changjiu used the time gained to refine all the lured wood spiritual energy into his own spiritual power, using his spiritual energy as fire and his body as a furnace.

Bloodfeather Lord watched, dumbfounded and chilled to the bone, wondering if one day he might be tricked and killed without even knowing it.

In the gray wood forest, everything unfolded like a gentle spring rain. One by one, large trees had half their spiritual energy absorbed by Ning Changjiu and converted for his use.

The entire forest looked even more desolate, and it was hard to tell how many years it would take to recover.

Bloodfeather Lord roughly calculated that at the rate Master Ning was clearing them out, the creatures of the ice plain would face their nightmare in less than half a month.

As it turned out, Bloodfeather Lord had vastly underestimated Ning Changjiu.

Three days later, Ning Changjiu stood on the ice plain. He calmly gazed at the boundless snowy expanse, then glanced at Duanjie City's banner planted not far from the plain, feeling as though a monarch was surveying his territory.

Bloodfeather Lord felt the same way and couldn't help but say, "The princess is here to patrol her domain."

Ning Changjiu couldn't be bothered to respond to it.

He glanced behind him. The already spirit-energy-depleted world now appeared even bleaker and more desolate.

However, once Duanjie City's ban was lifted, most things here should revert to their original state, leaving not too many traces of his clearing.

Thus, on this unknown night, Ning Changjiu, alone, set foot on this icy, snowy plain, which Duanjie City had approached only recently after seven hundred years of arduous journeying.

The snow plain was pristine, showing no trace of outsiders.

Ning Changjiu took his first step.

It was a small step for him.

He calculated the time as he walked deeper into the ice plain.

Gusts of wind cut like knives. In this desolate snow plain, it seemed no superfluous life could exist. Similarly, even with his Sword Eyes opened to their brightest, his gaze couldn't reach the end of the ice plain, as if this journey was merely a meaningless, pale trek.

"This is far enough."

Dawn was approaching, and Ning Changjiu didn't have much time to explore the snow plain. Most importantly, he vaguely felt a touch of fear. Unlike danger, this fear had no specific source. He suddenly understood that this was the fear of the unknown that Ye Chu had spoken of.

So, he was also afraid of this world?

He gazed for a long time until the first light appeared in the glass-like fragile sky.

He turned around, retrieved the black sword Siming had given him, and rode it back towards Duanjie City.

Over the past half-month, the absorption of spiritual energy and the arduous physical training had greatly benefited him. Ning Changjiu even felt a subtle rhythm of time's mysteries while traversing the canyons. This resonated with his Dao Heart, and as if by sudden enlightenment, his Dao realm would purify a bit after each rhythm.

He believed it wouldn't be long before he could elevate the purity and intensity of his spiritual energy to the peak of the Longevity Realm.

But no sense of joy arose in his heart.

At this moment, day was turning into night, and the footprints on the snow plain appeared so desolate.

When Shao Xiaoli woke up, Ning Changjiu was sitting under the eaves of the courtyard, as if he had never left.

Shao Xiaoli felt she was sleeping better and better.

Tonight, she even kicked off her blanket because it was a bit warm. This action made her quite worried, thinking that as an unmarried maiden, she couldn't let a man inadvertently see her body.

Shao Xiaoli had never known, nor did she think she had any illness. She wondered if her improvement in constitution, overcoming her coldness, was due to practicing martial arts to strengthen her body.

Thus, her daily practice became even more earnest.

Everything is difficult at first. After enduring the initial aches and fatigue, Shao Xiaoli became more adept. She could now use her seemingly haphazard footwork to evade the sword energy shot by Ning Changjiu, moving and dodging among them for a long time.

Ning Changjiu also began to teach her true swordsmanship.

"What is this sword technique called?" Shao Xiaoli asked. After circulating her qi a few times according to Ning Changjiu's mental chants, she found it indeed different from the North Sea Divine Sword she had learned previously. This swordsmanship was nimble and varied in its intricate details, yet grand and overwhelming in its broader strokes, like a dragon emerging from the mountains.

Ning Changjiu said, "This is called the Heavenly Revelation Sword Scripture. What I'm teaching you is the first volume."

This was the only sword technique Ning Changjiu had consistently attended classes for and systematically learned. Although this technique couldn't compare to truly top-tier sword skills, it was still far superior to ten copies of the North Sea Divine Sword combined.

Shao Xiaoli asked, "Is there another volume?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Once you've mastered the first volume, I'll teach you the next."

Shao Xiaoli said, distressed, "But I've only just learned a move or two. Even if I just superficially go through them all, wouldn't it take at least a year and a half?"

Ning Changjiu nodded.

Shao Xiaoli tentatively asked, "Then how long did it take Boss to learn this sword technique?"

Soon, Shao Xiaoli regretted asking that question.

Ning Changjiu contemplated seriously for a moment, then replied, "Three hours."

"..." Shao Xiaoli found it unbelievable, but she knew the boss wasn't lying. She patted her chest and weakly said, "Boss, I'll go focus on my sword practice now..."

In the courtyard, sword winds whistled. Shao Xiaoli spun out circle after circle of light, and pristine white sword energy swept across the ground. Although it looked flashy rather than practical, it did possess a certain aesthetic beauty.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

During this month, Ning Changjiu feinted many palm strikes. Shao Xiaoli went from initially falling due to her imagined force to eventually being able to barely keep her footing, though she still found no way to counter. As Ning Changjiu said, this relied purely on her physical reaction; there was no way she could channel spiritual energy fast enough.

But how could a girl's physical strength compare to a boy's? Wasn't this just bullying... It was just as nonsensical.

Thinking of this, Shao Xiaoli couldn't help but think of Sister Su Yanshu.

Her plan to rescue Su Yanshu had been put on hold half a month ago because Wei Yuan, who had gone alone with a knife to the imperial city, hadn't returned. Ultimately, her friendship with Su Yanshu hadn't reached the point where she would sacrifice her life for it, which had left her feeling depressed for a long time.

During this time, Ning Changjiu had also asked her if she would rescue him if he were captured.

Shao Xiaoli felt this question was out of character for the boss, so she hesitated for a moment. This brief hesitation was interpreted by Ning Changjiu as her not going to rescue him. This, in turn, made Shao Xiaoli uneasy for a long time, fearing she would be cast aside.

"Boss," Shao Xiaoli asked, unable to help herself while practicing, "If the first volume of the Heavenly Revelation Sword Scripture is already this powerful, what will the second volume be like?"

Ning Changjiu said, "The second volume has eighteen forms, but these eighteen forms are merely that—forms. There is only one true killing strike."

Shao Xiaoli asked, "What do you mean? Then why practice these eighteen forms?"

Ning Changjiu said, "To cultivate intent. These eighteen forms are like strange pines growing from a cliff, all emphasizing a sense of stark solitude and decisiveness. The true killing strike can be any sword move, even the most direct slash or thrust, but this solitary intent will make your sword incredibly fast."

Shao Xiaoli was still puzzled. She asked, "Why would the speed of one's sword increase after their temperament becomes solitary and decisive? Books always say that immortals must sever all ties before ascending. Why is that?"

Ning Changjiu offered his conjecture: "Light travels so fast because it has no weight. Perhaps it's the same for cultivators: the more one severs worldly connections, breaks attachments, cuts off ties, and remains single-minded without relying on external forces, the faster their sword strike will become, until they can cleave open this firmament and see the gates of the Immortal Court."

Shao Xiaoli listened intently, finding it extremely logical. Her heart yearned even more for the Immortal Court he described.

However, she then thought, 'Since I'm with Boss every day, aren't I deepening our ties? That wouldn't be good for Boss's future ascension...'

Thinking these thoughts, the young girl's face clouded with worry.

Ning Changjiu didn't notice her worry. He was thinking about something else: if cultivation required severing ties, then why had his master arranged a fiancée for him in his previous life?

"What you said makes some sense."

Inside his body, a voice that had been silent for over half a month suddenly spoke. It was the spirit of the Sword Scripture: "But when the Heavenly Revelation Sword Scripture was first created, its sole purpose was two words: 'kill people.' It is not light without weight; it is a Gu worm, the strongest Gu, the one that survives until the end."

Ning Changjiu said, "Are you troubled?"

The spirit of the Sword Scripture coldly said, "I just can't figure some things out."

Ning Changjiu knew what it was thinking.

The spirit of the Sword Scripture slowly began, "In two years, I will definitely completely devour your consciousness and take your place. I am very confident about this. What I don't understand is why Ye Chu's prophecy of fate made no mention of your great tribulation two years from now. Have you been deceiving me all along, and you've always had a way to completely suppress and devour me? You let me reside within you just to borrow my power, never intending a fair battle two years later, right?"

The words of the Sword Scripture's spirit echoed continuously in the lake of his mind, stirring up vast ripples.

Ning Changjiu listened to its thoughts, then said, "I don't understand fate, but I am not confident I can defeat you."

The spirit of the Sword Scripture knew he was telling the truth, which only confused it further.

The spirit of the Sword Scripture remained silent for a long time. Then, it slowly emerged from the lake of his mind, pushing aside its long, gray-white hair to reveal an unidentifiable face. It said, "This is fine. Just remember at all times that I am not your tool, nor your friend. I am the sole Gu worm in purgatory, and when the time comes to kill you, I will only need one sword strike."

Shao Xiaoli noticed that Ning Changjiu's expression was very calm, a calmness like deep, dark lake water, appearing somewhat frightening.

But soon, this feeling dissolved.

In the tense atmosphere, Bloodfeather Lord suddenly clamored, "Hmph, how dare you challenge my Master Ning? I see this wretched book of yours has a death wish! It'd be good if you died then; Lu Jiajia would lose a loyal supporter, and our Princess would undoubtedly be Master Ning's true consort!"

Upon hearing this, the spirit of the Sword Scripture also flew into a rage, retorted, "Whether I live or die, I don't think that sixteen-year-old brat you speak of has an ounce of femininity!"

Bloodfeather Lord said, "What does her femininity have to do with you? You wretched book, even if a peerless beauty were placed before you, you'd likely have the wicked thoughts and courage but lack the ability."

This remark utterly enraged the spirit of the Sword Scripture: "What do you, a mere red-headed chicken, know? All divine beings in this world, during their gestation, are like primordial spirits, without any gender. Only lowly beings like you are destined for a gender from birth!"

Bloodfeather Lord hissed, "So, in the future... will you be male or female?"

The spirit of the Sword Scripture churned up stormy waves in Ning Changjiu's Qi Sea: "Do you really want to die?"

The familiar sounds of bickering resumed.

Ning Changjiu sealed off his seven sensory apertures, choosing not to participate in the argument.

Meanwhile, something happened in the royal city that day.

The King had unexpectedly summoned everyone from Xingyuan to assemble in the central plaza.

Shao Xiaoli, who was halfway through her sword practice, was forced to stop and went to the assembly with Ning Changjiu.

She had initially thought that today's gathering would be for a discussion about finding Chong Sui, the great demon hiding in the imperial city. Instead, it was to award merits from the previous wilderness expedition.

These merits were determined by the color of the bronze small swords.

Shao Xiaoli instantly lost much of her enthusiasm, realizing that this awarding of merits had little to do with her.

However, the final outcome greatly exceeded Shao Xiaoli's expectations.

The merits here were not just honors; they could also be weapons, magic robes, or harmless food and meat.

And Shao Xiaoli, while being awarded a medal, also received a strange bird that resembled a pheasant.

She swallowed hard, covertly glancing at Ning Changjiu from the corner of her eye.

The two exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them.

Bloodfeather Lord howled in the sword scabbard, "I don't want to be such an ugly bird!"

However, it also knew it had no choice. The broken sword was decaying day by day, and the space was incredibly cramped. It truly yearned for freedom, and perhaps this was the price of freedom...

When the assembly dispersed, Shao Xiaoli, with an unknown surge of courage, ran up to the King and asked, "Father King, is Su Yanshu doing well?"

The King stopped. He had many daughters in his lifetime; it wasn't due to his promiscuity, but because there were specific quotas for the number of descendants in each generation for the royal lineage.

He remembered this daughter's name. Before her mother's suspected suicide out of fear of punishment, he had been very fond of her. But now, her mother's death had added a slight knot to his paternal affection.

But since she had successfully summoned a spirit, the King did not direct his anger at her. He merely smiled and said, "Don't worry, she's doing very well."

"Then I want to see her," Shao Xiaoli said.

High-speed text: Above the Divine Kingdom, Chapter List