Chapter 1579: Chapter 45: Zhou Xing’s Ambition! (Part 2)
At this moment, Ji Mingyue walked out of the house holding a cup of tea.
"Have a cup of tea to moisten your throat!" Ji Mingyue said with a smile, displaying the demeanor of a hostess.
Seeing Ji Mingyue approaching, Zhou Xing quickly stood up.
"Thank you, Seventeenth Princess!"
"Sit down!" Jiang Ning said indifferently.
Zhou Xing’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately bowed his head.
"Yes!"
He then took his seat.
Jiang Ning picked up the tea that Ji Mingyue had placed in front of him and took a gentle sip.
"Where were we just now?"
"To the Marquis, you just mentioned that with the allegiance of those two Great Grandmasters, it would be enough to sweep across the major sects of Guangning Prefecture." Zhou Xing replied, following Jiang Ning’s lead.
At this moment, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat nervous.
The allegiance of the two Great Grandmasters made him feel immense pressure instantly.
Compared to such figures, he knew he had no real advantage.
The only advantage was a simple camaraderie with Jiang Ning.
"Then all that matters is loyalty!" He silently assured himself, making his decision even more firm.
Jiang Ning nodded and continued, "Although the situation in Guangning Prefecture is initially settled, residual forces still exist. The subsequent cleanup, reorganization, and guarding and transporting of sect resources all require trustworthy people to undertake these tasks."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing cupped his hands.
"As long as the Marquis commands, I will exhaust my heart and soul to follow the Marquis’s orders."
Jiang Ning nodded.
"The three of you followed me from Luoshui County, compared to others, I trust you three more. So, I need you three to assist with the upcoming matters."
"Feng Jiuge!" Jiang Ning continued.
"I am here!" Feng Jiuge stood up and cupped her fists in respect.
"You are a woman, meticulous in thought, and careful. You will take my token to Chaosheng Pavilion. The documentary, ledgers, and industry lists seized by Chaosheng Pavilion and subsequent sects shall be checked by you with your men one by one. If there are any doubts, investigate deeply without holding back, and report any unmanageable issues to me."
As his words fell, Jiang Ning took out his marquis seal.
Feng Jiuge’s expression turned solemn as she knelt on one knee to receive the marquis seal handed over by Jiang Ning.
"I accept the order! I will do all in my power not to fail what the Marquis has entrusted!"
Jiang Ning nodded, then turned to Zhou Xing.
"Zhou Xing."
"I am here!" Zhou Xing also stood up and cupped his fists to receive his orders.
"You are skilled, you will take my Patrol Envoy Identity Token and go to Chaosheng Pavilion. Those who are not virtuous among Chaosheng Pavilion and subsequent sect members should be investigated and dealt with according to the law, and I grant you the power to execute justice first and report later."
"Yes, Marquis!" Zhou Xing’s demeanor turned solemn as he knelt on one knee to receive the Patrol Envoy Identity Token handed over by Jiang Ning.
Holding it with reverence, as if it were a rare treasure.
He understood that accepting this Identity Token represented immense power.
Within Guangning Prefecture, holding this token represented Jiang Ning’s presence.
He carefully stored the Patrol Envoy Identity Token given to him by Jiang Ning.
"Marquis, please rest assured. I will do all in my power not to fail the trust placed in me by the Marquis."
Seeing Zhou Xing’s demeanor, Jiang Ning nodded.
He then turned to Xie Xiaojiu.
"Little Jiu." He slowly spoke, "You are the strongest, wielding Sword Nine. With your strength, no ordinary Fourth-Grade can rival you. The transport of various sect resources will be escorted by you. Are you confident?"
"I am!" Xie Xiaojiu also stood up, holding her sword and accepted her orders.
The long sword she held was the family-heritage Divine Weapon previously taken by Jiang Ning from Divine Sword Manor, the Shangguan family.
Jiang Ning looked at the three and nodded.
In the next moment.
He lifted the three cups of tea on the tea tray.
Then extended his index finger into the clear tea, stirring it gently.
As his finger stirred, the clear tea turned golden, with threads of gold swirling within the tea bowls along with the tea.
The three cups of tea were each stirred into golden liquid by him.
"Drink it!"
With a wave of Jiang Ning’s hand, the three cups of tea landed before the three of them.
Zhou Xing did not hesitate and lifted the tea bowl containing the golden liquid in front of him.
Gulps—
He raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.
Feng Jiuge and Xie Xiaojiu also picked up the tea bowls, drinking one sip after another.
"Go back and practice for a day, digest for a day, tomorrow you both should be able to enter the Fourth Grade realm." Jiang Ning said looking at Zhou Xing and Feng Jiuge.
Then turned to Xie Xiaojiu.
"Fourth Grade Marrow Refining, I can still help you, but to reach the Third Grade Grandmaster, it requires your own effort!"
"Understood!" Xie Xiaojiu nodded.
At this moment, Zhou Xing’s eyes suddenly sparkled with color.
Third Grade Grandmaster.
The four words mentioned by Jiang Ning instantly stirred him.
Before, he never thought he would have the chance to reach such a realm someday.
But now, Jiang Ning mentioned such a realm to Xie Xiaojiu.
He immediately understood that, in his own marquis’s eyes, it wouldn’t be long before Xie Xiaojiu could touch the Grandmaster domain.
He also understood that it represented he could also touch the Grandmaster domain.
He knew he might not have the aptitude and potential as Xie Xiaojiu.
But in terms of diligence, he confidently surpassed Xie Xiaojiu.
Now, with Jiang Ning’s cultivation, he was confident he could keep up with Xie Xiaojiu’s pace.
Thinking about the day he could enter the Grandmaster domain made his heart swell with emotions.
"Take these things with you; if Martial Arts wants to progress quickly, resources are indispensable."
As he spoke, Jiang Ning waved his hand, and before the three of them floated a stack of silver notes and a single gold note.
The gold note valued at one hundred taels.
While the silver notes had denominations of one thousand taels and ten thousand taels.
"Thank you, Marquis!" Zhou Xing picked up the gold note and the stack of silver notes in front of him, unable to hide his excitement.
During these days, he dared not use his identity to seek any private gain, fearing that one day Jiang Ning might discover it and he would lose Jiang Ning’s trust, thus losing this opportunity.
So he was really in need of money and lacked the assistance of cultivation resources.
The gold note and stack of silver notes before him would solve his urgent needs.
Feng Jiuge and Xie Xiaojiu also picked up the gold and silver notes in front of them, each thanking Jiang Ning.
"Alright, you may leave! Head off to Chaosheng Pavilion tomorrow."
"Yes!" The three answered.
Then they cupped their hands and left.
...
A moment later.
The residence returned to tranquillity, leaving only Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue.
"With the assistance of these three, you can relax a little in the coming days." Ji Mingyue nodded.
Jiang Ning sipped his tea, nodding.
"There shouldn’t be anything problematic in the foreseeable future."
"That’s good!" Ji Mingyue nodded, then asked again, "The matter of Chaosheng Pavilion went smoothly, right?"
"Smoothly!" Jiang Ning said, "The Black Flood Dragon King ultimately fell from the Unity Realm, without the support of the field, he is finally not as good as a First-Grade Martial Artist. Coupled with the injuries from the past, they likely led to a decline in physical functions, with age, his combat power further diminished."
"What is the current situation with the Black Flood Dragon King?" Ji Mingyue sat down, pouring herself a cup of tea, and asked Jiang Ning.
"He sold himself to me for ten years!" Jiang Ning said.
"Such a figure actually bowed down?" Ji Mingyue’s eyes were surprised.
"I can only say Chaosheng Pavilion is his Achilles’ heel!" Jiang Ning took a sip of tea, moisturized his throat, and continued, "I traded the survival of Chaosheng Pavilion with him, as long as he wants to save the inheritance of Chaosheng Pavilion’s orthodoxy, he can only bow his head."
"With such a figure, you certainly can sleep peacefully in the days to come!" Ji Mingyue nodded, expressing her approval.
She then added, "But be careful of the Black Flood Dragon King pretending to comply, then stabbing you in the back someday."
"Understood!" Jiang Ning nodded.
A moment later.
"Alright!" Jiang Ning stood up, "I must go and practice for a while now!"
"What do you want to eat for lunch?" Ji Mingyue quickly asked.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning paused and thought for a moment.
"A bowl of braised beef noodles would be nice! I am a bit nostalgic for my sister-in-law’s braised beef noodles."
"Braised beef noodles?" Ji Mingyue lightly murmured, then said, "Okay! I will head out to buy some ingredients now."
"And also..." Jiang Ning added, "Fry a few poached eggs, they are especially delicious soaked with soup."
"No problem!" Ji Mingyue gave Jiang Ning a bright smile and then walked towards the outside.
Jiang Ning also stood up and walked towards the backyard.
