Chapter 102: Chapter 99: A Hundred Families Congratulate, Dignitaries Gather, A Grand Gift
"The Hao Family of Luoyang City."
"The Chang Family of Luoyang City."
"The Yu Family of Luoyang City."
"The Fu Family of Luoyang City."
"The Liang Family of Luoyang City."
...
A continuous stream of announcements rang out from outside.
After more than twenty such announcements, someone couldn’t help but say, "That should be about it, right?"
"The Huo Family of Luoyang City."
"The Ruan Family of Luoyang City."
"The... Family of Luoyang City."
However, the announcements continued, as if they would never end.
Thirty families.
Forty families.
Fifty families.
By this point, the Ning Family had fallen silent. Every face was a mask of deep shock, and only the voices from outside continued to ring out.
Sixty families.
Seventy families.
Until... the eighty-fourth family!
The voices of eighty-four families finally merged into a single, thunderous cry that echoed throughout the entire venue.
"We have come to pay our respects to the White Head Sword Sect!"
The sound was so immense it seemed to make the very air tremble. The entire Ning Family estate buzzed, shaken by the reverberations.
"Could the Song Family have hired actors to put on a show?" someone ventured.
But in the next moment, as the people from outside walked into the Ning Family estate, everyone fell silent, their doubts vanishing completely.
Every single person who arrived was an Innate Realm expert!
Each family had sent two or three people. Eighty-four families meant nearly two hundred Innate Realm experts were present.
Such a lineup was enough to horrify everyone.
Even if you added up all the Innate Realm experts in Baiquan Town, the total wouldn’t exceed one hundred. A force of two hundred Innate Realm experts could easily sweep across the entire town and overturn everything here.
The grand procession of nearly two hundred Innate Realm experts made its way straight to Ning Jiang.
"We pay our respects to the Sword Sect Master, and to the Lord of Kunlun," the crowd said in unison.
At this point, who would still doubt Ning Jiang’s identity?
"You have all traveled a great distance. Thank you for coming,"
Ning Jiang nodded. These people had come from Luoyang City, a thousand miles away; it was a clear display of their sincerity.
He wasn’t surprised they had managed to find him here. With his status and position in Luoyang City, it was inevitable that people would dig up such information.
"Not at all, not at all. You are too kind, Sword Sect Master."
The crowd hastily cupped their fists. The Ning Jiang of today was the man of the hour in Luoyang City; countless people wanted to build a connection with him.
The last time, when Kunlun was established, every family had come to offer congratulations, but Ning Jiang had only made a brief appearance before leaving the eight Alchemy Masters to entertain the guests.
This time was different. They had gone to great lengths to find out that Ning Jiang was from the Ning Family of Baiquan Town. Upon learning of the annual meeting here, they had all rushed over to offer him New Year’s greetings, hoping to further deepen their relationship with him.
"Eighty-four families... that’s more than half of all the families in Luoyang City, isn’t it? I don’t think there will be any more, right?" someone asked, their voice trembling.
Just as the words left his mouth, another series of announcements came from outside:
"The Bai Family of Luoyang City."
"The Yan Family of Luoyang City."
"The Liu Family of Luoyang City."
"The Zhang Family of Luoyang City."
"The Gu Family of Luoyang City."
...
As these names were announced, the families that had arrived earlier quickly parted to make way.
"Excuse me, senior, who are these people arriving now?" a member of the Ning Family couldn’t help but ask an Innate Realm expert from Luoyang City.
"They are all second-tier families from Luoyang City."
His voice was neither loud nor soft, but as they were all Martial Artists with keen hearing, everyone heard him loud and clear.
A look of astonishment immediately appeared on every face.
Baiquan Town had only two second-tier families in total. A second-tier family was a veritable hegemon in Baiquan Town, yet now, even second-tier families were coming to pay their respects to Ning Jiang.
A full eighteen announcements—eighteen second-tier families!
"A hundred families have come to offer congratulations!"
The members of the Ning Family did the math and were utterly astounded. There were eighty-four third-class families, plus eighteen second-tier families, for a grand total of one hundred and two!
A hundred families coming to give their regards—what a glorious spectacle!
In the entire history of Baiquan Town, who had ever accomplished such a feat?
But it was far from over.
After the hundred families, many other powerful individuals arrived in their own names.
"Sword Master Shen Lang has come to pay his respects to the White Head Sword Sect."
"Sword Master Lin Feng has come to pay his respects to the White Head Sword Sect."
"Iron Forger Cheng Yu has come to pay his respects to the White Head Sword Sect."
"Iron Fan Feng Ping has come to pay his respects to the White Head Sword Sect."
...
Among those who arrived in their own name, the few Sword Masters were the most famous. The others, like Iron Forger and Iron Fan, while not as renowned as the Sword Masters, had still earned their own titles.
It wasn’t hard for a Martial Artist to enter the Innate Realm, but earning one’s own title was no simple feat. Only one such individual might emerge from among dozens of Innate Realm experts.
Titles had to be earned through battle. Every person who possessed a title was undeniably strong.
In an instant, a true assembly of elites had gathered!
"Kunlun has arrived!"
Just then, someone outside shouted at the top of their lungs. It was Zheng Zhiyuan.
The moment the name "Kunlun" was heard, it was as if a bombshell had dropped, sending the atmosphere into a frenzy.
Isn’t Ning Jiang the Lord of Kunlun?
Xie Baichuan and the eight Alchemy Masters were seen entering the Ning Family estate together.
Xie Baichuan, Du Wanqing, Fei Yanqing, Highland, Zheng Zhiyuan, Wei Yanran...
"We, your subordinates, have arrived late. We pay our respects to our Lord," Du Wanqing and the others said, cupping their fists.
"There’s no need for formalities," Ning Jiang said with a wave of his hand.
"The Liu Family of Luoyang City has come to pay their respects to the White Head Sword Sect."
Once again, an announcement came from outside.
"The Liu Family? I’ve heard of them. They’re a First-Class Noble House in Luoyang City, presided over by an Innate Limit Strong Person!"
An Innate Realm Martial Artist from the Ning Family revealed a shocked expression.
The Liu Family’s reputation in Luoyang City was simply too great. He had been to Luoyang City a few years ago and knew of this family.
A group walked in. There weren’t many of them, no more than ten, including Liu Yuanlong, Liu Xianyu, Liu Shiyi, Liu Zhenghua, and others.
But no matter who it was, they all showed respect upon seeing the old man at the head of the group.
Liu Yuanlong did nothing intentionally, but the moment he walked in, everyone felt a certain pressure.
This was the imposing presence of an Innate Limit Strong Person!
"Hahahaha, Ning Xiaoyou, I’ve arrived late. I hope you don’t mind," Liu Yuanlong said with a hearty laugh.
"It’s of no concern," Ning Jiang replied faintly.
Watching all of this unfold, both the older and younger generations of the Ning Family found their breathing growing heavy.
An Innate Limit Strong Person! Even a supreme figure of this caliber had come to visit Ning Jiang, and addressed him as an equal.
Ordinarily, with the Ning Family’s status, when would they ever have the chance to even see an Innate Limit Strong Person?
Only at this moment did everyone finally understand just what an esteemed position this sixteen-year-old, white-haired youth held in Luoyang City!
’So, everything Ning Yu’an said was true.’
Ning Shan was utterly devastated. The combined might of all the factions in Baiquan Town couldn’t measure up to Ning Jiang alone. This wasn’t some arrogant boast; it was the plain and simple truth.
Ning Feng’s fists clenched, knuckles cracking. How he wished someone could tell him this was all just a dream, an illusion.
Ning Ding stumbled backward, his mind in a daze. He suddenly tripped on a step and fell hard on his backside, yet he seemed not to feel a thing.
Everyone from Ning Shoujing’s branch of the family had a deathly pale complexion.
"We have brought some small gifts today. They are but a humble token of our respect. We hope the Sword Sect Master will accept them," someone stepped forward and said.
With a hundred families and a gathering of elites here to offer congratulations, they had not come empty-handed. All had come prepared.
Offering gifts for the New Year was only natural, not to mention they all wanted to build a relationship with Ning Jiang.
Next, when they presented their so-called "small gifts," the members of the Ning Family were all left dumbfounded.
Calling them "small gifts" was just a polite formality.
What they brought out included Upper Grade Treasure Artifacts, precious Treasure Medicines, and all sorts of other rare treasures.
Any single item was worth over tens of thousands of Primordial Stones.
"Upper Grade Treasure Artifacts... our entire Ning Family doesn’t even have ten of them combined..." an elderly Ning Family elder said, his eyes red with envy.
First came the various third-class families, each presenting gifts worth tens of thousands of Primordial Stones.
The gift-giving was also a subtle competition; no one wanted to be seen as giving something inferior.
Then came the second-tier families. The gifts they presented were even more precious, all worth over one hundred thousand Primordial Stones.
Zheng Zhiyuan was responsible for accepting all of these items.
Zheng Zhiyuan was now serving as the steward, and he handled such matters with practiced ease.
"Lady of the Sword Sect, this is an Upper Grade Treasure Armor. Please accept it."
This was from the Yan Family, a second-tier family, the family of Yan Shuangying.
They were offering an Upper Grade Treasure Armor called the "Flowing Light Treasure Armor." Treasure Armor was always more valuable than ordinary Treasure Artifacts, and this particular armor was worth over two hundred thousand Primordial Stones.
Their thinking was meticulous; they intended to use Ning Yu’an as an opening to curry favor with her.
Hearing this, Ning Yu’an’s pretty face flushed completely red. That address, "Lady of the Sword Sect," clearly showed that the Yan Family had misunderstood her identity.
However, in this situation, if she were to refute it, wouldn’t she be causing Ning Jiang to lose face?
Feeling shy, she stole a glance at Ning Jiang, but his expression was as tranquil as ever, calm and unruffled no matter the circumstance.
In the end, with a beet-red face, Ning Yu’an accepted the Flowing Light Treasure Armor.
Among the crowd, countless young women were secretly envious of Ning Yu’an.
The Master of the White Head Sword Sect, the Lord of Kunlun—what woman from any family wouldn’t want to marry such a peerless genius?
Sword Master Bai Yueru had a complex look in her eyes. ’If I were ten years younger,’ she thought, ’I’m afraid I would have pursued Ning Jiang without any hesitation.’
One woman, in particular, was completely drowning in a tidal wave of regret.
’So, the one I missed out on was him...’
Ning Shan’s face was deathly white. On Crescent Lake Island, she had been driven away by Song Ziwen. At that time, she had thought she missed her chance with Song Ziwen, and so she resented Ning Jiang.
Only now did she finally understand. The one she had missed out on wasn’t Song Ziwen, but Ning Jiang!
Compared to Ning Jiang, what did Song Ziwen even amount to?
One was the glow of a firefly, while the other was the bright moon in the sky!
’Back then, he used to like me... why was I so foolish?’
Ning Shan gave a bitter, continuous laugh. She and Ning Jiang had been close before; he had even liked her.
When Ning Jiang was afflicted by the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse, if only she had stood by him and never abandoned him, just like Ning Yu’an had.
Then, at this moment, the one standing by Ning Jiang’s side, basking in this endless glory with him, would have been her, wouldn’t it?
"Senior Liu Yuanlong, I wonder what the Liu Family has prepared?"
At this moment, someone asked with a smile. With Liu Yuanlong’s status, the gift he prepared would surely be the most valuable one here, right? This made them all curious.
"Hehe, I don’t have much to offer."
Liu Yuanlong smiled, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings. Then, he announced in a clear, loud voice, "From this day forward, the Liu Family will join Kunlun and become one with it!"
"What?"
In an instant, all the major powers of Luoyang City were flabbergasted. They knew the Liu Family was very close to Ning Jiang, but they never expected Liu Yuanlong to make such a choice.
Forget them—even Ning Jiang, who was always unflustered by favor or disgrace, felt a trace of surprise.
Liu Yuanlong was handing over the entire power of the Liu Family to him on a silver platter!
Once the Liu Family joined Kunlun, Kunlun would instantly become the greatest power in Luoyang City, taking the lead and even suppressing the Wang Family.
Such a grand gesture, such boldness—who could have anticipated it?
"Hahahaha, Brother Liu, what a truly grand gesture! This old man is impressed."
Suddenly, a booming laugh echoed from the distance. It was Sword Sect Wenhua City. "Ning Xiaoyou, this old man left Luoyang City for a while. I have specially prepared a great gift for you. Ning Xiaoyou, catch!"
As his voice fell, it was accompanied by the sharp crack of a sonic boom.
A sword, coming from the west!
