Chapter 114: Chapter 111: When I Emerge From Seclusion, I Will Reign Over Cyan Cloud
"The Li Family!"
Ning Jiang’s eyes were as sharp as blades. His pupils seemed to hold the eternal winds of a polar ice cap, cold enough to freeze all existence.
He had already learned from Liu Xianyu everything that had happened this past month.
Ning Yu’an was taken away by people from Golden Cauldron City’s Li Family after he fell unconscious.
In the Jiangnan region, while the Li Family wasn’t one of the most prestigious clans, they were a top-level First-Class Noble House. They were even more powerful than Liu Yuanlong’s Liu Family and also had a member on the Innate List presiding over them.
’Why did the Li Family take Sister An?’
Ning Jiang’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flickering within them.
Back then, after the Li Family broke ties with Li Qingyun and her husband, they never once came to visit, not even after Ning Yu’an was born. As a result, Ning Yu’an had no affection for her mother’s side of the family.
Furthermore, after Ning Changfeng and Li Qingyun went to the Li Family, they were never heard from again. Ning Jiang guessed that the Li Family must have detained them and restricted their freedom.
By kidnapping Ning Yu’an, the Li Family had crossed a line he would never forgive, and a murderous intent ignited in his heart.
’The Wang Family, all the major second-tier families.’
’Pill King Valley, Wei Tianchen.’
’Golden Cauldron City, the Li Family.’
’Every last one of them dares to take advantage of my situation. Good. Very good. They must have thought I was dead to act so brazenly!’
Ning Jiang’s eyes grew increasingly cold. During the month he lay unconscious, everyone and everything connected to him had been dragged into this disaster.
The Liu Family had suffered the most.
Under the combined assault of the Wang Family and several major second-tier families, the Liu Family’s vast estate was destroyed overnight, and more than twenty of their clansmen were killed.
The rest fled Luoyang City and did not dare to return. If they were discovered, the Wang Family and the major second-tier families would eradicate them completely to prevent any future trouble.
Ning Jiang was well aware that this was due to the feud between the Wang and Liu families, but also because of him.
He had made mortal enemies of several great families at the annual gathering. Since the Liu Family had always supported him and stood on his side, they naturally became a public target.
"Bring the others here. I have something to say."
Ning Jiang instructed. Liu Xianyu nodded and went out.
’Communicating with the Myriad Stars Immortal Realm this time... the price I paid was truly steep.’
Ning Jiang sighed softly. He had burned his own flesh and blood to summon the Myriad Stars Immortal Realm from the great unknown, which had turned his body to charcoal. It was a move that cost him dearly, a classic case of sacrificing eight hundred of his own to kill a thousand of the enemy.
If his willpower hadn’t been so strong, he would have been dead long ago.
’Unfortunately, I can no longer use the power of the Myriad Stars Immortal Realm.’
’To think that the thing I suppressed for a hundred thousand years wasn’t ground into dust. Instead, it has been slowly eroding my world. By using the power of the Myriad Stars Immortal Realm this time, I’m afraid I’ve loosened the Seal. Perhaps within a century, that thing will break free...’
A grim look appeared on Ning Jiang’s face. The greatest takeaway from communicating with the Myriad Stars Immortal Realm was his realization that something had gone terribly wrong with it.
’Hmph. Its Life Force is truly tenacious.’
Ning Jiang snorted lightly. He was once unable to kill that thing, so he could only suppress and seal it, using World Power to slowly grind it away. He had thought that after a hundred thousand years, that thing should have died long ago.
But the result was beyond his expectations.
’It seems my time is running short. I must restore my Cultivation as quickly as possible. Otherwise, I fear the Myriad Stars Immortal Realm will fall into that thing’s hands.’
Ning Jiang let out a long breath, feeling the urgency of the situation.
Not long after, Liu Xianyu brought everyone over.
This was a remote area far from Luoyang City. In a courtyard, everyone gathered, and Ning Jiang met with them.
There was Liu Yuanlong, Wenhua City, Xie Baichuan, and the several Alchemy Masters from Kunlun...
"You have all worked hard this past month."
Ning Jiang spoke slowly. Everyone was looking at him, and he looked back at them. Their silent exchange of gazes said more than words ever could.
After what happened at Crescent Lake in Baiquan Town, Ning Jiang truly considered them his own. The barriers between them had vanished.
"Regarding the Liu Family’s matter, I will make the Wang Family and the major second-tier families pay the price."
Ning Jiang looked at Liu Yuanlong. Liu Yuanlong seemed to have aged ten years. He had burned his Innate Gang Yuan, his foundation was destroyed, and although his injuries had recovered, his Cultivation was only at the Innate Peak.
The same situation applied to Wenhua City, whose cultivation was also only at the Innate Peak.
"Fate is preordained. This was a calamity my Liu Family was destined to face. You need not blame yourself, young friend."
Liu Yuanlong did not mean to blame Ning Jiang. The Wang Family and Liu Family were already at odds, and even without Ning Jiang, the Wang Family would have made their move sooner or later.
Ning Jiang nodded and looked over at Liu Mi.
He had already learned from Liu Xianyu that Liu Mi’s father, Liu Zhengdong, had been killed on the spot and beheaded while covering the Liu Family’s retreat.
He had met Liu Zhengdong at the Liu Family’s estate and had a decent impression of the big man.
"Rest assured, I promise you here and now, the one who killed your father, I will make him pay in blood." Ning Jiang said slowly. He never made idle promises!
Liu Mi looked haggard, her eyes red-rimmed. She nodded.
"Du Wanqing, I already know what happened to Wei Yanran. Don’t worry. I will go to Pill King Valley. If any harm comes to Wei Yanran, I’ll have the entire Pill King Valley accompany her in death!"
A flame flickered in Ning Jiang’s eyes.
He hadn’t forgotten how that Iceberg Beauty had bravely stepped forward at Crescent Lake to face Ling Tianxu’s pressure with them.
"I’ve called you here today for another important matter. I have a Pill Formula to impart to you. With this Pill Formula, the eight of you will be able to advance to Alchemy Grandmaster within a year!"
A Pill Formula that could allow eight Alchemy Masters to advance to the rank of Alchemy Grandmaster sounded like a fairy tale, but for Ning Jiang, a Venerable in his past life, it was a simple matter.
In the past, Ning Jiang would have had to test them to know their loyalty and confirm their character before he could pass down the Pill Formula.
This was the principle that the Dao must not be divulged carelessly, and techniques must not be taught lightly.
But they had faced desperate straits together and faced death together. This was the best test.
And in the battle at Crescent Lake, the eight Alchemy Masters were all injured, with some even losing arms or legs. Fortunately, they all survived.
As long as there’s life, there’s hope.
’As for lost limbs, certain Elixirs can actually regrow them.’
Ning Jiang mused. Some precious Elixirs could bring the dead to life and grow flesh on skeletons. Even if one was reduced to a pile of bones, such an Elixir could reverse fate and bring them back. Compared to that, regrowing limbs was a trivial matter.
He planned to find the necessary ingredients later and refine a few of these Elixirs for them, completely healing their injuries.
Additionally, Liu Yuanlong and Wenhua City had burned their Innate Gang Yuan and seemingly destroyed their foundations, but with his methods, he could also use Elixirs to restore them.
Afterward, Ning Jiang passed a Pill Formula called the "Third Transformation Refining Pill Technique" to them.
In his vast library of memories, this Pill Formula could only be considered ordinary. However, even if he gave them a better one, they wouldn’t be able to use it.
After the Alchemy Masters received the Pill Formula and examined it, they found it to be incredibly ingenious and profound. Their faces lit up with excitement.
"Thank you, my Lord."
This was the happiest the eight Alchemy Masters had been in a long time. Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster was something they had only dreamed of.
"Alright, no need to be so formal." Ning Jiang waved his hand. "Liu Yuanlong, Wenhua City, Xie Baichuan, I have a Palm Technique and two Sword Techniques for you as well."
Ning Jiang was truly starting to cultivate his own core group of followers.
He knew that their strength was still too weak and needed to be improved further.
"What a treasure!"
When Liu Yuanlong and the other two received the Palm Technique and Sword Techniques from Ning Jiang, they all revealed looks of pleasant surprise. With their Eye Power, it wasn’t hard to tell that these were of the highest quality.
If word of these techniques got out, it would be enough to cause a huge uproar in the Cyan Cloud Country.
The three exchanged a glance, all understanding that Ning Jiang must be hiding a great secret.
For example, the figure interwoven with starlight that appeared at Crescent Lake was enough to prove Ning Jiang’s extraordinary nature.
"In addition, do your best to collect these medicinal ingredients. If you can find them, I can perform Alchemy to restore your injuries and Cultivation."
With a flourish of his brush, Ning Jiang wrote down a long list of medicinal ingredients on a piece of paper and handed it to them.
After arranging everything, Ning Jiang said, "Everyone, I am going into seclusion now. It may be for a long time. When I emerge, it will be the moment I reign supreme over Cyan Cloud!"
Reign supreme over Cyan Cloud!
Those words sent a jolt through everyone’s heart.
Although his tone was calm, everyone heard an overwhelming arrogance in his voice, an air of looking down on all creation.
If an ordinary person had said such a thing, they would never have believed it. But Ning Jiang was shrouded in mystery, filled with one enigma after another.
...
「Demon Mist Mountain Range.」
「Ox Horn Cliff.」
"Hey, did someone just jump off Ox Horn Cliff?"
A nearby Martial Artist had just seen a figure jump off Ox Horn Cliff and was instantly puzzled.
"I saw it too. Why did I think that person looked like that White Head Sword Sect’s Ning Jiang?"
"Don’t be ridiculous. Ning Jiang is already dead."
Beneath Ox Horn Cliff, Ning Jiang walked into a fissure that led to the subterranean lava.
Returning to this old place, he felt a little emotional. The last time he came here, he had discovered Molten Rock Jade, forged the Great Sun Glazed Golden Body, and his strength had greatly improved.
This time, he planned to directly use the lava inside to temper his physical body.
Soon, he reached the depths and arrived beside a pool of scorching hot lava.
Using lava to temper his body was something he wouldn’t have dared to do in the past. With his physical strength back then, recklessly entering the lava would have likely left not even his bones behind.
But now, with his Great Sun Glazed Golden Body at the Minor Achievement stage, and his entire skeleton turned into Golden Bones, he had some confidence.
’Once the Great Sun Glazed Golden Body reaches the Great Success stage, I’ll be able to dominate the Innate realm, completely unrivaled. Aside from that, my Cultivation also needs a breakthrough.’
Ning Jiang took out a large amount of Primordial Stones and piled them to the side. He used his old trick on the Primordial Stones, planting the Heaven-Devouring Demon Lotus to have the Demon Lotus devour the Primordial Qi and produce Lotus Seeds.
After that, Ning Jiang took off his clothes, and with a single movement, he jumped into the lava pool without any hesitation.
SPLASH.
Lava splashed everywhere, and his body was submerged within it.
