Chapter 134: Chapter 131: Arriving at the Li Family’s Gates
When Cheng Hanshan was killed with a single punch, the entire Golden Cauldron Lotus Garden instantly fell silent.
Tonight’s banquet had invited all the notables of Golden Cauldron City; anyone who was anyone was present.
In other words, everyone here was a major figure in Golden Cauldron City.
At this moment, their hearts were filled with nothing but profound shock, their eyes brimming with terror.
Right before their very eyes, members of the Li and Huangfu Families had been slaughtered.
It was simply unreal. For how many years had the Li and Huangfu Families lorded over Golden Cauldron City? They were its kings, wielding absolute power, holding the authority of life and death. A single stomp of their feet could make the city tremble. Who would ever dare to provoke them?
But now, with the exception of Li Shiyu, they had all been killed.
Even Young Master Floating Snow, Cheng Hanshan, had been killed with a single punch.
That was Young Master Floating Snow!
He was fifth among the Nine Great Young Masters and twenty-fifth on the Innate List. A leading figure of the younger generation in the entire Cyan Cloud Country, he was a dragon among men with a boundless future. Countless members of the younger generation looked up to him.
And such a top-level expert was killed just like that?
Besides, was Young Master Floating Snow that weak? To think it only took one punch to kill him!
Everyone felt their limbs turn to ice, their hearts plunging into an abyss.
"Once word of what happened today gets out, the entire Cyan Cloud Country will be shaken!"
"Just what kind of monster is this person? Where did he come from? We’ve never heard of him. Even Young Master Soaring Dragon’s strength is probably only on this level, right?"
Immense shock flooded everyone’s heart.
Every gaze fixed on Ning Jiang was filled with reverence and fear.
Ning Jiang walked out of the pavilion and stood before Huangfu Xiao.
Huangfu Xiao had been beaten half to death earlier, but he was still breathing.
"If you let me go, there’s still room to salvage this situation! I can make the Huangfu Family not treat you as an enemy!"
At this moment, Huangfu Xiao had lost all of his previous swagger, left with nothing but profound fear.
His body trembled, his face deathly pale. ’This Ning Jiang fears nothing in heaven or earth. He even dared to kill Young Master Floating Snow—is there anything he wouldn’t do?’
"Room to salvage? No need. After I kill you, I’ll make the Huangfu Family give me an explanation."
Ning Jiang’s eyes were indifferent, devoid of joy or sorrow. "You dared to force my sister to marry you. I’d have killed you even if you fled to the ends of the earth!"
Reaching out, Ning Jiang grabbed Huangfu Xiao by the neck.
CRACK.
With the sound of a bone snapping, Huangfu Xiao’s neck broke, and he died.
The surroundings fell even more silent.
The oppressive atmosphere was almost suffocating.
The killing of Huangfu Xiao also dealt them a massive blow.
Huangfu Xiao was certainly no Young Master Floating Snow, but Golden Cauldron City was, after all, Huangfu Family territory.
Everyone could imagine the sheer fury of the Huangfu Family once they learned of this.
A world-shaking battle was bound to erupt.
Li Tongguang knelt there, his lips trembling, his heart filled with infinite regret. ’Ning Jiang’s strength... it’s probably comparable to Young Master Soaring Dragon’s, isn’t it?’
’If only he had treated Ning Yu’an better back then. If only he hadn’t broken ties with Li Qingyun.’
’Then Ning Jiang would have formed a strong, positive relationship with the Li Family, wouldn’t he?’
’His strength is likely no weaker than Young Master Soaring Dragon’s, but he’s younger and has even more potential.’
A strange light rippled in Li Shiyu’s beautiful eyes. She was a proud woman with high standards; she had even looked down on Young Master Floating Snow when he pursued her.
’If Ning Jiang were the one pursuing me,’ she thought, ’I probably wouldn’t resist.’
But then she recalled Ning Jiang’s cold indifference toward her, and the light in her beautiful eyes dimmed. If not for Ning Yu’an’s pleading just now, she would already be a dead woman.
’My own unparalleled beauty was completely useless in front of Ning Jiang.’
At this thought, she looked over at Ning Yu’an, a hint of envy, and even jealousy, appearing in her eyes.
That’s right, jealousy!
As the favored daughter of the Li Family, third on the Famous Family List, and the number one beauty of Golden Cauldron City, she had never been jealous of any woman, nor had there ever been a woman worthy of her jealousy.
But Ning Yu’an was different!
’My background is better than hers. I was cherished by my family since I was young, while her mother was a discarded daughter, expelled from the Li Family. Her father is just from the minor Ning Family, with no background to speak of. And yet, she has a younger brother who cares for her so much—who would storm the Lotus Garden and go on a killing spree for her, all because she had been wronged.’
Li Shiyu’s heart was filled with envy.
’Would anyone go on such a rampage for her, unafraid of offending the three great powers of the Li, Huangfu, and Cheng Families?’
How could she fail to see the incredibly important place Ning Yu’an held in Ning Jiang’s heart?
Yet her own unparalleled beauty, in no way inferior to Ning Yu’an’s, couldn’t even earn a second glance from Ning Jiang.
In terms of family background, she might have far surpassed Ning Yu’an, but at this moment, she was utterly defeated.
For a moment, Li Shiyu was overcome with an indescribable mix of emotions.
"Sister An, I will make the Huangfu Family pay. But for now, let’s go to the Li Family to get our adoptive father and mother. The Li Family has held them for so long; they owe me an explanation as well!"
Ning Jiang walked over and gently took Ning Yu’an’s hand.
"Mm."
Ning Yu’an’s gaze was as gentle as water, her eyes filled with happiness. She had always believed her little brother would come for her, and Ning Jiang truly had.
Her little brother, with whom she had grown up since they were children, had finally matured completely, able to shelter his sister from the storm and protect her.
"Take me to the Li Family."
Ning Jiang looked coldly at Li Shiyu.
"Yes."
Li Shiyu sighed. How could she dare disobey this God of Slaughter?
"Golden Cauldron City is about to be turned upside down!"
"Does anyone know who he is?"
After Ning Jiang left, the suffocating atmosphere inside the Lotus Garden finally eased. The crowd, which hadn’t dared to make a sound before, now erupted with a tidal wave of discussion.
"If I’m not mistaken, he must be the previous top ranker on the Famous Family List, Ning Jiang of the White Head Sword Sect!"
"What do you mean, White Head Sword Sect? With his strength, he’s already qualified to receive a ’Young Master’ title!"
"Huangfu Xiao is dead. The Huangfu Family is going to go ballistic."
...
The Li Family, as a top-tier, first-class noble house in Golden Cauldron City, had an estate that was opulent and luxurious, filled with pavilions and grand halls.
In a certain courtyard.
A husband and wife stood with their brows tightly knitted, their faces etched with worry.
"Sigh... I wonder how that girl, Yu’an, will handle tonight’s marriage alliance."
Ning Changfeng had sharp, resolute features and a sturdy build, and was dressed in a blue robe.
Beside him was a woman in her forties, but her skin was smooth and she still possessed a graceful charm, looking almost the same as a woman in her twenties.
She had a gentle and beautiful air, and her features strongly resembled Ning Yu’an’s.
This was Ning Changfeng’s wife, Li Qingyun.
"If Father really forces Yu’an to marry Huangfu Xiao, with her personality, I’m afraid she would rather die than submit."
Li Qingyun knew Ning Yu’an very well. Though her daughter was usually as gentle as water and had a mild temperament, once she became defiant, she wouldn’t even fear death.
At this thought, Li Qingyun’s hands clenched into fists. She thought of her father, Li Tongguang, and her eyes filled with both anger and sorrow.
Back then, she too had been a famous beauty of the Li Family, regarded as one of its pearls. Her father had tried to control her marriage back then as well, wanting her to marry into a great family of equal social standing.
But she had not followed Li Tongguang’s arrangements. Instead, she followed her heart and got together with Ning Changfeng.
After a fierce struggle, she got her wish, but because of it, Li Tongguang broke all ties with her.
What she never expected was that now, nearly twenty years later, the same fate was about to befall Ning Yu’an.
"I wonder how that child, Jiang’er, is doing now?"
Ning Changfeng was also worried about Ning Jiang. He and Li Qingyun had come to the Li Family in the first place because of Ning Jiang’s Black Jade Fire Poison Curse.
Who would have thought they would end up being locked up by the Li Family, forbidden to leave?
Fortunately, when Ning Yu’an arrived, she told them that Ning Jiang’s Black Jade Fire Poison Curse had been resolved. She also told them he was now at the top of the Famous Family List, but had suffered some injuries and needed time to recover.
Hearing this, Ning Changfeng and his wife were both proud and worried.
They were proud of Ning Jiang’s achievements but worried about his injuries.
Although Ning Jiang was not their biological son, after more than a decade together, they treated him as their own.
"Jiang’er is a good person, and heaven will look out for him. I believe he will turn this misfortune around; he’ll be fine," Li Qingyun sighed. "But what about that girl, Yu’an? It’s not like you don’t know her feelings for Jiang’er."
As parents, how could they not have noticed Ning Yu’an’s little crush on Ning Jiang? But they had always silently blessed it, never bringing it up.
"Damn it! It’s all because my own strength is lacking!"
Ning Changfeng slammed his fist against the wall, and blood immediately trickled from his knuckles.
Ordinarily, a Martial Artist shouldn’t be so fragile.
But both his and Li Qingyun’s cultivation had been sealed, making them no different from ordinary mortals.
"Blaming yourself now is useless. When Father gets back, I’ll go and plead with him again. If worse comes to worst, I’ll threaten him with my own life."
Li Qingyun’s heart ached as she took Ning Changfeng’s hand, wiping away the blood and bandaging it.
"Qingyun, I’m sorry. It’s all because I’m useless. You’ve suffered so much by being with me."
Ning Changfeng felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He was a tough man, always incredibly strong, but right now his eyes stung, and he couldn’t stop the tears from welling up.
As the pearl of the Li Family, Li Qingyun would never have suffered so many grievances if she hadn’t chosen to be with him.
And if he had been more successful, if his strength had been great enough, he could have suppressed all opposition.
"Heh heh, Ning Changfeng, you at least have some self-awareness. You know you’re useless."
A harsh voice cut in. "Li Qingyun marrying you was the wrong choice from the start. Not only did it bring shame to the Li Family, but it also ruined her own future."
A group of people walked in, led by a white-haired old woman. The one who had spoken was a middle-aged woman beside her, about the same age as Li Qingyun.
"Marrying Changfeng was my own choice! I have never regretted it, and it was not the wrong choice!"
Li Qingyun’s expression was grim as she spoke, her voice firm with every word.
