Chapter 246: Playing Chess with the Saintess

Chapter 246: Playing Chess with the Saintess

"Daddy, are you sleepy?" Xiao Ling'er stood by the bed, barely taller than the edge, peeking out with half her face. Her eyes blinked incessantly, her lashes fluttering.

"Not sleepy." Ning Xiaochuan lay flat on the bed, hands crossed, circulating the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to restore the Martial Arts Profound Qi within his body.

"Then why are you lying down?" Xiao Ling'er scratched her head lightly, curiosity brimming in her voice.

"I’m injured and need to recover." Ning Xiaochuan replied patiently before closing his eyes.

The Profound Qi between heaven and earth swiftly gathered toward him, merging into his bloodstream and flowing into his Martial Arts Heart Palace, rapidly replenishing the depleted Martial Arts Profound Qi.

Yu Ningsheng pushed open the vermilion door, her tall and graceful figure moving with ethereal elegance, like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens into the room of an ordinary man. Her long hair cascaded freely, veiled by thin gauze.

She stepped in slowly, standing on the blue-and-white stone floor, and glanced at Ning Xiaochuan lying on the bed, her brows furrowing slightly.

This was her bed, and no man had ever lain upon it before. Ning Xiaochuan was the first.

"Ah." Yu Ningsheng shot Xiao Ling'er a sharp glare.

Unaware of any wrongdoing, Xiao Ling'er happily ran over and hugged Yu Ningsheng’s legs. "Mother, Daddy is hurt."

"Then don’t disturb him. Let him rest." Yu Ningsheng’s voice was clear and melodious. After another glance at Ning Xiaochuan, she took Xiao Ling'er’s small hand and led her out.

Ning Xiaochuan wasn’t actually severely injured. The main issue was the excessive depletion of his Profound Qi. Once it was restored, his combat strength would recover by seventy to eighty percent.

Creak.

Ning Xiaochuan pushed the door open and stepped outside, entering a small courtyard filled with flowers and plants. Green bamboo formed a grove, and a small bridge arched over a flowing stream, its surface dotted with floating bamboo leaves.

This was the backyard of the Jade Viewing Tower, where only Yu Ningsheng resided.

Xiao Ling'er sat barefoot by the pond, clutching a Five-Star Spiritual Herb—the White Atractylodes Fruit. The moment she saw Ning Xiaochuan emerge from the house, her face lit up with joy. She scrambled to her feet and ran over to him. "Daddy, here."

She handed the White Atractylodes Fruit to him.

Ning Xiaochuan gently patted her head and smiled. "You love profound medicine so much. Why don’t you eat it yourself?"

"Daddy is hurt. Xiao Ling'er wants Daddy to eat it." She stubbornly extended her little hand, her round eyes fixed on him.

"Daddy’s injuries are already healed. You can have it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Yay!" Xiao Ling'er had been holding back all afternoon. Unable to resist any longer, she took a big bite of the White Atractylodes Fruit.

Munch, munch.

She sat on a stone stool, pressing the fruit against her little legs to steady it as she nibbled away.

Yu Ningsheng sat in the bamboo pavilion not far away, her face veiled by a white gauze. Her jet-black hair fell straight down to her waist, and she wore a crimson robe that accentuated her striking beauty.

Between her slender, snow-white fingers, she held a black chess piece, hesitating to make her move.

"Do you know how to play chess?" Yu Ningsheng finally spoke first.

Ning Xiaochuan walked toward the bamboo pavilion and sat opposite Yu Ningsheng, gazing at the breathtakingly beautiful woman before him. His mind drifted back to the peerlessly exquisite face he had seen in the desolate mountain Taoist temple. "I know a little," he said.

Yu Ningsheng was indeed heaven’s favored child, possessing a Special Heart Palace and astonishing martial talent. Though not much older than Ning Xiaochuan, her cultivation had already reached a level where she could rival a Martial Venerable.

Among his peers, Ning Xiaochuan knew only one person who could match her.

The world only knew her as the Imperial City's top beauty, but Ning Xiaochuan was aware of her other identity—the Saintess of the Demon Sect, with the power to command demons across the land.

Yu Ningsheng placed a chess piece on the board with her slender jade hands, her blood-red sleeves swaying gracefully, captivating enough to make any man’s heart race.

Ning Xiaochuan picked up a piece as well. "Saintess, bringing me to the Jade Viewing Tower—do you intend to capture me and take me back to the Demon Sect Iron Prison?"

His chess skills were merely book-learned, far from mastery, just enough to play.

A cool breeze swept through, lifting Yu Ningsheng’s long hair and scattering four pieces on the board.

She extended two delicate jade fingers, returning the pieces to their original positions. "Did the Demon Sect Iron Prison ever truly hold you?"

"Then why has the Saintess invited me here?" Ning Xiaochuan placed another piece.

Yu Ningsheng said, "The Great Golden Roc King defeated the Millennium Ancient Demon, severely wounding him, but failed to capture him. He escaped."

Ning Xiaochuan’s eyes narrowed. "The Great Golden Roc King’s strength is truly formidable."

"One of the four greatest experts in the world today—naturally no ordinary figure."

Yu Ningsheng continued, "But the key isn’t the Great Golden Roc King. It’s the Millennium Ancient Demon."

"How so?" Ning Xiaochuan raised his head, locking onto her mesmerizing starry eyes—eyes so beautiful they could make one’s heart tremble, like autumn waters.

Yu Ningsheng met his gaze. "The Millennium Ancient Demon knows you possess the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace. He will never let you go. You’ve become his primary target. If you remain in the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, your life will be in constant danger."

A powerhouse of the Millennium Ancient Demon’s caliber, once fixated on Ning Xiaochuan, could kill him even if an entire army stood guard.

The demon could move freely through legions, taking heads as easily as drinking water.

Even if the Jian Pavilion Marquis personally protected him, it would only be temporary. There was no way to guarantee Ning Xiaochuan’s safety at all times.

Moreover, the Millennium Ancient Demon was still hunting Martial Artists, harvesting hearts to restore his Blood Qi. Once his strength recovered sufficiently, not even the combined might of the Yulan Empire’s four greatest experts could stop him.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "So you had Xiao Ling’er bring me to the Jade Viewing Tower, hiding me here to evade the Millennium Ancient Demon’s pursuit?"

Yu Ningsheng nodded lightly. "Not just him. Three elders of the Lifeless Dao’s Demon Sect have also arrived in the Imperial City—specifically to capture you and take you back to their sect."

"In the Ancestral Grounds of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, you were exposed. The Heavenly Emperor's Blade in your possession—many covet this Quasi-God weapon. So, your enemies now far outnumber what you imagine."

Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly, pinching a chess piece and scraping it against his chin as he pondered.

Yu Ningsheng said, "You absolutely cannot return to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House now, nor can you appear in public. You must hide in the shadows, making sure no one can find you. Yet from the darkness, you can observe every move of your enemies, dealing with them effortlessly when the time comes."

Ning Xiaochuan gave her a deep look. "My martial cultivation hasn’t reached the Martial Venerable Realm, nor is my heart as strong as a Martial Venerable’s. I’m curious—why would the Millennium Ancient Demon mark me as its primary target?"

"Because you possess the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace," Yu Ningsheng replied.

That Ning Xiaochuan had the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace was no secret—it had already spread like wildfire throughout the Imperial City.

Those with grudges against him now felt threatened, scouring everywhere for his whereabouts, determined to eliminate him before he could grow stronger. They would never allow someone with the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace to flourish.

Ning Xiaochuan chuckled. "Does having the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace automatically make me a target? As far as I know, there are plenty of Martial Artists in the Yulan Empire with Special Heart Palaces. Your Highness the Saintess, for instance, seems to possess one of them."

Yu Ningsheng said, "Then you must not know that before you, there was another who also had the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace."

"Who?"

"The Heavenly Emperor."

Ning Xiaochuan was stunned.

Yu Ningsheng continued, "Legends say the Heavenly Emperor possessed the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace and, with unparalleled talent, fought across the world, ascending as a true god. Now that you have the same, the Millennium Ancient Demon naturally covets it. If it seizes your heart, it may immediately restore its Blood Qi and become a true bloodthirsty fiend."

Ning Xiaochuan could imagine the Imperial City must be in an uproar, with many likely spreading rumors that he was the Heavenly Emperor’s reincarnation or rebirth.

These rumors brought him no benefit—only greater trouble.

"Thank you," Ning Xiaochuan said.

He was a man who distinguished gratitude from grudges. To some extent, Yu Ningsheng had indeed done him a great favor by concealing him in the Jade Viewing Tower, evading all pursuers.

From now on, Ning Xiaochuan would operate from the shadows, no longer the hunted but the hunter, striking his enemies unexpectedly.

Yu Ningsheng picked up a chess piece and placed it gently. "You’ve lost. Your chess skills really aren’t impressive—Xiao Yizhi is far superior."

Ning Xiaochuan glanced at the chessboard, confirming it was indeed a dead end. He smiled. "I did say I was only passable at chess, naturally no match for the Imperial City’s top talent, Xiao Yizhi. But..."

"But what?" Yu Ningsheng asked.

"But I still have chances to turn the tables. We’ll have plenty of time to play again—who knows who’ll have the last laugh?"

Ning Xiaochuan stood and walked out of the bamboo pavilion.

Yu Ningsheng smiled knowingly. "So, the Minor Marquis intends to stay long-term at the Jade Viewing Tower? Such a degenerate pleasure quarters—aren’t you afraid it’ll corrode your lofty ambitions?"

"A place of revelry, yet the best hiding spot. If one could fall under the roof of the Imperial City's top beauty, even the entire world would surely die of envy," Ning Xiaochuan said.

Ning Xiaochuan decided to temporarily take refuge in the Jade Viewing Tower.

Yu Ningsheng’s words were not without reason—given Ning Xiaochuan’s current situation, hiding in the shadows was indeed the right move. Only by staying concealed could he truly see how many enemies he truly had.

But was Yu Ningsheng still trustworthy?

Ning Xiaochuan believed she was, at the very least, he sensed no hostility from her.

Meanwhile, Yu Ningsheng stared at Ning Xiaochuan’s retreating figure, her fingers idly scraping against the chess piece in her hand. "He doesn’t care at all that I was playing chess with another man? Does he really not care about me?"

Yu Ningsheng still cared deeply for Ning Xiaochuan, and even more so about his attitude toward her. But the indifference he displayed now left her bitterly disappointed.

"It seems the deception from last time left a deep scar in his heart. He should know I never meant to deceive him. What should I do now?"

Her fingers tapped lightly against the table as she pondered, her expression shifting—sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling faintly, sighing at times, hesitating at others.

She had never imagined she would ever feel so torn, so uncertain. Perhaps there really was something new in her heart now, something that hadn’t been there before.