Chapter 257: Slaying Three Elders with a Single Sword

Chapter 257: Slaying Three Elders with a Single Sword

From within the golden poison mist, a golden scorpion emerged, its wings spread wide, eyes gleaming, and its flat, blade-like tail raised high. With lightning speed, it lashed out with its tail.

The Golden-Winged Ghost King Scorpion possessed terrifying venom and formidable strength. A fully grown specimen could tear through an iron wall a meter thick with a single strike of its tail.

Ning Xiaochuan let out a cold snort, the sound like muffled thunder. A crimson Demonic Sword flew out from his body and slashed through the air.

"Whoosh!"

A surge of demonic waves and Sword Qi erupted, cleaving the Golden-Winged Ghost King Scorpion into pieces. Its shattered golden carapace littered the ground, golden venom oozing from the remains.

The Demonic Sword returned, hovering before Ning Xiaochuan, radiating a blood-red glow. Under its sinister light, a ghastly pattern appeared on the ground—mountains of corpses and seas of blood, as if the world itself had reached its doom.

Six strands of Annihilation Qi coiled around the blade like six gray dragons, exuding a bone-chilling aura.

The three elders of the Lifeless Dao were petrified by the sword's oppressive might, their faces paling.

"Retreat!" Poison Snake Elder commanded.

The three elders dared not confront Young Master Chuan directly and prepared to flee.

Ning Xiaochuan remained seated, summoning the Annihilation Sword Soul. Behind him, the phantom of the Annihilation Path Founder materialized, gripping the Demonic Sword. With a single swing, it unleashed a blood-red Sword River.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The three Lifeless Dao elders were slain by the sword, their blood absorbed by the blade, leaving behind desiccated corpses that were then pulverized into dust by the Sword Qi.

The black serpent and the ten-meter-long centipede were also bisected by the Sword Qi, reduced to lifeless Mystic Beast carcasses.

"Return."

With a flick of his sleeve, Ning Xiaochuan recalled the Demonic Sword, which dissolved into his bloodstream and returned to his heart.

The air still reeked of lingering poison mist.

The tavern was eerily silent, every person tense and speechless.

Young Master Chuan was truly ruthless—slaying three Lifeless Dao elders with a single sword, utterly unafraid of provoking the Demon Sect.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Ning Xiaochuan rose to his feet, preparing to leave, when his gaze fell upon the naked girl lying on the straw mat.

She was on the verge of death, her legs drenched in blood. Thanks to Ning Xiaochuan's earlier manipulation of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to block the poison mist, she had avoided contamination and still clung to life.

Ning Xiaochuan walked toward the tavern.

The hardened criminals inside recoiled in fear, some knocking over stools, others stumbling to the ground. Chaos erupted as everyone scrambled backward.

Situ Fengwu, too, was stunned, her perception of Ning Xiaochuan completely reshaped. To slay three of the Demon Sect's top experts with a single sword—his martial prowess was nothing short of terrifying.

"It seems Ning Xiaochuan has truly become a formidable adversary for the Crown Prince. Hmph, what is this demon planning now?"

Ning Xiaochuan approached the dying girl, crouching slowly beside her. After examining her injuries, he let out a long sigh.

He pricked his finger, allowing a single drop of blood to fall onto the girl's lips.

This drop of blood transformed into two blood-red divine tigers, emitting a deep roar as they merged into the girl's body, replenishing the blood she had lost.

The girl's originally pale face gradually regained its color, her heartbeat grew stronger, and her vitality rapidly recovered.

"Thank... you."

She weakly opened her eyes and glanced at Ning Xiaochuan, still appearing frail.

Seeing her awake, Ning Xiaochuan stood up. "Take her back to Ghost Manor."

After saying this, he walked out of the tavern and vanished into the hazy night.

Situ Fengwu was somewhat astonished, staring at Ning Xiaochuan's retreating figure, feeling utterly unable to comprehend this man. Just moments ago, he had mercilessly slain three Demon Sect elders, yet in the next instant, he used a drop of his essence blood to save a dying, helpless girl.

His personality was too contradictory.

Situ Fengwu didn’t believe Ning Xiaochuan had any ulterior motives toward the girl. Given his status and martial prowess, obtaining women ten times more beautiful than her would be effortless. A Martial Artist of his caliber wouldn’t normally care about the life or death of a random girl on the street.

Thus, she could only conclude that Ning Xiaochuan had a split personality—ruthless to the point of being a bloodthirsty demon when evil, yet compassionate like a merciful bodhisattva when kind.

Situ Fengwu removed her robe and wrapped it around the girl, lifting her up before following Ning Xiaochuan.

Only long after Ning Xiaochuan and Situ Fengwu had left did the ruffians in the tavern begin murmuring again, all of them feeling as if they had narrowly escaped death.

Ning Xiaochuan, of course, was not suffering from a split personality—he simply adhered to different principles. Having once been a doctor, he would save anyone on the brink of death, even a beggar on the street.

At the same time, if they were enemies, he would crush them without hesitation, even going so far as to eradicate them completely.

Everyone in this world wants to be a righteous hero who saves lives, but being a good person isn’t easy. Often, the good die earlier than the wicked, are bullied by the wicked, or even fail to protect their own families.

Ning Xiaochuan also wanted to be a good person—but only toward the weak and the kind, helping them without expecting anything in return.

However, when facing enemies and the wicked, Ning Xiaochuan would be even more ruthless and vicious than them.

"I’m curious about one thing," Situ Fengwu said. "Even if the Manor Lord wanted to kill the three elders of the Lifeless Dao, why did he have to lure them to the tavern and even expose his identity as the Manor Lord of Ghost Manor? The Lifeless Dao’s influence is formidable—doesn’t the Manor Lord fear bringing disaster upon Ghost Manor?" She always felt she couldn’t see through Ning Xiaochuan.

Ning Xiaochuan walked ahead, hands clasped behind his back, his white robes fluttering like an exiled immortal treading on clouds. "I did it intentionally—to show them that Ghost Manor does not fear the Demon Sect. As long as Ghost Manor exists, the Demon Sect will never be able to seize a share of the Imperial City’s interests."

Situ Fengwu asked, "Them? Who are they?"

A knowing smile appeared on Ning Xiaochuan’s face, but he said no more.

The tavern owner, Qian Sanyuan, was no longer in the tavern. Instead, he had arrived at a pitch-black underground palace.

He was naturally not just a simple tavern owner but a prominent figure of the Dark Emperor City—one of the Four Great Ministers, "Xuan Chenzi."

Xuan Chenzi knelt respectfully on the ground, staring at a floating orb of light above the Underground Palace's Cold Lake. His lips moved, yet no sound escaped.

After a long while, a shadow condensed within the orb, taking the vague shape of a tiny human figure—indistinguishable as male or female.

"Have you truly met Young Master Chuan?" A faint, ethereal voice emerged from the orb.

Xuan Chenzi nodded. "His cultivation is extraordinary. It’s unlikely he’s an imposter."

The voice from the orb spoke again, "His sole purpose in killing the three Demon Sect elders was merely to prevent them from entering the Imperial City and sharing its profits?"

"Correct," Xuan Chenzi replied.

"Heh. Ghost Manor has developed astonishingly fast in just two years, already controlling thirty-six Border Markets. Even the Crown Prince was defeated by them. It’s likely the Seven Border Markets around Yunhu Gathering will soon fall into their hands as well."

Xuan Chenzi said, "My Lord, should we eliminate Ghost Manor immediately? If they continue to grow, they will undoubtedly threaten the Dark Emperor City’s interests."

"No. We will assist Young Master Chuan, helping him unify the Border Markets and letting him rule over them." The voice of the Necropolis Lord echoed from the orb.

The Necropolis Lord’s true form was not present here. The floating orb merely transmitted his voice.

Xuan Chenzi frowned. "This subordinate does not understand."

The voice from the orb explained, "The Demon Emperor, Duanmu Han, has emerged from seclusion and already crushed the imperial forces sent to suppress the Demon Sect. Their power is now unprecedented. The Ten-Year Pact between the Demon Emperor and the Jade Emperor has also ended. Within the next few years, the Demon Sect will undoubtedly enter the Imperial City on a large scale."

"If we support Young Master Chuan and help him unify the Border Markets, he will become our best pawn against the Demon Sect. Let him lead Ghost Manor’s forces to clash head-on with them while we reap the benefits. Once both sides are weakened, we can easily suppress—or even subjugate—them."

Xuan Chenzi bowed. "The Necropolis Lord is wise."

The voice from the orb spoke again, "Send Huang Chenzi to negotiate with Young Master Chuan. If he is willing to submit to the Dark Emperor City, all the better."

"Sending Huang Chenzi to negotiate… Young Master Chuan may not be able to accept her methods," Xuan Chenzi said hesitantly.

The voice replied, "As long as Young Master Chuan is a man, he will undoubtedly accept her way of negotiation."

"This subordinate understands. I will inform Huang Chenzi immediately."

The orb’s glow dimmed, and all traces of its presence vanished.

The next day, another major piece of news spread through the Imperial City—"Young Master Chuan Slays Three Demon Sect Elders with a Single Sword"—becoming the talk of the town. Many discussed Young Master Chuan and Ghost Manor.

Young Master Chuan’s reputation grew ever more formidable.

Ghost Manor became increasingly shrouded in mystery.

The name "Young Master Chuan" even reached the mansions of various marquises, solidifying his notoriety as a major figure of the dark path.

Marquis Qi Tian’s Manor.

Madam Silver Pool was wrapped in a snow-white mink coat, revealing jade-white and crystal-clear, alluring skin. She looked like a stunning beauty in her early twenties, exquisitely beautiful, evoking a sense of tender affection.

She sat elegantly and charmingly by the pond, feeding the fish.

Behind her stood a fourteen or fifteen-year-old beautiful maidservant with delicate features, her hair tied up in a bun, dressed in light green gauze that revealed her translucent, captivating skin.

Though the maidservant was exceptionally beautiful, she paled in comparison to Madam Silver Pool. Not only was her beauty inferior, but even her alluring charm fell far short of Madam Silver Pool's.

The maidservant reported the rumors about Young Master Chuan to Madam Silver Pool.

With a faint smile curling her red lips, Madam Silver Pool said, "Young Master Chuan... It seems I really must have a good talk with him. I hope he is a man who understands romance."