Chapter 271: Return to the Emperor's Ruins
Dealing with the Millennium Ancient Demon was a matter for the high-ranking officials of the imperial court. As long as Ning Xiaochuan remained cautious and hid himself well, he had no fear of the demon seeking him out.
Ning Xiaochuan asked, "What about Jade Viewing Tower..."
Though he only spoke half a sentence, Hua Zhishi already understood his meaning.
The relationship between Ning Xiaochuan and Yu Ningsheng had long been common knowledge in the Imperial City, so widely known that even children in split pants could chatter about it.
Hua Zhishi knew Ning Xiaochuan must be deeply concerned about the Imperial City's top beauty and said solemnly, "Everything at Jade Viewing Tower is normal. The Millennium Ancient Demon hasn’t been there. To speak out of turn, during the time the Minor Marquis was missing, this Miss Yu appeared far too indifferent—nowhere near as concerned as our princess was for the Minor Marquis."
"When news of the Minor Marquis’s disappearance reached her, Her Highness the princess repeatedly pleaded with the Deputy Headmaster to open the Heavenly Gate so she could leave the Emperor's Martial Palace and return to search for you personally. But you know the rules of the Emperor's Martial Palace—unless one clears the seven layers of the Heavenly Bridge, the Heavenly Gate will not open for them."
Unaware of the truth, Hua Zhishi naturally misunderstood Yu Ningsheng’s behavior, not knowing that Ning Xiaochuan had been staying at Jade Viewing Tower all this time.
However, through his words, Ning Xiaochuan also realized that Meng Ying had not revealed Yu Ningsheng’s identity. If she had, the entire city would have been in an uproar. Had Hua Zhishi known, he would have mentioned it the moment Ning Xiaochuan brought up Jade Viewing Tower.
Since Hua Zhishi said nothing, it meant nothing had truly happened there.
At times, Ning Xiaochuan truly felt he couldn’t fathom Meng Ying. That bewitching woman never acted according to reason.
Ning Xiaochuan then asked Hua Zhishi about the main ingredient for refining the Great Earth Solemnity Pill—the "Magma Blood from the Earth's Core." However, such a high-grade profound medicine was exceedingly rare, and even the Golden Roc Heart Nurturing Hall didn’t have it.
"I’d appreciate it if you could keep my visit to the Golden Roc Heart Nurturing Hall confidential," Ning Xiaochuan said.
Hua Zhishi nodded. "Of course. However, Her Highness the princess is deeply concerned about the Minor Marquis’s safety. If I don’t report this good news to her, she’ll surely punish me."
Ning Xiaochuan replied, "I’ll likely return to the Emperor's Martial Palace soon and will personally discuss some matters with Her Highness."
"In that case, nothing could be better." A knowing smile appeared on Hua Zhishi’s face.
After leaving the Golden Roc Heart Nurturing Hall, Ning Xiaochuan hurried to the Royal Heart Nurturing Hall and the Divine Path Heart Nurturing Hall, but he found no trace of the "Magma Blood from the Earth's Core" in either place.
"The profound medicines needed to refine the Great Earth Solemnity Pill are truly scarce. Even the Three Great Heart Nurturing Halls don’t have them. If any Magma Blood from the Earth's Core exists, it’s probably hoarded by some noble or sect, never to be sold." Ning Xiaochuan felt disheartened.
Without the Magma Blood from the Earth's Core, he couldn’t refine the Great Earth Solemnity Pill.
"I’ll return to the Emperor's Martial Palace and search there. The Deputy Headmaster of the Three Masters Academy seems like an old man who’s collected many treasures. Perhaps I can find the Magma Blood from the Earth's Core through him."
When Ning Xiaochuan arrived outside the Heavenly Gate, he instructed the carriage driver to return to Ghost Manor. Then, he walked toward the Heavenly Gate alone.
"First-generation student of the Emperor's Martial Palace, Ning Xiaochuan, has returned to the Emperor's Martial Palace. Please open the gate."
Ning Xiaochuan stood beneath the Heavenly Gate, sending out a soundwave with his voice.
Before long, a voice echoed from within the Heavenly Gate: "Insert your Academy Token into the gate seal for identity verification."
Ning Xiaochuan retrieved his Academy Token from the Heaven and Earth Bag and placed it into the indentation on the Heavenly Gate, giving it a slight twist with his hand.
A white light enveloped Ning Xiaochuan, and in the next moment, he vanished from outside the gate.
Ning Xiaochuan's current martial prowess was no longer what it once was—he had stepped into the ranks of high-level Martial Artists, and his spiritual strength had grown dozens of times stronger. He could clearly sense himself traversing the fissures of space, flying toward the Emperor's Ruins.
The Emperor's Ruins and the Yulan Empire did not belong to the same world. Like a speck of dust floating above the real world, it was incredibly minuscule. Of course, to ordinary Martial Artists, the world of the Emperor's Ruins remained vast, where all things coexisted, and the sun and moon alternated, inspiring awe in those who beheld it.
"If my cultivation reaches a certain level, even without passing through the Heavenly Gate, I should be able to shatter the void and cross space with my physical body to reach the plane where the Emperor's Ruins lies," Ning Xiaochuan murmured to himself.
The voice of the Heavenly Emperor's Blade rang out, "For other worlds, you might be able to reach them by shattering the void. But the Emperor's Ruins is a training ground opened by the Heavenly Emperor. No matter how high your cultivation, you will never be able to break through."
Ning Xiaochuan was shocked. The Heavenly Emperor was indeed a true god—even the training grounds he created were like entire worlds. Moreover, it was certain that this must have been a training ground he established in his youth. After reaching the pinnacle of power, he had likely wandered the world and rarely returned to the Emperor's Ruins.
The Heavenly Emperor's Blade reminded him, "Don’t forget the purpose of our visit to the Emperor's Martial Palace. I can now confirm that clues to the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace must lie within the White Cloud Cave Heaven."
"Why are you so certain?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.
The Heavenly Emperor's Blade replied, "The Heavenly Emperor set up this Heavenly Gate in the Imperial City of the Yulan Empire precisely to guide those destined to the White Cloud Cave Heaven. I’ve searched the entire Emperor's Ruins—only the White Cloud Cave Heaven remains unexplored. If the clues to the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace aren’t there, that would be the real mystery."
"Whoosh!"
The white light flashed again, and Ning Xiaochuan arrived at the Emperor's City, standing on the other side of the Heavenly Gate.
Before Ning Xiaochuan could even step away from the gate, an unexpected event occurred.
"Boom—"
The ground trembled as a dark mass of Mystic Beasts charged from the distance, each carrying a heavily armored Martial Artist on its back. Wielding spears, they surrounded Ning Xiaochuan, their faces filled with killing intent.
Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly, sensing something unusual—these Law Enforcement Team soldiers seemed to be targeting him specifically.
Han Fu, the captain of the Law Enforcement Team, rode atop an Earth Lizard, emerging from the ranks of the soldiers. He cast a cold glance at Ning Xiaochuan and said, "So it really is Ning Xiaochuan. Seize him."
Two Law Enforcement Team soldiers sneered, dragging thick Mystic Steel Shackles as they advanced toward Ning Xiaochuan.
Ning Xiaochuan's expression darkened. "Wait. Han Fu, you may be the captain of the Emperor's Martial Palace's Law Enforcement Team, but if you want to arrest me, you’d better give me a reason."
Ning Xiaochuan knew that Han Fu had long coveted the "Northern Abyss Divine Art" on him, even going so far as to send Sun Haixing with experts from the Law Enforcement Team to kill him after he left the Emperor's Martial Palace.
However, Ning Xiaochuan never expected Han Fu to dare act so brazenly against him—after all, this was Emperor's City.
Han Fu's eyes gleamed like a hawk as he sneered, "You want a reason? Then I'll give you one. You slaughtered fellow disciples, and the evidence is irrefutable. Tell me, do I have the authority to bring you to the Law Enforcement Hall?"
"Slaughtered fellow disciples? Hmph, what evidence do you have to prove that?" Ning Xiaochuan's anger flared. Han Fu would stop at nothing to obtain the "Northern Abyss Divine Art," and this had fully ignited Ning Xiaochuan's fury.
Han Fu, as if already expecting Ning Xiaochuan's defiance, said coldly, "Bring forth the witness."
A witness?
A bad premonition rose in Ning Xiaochuan's heart—it seemed Han Fu had planned this long in advance.
But Ning Xiaochuan was no longer the same as before. He feared nothing now.
Even the once-overbearing Alliance Leader of the Cloud Alliance, Xiao Cheng, had fallen by his hand. Naturally, he wouldn't spare a second thought for Han Fu.
A rather handsome young man stepped out from the Law Enforcement Team, clad in the robes of the Emperor's Martial Palace. His gaze fell upon Ning Xiaochuan, filled with hatred and hostility. He bowed to Han Fu and said, "It was Ning Xiaochuan. I saw with my own eyes how he killed Sun Haixing."
Ning Xiaochuan frowned again. He was certain he had never met this young man before.
So why did this young man look at him with such enmity?
Moreover, Sun Haixing had clearly died at the hands of Demon Sect experts from the Heavenly Annihilation Dao. Why did he insist it was Ning Xiaochuan who killed him?
Why was he framing him? What grudge did they have?
Han Fu glanced at the young man and smiled. "If it were someone else accusing you, I might have doubts. But Ning Xiaojian is a disciple of your Jian Pavilion Marquis House—your own cousin. With him personally testifying against you, there can be no mistake. It seems that aside from a murderer like you, the Jian Pavilion Marquis House still has righteous individuals like Ning Xiaojian."
Everything became clear.
So, this was Ning Xiaojian.
Before Ning Xiaochuan's congenital ailment was cured, Ning Xiaojian had been the top genius of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, an idol of the younger generation. He had entered the Emperor's Martial Palace with the twelfth rank, bringing great honor to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, and was even a potential heir.
But after Ning Xiaochuan entered the Emperor's Martial Palace as the new champion, he overshadowed all of Ning Xiaojian's glory.
Now, not only had Ning Xiaochuan become the Minor Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, but even Ning Xiaojian's father, Ning Qianwen—once a powerful figure in the house—had been exiled by the Old Marquis to manage fiefdoms.
Naturally, Ning Xiaojian harbored deep hatred for Ning Xiaochuan, wishing to eliminate him at all costs.
Ning Xiaojian stared at Ning Xiaochuan, a cold smirk on his lips, thinking to himself: Ning Xiaochuan, once you fall into the hands of the Law Enforcement Hall, I'll have your cultivation crippled first. Let's see how you can remain the heir of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House then.
Han Fu had already promised him that as long as he came forward to testify against Ning Xiaochuan and brought Ning Xiaochuan back to the Law Enforcement Hall, the 'Northern Abyss Divine Art' would belong to Han Fu, while Ning Xiaochuan would be handed over to Ning Xiaojian for punishment.
In Ning Xiaojian's mind, he had already begun plotting how to deal with Ning Xiaochuan. Once Ning Xiaochuan was eliminated, the position of heir to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House would inevitably fall back to him.
Ning Xiaochuan coldly watched all of this, finding it laughable. Did Han Fu really think he was still the same Ning Xiaochuan who could be dragged off to the Law Enforcement Hall for interrogation at their whim?
Times had changed, and so had he. Martial prowess determined who was right and who was wrong.
Han Fu declared, "Since Ning Xiaochuan has nothing more to say, men, bind him and take him to the Law Enforcement Hall."
"Han Fu, how dare you! Let’s see who dares to bind him today!" Yu Qianqian's voice rang out from afar. She had yet to arrive, but her voice came first.
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