Chapter 288: Young Master Chuan and Ji Hanxing

Chapter 288: Young Master Chuan and Ji Hanxing

Ji Hanxing leaped down from the back of the dragon elephant, her figure curvaceous and alluring, her flowing sapphire-blue hair and emerald-green eyes striking even beneath the thick armor she wore.

She pointed her spear at Ning Xiaochuan’s throat, her voice resounding as she declared his crimes: "Young Master Chuan, the Ghost Manor’s indiscriminate slaughter is one thing, but now you’ve brought the flames of war into the Imperial City! If we don’t eliminate you today, who knows how many more will die by your hands in the future?"

She desperately wanted to tear off Young Master Chuan’s mask, for she sensed a familiar aura about him—one that felt hauntingly recognizable.

She suspected that Young Master Chuan might be a Martial Path expert she knew, perhaps even a Marquis from the Imperial City.

"Daring to accuse Young Master Chuan like this—who is this woman? Doesn’t she see that even two of Cloud Marquis’s elite generals have fallen?"

"Look at her riding a dragon elephant and wielding the Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear. She must be from the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion."

"This woman is doomed! Young Master Chuan is a tyrant of the heretical path, ruthless by nature. He won’t tolerate a mere girl challenging him."

......

Many senior Martial Artists were present, some standing calmly atop the Jade Viewing Tower, others sipping tea by the roadside, and still others lurking in the shadows.

All of them were observing Young Master Chuan, eager to unveil the mystery behind him—to see what kind of man he truly was.

The appearance of a heretical overlord like Young Master Chuan in the Imperial City was already a major event that stirred the winds of change!

Ning Xiaochuan indeed loathed Cloud Marquis Yue Wuyang and wished to slaughter everyone in the Cloud Marquis House—but Ji Hanxing was an exception.

Standing firmly on the ground, Ning Xiaochuan cradled the Demonic Sword in his arms and smiled courteously, bowing with refined grace. "So it’s the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion’s number one beauty, Lady Ji! I’ve long admired your reputation."

At this moment, Young Master Chuan seemed every bit the cultured scholar, nothing like a bloodstained butcher.

Ji Hanxing frowned slightly, thinking to herself—she was no great figure, so how did Young Master Chuan know her name?

This only strengthened her conviction that the Manor Lord of Ghost Manor must be someone she knew!

"I am not the number one beauty of the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion," Ji Hanxing replied coldly, her demeanor as icy as a glacier, pushing others away with an aura of Freezing Energy that frosted the ground beneath her.

Ning Xiaochuan, however, was in no hurry to kill. Instead, he grinned playfully. "Lady Ji, with such peerless beauty, why be modest? I once had the fortune of glimpsing you and was struck by your celestial grace. I’ve longed to court you—perhaps even invite you to become the Manor Lady of Ghost Manor."

This was a confession from a heretical overlord. For any other woman, it would be an immense honor, a source of pride.

One could easily predict that by tomorrow, the name "Ji Hanxing of the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion" would be known to every Martial Artist in the Imperial City—for the Manor Lord of Ghost Manor had openly declared his affection for her.

A heretical overlord falling for the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion’s prodigy? It was exactly the kind of scandalous tale gossipmongers loved to spread.

Ji Hanxing could tell that Young Master Chuan was teasing her, grinding her teeth in fury as she shifted her stance, shattering a half-meter-thick stone slab beneath her feet.

She swung the Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear, trailing a sweeping arc of cold light, aiming straight for Ning Xiaochuan’s heart.

Though Ning Xiaochuan couldn’t use movement techniques like Rainbow Teleportation, his speed was still far beyond Ji Hanxing’s ability to catch up. He effortlessly dodged her strike.

"Lady Ji, you should seriously consider it—becoming the Manor Lord’s wife of Ghost Manor is far more promising than being a Dragon Elephant Divine Warrior. I guarantee you endless cultivation resources, luxury, and servants at your command." Ning Xiaochuan shifted positions rapidly, leaving afterimages flickering through the air.

"You’re courting death!"

Ji Hanxing slammed the Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear into the ground, causing the earth to rupture as dozens of thousand-kilogram boulders erupted into the air.

BOOM!

Wrapped in Profound Qi, the boulders became harder than metal and ten times heavier. Even an ordinary Transcendent Realm Martial Artist would suffer severe injuries if struck.

Ning Xiaochuan struck out with a palm, forming a barrier of Profound Qi in front of him, suspending the dozens of boulders midair.

With a faint smirk, he flicked his wrist, sending the boulders hurtling toward Liao Cheng.

Ji Hanxing’s expression changed. She kicked off the ground, rushing in front of Liao Cheng, and swung her spear, unleashing a wave of Profound Qi that shattered over a dozen boulders into dust.

But in her haste, she couldn’t block them all.

Nine of the thousand-kilogram boulders smashed into Liao Cheng, reducing his body to a bloody pulp as he collapsed once more.

"Young Master Chuan!"

Ji Hanxing’s fury reached its peak, her phoenix-like eyes shooting out two sharp swords—Pupil Sword, a formidable Martial Arts Divine Ability.

But the two sword beams missed Ning Xiaochuan entirely, as he had already appeared behind Ji Hanxian. With a single slash, he severed Liao Cheng’s head.

SPLAT!

Crimson blood stained the boulders on the ground.

Ning Xiaochuan grinned at Ji Hanxing. "Third one!"

Lou Guyu leapt down from the back of the Three-headed Flood Dragon, his spear tip blazing with flames as he thrust toward Ning Xiaochuan’s head—a furious strike from a Ninth Level Transcendent Realm Martial Artist!

SWISH!

The Demonic Sword flashed, sending Lou Guyu flying, cleaving his spear in half and leaving a festering wound on his chest, tainted with demonic energy.

"Time to go."

Ning Xiaochuan sheathed the Demonic Sword, giving Ji Hanxing a final glance. "Beauty, we’ll meet again!"

"You won’t escape!"

Ji Hanxing swung her spear in a furious slash.

WHOOSH!

Ning Xiaochuan’s figure blurred, shifting over 60 meters away, slipping past the military encirclement and landing at the end of the street.

One more movement, and he vanished completely into the darkness.

Ji Hanxing glared at Young Master Chuan’s retreating figure, gripping the Dragon Elephant Halberd Spear so tightly her knuckles turned white. With a furious sweep, she shattered another boulder.

Ning Xiaochuan left because he sensed an immense aura approaching the Jade Viewing Tower, guessing it must be Cloud Marquis Yue Wuyang returning. That was why he departed immediately, not daring to stay any longer.

Though Ning Xiaochuan's current cultivation realm allowed him to face even a Ninth Level Transcendent Realm Martial Artist without fear, there was still a significant gap between him and a Martial Venerable. Moreover, Yue Wuyang was no ordinary Martial Venerable—now was not the time for a direct confrontation.

Ning Xiaochuan had originally brought Yue Mingsong to the Jade Viewing Tower to find Yu Ningsheng and Xiao Ling'er, never expecting to encounter members of the Cloud Marquis House.

However, he had already learned from the people inside the Jade Viewing Tower that Yu Ningsheng and Xiao Ling'er had not returned. He had no idea where they were now.

The small red dragon crawled out from Ning Xiaochuan's sleeve, waving its claws and letting out a series of "aow-aow" cries.

"Quiet! I don’t know where they are either. We’ll just have to wait." Ning Xiaochuan gently patted the small red dragon’s head before tucking it back into his sleeve.

A set of footsteps echoed in the darkness.

Yue Mingsong crawled out of a ditch, covered in mud, and exclaimed, "Whew! Thank goodness I ran fast, or the Cloud Marquis House’s military would’ve torn me apart. Hey! Little Brother Ning, I never expected you to be the Manor Lord of the Ghost Manor. I’ve decided—from now on, I’m sticking with you. What do you think?"

"Do you have any other choice?" Ning Xiaochuan chuckled.

Yue Mingsong fumed, "What do you mean by that? I, Yue Mingsong, am a talent from the Emperor's Martial Palace! If I joined any Marquis or sect, I’d be treated like royalty!"

Ning Xiaochuan flicked his sleeve and walked away. "Then don’t follow me. Go be your Lord Yue."

Yue Mingsong stood still, staring at Ning Xiaochuan’s retreating figure for a long moment before suddenly chasing after him with a laugh. "Little Brother Ning, I’m a man of my word. I promised to help you build the Divine Sword Palace, and I’ll definitely do it. Do I look like the kind of person who’d abandon a friend? To me, wealth and glory are fleeting—loyalty is the greatest treasure."

Ning Xiaochuan smirked. "I think you just can’t bear to part with the remaining chapters of the Mystic Gate Artifact Codex."

"Well, that’s just a tiny, insignificant part of it! What I care about most is our brotherhood. Stabbing knives between ribs, spears through legs—all for a friend! It’s my duty!"

"Enough!" Ning Xiaochuan cut him off.

"By the way, Little Brother Ning, where are you taking me now?" Yue Mingsong chattered on.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "The Divine Sword Palace."

...

Not long after Ning Xiaochuan left, Cloud Marquis Yue Wuyang’s carriage arrived outside the Jade Viewing Tower, stopping in the middle of the bustling street.

This was the arrival of a true Marquis whose might shook the world. Every Martial Artist in the Jade Viewing Tower knelt in reverence, as did those in the surrounding streets.

The scene was as grand as an emperor’s procession.

Ji Hanxing and Lou Guyu hurried forward, bowing deeply toward the carriage.

"Greetings, Marquis!"

"Greetings, Master!"

Cloud Marquis did not step out of his carriage, but his domineering and majestic aura remained overwhelmingly powerful, blazing like a scorching sun!

"Hmph! In the Imperial City, under the watch of the Son of Heaven, three of my tiger generals who have rendered great service to the empire were actually killed by a heretic. What a colossal joke!" The voice of Cloud Marquis echoed from within the carriage, loud enough for Martial Artists within a hundred kilometers to hear clearly, shaking the entire city district.

Many influential figures in the Imperial City knew that Cloud Marquis was truly enraged this time.

"Ji Hanxing, do you recognize Young Master Chuan?" The authoritative voice of Cloud Marquis rang out.

Ji Hanxing pondered for a moment, carefully recalling her encounter with Young Master Chuan, and said, "His aura is very familiar. He must be a powerful figure I’ve met before."

"Then, do you still remember his aura?" Cloud Marquis asked.

Ji Hanxing replied, "Based on his aura and my Martial Arts Divine Ability, 'Wisdom Eye,' I have a forty percent chance of tracking him down."

"Good! Then come with me now to eliminate this heretic overlord and restore peace to the Imperial City!"

Cloud Marquis had full confidence in Ji Hanxing's tracking skills, believing she would undoubtedly locate Young Master Chuan's hiding place.