Chapter 136: Besieged on All Sides

Chapter 136: Besieged on All Sides

Ning Xiaochuan actually dared to challenge the Cloud Marquis House alone?

Many felt Ning Xiaochuan was far too arrogant and overconfident. After all, Zhang Linshan and Lu Huntian were both elite talents of the younger generation, and most of the people they brought were second-term disciples who had already cultivated in the Emperor's Ruins for five years. How could a mere newcomer like Ning Xiaochuan compare?

Among them, Zhang Linshan was one of the Imperial City's Ten Outstanding Youths, a figure renowned throughout the Heaven and Earth Academy. For Ning Xiaochuan, with his current cultivation, to challenge him was practically suicidal.

Jin Quexi advised, "Xiaochuan, don’t act rashly. Though the Cloud Marquis House is powerful, our Tianli Society isn’t to be trifled with either."

Nie Hai pondered for a moment before saying, "That’s right. Since you’re now a member of the Tianli Society, even if the Cloud Marquis himself were to appear, we wouldn’t back down."

"Brother, if you’re going to fight, we’ll fight together!" Ning Xin'er drew her sword, a fierce battle intent surging from her delicate yet resolute frame.

Ning Xiaochuan knew the Cloud Marquis wielded immense influence in the Emperor's Ruins, and his top disciples were all ruthless figures. He didn’t want to drag the Tianli Society into his troubles.

The fact that they still stood by him under the pressure of the Cloud Marquis’ two disciples proved their sincerity—they were true friends.

Ning Xiaochuan had never been one to burden his friends. "Senior Jin Quexi, Brother Yue, Brother Shi, Deputy Headmaster, please don’t intervene. This is a personal grudge between me and the Cloud Marquis House. I’ll settle it myself. Deputy Headmaster, I hope you can help me look after Xin'er and Murong Wushuang. This matter has nothing to do with them."

Nie Hai frowned slightly. The situation was indeed thorny. Personally, he greatly admired Ning Xiaochuan and would even risk opposing the Cloud Marquis House to befriend him.

But as the Deputy Headmaster of the Tianli Society, he had to consider the welfare of all its members.

The Cloud Marquis, Yue Wuyang, wasn’t just a mere noble of the court—he was also the Champion of the fifth-term disciples of the Emperor's Martial Palace. Though he had already left the Emperor's Ruins, his influence there remained vast, with many instructors and even Deputy Headmasters maintaining close ties with him.

To make matters worse, Yue Wuyang’s eldest disciple was now the leader of the Cloud Alliance, the largest faction in the Emperor's Martial Palace. This was what Nie Hai feared most. Provoking the Cloud Marquis House would likely result in the entire Tianli Society facing suppression.

It was precisely because Ning Xiaochuan understood this that he didn’t want to put Nie Hai and Jin Quexi in a difficult position, choosing to handle the matter himself.

Right now, Ning Xiaochuan wasn’t worried about his own safety—he was most concerned about Ning Xin'er and Murong Wushuang. That was why he entrusted them to the Tianli Society’s protection while he shouldered the responsibility alone.

Nie Hai clenched his fists tightly, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Linshan and the others before he declared solemnly, "Rest assured, Brother Ning. Your sister and your friend’s safety is my responsibility. If I fail to protect them, I’ll willingly cripple my own martial cultivation."

With Nie Hai’s promise, Ning Xiaochuan finally felt somewhat at ease.

Ning Xin'er stubbornly insisted, "I’m not afraid. Whoever dares to bully my brother, I’ll fight them to the death!"

Ning Xiaochuan said solemnly, "Xin'er, be good and stay with the Tianli Society. The people from the Cloud Marquis House won’t dare to touch you. If you disobey, I won’t acknowledge you as my sister anymore."

"Brother..." Ning Xin'er bit her lip, her eyes glistening with tears as she nodded. "Alright, Xin'er will listen. Xin'er will obey her brother."

Ning Xiaochuan turned coldly to Zhang Linshan, Lu Huntian, and the others, his voice firm. "Let’s take this fight outside."

Lu Huntian clenched his fists, baring his white teeth in a chilling grin. "You’ve got guts."

The warriors of the Cloud Alliance swiftly retreated outside the Tianli Society, forming a semicircle as they glared at Ning Xiaochuan emerging from the gates.

There were dozens of warriors in total, the weakest among them at least at the Fourth Level of the Divine Body Realm—all second-year veterans. Among them, Zhang Linshan and Lu Huntian were powerhouses at the Seventh Level of the Divine Body Realm or higher, standing at the pinnacle of the younger generation.

These were all elites recruited by the Cloud Alliance. As for the alliance’s leader, he hadn’t even bothered to show up—with his supreme cultivation, he disdained dealing with a mere sixteen-year-old.

Beyond the Cloud Alliance’s warriors, enemies lurked in the distant streets and alleys.

In the Fire Demon Mountain Range, Ning Xiaochuan had made many foes.

Elders from the Lingxi Sect, Tianyin Martial House, and Dark Emperor City had secretly sent word to their disciples in the Emperor's Martial Palace, ordering them to eliminate Ning Xiaochuan. These enemies lay in wait, cutting off all his escape routes.

Xie Mengyao stood among the Dark Emperor City’s disciples, her face hidden behind a golden mask. Though she was exceptional among the freshmen, she was far from matching the second-year students and couldn’t intervene to help Ning Xiaochuan. She could only watch silently.

She muttered, "With such a huge commotion, the Law Enforcement Team hasn’t even shown up. This is too abnormal."

A member of the Dark Emperor City replied, "Word just came that the Law Enforcement Team’s captain is discussing martial cultivation with someone—none other than the leader of the Cloud Alliance."

Xie Mengyao sneered. "The Cloud Alliance has planned this meticulously. It seems they’re dead set on taking Ning Xiaochuan’s life today, with everything already in place."

Boom!

A peal of Heavenly Thunder roared across the sky as a dark cloud drifted over, blotting out the sun and weighing down the air.

Soon, heavy rain poured from the heavens, shrouding the entire Emperor's City in a curtain of water.

This rain wasn’t summoned by Ning Xiaochuan’s Martial Arts Divine Abilities—it was nature’s doing, as if foretelling the fall of a peerless genius within the city today.

"Ning Xiaochuan, you might as well kill yourself. Otherwise, if we make the move, we won’t leave your corpse intact," Lu Huntian boomed, his voice as thunderous as the heavens, shaking the rainwater on the ground. At the Eighth Level of the Divine Body Realm, his power was overwhelming.

Standing on the steps, Ning Xiaochuan’s gaze remained resolute, knowing his chances of survival today were slim.

The talent he had displayed was simply too terrifying, unsettling his enemies. They would no longer allow him the chance to grow, choosing instead to join forces and kill him here and now.

Letting the rain beat against him, Ning Xiaochuan swept his eyes over the encircling warriors and said calmly, "If you want my life, you’ll have to prove you’re capable of taking it."

"You're already at death's door, yet still so stubborn. Do you really think anyone will come to save you today? Princess Qianxi, who was closest to you, is already entangled in other matters. She certainly won’t have the chance to rescue you."

"Your Jian Pavilion Marquis House does have a few seasoned cultivators with decent strength, but do you think they’ll come to your aid? Let me tell you the truth—your whereabouts were secretly revealed to me by someone from your own house. This proves even the people of Jian Pavilion Marquis House want you dead. You’re surrounded on all sides, a stray dog with nowhere to go. What’s the point of you living in this world?"

Lu Huntian stared into Ning Xiaochuan’s eyes, hoping to see despair. But to his disappointment, Ning Xiaochuan’s gaze remained calm from beginning to end, indifferent to everything, with only a faint trace of disappointment.

Yes, disappointment.

Ning Xiaochuan was truly disappointed in the people of Jian Pavilion Marquis House. They were supposed to be family, yet all they knew was infighting, even stabbing their own kin in the back.

Such relatives were worse than strangers from the Tianli Society. It was utterly disheartening.

Ning Xiaojian stood in the distance, shrouded by the heavy rain, watching Ning Xiaochuan coldly with no trace of pity—only a faint smile. If Ning Xiaochuan died, the position of heir to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House would naturally fall to him.

The rain grew fiercer, accompanied by lightning and fierce winds.

Lightning flickered in Ning Xiaochuan’s palm as he swept his gaze across everyone around him. "Enough pointless talk. If you want to fight, then fight!"

"Since he’s so eager to die, I’ll send him on his way." Lu Huntian’s arm turned crimson again, his nails elongating, his hand transforming into a Beast Claw.

This was one of his Martial Arts Divine Abilities—the "Savage Beast Arm," forged from the blood of eighteen mystic beasts.

"Dealing with a mere newcomer like him? I’ll handle it."

A warrior at the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm brandished a black spear, slicing through the rain. The spear tip flashed like a fleeting shadow, thrusting toward Ning Xiaochuan like a venomous serpent.

This warrior dared to attack Ning Xiaochuan because he possessed formidable combat prowess, and his spear was a Third Grade Mystic Artifact.

The bone-chilling Cold Qi radiating from the spear froze the raindrops into icy pellets midair.

Ning Xiaochuan’s cultivation was at the peak of the Fifth Level of the Divine Body Realm, but his physical body rivaled that of a Seventh Level warrior. His eyes cold, he reached out and grabbed the spear thrust by the Sixth Level warrior, unleashing a surge of powerful lightning from his palm.

"Crackle—"

The Sixth Level warrior’s expression shifted slightly as he felt an overwhelming force from Ning Xiaochuan’s arm. His spear was clamped as if by iron tongs.

Under the lightning’s power, the warrior’s arms went numb, his Meridians feeling as though they would shatter from the electric surge.

"Thud!"

Ning Xiaochuan forcibly wrenched the spear from the warrior’s grasp, reversed his grip, and stabbed it straight through the man’s heart, pinning him to the ground.

Blood gushed from the warrior’s chest, staining the rainwater beneath him crimson.

Ning Xiaochuan yanked the spear free, gripping it tightly before slamming it into the ground. He glared at the others around him. "Even if I die here today, I’ll take a few of you with me."

Lu Huntian sneered coldly, "Do you have the capability? I’ll take your life, ensuring that so-called peerless genius of yours dies in the cradle before he even grows up."

Lu Huntian’s entire body was enveloped in Profound Qi, his arm blood-red as he let out a roar resembling a mystic beast. The shockwave of Profound Qi momentarily halted the falling rain.

With a single palm strike, it was as if the claw of a colossal beast descended.

Crack!

Over a dozen steps were shattered into rubble by his strike, reduced to broken fragments.

Ning Xiaochuan sprang up from the steps, gripping his spear as he thrust forward. The Cold Qi emanating from the spear froze the rainwater on the ground into ice crystals.