Chapter 184: The Beauty Remains Unchanged

Chapter 184: The Beauty Remains Unchanged

The Jade Viewing Tower was as lively as ever on this night, with bright lanterns hanging high. Martial Artists carrying Short Swords, Princes accompanied by servants, and mysterious figures clad in Black Robes who wished to conceal their identities—all frequently came and went from the tower.

Outside the Jade Viewing Tower stood six stunning women, their snow-white skin adorned with Pink Gauze that barely covered their most vital areas. Their chests, slender waists, and jade-like legs were brazenly exposed, every movement teasing the nerves of passing men.

How many men could resist being drawn in by them?

Inside the Jade Viewing Tower, people of all kinds gathered.

The moment Ning Xiaochuan stepped inside, the entire tower fell silent, countless eyes turning toward him.

A Prince dressed in a Golden Thread Robe held a cup of wine in one hand while his other arm wrapped around a voluptuous woman. His face bore a look of disdain as he muttered, "Who’s this guy?"

"You don’t know him?"

Beside him, a Martial Artist leaned in and whispered something into the Prince’s ear.

"Pfft—"

The Prince spat out his wine in shock.

Ning Xiaochuan glanced at him briefly, and the Prince’s face paled. He forced a nervous smile before sitting back down, not daring to utter another word.

This was a man of slaughter—someone who had killed dozens of geniuses in the Emperor's Martial Palace and walked away unscathed. A mere spoiled noble like him couldn’t afford to provoke such a figure.

"Oh my! If it isn’t the current Champion of the Emperor's Martial Palace, the young Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House! What brings you here today?" The madam of the Jade Viewing Tower, Yu Youyan, immediately approached him. Her ample curves, slender waist, and flirtatious gaze were impossible to ignore as she grabbed Ning Xiaochuan’s arm.

Ning Xiaochuan stood straight, wasting no words. "I’m here to see Lady Ningsheng."

"Of course, of course! Come, I’ll take you to your beloved Ningsheng." Yu Youyan gave a coquettish laugh.

Once Ning Xiaochuan and Yu Youyan left the main hall, the place erupted in chatter.

"Ning Xiaochuan actually came to the Jade Viewing Tower!"

"Ning Xiaochuan is the top genius of the Yulan Empire, and Lady Ningsheng is the most beautiful woman in the Imperial City. If the two of them were together, it’d truly be a match of talent and beauty."

"But that’s impossible. Ning Xiaochuan is destined to become the next Jian Pavilion Marquis, while Yu Ningsheng is fated to remain in the brothel for life. No one can change that outcome."

"To gaze upon each other yet never be together—couldn’t such a tale be sung for a thousand years?"

On the second floor of the Jade Viewing Tower sat two men.

One of them wore a black robe, his head shaved bald, an iron ring dangling from his ear. His body was immensely fat, his eyebrows thick and bushy, and in his arms, he cradled a Fat Duck. "So that kid is Ning Xiaochuan?"

"Hmph, indeed. The most prominent young expert in the Yulan Empire today, the current Champion of the Emperor's Martial Palace." The man sitting opposite him was also young but far more handsome, with an air of heroic vigor.

His hands, in particular, were remarkably delicate—each nail perfectly trimmed—almost like a woman’s.

The fat-headed man said, "Even if he is the Champion of this year's Emperor's Martial Palace, it's nothing impressive. The world is vast, with countless extraordinary talents and powerful martial artists, yet many young experts choose not to take the Emperor's Martial Palace's exams. Those who graduate from the Emperor's Martial Palace are all just flashy performers. In a real life-or-death battle, they fall far short."

"How about it? Do you want to test him?" the handsome man chuckled.

The fat-headed man grinned. "Heh, I’ve long heard his Northern Abyss Divine Art is quite formidable. If I don’t exchange a few moves with him, how can I know if his reputation is truly deserved?"

"Do as you please. We’ve already finished our business in the Imperial City. You can stir up as much trouble as you want," the handsome man said leisurely, lifting his wine cup to his lips and taking a small sip.

Yu Ningsheng’s residence was adorned with many flowers and plants, the most striking among them being the Haitang blossoms—delicate and vibrant, their fragrance filling the air.

The place remained serene and elegant, a stark contrast to the outside world, as if it were an entirely different realm.

From behind the white drapes of the zither pavilion came the graceful, melodious sound of the instrument, infused with faint traces of Profound Qi that chilled the air, condensing into snowflakes that drifted down like goose feathers.

At the sound of footsteps outside, the music stopped.

Ning Xiaochuan had intended to push the door open and enter, but as the music ceased, his hand froze mid-air.

"You came back after all."

A soft, ethereal woman’s voice emerged from within, as beautiful as the zither’s melody had been.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "Do you not wish to see me?"

"I wrote you a letter, telling you that you no longer owe me anything—that we are even. Why did you still come?"

Ning Xiaochuan said, "The letter I read didn’t say that. Instead, it was a poem."

"A poem?"

Creak.

Ning Xiaochuan pushed the door open and stepped inside, reciting, "Hate That You Are Not Like the Moon Over the River Tower— North, south, east, west— North, south, east, west— Only following, never parting.

Hate That You Are Just Like the Moon Over the River Tower— Full for a moment, then waning— Full for a moment, then waning— When will we ever be whole again?"

Yu Ningsheng sat behind a beaded curtain, veiled and still as a maiden, letting out a soft sigh. "How did you know?"

Ning Xiaochuan took out the letter again. "Even if the watermark on the back of the envelope dried, it doesn’t change the fact that it was once written there."

Yu Ningsheng’s fingers lightly brushed the zither strings, her pearly teeth biting her lips as she fell silent.

The entire room grew so quiet that even the sound of a needle dropping would have been audible.

"I saw the Haitang flowers outside. They weren’t there last time," Ning Xiaochuan said, unsure of what else to say.

Yu Ningsheng replied, "Yuyan sent them. She said the blossoms at Haitang Manor were exceptionally beautiful and wanted to invite me to visit. But I feared misunderstandings, so I declined. Instead, she sent many Haitang flowers. I’ve grown fond of their scent."

"I only came this time because I was passing by and thought to see you. Since there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave." Ning Xiaochuan took a deep breath, unsure of what else to say, and prepared to depart.

Just as Ning Xiaochuan was about to close the door, Yu Ningsheng suddenly stood up, her beautiful eyes misty, and said, "Ning Xiaochuan."

"Hmm?" Ning Xiaochuan's hand paused again as he turned to look at her.

"Nothing..." Yu Ningsheng pursed her lips, then added in a low voice, "Our statuses are worlds apart. There's no way we can be together. You... you shouldn’t come to the Jade Viewing Tower anymore."

Ning Xiaochuan seemed to recall something and said, "Ah, there’s something I need to tell you. I’ve decided to reinvestigate the decade-old case. If I can prove that your father didn’t betray the Imperial Court, the charges against you will be lifted. When that happens, I’ll come back to redeem you. Believe me, a promise from Ning Xiaochuan is truer than gold itself."

With that, he closed the door, not bothering to see Yu Ningsheng’s expression, and prepared to leave.

Suddenly, Ning Xiaochuan halted, sensing danger. His brows furrowed as he immediately activated Cloud and Sunset Returning Qi.

BOOM!

A bulky black figure descended from above, throwing a punch like a divine golden fist. The strike landed on the Cloud and Sunset Returning Qi, denting it inward, nearly reaching Ning Xiaochuan.

A swirling ripple formed on the Cloud and Sunset Returning Qi, rebounding with even greater force.

The bulky black figure let out a surprised grunt as he was flung backward. However, his cultivation was formidable—he forcibly stabilized himself mid-air and landed steadily on the ground.

BANG!

The door was blown open by the wind as Yu Ningsheng emerged like a graceful white shadow, her figure breathtaking, carrying a faint fragrance. She glared at the black figure standing in the flowerbed and demanded, "Who dares trespass into the Jade Viewing Tower?"

Ning Xiaochuan withdrew his Cloud and Sunset Returning Qi, his gaze equally sharp as he stared at the shadowy figure.

"Hahaha! Today, I’ve had the fortune of meeting both the Imperial City’s number one beauty and its number one genius. What an honor!"

The bulky black-clad man finished speaking and immediately turned to flee.

"You think it’s that easy to leave after coming here?"

Ning Xiaochuan and Yu Ningsheng gave chase simultaneously.

Ning Xiaochuan activated Rainbow Teleportation, his speed reaching an extreme as he transformed into a streak of rainbow light, closing in behind the black-clad man and thrusting out a finger.

"So fast?!"

The bulky black-clad man was startled. He pulled out a jade-like Mystic Artifact from his robes and pressed it toward Ning Xiaochuan.

The jade expanded dozens of times, becoming as large as a door panel, emitting wisps of Profound Qi that formed a tortoise-shell-like pattern.

BOOM!

Both the jade and the bulky black-clad man were sent flying, staggering and nearly collapsing.

Despite his size, his reflexes were astonishing. With a light tap of his toes, he regained his balance and cursed, "Damn it, he’s this strong?!"

Yu Ningsheng’s martial prowess was also exceptional. She darted forward like a white shadow, intercepting the bulky man. In her hand, she condensed a Snow Sword, thrusting it toward him like a shooting star.

CLINK!

From the darkness, another black-clad figure flew out, flicking a finger that shattered Yu Ningsheng’s Snow Sword into fragments of ice.

"Let’s go!"

.