Chapter 47: The Annihilation Path

Chapter 47: The Annihilation Path

Haitang Manor.

Ning Qiancheng gave Ning Xiaochuan a deep, approving look and said, "Not bad. Though you can't cultivate Martial Arts Profound Qi, you haven't disgraced the Jian Pavilion Marquis House. You carry some of your father's spirit."

Ning Xiaochuan naturally guessed who this man was—the uncle he had never met before, the legendary figure of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House.

Cautiously, Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Uncle, weren't you leading troops abroad? Why have you returned so suddenly?"

Ning Qiancheng replied, "Ten years have passed. It's time to come back. This time, I’ve brought a highly skilled Heart Nurturer from the Tianji Dynasty for you. They should be able to cure your congenital illness."

Ning Xiaochuan wanted to tell Ning Qiancheng that his illness had already been healed, but he remained guarded. After all, this was their first meeting, and he knew nothing about this uncle. Revealing all his secrets upon first acquaintance would be foolish.

Continuing to conceal the Martial Arts Profound Qi within him, Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Where is this Heart Nurturer now?"

"On the way. They’ll arrive with me in the Imperial City in two months," Ning Qiancheng answered.

"Two months... later?" Ning Xiaochuan stared at Ning Qiancheng, who stood right before him.

"What you see now is merely my Martial Soul Avatar. It can only last for three days before dissipating. I’m returning to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House now. Would you like to come with me?" Ning Qiancheng asked.

Ning Xiaochuan shook his head. "What’s the point of me returning if I can’t cultivate Martial Arts Profound Qi? If I ever go back, it’ll be after my illness is cured and I’ve mastered the martial path."

"Haha! You’ve got spine."

Without another word, Ning Qiancheng vanished from Haitang Manor. In the next moment, he appeared in the bustling streets of the Imperial City.

His Martial Soul Avatar could only last three days, and he had already spent over two on the journey. Time was running short.

The main reason he had condensed this avatar to return early was to discuss a crucial matter with the Old Marquis. Intercepting the Cloud Marquis’ intrusion into Haitang Manor had merely been incidental.

Ning Xiaochuan sighed as he looked at the shattered gate. "How much is this going to cost to repair? Hey, you—go to the South Mountain Gathering’s military camp and tell their general to send me the money for the gate. Otherwise, I’ll go collect it myself."

With his hands behind his back, Ning Xiaochuan walked back into Haitang Manor. As soon as he entered the Purple Qi Garden, he saw Tianchenzi sitting by the pond, a small bronze cup of tea in hand.

Cloaked entirely in black, wisps of dark Profound Qi seeped from his body, enveloping him like a shroud.

"You seem quite at ease. Do you realize Haitang Manor was nearly flattened because of you?" Ning Xiaochuan said.

Tianchenzi, legs crossed, sipped his tea while watching the fish in the pond. "Of course I know. Yue Wuyang already came by."

Ning Xiaochuan retorted, "If you know Yue Wuyang has been here, then you should also know he could return at any moment. Now’s your best chance to leave."

Tianchenzi shook his head and said, "We can't leave. This is the best place to take refuge. Yue Wuyang has always been cautious and must have arranged experts to monitor Haitang Manor. If I step outside, I’ll be walking right into a trap."

Ning Xiaochuan had never seen someone so shameless and chose to ignore him. He sat cross-legged beneath the Blood Toad Wood, focusing on breaking through his final Hidden Meridian.

After witnessing the immense strength of figures like Yue Wuyang and Ning Qiancheng, Ning Xiaochuan deeply realized his own shortcomings. He was far inferior, not just to them, but even to Yue Wuyang’s disciple, Ji Hanxing.

Now, Ning Xiaochuan only had one last Hidden Meridian left. Once he broke through it, he would step into the Divine Body Realm.

Entering the Divine Body Realm would be a complete transformation—his body would transcend the mortal form, develop divine properties, and give birth to Martial Arts Divine Abilities, unleashing unimaginable power.

At that level, combat would no longer be about mere fists and kicks but a clash of Martial Arts Divine Abilities.

The third Hidden Meridian ran from the Martial Arts Star Palace all the way to the cerebral cortex, circulating within the brain before returning to the Martial Arts Heart Palace.

This was the shortest Hidden Meridian, but Ning Xiaochuan had never dared to recklessly break through it—because the brain was the most fragile part of the body, and even the slightest damage could lead to severe consequences, from cerebral palsy to death.

"Does channeling Profound Qi directly into the brain enhance my intelligence? Or is it related to the soul?"

Ning Xiaochuan stopped overthinking and began gathering his Martial Arts Profound Qi, carefully impacting this Hidden Meridian.

Tianchenzi sat not far away, watching Ning Xiaochuan beneath the Blood Toad Wood with his bone-green eyes, a look of astonishment flashing across his face. "A Hidden Meridian that traverses the brain? That’s extremely rare. If he succeeds in breaking through, this kid’s intelligence will rise to another level. Interesting, very interesting."

Every warrior’s Hidden Meridians were different—some were just short segments within the body, some only appeared in the abdominal cavity, some only in the arms. Few had Hidden Meridians that entered the brain.

Generally, the longer a warrior’s Hidden Meridians, the greater their potential.

The more profound a warrior’s Hidden Meridians, the more extraordinary their physique.

If Tianchenzi knew that Ning Xiaochuan’s first two Hidden Meridians covered his limbs and internal organs, he would be even more shocked.

Because these two Hidden Meridians nearly encompassed the entire body—a warrior with such meridians possessed limitless potential.

For three full days, Ning Xiaochuan focused on opening the third Hidden Meridian.

Though it was the shortest, it was also the most complex, requiring meticulous advancement.

After three days, Ning Xiaochuan finally expanded the third Hidden Meridian to its final stage—just one step away from breaking through.

Streams of Profound Qi swirled around his body, enveloping him completely.

"Break!" he uttered the word.

"Boom!"

The final Hidden Meridian shattered. Martial Arts Profound Qi surged from his Heart Palace, rushing along the meridian into his cerebral cortex.

The Hidden Meridian split into countless fine branches, like thousands of Profound Qi rivers flooding into his brain, activating his brain cells and accelerating his thought processes beyond reason.

Then, the Profound Qi surged back into the heart palace, completing a full cycle.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Ning Xiaochuan's body began to undergo transformation, emitting explosive sounds as his blood vessels, bones, internal organs, and divine marrow resonated. Streaks of lightning erupted from his body, radiating outward.

Sitting by the pool, Tianchenzi was once again astonished, his gaze fixed intently on Ning Xiaochuan. "The Divine Body he's cultivating doesn't seem ordinary. To release lightning from his body—could it be the 'Heavenly Phenomenon Divine Body'?"

Tianchenzi knew this was a critical moment for Ning Xiaochuan's breakthrough, so he refrained from disturbing him.

Between heaven and earth, Profound Qi rapidly flowed into Ning Xiaochuan's body. Even with the naked eye, one could see wisps of Profound Qi swirling before vanishing into his pores, absorbed by him.

Inside Ning Xiaochuan's heart, the blood-red demonic sword was also frantically absorbing Profound Qi and blood energy. The source of this blood energy was the Blood Toad Wood tree beside him.

The blood energy from the Blood Toad Wood tree surged into Ning Xiaochuan's body, causing the tree's bark to wither rapidly.

The demonic sword rotated within his heart, its blood vessels becoming even more distinct as it emitted a tremendous suction force.

Ning Xiaochuan felt the demonic sword pulling at his soul, dragging it mercilessly toward his heart.

Standing before the demonic sword, Ning Xiaochuan felt his body insignificant, like a grain of sand. The sword, however, was boundless, towering like a blood-red mountain piercing the heavens.

"Who are you? How are you hidden inside my heart?"

Ning Xiaochuan sensed that the demonic sword was not merely a weapon—it seemed more like a person, an intelligent being.

A woman's silhouette appeared on the blade of the demonic sword!

This woman was enigmatic, her long hair flowing, her jade-like skin flawless, breathtakingly beautiful like an immortal goddess from a painting, evoking an urge to kneel and worship.

Ning Xiaochuan hadn't expected to actually summon someone. He took two steps back and asked, "Who are you? Why are you inside the sword?"

Yet, the woman's aura was not that of a goddess but rather a demoness brimming with sinister energy. "The Annihilation Path, third-generation successor—Sui Hanyu."

"The Annihilation Path!"

Just hearing the name sent a violent tremor through Ning Xiaochuan's heart. Visions of mountains of corpses, oceans of blood, and falling stars flashed through his mind. "Then why were you sealed inside the sword?"

Sui Hanyu ignored his question. "There is a wisp of Annihilation Sword Qi within you, meaning the Annihilation Sword Qi has chosen you as the fourth-generation successor of the Annihilation Path. It was the Annihilation Sword Qi that brought you here, but we can only communicate briefly. Once your cultivation reaches a certain level, the Annihilation Sword Qi will naturally lead you to me, and all your questions will be answered."

"Boom!"

The scene before him shattered.

Ning Xiaochuan sensed something new in his mind—strange inscriptions that coalesced into a single character: "Sword."

"So the demonic sword in my heart is merely a manifestation of a single strand of Annihilation Sword Qi. If just one strand is this powerful, how formidable must the Annihilation Sword itself be?"

Ning Xiaochuan closed his eyes to contemplate the character "Sword." Suddenly, he opened them and uttered a single word: "Sword!"

A blood-red giant sword flew out from his chest, carrying boundless demonic energy and countless sword auras as it slashed toward Tianchenzi. The sword intent was overwhelming, radiating a murderous aura. Logically, given Tianchenzi's cultivation level, a warrior who had just reached the Divine Body Realm shouldn't pose any threat to him. Yet, when the sword auras surged forth, he was startled, feeling as if a demon god was swinging a blade at him.