Chapter 66: Resentment That You Are Not Like the Moon Over the River

Chapter 66: Resentment That You Are Not Like the Moon Over the River

Two young disciples of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House helped the injured youth to his feet, not daring to approach Yu Tiandi again. They knew he was a top-tier genius of the younger generation—someone they could never afford to provoke!

Yu Tiandi cast a disdainful glance at the young disciples of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House and laughed loudly. "Insignificant ants, daring to challenge me. Is there even a single opponent among this generation’s so-called geniuses who can withstand a single move from me?"

"How arrogant!" Ning Xin'er muttered under her breath.

"Who said that?"

Yu Tiandi’s sharp gaze swept over the young disciples of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House before locking onto Ning Xin'er.

"Boom!"

Yu Tiandi leaped from his warhorse, gripping the Halberd with both hands, unleashing a force like a tidal wave as he struck downward.

Ning Xin'er condensed her Profound Qi into a battle sword, a shadow of a blood furnace manifesting above her head as her sword energy traced the shape of a Taiji symbol.

"Bang!"

With a single swing of her sword, she forced Yu Tiandi back.

Yu Tiandi lost his balance, staggering back nine steps before steadying himself. He stared in disbelief at Ning Xin'er, who stood proudly before him, unable to accept that a mere girl had repelled him with a single strike.

The young disciples of the Kirin Prince's Manor were equally stunned, their eyes fixed on Ning Xin'er in unison.

The Jian Pavilion Marquis House disciples immediately erupted in excitement. Someone sneered mockingly, "The Young Prince is too arrogant. Did he really think the Jian Pavilion Marquis House had no experts? With Xin'er making a move, even the Young Prince has to crawl away!"

"Xin'er is probably even younger than the Young Prince, yet her cultivation isn’t inferior to his. That just proves her talent surpasses his. Haha!"

......

The Divine Kirin Martial Venerable also glanced at Ning Xin'er, a trace of surprise in his eyes. "The Jian Pavilion Marquis House truly produces talents in abundance."

"Not bad, not bad!" Ning Qiancheng chuckled.

After consuming the Blood Toad Pill, Ning Xin'er had already broken through to the third level of the Divine Body Realm, making her the strongest among the younger generation of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House. That she could stand toe-to-toe with the Young Prince of the Kirin Prince's Manor was no surprise.

The Divine Kirin Martial Venerable said, "Tiandi, do you see now? This year’s examinees are full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. You must be careful, or you might capsize in a tiny ditch."

Yu Tiandi climbed back onto his warhorse and replied coldly, "Uncle, rest assured. The title of Champion this year belongs to me alone. No one poses a threat. Whoever dares to challenge me will regret it."

The Heavenly Gate opened, and all the martial artists participating in the Emperor's Martial Palace assessment rushed inside in a frenzy.

The Divine Kirin Martial Venerable led the 124 young disciples of the Kirin Prince's Manor toward the Heavenly Gate. Outside the gate, he gave them a few final instructions before departing alone, while the disciples stepped through the gate and vanished into a layer of white light.

Ning Qiancheng also delivered his final words of encouragement. "Every Emperor's Martial Palace assessment is also a competition of strength among the noble houses. The more geniuses a noble house sends into the Emperor's Martial Palace, the higher its status will be, and the greater its influence in the imperial court over the next five years. Therefore, you must all strive to pass the assessment. If any of you can break into the top ten, it will bring glory to your ancestors and honor to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House."

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Just out of curiosity, how many from the Jian Pavilion Marquis House passed the Emperor's Martial Palace assessment five years ago?"

"Five," Ning Qiancheng replied.

The young talents of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House immediately felt immense pressure. Five years ago, sixty-one disciples from the Marquis House had taken the assessment, yet only five passed—a success rate of less than one in ten.

It was far too harsh!

Ning Qiancheng continued, "However, five years ago, the Marquis House produced a top-tier genius who ranked twelfth in the assessment, restoring much of our honor. Strive to become such exceptional talents yourselves. Now! All of you, enter the Heavenly Gate!"

It was said that the Emperor's Martial Palace was built within an "Emperor's Ruins."

The so-called "Emperor's Ruins" referred to an independent space, completely isolated from the outside world—like a small world within a greater one.

Some likened the "Emperor's Ruins" to a tomb.

The difference was this: tombs held the dead, while the Emperor's Ruins contained an entire world.

Only a Divine Bridge existing between worlds could connect to the "Emperor's Ruins."

The Heavenly Gate was precisely such a bridge. Passing through it, one could travel directly from the Imperial City to another world—the world where the Emperor's Martial Palace resided, known as the "Emperor's Ruins."

Ning Xiaochuan stopped beside the Heavenly Gate, lightly touching the glowing white barrier before him. Ripples spread across its surface.

"Boom!"

A surge of immense information flooded into Ning Xiaochuan's body through his fingertips.

The image of a vast, desolate world unfolded in his mind—a world of endless forests, boundless deserts, ancient cities, abandoned ruins, and gloomy graveyards!

"Brother, what's wrong?" Ning Xin'er asked.

Ning Xiaochuan exhaled deeply, staring in shock at the barrier before him. Could the vision in his mind just now be the world inside the Emperor's Martial Palace?

Clearly, Ning Xin'er and the others hadn't seen anything like this in advance. Why had he?

Was it the power of Heart Spirit Perception?

Heart Spirit Perception allowed one to glimpse what others could not.

"Nothing. Let's go." Ning Xiaochuan stepped forward, vanishing into the barrier.

Beyond it, everyone arrived at the edge of a desolate desert.

Apart from the endless sands, nothing else was visible.

Structures built from yellow stone dotted the desert—some towering dozens of meters high, others squat like burial mounds. Countless buildings stretched beyond sight.

Young martial artists stood scattered across the sands, as bewildered as Ning Xiaochuan.

The moment he crossed the Heavenly Gate, a Number Tag appeared in Ning Xiaochuan's hand—No. 527.

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Xin'er, what's your number?"

Ning Xin'er also held a Number Tag. She glanced at it and said, "No. 18,953."

Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly. "So many people have come to take the Emperor's Martial Palace assessment."

Ning Xin'er said, "The Yulan Empire is vast and abundant in resources, with talents emerging in great numbers. Moreover, the Emperor's Martial Palace only recruits once every five years, so naturally, countless young martial artists from all corners of the land will come for the assessment. In previous years, the number of participants exceeded a hundred thousand. This year, the estimated mortality rate for the assessment is as high as sixty percent, which will likely scare many away. Perhaps the number of participants will be relatively smaller."

By noon, the Heavenly Gate closed.

A voice echoed in the ears of all the young martial artists: "Everyone, quiet down. Welcome to the Emperor's Ruins. This is the edge of the Madaro Desert in the northern part of the Emperor's Ruins—the Ninth Camp."

As soon as the voice faded, the young martial artists in the desert began murmuring again.

Someone exclaimed joyfully, "This is actually the Emperor's Ruins! It's said that the Emperor's Martial Palace is located in Emperor's City at the heart of the Emperor's Ruins—the foremost martial sacred land in the entire Yulan Empire!"

"Could it be that our assessment site is right here in this desert?"

...

The voice spoke again, "Silence! Silence! This year, a total of 84,570 martial artists are participating in the Emperor's Martial Palace assessment. Each of you holds a number tag. Based on your tag, find the stone dwelling where you will stay tonight. Numbers 1 to 10,000 are in Zone One. Numbers 10,001 to 20,000 are in Zone Two. Numbers 20,001 to 30,000 are in Zone Three..."

"Tonight, you will temporarily reside here. Tomorrow, you will be transported together to the assessment site. Let me inform you in advance—the assessment site is not within the Emperor's Ruins but in an extremely dangerous land. No matter how high your cultivation level is, the mortality rate there will exceed sixty percent. As for the assessment content, it will be announced tomorrow."

The voice vanished and did not return.

When entering the Heavenly Gate, the number tags in everyone's hands were scrambled. Those who had entered together were now forced to separate.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "There's no way to cheat in this assessment. It seems we won’t be able to fight side by side. Xin'er, be careful."

"Brother, you must be careful too. I hope we both make it into the Emperor's Martial Palace and rank at the top," Ning Xin'er replied, then headed to Zone Two with her number tag to find her stone dwelling.

Ning Xiaochuan proceeded to Zone One.

"This must be the place."

He arrived outside a massive stone dwelling with the words "Numbers 520 to 550" written on its wall. His tag number was 527, so this was his assigned dwelling.

"Brother Chuan, you're in Zone One too? What a coincidence!" Murong Wushuang, carrying a large sack over his shoulder and an old broad-bladed saber at his waist, called out to Ning Xiaochuan from a distance.

Ning Xiaochuan smiled. "You actually came for the assessment too?"

Murong Wushuang declared, "I’m determined to become a Dragon Warrior. Getting into the Emperor's Martial Palace is just the first step in my life’s goal. What’s your number?"

Ning Xiaochuan flashed his tag. "Number 527."

"I am number two hundred and fifty. Oh, right, I almost forgot the main thing." Murong Wushuang pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Ning Xiaochuan, saying, "This is a letter from Miss Yu for you. I gotta say, Brother Chuan, you’re something else! I can’t help but admire you—being so deeply devoted to a woman. No wonder they call you the 'Greatest Love-Obsessed Fool in the World.'"

Ning Xiaochuan took the envelope, opened it, and held the delicate letter paper in his hand. He gently brought it to his nose and caught a faint, lingering fragrance.

Unfolding the letter, he saw elegant handwriting that revealed the writer’s refined calligraphy skills. It read:

You have fulfilled your promise. We owe each other nothing now!

Only these two short lines were written on the paper.

"What does it say? Is it a love poem from Miss Yu?" Murong Wushuang asked curiously.

Ning Xiaochuan smiled, tucked the letter away, and said, "Of course it’s a love poem!"

With that, he walked into the stone house.

Yu Ningsheng had written this letter solely to dissuade Ning Xiaochuan from redeeming her. She knew it would defy imperial authority, and if Ning Xiaochuan persisted, he might face irreversible ruin.

In Yu Ningsheng’s eyes, Ning Xiaochuan was talented, born into privilege, and had a bright future ahead—likely even inheriting the title of Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House. If he threw away such a promising future for a brothel girl like her, she would be consumed by guilt.

Ning Xiaochuan understood all of this.

Yet, he had his own convictions. Once he set his mind to something, he would never turn back.

He took out the envelope again, intending to fold the letter and return it inside, when he suddenly noticed two faint lines of small characters written in water on the back. The watermarks had dried, but upon closer inspection, the outlines of the words were still discernible.

It was a short poem:

I resent you for not being like the moon over the river tower— North, south, east, west— North, south, east, west— Ever together, never apart.

I resent you for being like the moon over the river tower— Waxing full, then waning— Waxing full, then waning— When will we ever be whole again?

The handwriting was identical to that on the letter—the only difference being one was written in water, the other in ink.

Perhaps the water-stained words on the envelope were the true message she had wanted to send. But she could never let Ning Xiaochuan see it, so she wrote it in water—for herself alone.

What she didn’t know was that even after the water dried, traces would remain.