Ning Xiaochuan shook his head and the voice vanished. He collected himself and smiled. “It’s nothing. Come on! Let’s head back.”

Murong Wushuang wore a look of joy. “Brother Chuan, you live in Begonia Manor. That’s one of the largest manors in the Southern Mountain Cluster, and it occupies the most fertile land. Many of the residents around have live off Begonia Manor’s land. I’ve heard that Begonia Manor is a major manor owned by a Marquis’ Residence. Is that true?”

Ning Xiaochuan laughed and neither confirmed nor denied this. “Don’t you want to become a martial art expert, a Divine Dragon Warrior? Look me up at Begonia Manor two days from now! I might be able to help you become a martial art expert faster.”

Murong Wushuang looked somewhat embarrassed as he said quietly, “To be honest, Brother Chuan, I really don’t dare to go to Begonia Manor. I’ve owed them money for three years, so the attendants of Begonia Manor all recognize me. If they see me, they’ll surely press me to pay up. If I don’t, they’ll beat me up! Begonia Manor has immense influence and backing. When push comes to shove, I don’t dare to provoke them.”

Ning Xiaochuan sat inside the Green Deerhorse carriage and smiled. “When you come, mention my name and say that you’re my friend. I’m sure no one will dare to give you trouble.”

Murong Wushuang was taken aback. “Are you for real? Brother Chuan, what’s your status in Begonia Manor? Surely you’re not the proprietor’s nephew or something?”

“The proprietor of Begonia Manor doesn’t have a nephew yet.” Ning Xiaochuan grinned.

The Green Deerhorse carriage left Southpearl Mountain.

When they reached the Southern Mountain Cluster Bazaar, Murong Wushuang disembarked to go home. Ning Xiaochuan and Yu Yan continued riding the carriage back home.

Ning Xiaochuan had been at Southpearl Mountain for four days in total. The housekeepers, attendants, maids, servants, and guards of Begonia Manor were all panicking, deeply afraid that something had happened to him. Someone had even reported to the Marquis’ Residence.

Although Ning Xiaochuan was not well-liked in the Marquis’ Residence, he was still a direct grandson of the Old Marquis. If something happened to him, the servants of Begonia Manor would probably be beheaded.

As soon as they returned to Begonia Manor, Housekeeper Qiu instantly came forward to inquire, “Master, where have you been for the past few days? All the guards of the manor went out to search but they couldn’t find you. Yesterday, Fourth Master himself came to Begonia Manor and was rather angry. He asked you to head to the Marquis’ Residence after your return and let him know you’re safe so that he won’t worry.”

“Ning Qianwu actually came by Begonia Manor.” Ning Xiaochuan knew that the Fourth Master of Marquis Jiange’ Residence was not some kind soul, for he had always wanted to eliminate Ning Xiaochuan.

Why was he so concerned about Ning Xiaochuan’s safety?

Ning Xiaochuan reckoned that by now, the people of Begonia Manor had all been bought off by Ning Qianwu!

In an inscrutable manner, Ning Xiaochuan said, “Lately I’ve not been feeling well and will recuperate here. I’m afraid I can’t go to the Marquis’ Residence to let Fourth Master know I’m safe. Housekeeper Qiu, go and do so in my place!”

With that, Ning Xiaochuan did not wait for a response and drove the Green Deerhorse carriage into the manor.

Ning Xiaochuan chased out all of his servants from the yard he was living in, leaving only Yu Yan.

He retrieved the Blood-toad Wood from the Green Deerhorse carriage and planted it amongst a blooming begonia flowerbed.

This place was near the cliff and surrounded by hills and waterfalls. It was also shielded by various vermillion pavilions. Thus, it was the best place to plant the Blood-toad Wood.

The Blood-toad Wood itself had spirituality. After it touched the earth, its roots automatically burrowed into the ground.

Soon enough, the Blood-toad Wood was fully implanted into the soil. Its nine branches swayed in the wind. The leaves emitted a blood-red glow and a faint, woody fragrance was in the air.

Between heaven and earth, a mass of Qi started to gather. The soil glimmered with blood-red light, and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Qi became nearly twice as intense. Moreover, it was constantly increasing in intensity.

In time, perhaps this would really become sacred ground, a spiritual ground.

“Yu Yan, send out the order: From now on, no one is allowed to enter Purple Cloud Yard,” Ning Xiaochuan commanded.

Nighttime came. The moonlight was still as water.

The moonlight shone on the Blood-toad Wood’s leaves, causing the blood-red leaves to turn a brighter shade of red. A soft, crimson glimmer emerged and drops of light fell down. It was like a holy tree from a ghostly world.

Ning Xiaochuan sat cross-legged under the Blood-toad Wood. Blood-red glints of light fell ceaselessly from the tree, sprinkling over his body and being absorbed by him.

“Clang clang!”

In Ning Xiaochuan’s heart, that Devil Sword was trembling nonstop as it chirped, urging Ning Xiaochuan’s blood to constantly flow even faster. The Earthly Martial Qi hidden deep in his blood was broken down into Combat Qi and merging into his body at a greater rate.

In Ning Xiaochuan’s blood, there were still the remnants of the Earthly Martial Qi that Old Marquis had used to keep him alive ten years ago. If this Earthly Martial Qi was fully stimulated, it was enough for him to reach the Divine Body Realm.

Therefore, the Earthly Martial Qi in the gold-grained rosewood box could be preserved for now. He would fully utilize the Earthly Martial Qi in his body before absorbing it from the gold-grained rosewood box.

The Blood Qi power from the Blood-toad Wood could activate the Devil Sword. When the Devil Sword was stimulated, Earthly Martial Qi was broken down even more rapidly.

Every two hours that Ning Xiaochuan cultivated was comparable to the young geniuses cultivating for ten days. The Combat Qi in his body was swiftly expanding.

It was midnight.

“Save me… Save me…” That old voice began to ring beside Ning Xiaochuan’s ears once more, like an old ghost wailing for his soul. It was bone-chilling.

Ning Xiaochuan could not focus on cultivating. He slowly opened his eyes, hesitated briefly, then stood up in a flash of understanding. In one leap, he jumped over thirty feet and used the wall as a stepping stone. He jumped over dozens of feet again and landed on Begonia Manor’s rampart that was over seventy feet high.

At night, the whole manor was tranquil. There were four or five guards in armor who were patrolling the rampart.

Ning Xiaochuan was extremely fast. Like a ghostly shadow, he slid down from the rampart and raced in the direction of Southpearl Mountain. His figure was soon swallowed up by the night.

Ning Xiaochuan’s Cultivation had reached Stage Eight Qi. When he fully circulated his body’s Combat Qi, his sprinting speed was even faster than a Green Deerhorse.

Each step covered seven meters, so his running was more like flying.

In less than two hours, he had arrived at the foot of Southpearl Mountain once more. He stared at the colossal, black, mountainous outline and made his way inside.

After traveling through the thicket for some time, he finally arrived at the place where Yue Wuyang and Official Tian had fought two days ago. He searched through the mountain range and at last located an impact crater in a valley.

The crater spanned over two hundred feet. There were rock fragments inside as well as intense Combat Qi fluctuations.

In the center of the crater was a pitch-black mass. It was scorched and gooey. It looked like it could either be a human or animal “corpse”.

Ning Xiaochuan stood on the edge of the crater and hesitated for a moment. Ultimately, he jumped into the crater. Stepping over crushed rocks, he walked closer to the black, indistinct “corpse” and placed a finger under the nose.

“He’s no longer breathing. It looks like he’s dead.” Ning Xiaochuan withdrew his hand and decided to leave.

“Crack crack!”

Suddenly, the charred “corpse” split open and an old withered hand extended from within. The fingers were still burning with green, ghostly flames.

The “corpse” had split open to reveal a hand.

Even Ning Xiaochuan, whose mental fortitude was better than most, jumped in fright and took a large step backward.

“Save… Save me…” An aged, black-clothed person clambered out from the “corpse” and collapsed on the ground, gasping his last. His back and his head had sustained heavy injuries. His backbone was broken, and a large piece of his skull was shattered.

After saying those two words, he did not move anymore.

Ning Xiaochuan knelt down and observed this black-robed old man. Ning Xiaochuan could sense the potent wickedness of this old man, and for a while, did not know whether to save him.

This black-robed old man must be “Official Tian” of the Dark Emperor City.

Two days ago, Official Tian was struck by Yue Wuyang’s palm. As he fell down from the sky, he had unleashed a spirit wish that was heard by Ning Xiaochuan who was in Southpearl Mountain at that time, pleading for Ning Xiaochuan to save him.

It was because of this that Ning Xiaochuan had felt uneasy the past two days, constantly pondering whether he should return to Southpearl Mountain for a look.

Tonight, while Ning Xiaochuan was cultivating Combat Qi, Official Tian’s words echoed in his mind, making him ill at ease. He had nearly deviated from his cultivation. In the end, he decided to come to Southpearl Mountain and see if this person was truly dead.

“As a doctor, I can’t ignore someone who is dying. Whether he’s a good person or a bad person, in front of a doctor, he’s a patient.”

Ning Xiaochuan rubbed his palms and drew in a deep breath. His eyes had a steely glint. “No matter what kind of world this is, one must ultimately stick to one’s principles. If I can’t even hold on to my principles, then I won’t be far from being corrupted.”

Ning Xiaochuan carried Official Tian and quickly left the massive crater, disappearing into the forest.

“Swoosh swoosh!”

A short while after Ning Xiaochuan left, three figures flew out from the forest and stopped beside the crater.

All three of them were very young. At their head was a blue-haired, blue-eyed beautiful woman. She was tall and slender, with lanky legs. She held a pike that was as thick as a bowl, and her body was enveloped in layers of Combat Qi.

If Ning Xiaochuan had been an hour later in leaving, he would have discovered that these three were three of the Dragon Elephant Warriors he had seen in the Southern Mountain Cluster Bazaar. It was just that they weren’t riding Dragon Elephants at the moment.

“Official Tian was the head of the Dark Emperor City’s Four Great Officials, but faced with the Marquis, he could not even withstand a blow. It looks like the Marquis’ Cultivation has reached an unimaginable realm.” One of them, a twenty-something-year-old man, stared at the corpse within the crater and spoke coldly.

The eyes of the blue-haired, blue-eyed beauty were filled with a worshipping look. “The Marquis is the youngest Martial Supreme in the history of the Yulan Empire. He is blessed with immense fortune to an extent we can never conceive. Huh! Something’s wrong…”

The eyes of the blue-haired, blue-eyed beauty emitted two beams of light over three feet long. Her pupils swiveled like two black holes, fixed upon the corpse at the center of the crater.

“Swoosh!”

Her body gently floated up and landed next to the corpse. Her expression changed abruptly as her body exploded with violent Combat Qi. She held the pike before her and glanced warily at the surrounding forest as if there were great enemies approaching.

“Leader, what is it?” The icy man asked.

The blue-haired, blue-eyed woman said, “Official Tian used the Divine Technique Shadow Corpse Molting to fool the Marquis’ perception. What’s left here is merely an empty husk. His real body has escaped.”

“So what do we do now?”

The other two Dragon Elephant Divine Warriors grew wary and started to defend against their surroundings.

The blue-haired, blue-eyed woman said calmly, “Zuo Jinfeng, head back and report this to the Marquis immediately. Quick, you must be quick. You Zui, mobilize the guarding army of the Southern Mountain Cluster. Ask them to send three thousand troops to search throughout Southpearl Mountain. Official Tian is grievously injured and can’t have escaped far.

Zuo Jinfeng and You Zui understood the gravity of the situation and swiftly left.

“The monster Official Tian isn’t dead yet. It’s going to be rather troublesome. If an expert at this level retaliates, the whole Imperial City would be affected.” The blue-haired, blue-eyed woman glanced at the husk and made a soft, surprised sound. She noticed that there was a set of footprints in the ground, meaning that someone had come here before they had.