Chapter 58: Shock
“Little brat, who do you think you are? Why don’t you try scolding me again? Do you think that I won’t cut you down?” Murong Wushuang could not bear to watch anymore. He rolled up his sleeves and prepared to rush forward to beat up Ning Hengqing.
Ning Xiaochuan held Murong Wushuang back and said, “Let me handle it.”
Upon seeing this, Ning Hengqing scoffed and grew more arrogant before he said, “That’s right! Sicken Ning, you should control your dog properly.”
“You scumbag, don’t you dare assume that I won’t knock every tooth out of your mouth!” Murong Wushuang furiously spat.
Anger stirred inside Ning Hengqing too as he condensed the Qi on his palms. “Where did this pariah come from? How dare you speak to me that way? I’m going to cut off your tongue and sell you off as a slave today.”
Whoosh…
The Qi condensed into a Qi Sword before, landing on Ning Hengqing’s hand.
“Ning Hengqing actually managed to cultivate a Qi Sword. Since he has already achieved Stage Nine Qi, his cultivation would be considered superb. There’s a seventy percent chance that he could enter the Heavenly Emperor Academy.” Numerous martial artists around him had looks of admiration on their faces and awestruck gazes now.
It was an incredible feat to be able to reach Stage Nine Qi cultivation and even cultivate the Qi Sword at this age.
Naturally, Ning Hengqing was secretly proud as well. At the same time, he lowered his gaze before summoning a long Qi Sword and violently swinging it at Murong Wushuang.
The Qi Sword resembled a large white wave!
Ning Xiaochuan’s expression darkened because Ning Hengqing was being too vicious. If Murong Wushuang had been a normal person who lacked Martial Art Cultivation, Ning Hengqing’s sword would have cut him to bits.
An afterimage remained when Ning Xiaochuan gently stepped away, and ten bolts of lightning were condensed on his palm. He used his hand to break the Qi Sword into smaller pieces before leaving a handprint on Ning Hengqing’s chest.
Bang!
Ning Xiaochuan hit Ning Hengqing and sent him flying. The victim crashed against the wall and rolled down like a dead dog. His body had turned black from being burned by the lightning and his chest was completely bloodied. Ning Hengqing collapsed on the ground and gasped for breath.
Everything became quiet.
It was terrifyingly quiet!
The geniuses from Marquis Jiange’s Residence were so shocked that they could not even breathe!
Was this… Was this really Sicken Ning?
Everyone had treated him like an invalid for more than a decade. Although Ning Hengqing had achieved Stage Nine Qi, he resembled a dead dog after Ning Xiaochuan attacked him with nothing but the palm of his hand. Ning Xiaochuan’s Martial Arts Cultivation was truly terrifying! He was definitely a peerless expert among the younger generation.
Ning Meier was also staring at Ning Xiaochuan in shock as she could not believe what her eyes had seen. His… His cultivation was higher than hers because he had actually managed to reach the Divine Body Realm!
The girl had belittled Ning Xiaochuan in the past because she assumed that she was better than him. However, she had now discovered that her previous assumptions were utterly ridiculous.
Ning Xiaochuan closed his palms to allow the electricity to return to his body.
Murong Wushuang happily chuckled and walked over before he bent down and looked at Ning Hengqing, who was burned to a crisp. He held a brick in one hand, reached out with his other hand and said, “Can we shake hands and call it even?”
Ning Hengqing raised his head with much difficulty before he stared in shock at that familiar yet strange youth in the distance. Next, he bitterly laughed when he noticed that Murong Wushuang was holding a brick in one of his hands. Ning Hengqing looked extremely uncomfortable when he grimaced, as though his father had died. “Of course, let’s shake hands and call it even.”
He proceeded to reach his hand out.
Boom!
Murong Wushuang immediately dropped the brick and hurt Ning Hengqing so badly that the latter thought he was going to die. However, he simply passed out on the ground. “That guy was absolutely shameless. It serves him right for getting beat up.”
The geniuses from Marquis Jiange’s Residence were cautiously staring at Ning Xiaochuan, but none of them dared to pick Ning Hengqing up now.
Click-clack.
An exquisite carriage stopped far away.
Xiao Li sat in the carriage, and a scorching flame instantly appeared in his eyes when he saw that, in the distance, Ning Xiaochuan was standing amongst the crowd. “Ning Xiaochuan, I want you dead.”
Two months ago, Xiao Li had nearly died because of Ning Xiaochuan. A powerful burst of Qi surged throughout Xiao Li’s body as his hatred burned for Ning Xiaochuan.
The experts from the Dragon Elephant Divine Camp took Xiao Li to the Heavenly Emperor Academy to heal his wounds. Not only did Xiao Li survive this crisis, he had also managed to advance his cultivation to the next stage. One of the important individuals from the Heavenly Emperor Academy favored Xiao Li and took him in as a disciple. That person even broke a rule and allowed Xiao Li to enter the Heavenly Emperor Academy and cultivate there.
Furthermore, the dean of the Diamond Martial Art Institution in the Heavenly Emperor Academy even referred to Xiao Li as a rare genius that only appeared once every hundred years. Apparently, Xiao Li’s innate talents were on par with the previous Cloud Marquis, Yue Wuyang.
Two months after this news had spread from the Heavenly Emperor Academy, Xiao Li’s reputation resounded throughout the Imperial City. Many people had heard of the famous individual who was the only genius that the Heavenly Emperor Academy had broken a rule to accept. Numerous influential parties wanted to take Xiao Li in now.
Xiao Li’s status naturally improved at an incredible speed as he became a well-known person in the imperial court.
Ning Xiaochuan ignored Ning Hengqing who was unconscious on the ground after being struck by Murong Wushuang. He was planning to leave when he suddenly heard a familiar voice that said, “Ning Xiaochuan, I want you dead!”
Whoosh!
It came from the faraway carriage.
Xiao Li aggressively stomped his foot before his body quickly shot upward before a loud beast-like roar erupted from his body. More than ten young geniuses who were standing in front of him were sent flying before Xiao Li’s fist came crashing down on Ning Xiaochuan.
The two guards who were accompanying Yu Qianqian rushed forward and yelled, “You there, retreat quickly. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to escape death.”
Those two guards had achieved Stage One of the Divine Body Realm cultivation and were considered martial arts practitioners. Both of them also possessed rather influential statuses in Great King Jinpeng’s Residence.
Xiao Li completely ignored the two guards because his gaze was focused solely on Ning Xiaochuan. “Get lost! Taotie’s Claw!”
Roar!
Xiao Li harshly slapped his palms together before he attacked with a sixteen-foot long giant lion’s claw that violently sent the two Stage One of the Divine Body Realm guards flying.
“Who is he? He’s so powerful despite being so young. He managed to effortlessly defeat those two guards who had already achieved the Divine Body Realm. That young man’s cultivation is probably enough for him to rank as one of the top ten disciples in the Heavenly Emperor Academy!”
“He… Don’t you know who he is? He’s Xiao Li. It’s rumored that he’s a disciple of one of the most prominent figures in the Heavenly Emperor Academy. His innate talents are terrifyingly powerful. I’m afraid that there are only a few geniuses who can stand on an equal footing with him now.”
…
Xiao Li violently attacked and condensed a gigantic Qi Sword. He exerted a powerful force and made his weapon come crashing down on Ning Xiaochuan.
Swish!
The Sword Qi resembled a wave!
“You’re not dead yet?”
Ning Xiaochuan lowered his gaze and slapped both of his hands together before a Qi Sword was condensed between his palms. Electric currents ran through the sharp end of the blade before he swung his sword upward.
Bang!
Fluctuating sword shockwaves were produced when the two swords clashed.
Meanwhile, the slabs of stone on the ground cracked like spider webs.
Both sides were evenly matched!
When Xiao Li landed on the ground, his eyes were filled with shock before he said, “I never imagined that you would break through to the Divine Body Realm too. Unfortunately for you, I’ve already reached the peak of Stage One of the Divine Body Realm and I’ve cultivated the first type of innate talent Divine Technique to a Greater Achievement. I’m going to break through to Stage Two of the Divine Body Realm soon. You, on the other hand, are going to die today!”
Bang!
Xiao Li crushed the Qi Sword that he was holding into pieces and turned it into eighteen sharp sword shards. The crushed pieces of his weapon turned into eighteen bursts of Sword Qi that resembled twinkling rays of light as they frighteningly shot toward Ning Xiaochuan.
Ning Xiaochuan spread out both of his hands before numerous lightning bolts exploded inside his body and formed an electric shroud of Qi that enveloped his body. The sword shards crashed into the electric shroud of Qi and instantly turned into shrouds of green smoke.
“I still have one more sword!”
Nine Qi Swords were condensed around Xiao Li’s body. The swords flew around his body in circles before combining into a single weapon that broke through the lightning shroud of Qi. Next, the sword attempted to stab Ning Xiaochuan’s heart.
However, an incredibly strong sword cognizance exploded out of Ning Xiaochuan’s heart before an oppressive force escaped from the inside of his body. This force broke the Qi Sword into tiny pieces and violently pushed Xiao Li backward.
The swords that the surrounding martial artists held were also quivering now. It seemed like their weapons were about to fly out of their sheathes, and the martial artists were so afraid that they hurriedly held on to their hilts and quickly retreated.
“Lightning Divine Beast!”
Roar!
Numerous lightning bolts crashed around Ning Xiaochuan’s body within a radius of 100 feet. Next, the lightning bolts converged into a gigantic ball of electricity with a diameter of 3 feet.
A beast’s claw that was formed from the converged lightning bolts extended out from the ball!
“Taotie’s Claw!”
Xiao Li was unwilling to show his weaknesses as well. He circulated all the Combat Qi throughout his entire body and condensed it into a gigantic claw that was 23 feet long before he attacked his opponent.
Bang!
The Lightning Divine Beast’s claw and the Taotie’s Claw violently clashed before a tearing force erupted.
Both parties retreated at the same time.
Princess Qianqian was upset. She stepped out of her carriage and sternly said, “Have you decided to resign from your position as Jinpeng Auction House’s Commander of the Guard? The auction house has turned into a wrestling ring.”
Xue Zhentian, the Commander of the Guard at Jinpeng Auction House, was so afraid that his complexion had drastically changed. He frantically led Jinpeng Auction House’s martial arts experts over and surrounded Ning Xiaochuan and Xiao Li.
“Your Highness, should I drag those two young men off and cut their heads off?” Xue Zhentian politely asked.
Yu Qianqian replied, “Would you like to find out if I’ll cut yours off first?”
Xue Zhentian knelt on the ground with one knee while sweat dripped down his body like rain.
Yu Qianqian had obviously heard of Xiao Li and knew that he was the disciple of an influential figure in the Heavenly Emperor’s Academy. Although she also had a prestigious status, she knew that it was a bad idea to offend one of the Heavenly Emperor Academy’s prominent figures. Naturally, she could not drag Xiao Li off and behead him.
The actual reason why Yu Qianqian was avoiding that was because the Heavenly Emperor Academy was separate from the court. As such, all the genius disciples were willing to risk life and limb to join the Heavenly Emperor Academy.
Nonetheless, Xiao Li was not brave enough to defy Great King Jinpeng’s Residence. Otherwise, he would be courting death. He looked for a flight of stairs and walked down before he respectfully bowed to Yan Qianqian and said, “Your Highness, apparently you’re here. Your humble servant, Xiao Li, has unintentionally offended you. My heart is utterly filled with fear. Your Highness, please pardon me.”
Yu Qianqian coldly huffed before she said, “Jinpeng Auction House is not a place for you to fool around as you please. Get lost! I don’t want to argue with you today.”
“Yes!”
Xiao Li turned around and icily glared at Ning Xiaochuan before he sneered and said, “Come to the Heavenly Emperor Academy if you think that you have what it takes to compete against me again.”
“I’d be glad to accompany you at any time!” Ning Xiaochuan said indifferently.
“I will definitely break through to Stage Two of the Divine Body Realm in three days. If you’re brave enough to come to the Heavenly Emperor Academy, I won’t hesitate to kill you.” Xiao Li sneered.
Xiao Li’s carriage left after that.
Boom!
Jinpeng Auction House instantly erupted in a great clamour and was filled with noise! Many people stared at Ning Xiaochuan while they started discussing and guessing his identity.
“This young man has a bright future ahead of him because he actually managed to be evenly matched with Xiao Li during their fight. His innate talents are probably so rare that someone like him would only exist once every hundred years.”
The geniuses from Marquis Jiange’s Residence were completely dumbfounded now!
During Ning Xiaochuan and Xiao Li’s fight earlier, they had clearly seen that both parties were equally matched throughout the battle. Indeed, both of them were practitioners despite being so young. Unfortunately, the geniuses realized that there was a world of difference between themselves and Ning Xiaochuan.
Ning Meier leisurely walked over and gracefully ran her pale fingers through her hair. She gently glanced at Ning Xiaochuan and bowed before a hopeful gaze appeared in her eyes as she said, “Xiaochuan, your Martial Arts Cultivation is so advanced. Can I come over and practice sword fighting with you in the future?”
Her movements were graceful and she was using her femininity and beauty to the fullest. Ning Meier assumed that she could definitely control this young genius with her charm!
“Xiaochuan, let’s go to the auction house! I’ve already reserved a medium-sized auction house that we can specially use to auction the Blood-toad Pills.”
Yu Qianqian came down from the carriage before she dragged Ning Xiaochuan by his wrists and walked toward the auction house.
She was secretly unhappy when she noticed that Ning Meier was purposely trying to get closer to Ning Xiaochuan. Yu Qianqian decided to move her body closer to Ning Xiaochuan and put on a show for Ning Meier to make it seem like they were very intimate.