A life of idleness in the world of demons

Chapter 77, Section 76: Nightmare Xiao Jie, A Thousand Threads of Dramatic Charm (9.1K words - Long chapter, please subscribe)
Ning Xuan ultimately chose "Spider".

Firstly, the spider that spins its web seems to be a good match for the claustrophobic evil spirit, as both like to stay in one place without moving; secondly, he vaguely sensed that Lord Qinshan was cultivating a "spider," and he was always very interested in the power that could defeat him.

He pressed his hand against the jade slip containing the word "spider," and a massive amount of information flooded into his mind, only stopping after a long time. After a brief moment of sensing, Ning Xuan couldn't help but show a slight look of astonishment on his face.

It's not that there's a problem with the technique, but rather that the Five Poisons Sect is too generous.

His generosity was somewhat beyond his expectations.

He originally thought that the cultivation method should be given little by little.

Now, he realizes he's been narrow-minded.

The Five Poisons Sect achieved its goal in one step, or at least to a large extent.

He chose "Spider", Xiao Jie chose "Toad", and Lu Xuezhi, in addition to inheriting the complete traditions of "Snake" and "Scorpion", also chose "Toad".

Seeing that the three had chosen jade slips, the old man Lan Yu said succinctly, "The jade slips you have chosen contain the transformations of five kinds of power."

Jin (劲), the art of channeling Jin (劲), the meridians of Jin (劲), sensing the heavens and responding to the earth, transforming the real into the illusory, Qi (气).
In the past, there weren't so many fancy classifications, but now it seems that these five changes correspond to unranked, first rank, second rank, third rank, and fourth rank respectively.

The key to cultivation lies in the second-grade energy meridian, and the key to connecting energy lies in this grade. How much you can connect at this grade is roughly the same as how much you can connect in the future.

Just like building a house, these two parts are the foundation.

The fourth rank of Qi is the ultimate goal, because once you reach the fourth rank, your lifespan will double, allowing you to live for two hundred years.

For the most part of these two hundred years, you will remain youthful, only showing signs of old age when your time is near, just like this old man.”

As he spoke, Old Man Blue Rain sighed softly.

“Master, you are not old at all. Your legendary life has made you a role model for many martial artists. Your name will surely be recorded in the martial arts history of this world and be admired by future generations. Now, you should rest well. From now on, leave the matters of dealing with demons and evil spirits to us juniors.” Lu Xuezhi looked at the old man Lan Yu with fighting spirit and some concern.

In her childhood, her master was a god.

Now that she herself has entered the martial arts world and become a martial artist, she still feels that her master is a god.

She will try her best to catch up with her master.

"Your disciple will not let you down!"

She clenched her fists, her fair face radiating burning fighting spirit and youthful exuberance.

She was confident that she could do it and would not let her master down.

Over the years, she has killed many demons and monsters, and through repeated slaying, she has found her own fighting style and confidence.

Old Man Lan Yu looked at her and chuckled kindly, "Good, good, good, the younger generation surpasses the older."

He stood up with a smile, coughing as he got up, walked around the screen, and went back into the inner room, signaling that "they should leave."

Lu Xuezhi's eyes were still shining, like bright stars and a bright moon. She watched the old man's departing figure and wanted to follow him, but Ning Xuan grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the place.

One day of practice yielded little progress.

Controlling spiders is difficult.

The three returned to the houseboat.

Because it was a temporary stay, there was no independent houseboat; instead, they were staying at Mr. Qinshan's house.

Upon their return, Madam Zhao warmly served them dishes: fish soup, stewed mixed mushrooms, and braised bird.

The bird's legs were bigger than a goose's, and its claws had long been chopped off. Ning Xuan had glanced at it as he passed the kitchen; those claws were like steel claws, capable of killing someone with a single scratch. Clearly, this was a local monster.

Madam Zhao's attire was quite different from before; she now looked every bit the beautiful fisherwoman, her face showing less of her former shrewdness and tension, and more of a relaxed and carefree demeanor.

She chatted across from the three of them while they ate.

“Miss Lu, General Ning, I am truly grateful to you.”

When I arrived here, I found that the old Qin I knew had returned. He was no longer a great general, but had become the person I knew and liked.

Thank you so much, but I really don't know how to thank you enough. Please eat more.

Mrs. Zhao had a smile and happiness on her face.

Only now could she truly look at the two of them with the eyes of someone looking at a younger generation, instead of being as muddled and confused as she had been in that cesspool of worldly affairs before.

She even considered sleeping with Ning Xuan to seek protection.
Now, she only felt it was absurd and ridiculous, feeling that in that demonic and mortal world, people's thoughts were distorted and they were no longer human.

After we finished eating.

The three of them slept in two separate rooms.

Xiao Jie was too tired from practicing martial arts all day, and she couldn't withstand the torment of the two monsters. She also felt that being between her husband and Sister Lu would hinder their cultivation, so she asked for a room to herself.

Ning Xuan and Lu Xuezhi had indeed not cultivated for some time, and their original progress in qi and blood had slowed down, so they agreed at this time.

Madam Zhao first boiled water for Xiao Jie to bathe, and then mysteriously led the two into the house. After entering the house, she said, "Tonight, the noise in this house will not be heard outside, and tomorrow only I will come to clean this house."

As she spoke, she walked to a table not far away, raised her hand and pointed to a small bronze bell about the size of a palm on the side of the table, and said, "I bought this for you from the market today while you were cultivating. This thing is called a Light Barrier Bell. It's a local specialty from the Incense World. Old Qin and I also have one in our house. Old Qin checked it and there's no problem with it."

A happy look appeared on her face, and then she laughed and said, "Everyone in this area has excellent hearing. If we didn't have something like this, wouldn't it be incredibly embarrassing to go to nighttime?"

Ning Xuan picked up the small bronze bell, and seeing the encouraging look in Madam Zhao's eyes, he clenched his fist slightly and instantly refined it.

With a thought, the bronze bell suddenly expanded into an invisible light shield, which could be emitted at will, but it had a limit, which was roughly the size of a room.

Lu Xuezhi curiously stepped out of the light barrier, then returned, shook her head at Ning Xuan, and said, "I can't hear anything coming from inside even from the doorway."

Ning Xuan put away the "Light Barrier Bell" and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law."

Madam Zhao blinked and said softly, "Just don't feel wronged like you did last night."

Ning Xuan smiled.

That's true last night.

Although the three were acting wildly, they made very little noise.

Even from the doorway, all you could hear was the normal creaking of the bed.

After speaking, Madam Zhao gracefully departed.

Lu Xuezhi was thinking of Xiao Jie. She first had Ning Xuan take a bath, and then, under the pretext of taking a bath herself, asked Ning Xuan to call Xiao Jie over.

Thus, the two first exchanged ideas while their clothes were disheveled, and then, after straightening their clothes, began to exchange martial arts techniques.

Xiao Jie is considered a top-tier female thief in the martial arts world, so she should have a foundation in martial arts. However, when she actually tried to learn these ancient techniques, she couldn't grasp the essentials. She felt like she had done a day of hard labor after studying them, and she was exhausted.

Unfortunately, Ning Xuan himself had not mastered the "spider," let alone the "toad." His previous "swallow's cry and swallow's tail" were all shortcuts and unorthodox methods, and could not be used as a reference for cultivation.

When Lu Xuezhi returned, Xiao Jie went back to her room.

Ning Xuan and Lu Xuezhi continued their cultivation in the room as usual. After their qi and blood had been digested, they embraced and fell asleep.

He turned slightly to the side.
Lu Xuezhi's proud and slender body was facing him in the same direction, her small feet, long legs, buttocks, back, and even shoulders were pressed against him, and were a little wet.

"I haven't seen Master for more than ten years. Master has grown old." Lu Xuezhi said softly as she spoke in bed, her mouth moving with her thoughts, saying whatever came to mind without any beating around the bush. "When I saw Master back then, although he was slovenly, he was truly a god-like figure, handsome and dashing, unrestrained and elegant, and he was incredibly protective of me."

But today, he only managed a few words before his strength gave out. I thought that since we hadn't seen each other for a long time, he had a lot to say to me, because I also had a lot to say to him.

But there was nothing there. I thought I was his most prized disciple. Before meeting him, I longed to show him the power I had learned, but after meeting him, alas…

She sighed softly, swallowing the words "yet they were like strangers."

But even though she didn't say it, Ning Xuan knew.

When he first met this woman, she seemed incredibly aloof, and he thought she was something special. But now that he'd peeled back that hard shell, he realized that this silly woman was actually a bright-eyed, immature girl yearning for recognition.

Isn't that how people are sometimes?
The person you're hoping for isn't necessarily hoping for you in the same way.

He ruffled Lu Xuezhi's hair.

Lu Xuezhi suddenly sniffed, turned her head and saw a drop of blood that was still wet on the bedside table not far away, and asked in surprise, "Were you and Jie sister that crazy just now?"

Ning Xuan hummed in agreement.

Lu Xuezhi scolded, "You naughty thing."

As she spoke, she quieted down.

Nearby, the swamp water rippled gently, caressing the side of the boathouse; in the distance, an unknown monster stirred in the water, making gurgling sounds, and the water plants and algae swayed back and forth with the waves, making this place seem like a hidden, forgotten little village.

She transformed into a village girl, and after a long day's work, she would go to sleep with the men in her family.

You don't have to worry about anything, you don't have to think about anything.

She curled up closer to the man behind her, snuggling into his arms, and then drifted off to sleep peacefully.

Ning Xuan was not asleep.

He stretched his arm out from under the covers with a somber expression and touched the blood on the bedside table.

The membrane on the blood vessel was forced open, and fresh blood spilled out.

A message appeared:
Bai Yufei

[Heavenly Demon Fate Disciple (Constitution): 1.5]

【Control Technique 1: Mysterious Concealment of Qi: Extinguish demonic energy, breathe in and out like dust, blending into the human world】

【Control Technique 2: Mysterious Concealment and Transformation: Observing bones and imitating skin, listening to voices and stealing appearances, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake】

【Control Technique 3: Lingyan Small Group Skill】

Bai Yufei is Xiao Jie.
The “root of life” does not include memories or unlearned powers.

Immediately afterwards, another line of information appeared:
[Heavenly Demon Talisman: Observe the arrival of the Heavenly Demon, trace its essence and blood, observe the root of its life, and forcibly refine the talisman. Failure to refine the talisman will result in death and the dissipation of one's cultivation; success will allow it to be used by oneself.]

[Should I practice talismanic cultivation?]

'Yes. '

The houseboat suddenly fell silent. Ning Xuan was still lying in bed, but Lu Xuezhi beside him had disappeared.

The world was eerily still, with a faint gray hue floating in the air.
Ning Xuan sat up and stretched comfortably.

Previously, he had taken a little of Xiao Jie's blood, and his previous judgment about the "Heavenly Demon" was also verified.

One of the hidden characteristics of the [Heavenly Demon Talisman] is that whichever world he stands in, he becomes a native of that world; outsiders are all Heavenly Demons.

He opened the window and glanced outside.

There is no black moon, no white sun.

Some are a shattered sky, thick with a mountain of gray, with deep valleys and ravines in the middle, like a mountain range with the sky as its earth.

A line of blood-red information flashed before his eyes.

[One of Twenty]

The number of reincarnations is quite large.

Ning Xuan thought for a moment, and suddenly some guesses came to mind.

First, the black moon, the white sun, and the shattered sky are all symbols of a certain world.

Thinking further, this shattered sky may not be a symbol of the world, but rather a manifestation of the world after it has been shattered, with nothing but a gray, hazy expanse, just like chaos.

Second, the "number of reincarnations" may be the "saturation point" of the world's strongest.

The weaker the world, the lower the saturation of strong individuals. Naturally, the world expects to produce more local strong individuals, so the number of reincarnations given will naturally be more.

He now lives in a broken world, a world that is like a "completely bankrupt company," so it is completely open and fully expects the emergence of all strong people. This is reflected in the "Heavenly Demon Scroll" bell as "a full twenty cycles of reincarnation."

As Ning Xuan was thinking, he suddenly felt the door behind him being quietly pushed open a little.

A petite black figure darted out like a cat, its feet barely touching the ground, and in a flash it leaped onto the roof beam, then crouched there, calmly observing the scene below in the darkness.

Ning Xuan closed his eyes and yawned.

Just as he was yawning, the dark figure slipped down like a leaf and landed quietly behind him.

Immediately afterwards, a flash of cold light appeared.

Ding!
A dagger pierced the back of his head with pinpoint accuracy.

click!
The dagger broke.

"Hmm?" Ning Xuan turned his neck, looked at the expressionless Nightmare Xiao Jie behind him, and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I have come to seek refuge with you."

Nightmare Xiaojie bowed deeply, then said with admiration in her eyes, "Rumors in the martial arts world say you are invulnerable to swords and spears, I never thought it was true! Please, you must let me be your subordinate."

"Hmm," Ning Xuan said thoughtfully.

Just then, he sensed a subtle fluctuation coming from below.

Nightmare Xiaojie's left hand was gripping a dark metal cylinder, which instantly pressed against his lower abdomen.

Snapped.

Nightmare Xiaojie pressed the button.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
A thousand points of cold light exploded inside the metal cylinder.

Ding ding ding ding ding!
A series of crisp, cracking sounds came from Ning Xuan's lower abdomen.

The powerful recoil caused Nightmare Xiaojie's hand to go numb, and she went from holding the tube with one hand to holding it with both.

a moment
Light beam.

Ning Xuan looked down and said, "So it's the Rain of Pear Blossoms Needle. Qin Shanjun's family has this? I suppose it was his daughters who made it? After all, this kind of hidden weapon is quite practical for ordinary people."

"You're right!"

Nightmare Xiaojie stood innocently to the side, echoed, and then said, "I didn't expect that even the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles couldn't hurt you. It seems that you are not only invulnerable to swords and spears."

It seems those people in the martial arts world are actually belittling you. If I see them, I'll definitely teach them a lesson they won't forget!

Nightmare Xiaojie grew angrier as she spoke. She rolled up her snow-white sleeves and strode angrily toward the door, saying as she went, "I'm going to confront them right now!"

Ning Xuan shouted, "Stop!"

Nightmare Xiaojie whirled around, instantly kneeling on the ground, crying out, "Have mercy!"

Ning Xuan looked at Xiao Jie.

In the nightmare world of the "Heavenly Demon Talisman," one is the refiner and the other is the refined; they are destined to be mortal enemies and destined to kill each other.

However, Ning Xuan didn't come here to kill Xiao Jie, but to find some time to further comprehend the "Spider".

Although everything in the nightmare world will return to its original state, if one can successfully cultivate in the nightmare world and then return to reality, then the cultivation will be like a "grandmaster rebirth". The martial arts that one was originally good at will be twice as effective, or even more than ten times.

Ning Xuan didn't use the Ghost Seal either; even in the nightmare world, he didn't want to torment Xiao Jie.

He quickly found a rope and tied up Nightmare Xiaojie, then began to cultivate and comprehend the "Spider".

a moment
Three years have passed.

Inside the houseboat, Nightmare Xiaojie screamed, "Let me go! Let me go!"

Ning Xuan was sitting on the deck of the ship.

He raised his hand and gently pressed it against the ground.

Despite being separated by several doors, a strange force moved along the ground, extending into the room with the precision of a scalpel, reaching the thick rope binding Nightmare Xiaojie's hands.

brush.

The rope broke.

Nightmare Xiaojie quickly untied the ropes binding her feet, then grabbed a knife and skillfully went to the shiphouse's armory. She took two metal cartridges of Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles, then pushed open the door, pointed the metal cartridges at Ning Xuan, and suddenly pulled the trigger.

The instant she pulled the trigger, she felt an electric current surge through her hands, and then she could no longer hold onto the two metal cylinders.

Snapped!Snapped!
The metal cylinder fell to the ground.

"What kind of sorcery are you using?" Nightmare Xiaojie asked.

Ning Xuan raised his hand and said, "Spider Silk Force. This force is very concealed and very strange. I can transmit the force through a medium, but the loss within the medium is almost negligible. The earth, houses, and even your body can become this medium. Then, the force will explode where I want it to. How strong it is depends on how much I use."

As he spoke, he touched the ground again.

In her nightmare, Xiaojie felt an electric current flowing through her body, shooting up to her forehead and reaching the top of her head. Then...
Snapped! !

One of her hairs stood on end.

Startled by the nightmare, Xiao Jie raised her hands, turned around, and ran away.

Ning Xuan watched as Xiao Jie ran wildly and frantically escaped. He then released a burst of energy, and suddenly, a houseboat a hundred feet away exploded and leaped out of the swamp, shattering into pieces in the sky.

Ning Xuan exclaimed, "It is truly exquisite. This is the application of the second level of strength, and it is also where my cultivation has reached its current stage."

Only after realizing this did he understand that all his Yanhe and Yanchao powers were still at the first rank.
As for the second rank, it is the vital energy meridian.

In the blink of an eye, another ten years have passed.

Ning Xuan sat cross-legged in quiet meditation.

Feeling that subtle feeling at this moment.

The so-called "energy meridians," just as Lu Xuezhi said, are about cultivating oneself into a powerful treasure.

But Lu Xuezhi hadn't explained how to train or what methods she used to achieve it.

Now, Ning Xuan understood.

This thing is called "vital energy".

Simply put, it means building another channel on top of your body's blood vessels and flesh to "specifically transmit and accumulate energy, and disseminate energy in a certain fixed way".

Just like there are ordinary roads with speed limits on the ground, but an airway for airplanes to fly has been built above the ground.

Ning Xuan slightly raised his hand and then pressed it down onto the ground.

The instant he pressed down, dozens of spider silk threads spread rapidly outwards from him, each extending a hundred feet.

The limit of his wielding the Ruyi Blade is one hundred feet, and the limit of his spider silk is also one hundred feet.

Ning Xuan wasn't entirely satisfied, but he still had time; he had plenty of time.

Forty-five years later, Nightmare Xiaojie is on her deathbed, looking like she's about to die of old age.

She is only seventy-five years old.

She died at the age of seventy-five. She had been running around a lot when she was young and had suffered a lot. Her health was not good, so her lifespan was considered normal.

Even so, she continued to shout, "I'll kill you! I'm going to kill you!"

Ning Xuan stood in front of her and said, "Okay."

Bang!
With a muffled groan, blood flowed from his seven orifices.

[Part 2 of 20]
[Part 3 of 20]
Time is passing.

Ning Xuan also felt his heart aging rapidly.

He was clearly still very young, but his eyes looked as if they had been eroded by wind and sand for hundreds of years, and his sixteen-year-old soul contained hundreds of years of frost.

No one can withstand this frost as long as they are human.

Ning Xuan, of course, couldn't either.

But with each reincarnation, everything about him is "reset" to its initial state, so all those years of vicissitudes and loneliness become pure memories that remain in his mind, making him not only love life but also enjoy being around people.

Finally, in the first month of [the 20th of 4th].

Ning Xuan decided to end this talisman refining process.

Because he has already deduced the "Spider" to the limit that can be deduced so far. Of course, due to the limitations of his physical constitution, this limit still remains at the third level, "energy meridian".

However, 174 years of studying one thing was enough for him to push it to its limit.

And in just one month of his fourth attempt, he mastered the skills that would have taken him fifty-eight years to comprehend before.

That's the magic of insight.

The difference is like that between two species.

Now is the time for him to demonstrate the results of his 174 years of study.

He returned to his houseboat, took off his shoes and socks, and lay down on the couch.

He glanced at the empty pillow beside him. He remembered that there should have been a little girl named Lu Xuezhi next to her, and that little girl was his wife.

He was thinking about his wife.

A scarlet cloak, jet-black hair, and long, elegant legs that are captivating; beneath her cold and ruthless exterior lies a pure yet foolish soul.

Ning Xuan thought to himself.

The door to his side was pushed open a little.

A petite black figure darted out like a cat, its feet barely touching the ground, and in a flash it leaped onto the roof beam, then crouched there, looking down into the darkness.

Her movements appeared fluid and graceful, but anyone standing in front of this shadowy figure would notice a deep fear flashing in her eyes.

Why is she afraid?
She had already sneaked in; she shouldn't be afraid.

At this moment, Ning Xuan said, "Let's dance."

Her petite figure leaped down from the roof beam and began to dance gracefully.

Her movements were agile and cheerful, but her eyes grew increasingly fearful and desperate.

Ning Xuan said, "Go to the small stone bridge and see if anyone from outside has come in."

The petite figure stopped jumping immediately and ran outside.

This nightmare's boundaries were actually quite large, encompassing at least the area around the stone bridge next to the swamp, with a distance of more than ten miles on both sides.

Nightmare Xiaojie ran and ran, and after running a hundred feet, she suddenly stopped with a "ding". Then she bent over and gasped for breath. She looked in the direction of the boat house with lingering fear, as if some terrible demon was hiding there.

at this time
creak
A crisp sound of the door being pushed open.

Ning Xuan appeared out of nowhere and took a step closer to Nightmare Xiao Jie.

Nightmare Xiaojie, who was hunched over and panting, was suddenly straightened up like a "puppet," her eyes filled with fear, unable to control her own body. Meanwhile, Ning Xuan sat cross-legged on the roof, his somewhat aged eyes filled with joy.

It wasn't the kind of playful happiness, but rather the joy of going back to a lively place.

He no longer cared whether there were enemies there.

Sometimes, even with enemies and danger, it's better than being alone and empty.

He suddenly pressed down with both hands.

He no longer needed his hands; as long as he was connected to this land, or to anything else, he could unleash his unique power on any target also connected to this body. And it was just a habitual action.

The very instant he pressed the button.
Suddenly, everyone around him—the people, the trees, the houses, even the stones—began to dance joyfully, circling around him, jumping and leaping.

Everything seemed both lively and bizarre.

"The Spider's Strength Meridian, the Hundred-Thread Net Strength is just the most basic, and the next one is the Thousand-Thread Net Strength."

The Thousand Threads Net Force is almost equivalent to the Ruyi Blade, capable of unleashing a thousand layers of force in an instant.

Although it cannot shoot several miles away like the Ruyi Blade, it far surpasses the Ruyi Blade in terms of concealment.

"However, the Thousand Threads Net Strength is still not the limit."

"Although the Five Poison Spider's cultivation technique states that the Thousand Threads Net Force is the limit of the second-grade level, as one's strength increases, the number of threads can be increased further."

However, it only mentioned consumption, not control.

"Although it is not recorded in the Five Poison Spider's technique, I have reasonably taken it a step further on the Thousand Threads Net Force, so that these strands of spider silk force can not only kill people, but also control them."

"Since it's an original creation, let's call it..."

"A thousand threads of dramatic tension."

Ning Xuan glanced around.

The area within a hundred feet around him was engulfed in revelry.

"Tired."

He said something.

The next instant, the joy came to an abrupt end, and all things returned to silence and death.

Ning Xuan opened his eyes. He was holding his wife in his arms, and the unique noises of the swamp drifted in from outside the houseboat.

He held Lu Xuezhi in his arms and let out a soft sigh of relief.

Suddenly, he was filled with anticipation for life, no matter what it was, as long as it wasn't the hundred-year-long loneliness of a nightmare.

The next day
Ning Xuan began cultivating.

Ten days later.

He mastered it.

【Thousand Threads of Dramatic Power】was created by him and is a power engraved in his soul. Now all he needs to do is recover it.

According to Lu Xuezhi, his body had, to some extent, become a treasure called "Thousand Threads Playful Force," which could be controlled at will.

That night, after much deliberation, he found Lu Xuezhi and went straight to the point: "My wife, let me see your full strength, okay?"

Lu Xuezhi said, "Husband, you must not be impatient when practicing martial arts, and you must not discourage yourself."

Ning Xuan knew his wife was afraid he would lose, so he said, "Then you... hit the air, let me see."

Lu Xuezhi blinked at him, somewhat puzzled, then thought for a moment and realized that her man might want to take this opportunity to gain some insight, so she didn't hide anything and straightforwardly said, "Okay!"

She then demonstrated several basic techniques that Ning Xuan had seen before.

The leg spear is like a snake bite, the leg coils like a snake coils, and the final jerk is like a scorpion's tail.

Then, she slightly restrained herself, suddenly leaped out, her figure freezing in mid-air dozens of times, finally freezing in one spot with a delicate shout, the air exploding, exploding like a bolt from the blue.

But it wasn't over yet. Amidst the explosive force, the killing leg, having exhausted its old strength, instantly generated new power. Suddenly, it transformed into an extremely sharp leg whip in the air, causing layers of air to explode. When the leg finally landed on the ground, it was calmly and effortlessly stopped.

Lu Xuezhi said, "This kick is the real killing move. This stomp can knock someone unconscious."

Ning Xuan nodded and asked many more questions.

Lu Xuezhi felt guilty towards him, and since they shared the same ideals, she thought that if she didn't die in battle, she would be the mother of this man's child. So she spoke frankly and without reservation, revealing all her strengths, weaknesses, and trump cards. At the same time, she began to help Ning Xuan analyze: "Your Spider Force is actually very difficult to master, but if you do, it is a first-class sneak attack that can kill people invisibly."

I heard Senior Brother Qin say that this power can be practiced to create a hundred nets. After creating a hundred nets, you'll be like a spider in the center of a web, and everyone who gets close to you will become your prey. At the limit, there's a thousand nets, which is even more powerful. However, practice makes perfect, and only with perfection can one gain true understanding; otherwise, it's just a waste of time, and it could take an unknown amount of time to grasp even a little bit.

Ning Xuan deeply agreed.

It took him decades to progress from a hundred nets to a thousand nets. If he could have someone to practice with, it would indeed be much faster.

As the two were talking, a commotion suddenly arose in the distance.

Dozens of torches, like a red cloud, drifted from the distant street and stopped at the entrance to the swamp. A burly man at the head of the torches called out, "General Qin, please show yourself!"

Although Qin Shanjun is no longer a great general, others still address him as such, which can be considered a form of respect.

Ning Xuan and Lu Xuezhi exchanged a glance, then leaped back to Qin Shanjun's boathouse. Xiao Jie had just come out of the house when she saw the two looking puzzled. She hurried over and whispered, "General Qin didn't tell us that he went to the mountain stronghold a few days ago about the intercepted letter. He wants the stronghold to give us an explanation and hand over the person who intercepted the letter and altered it without permission."

Ning Xuan looked into the distance without saying a word.

Lu Xuezhi snorted coldly and said, "They've come looking for trouble."

As soon as he finished speaking, the moonlight was suddenly blocked out. On the roof of the ship, a burly figure, as tall as a mountain, swept across the sky like a giant beast, skimming the water like a dragonfly, and then stopped with a "boom" in front of the swamp, standing in front of the group of warriors holding torches.

Lu Xuezhi also got up and left.

Ning Xuan followed, and Xiao Jie wanted to come too, but he raised his hand and pressed her head back.

"I want to go too! General Qin is standing up for us!" Xiao Jie said stubbornly.

Ning Xuan said coldly, "Stay here, don't go anywhere else."

"Oh." Xiaojie lowered her head in grievance, then watched the two people walk away and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Her husband understood her best and gave her a way out. She didn't want to go to that occasion, but how could there be any feelings without being a little coquettish?

Soon, a number of people stood at the edge of the swamp.

Qin Shanjun raised his head proudly, looking domineeringly at the person opposite him, and said in a deep voice, "I, Qin, have arrived. What about the instructions? Have you brought them?"

The world of martial arts is not like the officialdom; being slick and diplomatic will not earn you respect.

The air was quiet, yet tense.

Lu Xuezhi clenched her fists, wanting to step forward.

Ning Xuan was taken aback, then put his arm around her waist and pulled her back.

Just then, an unexpected scene unfolded.

Suddenly, the torches on the opposite side parted, and a young man was pushed and shoved out, rolling to the ground. He tried to get up, but was pushed back down by the people next to him.

"General Qin, I have brought the explanation you requested."

"Internal strife doesn't warrant death. Let him explain the whole story clearly, apologize to you, and then execute him with three cuts and six holes."

Qin Shanjun suddenly burst into laughter, then took a step forward aggressively, looked at the strong man at the head, and said coldly, "Gong Sizhi, you think just pushing someone out is enough to make an explanation?"

Gong Sizhi said, "It is indeed him. These are things that can be investigated in other villages. We are just one of the three villages, and we can't cover up the truth."

As he spoke, he said apologetically, "However, this matter was indeed our fault. But now that we are facing external difficulties, it is the time to work together. Although our two families have differences, we also have a consensus. We must not damage our harmony."

General Qin, I apologize to you. If you have any further requests, we will do our utmost to cooperate and investigate.

As he spoke, the burly man actually bowed and apologized.

The people behind him also bowed and apologized.

Qin Shanjun narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, "Alright, call that old man from your village out. I don't believe that without his authorization, this kid is so audacious as to intercept the letter, change it, and switch the person who was supposed to receive it."

Gong Sizhi said, "The village chief was injured some time ago and is currently unable to go out, but there is indeed a misunderstanding."

He sighed deeply, then lowered his head, adopting an attitude of admitting his mistake.

Qin Shanjun continued aggressively: "What if I say no and insist that he come out?"

Listening from the crowd, Lu Xuezhi felt something was amiss. When did her senior brother become so overbearing?

She took another step forward.

He was just suspended in mid-air when Ning Xuan pulled him back.

She turned around and saw that her man's eyes were icy cold, as if they concealed a knife.

She was stunned.
咋.
What's the matter?

My senior brother was very aggressive.

Even her husband looked cold.

Hearing the commotion, Qin Shanjun turned his head slightly and glanced around, taking in the behavior of the two people.

He also looked at Ning Xuan.

He was stunned when he saw it.

He was clearly a young man, yet it seemed as if he could see right through him.

Qin Shanjun is not an unreasonable person, but something strange is going on today.

When the eagle is about to strike, it flies low and folds its wings.

This isn't child's play. If someone offers you a ride and you just accept it and leave it at that, that's called womanly compassion, or courting disaster.

The more reasonable and humble the other party is at this point, the bigger the problem becomes.

What's the problem?
Qin Shanjun had seen those deranged believers of the Shanmo Cult before.

The Sanmo Cult is controlled by demons, and the surrender faction is closest to the demons. What if, by chance, some martial artist starts a trend and becomes a believer as well?
If he gives in now, the matter will be over, but he insists on being aggressive and wants to investigate further.

Ning seemed to have seen right through him. How old is he?
(End of this chapter)