Chapter 99: Gains
Ning Qi’s gaze was somewhat peculiar.
All the Heavenly Human Realm experts from the Demonic Sect’s assault had been killed by King Zhenbei, leaving only Elder Wang to escape, but the Demonic Sect did not know this.
From the Demonic Sect’s perspective, none of the experts who went to True Martial Mountain to exterminate the sect had returned.
King Zhenbei could not shake off this blame no matter what.
Claim that he did not kill Elder Wang?
Who would believe that.
Among everyone present, only he had the strength to easily slay Elder Wang.
Moreover, the fist technique Ning Qi used during the battle faintly carried a bit of King Zhenbei’s shadow. Regardless of whether the Demonic Sect could find this place, even if they did, King Zhenbei would likely be the first they suspected of secretly pursuing them.
Even the Imperial Court’s people would not think it was someone else.
This was also the reason Ning Qi decisively gave chase. It could sever one of the Demonic Sect’s tentacles, weakening their strength, and there was a ready scapegoat—what was there to lose.
As for whether shifting the blame to King Zhenbei was somewhat immoral, Ning Qi thought about how this guy had been watching the show from the shadows before and felt relieved.
No one was any better than anyone else.
Ning Qi thought this way as his body gradually recovered to its normal size. This trial of the Ape King True Body had gone quite well, especially the compatibility between the Ape King True Body and the Fake Core, which exceeded expectations. The power it unleashed was extremely strong, approaching the power of the Heavenly Sword Technique, but with even greater endurance than the Heavenly Sword Technique. The Heavenly Sword Technique was more suitable for Ning Qi to use without revealing himself.
“If this Fake Core had been refined from an ape-type Beast King Inner Elixir, it would probably be even more powerful.”
“However, this battle consumed about thirty percent of the Fake Core’s energy. In the future, I still need to use it a bit more sparingly.”
Ning Qi felt a slight pang of heartache.
After all, there was only this one Fake Core.
But this time, first the Heavenly Sword Technique entangled with Elder Wang for a while, then the pursuit lasted so long, and finally using the Ape King True Body to suppress him, yet it only consumed thirty percent of the energy—that was already quite good.
Ning Qi estimated that with five Heavenly Human Realm experts from the Demonic Sect dead this time, they would have to lie low for a while.
After all, Heavenly Human Realm experts were not cabbages. No matter how strong the Demonic Sect was, losing so many Heavenly Humans in a short time would strain them somewhat.
The remaining seventy percent of the energy was enough to use.
He turned his gaze to Elder Wang’s corpse in front of him, his eyes lighting up slightly.
“Good thing there’s compensation.”
He squatted down.
Ning Qi carefully searched and pulled out a leather pouch. The material of the leather pouch was somewhat special; it had not been damaged in such an intense battle.
He opened it.
Inside were various bottles and jars. Ning Qi poured them out one by one and sniffed them, getting a rough sense of their medicinal properties.
They were mostly healing and blood-replenishing pills or poison pills; there were none that boosted cultivation.
As for martial arts secret manuals, there were none either.
Ning Qi was not surprised; this was normal. Who carries secret manuals and precious elixirs when going out to kill? Unless one was a wanderer with no fixed abode, otherwise, if killed, it would just benefit the enemy—sending one’s head and wealth a thousand miles away.
Finally.
Ning Qi’s gaze fell on the Treasure Armor glowing with green light.
This was the main prize.
This piece of Treasure Armor was so sturdy; it withstood King Zhenbei’s stunning punch and then endured Ning Qi’s multiple ferocious beatings while heavily injured. Although Ning Qi had held back somewhat to avoid damaging his own Treasure Armor, Elder Wang had proven with his own flesh and blood that this Treasure Armor’s quality was top-notch.
“This Treasure Armor is really good.”
Ning Qi rinsed it clean with Gang Qi, and the green-light Treasure Armor shone anew. It had short spikes on it—soft when idle, but firm upon impact. No wonder Ning Qi had felt it prickly and awkward earlier; an ordinary person slapping it would likely get their palm pierced right through.
But this was secondary; the most important was its powerful defensive power.
Touching it felt like ripples; upon heavy impact, it could instantly dissipate the force without harming the wearer.
Ning Qi had some knowledge of weapon forging methods. In this world, forging weapons and Treasure Armor was not that mysterious; most of the power came from the materials, with the forging master only fusing and shaping them. It was said that a very few Divine Weapons were different.
But so far, Ning Qi had not encountered any.
“However, the material of this Treasure Armor is somewhat unusual. Observing it more might yield different gains.” Ning Qi thought to himself.
Now was clearly not the time for research.
He put the Treasure Armor on his body.
Ning Qi glanced again at Elder Wang’s corpse, noticing that unusual vitality, and his eyes brightened. He used Gang Qi to lift it up as well.
The flesh of a Heavenly Human expert had vitality stronger than many Precious Materials.
It could not be wasted.
He soared into the sky and returned to True Martial Mountain. Although King Zhenbei was there, he still could not stay away too long.
……
True Martial Mountain.
With all the Demonic Sect experts slain, the previously tense atmosphere gradually relaxed. Everyone looked toward the invincible-aura middle-aged man and respectfully said:
“We have seen King Zhenbei!”
The congregation all felt reverence in their hearts.
The scene just now of killing Heavenly Humans like chickens had shocked everyone.
Eunuch Ye and the Butcher both pleaded guilty:
“We failed to protect the Heir Apparent and Princess properly; please punish us, King Zhenbei.”
King Zhenbei just waved his hand faintly.
“You have already done your best.”
He had been following behind and saw the entire process, knowing the two had given their all, so he naturally would not blame them without reason. Anyway, with him as the backstop, nothing would happen. The Demonic Sect would not dispatch a top ten Heavenly Human Ranking peerless expert just for a True Martial Sect.
Without his and the Great Yan Emperor’s approval, Eunuch Ye could not have brought Li Ling and Li Qingyue out.
His purpose was to let the two experience some upheaval to grow.
Even without this Demonic Sect assault, there would have been others to “assault.”
At this moment.
Li Ling and the others had recovered from the earlier fright, but Li Qingyue’s face was still pale, without her previous liveliness. Li Ling was slightly better, his gaze occasionally turning toward the depths of True Martial Sect. After the Heavenly Sword disappeared, that area had fallen silent.
Dragon Mountain Daoist walked over and sincerely gave thanks:
“If not for King Zhenbei’s aid, True Martial Sect would likely have been doomed today. Please accept this old Daoist’s bow.”
In the current situation, though it was a mess, there was basically no personnel loss—this was already an excellent outcome.
Five Demonic Sect Heavenly Humans had come to assault.
Just thinking about it still made him feel lingering fear.
King Zhenbei nodded and said:
“True Person is too polite; it was just a coincidence. I did not expect the Demonic Sect to remain unrepentant. However, even if this king had not come, with Heavenly Sword True Person here, True Martial Sect might not have been doomed.”
He commented faintly.
Earlier, he had observed secretly for a moment. When that Heavenly Sword True Person acted, there was no fluctuation at all, even fooling him. Without showing himself, he had already fought evenly with that demon head. If going all out, victory was not impossible.
Heavenly Sword True Person was stronger than the legends.
He was probably not inferior to Shen Yu, and his actions did not seem like one whose lifespan was nearing its end.
Originally, he wanted to watch more clearly, but that Demonic Sect Heavenly Human recklessly tried to capture Li Ling and Li Qingyue, forcing him to reveal himself.
The congregation’s gazes were all ones of astonishment; they did not expect King Zhenbei’s evaluation of Heavenly Sword True Person to be so high.
However, everyone had seen it clearly earlier.
If before today Heavenly Sword True Person was only suspected of having Heavenly Human Ranking-level strength, now it was nailed down. When the next Heavenly Human Ranking was updated, Heavenly Sword True Person should be on the list.
King Zhenbei looked at the two little kids, one on each side, and rarely smiled:
“Come back with this king?”
Li Qingyue nodded eagerly:
“Imperial Uncle, I’ll go back with you.”
She was truly frightened and now knew this outside world was not her playground. Gone was that faint sense of superiority; she did not want to stay in True Martial Mountain a moment longer. Heavenly Sword True Person had already been thrown to the back of her mind.
King Zhenbei nodded in satisfaction and looked at Li Ling. Li Ling’s face showed some hesitation, but after glancing again at the depths of True Martial Sect, he still said:
“Dad, I want to learn sword from Heavenly Sword True Person.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s heart skipped a beat; this absolutely could not happen.
Fortunately, King Zhenbei had already scolded:
“Nonsense!”
Although the Demonic Sect would likely lie low for a while after this heavy loss, who knew if they would go mad and come a second time. The probability was extremely low, but he would not gamble with his young son’s life. He did not have time to guard True Martial Mountain constantly; this time was just a coincidence.
But this scolding instead aroused Li Ling’s rebellious heart.
His eyes reddened instantly, tears welling up, but he said nothing, just staring at King Zhenbei like that.
Seeing his young son like this, King Zhenbei softened immediately. He squatted down with some headache to comfort Li Ling:
“Ling’er, it’s not that Dad won’t let you learn; it’s just too dangerous outside now. How about this: after we get back, Dad will teach you fist technique, okay? Dad is much stronger than Heavenly Sword True Person!”
“No, your fist technique is too ugly, not handsome at all. Heavenly Sword True Person’s sword is handsome; I want to learn from him.” Li Ling pouted.
Dragon Mountain Daoist and the others all awkwardly looked down.
King Zhenbei nearly choked.
Countless people in the world wanted to learn his King Zhenbei fist technique, yet it was despised by his own son. If anyone else said that, he would punch them, but seeing Li Ling like this, he could only force a smile:
“If Dad’s fist technique is ugly, then we won’t learn it.”
“Then Dad promises: after you go back, I’ll find an even more handsome Sword Dao expert to teach you, okay?”
He pressed the advantage:
“Think about it: if the Demonic Sect knows you’re here, they’ll definitely come again to capture you and threaten Dad, and it’ll bring a lot of trouble to True Martial Sect. When there’s a chance later, Dad will bring you back, how about that?”
Li Ling hesitated at once.
He did not want to bring trouble to others.
“Then… okay.”
He glanced again at the depths of True Martial Sect but finally did not persist.
King Zhenbei breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to leave, lest prolonged stay lead to changes and Li Ling change his mind again.
But he saw Li Ling let go of his hand, run to Dragon Mountain Daoist, and bow:
“True Person, if it’s safe in the future, Li Ling will come visit again!”
Dragon Mountain Daoist was stunned, then smiled:
“Welcome anytime, Your Highness.”
He had a good impression of Li Ling—kind-hearted, just overly pampered by King Zhenbei due to a life of luxury.
King Zhenbei smiled.
He gave a few instructions to the Butcher and Eunuch Ye, then took Li Ling and Li Qingyue and departed through the air.
Dragon Mountain Daoist could not help but sigh.
“Rumor has it that King Zhenbei’s wife died giving birth to the young son, leaving him motherless from birth, leading King Zhenbei to spoil him so much, granting every wish. Now it seems true.”
A peerless expert ninth on the Heavenly Human Ranking humbling himself to a child was unique in the world.
After sighing, Dragon Mountain Daoist looked at the wreckage around and let out a light sigh.
He only hoped that after this, the Demonic Sect would lie low.
Being caught in such a storm was truly beyond one’s control.
But he always felt.
The world was probably about to be unsettled; the days of peace in the future would likely be few.
