Overdraw the future and become a peerless martial god

Chapter 71 Farewell
"Are you still waiting for news from your older sister?"

His voice was slightly hoarse, yet as steady as ever. Chu Ning turned around and saw that Li Jing'an had changed out of his constable's robes and was now dressed in a plain blue travel suit, with a bundle slung across his back and the familiar jug ​​of cheap wine in his hand.

"Hmm." Chu Ning paused for a moment.

"Old Li..." His gaze fell on the bundle, "Are you leaving?"

"Hmm." Li Jing'an grinned, but his expression held a hint of reluctance. "Things here are finally settled. Can I stay here for a few more days?"

"Where are you going?"

"Of course I have to go back to Yipin Pavilion to report. I have to write the reports I need to write and I can't escape the scolding I need to receive." Li Jing'an flicked the wine pot and took a big gulp. "You've made such a mess of things, and now I have to clean up your mess."

Will I ever see you again?

When Chu Ning asked the question, his tone was so light it was almost like a young man's tentative inquiry. He knew that the person in front of him was extraordinary—an inspector, a man who hunted down criminals and severed souls under the thunder. But the bond they had formed through their comrades-in-arms had long surpassed that of master and disciple.

Li Jing'an did not answer immediately, but remained silent for a moment. A hint of inexplicable complexity suddenly appeared on that once calm and composed face that had suppressed everything.

"If you want to see me in the future, you'll have to rely on your abilities."

"strength?"

“I’m not your master, and I won’t be with you for life,” Li Jing’an said calmly. “I’ve seen too many young prodigies, full of enthusiasm, thinking that as long as they fight desperately, they can defy fate. But fate isn’t so easy to defy.”

He paused, glancing sideways at Chu Ning: "There is no justice in this world. So-called rules are written by the strong. You want to get something back for your sister, fine. You want to go further in the martial arts world, fine too. Just remember one thing: Don't ask the heavens, don't ask others, cultivate yourself."

Chu Ning opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

“There’s more.” Li Jing’an suddenly threw down the wine jug in his hand, which smashed on the ground with a thud.

"The Primordial Qi Cultivation Method is a good thing. The Thunder Fiend Blade you cultivate has sharpness, but it ultimately lacks the core to suppress all techniques. If you reach the sixth rank in the future, then cultivate my low-level Earth-rank technique, the Thunder Fiend Devouring Yuan Technique."

Chu Ning was taken aback: "This isn't your cultivation technique? It's actually a low-level Earth-rank technique!"

“Earth-rank cultivation techniques are extremely difficult to obtain without sufficient fortuitous opportunities.” Li Jing’an smiled, revealing a hint of melancholy. “Back when I was in command in the Northern Frontier, I once broke an ancient formation. At the core of the formation was a forbidden book of lightning, which could transform lightning into evil and devour all living beings. Initially, it was nameless. In that battle, I almost lost my life. I only managed to pull myself back from the brink of death by absorbing the first move of that technique.”

"I have pondered this technique for fifteen years, and have mastered it to the point where the Fiery Thunder penetrates to the bone and the Primordial Qi devours the soul. Unfortunately, the remaining parts of the technique have been lost. I am passing it on to you only to continue the incomplete meaning of that technique by using your body."

He patted Chu Ning on the shoulder, "You're lucky! I can sense that you have the potential to cultivate lightning magic. If you can master the next technique, then it will truly be yours."

Chu Ning's throat tightened, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter, "Thank you, Old Li."

"No need to thank me," Li Jing'an raised his hand and lightly tapped him on the forehead. "I've seen too many geniuses in my life, I hope you're not one of those who died halfway through."

Chu Ning suddenly reached out and tore open the front of his shirt, revealing a dark red bloodstain on his left chest. The pattern was coiled like a snake, as if it had taken root in his flesh.

His face darkened: "This thing... is the blood curse that Wang Lin planted on me before he died, the thing you mentioned before?"

"You're only just realizing this?" Li Jing'an snorted, took out a jade pill from his pocket and tossed it to him. "This thing will slowly devour your Thunderous Qi. If you let the Blood Curse consume your Thunderous Qi, one day you will become a monster that only knows how to kill."

Chu Ning took the pill and swallowed it. He felt a chill instantly spread throughout his body. He closed his eyes, sank into his dantian and examined it for a moment before chuckling, "Gnawing away? Let's see if it can swallow my Frost Thunder."

“Arrogant.” Li Jing’an clicked his tongue but did not refute.

He paced slowly, pinching out a piece of charred talisman paper with obscure lightning patterns engraved on its edges.

"You think Tun Yuan has been setting up this scheme for a hundred years just to cultivate a blood pool?" He pressed the talisman into Chu Ning's hand, his expression solemn. "Boy, have you heard of the 'Thunder Tribulation Substitute Death Technique'?" Chu Ning was taken aback, his eyes suddenly becoming serious.

"Take this. You'll thank me in the future." Li Jing'an turned and walked towards the mountain gate, his figure appearing incredibly distant in the morning sun.

Chu Ning watched him disappear at the end of the mountain path, her palm tightly gripping the thunder-patterned talisman.

"Old Li, wait for me."

The street wind gently blew the hem of his robe and stirred up dust from the eaves.

Chu Ning stood still for a long time.

The entire Benlei Martial Arts School seemed to fall into a brief silence.

The noise, applause, and cheers around me all seemed distant at that moment.

He gazed at the official road, his eyes filled with the oppressive weight of an impending storm.

It wasn't until the sound of horses' hooves came from in front of the martial arts school that he was brought back from his silence.

"Report——!"

In front of the Thunder Martial Arts School, the black-armored guard fell off his horse, knelt on both knees, and spoke in a loud voice:

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Qingyun Arena has officially begun, and you have been assigned to Group 10! The first three matches in your group have already started, and everyone in your group is waiting for you!"

In the hall, all the elders turned to look at Chu Ning.

Chu Ning's expression remained unchanged; she simply nodded and said, "I understand."

After the black-armored guards left, in the main hall of the Benlei Martial Arts School, Han Xu looked at Chu Ning with suspicion. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke.

"Master of the Museum—"

Chu Ning turned around, his gaze calm. "Elder Han, if you have something to say, please speak frankly."

Han Xu frowned, his gaze slowly sweeping over Chu Ning for a moment before he said in a low voice, "If I may be so bold as to ask... the battle against the Wang family was extremely dangerous. Wang Lin... such a being is probably more than just a ninth-rank cultivator."

He paused, then cupped his hands and said, "As for you, Master Chu, even now... we still cannot discern your true level of cultivation."

Chu Ning raised an eyebrow slightly, but remained silent.

Han Xu continued, "Wang Chongshan, the third elder of the Wang family, is not in Qingyang County, but according to intelligence, he is already an old monster of the lower eighth rank. As for the Wang family elders who remain in Qingyang County... although it is not explicitly stated, they are all at the peak of the ninth rank."

He paused, a hint of fear mixed with a trace of longing in his eyes: "This subordinate only wants to know, what exactly... what level of cultivation does the Master possess?"

The elders of the Benlei Martial Arts School held their breath, their eyes all fixed on Chu Ning. Although they hadn't personally witnessed the battle at the Blood Pool, the ruins and scorched earth they saw afterward were enough to imagine the horror of that battle.

The name Wang Lin was already a taboo word in the martial arts world of Qingzhou, and even many peak ninth-rank experts trembled at the mere mention of it. Yet, he managed to suppress Wang Lin completely.

If Chu Ning can even subdue Wang Lin, then what level of cultivation does he himself possess?

Chu Ning glanced at Han Xu and smiled slightly, as if she had expected him to ask that question.

(End of this chapter)