A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Chapter 128 Who Says Women Are Inferior to Men?

A look of astonishment flashed across Su Bai's face, then he stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and the hem of his robes swayed gently with the movement: "Congratulations, my lord."

Are you angry with me? Just call me Yuechan.

Ning Yuechan waved her hand, her smile deepening, her eyes curving slightly, revealing a rare hint of girlishness.

She pointed to the chair, "Sit down, sit down and talk."

Su Bai sat down again, his expression returning to normal, even the curvature of his back was exactly the same as before.

Looking at his calm and composed demeanor, Ning Yuechan's eyes flashed with admiration. She continued, "I'm telling you this so you understand what I did a few days ago—now that we're talking about it, the Ning family isn't powerless to deal with the Li family, it's just—" She paused, her fingertip lightly tapping the armrest, "...some things need to be weighed."

Su Bai listened quietly without responding.

Ning Yuechan looked at him, sighed, and continued, "In the past few days of competition, the Ning family and the Li family have had their share of victories and defeats."

Overall, it was a narrow victory, but the losses were not insignificant either.

A narrow victory?

Su Bai's mind raced, but his face remained impassive, not even his eyelashes trembled.

"Li Yuehu has been released," Ning Yuechan said bluntly, her tone tinged with helplessness. "This was a tacit agreement between the two sides. But the Li family can't swallow this insult, and under the pretext of being 'bullied,' they've been making constant small moves and retaliating against us everywhere these past few days."

She sighed, a hint of weariness creeping into her eyes: "Faced with this retaliation, the Ning family has indeed suffered some setbacks, mainly because the benefits have already been secured. Let the Li family vent their anger if they want; for now—the Ning family is unwilling to engage in any further direct conflict in the short term. Some things are best left unsaid."

Hearing this, Su Bai finally spoke. His voice was neither loud nor soft, but calm and even: "The matter of the county jail, is that also among the things that can be 'tolerated'?"

Ning Yuechan looked at him, her gaze honest and unwavering: "Yes."

Su Bai remained silent.

His face was expressionless, but his eyes were as still as a deep pool of water, so deep that the bottom could not be seen.

Ning Yuechan stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled, a knowing look in her eyes: "You're angry."

""

Su Bai said calmly, "I wouldn't dare."

"It's not that I don't dare, but that I don't want to." Ning Yuechan shook her head, a stray hair at her temple swaying gently with the movement. "I understand what you're thinking. This matter has indeed involved you, and its impact has exceeded your tolerance limit. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be happy either."

She paused, her voice softening, and said, word by word, "I can't guarantee anything else. But I will definitely give you an explanation regarding the investigation of the county jail."

As she said this, she leaned forward again, looking directly at him as if she wanted to nail her words into his heart.

Su Bai looked at her.

Ning Yuechan did not avoid his gaze.

After a moment, Su Bai nodded slightly, the curve of his chin softening for a moment: "Thank you."

The aroma of tea wafted from the teapot, rising and swirling in the twilight to become a wisp of faint white smoke. The two sat facing each other, silent for a moment.

Su Bai picked up the teacup, lowered his eyes, and took a sip.

The tea is good; it has a refreshing taste and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

pity----

It's been overcooked.

He put down his teacup, the bottom of which touched the table with a very soft "tap".

The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly on the bluestone path.

When Su Bai came out of that small courtyard, his steps were a little lighter than when he came.

He turned and glanced at the closed black lacquered wooden door, the brass rings on the door gleaming coldly in the moonlight. The candlelight inside was still burning, casting a hazy glow through the paper windows, through which a slender figure could be vaguely seen standing.

He smiled slightly, turned around, and stepped into the long street.

He trusted Ning Yuechan's assurance.

This eldest daughter of the Ning family was no ordinary young lady.

Three days ago, the news that she had just broken through to the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm had already quietly spread in several well-informed circles in Nancheng.

A twenty-two-year-old at the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm would be enough to make the elders of the powerful families in the entire Fengshan County take notice.

Although the Ning family is one of the four great families and has many direct descendants, only a handful of them can reach the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm before the age of thirty.

Such a person wields far more influence in the Ning family than those playboys who only know how to enjoy themselves.

Since Ning Yuechan has spoken up, the Ning family will not sit idly by.

Of course, more importantly, Su Bai is worthy.

Fenjiang County Prison.

The building, constructed of bluestone, crouches on the street corner like a giant beast crouching in the shadows. The lanterns at the entrance sway gently in the night breeze, casting the five characters "Fenjiang County Prison" on and off.

As Su Bai stepped onto the stairs, before even pushing open the door, he heard a strange, sarcastic voice from inside: "Oh, isn't this our Chief Jailer Su? What time is it, taking you so long to come back from outside?"

Su Bai paused in his action of pushing the door open, and looked up.

In the dim light, a young man dressed in a blue official robe leaned against the desk, holding a scroll of official documents in his hand, with a half-smile on his face.

It was Li Sanshan from the Prefectural Inspectorate.

The lamplight cast interplay of light and shadow on his face, making his smile appear even more meaningful.

"Lord Li is indeed diligent." Su Bai stepped over the threshold, his tone as calm as still water. "At this hour, if you didn't know better, you would think that you had committed some crime and been locked up."

The smile on Li Sanshan's face froze for a moment.

He slowly put down the official documents in his hand, stood up, and looked Su Bai up and down, his tone becoming increasingly sarcastic: "Head jailer Su, what an arrogant tone. I am ordered to inspect the various departments in the southern city, and coming to this prison is naturally my duty. But Head jailer Su—" He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, "a dignified head jailer, abandoning his post on duty. If word gets out, it won't sound good, will it?"

Su Bai walked to the table, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup of water, took a sip slowly, and then looked up at Li Sanshan: "Lord Li, you may not know, but I went out today because of matters in the prison."

"Oh?" Li Sanshan raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "For matters in prison? Lord Su, you really do care about the prison."

This statement carried a clear sense of sarcasm.

Su Bai put down his teacup and looked directly at Li Sanshan. In the flickering lamplight, his gaze was as cold as frost: "Lord Li seems to be meddling a bit too much. There are some things you shouldn't meddle in; it's best to mind your own business."

Li Sanshan's expression suddenly changed, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes.

His lips moved slightly, as if he were about to reprimand someone, but he suppressed it in the next moment.

The anger came quickly and went quickly.

His expression returned to calm, even calmer than before. But deep within his eyes, something was slowly surging, like a whirlpool beneath an undercurrent.

"Sir Su is right." Li Sanshan nodded slightly, his tone unusually gentle. "There are some things we shouldn't interfere with. However—" He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips, "When I inspect various departments, if I find any lawbreakers, then I will still have to take action."

He pronounced the words "lawbreakers" with exceptional clarity.

Su Bai looked at him quietly for a moment, then smiled.

The smile was faint, as faint as the reflection of moonlight on the water, fragile enough to shatter at the slightest touch.

"I'll wait," he said.

Then he turned around and walked straight into the depths of the prison, his footsteps fading into the distance in the empty hall.

Li Sanshan stood there, watching the figure disappear into the dimly lit corridor.

The flickering lamplight cast dappled shadows on his face. The calm on his face gradually crumbled, revealing the twisted resentment beneath.

"Su Bai—" he murmured softly, his voice as light as a breeze squeezed through clenched teeth, "You think you can dodge the first day of the month, but can you dodge the fifteenth?"

He withdrew his gaze and looked down at the stack of files on the desk.

Those were case records from Fenjiang County Prison over the past three months. His visit today was a pretense; his real purpose was to add more fuel to the fire for Su Bai.

The Li family's meaning was simple—it was time for Su Bai to move up in rank.

Li Sanshan opened the file and lightly tapped a few pages with his fingertip.

He had already had the details of these cases "polished".

What was originally just a routine fight involving injury and theft has now escalated to "suspected collusion with criminals" and "the evidence needs further investigation."

Once the time is right, these can become irrefutable evidence.

At that point, not only will Su Bai lose his position as jailer, but it's also uncertain whether he'll even be able to leave the prison unscathed.

Li Sanshan closed the file, a slow smile creeping onto his lips.

The smile seemed particularly cold in the flickering lamplight.

Night was falling.

When Ning Yuechan emerged from that secluded alley, the carriage at the street corner had been waiting for quite some time.

"Let's go back to the manor," Ning Yuechan said softly.

The carriage rumbled along, rolling over the bluestone road, leaving a series of crisp sounds in the quiet night.

In Fengshan County at night, the bustling areas are brightly lit, while the quieter areas are utterly silent.

The carriage wound its way through several streets and alleys, gradually entering the north of the city. This area was quite different from the working-class district in the south—the streets were wider and smoother, with high walls on both sides, and the eaves of pavilions could be faintly seen inside, their overlapping outlines silhouetted against the moonlight.

The Ning family's residence is located in the center of this area.

The carriage stopped in front of a magnificent mansion.

The vermilion gate was over three zhang wide, with a plaque hanging above it bearing the two characters "Ning Mansion," written in a vigorous and powerful style, subtly suggesting a time of war and conquest. Two stone lions crouched at the entrance, solemn and dignified under the moonlight.

Ning Yuechan got off the carriage and walked straight into the mansion.

Passing through the screen wall and winding through the corridor, a bright and open space suddenly appears before you.

Layer upon layer of pavilions stood under the moonlight, their flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, exuding the grandeur of an aristocratic family. Lanterns hung under the eaves, illuminating the entire courtyard as bright as day.

Instead of returning to her own courtyard, she passed through several moon gates and headed deeper into the mansion.

Finally, she stopped in front of a quiet courtyard.

Several clumps of green bamboo grew in the courtyard, rustling in the night breeze. Through the shadows of the bamboo, a study with a light on could be seen.

Ning Yuechan gently knocked on the door.

"Come in," came an aged voice from inside.

She pushed the door open and entered.

The study was small and simply furnished. There was a desk, a few bookshelves, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall.

A rattan rocking chair was placed by the window, where an elderly man with white hair was lying, holding a book in his hand. As the rocking chair swayed gently, it made a rhythmic "creaking" sound.

It was none other than Ning Yuanshan, the eldest elder of the Ning family.

"Yuechan, little girl?" Ning Yuanshan glanced at her, then lowered his gaze again, continuing to turn the pages of the book in his hands. "It's so late, why aren't you resting? What are you doing here at this old man's place?"

His tone was somewhat nonchalant.

Ning Yuechan walked up to him and said softly, "Grandpa, I've come to tell you something."

"Hmm?" Ning Yuanshan didn't even look up.

"I have broken through to the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm."

The creaking of the rocking chair stopped abruptly.

Ning Yuanshan lifted his gaze from the book and placed it on Ning Yuechan's face.

The gaze was initially casual, but it froze in an instant.

He slowly put down the book and sat up straight.

"What did you say?"

Ning Yuechan remained silent, simply standing still. Her inner energy circulated slowly, faintly glowing under the lamplight.

Ning Yuanshan stared at her for a moment, then suddenly stood up. He took two steps closer, raised his hand and placed it on Ning Yuechan's shoulder, sending a wisp of true energy into it. In an instant, he withdrew his hand.

His eyes held shock, relief, and a complex mix of emotions.

"Good, good, good!" He said "good" three times in a row, his voice filled with rare excitement. A twelve-year-old at the mid-stage of True Qi Realm, excellent!

He turned and walked out, but after taking two steps, he turned back and said, "Come with me."

Ning Yuechan followed in his footsteps.

The ancestral hall is located in the very center of the Ning Mansion and is the most important place in the entire mansion.

At this moment, the hall was brightly lit.

A dozen or so clan elders sat high in the hall, arranged according to seniority and rank. The central seat was empty; it was the place of the family head. On the armchairs on either side sat elders with white hair and beards, each with piercing eyes and a composed demeanor.

Ning Yuechan stood in the hall, the lamplight casting a long shadow of her.

"Not bad, Yuechan."

The eldest elder, Ning Yuanshan, sitting in the first seat on the left, spoke first. His voice was old but deep, "At twenty-two years old, he is at the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm. His talent is top-notch even in the entire Fengshan County. He has a good chance of making the list of rising stars next year."

"

"Yes," another elder chimed in. "In all these years, only Tianyi in our Ning family has reached the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm at the age of twenty-two. Now, Yuechan has also achieved this. This is a double celebration."

1

The atmosphere in the hall subtly shifted upon hearing Ning Tianyi's name.

Ning Tianyi, the eldest grandson of the Ning family, is widely recognized as the number one among the younger generation.

He entered the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm at the age of twenty-two and was once highly regarded.

Two years have passed, but he is still stuck in the middle stage of the True Qi Realm and has yet to break through to the later stage.

Although he has mastered a high level of martial arts skills in other areas.

But one's level of understanding is always the most important thing.

The family poured most of their resources into him, but he still saw no results.

"It's time to put more pressure on Tianyi," an elder with a stern expression said calmly. "We've accumulated so many resources; we can't just keep dragging this out."

"Alright, let's talk about Yuechan today, don't mention Tianyi." The Grand Elder waved his hand and turned his gaze to Ning Yuechan. "Yuechan, just name your reward."

Ning Yuechan stood quietly with her eyes lowered, the lamplight casting a faint shadow on her face.

reward.

These two words, when they reached her ears, felt like a fine needle gently pricking her heart.

She recalled that when Ning Tianyi broke through to the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm, the clan elders held a grand banquet for him, and the patriarch personally bestowed upon him three bottles of spiritual medicine, a scroll of cultivation techniques, and a secret cultivation chamber.

Standing in the crowd, looking at her spirited brother in the hall, she secretly vowed that one day she would stand there too.

Now she has finally stood here.

But so what?

A simple "what reward do you want?" would suffice.