37 - Crazy! Criticizing the Prime Minister for Being a Servant

### Chapter 37: Return to the Peak Two pairs of eyes met unexpectedly. The more mature eyes softened first, bending into a gentle curve. She patted Ning Songwu's head as well, as if to show equal care, and to soothe the uncertainty in her heart. "My father and Le Yan’s father were both sons of the Ning family's fourth generation. My elder brother stood up for me, worsening the already strained relations between the Ning and Yue families. Later, he had a falling out with Ning Yuanyue, which ultimately left only Le Yan. She was not well-received in the clan, and when she came here by chance, I taught her cultivation... No matter what, we have to get Le Yan out of here." Ning Leyan stiffened for a moment, then snuggled closer, "Auntie, you must take me with you." Ning Songwu nodded slightly, “We’ll go together. I want to know, how could Ning Yuanyue and Ning Yuanlie, with only their combined cultivation, have grievously injured Aunt Cheng like this?” Ning Xiuzhi hesitated at the mention of this name, repeating the name softly, “Aunt... Cheng? Cheng Yunhuan, did she... Forget it. You should know that while the four great families do not get along, they stand together in times of crisis. Yunhuan’s rash actions did not just face the not-so-strong Ning family but also the collective hunting of the other three great families. You won this time because you caught them off guard.” “Caught off guard...” Ning Songwu frowned and casually conjured an identical ring onto her finger, pushing Ning Xiuzhi away. The women instantly understood and fell back into a lethargic state. “Caught off guard? Certainly interesting.” The next moment, the door was kicked open, and several torches were thrust into the room. *** At the outskirts of Fengling Abyss, before the royal palace— Their journey had been unimpeded. As they stood at the palace gates, both Ran Fanyin and He Ling'er realized the true purpose of Ye Wuchen’s invitation. Ran Fanyin chuckled, looking down at the blood-stained ground from decades ago. Would the demon who had led the rebellion, causing Fengling Abyss to be awash in blood, have ever imagined that such a fate would befall her again after all these years? This time, there wasn’t even much resistance. In the end, she spotted a square jade pendant on the ground. After a moment's thought, she picked it up, carefully examining the small engraving on it. A lazy nine-tailed fox lay serenely on the engraving, as pristine as the day it was made. This was Ye Wuchen's emblem, signifying she had given it to one of her officials. Now, it lay undisturbed in the dirt, without a trace of blood. The owner must have abandoned it in a hasty escape or switched allegiances. This was a typical tactic for those who claimed righteous warfare. For the livelihood of the Fengling Abyss demonfolk, for the legitimacy of the royal line, and for the humans who suffered unwarranted attacks due to Ye Wuchen’s unfounded suspicions, and for the relations among the three races of humans, demons, and monsters. With so many banners under her, she couldn’t fathom why Ye Wuchen would fail. He Ling'er, having tended to the injured, walked over, gently supporting Ran Fanyin’s arm, speaking softly, "Senior sister?" "Yes, what is it, Ling'er?" He Ling'er had walked over, seeing Ran Fanyin standing there dawdling with the jade pendant, relieved to find her expression unchanged. She then gently hugged her arm, shaking it playfully, "I thought senior sister was angry. The suffering of the people and the devastation — I know how much you hate to see it." Ran Fanyin pinched the younger girl's cheek, sighing, "I would have felt sad, not angry." Besides, what is there to be angry about? It's a process of mutual exploitation. She needed the demonfolk to back her unerringly at critical moments, so she had to show enough sincerity. Luo Sheng alone, a minor favor, wouldn't suffice. It was the same with Fenghua. Fenghua wasn't foolish and understood the saying "the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind." With the situation becoming clearer, utilizing her pressure to close off opportunities was a strategic retreat. Sometimes, not responding to an olive branch is also a form of response. But the demons' side required more balancing weights. After all, the allure offered by the Tiancheng Xian Sect was heavier than what they could counterbalance. What more could be written into this? Ran Fanyin tapped her arm, her gaze dropping slightly, contemplating for a while, until a pair of cloud boots, slightly dusty, stopped before her. Ye Wuchen: "Would you like to go in and take a look?" Ran Fanyin tilted her head slightly, "It would be impolite to refuse." 【But Master told me to make my own decisions on all of this...】 【I think I made the right choice.】 【But I think... was Master mad about me saving Huarong Village? But...】 【Afraid you wouldn't... agree.】 【Didn't it turn out alright...? 】 【Do girls also have trouble getting cultivation resources because of their gender?】 【Is that Master's mother? Birth mother? Mortal Ice Spirit Root giving birth to a Heaven-grade Fire Spirit Root?】 【I don't have such aspirations for breakthrough... Living is enough.】 Ran Fanyin closely observed the person in front; this red figure was particularly vibrant. Since she appeared, she had hopped towards her. This person was shorter than Ran Fanyin, thus she looked up slightly at her now, smiling but silent, as if waiting for her to speak. Ran Fanyin spoke gently and politely, "You must be the spirit of the trapping array, also known as Senior Xiao Wancheng?" "Yes, that's me." "Senior, with such efforts, luring us here with Jiang Mang as bait, you must have more than showing us this so-called secret realm in mind?” "Yes, continue." Ran Fanyin also smiled, saying, "Senior wants to tell me that Ning’er actually didn’t traverse a small world. During her time away from her body, she was recuperating here, right?” Xiao Wancheng’s smile changed, becoming somewhat smug, “You guessed wrong. She was indeed in a small world, not this illusion." She seemed to relish the moment Ran Fanyin's face showed confusion, and Ran Fanyin indeed felt perplexed. She knew there were three thousand small worlds, and their world was just one of them. Crossing worlds was extremely difficult; could an array spirit have such vast privileges? Xiao Wancheng chuckled, “The immortals above the Nine Layers of Heaven, the three thousand small worlds below the Nine Layers, and within those small worlds, even smaller ones gather around like stars around the moon." "Among these smaller worlds, some are vacant. I made a deal with the Ten Kings Hall, acquired information from another world, and constructed a world based on Ning Songwu's consciousness. How about that? Pretty impressive, right? So, you must have noticed someone called Teacher Lin in there..." These words caused waves in Ran Fanyin's heart. If that world were truly built from Ning Songwu's consciousness, the people in it... However, as Xiao Wancheng casually spoke, Ran Fanyin listened with growing alarm, "Why did Senior go to such lengths?" Manipulating a small world sounded extremely difficult, requiring a tremendous cost. Why do it for strangers? Xiao Wancheng's playful demeanor faded, "You're all trying to save the world. How could I lag behind? I can't help much in battles, so I decided to fundamentally change certain things." "You’ve changed, that’s not enough. Guidance alone isn’t sufficient. The person involved must understand her own heart." "In other words, the core of the plan must have its initiative from the start, and not just go with the flow. She needs a complete life, unlike her former lifeless existence." Impatiently, she waved, "Basically, that’s it. The details are for you to figure out." Ran Fanyin could ask no more, thanking the senior, then hesitated and asked, "Where is Ning’er now?" “She is exploring your final memories.” “My memories?” “I know you can’t recall specifics. Only I can recall conversations with deities. Don’t worry, I helped cover one up.” Ran Fanyin couldn’t argue further, thinking for a moment, she asked, “May I enter to take a look? Perhaps I need these memories too.” Surprisingly, Xiao Wancheng agreed quickly, only asking her to leave her sword as collateral, whimsically assuring she wouldn’t leave. In this realm, how could she not leave? Ran Fanyin’s unease grew stronger. Her journey had been too smooth, and the array spirit had been too helpful, with a small collateral... Yet, she left her Warmth Sword, then entered another illusion. She missed the sight, in that space, of a woman holding a long sword, tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips. Xiao Wancheng didn’t want her to see it. Some things are better guessed than known, as everything had reached the point of no return. Ran Fanyin paid the price, so the reset time could only start adjusting from hers. As for them... Xiao Wancheng sat cross-legged, hugging the sword, pressing the hilt lightly to her forehead, whispering, "You troublesome thing, you promised to live ten thousand years. You’ve eight thousand left, troublemaker, who allowed you to die?" Their story had ended a thousand years ago. Even measured by Ran Fanyin's time, it ended over three hundred years ago, leaving no room for reversal. This belated embrace now seemed... so pitiable. But she knew the sword had a spirit; she had known since her last life. Time would reset, yet as an entity apart from the three realms, she naturally escaped the relooping of time, retaining all memories. And then— She used all her powers to hope for this reunion. More than anyone, she desired the success of this resetting method, for only then could she see this bastard once more—this jerk who promised to live long but passed away after only a few hundred years. "Who gave you permission!" Xiao Wancheng gritted her teeth, "You pulled those stunts, and raised little Ran like that. Damn idiot, better hope I can't drag you out of the Ten Kings Hall, or I'd beat you senseless!" Heaven knows how shocked she was to first see Ran Fanyin. She knew some of her energy had been siphoned off but didn't expect someone could combine that energy into a being. Nor did she expect someone to raise their daughter in such a stern, rigid manner. Utterly wooden! It drove her mad! This jerk, knowing he was unfit to raise her, couldn't just leave her to someone else? Despite everything, at their last meeting, it was too late. Though she was frustrated, she provided significant help. Ran Fanyin spent that time fending off demons in the North with her silver hair, aiding the weak, and searching for a way to reset time. Claiming there was no selfish motive in this resetting method would be impossible but— The woman, with a hint of weariness yet unwavering determination, said, "The world comes first; only then do individuals matter. Reviving Ning’er is crucial. However, in the current situation, if resetting fails to solve everything, reviving her will be meaningless." "Moreover, rescuing a collapsing empire, restoring a declining realm, repelling foreign invaders, and acting in the will of the people—these are the duties of us cultivators... isn’t that so?” Xiao Wancheng had no rebuttal. She had to admit it. Though she had erred in minor ways, raising the child into an unromantic wooden figure, she had to concede... This kid, she had grown up rather suitably. Some people's brazen actions serendipitously offered the world a chance to start anew. She felt guilty towards Xiao Tian too. Xiao Tian had the opportunity to break free from formation restrictions and follow her heart's desires. But she couldn't bear to see Ran Fanyin's life force depleted. 【Ahh, Master is mad again without reason.】 【Almost forgot the most crucial part, that woman in blue and all those overheard words... must be relayed, must be relayed.】 【That blue-clad woman seems familiar, yet foggy.】 【Cold, handsome beauty... heh heh...】 【So familiar, why does this place feel so familiar.】 【In dreams, Ah Sheng holds an oil lamp... Master...】 【So familiar, it feels like it's calling me...】 However, Ning Songwu gave her no time to ponder. A sword roused layers upon layers of ice spikes, charging at Ning Yuanyue. Simultaneously, countless ice shards became snowflakes, falling, merging with the gale, and heading relentlessly towards her. What is this... Ning Yuanyue sensed trouble—light flashed, a bamboo flute appeared in her hand. Before she could bring it to her lips, snow covered its holes. At that moment, the girl with the sword lunged; the sword aimed at Ning Yuanyue's forehead. Ning Yuanyue blocked with her hand, parried the sword with the flute, then struck Ning Songwu's blade-holding hand with it, creating a whizzing sound. Ning Songwu paused, eyes dropping slowly to her struck hand. Nearby, the woman seemed relieved, smirking, "Oh? Cheng Yunhuan actually taught you this secret technique? Where is she? I'd like to meet her." "I ought to tell her, though this technique quickens cultivation, it easily..." The woman took a few steps back, flute at her lips, the remaining words drifted on the flute's notes: "...becomes susceptible to my influence." The tune was lively and light but sounded like a demonic chant to Ning Songwu, like a needle piercing both ears, stabbing into her heart, almost immediately severing her life energy, taking her breath away. A mere moment ago, she had charged ahead superbly. Now, she fell to her knees, her sword clanging to the ground, clutching her chest as if trying to pull something out. Blood rose, seeping from mouth and nose, her eyes crimson as blood threatened to burst forth. The flying snow became chaotic, akin to a swarm of small knives in the air. Everyone retreated, except Luo and Liu, who resisted the suppression, trying to rush to the battlefield. Once, twice, they failed. Liu Ruoying roared, "Ning Family Head, we did not cause substantial harm. Are you trying to take my senior sister’s life?!" Ning Yuanyue slowly lowered her flute, drawing a graceful arc in the air, responding with a prolonged mocking hum, "But she learned our secret technique illicitly. How else could she be affected by the flute meant only for our clan?” Liu Ruoying was stunned. Combining what she had observed of Ning Songwu's state these days, she seemed to piece together the complexities behind it. Ning Yuanyue continued, "According to Ning family rules, a challenger must win to gain victory. If she loses, she forfeits her life. Besides, she stole our secret technique..." She propped her chin with one hand, tilting her head slightly, "Your sect may challenge us if you displease." Almost as her words ended, the girl who had been barely holding herself together collapsed, swallowed in a cloud of dust. Ning Songwu bled from every orifice, her hearing foggy. Someone seemed to call her name, or perhaps someone was crying. In her mind, an old conversation surfaced— A figure before her grew clearer, becoming the arrogant Lin Yuxue from her last life, soon morphing into the often mocking Fenghua... The figures shifted, stirring relentless waves within her until breaking the balance and regaining control of her body. Ning Yuanyue’s suppression, once proud, lost all effect. The spiritual energy surged madly towards the fallen girl and violently towards Ning Yuanyue, carrying strong killing intent, as if aiming to end her life. Spiritual energy, wanting to kill her? Ning Yuanyue couldn’t believe that the spiritual energy she had manipulated for millennia was now seized by a mere child. She lifted her flute to play, but the energy forcefully entered her body. The next moment, black blood spewed from her mouth, corroding the flute’s carvings. The girl slammed the ground, propelling herself up, regaining her sword, which moved with her, pointing to the sky. Released from constraints, her white hair whipped wildly behind her, making her crimson eyes even more terrifying. Even a glance would send cold sweat down Ning Yuanyue's back. Was she not human? Was she not the child Ning Xiuzhi had once protected desperately? What was this creature? Who could call this human? A lotus of ice slowly rose behind the girl. Petal by petal, it unfurled slowly, trapping Ning Yuanyue in an increasingly dense spiritual energy barrier, binding her such that even the slightest movement was impossible. As the thousands of lotus petals spread open, a lightning bolt roared from the pavilion, striking upward, illuminating half in azure, half in dark purple, turning the Ning family’s skies into a vibrant graveyard. From the capture of the trio to this moment, barely two incense sticks’ time had passed. Ning Yuanyue recognized the lightning’s origin, incredulously looking back, seeing Cheng Yunhuan carrying Ning Xiuzhi out from the ruins, the restraints seemingly a joke. She saw Cheng Yunhuan cradle Ning Xiuzhi’s head, turning her away and covering her ears. Then, the airborne girl's sword descended. Countless lotus petals transformed into countless small blades. The size of the blades didn’t matter if they hit vital spots. Within breaths, the blades perforated countless wounds. The proud woman lost the chance to retaliate, eyes wide in disbelief. Until the blades dissipated into ice fog, barely a few breaths passed. She looked down incredulously at her body—the whole, except her dantian, was riddled with holes sealed with frost, soon to thaw and cause her to bleed to death. The land reached such extent? High above, the person showed no reaction, raising her sword again with a hoarse, low growl. The last blow aimed directly at Ning Yuanyue's dantian. "Wait!" Suddenly, a golden cord darted forward, binding Ning Songwu. A tall, handsome figure with a hint of timeworn weariness appeared before everyone. Ning Songwu paused, slightly tilting her head, her blood-red eyes filled with confusion. Two people broke free from their restraints below, pushing through the crowd to face the new arrival. The man bowed respectfully, saying, "I am Ning Yuanlie, brother of Ning Yuanyue, and the one who usually communicates with your sect." Liu Ruoying exhaled slowly, "What is the meaning of this?" Though they were familiar from frequent communications, binding Ning Songwu straight away, and then appearing as if to negotiate—his intentions were unclear... Liu Ruoying furrowed her brow, her palms slick with cold sweat. In the next moment, a hand slipped into hers. Luo Sheng held her tightly, their eyes meeting briefly for mutual encouragement. Ning Yuanlie first turned back, sealing several acupoints on the blood-soaked woman's body, then faced forward again. "This is a matter of my Ning family. I ask that you allow us to resolve it ourselves." "After all, she is my sister." Luo Sheng retorted angrily, "My senior sister ended up like this because of you. Now you pretend to stop us? Do you think binding her with a spirit-binding rope will fool me?" "I advise you not to," Ning Yuanlie maintained his calm demeanor with a smile. "I arrived late only because the battle situation here is ever-changing. Did I not rush here as soon as I received the news?" What an audacious display of shameless arrogance.