Chapter 26: 26 Dragon Qi World

Chapter 26: The World of Dragon Qi

Manfeng Mountain.

This was Ning Xuan's first time entering the mountains, yet he was strangely familiar with the terrain, possessing a sense of ease as if he were revisiting an old haunt.

On the other hand, Chou Nu had actually received a summons from Ning Taiyi, but he deliberately chose not to respond. This was because he and his father had long ago made an agreement: if a summons arrived, it meant someone was pressing for action, and he was to act according to the circumstances and make his own decisions.

Ning Taiyi was the head of the Ning family.

And Chou Nu was, in truth, the eldest son of the Ning family.

He... naturally had the authority to make decisions at critical moments to determine the future of the Ning family.

At this moment, he suddenly slowed his pace; he had made his decision.

Originally, both he and his father had intended to use his younger brother as a tool to "continue the Ning bloodline," letting him live under someone else's roof and scrape by, as long as he could live a decent life.

But now, Ning Xuan's strength had caused him to change his mind.

Chou Nu said, "Qingfeng, some matters should have been discussed with you by Mr. Taiyi after you passed your assessment, but matters are urgent, so I will tell you now."

Ning Xuan replied, "I ask for the guidance of Celestial Master Chou."

Chou Nu said, "Our world possesses supernatural powers, and the source of this power is Dragon Qi."

Ning Xuan's expression turned serious as he listened intently.

The thing he had been yearning to understand had finally arrived.

Chou Nu continued, "Dragon Qi does not reside in famous mountains or great marshes, but in the hearts of the people—the hearts of the commoners.

The more people there are, and the more unified their hearts, the more Dragon Qi there is.

Mr. Taiyi's true identity is the Prefect of Wangyue Prefecture. Who in these nine counties and twenty-eight townships doesn't know that prefects and magistrates come and go like flowing water, but the Ning Master is as steadfast as iron? And who doesn't know that the Ning Master is a great philanthropist, and that almost everyone who treats them well was arranged by him?

Even in years of disaster, when the Prefect opened the granaries to distribute grain, it was only after the Ning Master went to have a heated argument with him that the Prefect finally agreed. To plead for the people to such an extent, earning the respect of the government—it is only because Mr. Taiyi is the true Prefect. Very few people know this; aside from one Prefect and nine magistrates, no one else knows. It is all an act.

Therefore, in Wangyue Prefecture, the one who holds the hearts of the people is Mr. Taiyi."

Ning Xuan was instantly puzzled. "So, Old Man is actually very powerful?"

Chou Nu shook his head and sighed softly. "Perhaps it is the rule of heaven and earth: those who can gather Dragon Qi cannot practice cultivation. Not only can they not cultivate, but their vitality will also decline faster, and they may even pass away earlier than ordinary people."

Ning Xuan said in astonishment, "Then why gather that damn Dragon Qi?"

Chou Nu said, "Although they cannot cultivate, they can distribute the Dragon Qi they have gathered. Those who receive his Dragon Qi will be completely loyal to him. If he orders us to die, we will die. His words possess a special magic to us; we have no choice but to obey.

Now, if it were you. Would you choose to live in ignorance, trembling in a terrifying and unknown world, perhaps becoming food for some demon one day? Or would you seize the opportunity to become one who can gather Dragon Qi, thereby enjoying a life of splendor and a prestigious family?"

Ning Xuan said, "That would obviously be the latter. But what about the Emperor? I mean the true Emperor—why doesn't he control all the Dragon Qi, ruling the mountains and rivers and commanding the state with absolute authority? Why does he let others divide it?"

Chou Nu shook his head. "I am also very curious about this, and I have made many guesses myself. For instance, perhaps an Emperor cannot bear the Dragon Qi of an entire nation, or perhaps an Emperor cannot precisely control the hearts of the people in a specific region. But these are just my own wild guesses and cannot be taken as fact. However, there is no doubt that the power controlled by the Emperor far exceeds that of a Prefect."

After speaking, he gave a faint smile. "In fact, you can tell just by the name. Prefects are appointed by the Emperor; how could they ever surpass him?

However, wherever a Prefect goes, a family is established.

But the Emperor cannot tolerate the splendor of a second-generation family.

Currently, Mr. Taiyi's vitality is nearly exhausted. Earlier this year, he traveled for a long time to many places. He went to the Imperial Capital to complete his official report, and he also went to Hanzhou to arrange a marriage alliance for you.

Next month, his successor will arrive.

His official career has reached its end, and his life is nearing its close.

But Mr. Taiyi has many concerns.

He worries about the disappearance of the Ning family."

Ning Xuan said, "So, Old Man raised you."

Chou Nu smiled bitterly. "Is it that simple? Every new Emperor brings new officials. I am Mr. Taiyi's man; even if I change masters, I won't be cultivating the new master's Dragon Qi. Even if I did, as long as the proportion does not exceed what was before, I would still be loyal to Mr. Taiyi. How could he tolerate me?

Originally, you were to go to Hanzhou to marry the concubine's daughter of General Qin's family, and I had already prepared myself to be a dog."

Ning Xuan was somewhat confused.

Chou Nu continued to explain, "Once Dragon Qi appears, it does not dissipate. If I fall, my Dragon Qi will naturally sink into this place, and someone else will be able to absorb it. Why do you think he wouldn't 'kill the donkey once the grindstone is worn out'?"

He tilted his head back and said, "Perhaps the new Prefect needs to consider whether anyone is capable of receiving my Dragon Qi; he needs to consider whether I might fight back desperately to the death. After all, I am a Celestial Master, while he is just an ordinary person.

I can only find a balance between being a dog and being a military threat. Combined with the accumulation of feelings over time, only by truly becoming his direct subordinate can I truly integrate into the new Prefect's system."

Ning Xuan looked at his elder brother with sympathetic eyes.

How could one word, "miserable," possibly describe his brother's life?

Even if he were truly sent to the Hanzhou pastures through marriage, at the very least, he would have a woman's embrace to lie in, and at the very least, he would have fine food and silk, wouldn't he?

But his brother?

He had lost his name and his face; he had nothing left but the truth and power.

Moreover, he could fully imagine that his brother also bore the mission of "secretly guarding and revitalizing the Ning family."

Was this a life meant for a human?

His brother's life was destined to be one of constant trepidation, as if standing on the edge of an abyss or walking on thin ice.

Could his brother ever reach the other side?

"Then, Celestial Master Chou, what did Old Man's assessment of me mean?" Ning Xuan asked.

Chou Nu said solemnly, "Your strength is extraordinary, even reaching the level of those Demon-Plagued Martial Artists."

Ning Xuan asked in surprise, "Demon-Plagued Martial Artists?"

Chou Nu said, "When infected by demonic blood, most people die instantly, but a small number of martial artists with firm wills can resist slightly, thereby coexisting with the demonic blood and gradually mastering demonic power through cultivation, blood-swallowing, and other methods.

However, these Demon-Plagued Martial Artists are usually eccentric and short-lived.

Yet you, however, can possess strength comparable to a Demon-Plagued Martial Artist without being infected.

You must know that those who cultivate Dragon Qi are Celestial Masters. If a demon gets close to them, even a thousand or ten thousand Celestial Masters would not be enough to stop the demon from killing. Not only that, but when a Celestial Master performs magic, they must close their eyes to enter a meditative state.

Therefore, a Celestial Master requires powerful Daoist attendants.

We need attendants not only to help defend against demons but also to strike and kill the demons that have been trapped.

Because of this, Demon-Plagued Martial Artists are extremely important.

As for those sorcerers, they have no right to possess Demon-Plagued Martial Artists; they can only select slightly stronger martial artists from the wandering world."

Ning Xuan realized, "So, I am not a Demon-Plagued Martial Artist, yet I possess the strength of one. This will give our Ning family some advantages?"

"Yes," Chou Nu responded, then continued, "A few days ago, Mr. Taiyi sought me out. He let me know of your uniqueness, and then told me that the Emperor once promised that if someone possessed the strength of a Demon-Plagued Martial Artist but remained uninfected, they could be titled... a General.

The reason for this is that Demon-Plagued Martial Artists are short-lived, but a General's life is not. Not only is it not short, but they may also break through their limits through cultivation, extending their lifespan and eternally guarding the mountains and rivers."

Ning Xuan said, "So you brought me to Manfeng Mountain just to see what level my strength has actually reached. But last night, you unintentionally heard the wind from my saber practice, and combined with other matters, you made your decision."

"Correct," Chou Nu said. "I have made my decision."

"Since I am certain you have the qualifications to become a General, then there is no need to save Manfeng Mountain specifically for the next Prefect.

I must help Mr. Taiyi finish the job completely.

If the demons of a region are eradicated, the Prefect of that region will receive an extra gift of Dragon Qi from heaven and earth.

The stronger the demons, the greater the gift.

Although this gift is not a continuous stream like the hearts of the people and is a one-time occurrence, it is truly immense.

With this Dragon Qi, I can take a step further and better deal with variables.

Our arrival at Manfeng Mountain has already touched upon the interests of certain people, and they have already come knocking at our door.

And we... can also make our move.

Qingfeng, you only need to be responsible for swinging your saber. I will deal with those demons."

Ning Xuan was stunned.

There was so much information in his brother's words.

It sounded as if... the demons of Manfeng Mountain were not impossible to solve, but were being intentionally left unsolved for the next Prefect.

Then his brother must be very strong.

And this Imperial Dynasty must also be very strong.

As for being a General...

Being a General was certainly better than being a live-in son-in-law.

Moreover, the strength he had displayed was not even half of his true strength.

And as time progressed, the gap between his superficial strength and his true power would only grow wider.