Chapter 33: The First Treasure

Uncle Tang, whose name was Tang Chuan, was the ruler of Ping’an Prefecture, north of Wangyue Prefecture.

Ning Xuan had originally wanted to hold a banquet, but Tang Chuan waved his hand and said gently, “It’s already evening. A bowl of plain noodles will do. As for the wine, let’s skip it. I know a little about what you want to ask, nephew. Let’s talk while we eat.”

Ning Taiyi smiled and said, “Xuan’er, we in this line of work pay great attention to our bodies. We only eat a few bites of big fish and meat if we can’t avoid it. Let alone your Uncle Tang, even if you look at me, have I ever overeaten or overdrank?”

Ning Xuan suddenly thought of the president of the Fugui Merchant Guild. He was fat and had big ears, and he usually ate delicacies from the mountains and seas. This comparison really showed the difference.

He nodded.

Ning Taiyi said, “Your Uncle Tang and I only need two bowls of plain noodles. As for you… you can eat as much big fish and meat as you want. You are different from us.”

Ning Xuan smiled and had Xiao Jie make the arrangements.

Soon, three bowls of noodles were served.

Two bowls of plain noodles, fragrant, with chopped green onions floating on top, and green vegetables neatly arranged.

Ning Xuan’s noodles just had an extra piece of big meat on top.

The three of them started eating the noodles.

As they were eating…

Ning Taiyi said, “Old Tang, you stayed in the imperial capital for a long time and only came out in the last ten years. Is there anything you can teach my Xuan’er?”

Tang Chuan said, “The imperial court is undergoing a reform.”

Seeing Ning Taiyi’s cautious expression, Tang Chuan added, “There’s nothing wrong with saying this. The imperial court has begun to pay special attention to generals, and has also begun to specially cultivate demonic plague martial artists with good self-control.”

Ning Taiyi asked, “How are they paying special attention?”

Tang Chuan said, “I don’t know. After all, I don’t have any other general’s sons or nephews, so I have no way of knowing. But nephew will know soon.”

Ning Taiyi was extremely sharp. He frowned and said, “Are you saying that even if I report to Great General Qin this time, in the end… Xuan’er and my Ning family will still have to listen to His Majesty’s orders?”

Tang Chuan did not answer, but suddenly asked, “How many years of history do you think the Qin family has?”

Ning Taiyi’s face showed a look of horror.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard of this, but no one dared to mention it so openly.

The Great General Qin’s residence had stood for more than eighty years. Two Sons of Heaven had already died, but that Great General Qin was still there, and Great General Qin had clearly become an evergreen tree in the entire Hanzhou and even this region.

Tang Chuan said, “So our new His Majesty, who has not been on the throne for long, wants to make some changes. His Majesty will not force the new generals, but will give them many benefits. So, Brother Ning, nephew, you can put your hearts at ease.”

Ning Xuan’s head was spinning.

Tang Chuan’s meaning was nothing more than that His Majesty wanted to divide the “generals” into a “new faction and an old faction.” The “new faction” was closer to His Majesty, and also made a division with the “old faction.”

Demons, and then power struggles…

Could they still live their lives?

He began to have a headache for his father.

The Ning family was saved.

But the future of the Ning family was not stable.

Was his future wife a person from General Qin’s residence, or a person from His Majesty?

Anyway, he didn’t see this kind of marriage-arranged wife as a wife. Everyone was a representative of one side’s interests. As long as she wasn’t ugly and wouldn’t insult him, it was fine.

But then, he realized that the person who said this was Tang Chuan.

What was Tang Chuan here for?

Tang Chuan was here for a marriage alliance.

With Tang Chuan saying this, his father would feel that he couldn’t marry either side, so wouldn’t he just marry the Tang family’s daughter?

They were all old foxes…

Ning Xuan ignored this and instead asked curiously, “Why has the Great General Qin’s residence been able to last for eighty years?”

The Great General’s residence being able to last for eighty years did not mean that the Great General had only lived for eighty years, but that he had lived for eighty years after becoming a great general, and until now, the Great General’s residence was still standing, which showed that he had not yet aged.

Tang Chuan did not answer, but picked up the noodle bowl and drank the remaining noodle soup clean. Then he reached into his bosom, took out a palm-sized jade box, and then pressed it on the table and pushed it towards Ning Xuan.

He smiled and said, “I was originally going to sell this item, but I am quite satisfied with your means and character, nephew. Whether we have the opportunity to become a family or not, this item is a gift to you.”

As he spoke, he said, “Open it and take a look.”

Ning Xuan’s finger moved.

The box opened, and a palm-sized flying knife was revealed inside.

But this knife had no hilt, and its whole body was cast from metal, with an extremely thin blade.

Looking again, he felt that this metal was cold all over, and there were faint blue thorny ice patterns inside.

No matter how many times steel was forged, it could not produce this kind of texture. This could only mean that the metal itself had a special nature.

Tang Chuan smiled and said, “Try holding it tight.”

Ning Xuan avoided the blade and held it with his five fingers.

As soon as he held it, he felt a terrifying cold air rush out.

He let go of his hand.

Thud.

The flying knife fell to the ground.

Tang Chuan looked at him strangely and said, “Nephew is really cautious. You have caught a cold. Shouldn’t you use your qi and blood to resist?”

Ning Xuan said, “Uncle Tang, don’t keep me in suspense.”

Tang Chuan said, “You can use your qi and blood to resist the cold air, and then invade the knife in reverse, so that this flying knife can be completely controlled by you. This knife can not only withstand all your power, but also sense your qi and blood. Before your qi and blood are exhausted, it can fly in the air and completely obey your will.”

Seeing that Ning Xuan still didn’t hold it.

Tang Chuan said, “This item was obtained by Bing’er in the Divine Weapon Camp. She can’t use it, so I, her father, brought it out this time.”

Ning Taiyi’s eyes showed a look of surprise, and he praised, “Your daughter actually went to the Divine Weapon Camp?”

Tang Chuan smiled and said, “Brother Ning, am I sincere? Why don’t we let the children see each other? If they like each other, that’s good too.”

Ning Taiyi fell into thought.

Tang Chuan was calm and composed.

Ning Taiyi felt his son’s curious gaze and explained, “The Divine Weapon Camp is a mysterious force established by the imperial capital after the appearance of the demons. I don’t know anything else, but I know that the weapons produced by the Divine Weapon Camp are all quite powerful things.”

Tang Chuan smiled and said, “It wasn’t easy for Bing’er to enter this camp. She went through many assessments. The Storm Pear Blossom and Four Generations Under One Roof were all part of her assessment works. The Divine Weapon Camp only allowed her to enter the camp after confirming that she indeed had talent.”

Ning Xuan slowly clenched the flying knife.

The coldness attacked.

He pushed back with his qi and blood.

Slowly, the coldness dissolved, and the flying knife established a mysterious connection with him.

The two words “refinement” instantly appeared in his mind.

With a thought, he held his five fingers in the air, and the flying knife began to spin with a “whoosh whoosh whoosh” sound; with another thought, the spinning flying knife suddenly stopped; with another thought, the flying knife spun around in the hall.

He found it interesting and got used to this flying knife.

He became more and more proficient, and the speed of the flying knife also became faster and faster, gradually turning into a rainbow light that lingered, circling like a silver yarn spindle.

He felt the consumption.

The flying knife consumed a lot.

It consumed more than his full-strength attack.

The faster the flying knife, the farther it went, the greater the consumption.

Ning Xuan tested it simply.

Soon, he stretched out his palm, and the rainbow light landed in his palm again.

He stared at this settled rainbow light, this flying knife with thorny ice patterns, and couldn’t help but think of the “brocade kasaya” and the “yin wind flag.”

Although this flying knife was just the simplest weapon that could withstand his power, and although it did not have the function of sharing and dissolving power like the “brocade kasaya,” or the function of helping the yin wind like the “yin wind flag,” it was already a real treasure, and not a treasure made of incense fire.

“Thank you, Uncle Tang!”

Ning Xuan stood up and said gratefully.

Tang Chuan chuckled and then said, “Bing’er is very outstanding, and you are also very outstanding. Do you two juniors want to see each other?”

As he spoke, he looked at Ning Taiyi and smiled, “Brother Ning, why don’t we take a walk together after dinner and talk some more.”

Ning Taiyi smiled and said, “Alright.”

The three of them walked together in the garden of the mansion.

Just as they were chatting happily, a golden light suddenly surged from the ground and appeared next to Tang Chuan. It was a middle-aged Heavenly Master in a purple robe.

The Heavenly Master’s expression was respectful towards Tang Chuan, and he said in a low voice, “Prefect Tang, something has happened.”

Tang Chuan frowned and said, “Can’t you see that I’m having a good chat with Brother Ning and Nephew Ning?”

The Heavenly Master said in a deep voice, “Prefect, it’s a big matter. A lot of demons have appeared in the west of Ping’an Prefecture. The black smoke is rolling, it’s simply a demon tide.”

Tang Chuan was stunned.

Ning Taiyi said, “Then Brother Tang, you should go and attend to your business first.”

Tang Chuan nodded and then said, “Brother Ning, nephew, I’ll go and attend to my official business first.”

The three of them said their goodbyes.

Immediately, the purple-robed Heavenly Master took Tang Chuan and hurriedly disappeared from the spot.

Ning Taiyi looked at the disappearing golden light and said, “Each family sweeps the snow in front of their own door. After all, sweeping the snow also has its benefits. If you can’t sweep it, you have to bear the disaster yourself, unless you have made a deal in advance, or the higher-ups have made arrangements.”

He was explaining this to Ning Xuan.

Even if the demon disaster next door was turning the world upside down, and even if he had a good private relationship with Tang Chuan, he would not help for no reason.

Tang Chuan obviously understood as well, so even though the Heavenly Master had the word “panic” written on his face, he did not ask this ready-made “quasi-general nephew” for help.

This was the rule.

Ning Xuan stretched his body and said, “I’m going to have a second meal.”

Ning Taiyi smiled and said, “You brat, where do you want to marry your wife from?”

Ning Xuan said, “I want to marry Xiao Jie. There’s no trouble at all.”

Ning Taiyi said, “Don’t worry, Dad will do his best to help you check.”

Ning Xuan waved his hand and said, “Alright, Dad, you can do as you please.”

After speaking, he returned to his original dissolute and dandy appearance.

Ning Taiyi looked at his back, and the smiling expression on his face slowly disappeared. He coughed heavily a few times, and his eyes were full of weakness. He murmured, “Your marriage is the last move I can make for the Ning family before I die… I… will definitely make it well, so that the Ning family will not be destroyed.”