Chapter 49: Lingyan Small Group, Divine Eagle Covering the Sky (6.0K words – large chapter)

Ning Xuan was playing with the green jade pendant.

A wisp of cool feeling came from the jade pendant, which could indeed calm one’s mind.

Although this jade pendant could not control the demonic plague martial artists, it was indeed unusual.

The young master of the Flying Eagle Tower had really put in some effort to make him believe that “this jade can control the demonic plague martial artists.”

He casually threw the jade away, because Xiao Jie had come.

As soon as Xiao Jie came, she flew into her lord’s arms like a swallow returning to the forest, and then found her position on her lord’s firm thigh. She moved her soft and glutinous hips and sat obediently.

After Ning Xuan had her sit properly, he asked, “May I ask for the young lady’s name?”

Xiao Jie was stunned. Before she came, she had actually heard the maid say that “the General was receiving some guests just now.”

But it was still very rare for the General to look for her immediately after receiving guests.

She glanced at the surroundings.

This room was a quiet study, which was equivalent to Ning Xuan’s private study.

She felt her waist again, and the hand was still holding it as usual.

Xiao Jie suddenly understood something. She bit her lip, her eyes a little dazed as she looked at the distance, and asked faintly, “If I lie, will the General kill me?”

Ning Xuan said directly, “The people from the Flying Eagle Tower just now have already been killed by me.”

Xiao Jie was stunned for a moment. Her originally stiff waist softened again, and her dazed eyes also regained their shimmering light.

She said, “My real name is Bai Yufei. When I was fleeing, I was covered in dust and dirt. I came to Wangyue Prefecture and happened to encounter the work of copying scriptures, so I made up a fake name to get by.

Who doesn’t want to seek stability?

But that day, when I met the young master, I saw that you were born with the appearance of a dragon and a phoenix, and my heart trembled…

I thought that instead of being ruined by an old man who was half-buried in the ground, it would be better to follow you, a handsome young master.

Even if you get tired of playing and send me away, at least my first time was given to a man I liked.”

As she spoke, she suddenly burst into laughter, “Later, I counted the silver and wanted to run away during the day, but at night, I was reluctant to leave your warm quilt. What I said about seeing the scenery in the distance was just a plan to pack my bags. But I really couldn’t bear to leave you. Every time I was with you, I always thought that if it could be like this forever, it would be great.

But who would have thought that the young master could reach this step today? It’s good to enjoy the shade under a big tree. I won’t leave. My heart is tied to you.

Alright, I’ve said everything I should say. Whether you want to kill me or cut me, it’s up to you. Anyway, I was born as the young master’s person, and I will die as the young master’s ghost.”

She closed her eyes, raised her snow-white neck, and assumed a posture of letting him do as he pleased.

Ning Xuan listened to her explanation and felt happy.

He asked again, “Why did the Flying Eagle Tower chase you? And why did you flee back then?”

Xiao Jie said, “My family and the Flying Eagle Tower, or rather, the Ma family, do have some connections. My mother said that our family and the Ma family belonged to the same sect a long, long time ago, called the Hehuan Sect.

Later, the sect declined and there were disputes, so it was divided into two.

My family’s elders left with a cultivation method called “Lingyan Small Group Art,” while the Ma family’s cultivation method was called “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art.”

My great-grandmother said that our family was very powerful back then, and the Hehuan Sect was also very powerful; my grandmother also said so, but after she got old, she was not sure, and said that she might have remembered it wrong; my mother said that my great-grandmother was lying, and the “Lingyan Small Group Art” was just a lightness skill and a way to please men.

But, even so, the “Lingyan Small Group Art” was a family heirloom, and she still made me cultivate it since I was a child.

Relying on this skill, my mother and I would also steal some property from the rich and unkind to make a living, and we were gradually called flying thieves.

Later, the Ma family came to find us.

The Ma family was the opposite of my family. Their “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art” was originally fierce and powerful, and it was not passed down in a single line like my family, so after they opened up to accept disciples, they quickly grew stronger. At that time, not only did they not decline, but they also established a force called the Flying Eagle Tower.

The Ma family found us and said that the reason why the Hehuan Sect was so powerful back then was because of the Hehuan Great Dao. Only when a woman who cultivated the “Lingyan Small Group Art” and a man who cultivated the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art” dual cultivated could they promote each other and repeat the glory of the past.

At that time, I was still young and a little moved.

But later, when my mother and I went to the Flying Eagle Tower, we were imprisoned…

Fortunately, the “Lingyan Small Group Art” also had the ability to shrink bones. My mother and I found an opportunity and secretly escaped. Later, the Flying Eagle Tower began to hunt us down. My mother died, and I came to Wangyue Prefecture. This is my whole story…”

Xiao Jie’s expression was sad, and then she said, “As for the “Lingyan Small Group Art,” I have already used it on the young master. Soft and boneless, as light as a swallow, these are all the results of my cultivation of the “Lingyan Small Group Art” since I was a child.

But the Hehuan Great Dao is actually a fabrication. I have cultivated this method for a long time and have never seen any other divine effects. And if there really was this Hehuan Great Dao, why would the Flying Eagle Tower imprison us?”

Ning Xuan held Xiao Jie in his arms and did not speak again, which was a kind of silent comfort.

Xiao Jie also quietly snuggled in her lord’s arms. No matter how difficult the past was, she had finally found a home.

The darkness had passed, and in the first light of dawn, the startled fledgling had found a new home and no longer needed to be afraid.

It was not until Ning Xuan suddenly asked, “Can you still shrink your bones?”

Xiao Jie nodded heavily and said, “Yes.”

Then she added, “This time, because of my matter, I have brought a lot of trouble to my lord. I will definitely let my lord see a new trick tonight.”

Ning Xuan said, “It’s also possible now.”

Xiao Jie’s cheeks flushed, and she clenched her powerless little fists and gently hammered Ning Xuan’s chest. She then got up secretly, pushed open the window and looked outside. Seeing that there was no one, she flew over and began to use her new skill.

This time, she was going to use all of the “Lingyan Small Group Art” to regain her position as “Madam Jie.”

“Whether you are moved” and “whether you have value” have always been… two different things.

Ning Xuan carefully felt the little concubine in his arms.

It was a very happy and pleasant feeling.

He couldn’t help but be filled with emotion and said, “In the past, you were just testing the waters and never used your full strength, right?”

Xiao Jie whimpered and said, “It’s not that I’m afraid that the young master will be suspicious, so I only used forty percent of my power at most.”

Ning Xuan suddenly felt that he was wrong.

He had previously thought that the red-robed courtesans of the Chenxiang Pavilion combined were no match for Xiao Jie, but that was not the case at all.

Those red-robed courtesans combined might not even be a match for one of Xiao Jie’s fingers.

As time went by, Ning Xuan suddenly had a strange feeling.

He felt that the “stiff” qi and blood in his body were beginning to become active.

It seemed that Xiao Jie was not having fun with him, but was carrying out a mysterious cultivation that was above physical pleasure.

Xiao Jie’s movements could actually vaguely move his qi and blood, giving the “stiffness” a mysterious feeling of “dissipating stasis,” as if a stagnant ocean had suddenly obtained a little initial power, and this power began to push the waves.

The waves were powerful, and their power could annihilate continents and destroy forests, but a small river or even a small pond could not.

In other words: only when the qi and blood were strong enough, or to be more direct, when the constitution reached about 10, could it be perceived.

However, Xiao Jie’s power was too small, so even if Xiao Jie was using her full strength, she still could not bring much improvement.

But even so, it was enough.

It wasn’t that Ning Xuan hadn’t tried the method of “activating blood,” but they had all failed.

But something that had failed many times had a turning point because of a good time with his little concubine.

Suddenly, an incredible thought came to him.

‘Could the matter of the Hehuan Sect be true?’

Then, his pupils shrank slightly again.

Because the second thought was naturally deduced.

‘If it is true, then on this land a hundred years ago, there were also many experts. Why did they decline? Was it because the demons became fewer or even disappeared for decades?’

‘Without powerful demons, the dragon qi that can be obtained is less; without demons, there are no demon pills…’

Then, the third thought jumped out.

When this thought jumped out, Ning Xuan also jumped up.

Xiao Jie was exhausted.

She had just used all her strength, and the consumption was huge.

“My lord…” she gritted her teeth, “I can still…”

Ning Xuan quickly put on his clothes and said, “I just suddenly thought of something I have to do.”

Xiao Jie said in surprise, “My lord doesn’t think that the dual cultivation method of the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art” is real, right?”

Ning Xuan touched her face and said, “As expected of Madam Jie, you can guess what I’m thinking.”

Xiao Jie smiled.

She knew that her position was stable again.

The matter of her hiding from her lord and bringing trouble to her lord had been revealed.

“Be careful.” She said seriously to her husband who was about to go out, like a virtuous wife.

Then, she saw Ning Xuan go out.

The young man wrapped himself in a wide black robe and went out.

She was still shouting from behind, “My lord, be careful.”

Ning Xuan actually rarely went out on his own initiative.

Because going out meant that he had to take the initiative to do something.

He had been very lazy recently.

He was waiting for Liu Shirong.

He wanted to use the merchant guild that traveled everywhere to learn some information about the demons outside.

In this regard, Immortal Aunt Yaozhen could actually do it, and the information that Immortal Aunt Yaozhen could provide might be even more. But… Ning Xuan didn’t trust a person whose ass was completely sitting on the “Son of Heaven’s faction.”

At least, he had to have a second way to get information, so as not to be “blinded by a single leaf” by Immortal Aunt Yaozhen.

He didn’t go to find his big brother because his big brother also had a lot of things to do.

His big brother needed to maintain the Ning family’s rule over the entire Wangyue Prefecture. It could be said that what he didn’t do, his big brother did for him. Otherwise, even if he was General An Yuan, other forces were not familiar with him, and they couldn’t eat from the same bowl, so he still couldn’t use them well.

But he was born not to like this kind of political maneuvering. His big brother understood him, and his big brother was also familiar with this set, so his big brother said nothing and silently endured everything.

Now, the entire Wangyue Prefecture knew that he, General An Yuan, was high above… but no matter how high above, he was just a symbol. The one they could directly contact was still the Heavenly Master Chou Nu. As long as Chou Nu was there, Wangyue Prefecture would not change, and as long as Chou Nu was there, Wangyue Prefecture would always be stable.

On the other side, his big brother was still discussing the future of the Ning family with his father. This was not to bypass him, but because it contained too many trivial matters and arrangements. His big brother did not want to delay him, a martial arts genius, because of these trivial matters.

In addition, his big brother knew that Immortal Aunt Yaozhen had gone to be a foreign aid, so he would occasionally guard the periphery of the General An Yuan’s residence, just as he had silently and quietly watched him when he was a child, for fear that there would be a weak point in the defense of the General’s residence.

Such a big brother, as soon as he opened his eyes every day, he was busy. How could he give him extra tasks?

As he was thinking, a golden light surged from the ground beside him, and two figures.

Chou Nu, wearing a ghost mask, appeared with a fainted young man.

This young man was the Qiao Ying who had left before, or rather, the “Flying Eagle Tower” master, Ma Yingxiao.

Ning Xuan let him go, but it didn’t mean that he could really get away.

Chou Nu saluted Ning Xuan and was about to leave.

Ning Xuan gave Ma Yingxiao another kick to make him faint deeper, and then said, “Big Brother, do you know that there was a group of human experts in the recent hundred years?”

Chou Nu had obviously thought about this matter for a long time. At this time, he said, “Logically speaking, there should be, because the great generals are all left over from that era, and then there was a fault of several decades, during which no great general has ever appeared.”

Ning Xuan said, “What about the history of that period? Dad… has my dad ever told you?”

Chou Nu looked at him in astonishment, and a complex look flashed in his eyes.

He was not stupid.

After experiencing so much, and the daily interaction, plus this kind of slip of the tongue that was no longer strange, he already had a guess in his heart.

Ning Xuan smiled, laid his cards on the table, and no longer pretended. He directly called out again, “Big Brother.”

Chou Nu was stunned for a moment, and a subconscious happiness appeared on his face behind the mask.

But then, he stubbornly shook his head and said seriously, “If I were your big brother, then Mr. Taiyi would have committed a great crime. No one can use dragon qi to cultivate the younger generation of the family, unless they get His Majesty’s permission. So, I am not your big brother.”

Ning Xuan said, “In my heart, you are.”

Chou Nu fell silent.

His eyes behind the ghost mask were slightly red. He looked at the sincere expression of the young man opposite him and knew that he had completely known his identity. After a little hesitation, he still nodded heavily.

Ning Xuan patted his shoulder and said, “Big Brother, let’s protect the Ning family together.”

Chou Nu said stubbornly, “I said you are not allowed to call me Big Brother.”

Ning Xuan smiled and said, “I know, Big Brother.”

Chou Nu also laughed, and tears fell from his eyes. He took off his mask, revealing his ruined face, rubbed his eyes, and looked at Ning Xuan. They both laughed out loud.

A moment later, Chou Nu put on his mask again and said, “Mr. Taiyi doesn’t know either. When he was in the imperial capital, he was a confidant of the late emperor. He doesn’t even know, so that period of history has really been erased.”

Ning Xuan said, “What about the archives and records?”

Chou Nu said, “The imperial palace was struck by lightning, and a fire burned everything clean.”

Ning Xuan said, “But I have now found a place, and that place is very likely to hide the legacy of the experts left over from modern times.”

Chou Nu said, “Flying Eagle Tower?”

Ning Xuan said, “Although there are no sweet plums by the roadside, I’m afraid there is something strange about it, but it is still worth exploring.”

Chou Nu said, “The Flying Eagle Tower is nothing. I’m just afraid that the third miss of the Qin family will cause trouble behind it. After all, you rejected her, and her fiancé is still that Huang Zhuangyuan… our grudge with him is not over yet. This time, with the addition of the ‘hatred of taking his wife,’ I’m afraid there will be another grudge.”

Of course, Ning Xuan would not say things like “it was clearly the General’s residence that arranged for Qin Yi’er to come.”

With Qin Yi’er’s tea art, it was not strange to turn black and white upside down.

He thought for a moment and began to tell the story of the “Lingyan Small Group Art,” the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art,” the Hehuan Sect, and Xiao Jie.

There was nothing to hide about this kind of thing with his own big brother.

Everyone shared information to avoid any mistakes.

A thoughtful look appeared in Chou Nu’s eyes, and then he suddenly clenched his fists and said resolutely, “Then we must go. We must get the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art”!!”

After speaking, his voice was full of fighting spirit, “That Huang Zhuangyuan Lang couldn’t kill us when we were weak, how can he succeed now? They only know that you are a martial artist who is not in the ranks, but they don’t know that you have hidden your strength and are a first-grade martial artist… This is enough to give them a big surprise.”

Ning Xuan: …

His lips moved, and he wanted to tell his big brother that he was actually in the second grade.

But in the end, he didn’t say it.

To step from not in the ranks to the first grade in such a short time could still be said to be a genius, a monster. But if he had stepped into the second grade, it would be hard to say.

This matter was too mysterious to be said.

Ning Xuan thought for a moment, and suddenly leaned closer and said in a low voice, “Big Brother, listen to me, I have a plan…”

Three days later, at noon, a heavy rain that washed the world poured down.

Ning Xuan heard Immortal Aunt Yaozhen’s nagging again.

“General Ning, you are a general enfeoffed in Wangyue Prefecture. Logically speaking, if there is no order from His Majesty and no special circumstances, you are not allowed to leave the fiefdom.”

The tiger tally made Ning Xuan a legal general of a place. He could let his partner use the dragon fire of this place to refine pills and cultivate resources, and he could make the prefect on the surface and the prefect in the dark all obey him…

But the tiger tally was also a restriction.

As long as he left the fiefdom, his partner would immediately know.

But it was only limited to knowing that he had left, and it was impossible to control his trajectory in real time.

“Ning Xuan, this poor Taoist has already hidden it for you for three days. This poor Taoist has not said anything. You… you should go back!”

Ning Xuan replied, “Yaozhen, I’m just going out to relax, letting the horse go where it wants, and digesting the inner demon produced by that demon pill, so that I can better serve His Majesty.”

“Why is the General so glib again… ah! I won’t talk about it first.”

Immortal Aunt Yaozhen had obviously encountered an emergency.

The muttering in Ning Xuan’s ear finally stopped.

The sound of the heavy rain washing the bamboo hat and straw raincoat came.

The strong horse raised its head and broke through the rain curtain.

“How much longer?” he asked in a calm tone to the young master who was half a horse’s length ahead of him.

The young master said with a bitter smile, “General, don’t worry, I still want to live. I won’t run around with you. But what do you want to do when you get to the Flying Eagle Tower?”

Ning Xuan opened his mouth and said nonsense, “This general wants to join the Flying Eagle Tower, learn the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art,” and then go to confirm whether the Hehuan Great Dao of the past is true. If it is true, this general will definitely work with the young master to make the Flying Eagle Tower flourish.”

The young master said, “Although there are offerings in my tower, there is indeed no one who has reached the level of General Ning… Others can’t, but General Ning really might be able to. Alas, I just hope that General Ning is sincere.”

Ning Xuan nodded and continued to stabilize the other party, “There is no conflict between our two families. Since the matter has been clarified, it is fine. After this matter, you can move to Wangyue Prefecture.”

As they spoke, the two fast horses had already passed through the forest and came to a strange terrain.

This was an inland lake hidden by the forest. There was a small island in the lake, and on it were high buildings and rows of stone houses.

The building was nine stories high, about ten zhang, and the stone houses were all about one zhang high.

And the path to such a lake was a row of locked bamboo raft bridges.

At this time, the rain was pouring down, and the lake was rippling. The bamboo rafts were also rising and falling with the clear water waves.

At the head of the bridge, there were two watchtowers. There were simple wooden houses on the towers, and there were faint figures looking out from inside.

The young master said, “General, it’s right in front.”

After speaking, he pulled the reins and was about to ride the horse quickly past.

But he did not succeed.

Ning Xuan had appeared by his side at some point.

He did nothing, but just released a little bit of blood qi. The strong horse that was about to charge just now suddenly quieted down, its legs trembled, and then it knelt down.

The young master who was thrown off stood up with a flip, but he did not dare to move. He just looked at Ning Xuan in surprise and said, “General, what do you mean by this?”

Ning Xuan said, “A copy of the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art” in exchange for your life, and a chance for the Flying Eagle Tower to rise. It’s very cheap, right?”

The young master nodded repeatedly and said, “Cheap.”

Ning Xuan said, “Are you your father’s only son?”

The young master said with a bitter smile, “No…”

Then, he added, “If I were, I would not have volunteered to take the risk and lead the offerings to your mansion to pull the tiger’s teeth.”

Ning Xuan sighed, “Sometimes, it’s really not easy for people to live well.”

The young master also sighed, and then replied, “The General is right.”

Everyone was a smart person, and the young master already knew what he was going to do.

He took a deep breath, stood on this side of the bamboo raft floating bridge, and used his qi to speak, and then there was a communication.

Soon, people began to walk out of the nine-story high building and the stone houses.

With the communication, the people inside also understood the meaning here, and they all looked at Ning Xuan with nervous and complicated expressions.

Ning Xuan took off his bamboo hat, and his black hair was wet and hung back, revealing his young face.

At this time, an old man came out from the crowd, his voice was loud, and he cupped his hands and said, “I, Ma Changfeng, the master of the Flying Eagle Tower, have seen the General. The General has come from afar, and has encountered a heavy rain. Please enter the tower, and let me prepare some thin wine to welcome the General. The rest of the matter can be discussed in detail at the banquet.”

Ning Xuan said loudly, “Does Master Ma know what ‘when the gods fight, the mortals suffer’ means?”

Ma Changfeng’s expression did not change, and he smiled, “Of course I know, but my Flying Eagle Tower is just a martial world force in the mortal world. How can it be involved in a fight between gods? Hahaha, the General is overthinking it. Please enter the tower quickly…”

Ma Yingxiao was stunned and shouted, “Dad! General Ning is sincere.”

Ma Changfeng said sternly, “You unfilial son, what nonsense are you talking about?”

Ning Xuan’s eyes narrowed. He had been given a chance, but the other party didn’t want it. His words were firm, and there was no room for negotiation.

He didn’t waste any more words and said directly, “Since Master Ma thinks that I can’t take away the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art,” then why not send someone out to try a few hands.”

After speaking, he pointed at the floating bamboo raft bridge, “Let’s try it here.”

Ma Changfeng asked, “How to try?”

Ning Xuan said, “Let’s have three rounds. If you lose three rounds, hand over the “Divine Eagle Covering the Sky Art”.”

Ma Changfeng said, “Alright.”