Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 382: Chapter 378: Lü Qinghe’s Regret

”My surname isn’t Jiang. It’s Ning. As in Ning Jiang!”

The moment he spoke, the surroundings instantly fell into a dead silence.

Countless gazes turned to shock, staring in disbelief at the white-haired man before them.

Jiang Ning.

To many, this was an unfamiliar name. But if you swapped the two words to make it Ning Jiang, it was a name that echoed like thunder!

Some time ago, the Evil Spirit Sect was annihilated. The Myriad Swords Sect rose to take its place as one of the new Eight Top Grade Sects, and news of this had spread throughout the Six Eastern Provinces.

The name Ning Jiang, in particular, shone brilliantly and was known by countless people.

And those who paid the most attention to Ning Jiang were, naturally, the younger generation.

Anyone from the younger generation would be familiar with the name Ning Jiang.

”He’s... Ning Jiang?”

Feng Sisi’s pretty face instantly turned pale. She never would have dreamed that the man she had so thoroughly scorned would turn out to be the Master of the Myriad Swords Sect, whose fame had been soaring like the midday sun!

”Jiang Ning, Ning Jiang... so that’s how it is.”

Lan Nongyu’s beautiful eyes were also wide with astonishment. To her, the name Ning Jiang was also incredibly famous.

During her time in Liang Province, nearly everyone in the younger generation was talking about Ning Jiang.

After all, what he had done was too astonishing, to the point of being unbelievable. For the great and mighty Evil Spirit Sect to be utterly crushed—such a thing was simply earth-shattering.

She had been very curious to see for herself what sort of peerless bearing this renowned man possessed.

But she never expected that Ning Jiang, who had seemed so distant, was right here before her eyes.

’That’s right. The Ning Jiang from the rumors had hair just like this, pure white. And that distinctive aura of his is a perfect match, too.’

Lan Nongyu murmured. Outsiders’ descriptions of Ning Jiang often included the phrase ”his expression wouldn’t change even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.” They said he was as calm as a demon—neither arrogant nor rash. He seemed less like a young man and more like an unfathomably deep old monster.

At the time, she had thought that people might have been exaggerating about Ning Jiang.

But seeing him now, she knew those evaluations were entirely accurate.

”Ning Jiang, Master of the Myriad Swords Sect!” Yun Dingtian’s eyes flew open. Thunderbolt flickered within them, and arcs of electricity spilled out, causing the entire space to brighten in a sudden flash.

A vast aura was slowly released from his body.

Everyone’s expression changed again and again.

It was an intense battle intent!

”Master of the Myriad Swords Sect. Is that supposed to be impressive? On the turf of my Extreme Heaven Sect, even a tiger must lie down, and even a dragon must coil up.”

Yun Dingtian’s voice was immense, booming like thunder.

Given the Myriad Swords Sect’s current power, there were indeed few sects in the Six Eastern Provinces that would dare to provoke it, but the Extreme Heaven Sect was not one of them!

As the strongest sect beneath the Super Sects, the Extreme Heaven Sect’s power and foundation were far beyond what other Top Grade Sects could compare to.

Besides, in his eyes, Ning Jiang was, in the end, a young man just like himself. There was no need for reverence!

”Those who block me die. That includes you!”

Everyone could feel the killing intent radiating from Ning Jiang. It was like a raging tide, so intense it was almost tangible.

”HAHAHAHA! Ning Jiang, in all these years, you’re the first person who has dared to speak to me like that. Good. Very good. I’ll be sure to leave your corpse intact!”

Yun Dingtian let out a long laugh.

BOOM!

In that instant, endless Thunderbolt surged forth from his body.

”Let’s fight.”

Ning Jiang said no more and took a step forward.

...

「At the same time.」

Outside the tea banquet.

”Qinghe, where’s Jiang Ning?”

After catching up with a few friends, Lü Xingfan found Lü Qinghe, but he couldn’t see Ning Jiang and was a little puzzled.

”He’s with Lan Nongyu.” Lü Qinghe pouted, disgruntled. ”Father, have you still not given up? I told you, I will never like him, and I will never be with him.”

”You foolish child.”

Lü Xingfan’s anger flared. He had heard these words from Lü Qinghe far too many times. He snapped in frustration, ”Do you have any idea who he is? If you could really be with him, it would be a blessing you’ve cultivated over three lifetimes, do you understand?”

”Father, what are you talking about? He’s so ordinary. What’s so good about him?” Lü Qinghe protested.

”That’s right, Sect Leader. That Jiang Ning has no abilities to speak of. I taunted him a few times, and he didn’t dare do anything to me. He’s just a spineless coward,” Fang Heng chimed in from the side.

”What? You dared to taunt him?”

Lü Xingfan’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, his face ashen. ”You bastard! I ought to slap you dead!”

”Sect Leader, what’s wrong? What’s his background?”

Fang Heng frowned. No matter how slow he was, he could now see how important Ning Jiang was.

”You two, do you remember how we were being suppressed by the Mountain and Sea Sect a while ago?”

”I remember. But didn’t the Mountain and Sea Sect reconcile with us?”

”Reconcile my ass!” Lü Xingfan, who was usually unflustered by favor or disgrace, couldn’t stop himself from cursing on the spot. ”Do you have any idea that just a week ago, the Vice Sect Leader of the Mountain and Sea Sect and a group of experts came to our gates, intending to wipe out our Sect?”

”What?”

It was the first time the two of them had heard this, and their expressions changed drastically.

”And do you know how the Nine Profound Sect survived this catastrophe?”

”Could it be...”

Fang Heng and Lü Qinghe looked at each other, seeing the disbelief in the other’s eyes.

Wasn’t that right when Ning Jiang arrived at the Nine Profound Sect?

”Father, was it because of him?” Lü Qinghe asked in disbelief.

”That’s right. You’ve finally realized. If not for him, my Nine Profound Sect would have ceased to exist long ago.” A bitter smile touched the corners of Lü Xingfan’s mouth.

”But what right did he have? What qualifications did he possess to force the Mountain and Sea Sect to retreat?” Fang Heng retorted, unconvinced.

”What right?”

Lü Xingfan’s mouth twitched. He took a deep breath and said, word by word, ”On the basis that his name is Ning Jiang!”

”On the basis that he is the Master of the Qing Province Myriad Swords Sect!”

”On the basis that he grievously wounded the Vice Sect Leader of the Mountain and Sea Sect with a single sword strike!”

These words exploded in their ears like claps of thunder.

In that moment, both Fang Heng and Lü Qinghe’s jaws dropped, and they stood dumbfounded.

The Master of the Myriad Swords Sect, Ning Jiang, the man who had caused such a massive uproar in the Six Eastern Provinces, was the very same Jiang Ning they had been looking down on this whole time?

”Did you think the tea party a few days ago was an invitation for my Nine Profound Sect?”

Lü Xingfan’s voice was stern. ”The only person truly invited to that tea party was Ning Jiang. The Mountain and Sea Sect was merely using the event to apologize to him. But you two, you just had to be blind to this fact. You truly disappoint me!”

As he finished speaking, the color drained completely from their faces.

”No wonder Lan Nongyu considered him so important...”

Lü Qinghe murmured. Then, she remembered something else. ”In that case, the one who grievously wounded Gu Feng with a single finger... that was him too?”

She suddenly recalled how the disciple from Gu Feng’s sect had said the word ”Jiang” before being cut off.

Without a doubt, that person was Ning Jiang!

”How could this be? How could this be?”

Fang Heng’s lips trembled, a deep fear spreading from the depths of his heart. Just what kind of terrifying figure had he been offending these past few days?

That was the ruthless man who had crushed the Evil Spirit Sect!

BOOM!

Just then, an earth-shattering bang echoed out.

All eyes turned to look.

They saw two Heaven-Reaching beams of lightning suddenly soar into the sky. Within them were two proud, world-defying figures.

”If you’re so amazing, why didn’t you tell me sooner...”

Gazing at that figure in white robes with white hair, Lü Qinghe’s heart was drowned in endless regret.

「December 1st.」

Deep winter.

At the Liang Province Extreme Heaven Sect, the great battle between Ning Jiang and Yun Dingtian officially began!