“His temperament changed drastically, rising to fame overnight… a protagonist possessed by a powerful expert?”
As a seasoned reader, Xu Ning was more than familiar with this kind of trope.
“Not easy to deal with. Usually, this type of protagonist advances at an astonishing speed, with endless trump cards,” Xu Ning thought.
…
The following days passed in calm and stability.
Aside from consolidating his cultivation, handling Northern Army affairs, and winning over the hearts of the people in Zhenbei City, Xu Ning spent most of his time accompanying Yuwen Rou—admiring flowers, enjoying the moon, and steadily increasing the favorability of the woman of destiny.
As for the fate of the Yuwen Family, Yuwen Rou’s suggestion was simple: let His Highness decide!
Though it sounded straightforward, it concealed subtle intentions.
She cleverly took advantage of Xu Ning’s tendency to favor those close to him. Rather than making demands herself and risking his displeasure, she left the decision to him. This way, the room for compromise became much greater.
Xu Ning’s method, however, was simple and ruthless. He ordered Yuwen Shuang to write down the list of those who had attended the Yuwen Family’s treason meeting that day and had them all arrested.
After gathering them together, he commanded that those with low cultivation be slowly executed in front of everyone—serving as a brutal warning to deter others.
As for the rest, he branded them all with slave marks and sent them to the frontlines of the Northern Army, forcing them to sacrifice their lives for the empire and extract their final value.
The core members of the Yuwen Family, witnessing this, were shocked by his iron-handed methods and terrified by the extent of his intelligence network. Under this dual pressure, they treated him with absolute reverence, unable to harbor even the slightest thought of rebellion.
Xu Ning couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—being ruthless was far more effective than playing the benevolent role.
Faced with such an outcome, Yuwen Rou could only let out a helpless sigh.
In her eyes, Xu Ning had done nothing wrong. The fact that he hadn’t exterminated the entire Yuwen Family was already an act of great mercy toward her.
After this period of growing closeness, her trust and affection for Xu Ning deepened. However, once it reached a certain point, it stagnated—unable to cross the final threshold.
Xu Ning had considered planting a slave mark on her.
But while a slave mark could force submission, it could not win her heart. It would only breed resentment.
Though he had yet to fully win over Yuwen Rou, Xu Ning was not anxious. He already had a plan in mind to conquer her completely.
The next morning, at early dawn, a radiant golden sun slowly rose above the horizon.
Suddenly, a disturbance came from his Storage Ring. A sound-transmission jade slip flew out.
“Master, Long Lingtian is about to break the restrictions of the Demon Lord’s Heavenly Tomb.”
Yuwen Shuang’s voice came from within the jade slip.
Her tone was strange—filled with unwillingness, yet utterly respectful.
This was the terrifying nature of the Great Dao Slave Canon. Even though the marked retained their own consciousness, they would prioritize the master’s will above all else.
“Mm.” Xu Ning responded indifferently and ended the communication.
Looking at the rising sun before him, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
“It seems… the leeks are fully ripe.”
… This story is hosted at novelping.com.
Mystic Saint Heavenly Domain, Northern Region, Supreme Void Holy Land.
Inside a cave dwelling shrouded in immortal mist, chaotic sounds echoed.
A man and a woman lay intertwined, their bodies slick with sweat, writhing like two entangled serpents, occasionally letting out sharp cries.
With the woman’s final soft exclamation, the sounds gradually subsided.
“Fengyao~ you’ve made me so uncomfortable,” the woman complained coyly, casting a flirtatious glance at the young man.
The young man had phoenix-like eyes, a hooked nose, and high cheekbones. There was a rebellious, untamed air about him. He ignored the woman entirely, instead closing his eyes to sense the growth of his cultivation.
In his previous life, he had been a Great Saint, bearing the title “Immortal Slayer.”
As the name implied, he was powerful enough to slay even immortals.
In his world, the Great Saint Realm was the absolute peak, allowing one to break through dimensions and ascend.
However, during his ascension, he was struck by a mysterious heavenly lightning bolt. His physical body shattered, and his soul drifted through the vast currents of spacetime, eventually arriving in this world and inhabiting the body of a youth named Ji Fengyao.
At first, the original host’s lingering obsession was too strong, constantly resisting him.
Bound by cause and effect, he had no choice but to swear upon his Dao Heart—to avenge the original host and kill the Mystic Saint Empress. Only then did he gain full control of the body.
Three years had passed. Now, he finally possessed the strength to take revenge.
“Good. My Yin-Yang Heavenly Shaping Art has broken through to the third layer. The path to revenge is within reach!”
A thoughtful look crossed his face, and a trace of greed flickered in his eyes.
“I wonder how Rou’er is doing lately. She is the reincarnation of the Mysterious Maiden. With the Immortal Dao about to reopen, the people of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Pool should soon come for her.”
“As long as I become her Dao companion, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Pool will surely accept me. By then, reaching the Sovereign Law Realm will be only a matter of time!”
As he spoke, the aura of the 5th stage Heavenly Venerable Realm erupted from him, releasing a terrifying pressure.
“Once I step into the Sovereign Law Realm, I can trigger a dark upheaval! Even that Mystic Saint Empress will become my plaything. As long as I absorb the Empress’s spiritual essence, I will secure a place in the great struggle of fate!”
“It’s time to return to the Yuwen Family.”
…
Great Zhou Empire, Royal Capital, inside a bustling tavern.
“Hey, have you heard? Yuwen Wushuang, the Northern King of the Mystic Saint Immortal Empire, plotted rebellion to wipe out the Xu Family, but Xu Ning saw through it in advance and set a trap to kill him!”
A patron spoke excitedly.
“Of course! They say that Young Master Xu Ning was rumored to be a useless playboy, but it was all an act. With such scheming and methods, it’s truly terrifying! If not for Yuwen Wushuang’s rebellion, he might have kept hiding forever!”
“And now that he’s gained the Empress’s favor and inherited the Northern King title, he’s truly a role model for us!”
The one speaking was a richly dressed young noble. His aura had reached the 5th stage of the Primordial Essence Realm—considered a top genius even in the vast Royal Capital.
Yet when speaking of Xu Ning, his face was filled with admiration.
“I heard this whole incident started because of some nobody named Long Lingtian. That fool dared to covet Xu Ning’s concubine and even tried to snatch the bride on his wedding day, which led to everything!” Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“That Long Lingtian is nothing but a clown, harming both himself and others!”
The patrons were in the midst of heated discussion when suddenly—
“Enough!” A furious roar filled with unwillingness echoed through the tavern, startling everyone.
The one who spoke was a young man dressed in black, his eyes bloodshot and his expression twisted with rage.
It was Long Lingtian.
Beside him sat two stunningly beautiful women.
The patrons were frightened, and several young men angrily stood up. However, upon sensing the terrifying fluctuations of his peak 9th stage Creation Realm cultivation, they shuddered and sat back down, not daring to speak further.
“Brother Lingtian, don’t be angry. That Xu Ning is nothing more than a stepping stone on your path of cultivation. Once you inherit the Demon Lord’s Heavenly Tomb, you can easily cast him aside.”
A gentle, melodious voice spoke.
Long Lingtian’s expression eased considerably.
He took a deep breath and looked at the young woman before him.
She wore elegant robes, adorned with golden hairpins and jade ornaments. Her refined beauty radiated noble grace.
During this period, he had encountered a mysterious cousin who had once stayed with his family in his youth—Zhou Shuxian.
It turned out that her background was extraordinary. She was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Great Zhou royal family, who had once taken refuge in the Long Family to escape palace conflicts.
More importantly, she held deep affection for him. After reuniting, she had secretly opened the royal treasury for him.
With the resources of the royal treasury, his cultivation soared rapidly. Gradually, he regained some confidence after being suppressed so miserably by Xu Ning.
Opportunities seemed to come one after another. Recently, he had also encountered Yuwen Shuang, who had escaped from the Yuwen Family. After learning that Xu Ning had taken over the entire family, his hatred grew so intense that he nearly ground his teeth to dust.
“Shuxian, you’re right. Xu Ning is nothing in my eyes!”
“Once I inherit the Demon Lord’s legacy, I will slaughter the entire Xu Family! Not a single one will be spared!”
His face twisted with ferocity as he clenched his fists.
At the side, Yuwen Shuang watched him swear so confidently, her beautiful eyes dimmed with sorrow.
Xu Ning has already broken through to the Heavenly Venerable Realm and still has countless hidden methods… Lingtian, you are no match for him… she thought bitterly.
She desperately wanted to tell him everything she knew.
But bound by the Great Dao Slave Canon, she could not do anything that would betray her master—not even hint at it.
Seeing her expression, Long Lingtian assumed she was grieving over the Yuwen Family, so he comforted her, “Shuang’er, don’t worry. With me here, I’ll protect you! If I encounter Xu Ning again, I’ll tear him into pieces!”
As if responding to his words, a startled cry suddenly came from outside.
“Young Master Xu Ning has arrived!”