Chapter 52: Let's Run Away Then
In the courtyard of the Pri Minister's residence, the once arrogant eagle that had dominated the palace now stood obediently before Xu Ning, receiving a reprimand like a chastened child.
"Couldn't you have been a little more discreet? You had to show off your full size. Now look what's happened. The whole of Da Xuan is talking about the divine eagle that saved the Emperor!" Xu Ning's face was full of exasperation, pacing back and forth.
The whiny eagle looked guilty, standing there with its head down, not daring to react or make a sound.
"Not talking? I won't forgive you even if you don't talk! Do you know? Your appearance has likely already attracted the attention of cultivators. Powerful ones. And we need to prepare to flee now," Xu Ning sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair.
Once the cultivators noticed this event, they would inevitably investigate. They would want to capture this silly eagle as a mount or a specin.
After all, a flying mount that could travel so fast would certainly be much more convenient in the cultivation world. It would be highly coveted.
Once the cultivators began investigating, the entire capital would inevitably be in turmoil. Many of Xu Ning's secrets might be exposed. He couldn't risk that.
Originally, Xu Ning was looking forward to experiencing the feeling of being a regent, guiding the empire. But now, he had to leave early. His ti was up.
The fabric for his clothes was almost ready. After upgrading the three garnts to the mortal-level divine grade, Xu Ning packed everything he needed to take into the thatched hut and hid it outside the capital city, preparing for his departure.
Yingying Monster and Tie Dan were also thrown into a deep mountain to wait, their transformations ready.
Back at the Pri Minister's residence, Xu Ning found a quiet place to lie down and entered a state of suspended animation. He looked as if he had passed away peacefully.
This state was an ability that appeared after cultivating the Thousand Shadows Transformation technique to a certain level. Unless a grandmaster personally examined the body, no one else could see through the ruse. It was perfect.
After all, the Thousand Shadows Transformation technique itself had beco extrely profound. It could now be cultivated to the tenth level, far beyond anything known in the martial world.
Having spent so many years in the Hanlin Academy, Xu Ning had read almost all the books there, gaining considerable knowledge. His understanding was vast.
Although the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art and Snow Shadow Step hadn't reached the mortal-level divine grade, they were exceptionally profound, even giving Xu Ning a sense of disbelief at their complexity.
Even the most talented grandmaster would shake their head and say they couldn't understand these techniques. They were beyond mortal comprehension.
The next day, the Pri Minister, who was always present at court, suddenly didn't attend the morning session.
Xia Yun imdiately sensed sothing was wrong. Xu Ning would always send word or ask for leave if he wasn't coming. This was unlike him.
So Xia Yun imdiately sent soone to the Pri Minister's residence to check on him. The ssenger returned with terrible news: the Pri Minister had been dead for so ti, his body already cold.
Upon learning this news, Xia Yun couldn't bear the blow and collapsed, falling ill. He lost his closest friend and advisor.
Princess Xia Li went to the Pri Minister's residence personally. After confirming Xu Ning's death, she beca completely disoriented, lost in grief.
The sudden death of the great pri minister plunged the entire nation into mourning.
The people of Da Xuan knew that their current life of prosperity and peace was largely due to this great pri minister's policies. They grieved sincerely.
Afterwards, Xia Yun issued an edict posthumously conferring upon Xu Ning the title of Grand Tutor, the highest honor. He personally wrote the four characters "A Great Pri Minister" in his own hand, arranging for Xu Ning's burial in the imperial mausoleum with the highest honors Da Xuan could bestow.
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On the day of the funeral, Xia Yun was carried to the ceremony, his face slightly pale, his eyes filled with profound sorrow.
Xia Li stood beside him, watching the grand funeral procession depart, silent for a long ti. She didn't cry. She was beyond tears.
Xia Lin and Shen Yun knelt beside the bier, heads bowed, silent, tears streaming down their faces. They had lost their teacher.
ng Lingzhu also arrived. Now over sixty, she looked unusually aged. She watched the funeral procession depart with a complex expression in her eyes, filled with mories.
Xu Ning's passing seed to foreshadow sothing.
Shortly after, Princess Xia Li followed him, her health failing. In accordance with her final wishes, she was buried alongside Xu Ning in his mausoleum, finally together in death.
A year later, Xia Yun passed away, his health never recovering. The Crown Prince, Xia Lin, succeeded him as Emperor.
ng Lingzhu also died soon after, her long life finally at an end.
Suddenly, many cultivators arrived in Mingdu City, seemingly investigating sothing about the giant eagle. They moved discreetly.
Ultimately, they found nothing of interest and gradually departed, leaving the city.
Not long after the cultivators left, a young man riding a donkey, wielding a long axe, appeared in the martial world. He declared his intention to challenge all martial artists, to test his skills.
This man was none other than Xu Ning, reborn under a new identity.
The donkey was a transformation created by Tie Dan using the Thousand Shadows Transformation technique. The long axe was the divine-grade mortal axe he had upgraded.
Xu Ning had heard the news of Xia Yun and several old friends from the capital city passing away. He could only sigh, lanting that he hadn't been able to see them off on their final journey. But he couldn't risk exposure.
As for anything else, Xu Ning felt numb. He had long been ntally prepared for the deaths of mortals, so he didn't feel excessive grief. He had to move on.
Riding his donkey along the official road, Xu Ning's face was relaxed, finally free.
The position of pri minister indeed held supre power and influence.
But it was equally exhausting, filled with endless paperwork and political maneuvering. Compared to that, being an ordinary person was far too easy.
When Xia Yun personally led his army into battle, Xu Ning truly wanted to go with him. What man doesn't dream of conquest and glory? It had been hard to resist.
Now, freed from those shackles, he had finally regained his freedom. He could realize his dream of roaming the world with a sword, challenging all cors.
Having studied in the Hanlin Academy for so many years, even reading every book there, he still hadn't been able to upgrade his four cultivation techniques to the mortal-level divine grade. They were stuck.
Therefore, Xu Ning knew that relying solely on these mortal books was probably insufficient. Only by acquiring a large number of unseen cultivation techniques from other martial artists could he eventually upgrade so of his techniques to the mortal-level divine grade.
Therefore, Xu Ning's next task was to acquire a large number of martial arts techniques through honorable challenge.
In the following days, Xu Ning began to gather information about various martial arts figures and then went to challenge them directly.
The condition for victory or defeat was simple: the loser hands over their martial arts technique. If Xu Ning lost, he would hand over his techniques. If the opponent lost, they would also have to hand over theirs.
Of course, Xu Ning couldn't directly challenge them with the strength of a Grandmaster, as the opponent would refuse. That would be unfair.
Therefore, Xu Ning adopted the alias Li Xunbei, calling himself a scholar-knight, and revealed only his acquired cultivation level. He was an up-and-cor.
One day, after a long journey, Xu Ning arrived at his third stop and found his target: Yu Jun, the Mad Dragon Hand, a famous martial artist.
After the previous two challenges, Xu Ning had gained so fa, which naturally reached this area.
So, upon seeing Xu Ning, Yu Jun was completely dumbfounded. "Are you really the scholar-knight Li Xunbei? The one who's been challenging everyone?"
Xu Ning asked in surprise, "What? Is there a problem? Do I not look like it?"
Yu Jun pointed at the axe. "You call yourself a scholar-knight, so why are you using such a large axe? Scholars use swords, not axes."
Xu Ning looked down at the axe in his hand, which was almost as long as the donkey's body, and then said reasonably, "It's perfectly reasonable for a weak scholar like to carry an axe for self-defense. It's practical."
"Stop talking nonsense. You should have heard of my rules. The loser hands over the martial arts manual. Don't feel like you're at a disadvantage. I have two top-tier martial arts manuals to offer if I lose."
Yu Jun looked at Xu Ning warily, feeling that sothing was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Sothing was strange about this "scholar."
Seeing his hesitation, Xu Ning couldn't wait any longer. "Stop talking nonsense and make your move! Ti is wasting."
After saying that, he leaped off the donkey's back and swung the massive axe at Yu Jun.
"Take my three-strike attack!"
Yu Jun was dumbfounded. Dude, you said you weren't abrupt? You call three strikes in a row not abrupt? That's an ambush!
But there was no other way. Yu Jun went straight for it, blocking desperately.
As a result, Xu Ning chopped him down with the backs of his axes twice, inflicting serious injuries on the martial artist.
That's right, only the backs of the axes. If the sharp front edges had been used, Yu Jun would have been cleaved in two. Xu Ning was holding back.
"I surrender!" Without hesitation, Yu Jun declared, dropping his weapon.
The mont they clashed, he realized the terrifying difference in their strength. He knew there was no way he could win. This "scholar" was far stronger than he appeared.
Xu Ning, of course, wouldn't harm him further. He needed the opponent's martial arts technique intact. That was the whole point of the challenge.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed a challenge. He could have just stolen the techniques, but that would violate his principles.
In the end, Yu Jun had no choice but to hand over his technique, grumbling about the strange scholar-knight with the giant axe.
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