"Eighth Brother, this item is..." Ji Mingyuan asked curiously.

"Nine Flower Jade Dew." Ji Minghao replied coolly.

Upon hearing these four words, Jiang Ning’s heart stirred slightly.

"Many thanks to the Eighth Prince."

He immediately accepted the ceramic jade bottle handed over by Ji Minghao and expressed his gratitude.

Then he opened the bottle and drank it all in one go.

Immediately, a cool sensation slowly seeped down from his mouth, permeating his lungs and spreading to his five internal organs.

As the permeation continued, the coolness transformed into a profound chill.

The chill was extremely intense, as if it were about to freeze his internal organs.

But in the face of this chill, the urge to cough disappeared without a trace.

The curse power that spread within him seemed to freeze, falling into a state of stagnation.

"Truly good stuff!"

Jiang Ning closed his eyes and savored it for a moment, then opened his eyes and praised.

At this moment, he could feel the temporary easing of discomfort in his body, and the curse power was no longer spreading.

"If it wasn’t good, how could I give it to Brother Jiang at this moment!" Ji Minghao said with a faint smile.

"Thank you!" Jiang Ning clasped his hands in respect.

"Safety is the priority on this journey!" Ji Minghao said, then glanced at Ji Mingyue beside Jiang Ning.

He continued, "Also, remember to ensure the safety of Shiqi!"

"Understood!" Jiang Ning replied.

"In that case, I won’t delay Brother Jiang’s journey any longer!" Ji Minghao said.

"Farewell!" Jiang Ning clasped his hands in respect.

"Brothers, take care of Father in my stead!" Ji Mingyue said to the others.

"Go with peace of mind, Shiqi!" The Third Prince said calmly.

Just as the two were about to set off.

"Wait!" A woman’s voice called from within the city.

"Second Sister!!" Ji Mingyue turned her head to see Ji Mingya rushing towards her.

"Shiqi is leaving, and you didn’t inform me!" Ji Mingya approached Ji Mingyue, her face showing a trace of anger.

"It’s nothing major, just going south for a bit!" Ji Mingyue stuck out her tongue.

Seeing this, Ji Mingya pinched her cheek.

"You really need to be more thoughtful!" she said, then turned to Jiang Ning: "When you’re out, remember to take good care of Shiqi!"

"Rest assured, Second Princess!" Jiang Ning replied.

As he spoke, he deliberately coughed lightly twice.

Seeing Jiang Ning’s action, a hint of sigh appeared in Ji Mingya’s eyes.

"Take care of yourself!" she advised softly.

Jiang Ning smiled, though his smile seemed somewhat strained at this moment.

A moment later.

Screech——

With a long cry of an Immortal Crane.

The Immortal Crane shot up into the sky like an arrow, soaring straight up into the clouds.

With the crane’s rapid ascent, Ji Mingyue held tightly to its neck and shrank into Jiang Ning’s arms.

Jiang Ning squinted his eyes slightly as the howling winds blew past his ears, the ground below seemingly plummeting rapidly.

Meanwhile, gazes from below watched the Immortal Crane as it soared toward the south.

On the distant city wall.

Two figures stood.

One was an elderly figure, hunched over, with a head full of grey hair like withered grass, his eyes empty and hollow, appearing eerie.

Beside the elder stood a tall, imposing man of extraordinary bearing, and this man was Xiao Wuque.

"After watching, how do you feel?" Xiao Wuque asked.

The blind elder shook his head: "Cannot escape the death calamity!"

Recalling Jiang Ning’s previous demeanor, Xiao Wuque said no more but nodded.

He sighed immediately: "As the tree stands out in the forest, the wind will surely destroy it!"

The blind elder nodded: "His rise is too swift and too dazzling, regardless of the reason, no one wants to see him grow. The current outcome can be said to be inevitable."

"What a pity!" Xiao Wuque sighed.

"Indeed a pity!" The blind elder nodded and continued, "In over eight hundred years, though young, he is the rare true potential I’ve seen, close to matching your mentor."

"Did you see something before?" Xiao Wuque asked.

"Saying this is meaningless!" The blind elder shook his head.

Then he continued, "Where is your teacher? Has your teacher ever examined him?"

Xiao Wuque shook his head, "My teacher once examined the curse on Emperor Ji. It involves the Way of Karma. In Martial Arts, my teacher fears no strong enemy, but on the Great Way of Rules, my teacher is helpless!"

"Your teacher values him so much, making two attempts for him, yet now even he has given up. It seems..." At this point, the elder shook his head and sighed.

Xiao Wuque remained silent.

On the other side.

At the Ten-mile Pavilion outside the city.

Over the years, this place had long developed from a "pavilion" into a bustling town where traveling merchants stop, rest, and trade.

At this moment, under the tea shed by the bluestone road.

A few men dressed as wandering martial artists were looking up at the Immortal Crane that had turned into a black dot in the sky.

"The Dongling Marquis has truly left the city." A man with a bushy beard said in a low voice, his tone carrying some weight.

"I heard some days ago he was coughing badly, the Curse Power had entered his lungs. Yet instead of waiting to die at the National Master Mansion, he still chooses to head south as the State Patrol Envoy. Hehe..." Another lean man chuckled, his eyes glinting brightly.

"Since he is the Zeshan State Patrol Envoy, now that Guangning Prefecture, Cross Immortal Gate, and Yingtian Alliance are in great turmoil, opposing the government head-on, I’ve heard some people from the Inspection Mansion have died in conflicts! I heard that person from Cross Immortal Gate has personally stepped into the fray!"

"Could it be Ji Mingzhou?"

"Who else but him? Ji Mingzhou, who is said to rival a First-grade person, had been in seclusion trying to achieve the First Grade Mixed Yuan realm. Now he’s suddenly come out of seclusion for some unknown reason, acting extremely overbearing, eradicating any sect in Guangning Prefecture that doesn’t submit to him."

"With him stepping in, it’s no wonder Guangning Prefecture is seeking outside aid!"

"If they don’t seek assistance, that Marquis Wen Yuan might truly fall into that man’s hands one day! I heard recently, Marquis Wen Yuan was also vomited blood by Master Ji!"

"Cross Immortal Gate has changed its modus operandi so drastically, who knows if there is some other force behind them. This Dongling Marquis, now cursed and greatly weakened, might have just plunged himself into a den of dragons and tigers!"

"It’s hard to say! Anyway, his journey won’t be smooth. The eyes of the world are watching!"

"..."

At this moment, numerous eyes in Ten-mile Town were fixed on the Immortal Crane, which had turned into a black dot in the sky.

Until that black dot completely vanished from everyone’s sight.

Moments later, one message after another spread from the town.

The Dongling Marquis has left the city, heading south!!

...

Above the clouds, the view was clear, and the Great Sun hung high like a fireball, radiating light and heat.

The rolling clouds beneath gathered like a sea, making it hard to tell whether it was the sky or the ground.

At this moment, the cloud crane spread its wings, surrounded by a faint azure glow, cutting through the fierce winds, flying extremely steadily.

It was evident that this Immortal Crane had the power to ride the wind.

The back of the crane was broad, its feathers sleek and glossy, Ji Mingyue held onto the crane’s neck, eyes slightly squinted as she looked ahead.

"Look, the golden sun!"

Jiang Ning looked at her silhouette and smiled.

With each breath, he could feel the boiling heat entering his lungs.

Like flames burning inside him, scorching away the filthy Qi within.

"Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun here, the progress in Inner Elixir Cultivation must be swift!" A thought flashed through his mind.

"How does it feel?" Ji Mingyue’s voice carried over with the wind, then she turned her head to look at him, her eyebrows and eyes were beautiful, filled with a smile.

"Very satisfying!" Jiang Ning opened his arms, like a roc spreading its wings, "Up here in the clouds, the world seems vast and free!"

Ji Mingyue let down her hair, opened her arms, and closed her eyes.

"I feel the same!!"

"I’ve always enjoyed letting the crane take me above the clouds to soar."

At that moment, the crane beneath them seemed to sense something, allowing a gust of wind to blow over.

In an instant, Ji Mingyue’s long hair atop her head was blown up by the fierce winds.

The flying locks occasionally slapped against Jiang Ning’s face.

Jiang Ning could smell the faint fragrance at the tip of the strands.

He could sense Ji Mingyue’s good mood and a smile slowly appeared on his face.

In the next moment.

The Immortal Crane abruptly let out a long cry and flipped 360 degrees.

Ji Mingyue exclaimed, tumbling heavily into Jiang Ning’s arms.

Jiang Ning hugged her firmly.

Once the flight steadied.

Ji Mingyue with a face full of playful anger stomped on the crane’s back.

"Naughty!! Scared me again!!"

Jiang Ning’s lips curled slightly.