Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Beating the Mandarin Ducks

"Zhao Peng, why do you look so miserable? What happened?"

Ning Jiang could see that Zhao Peng was black and blue, his body covered in injuries.

It was obvious he’d been beaten up.

"I got beaten up."

Sure enough, Zhao Peng gave a bitter smile and explained what had happened.

"So it’s a matter of the heart. Zhao Peng, let me ask you one thing: does she like you back? If it’s just you pining for her, that’s unrequited love. But if she likes you too, then it’s mutual."

Ning Jiang spoke in a slow, leisurely tone that washed away all feelings of agitation.

He had already heard about this matter.

The cause was a woman named Fang Ying, whom Zhao Peng was fond of.

Fang Ying was from the Fang Family, a minor, unranked family in Luoyang City.

The Fang Family didn’t even have a single Innate Realm expert. There were at least several hundred small families like this in Luoyang City.

As far as the Fang Family was concerned, Fang Ying’s status was also a bit special. She was an adopted daughter, not related by blood.

The current trouble was that a young master from the second-tier Liu Family, Liu Tang, had taken a fancy to Fang Ying.

Although Fang Ying couldn’t compare to the famous Four Great Beauties of Luoyang, she was still a renowned beauty in her own right.

"Xiaoying and I have known each other for years. Of course she likes me back. We’re in love. Xiaoying already promised that if I wait two more years and propose, she’ll marry me."

As Zhao Peng spoke, his eyes reddened. "But then this Liu Tang appeared out of nowhere and set his sights on Xiaoying. Xiaoying has no feelings for him at all, but the Fang Family only wants to use her to curry favor with the Liu Family. They don’t care about her wishes and are forcing her to be with Liu Tang."

Zhao Peng’s face was filled with rage whenever he mentioned Liu Tang.

Liu Tang knew full well about his and Fang Ying’s feelings for each other, yet he still tried to steal her away. He even sent people to beat him up and warn him not to get close to Fang Ying again.

"Even a blood daughter can sometimes become a tool for a marriage alliance for the sake of family interests, let alone an adopted one."

Ning Jiang shook his head. Zhou Lingwei, for example, was being forced by the Zhou Family to marry Zhao Feng, much to her reluctance.

If that was the case for Zhou Lingwei, what hope did an adopted daughter have?

For the Fang Family, sacrificing Fang Ying to win the Liu Family’s support was a can’t-lose proposition.

"There are only three days left. After that, the Fang Family will take Xiaoying to the Liu Family to finalize the engagement."

Zhao Peng’s fists clenched, his eyes filled with pain. "I’m at my wit’s end. I don’t have the strength to stop this, so I had no choice but to come find you."

"Ning Jiang, can you help me?"

Zhao Peng looked at Ning Jiang as if he were his last lifeline. Ning Jiang was his final hope.

If even Ning Jiang couldn’t help, then he would be utterly hopeless.

"Alright, I understand the situation now." Ning Jiang smiled faintly. "Zhao Peng, don’t worry. Since you and Fang Ying are in love, I won’t stand by and watch while the Liu and Fang families try to tear you apart."

Ning Jiang had always valued loyalty and friendship. Back on Yang Liu Road, Zhao Peng had stood up for him. At that time, he had promised that if Zhao Peng was ever in trouble, he could come find him at the Drunken Moon Pavilion, and he would help him once.

His promises were always valid.

"Ning Jiang, thank you."

Zhao Peng’s eyes grew hot, and he was on the verge of tears.

He had thought that after not seeing each other for a while, Ning Jiang might have grown distant. After all, their friendship was only slight, formed when they were both street vendors on Yang Liu Road.

One must understand that this trouble would offend a second-tier family like the Liu Family. An ordinary person would have likely made excuses and refused to get involved, but Ning Jiang had agreed to help without a moment’s hesitation.

At that moment, he felt that knowing Ning Jiang was the luckiest thing that had ever happened to him in his life.

"By the way, Ning Jiang, what’s your background, exactly?"

Zhao Peng asked. Liu Xianyu’s immense respect for Ning Jiang that day had left a deep impression on him, making him think Ning Jiang came from a powerful background.

"Me? I’m pretty much a lone wolf right now. No background to speak of," Ning Jiang said frankly.

"Huh? Then what about the Liu Family?" Zhao Peng was stunned. If Ning Jiang had no background, how could he help him?

"Ning Jiang, if you don’t have a powerful background, then just forget it. I don’t want to drag you into this and get you involved." Zhao Peng gritted his teeth and said.

"You’re a kind-hearted person, but if I don’t help you, what will happen to Fang Ying?"

Ning Jiang smiled, his expression as gentle as a spring breeze and nurturing rain. "Zhao Peng, in this world, backgrounds are illusory. Strength is the most important thing. At all times, it is strength that commands respect."

"Of course, while I may not have a background, I do have some connections. If any real trouble arises, using those connections won’t be a problem."

Ning Jiang patted Zhao Peng’s shoulder. "Alright, don’t overthink it. Go home, get some rest, and let your face heal. Otherwise, people will probably laugh at you if you show up at the Liu Family’s home looking like this. Come find me in three days, and I’ll go with you."

He spoke slowly, his voice flowing like water, calming the heart.

"Okay."

Zhao Peng nodded, choosing to trust Ning Jiang.

After Zhao Peng left, Ning Jiang returned to his room and saw Ning Yu’an.

"Little brother, what happened to you?"

The moment she saw Ning Jiang, Ning Yu’an was shocked and asked with concern, "Are you sick?"

"Sister An, does my complexion look full and healthy, like I’m sick?" Ning Jiang chuckled. "My hair turned white because I was repairing a Magical Treasure. It’s nothing serious."

As he spoke, a soft look flashed in his eyes. "Sister An, you don’t look well. Haven’t you been sleeping well lately? I made you worry while I was in the Demon Mist Mountain Range."

Her pretty face showed signs of exhaustion, clearly from a recent lack of rest.

"As long as you’re back safe, that’s all that matters. But if there’s a next time, I’m definitely going with you. I absolutely won’t let you go alone," Ning Yu’an said resolutely.

This time, Ning Jiang had been gone for over half a month, and she had spent every day tossing and turning, worried sick.

In fact, not long after Ning Jiang left, she had already regretted letting him go alone.

If Ning Jiang hadn’t returned soon, she was about to charge into the Demon Mist Mountain Range to find him.

"Alright, alright, I’ll listen to whatever Sister An says."

"That’s more like it. Little brother, tell me what you went through in there. Your sister wants to hear."

Hearing this, Ning Jiang naturally agreed and recounted everything that had happened.

"Hmph, I knew I shouldn’t have let you join some Zhou Family Medicine Collection Team. That Zhou Lingwei is really annoying." When she heard that Zhou Lingwei had looked down on Ning Jiang, Ning Yu’an couldn’t help but snort coldly.

As Ning Jiang’s sister, she naturally sided with him and was displeased with Zhou Lingwei.

In the rest of his story, Ning Jiang omitted the part about being hunted by Chen Wu to spare Ning Yu’an the worry.

He only said that after making progress in his cultivation, he encountered a group of candidates for the Ten Great, had a conflict with them over a Pill Cauldron, and then unleashed his might, sweeping them all aside and earning the title of the White-haired Ghost.

Hearing this, Ning Yu’an couldn’t help but laugh. "Little brother, since when did you learn to brag? Are you just trying to make your sister happy? The White-haired Ghost... that does sound pretty domineering."

"As long as Sister An is smiling, that’s all that matters."

Ning Jiang smiled without further explanation. As long as Ning Yu’an was happy, he was satisfied.

On the fifteenth of the first month, at the annual gathering at Star Moon Lake, Ning Yu’an would find out for herself just how outstanding her little brother had become.

’What’s so great about sweeping aside the candidates for the Ten Great?’

’When the time comes, I’ll crush even the Ten Great themselves underfoot.’

"That Body Refining Technique of yours is truly amazing. You’ve become much more handsome than before, and your skin is even better than a woman’s. If you go out like this, who knows how many girls’ hearts you’ll capture," Ning Yu’an teased.

The current Ning Jiang had indeed changed tremendously. His features were perfect, a clear light shone in his eyes, his shoulder-length white hair shimmered like pearls, and his body was flawlessly proportioned and pure.

"Looks are just skin-deep. Peel back the skin, and there’s just a skeleton. It’s nothing to care about." Ning Jiang wasn’t someone who cared about appearances. "Actually, Sister An, as you cultivate the Purple Qi Creation Technique, you’ll become more and more beautiful too."

"But being too beautiful isn’t necessarily a good thing. You’ll have people pestering you every day. It’ll be annoying as hell."

"Nonsense." Ning Yu’an rolled her eyes at Ning Jiang and said petulantly, "Of course, for a woman, the more beautiful, the better."

As a woman, she naturally couldn’t escape the desire for beauty.

"Besides, if someone really does come to pester me, don’t I have my little brother by my side? You can send them away for your sister then." Ning Yu’an smiled sweetly, her beautiful eyes like pools of water.

The two siblings chatted for a while, during which Ning Jiang gave Ning Yu’an some pointers on the Purple Qi Creation Technique.

For three straight days, Ning Jiang stayed with Ning Yu’an, enjoying a rare three days of leisure.

「The third day. Night.」

"Young Master Ning, I’ve handled the matter you instructed me to. They’ve been notified," Zheng Zhiyuan reported.

An hour ago, he had been sent by Ning Jiang to take care of something for him.

As for his current cultivation, after taking the Bodhi Pill, he had broken through quite smoothly and was now an Innate Realm expert.

He was even more grateful to Ning Jiang.

Without Ning Jiang, it would have likely taken him several more years of hard work to step into the Innate Realm.

"Alright, you may go." Ning Jiang waved his hand.

Not long after Zheng Zhiyuan left, Zhao Peng arrived.

"Ning Jiang, are we really going just the two of us?" Zhao Peng was still a little anxious.

The thought of the two of them, people with no background, going to the Liu Family made him feel uncertain.

"What, if you’re scared, then don’t go. Just let Fang Ying get engaged to someone else," Ning Jiang goaded.

Zhao Peng’s eyes turned red. "I would rather die than let that happen."

"That’s the right spirit." Ning Jiang laughed heartily, and the two of them set off for the Liu Family estate.

...

The Liu Family estate was located in the western district of Luoyang City.

The entire Liu Family manor, while not as grand and imposing as the Liu Clan’s, was still magnificent and opulent, radiating the majesty of a great house.

At this very moment, in the rear courtyard of the Liu Family estate.

A group of young men and women were gathered there.

"Liu Tang, congratulations."

"Haha, I’ve seen that Fang Ying before. She’s as beautiful as a flower. She and Cousin Liu are a perfect match."

"Oh, right, we also have to congratulate Brother Liu Yang. Brother Liu Yang, with your recent breakthrough to the Postnatal Peak, you’re sure to make a stunning impression at this year’s annual gathering."