Chapter 352: Chu Ning? It's Me!

Chapter 352: Chu Ning? It's Me!

"Junior Sister!"

Just then, Cheng Qinghui led a group of female cultivators from Yaochi Palace back, flying towards them.

There were only a few dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators left on the other side, and with the addition of their two Core Formation cultivators, along with over thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators, they easily dealt with their opponents.

At this moment, Cheng Qinghui looked at Chu Ning with a surprised expression on her face.

"We don't know who this fellow daoist is, but his abilities are truly extraordinary."

The woman in white shook her head, her eyes fixed on the figure in the air.

Cheng Qinghui noticed the tortoise shell in the white-clad woman's hand and asked curiously, "Senior Sister Cen, what is that?"

Cen Ziqin lowered her head to glance at the large tortoise shell in her hand and replied, "Oh, Elder Jiang of Ziyue Sect tried to ambush me just now, and this fellow daoist gave it to me for protection."

Hearing this, Cheng Qinghui's eyes flickered with a strange light. "Junior Sister, you really don't recognize this fellow daoist? From what you said, he seems to care about you a lot. Could it be..." Cheng Qinghui didn't continue, but she knew that her junior sister would understand what she meant.

This junior sister of theirs had exceptional talent and beauty, one in a million.

There were countless cultivators who admired her.

Back when Ziyue Sect invaded Yaochi Palace, they had even listed this junior sister as the number one person they wanted to capture.

The woman in white furrowed her brows in thought, then shook her head. "It's unlikely. I don't have any impression of him in terms of cultivation techniques, spells, appearance, or figure. I don't think I know him."

Hearing this, Cheng Qinghui let out a soft 'oh'. "That's strange. If it's about appearance, you also know that illusion technique and can change your disguise. But if you say you don't have any impression of his cultivation techniques or spells either, then we'll have to ask this fellow daoist directly."

The speaker may have been casual, but the listener was not.

The white-clad woman's mind suddenly flashed with a figure, and she unconsciously shook her head, her eyes dimming.

She couldn't help but smile bitterly in her heart.

"How could it be him? When I left, he had only just reached the peak of Qi Refinement.

I'm only at the early stages of Core Formation myself, nearing the middle stages.

Even if he has some talent, it's impossible for him to have cultivated such profound abilities."

As the figure slowly faded from her mind, the white-clad woman's attention returned to the figure in the air.

After killing Jiang Jiu, who was at the peak of the late Core Formation stage, Chu Ning beckoned to the Five Elements Spirit Sword in the distance.

The giant sword immediately split into five, and with a hand seal from Chu Ning, the five spirit swords flew towards the other three Core Formation cultivators.

Three of the swords flew towards the Core Formation cultivator at the middle stage who was fighting Bailing, and the other two flew towards the early-stage Core Formation cultivators fighting against Da Jin and Xiao Jin.

Although Chu Ning could see that these three cultivators were no match for Bailing and the two Golden Thunder Eagles, he still chose to make a move to prevent any surprises.

The three Core Formation cultivators were already at a disadvantage against Bailing and the eagles, and with the deaths of their strong allies, they had already lost their will to fight.

However, they were unable to escape due to the speed of Bailing and the eagles.

Now, facing the spirit swords that Chu Ning had suddenly attacked with, they were completely defenseless.

In less than three exchanges, they were hit by Chu Ning's spirit swords.

In just a few breaths, the three Core Formation cultivators were consecutively killed!

This scene caused the female cultivators of Yaochi Palace to be astonished.

Everyone looked at Chu Ning, who had flown over, with admiration and confusion in their eyes.

Cheng Qinghui, the white-clad woman, and the other Core Formation cultivator took the initiative to greet him.

As the leader, Cheng Qinghui bowed first and said, "Thank you, fellow daoist, for your help. We will remember this great kindness and virtue!"

Following Cheng Qinghui's lead, everyone bowed.

Without receiving any response, Cheng Qinghui straightened up and unconsciously asked, "May I ask for your esteemed name, fellow daoist..."

Cheng Qinghui had only just started speaking when she paused, realizing that the cultivator before her wasn't looking at her at all but was instead staring straight at her junior sister, Cen Ziqin.

The woman in white naturally felt Chu Ning's gaze and was slightly startled. She immediately held out the tortoise shell and returned it to him. "Fellow daoist, your treasure!"

But to her surprise, there was still no response.

Chu Ning stared at the figure before him, his heart stirred.

Cen Ziqin! Even though her face was still veiled, Chu Ning recognized her at first sight.

When he had been fighting earlier, he had been able to maintain his calm.

He had kept a relative sense of rationality and composure.

But at this moment, all that rationality and composure had been thrown out of the window.

Originally, he had been concerned about using the illusion technique, and restoring his appearance in front of so many cultivators from Yaochi Palace seemed inappropriate.

But at this moment, all those concerns and worries were cast aside.

He looked at Cen Ziqin's eyes, which were like clear springs, and had only one impulse.

To tell her, it's me, Chu Ning!

Chu Ning's gaze went from complex to clear, and from clear to gentle.

His eyes were filled with a smile!

Seeing the smile in Chu Ning's eyes, Cen Ziqin's eyes flickered with confusion.

That gaze seemed vaguely familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

Decades ago, by the thousand lakes and islands, while sitting by the lake and sipping spiritual tea, she seemed to have seen that gaze often.

But how could that be?

He was just a lone cultivator, and with such profound abilities, how could he be that person?

But those eyes...

Before Cen Ziqin could react, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice rang out.

"Long time no see!"

Along with the voice, Chu Ning directly released the illusion technique, revealing his true appearance.

Cen Ziqin's eyes widened in shock, and the tortoise shell slipped from her hand, falling to the ground.

Her lips, hidden behind the veil, quivered as if she wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word.

All she could see was Chu Ning's gaze, filled with warmth and tenderness, and his face that seemed unchanged over the decades, yet felt somewhat unfamiliar.

That gaze, like his, seemed a little infatuated.

Everyone around them noticed the unusual atmosphere but remained silent, giving them space.

No one knew how long it had been, but gradually, the complexity in Cen Ziqin's eyes began to fade, leaving behind a clear and bright sparkle, with a hint of a smile.

She reached up and untied her veil, revealing her exquisite and otherworldly face.

Her red lips parted, but only two words escaped.

"Chu Ning!"

"It's me!"

The two shared a knowing smile.

Cen Ziqin then turned slightly and introduced them to each other.

"Senior Sister Cheng, Senior Sister Ge, this is my old friend, Fellow Daoist Chu Ning.

These are Senior Sisters Cheng Qinghui and Ge Yu, along with some of my sect mates."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Chu!"

Cheng Qinghui and Ge Yu bowed slightly, their eyes flickering between Chu Ning and Cen Ziqin, having witnessed the depth of their connection.

"You're most welcome," Chu Ning replied with a slight bow. "This place is not safe for a prolonged stay. There are still other cultivators from Ziyue Sect nearby.

To avoid further complications, let's depart without delay."

Cheng Qinghui quickly agreed. "You're right, Fellow Daoist. Our previous plan to stay in this area and seek revenge or rescue our sect mates from Xiao Yaoshan was ill-conceived.

We didn't realize that a slight exposure would alert them so quickly.

This time, they gathered six Golden Core cultivators, including Elder Jiang, along with several dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators.

If not for your intervention, I fear none of us would have escaped."

"They didn't just have a few dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators; there were two hundred of them," White Spirit added as she returned with the storage bags of the Golden Core cultivators. "The others were killed by our young master while they were busy fighting."

Although everyone had just witnessed Chu Ning's prowess against the Golden Core cultivators, they were still astonished to hear that he had single-handedly slain over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators without the others noticing.

Chu Ning was slightly taken aback by White Spirit's sudden revelation but smiled wryly and shook his head when he saw her grinning at Cen Ziqin.

As White Spirit gazed at Cen Ziqin, the latter was also examining her.

White Spirit's shape-shifting art was so exquisite that Cen Ziqin couldn't tell that she was the same spiritual beast she had held in her arms countless times.

Seeing White Spirit's beauty, which was no less than her own, Cen Ziqin's eyes narrowed slightly.

Sensing Cen Ziqin's gaze, White Spirit's smile only widened.

"Master, Cen Xianzi is looking at me," she teased through spiritual transmission.

Chu Ning turned and gave White Spirit a slight glare.

His illusion technique was simple to dispel, but White Spirit's shape-shifting secret art was not something he wanted to reveal to so many people.

Ignoring Cen Ziqin's curious gaze, Chu Ning turned to Cheng Qinghui and asked, "Senior Sister Cheng, do you have any large flying magical treasures among your group?"

"Unfortunately, we don't," Cheng Qinghui replied with a shake of her head.

Chu Ning then took out the huge bone boat from Elder Jiang's storage bag.

It was a decent flying magical treasure that could be used without any special refinement.

As Chu Ning infused it with spiritual power, the boat expanded.

He then invited everyone to board, and they soared into the sky.

Chu Ning, Cen Ziqin, Cheng Qinghui, and Ge Yu stood at the front of the boat.

"Senior Sister Cheng, do you have a destination in mind?" Chu Ning asked.

Hearing his question, Cheng Qinghui, Ge Yu, and Cen Ziqin exchanged glances, their eyes revealing their uncertainty.

Cen Ziqin spoke up, "How about we go to the Thousand Lakes and Islands? I visited there thirty-plus years ago.

There aren't any major sects there, and although the spiritual energy is a bit thin, at least we'll have a place to stay."

Chu Ning's heart stirred at Cen Ziqin's suggestion, and he had an idea, but it wasn't something he could share just yet.

Some matters required further discussion with Cen Ziqin.

Cen Ziqin must have already discussed this with the two Golden Core cultivators from Yaochi Palace, as they didn't object to her proposal.

"However, we can't fly directly to the Thousand Lakes and Islands. We must head west, bypassing the Biyu Mountain Range, and then go north to the southern part of the Qingxia Mountain Range.

From there, we can continue north to the Thousand Lakes and Islands," Cen Ziqin continued.

Cheng Qinghui quickly agreed. "Cen Shimei is right. The Biyu Mountain Range is a gathering place for the demonic path and the lair of Ziyue Sect.

By heading west and circling around the Tianyi Mountain Range, we can reach the Qingxia Mountain Range, which is the territory of orthodox sects.

It's unlikely that Ziyue Sect will pursue us there."

Ge Yu also indicated that she had no objections.

Chu Ning listened to their discussion without interrupting.

Once they had finalized their plan, he spoke up, "Senior Sister Cheng, may I trouble you to steer this bone boat? I have much to discuss with Ziqin after not seeing her for many years.

Without waiting for Chu Ning to introduce her, Cen Ziqin's gaze fell upon White Spirit.

"Chu Ning, you haven't introduced this fellow Daoist yet."

Hearing this, Chu Ning smiled but remained silent, instead turning to look at White Spirit.

"White Spirit greets Xianzi Cen." White Spirit giggled.

"Xianzi really doesn't remember me? Back then, Xianzi used to feed me spirit fruits all the time."

At these words, Cen Ziqin's lips parted slightly in surprise, and a hint of astonishment flashed in her eyes.

"You...are you Little White?"

"Xianzi finally remembers," White Spirit said with a light laugh. "I can't reveal my true form right now, so I'll go outside to guard the boat for you."

With that, White Spirit's figure flashed, and she stepped out of the barrier Chu Ning had created.

Cen Ziqin's expression finally returned to its usual calm, and she turned to face Chu Ning, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.

"In the blink of an eye, nearly eighty years have passed, and I never expected such significant changes for both of you.

You've reached the late Golden Core stage, with incredible abilities, and White Spirit has also taken form. As for her..."

Chu Ning quickly explained, "White Spirit is a Heavenly Spirit Beast with her own unique abilities. She's actually a Fifth Rank beast and is close to advancing to the next rank."

Hearing this, Cen Ziqin nodded slightly. If White Spirit had the cultivation of a Tenth Rank beast after taking form, it would truly be astonishing.

Then, her bright eyes turned to Chu Ning.

"What about you? How did you reach the late Golden Core stage in just a few decades?

You haven't been at the Thousand Lakes and Islands all these years, have you? I went there to look for you thirty years ago, but you weren't there."

"You went to the Thousand Lakes and Islands to find me?" Chu Ning's eyes softened at her words.

Cen Ziqin looked away for a moment before meeting his gaze again.

Her bright eyes sparkled as she fixed her attention on him.

"Yes, thirty years ago, after I formed my Golden Core, I went to the Thousand Lakes and Islands.

That's when I found out that not long after I left, the Yin Demon Sect encountered some troubles.

Many Foundation Establishment cultivators perished, and many Qi Refinement cultivators fled the Thousand Lakes and Islands.

Later, when I checked the teleportation formation, I discovered it was destroyed.

I tried to inquire about your whereabouts but couldn't find any information, so I had no choice but to leave."

"I actually left around that time as well," Chu Ning continued the story.

He began to briefly recount his experiences over the years.

He described how he was pursued by elders of the Yin Demon Sect, how he used a teleportation formation to escape to the West Alliance Continent and joined the Jiuhua Sect.

He talked about how he broke through to the Golden Core stage and traveled to the Golden Spirit Domain, only to be teleported to the Spiritless Island.

He mentioned his journey to the Northern Cold Lands and his eventual return to the East Saint Continent.

Although Chu Ning left out many details, the thrilling tale still left Cen Ziqin captivated, her eyes sparkling with interest.

When he got to the part about receiving information from the East Rui Sect and infiltrating the Ziyue Sect, arriving just in time for the chaos at the Beast Mountain, her eyes widened in surprise.

"I never expected so much to have happened to you in these few decades.

Fortunately, you arrived in time; otherwise, we might never have had the chance to meet again."

Cen Ziqin paused, as if she wanted to ask something, but then she sighed softly and didn't voice her question.

Chu Ning sensed her hesitation and guessed what she was thinking.

"You want to ask about your captured sect mates, don't you?"

Cen Ziqin nodded slightly, then shook her head. "Never mind, I can already guess what happened to them.

By killing so many Ziyue Sect cultivators today, we've already avenged our sect to some extent."

"It's best that you think that way, Ziqin," Chu Ning said comfortingly.

"In fact, as long as we continue to improve our strength and eventually reach the Nascent Soul stage, even if we destroy the Ziyue Sect, it won't be a problem."

"Nascent Soul stage?"

At these words, a hint of sadness flashed in Cen Ziqin's eyes.

"That's easier said than done. Our sect's master failed to reach the Nascent Soul stage, which led to the decline of the Yaochi Palace."

Connecting this with what Cen Ziqin had previously mentioned about being noticed by a powerful Golden Core cultivator who was also the leader of a sect, and considering what had happened to the Jade Pool Palace, Chu Ning realized that Cen Ziqin's master was none other than the leader of the Jade Pool Palace.

He could see that the failure of her master to achieve the Nascent Soul stage and the subsequent decline of her sect had been a significant blow to Cen Ziqin.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, he reached out and gently held her hand.

"Believe me, before long, we will both become Nascent Soul cultivators."

Chu Ning wasn't just making empty promises. After all, he still had two Spirit Illuminating Fruits in his storage bag.

However, Cen Ziqin didn't seem to notice the hidden meaning behind his words.

Although their reunion after decades apart had made their feelings for each other clear, this was the first time they had such intimate physical contact while fully conscious.

Despite being a Golden Core cultivator, Cen Ziqin's face still flushed with a hint of shyness, and even her earlobes, as translucent as jade, took on a rosy hue.

But Cen Ziqin was no ordinary woman.

She only turned her head away for a moment before facing him again, her bright eyes shining as she met his smiling gaze.

Then, she opened her fingers, and their hands intertwined.

A charming smile appeared on her exquisite and otherworldly face.

"Since you possess such extraordinary abilities, Chu Daoist, I'd like to request your protection until I reach the Nascent Soul stage."

"I will obey Xianzi Cen's orders," Chu Ning replied with a smile.

The two shared a knowing smile.

...

(Afternoon trip, the update time for the next two days may be a bit unpredictable, but I'll try to post on time.)

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end