Chapter 364: Divine Radiance Body Shield, Like a Deity Descending

Chapter 364: Divine Radiance Body Shield, Like a Deity Descending

December 30, 2024

The moonlight was hazy, and the sky was dark. The pleasant weather during the day had made the night in Dongling City even colder. A chilly mountain breeze blew through the city, and most households had closed their doors and windows, huddling by the warmth of their stoves.

At that moment, a black figure leaped over the tall vermillion walls of a mansion. Yu Manyun moved swiftly, heading deeper into the mansion. Her attention was focused on the eastern courtyard where Jiang Ning resided.

In the eastern courtyard, a fire illuminated the sky with a reddish glow. From inside the mansion, she could see a tiger engulfed in raging flames.

"It's taboo to disturb someone while they're cultivating!" Yu Manyun thought to herself. "He must be completely focused on his cultivation now, which is the perfect opportunity for me to act!"

Yu Manyun silently encouraged herself, calming her anxious heart. Then, she continued to move forward in the darkness.

On the other side of the mansion, Xiao Emei removed her veil, revealing her beautiful face. She looked towards the eastern courtyard where Jiang Ning was located and remained silent for a moment.

The reason she had changed her mind at the last moment and decided not to enter with Yu Manyun was that just as she was about to move, she heard Jiang Ning's instructions in her ear.

Now, she realized that her junior sister, Yu Manyun, had entered Jiang Ning's mansion, and it was like a lamb walking into the tiger's den—a one-way trip.

"Junior sister, I'm sorry," she muttered to herself, her eyes filled with regret.

Her eyes, which had been filled with emotion, suddenly became more determined.

"He's the reincarnation of an ancient great god; this is a heavenly opportunity that I must seize!"

These words flashed through Xiao Emei's mind, as if she were convincing herself, strengthening her belief.

In the eastern courtyard, the firelight suddenly transformed into an orange-yellow glow. Jiang Ning's fist technique had shifted from the Tiger Form to the Bear Form.

On the other side, Yu Manyun's gaze fell upon the eastern courtyard. She paused for a moment to observe, and her heart was filled with relief.

The change in technique indicated to her that Jiang Ning was fully immersed in his cultivation at this moment.

Moreover, she had been inside the mansion for some time, and Jiang Ning had not only remained still but also continued to indulge in his cultivation, practicing the new technique.

This reassured her greatly.

Suddenly, a faint voice reached her ears.

"No! No!"

"Little Treasure, don't sleep with Brother. Sleep with Daddy and Mommy, in the middle of them!"

It was her!

Yu Manyun's expression brightened.

The child's voice instantly allowed her to identify the speaker as Jiang Ning's little niece, the five-year-old girl.

The next moment, Yu Manyun quickly moved towards the courtyard where the voice came from.

At the same time, Xiao Doubao was being coaxed and deceived by Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan. With a pouting mouth, she was led by Liu Wanwan towards the door.

The door creaked open.

The courtyard was dark, with the moonlight above obscured by clouds, providing no illumination to the earth below.

At that moment, Yu Manyun, dressed in black night-clothes, entered the courtyard.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw Liu Wanwan and Xiao Doubao.

"Found them!"

Her face lit up with joy.

Then, her eyes darted wildly, alternating between bursts of murderous intent and moments of calm.

She was pondering how to handle this situation.

Should she kill all three of them?

It was a decision she struggled to make.

All of this happened in an instant.

Liu Wanwan, still smiling happily, opened the door. She held Xiao Doubao's hand with her right hand and was about to step over the threshold into the courtyard.

At that moment, Yu Manyun was only about ten zhang away from Liu Wanwan and Xiao Doubao.

For Yu Manyun, ten zhang was a distance she could cover in an instant.

Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze, and Yu Manyun felt as if a heavy burden was pressing down on her body.

Oh no!

Her expression changed drastically.

She quickly looked up towards the eastern courtyard where Jiang Ning was.

The orange-yellow glow in the eastern courtyard had faded, and a white light rose.

In an instant, the white light pierced through the air.

So fast!

Yu Manyun's pupils constricted.

The next moment, she saw Jiang Ning, enveloped in white light, standing on the wall of the courtyard she was in.

Soft white light emanated from Jiang Ning's pores, and under this radiant glow, Jiang Ning's arrival seemed like the descent of a divine being.

The gentle white light provided illumination, and Jiang Ning's figure, slightly dimmed by the light, stood out against the pitch-black courtyard like a human-shaped lamp.

"Uncle!" Liu Wanwan exclaimed in surprise at the sight of Jiang Ning bathed in white light.

"Uncle!" Xiao Doubao rejoiced.

Jiang Ning smiled and nodded at the two of them.

At that moment, a loud noise came from inside the room, and Jiang Li appeared behind Liu Wanwan and Xiao Doubao.

"Brother!"

Jiang Li's mouth hung open in disbelief as he looked at Jiang Ning, who was enveloped in white light, appearing like a deity.

Jiang Ning nodded slightly at Jiang Li and then turned his gaze towards Yu Manyun.

At that moment, Yu Manyun and Jiang Ning locked eyes, and her heart trembled.

"Divine Radiance Body Shield!"

Jiang Li and the others couldn't understand what was happening.

But Yu Manyun did.

She was a direct disciple of the Water Moon Sword Palace, having learned from the first disciple of the Dongling County Grandmaster, Xiao Qiu Shui.

Looking at Jiang Ning, who was enveloped in a white radiance, Li Manyun instantly recognized the phenomenon of drawing Heavenly Qi into the body, infusing Heavenly Marrow, and cleansing the bone marrow, leaving behind a Divine Radiance.

The Divine Radiance Body Shield state is a temporary phenomenon that occurs after any Fourth Rank Martial Artist completes Marrow Refinement.

As time passes, the Divine Radiance dissipates after the Marrow Refinement is complete.

This phenomenon only appears on Fourth Rank Martial Artists after they finish Marrow Refinement.

Undoubtedly, this indicated that Jiang Ning had just completed Marrow Refinement.

It also revealed that Jiang Ning had reached the Fourth Rank.

Fourth Rank Martial Artists are considered top-tier warriors throughout the world, transcending the ordinary and achieving a metamorphosis in their life essence, breaking through their lifespan.

"He has actually reached the Fourth Rank!"

"It turns out that the moment I stepped into this mansion, he already knew!"

In an instant, Li Manyun's mind flashed back to Xiao Emei, who had suddenly changed her mind outside the walls.

"It's her! Xiao Emei!"

Thinking of Xiao Emei's behavior, Li Manyun suddenly realized that there was a problem with Xiao Emei, and it was a significant one!

"Li Manyun, I gave you a chance!" Jiang Ning spoke, breaking the silence in the courtyard.

As Jiang Ning spoke, Liu Wanwan and the other two finally noticed the woman in black nightwear, illuminated by the faint white light emanating from Jiang Ning's body.

Seeing this, Liu Wanwan immediately pulled Xiao Doubao behind her.

Jiang Li also stepped forward and stood in front of Liu Wanwan.

At this moment, Li Manyun's expression changed rapidly.

"Commander Jiang, I never expected that you would silently enter the Fourth Rank," she said.

"If I hadn't reached the Fourth Rank, I wouldn't have been able to kill you," Jiang Ning sighed.

After much deliberation in his mind, he finally made a decision.

He didn't want to kill Li Manyun unless necessary, as her death would prompt a response from the Water Moon Sword Palace.

As the top martial force in Dongling County, the Water Moon Sword Palace would not stand idly by and let the death of their core successor go unexplained.

As a martial force, face was everything.

However, Li Manyun's actions left him no choice but to make this decision.

There's no such thing as being a thief for a thousand days without being caught for a thousand days.

At the same time, Li Manyun heard Jiang Ning's words and sensed the killing intent in them. Her expression changed instantly.

She moved swiftly, rushing towards Liu Wanwan and the others.

With this movement, Li Manyun instantly felt the air become extremely thick, like a muddy swamp.

A glimmer of despair flashed through her mind.

Whoosh—

Jiang Ning raised his hand, and a Prana broke through the air.

Clang—

The soft sword at Li Manyun's waist leaped like a dragon, but it was instantly blown away by the Prana unleashed by Jiang Ning's True Energy.

Whoosh—

Another Prana broke through the air.

Under the pressure of Jiang Ning's mental field, Li Manyun felt like she was trapped in a muddy swamp. Facing this indomitable Prana, she was filled with despair.

The next moment...

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Her body went limp and collapsed.

At this moment, there was a gaping wound on her forehead, piercing through to the back of her head.

The Prana shot into her brain, turning it into a pulpy mess before exiting through the back of her skull.

The Prana then continued on for over thirty zhang before slowly dissipating.

Li Manyun lay on the ground, her eyes gradually dimming. Blood flowed from her forehead like a pillar, pooling on the ground.

"Brother, what is this?" Jiang Li asked, looking at the scene in the courtyard.

"A thief who doesn't know how to live or die!" Jiang Ning replied.

Then, he moved and leaped from the wall, landing in front of Li Manyun.

He picked up Li Manyun, who was still breathing faintly and had not yet completely died.

"Big Brother, help me clean up the blood on the ground so it doesn't scare Little Doubao!" Jiang Ning said, leaving with Li Manyun in his arms.

With Jiang Ning's departure, the courtyard was plunged into darkness without the human-shaped light bulb.

"Wanwan, take Little Doubao back to sleep. I'll clean up the courtyard!" Jiang Li immediately turned to Liu Wanwan.

"Brother Li, be careful!" Liu Wanwan said with concern.

Jiang Li smiled and said, "Don't worry, with Brother here, what danger could there be? Didn't you see how Brother was like a celestial god just now?"

"That's true!" Liu Wanwan nodded and then said, "Brother Li, do you think Brother Ning will become a legendary celestial one day?"

"Who knows?" Jiang Li chuckled and then proudly said, "I knew my brother was extraordinary and capable of great things. Now, he's truly exceptional!"

East Courtyard.

A figure seamlessly blended with the darkness, leaping over the courtyard wall and landing inside.

It was Xiao Emei.

As she entered the courtyard, she saw a figure by the lake, enveloped in a white radiance, and her entire body trembled.

"Master!" Xiao Emei's demeanor was filled with utmost respect.

The Divine Radiance Body Shield was a symbol of a Fourth Rank Marrow Refinement expert.

Fourth Rank Marrow Refinement experts were considered top-tier warriors throughout Dongling County.

Seeing the white radiance lingering on Jiang Ning's body, Xiao Emei knew that her choice had been correct.

To have started Marrow Refinement at this age was not something ordinary people could achieve.

Moreover, the means Jiang Ning had used on her made her certain of his terrifying background.

As Xiao Emei looked down, she also noticed the corpse at Jiang Ning's feet.

"Sister Yu," she muttered to herself, feeling a bit saddened.

Jiang Ning turned around and looked at her, nodding slightly, "You did well!"

At this moment, the white radiance still enveloped his body, making him stand out in the deep darkness.

In front of Xiao Emei, Jiang Ning revealed that he had already reached the Fourth Rank, which was also Jiang Ning's choice.

Jiang Ning had never felt that he could tame Xiao Emei. People's hearts are like the sea, not as simple as demonic creatures.

To control a person, especially someone as graceful and skilled as Xiao Emei, Jiang Ning believed it would not be easy to achieve, making Xiao Emei submit to him body and soul without any disloyalty.

Therefore, by revealing his strength, exerting intimidation, and utilizing the means under his control, he could better manipulate Xiao Emei.

At the same time, Xiao Emei heard Jiang Ning's praise and immediately lowered her eyes in agreement.

"This is what I should do."

"This is for you!"

Jiang Ning raised his hand, and two drops of blood flew towards Xiao Emei.

At this moment, the blood pearls were also different from before.

On the deep crimson blood pearls, there was a shimmering glow, making them appear incredibly mystical in the deep darkness of the night.

"Thank you, Sir!" Xiao Emei's expression brightened upon seeing this.

The next moment, the two blood pearls flew into her mouth.

The blood pearls entered her body and merged within.

Feeling the changes in her body, Xiao Emei's eyes lit up instantly.

"It's different! The effect is stronger!!"

She immediately sat cross-legged on the spot, circulating her blood and internal energy, and refining it.

This was a method she had previously discovered.

By actively refining, the absorption was better, and the enhancement of her physical body became even more apparent.

Time passed slowly.

Suddenly, a faint light flashed through Xiao Emei's weak body.

The faint light seemed to cling to her body, giving her face a touch of divine and ethereal aura in the pitch-black night.

Her already fair skin, under the glow of the faint white light, became even more like white jade, without a single flaw, unlike an ordinary person.

"As expected, after my Bone Marrow Refinement, the transformation of my life level has also made the effect of my blood stronger!"

Jiang Ning witnessed this scene and instantly understood.

After a while, Xiao Emei slowly opened her eyes, her face slightly flushed, and as she looked at Jiang Ning, a hint of affection flashed in her eyes.

At this moment, she suddenly felt that Jiang Ning was a very important person in her life.

The next moment, she slowly stood up.

"Thank you for bestowing this upon me!" she said.

Then, she looked down at the corpse at Jiang Ning's feet, which was gradually turning cold.

"Sir, my junior sister..."

"She's gone!" Jiang Ning said.

Xiao Emei took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable sadness in her heart.

Even though she wanted Yu Manyun to die to reduce her competition, at this moment, her heart was filled with sorrow.

Even though she wanted Yu Manyun to die to reduce her competition, at this moment, her heart was filled with sorrow.

The emotions and memories of more than a decade had, at this moment, turned into a knife aimed at her.

"Sir, may I take my junior sister's body and give her a proper burial?" Xiao Emei then added, "After all, she and I are from the same sect."

"You may," Jiang Ning nodded.

Then he continued to instruct, "You can hide the news of Yu Manyun's death for as long as you can. I believe you can handle this matter! If there is any movement from the Water Moon Sword Palace later, remember to send me a message!"

"Sir..." Xiao Emei hesitated, opening her mouth, then looked up at Jiang Ning, "I can try to delay the news of my junior sister's death, but... I don't want to betray my master! The kindness of raising me... I... I can't betray my master!"

After saying this, Xiao Emei closed her eyes, assuming a posture of resignation, leaving her fate in Jiang Ning's hands.

Seeing Xiao Emei's fearless attitude, Jiang Ning smiled.

"That's fine too!"

Fine?

Xiao Emei was taken aback, opening her eyes to look at Jiang Ning, her eyes filled with astonishment.

Jiang Ning smiled, "Do you want to inform me about Xiao Qiushui's movements? It's up to you!"

"Up to me?" Xiao Emei was stunned again.

Even as she left Jiang Ning's mansion, she still felt it was unbelievable.

Jiang Ning suddenly became so lenient.

Standing outside the mansion, she touched her face, as smooth as a mirror, even more delicate than an eighteen-year-old girl.

On the other hand, Jiang Ning was not angry about Xiao Emei's choice.

As Xiao Emei said, Xiao Qiushui had raised her, and the kindness of raising someone was even greater than the kindness of giving birth to them.

If Xiao Emei could betray this, then betraying Jiang Ning in the future would be just as easy.

Moreover, Jiang Ning wasn't too concerned about whether Xiao Emei would reveal Xiao Qiushui's whereabouts.

A person like Xiao Qiushui, the top martial artist under the Grandmaster of Dongling County, would surely be very particular about her reputation.

If she wanted to cause trouble for Jiang Ning, she would do it openly and aboveboard.

If Xiao Qiushui took action, her purpose would be to restore the reputation of the Water Moon Sword Palace.

To restore the reputation of the Water Moon Sword Palace, would she secretly and stealthily lower her status?

Sneaky behavior, for a person like Xiao Qiushui, would not only fail to restore the reputation of the Water Moon Sword Palace but would also tarnish its name.

And if Xiao Qiushui caused trouble for Jiang Ning, would he be afraid of her? They were both Fourth Rank martial artists, only differing in the level of Bone Marrow Refinement.

Except for the number of times they had refined their bones, Jiang Ning surpassed Xiao Qiushui in every other aspect.

With various enhancements, how could he fear a fellow Fourth Rank martial artist?

Not to mention that by the time Xiao Qiushui found him, there would be some time for him to further improve his strength!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end