Chapter 462: Determined, Li Sishang Leaves!

Chapter 462: Determined, Li Sishang Leaves!

At Mirror Moon Lake, deep beneath the lake's surface, a serene scene unfolded. The only movement came from the occasional passing schools of fish.

Ye Zhengqi, with his eyes closed, focused on healing his injuries. Jiang Ning's gaze rested on Ye Zhengqi, his thoughts turning contemplative. He now had a method to observe Li Sishang without being detected, but hesitated due to the presence of Ye Zhengqi and Zhong Ling, fearing his secret would be exposed.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Jiang Ning acted without hesitation. He trusted both Ye Zhengqi and Zhong Ling, and exposing his Heavenly Eye didn't seem like a significant concern, especially since others had already witnessed it. Ye Zhengqi's actions and character during this time had earned his trust. As for Zhong Ling, he didn't give her a second thought.

With his decision made, Jiang Ning no longer hesitated. Being in the pitch-black depths of the lake, completely unaware of the outside world, was unbearable. He extended his right hand, touching his middle and index fingers to his brow, and in that instant, a white vertical line appeared.

The line resembled a closed eye, and from its slit, a dazzling white light shone. The appearance of the Heavenly Eye illuminated the dark lake bottom, revealing the gently swaying water plants and black rocks nearby.

Zhong Ling, still clutching Jiang Ning's left arm tightly, was startled by the sudden brightness. For her, the lake bottom felt like an abyss, with visibility less than half a meter. The fear of losing her grip and being left alone in the darkness was ever-present.

As she gazed at Jiang Ning, her eyes widened in surprise. She felt his aura had undergone a significant change, exuding an air of mystery and transcendence, as if he were a divine being rather than a mere mortal.

Jiang Ning, however, was too preoccupied to notice Zhong Ling's reaction. His gaze shifted to the direction they had come from, and in an instant, his eyes pierced through layers of space, revealing the WaterMoon Sword Palace, where the Grandmaster Banquet had just taken place, now in a state of disarray. Numerous disciples were busy cleaning up the mess.

"Have they dispersed?" he wondered silently, swiftly scanning the entire WaterMoon Sword Palace. But I still can't see Li Sishang, Xiao Qiushui, or Xiao Emei."

Still no sign of them!

Jiang Ning's gaze then shifted to the island where WaterMoon Sword Palace was located. This time, he spent several breaths searching the entire Lake Heart Island.

Strange! His brows furrowed in confusion.

The entire island seemed devoid of the three figures he sought. Only some guests he had seen at the banquet seemed to be departing.

In the next moment, he had a hunch and directed his gaze towards the edge of Mirror Moon Lake.

There, on the lake's shore, he quickly spotted Li Sishang, Xiao Qiushui, and Xiao Emei.

Just as he had suspected!

It seemed that Li Sishang had not pursued them earlier, and now he was leaving WaterMoon Sword Palace. Soon, the entire palace would be devoid of guests, leaving only its residents.

This realization rekindled Jiang Ning's earlier thoughts. His gaze locked onto Xiao Qiushui, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

"Palace Master Xiao, I bid you farewell," Li Sishang, clad in a Daoist robe and with silver hair, spoke as he slowly walked away.

Xiao Qiushui watched Li Sishang depart, her eyes lingering on him for a long moment.

After Li Sishang's figure disappeared, Xiao Qiushui's gaze deepened. She had witnessed Li Sishang's display at the banquet, truly grasping the power of a Second-Rank Great Grandmaster.

Even a Heavenly Human Grandmaster like Ye Zhengqi was no match for Li Sishang, a newly entered Divine Realm and Second-Rank Great Grandmaster. This realization made Xiao Qiushui understand that even if she attained the status of a Heavenly Human Grandmaster, it wouldn't shield WaterMoon Sword Palace from worldly conflicts.

Within Guangning Prefecture, the DuXian Gate held sway. Their sect had no choice but to revere the DuXian Gate. WaterMoon Sword Palace couldn't attain true autonomy.

Xiao Qiushui's mind swirled with various thoughts, ultimately escaping her lips in a sigh.

"Master, what's wrong?" Xiao Emei asked from behind.

Xiao Qiushui glanced at her and then at the sword in her hand, the symbol of her status as Palace Master.

"This sword must always be by your side. Hold it tightly!"

"Yes, Master!" Xiao Emei replied, her heart filled with confusion.

"Let's go, let's head back!" Xiao Qiushui spoke.

"Yes, Master!" Xiao Emei responded once more.

She followed Xiao Qiushui closely, step by step.

Looking at Xiao Qiushui's back, she couldn't help but feel that his figure seemed a little lonelier.

The two crossed the floating bridge and soon returned to the island in the lake.

At this moment, Jiang Ning slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhong Ling by his side.

Because at this moment, Zhong Ling's face was flushed red, clearly indicating that she had reached the limit of holding her breath.

Seeing Jiang Ning's eyes looking down at her, Zhong Ling immediately leaned closer.

A moment later.

Jiang Ning turned his gaze to Ye Zhengqi, who was still healing with his eyes closed.

Then, he moved his lips, using the art of secret communication.

"Li Sishang has already left the WaterMoon Sword Palace. I'll take Zhong Ling to find her great-grandfather first."

"You don't need to worry about my safety either, Ye Fushishi. If I finish healing, you don't have to worry about me. I'll return on my own!"

Hearing his voice.

Ye Zhengqi slowly opened his eyes.

At this moment, Jiang Ning had already recovered his normal state, and the Heavenly Eye between his eyebrows had closed, no longer revealing any divine strangeness.

He nodded slowly at Jiang Ning.

Then.

Jiang Ning grabbed Zhong Ling and rushed off in a certain direction.

Just now, when he used the Heavenly Eye, he had also discovered where Zhong Yue was.

Since Li Sishang had already left, he didn't have much to worry about.

There wasn't much worth being cautious about here either.

At this moment.

The two quickly crossed the lake, and facing the oncoming rapids, Zhong Ling had already closed her eyes and tightly held onto Jiang Ning.

A moment later.

Whoosh—

Suddenly, splashes of water burst on the lake's surface.

Then, a man and a woman emerged from the lake and stepped onto the shore.

This man and woman were Jiang Ning and Zhong Ling.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

They had returned to the shore.

Feeling the sunlight and gentle breeze on their bodies.

Zhong Ling opened her eyes and took deep breaths.

"It's okay, right?" Jiang Ning asked.

Zhong Ling shook her head and swallowed.

Then, as if remembering something, her face, pale from the lake water, flushed with a hint of redness.

"Brother Jiang Ning, thank you for saving my life just now!"

"You're not blaming me for taking advantage of your vulnerability, right?" Jiang Ning smiled.

Zhong Ling shook her head, "How could that be? I know that it was an urgent situation just now, and Brother Jiang Ning was only trying to save me!"

She had a mature expression on her face, making excuses for Jiang Ning.

Then her breath gradually calmed down.

"Brother Jiang Ning, why did you bring me ashore?"

"To find your great-grandfather!" Jiang Ning said.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling fell silent.

She lightly touched her lips and then looked up at Jiang Ning with a bright smile.

"I understand! Brother Jiang Ning, take me to find my great-grandfather! With him here, I'll be safe."

Looking at Zhong Ling at this moment, although her smile was bright, Jiang Ning could tell that she was forcing it.

He sighed inwardly.

His mood was a bit complicated.

It was just a chance encounter, yet strangely, many attachments had formed.

The next moment.

He looked at Zhong Ling, who was soaked to the bone.

He raised his hand and waved it over Zhong Ling's head.

In an instant.

The steam from Zhong Ling's body evaporated, and her hair and clothes dried instantly.

Seeing this, Zhong Ling looked at her clothes in surprise.

Then she pouted.

The wrinkled clothes quickly became smooth again.

Jiang Ning's clothes were also dried, and there wasn't a trace of water on his hair.

From the outside, it was impossible to tell that the two had just emerged from the lake.

"Let's go!"

Jiang Ning grabbed Zhong Ling.

Zhong Ling felt embarrassed.

A moment later.

On the straight path through the forest.

"Old Beggar, when do you think I can reach the Second Grade and secure a position among the top grandmasters of the world?" Zhong Yue asked.

"That's something you should ask yourself!" said the old beggar beside him.

"Ask me? I don't know either!" Zhong Yue shook his head and sighed, "As I get older, I truly feel more and more powerless!"

"It's rare for you to admit that you're not up to the task! I've been saying that at your age, you should just shut yourself in seclusion and lock your essence, instead of causing harm to those young virginal women!" The old beggar shook his head.

"Get lost! When have I ever harmed young women?" Zhong Yue glared at him, "And how am I not up to the task? I'll tell you, even at my age, I can still last a full day and night if I want to."

"That's a lie, and you can't even convince yourself with that!" The old beggar burst into laughter.

"Quiet down, it seems someone's coming!" Zhong Yue suddenly became serious and stopped walking.

They listened intently to the sounds coming from behind.

"Could it be him? Li Sishang?" The old beggar listened carefully for a moment and then spoke.

"It's not him! If it were Li Sishang, he wouldn't have let me go just now!" Zhong Yue shook his head, looking serious.

Thinking of Li Sishang from the banquet earlier, he felt a tremendous amount of pressure.

He had encountered Second-Rank Divine Realm Grandmasters before.

But ordinary Second-Rank Divine Realm Grandmasters, upon entering this level, didn't possess the formidable prowess that Li Sishang displayed.

At that moment, the Four Elements emerged around Li Sishang, appearing to crush and sweep away everything, suppressing all, and invulnerable to any technique.

"Old Beggar, do you think Li Sishang's strength has something to do with his Essence of Martial Arts?" Zhong Yue immediately asked, voicing his doubts.

"I think so!" The old beggar nodded and continued, "The Four Elements, according to Buddhist rumors, have the power to reopen Heaven and Earth!"

"These four elements are too profound, their status too high, and they involve the fundamental rules of the universe!"

"Perhaps this is why Li Sishang has such formidable combat power."

"When the Four Elements surged towards him, he seemed to form his own realm, overpowering everything in his path."

"That Ye Fu Shi's Sword Intent couldn't harm him in the slightest, and he was shattered."

As the two conversed, Jiang Ning and Zhong Ling's figures also appeared in Zhong Yue's sight.

"It's them!" Zhong Yue chuckled.

Then he glanced at his great-granddaughter, and his smile instantly froze.

At that moment, Jiang Ning held Zhong Ling, tucked under his arm, as if holding a ragdoll.

He couldn't help but cover his eyes and sigh, feeling a bit reluctant to look directly at his great-granddaughter.

"Old Zhong, it seems your granddaughter has become overly intimate with that boy. They obviously lack the sense of boundaries that ordinary people have." The old beggar spoke.

With the keen eyes he had cultivated over the years, he saw many things with just one glance, noticing the details.

"I truly hope they can make it and take it further!" Zhong Yue said.

"Why, does Old Zhong think so highly of that boy?" The old beggar was a bit surprised.

"You don't understand!" Old Zhong shook his head, not wanting to say more.

He knew his granddaughter's unique constitution, and the fewer people who knew about it, the safer she would be.

There were indeed many people in this world who were stronger than him.

Many with more influence and power.

"You old man, don't play riddles with me!" The old beggar said with a mix of anger and amusement.

After a few breaths, Jiang Ning was less than a hundred meters away from the two.

Zhong Ling, feeling the wind blowing past her ears, tightly closed her eyes.

After a while, she suddenly felt Jiang Ning stop.

Curious, she opened her eyes, and in her sight were her great-grandfather Zhong Yue and the old beggar.

Zhong Yue's eyes widened, and he quickly jumped down, hiding behind Jiang Ning.

"What's the matter, Ling'er, are you hiding from Grandpa? Are you not as close to Grandpa as you are to that boy?" Zhong Yue teased his great-granddaughter.

"Greetings, Zhong Fu Shi, and greetings to this senior!" Jiang Ning said with a bow.

"What do you mean by 'this senior'? Is my name as a beggar not well-known enough? Am I not famous enough?" The old beggar exclaimed, stroking his beard.

"Your reputation, senior, is like thunder in my ears. How could it not be well-known?" Jiang Ning replied.

From the way the old beggar interacted with Zhong Yue, Jiang Ning knew that despite his ragged appearance, he was no ordinary beggar.

Undoubtedly, he was an existence on par with Zhong Yue.

Perhaps, like Zhong Yue, just a hair's breadth away from becoming a Second-Rank Grandmaster.

From Li Sishang, he understood the terrifying nature of a Second-Rank Divine Realm Grandmaster.

It was simply beyond human capacity and numerical fight.

Even Ye Zhengqi, a top-tier Heavenly Human Grandmaster, was not a match for Li Sishang, a newly entered Second-Rank Divine Realm Grandmaster.

Although he now had enough confidence, he naturally didn't dare to underestimate the two in front of him.

Perhaps the next time they met, these two would already be ranked as Second-Rank Grandmasters.

The path of martial arts, he knew, became more challenging the further one progressed.

Even though he had covered in a year what others might take over a decade, or even several decades, he knew he wasn't qualified to be complacent.

Not to mention those at the peak of Grade One Martial Arts, who had accumulated over a hundred years of experience.

And the Warrior Saint, who had nearly a thousand years of history.

These were just within the realm of mortals. In ancient times, there were also immortals, demons, Buddhists, and gods.

Who could say that these beings had truly vanished?

That they were truly buried in the flood of history?

From a time perspective, a thousand years had passed since that era.

A thousand years, in the context of the previous life's historical flood, even a mortal's hundred years, fleeting as it may be, was not an unbelievable amount of time.

Not to mention in this era, where ordinary Grandmasters could live for two sixty-year cycles.

That Warrior Saint had lived for a thousand years.

And what about the immortals, demons, Buddhists, and gods of ancient times?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end