Chapter 17: The Old Marquis's Decision

Chapter 17: The Old Marquis's Decision

Jian Pavilion Marquis House, Assembly Hall.

The Old Marquis sat at the highest seat. Though over eighty years old, with a few strands of white hair at his temples, he remained vigorous and sharp-eyed, exuding an imposing aura that commanded respect without anger.

For those who had reached the Martial Venerable level, eighty years was not considered old. Some long-lived Martial Venerables could even live up to a hundred and eighty years.

Ning Qianwen, Ning Qianwu, and other prominent figures of the second and third generations of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House sat solemnly below. None dared to meet the Old Marquis's gaze—his Martial Venerable presence naturally overwhelmed all other martial artists.

Ning Qianwu spoke up, "Father, the Blood Devouring Demon Sect dared to openly kill a direct descendant of our Jian Pavilion Marquis House in the imperial city. This is nothing short of a provocation against our dignity. We must avenge this!"

The Old Marquis replied calmly, "This matter could not have been the doing of the Blood Devouring Demon Sect!"

Ning Qianwu argued, "But the two servants were indeed drained of their lifeblood, reduced to withered corpses. Who else but the Blood Devouring Demon Sect would use such a ruthless and domineering demonic technique?"

"I said it wasn’t them, so it wasn’t. I’m not so old that I need you to judge matters for me." The Old Marquis's voice boomed like a great bell, thick with blood qi, shaking Ning Qianwu so violently that his own blood qi churned, rendering him speechless.

"The old man's cultivation has grown even stronger," Ning Qianwu thought in shock. The Old Marquis's voice alone made his eardrums ache, and all nine of his blood meridians were sealed, preventing his Martial Arts Profound Qi from circulating.

The Old Marquis continued, "Fourth Son, I know you grieve for your son and seek vengeance. But I assure you, the Blood Devouring Demon Sect is not responsible. The true culprit is someone else. We will investigate this thoroughly. Whoever dares to oppose the Jian Pavilion Marquis House will pay a heavy price."

"Qianwu understands!" Ning Qianwu retreated. Arguing with the Old Marquis was unwise—the old man had lived nearly a century and could not be deceived.

The Old Marquis then said, "In three months, it will be the Emperor's Martial Palace's enrollment period. The various marquis houses will inevitably compete fiercely. The more descendants we send to the Emperor's Martial Palace, the stronger the next generation of our house will be. This time, we must not lose to the others. Qianwen, how many of our younger generation have reached the Seventh Level of Profound Qi?"

Ning Qianwen, the Old Marquis's eldest son and the one managing most of the house's affairs despite being past fifty, replied with reverence, "Among those under eighteen years old, one hundred and thirty-four have reached the Seventh Level of Profound Qi. Among them, Xin'er has recently broken through to the Divine Body Realm—her talent is truly astonishing."

"Oh!" The Old Marquis's stern face instantly brightened with joy. He slapped the armrest of his chair and laughed heartily. "Good! Excellent! That girl Xin'er is truly remarkable. To reach the Divine Body Realm at just fourteen—she’s even more impressive than I was at her age. She is undoubtedly the top genius of our Jian Pavilion Marquis House!"

The Old Marquis was filled with joy, yet Ning Xiaochuan's figure surfaced in his mind once more. If not for his congenital illness, this unfortunate child would surely have surpassed even his younger sister in excellence. Alas! What a pity!

Ning Qianwen remained expressionless as he continued, "Among the young talents of the marquis house, many have been training abroad, with some even honing their skills in military camps. A total of seventy-nine have returned, all having reached at least the Seventh Level of Profound Qi."

The Old Marquis said, "Summon them all inside. And... bring Ning Xiaochuan in as well. I have an important announcement to make."

Ning Qianwu's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression turning uneasy. A thought flashed through his mind—could the Old Marquis be planning to name that sickly weakling as the heir to the marquis house?

Many in the Assembly Hall exchanged strange glances, sharing Ning Qianwu's suspicion.

Though Ning Xiaochuan suffered from a congenital illness that prevented him from cultivating Martial Arts, he could still marry and father children.

The Old Marquis was still in his prime, and given his favoritism toward Ning Xiaochuan, he could easily wait decades to groom Ning Xiaochuan's son as the heir to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House.

This was the true source of Ning Qianwu's anxiety—and the reason he was so desperate to eliminate Ning Xiaochuan.

The Assembly Hall of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House was grand and imposing, spacious enough to accommodate hundreds without feeling crowded.

Ning Xiaochuan entered alongside seventy-nine young geniuses of the marquis house, moving in perfect unison as they bowed respectfully to the Jian Pavilion Marquis.

Walking among these prodigies, Ning Xiaochuan was inwardly astonished. The marquis house had an overwhelming number of young experts—both men and women, the former dashing and formidable, the latter beautiful yet aloof. Every one of them was a martial powerhouse, none weaker than him.

These were not just direct descendants of the marquis house but also many from its collateral branches.

Such was the thousand-year heritage of a hereditary marquis house—deep-rooted and far beyond the reach of non-hereditary noble houses.

The Yulan Empire had stood for over eight hundred years, producing countless kings, marquises, generals, and ministers. Now a flourishing empire in its golden age, it teemed with martial prowess and noble houses.

Noble houses were divided into "Hereditary Nobles" and "Non-Hereditary Nobles."

The so-called Hereditary Nobles referred to the "Eighteen Founding Heroes" of the Yulan Empire—fourteen great marquises and four great princes. These titles could be passed down through generations—from father to son, from son to grandson.

The Jian Pavilion Marquis House was one of the fourteen Hereditary Noble houses, with a lineage stretching back nearly a millennium. Its profound foundation, vast influence, and numerous branches made it incomparable to those non-hereditary houses that rose to prominence later. Even when compared to sects and martial academies, it was no weaker.

Hereditary Nobles were also known as "Aristocratic Nobles," while Non-Hereditary Nobles were called "Humble Nobles."

Ning Xiaochuan cast a fleeting glance in Ning Qianwu's direction before immediately withdrawing his gaze. He swiftly retracted all traces of his Martial Arts Profound Qi into his heart chamber, resuming his facade of a frail invalid.

"In three months, it will be the once-every-five-years opening of the Emperor's Martial Palace. All of you are the most outstanding descendants of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, and now is the best time for you to push yourselves to the limit. Over the next three months, you will be sent to the Fire Demon Mountain for training. This training will be extremely arduous, with the possibility of death inside. Anyone who dares not go may step forward now." The Old Marquis sat above, his gaze calmly sweeping over the young descendants of the marquis house below.

Upon hearing the words "Fire Demon Mountain," even the elders of the third and second generations of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House paled slightly.

"Legends say the Fire Demon Mountain is a primordial ancient mountain spanning thousands of kilometers, where Black Firewood grows, and the soil burns year-round without extinguishing for millennia. It is a truly perilous demonic mountain."

"I’ve heard there are fierce Mystic Beasts inside, their bodies as large as palaces, capable of tearing apart mountains with a single swipe of their claws."

"Rumors say that even Martial Venerables have perished within the Fire Demon Mountain, turning into Mountain Guardian Corpse Slaves that emerge at night, hunting down any martial artists who dare to enter."

Though the young descendants were wary of the Fire Demon Mountain, their resolve remained firm, and none withdrew.

The Old Marquis nodded in satisfaction. "Rest assured! With your current cultivation, venturing into the Fire Demon Mountain proper would be suicide. This time, your training will take place only in the Five Desolate Ridges at the northwestern corner of the mountain—an outer region of the Fire Demon Mountain, where the danger is relatively much lower."

Hearing this, the young geniuses collectively sighed in relief.

The Old Marquis continued, "For this expedition to the Five Desolate Ridges, each of you will receive one hundred drops of First-grade Heart Nurturing Liquid and one hundred drops of First-grade Blood Nourishing Liquid. Strive to achieve a qualitative breakthrough in your cultivation so that you may excel in the Emperor's Martial Palace’s assessment three months from now. Those who pass the examination will be rewarded with an Intermediate Elixir, and the most outstanding among you will even receive a Mystic Artifact."

"Boom!"

The crowd erupted!

The rewards were so lavish that everyone trembled with excitement. An "Intermediate Elixir" was something every martial artist dreamed of, and a Mystic Artifact was an invaluable treasure beyond measure.

Ning Xiaochuan inwardly marveled, As expected of a hereditary marquis house with nearly a millennium of legacy—truly extravagant. A hundred drops each of Heart Nurturing Liquid and Blood Nourishing Liquid is already a colossal fortune, let alone the value of an Intermediate Elixir and a Mystic Artifact.

The marquis house truly spared no expense in nurturing its talented descendants—only the gifted could receive such treatment.

"There is one more matter I must announce!" The Old Marquis’ gaze settled on Ning Xiaochuan, his eyes filled with complex emotions—affection, regret, helplessness, and struggle. Finally, as if resolving himself, he declared, "My grandson, Ning Xiaochuan, was born with a congenital illness that prevents him from cultivating Martial Arts Profound Qi. I have decided to bestow upon him the Haitang Manor in the South Mountain Gathering outside the imperial city. From this day forward, he shall be the master of Haitang Manor and no longer reside in the marquis house. Xiaochuan, do you accept?"

All eyes turned to Ning Xiaochuan with pity.

Though the Old Marquis had granted him a manor, it was clear to discerning eyes that this was a complete abandonment—banishing him to the South Mountain Gathering to fend for himself.

He was no longer even qualified to live in the marquis house, becoming a complete outsider and further removed from the line of succession.

Ning Qianwu was overjoyed. It seemed the Old Marquis had completely abandoned Ning Xiaochuan—though this was only natural. Who would keep supporting a chronically ill person, wasting the marquis house's resources in vain?

Ning Xin'er pleaded anxiously, "Grandfather, although Haitang Manor isn't far from the imperial city, my brother's health is weak. If he goes there and no one takes care of him, he—"

"Xin'er, the Marquis is doing this for Xiaochuan's sake. Haitang Manor has an elegant environment, fresh air, and is like a paradise. There are servants to care for him—it's the perfect place for recuperation!" Ning Qianwen scolded.

"Eldest Uncle!"

Ning Xin'er clenched her teeth, then turned her pleading gaze back to the Old Marquis. "Grandfather, if you truly insist on sending my brother to Haitang Manor, then I won’t go to the Five Desolate Ridges for training, nor will I attend the Emperor's Martial Palace. I’ll go to Haitang Manor to take care of him instead. I only have one brother, and no one is more important than him!"

She pressed her lips together and tightly wrapped her arms around Ning Xiaochuan's, as if afraid someone would take him away.

Ning Xiaochuan gently patted her hand, his expression serious. "I am willing to go to Haitang Manor. I accept the Marquis's decree."

"Brother!" Ning Xin'er cried.

"Xin'er, will you still listen to me? Go to the Five Desolate Ridges and train hard. When you’ve grown stronger, come visit me at Haitang Manor. I’ll be very happy then," Ning Xiaochuan said with a smile.

Afraid of exposing his ability to cultivate Martial Arts Profound Qi, Ning Xiaochuan had long wanted to leave the marquis house. Now that such a perfect opportunity had arisen, how could he let it slip?

Truly, the heavens were on his side!

Seeing him willingly agree to go to Haitang Manor, Ning Qianwu couldn’t help but smirk. This kid was truly a lost cause!