Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 285: Is That Really the Martial God Temple Above? Are You Sure We’re at the Right Place?

In a tavern in Feng Wu Town, voices filled the air.

"Have you heard? The Sect Master of Su Yue Zhuai was killed with a single sword strike!"

"No way! Is that true?!"

"How could it be fake?! Not only him, but four of their Grand Elders in seclusion also perished!"

"Who could be so heaven-defyingly strong?!"

"Who else but Ning Xuan, who's been in the limelight recently."

"You've got to be kidding me! He's strong, but how could he possibly kill the Sect Master of Su Yue Zhuai!"

"Ah, your news is too outdated. First, he gained the allegiance of the Cloud Floating Sword from Cloud Floating Mountain. Then, the Saintess of Su Yue Zhuai threw herself at him. When her master came looking for her, she also fell for him after just a few days. That's what forced the Sect Master of Su Yue Zhuai to take action himself, and, well... hehe..."

The man smirked suggestively and then lowered his voice. "I heard that Ning Xuan's... skills are something else..."

"COUGH! COUGH!"

Seeing their conversation growing more and more preposterous, a coughing sound came from a corner. The speaker glanced at the tightly cloaked figures at that table, then turned back, ready to continue.

But he was interrupted by another cough.

The man flew into a rage, slamming the table as he shot to his feet. "You skulking rats! Have the guts to show your faces!"

His companions' expressions changed, and one warned in a low voice, "Don't mess around! Have you forgotten where we are?!"

At that, the man snapped out of it. His face changed dramatically as the wine's influence instantly vanished.

The reason this town was named Feng Wu was that the great mountain ahead was home to the most powerful sect on the Yuan Ling Continent: the Martial God Temple! Who would dare speak of martial prowess before the Martial God Temple? Therefore, starting a fight here would be considered a grave provocation to the Martial God Temple! It was a line they absolutely dared not cross.

"Senior Sister, what are you doing?" Ning Xuan's voice came from the corner. He grabbed the girl's hand just as she was about to lift the hood of her cloak.

"I have to tell him we're not rats," the girl said matter-of-factly. Moreover, she hadn't even used a secret voice transmission; as far as she was concerned, there was nothing to hide.

Instantly, all eyes turned toward them.

One person looked at Ning Xuan's group and began to count silently. One, two, three… When he realized there were six people in the group, a shiver ran down his spine. One man, and the other five are women… Damn it, don't tell me that's actually Ning Xuan?!

As soon as the realization hit him, he began to panic. The next moment, he took off running. If that's really Ning Xuan, he wouldn't give a damn where he is! After all, for him to show up here means he's openly disregarding the entire Martial God Temple! What are we to him? Nothing! Feng Wu Town might restrain others, but it can't restrain a powerful outsider like Ning Xuan, the proverbial dragon crossing the river! And for someone like him, the rules here are meant to be broken!

Sure enough, he had barely left the tavern and hadn't gone far when—

BANG!

A loud crash echoed as someone was thrown from the tavern's second floor, landing hard on the main street.

Everyone was stunned.

"What's going on? Someone dares to make a move in Feng Wu Town?"

"This guy must have a death wish!"

"No matter who he is, he's done for!"

Among the onlookers unaware of what had transpired, such comments filled the air. At the same time, all eyes were fixed on the tavern, wanting to see who would be so audacious.

A moment later, as Ning Xuan removed his cloak and walked out, someone instantly recognized him.

"Ning... Ning Xuan?"

"Correct! It's me," Ning Xuan acknowledged the speaker with a nod before sighing. "Ah, I just wanted to blend in as a normal person and get along with you all, but you had to go and stir up trouble!"

The man Ning Xuan had thrown from the second floor shuddered in terror and fainted. It wasn't feigned; he had actually passed out cold. He had just tried to hit on one of Ning Xuan's companions. Now, knowing his identity, he was so frightened he had wet himself. That's Ning Xuan! A man who can toy with the royal palace and even Su Yue Zhuai! I'm less than nothing compared to him! If I didn't faint, I'd definitely be dead! 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

After Ning Xuan revealed his identity, the entire street fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Had it been anyone else making a move here, they would have already been turned into paste. But if the person was Ning Xuan, it was a different story entirely. They couldn't afford to provoke him.

The crowd that had been gathering quickly dispersed now that Ning Xuan had identified himself. There was nothing worth watching anymore. Unless, of course, a powerhouse from the Martial God Temple appeared.

However, many people were actually looking forward to it. Ning Xuan appearing here and taking action was a severe provocation to the Martial God Temple. The temple would surely send its experts soon. On one side was the strongest sect of the Yuan Ling Continent; on the other was the brilliantly talented Ning Xuan, a man some said had the potential to suppress an entire era. This was destined to be a clash of titans! A major storm was about to hit Feng Wu Town!

But the Martial God Temple's reaction to Ning Xuan's appearance in Feng Wu Town was completely unexpected.

***

「Martial God Temple, Council Hall.」

Every high-ranking member of the Martial God Temple who could make it had arrived.

"How is it? Have you managed to contact Ning Yang?" an elder asked the man who had just entered. He had once been Ning Yang's mentor. Although it was only for a few short days, the connection had allowed him to rise from obscurity to become one of the most powerful figures in the Martial God Temple.

The others also looked at the middle-aged man expectantly.

The middle-aged man shook his head.

Everyone's heart sank.

"Ning Xuan has come knocking at our door, and we can't get in touch with Ning Yang. What are we supposed to do?!" someone muttered.

Immediately, another person said, "I propose we close the gates and declare an indefinite seclusion of the sect."

Clearly, this idea was not a new one.

"Are you mad?! We'd be the laughingstock of the world!"

"Fine, you're so high and mighty, so impressive. In that case, you can be the one to deal with Ning Xuan."

That person instantly chickened out. "No, no, I also agree with sealing the mountain."

"The Martial God Temple has developed too quickly over the years," someone else chimed in, finding a convenient excuse. "It may seem to be flourishing, but it's actually filled with incompetent members. It's time to seal the mountain and set our house in order."

It sounded so noble and righteous.

The others' eyes lit up, and they all nodded in agreement, completely lacking the bearing of the continent's number one sect.

***

Upon receiving the news, the entirety of Feng Wu Town was abuzz with discussion.

"What did you say? Are you sure you got that right?!"

"It's absolutely true! The Martial God Temple has sealed its mountain, saying they need to reorganize the sect!"

"How could this be!"

"They could have reorganized any other time, so why now? Don't tell me they're afraid of Ning Xuan?"

"Keep your voice down! Do you have a death wish?!"

"Tch! They've already sealed the mountain. What's there to be afraid of!"

"You've got a point there."

When Ning Xuan and his companions heard it, they were dumbfounded. It took them a long moment to process the news. His companions all turned to look at him, murmuring in disbelief.

"What are they doing...?"

"Can they even do that?"

"Are we sure that's the Martial God Temple? Did we come to the wrong place?"