Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 31: Parents’ Orders, Matchmaker’s Words...
"Have you heard? The Fifth Leader of The Brotherhood was killed on his own turf by that mysterious youngster!"
"He just turned the Long Le Gambling House upside down, and now he’s gone to The Brotherhood to kill someone? He’s trying to defy the heavens!"
"On land, there’s Long Le; on the waterways, there’s The Brotherhood. He’s finished!"
"That’s where you’re wrong. The Brotherhood is planning to investigate the truth first."
When Ning Xuan heard this, he was stunned. He’d charged into their home to commit murder, and The Brotherhood still wanted to investigate the truth? This wasn’t quite what he had expected.
Ignoring the chatter around him, a disguised Ning Xuan headed toward another branch pavilion of the Long Le Gambling House.
Hundreds of thousands of Element Crystals were devoured, allowing Ning Xuan to barely step into the Twelfth Layer Heavens of the Spiritual Realm. Such a rate of improvement was unprecedented.
But for Ning Xuan, it was still far from enough. He needed more Element Crystals.
The western branch pavilion of the Long Le Gambling House was under the watch of one of its four protectors, Exploding Bear. Ning Xuan’s Six Senses were astonishing. He started with a single Element Crystal and soon accumulated a fortune of over ten thousand.
"Brother, with your skills, it’s too boring to gamble in the main hall. The VIP room upstairs awaits you," a voice said as a hand landed on his shoulder, just as he was preparing to go all in again.
"Alright."
Ning Xuan agreed without hesitation and followed the man to the VIP room on the second floor. Across the long table sat a gaunt, middle-aged man with slender fingers. Two other experts stood nearby, but unfortunately, Exploding Bear was not in sight.
Ning Xuan didn’t want to waste time and decided to settle things in one go. Immediately, he pushed forward the ten thousand Element Crystals he had just won.
Seeing Ning Xuan still smiling, the man couldn’t help but ask, "Brother, what is the meaning of this?"
"I want to see your boss."
The other party didn’t answer.
Ning Xuan stood up and started to walk out. "No problem. I know it was abrupt. I’ll come back tomorrow."
"Wait, I’ll go and inform him." The person who had invited Ning Xuan upstairs went to the third floor.
Ning Xuan sat back down. Before long, the man returned.
"Please follow me."
Ning Xuan followed him to the third floor. After more than two hours, he was once again face-to-face with Exploding Bear.
"I hear you have some impressive skills. Are you interested in working for the Long Le Gambling House?" Exploding Bear sat upright like a mountain of flesh, his eyes crinkling into slits when he smiled.
Ning Xuan chuckled. "If you agree to chop off that bear paw of yours, I might consider it."
Exploding Bear’s pupils shrank. An Element Force Giant Hand materialized in the air and lunged for Ning Xuan. His reaction was undeniably fast.
However, Ning Xuan was faster.
WHOOSH!
A sword flashed. A cold gleam magnified infinitely in Exploding Bear’s eyes. He let out an explosive roar and dodged to the side, pushing his body to its absolute limit. Ning Xuan’s sword instantly switched from a thrust to a slash.
A thin line of blood appeared on Exploding Bear’s neck. With a flick of his wrist, Ning Xuan severed Exploding Bear’s outstretched right arm at the elbow. One more flick of his sword sent the severed bear paw flying out the window.
Before it even hit the ground, a small white dog appeared from nowhere, snatched it mid-air, and trotted proudly through the streets.
BANG!
The door to the third-floor room of the Long Le Gambling House was violently kicked open, and several people streamed in. They were met with the sight of Exploding Bear’s corpse on the floor and Ning Xuan, his disguise cast aside, standing tall and proud.
"You... you..."
The fearsome-looking men lost all their momentum. Their faces turned pale, and their voices trembled. Word that the youth had escaped Exploding Bear’s attack was practically common knowledge in Destiny City. No one had imagined he would dare to return to the Long Le Gambling House, especially not now.
What was even more shocking was that Lord Exploding Bear had been so easily slain!
"You know what I want. Go prepare it quickly, or you’ll all die," Ning Xuan said, wasting no words. Having killed two of the Long Le Gambling House’s protectors, he knew the organization would go berserk. He had to leave quickly.
One of the men, trembling, pointed to a corner of the room. Ning Xuan walked over and saw twelve boxes, each filled to the brim with Element Crystals. He accepted them with a grin, then promptly climbed out the window and left.
Behind him, the entire gambling house descended into chaos.
「A moment later.」
News that Exploding Bear was dead and another branch pavilion of the Long Le Gambling House had been looted spread through the city like a hurricane. Countless people were left dumbfounded.
"What? He killed Exploding Bear too?!"
"Impossible! Exploding Bear had the cultivation of the Sixth Layer Heavens of the Profound Realm! Wasn’t that youth said to only be in the Spiritual Realm?"
"The details are unknown, but one thing is for certain: the Long Le Gambling House must be in an absolute uproar right now!"
「At the docks, The Brotherhood.」
As people all over the city were discussing the events, it was a different scene at the Brotherhood’s headquarters on the docks.
"Thank goodness the leader is so wise. That guy is a maniac!"
"Yeah, if it weren’t for our leader, we’d all have lost our heads by now!" A few of the leaders, their hearts still pounding with fear, nervously touched their own heads.
The headquarters of the Long Le Gambling House was another scene entirely.
"That damn brat has gone too far!"
"Someone! Pass the word! Shut down all the gambling houses!"
"You have only one task: find that little beast for me, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground to do it!"
The magnificent building was a mess. Amidst the wreckage, Qin Fang, the tall and sturdy proprietor of the gambling house, radiated a murderous intent that soared to the heavens.
"Yan Ji, go to the City Lord Manor. It’s time he did something!"
The gorgeous woman acknowledged the order and vanished instantly.
The storm over Ning Xuan’s slaying of Exploding Bear had not yet settled when another shocking piece of news swept across Destiny City.
"Terrible news! Second Young Master Liu Qi of the Liu Family has been killed outside the city!"
"Also killed was Xiao Ming, an Inner Sect Disciple of the Fiery Sun Sect! I heard he was on a mission from the Sect to welcome an exceptional Heavenly Maiden!"
"Heavens! Who could be so bold?!"
"They say the wounds were all from a sword!"
"What? Doesn’t that mean..."
"Who in the world is that youth? He’s practically torn a hole in the sky over Destiny City!"
While the entire city was in an uproar, Ning Xuan was calmly facing a young woman.
She appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old and was stunningly beautiful. She had a full head of deep blue hair and was dressed in a blue robe that hinted at her curvaceous figure.
He didn’t need her to introduce herself. Ning Xuan already knew who she was: his fiancée whom he had never met, Si Lanyi.
"You’re more of a troublemaker than I imagined," Si Lanyi said after sizing him up from head to toe. "But you’re handsome, and your physique looks pretty good. I suppose you’re worthy of me. Come on, let’s go home."
"Miss!" An old woman standing behind Si Lanyi instinctively tried to stop her.
Si Lanyi asked, "What is it?"
"Miss, offending the Long Le Gambling House and The Brotherhood is a small matter, and the Liu Family is manageable. But he killed a disciple of the Fiery Sun Sect! If we take him back, the Si Family could face annihilation!"
Si Lanyi asked another question. "Aunt Lan, how many years have you been with our family?"
"Forty-two years, counting this one."
Si Lanyi nodded, then looked at Ning Xuan. "You just looted the Long Le Gambling House. You should have five thousand Element Crystals, right?"
Ning Xuan nodded.
"Aunt Lan, the Jianghu is a vast place. Safe travels."
The old woman was shocked, her face filled with disbelief. "Miss, you’re sending me away for his sake?!"
Ning Xuan was also astonished. The old woman hasn’t made a move, but if my senses aren’t wrong, she’s at least at the Ninth Layer Heavens of the Profound Realm! For Si Lanyi to give up such a powerful protector for my sake, on our very first meeting... I never would have expected this.
Si Lanyi remained silent.
"Miss, take care of yourself." The old woman, Aunt Lan, clenched her teeth and resolutely turned to leave. "I know your name is Ning Xuan. The Young Miss has sacrificed a lot for you. If you ever—"
"Aunt Lan, that’s enough," Si Lanyi interrupted.
The old woman said no more and left without a backward glance. As for the Element Crystals, she was gone before Ning Xuan could even hand them over.
Ning Xuan looked at Si Lanyi, puzzled. "Why?"
"The will of our parents, the words of the matchmaker... ah, forget all that. To be honest, I just crave your body."
