Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: White-haired Ghost Ning Jiang, It’s Him

Never underestimate a poor young man!

Ning Jiang’s tone was steady and his pace unhurried, yet every word seemed to strike deep into one’s heart, carrying a weight that compelled belief.

Fang Li’s heart skipped a beat, but her surprise quickly turned to scorn. ”You certainly have a silver tongue. But if you think you can change anything with words alone, you’re just a fool dreaming. You’re just like Zhao Peng—all talk and no action. What else are you good for? People like you are destined to be at the bottom. You’ll never amount to anything.”

Hearing Fang Li belittle them so completely, Zhao Peng couldn’t take it anymore. ”Fang Li, don’t you look down on people!”

”Zhao Peng, just keep living in your own little world and dreaming. Xiaoying will never be with you, no matter what,” Fang Li said mockingly, tilting her head.

”Zhao Peng, there’s no need to be angry. How can a frog in a well ever see the vast blue sky? No matter how beautiful the words, they’ll never be as powerful as the truth. Soon enough, she’ll realize just how ridiculously wrong she is,” Ning Jiang said, his gaze profound.

”Heh, I’ll be waiting to see it.”

Fang Li let out a cold laugh. Ning Jiang’s words made her see him as someone arrogant to the extreme, and her disdain for him grew.

Fang Ying stood to the side, looking lovely and pitiable. Her gaze remained fixed on Zhao Peng. She opened her mouth, about to speak.

Suddenly, a glare from Fang Li shot over, sharp as a knife. ”This isn’t the time for you to speak,” she snapped. ”Don’t butt in.”

Fang Ying’s delicate frame trembled. Her lips quivered, but in the end, she said nothing.

Zhao Peng exploded with anger, pointing at Fang Li. ”Fang Li, you always used to bully Xiaoying, hitting and cursing her. Now you’re still trying to control her. You’ve gone too far!”

”Heh, my parents are here. Let’s go over.”

Fang Li’s gaze swept over and saw two middle-aged couples walking over, chatting happily.

One couple was her parents, and the other was the elders from Liu’s side.

An engagement required the parents of both parties to be present as witnesses.

Seeing them, Fang Ying’s face turned pale.

Without another word, Fang Li grabbed Fang Ying and dragged her over, leaving a parting shot behind.

”You two had better know what’s good for you and not cause any trouble here. Otherwise, if you get beaten to death, I won’t be the one collecting your corpses.”

”Damn it.”

Zhao Peng’s heart seethed with resentment, his fists clenched so tight they felt like they would shatter.

「Over by the pavilion.」

”Liu, your parents are here. It looks like both sides have come to an agreement. All that’s left is the public announcement, right?”

”Congratulations, Cousin Liu, on winning the beauty’s heart.”

”Hahahaha, thank you, everyone. If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” Liu laughed, brimming with success. He clasped his hands in a salute, left the pavilion, and walked over to the two sets of parents.

”Father, Mother, Uncle Fang, Madam Fang,” Liu greeted them in turn.

”Haha, why still call us ’Uncle’ and ’Madam’? It sounds so distant. We’ll be family soon. You can almost start calling us Father-in-law and Mother-in-law.” The speaker was a short, stout man with plain features. He was Fang Lin, Fang Li’s father and Fang Ying’s adoptive father.

”Alright, we’ve already discussed the matter of you two children. We’re also very pleased with this child, Fang Ying.” Liu’s father, Liu Hao, glanced at the graceful Fang Ying and nodded in satisfaction.

’Perhaps her family background was a bit lacking, but her beauty made up for it. Besides, a man could have three wives and four concubines; my son can just marry a few more in the future if need be.’

”We’ve both agreed to this marriage. I assume you two children have no objections, do you?” Liu Hao said.

With so many young people around, he had to at least appear open-minded and have the two of them nod along for show.

”Of course I have no objection,” Liu said quickly.

After he stated his position, only Fang Ying was left.

But Fang Ying just kept her head slightly bowed, saying nothing.

”Xiaoying, hurry up and agree. Don’t embarrass Mom and Dad,” Fang Li urged in a low voice as she felt the surrounding gazes converge on them.

Fang Ying bit her lip, her heart in turmoil. ’If I nod, there’s no turning back.’

’Although I’ve always been meek, this concerns my entire future. The thought of being engaged to someone I dislike fills my heart with endless anguish.’

’This bitch.’

Liu’s expression darkened as he cursed inwardly. ’If Fang Ying doesn’t say anything now, under everyone’s watchful eyes, I’ll be the one to lose face.’

”Hmph.”

The short, stout Fang Lin let out a cold, utterly frigid snort.

Fang Ying’s delicate body trembled. She raised her eyes to see Fang Lin staring at her, his gaze as cold and sharp as a knife.

’How could I not understand the meaning in that glare?’

”Hehe, never mind. The girl Xiaoying has always been shy. Please excuse her.”

Fang Lin turned his gaze away from Fang Ying and announced loudly, ”Marriage has always been decided by the parents’ command. It is enough that we, the parents, have agreed to this union.”

As he finished speaking, all the color drained from Fang Ying’s face.

’My adoptive father... he knows I don’t like Liu, yet he’s still sacrificing my happiness without a second thought.’

’This is no different from pushing me into a pit of fire.’

”Very well, let’s leave it at that. I agree,” Liu Hao said with a nod.

”Congratulations, Uncle Liu and Uncle Fang.”

At this, the younger generation who had been invited all shouted their congratulations.

’Zhao Peng, I told you. You can’t change this engagement,’ Fang Li thought, a cold sneer in her eyes.

However, amidst this joyous and harmonious atmosphere, one person stood out like a sore thumb.

Watching the pale-faced Fang Ying, whose fate was being dictated by others, Zhao Peng clenched his fists, a furious flame burning in his dark eyes.

’I hate this! It’s all because I’m useless! Because I’m powerless! I can’t do anything but let Xiaoying suffer like this.’

Zhao Peng’s teeth chattered, and he was filled with a deep sorrow for his own weakness.

He had never hated his own powerlessness as much as he did in this moment.

’Now, who is there left to help me?’

”Zhao Peng, I know you can’t accept this. Since that’s the case, say it out loud.”

”Say everything that’s in your heart.”

”Be fearless. Like a man. Don’t worry about the consequences, and don’t care about what happens if you offend the Liu Family.”

”All you need to do is let it all out. Let everyone here hear your voice. Let everyone here know your will.”

”Don’t be afraid!”

”No matter what storms come, I will block them all!”

”With me here, you have nothing to fear.”

”Even if you turn the world upside down, I will be the one to quell the chaos!”

Ning Jiang’s gaze was as calm as ever, but beneath that tranquility lay an arrogance that looked down upon all living things.

To him, all beings were like ants.

He hadn’t forgotten that time on Yang Liu Road, when no one dared to offend Ma Hong, yet this fatty had been the only one to stand up and speak for him.

Now, Zhao Peng was in trouble.

He was fulfilling his promise, extending a helping hand to this person in deep distress.

For the drop of kindness Zhao Peng had shown him, he would repay it with a gushing spring.

’If someone offers me a drop of kindness, I shall repay them with an entire ocean!’

At this moment, Ning Jiang’s words were like a flame to a barrel of oil, completely igniting the emotions Zhao Peng had suppressed deep in his heart.

Then, those emotions erupted like a volcano, shaking the heavens and the earth.

Zhao Peng took a deep breath.

He threw his head back.

And roared.

”I DO NOT AGREE!”

In that instant, Zhao Peng used every ounce of strength he had, as if to vent everything he had ever wanted to say, right here and now.

The furious sound wave, like a rolling clap of thunder, BOOMED across the entire massive backyard.

For a moment, the only sound in the entire backyard was Zhao Peng’s voice.

He felt that he had never, ever felt so unburdened.

All the pent-up anger in his heart, the suffocating rage, vanished in that single instant.

”Xiaoying, this matter is already settled. Forget about Zhao Peng. He’s just a loser. If he had any guts, he’d stand up right now and say he doesn’t agree...”

Fang Li was in the middle of belittling Zhao Peng when her voice was completely drowned out by the rolling wave of sound.

In that moment, her face was a mask of shock as she looked over in disbelief.

At the same time, countless gazes all turned to converge on Zhao Peng.

”Zhao Peng.”

Fang Ying stared blankly at the man who had disregarded everything to shout what was in his heart. A warmth spread through her eyes, and tears suddenly began to fall.

’The Fang Family that raised me is pushing me into a pit of fire, cold and heartless, while Zhao Peng is standing up for me.’

Nearby, Liu Hao’s face was ashen, and Fang Lin’s expression was murderous.

For Fang Lin, today was a golden opportunity to forge a connection with the Liu Family. By sacrificing an adoptive daughter in exchange for the Liu Family’s support, his Fang Family might one day be able to rise from an unranked minor family to a third-class family.

In his eyes, this marriage absolutely could not be ruined.

But Zhao Peng had dared to cause a scene at a time like this, making him wish he could kill the boy with a single slap.

”Zhao Peng, how dare you show your face here.”

Liu was the most furious. If this sudden development wasn’t handled properly, he would probably become a laughingstock and lose all face.

”It’s that kid.”

Over in the pavilion, Liu Yang recognized Ning Jiang standing next to Zhao Peng.

He had clashed with Ning Jiang during the appraisal at the Treasure Auction, and in the end, he had lost face in front of Yan Shuangying. He had been holding a grudge about it ever since.

”It’s him.”

Suddenly, Liu Yang heard Liu Mi’s voice beside him.

He followed her gaze and saw that Liu Mi’s beautiful eyes were fixed on Ning Jiang, unblinking. Within those limpid eyes was a complex, unreadable emotion.

This discovery instantly filled Liu Yang’s heart with rage.

He had just been trying his utmost to curry favor with Liu Mi, but she had remained completely indifferent to him. Yet now, she was looking at Ning Jiang with such an expression.

”Miss Liu Mi, you seem to care a great deal about that person?” Liu Yang asked, keeping his expression neutral.

”And what if I do?” Liu Mi’s attitude was icy.

Liu Yang’s fawning advances just now had already filled her with disgust.

”This brat is causing trouble at my Liu Family’s event. I have no choice but to teach him a lesson. However, for your sake, Miss Liu Mi, I’ll let him live,” Liu Yang said, his eye twitching and his gaze cold.

A flash of disdain crossed Liu Mi’s eyes. ”I’d advise you not to ask for your own humiliation. You won’t be able to take a single move from him. Believe it or not.”

”Miss Liu Mi, are you deliberately trying to insult me? Fine. Fine! I’d like to see just how he’ll defeat me in one move.” Liu Yang felt he had been utterly disgraced. He immediately took a step forward and headed toward Ning Jiang.

’You’re courting death.’

Liu Mi shook her head. The moment she saw Ning Jiang’s full head of white hair, she had already understood.

White-haired Ghost Ning Jiang.

It was him!