Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 96: Chapter 94: Former Friend, You Owe Me This Sword Strike!

It was late, and a bright moon hung high in the sky.

The brother and sister reminisced about the past as they strolled leisurely.

This place held their childhood and so many wonderful memories.

”When we were little, we were so carefree, innocent, and happy. We always wanted to grow up quickly. But once we actually grew up, we started to miss our childhood, wishing we could go back. Humans are truly contradictory creatures.”

Ning Yu’an’s voice was gentle. Her beautiful, clear eyes gazed at the night sky, a faint smile playing on her lips.

”The older you get, the more troubles you have. You get entangled in the mundane world and lose the freedom of childhood. It’s only natural to feel that way.”

Ning Jiang’s voice was cool and detached. ”Childhood may be beautiful, but the future is even more so. The future holds infinite possibilities, infinite wonders.”

He was someone who looked to the future, not one to be shackled by the past.

The past was like smoke, dissipating into thin air.

A Martial Artist must be this way: always forging ahead, charging through turbulent rapids, never stopping. It’s like rowing a boat upstream—if you don’t advance, you fall behind.

”Ning Jiang?”

Suddenly, a voice cut in.

The siblings looked over and saw a few young men and women walking toward them.

The man in the center was distinguished, tall, and handsome. He was clearly the leader of the group.

”Qin Lie.”

Ning Jiang spoke the man’s name as memories of Qin Lie surfaced one by one.

Qin Lie had been one of the original owner’s few friends in Baiquan Town, hailing from the second-tier family, the Qin Family.

Baiquan Town had two major second-tier families: the Song Family and the Qin Family.

These two families were the behemoths of Baiquan Town, possessing profound strength.

It was six months ago. Ning Jiang and Ning Yu’an had been at Crescent Lake when they ran into Qin Lie. Claiming they hit it off immediately, Qin Lie took the initiative to befriend them.

At the time, Ning Jiang had been flattered. After all, he was merely from a small third-class family, while Qin Lie was from the Qin Family. Moreover, Qin Lie already had a Peak Postnatal Cultivation back then, ranking among the top ten of Baiquan Town’s younger generation.

After that, Qin Lie often sought Ning Jiang out. Their friendship deepened, and they even started addressing each other as brothers.

However, Ning Yu’an had always been wary of Qin Lie. She’d said several times that she didn’t like him and warned that he had ulterior motives, telling Ning Jiang to stay away from him.

The Ning Jiang of that time only knew how to practice his sword; he was naive about the ways of the world and didn’t pay much mind to Ning Yu’an’s words.

It wasn’t until he was afflicted by the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse that he saw Qin Lie’s true colors and understood his motive.

Right after he was struck by the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse, Qin Lie came to see him.

Qin Lie wanted his help in persuading Ning Yu’an to be with him.

Ning Jiang was utterly stunned.

Upon asking Ning Yu’an, he learned that every time Qin Lie came to see him, it was actually an attempt to get close to her, but she had rejected him every single time.

Ning Jiang finally realized that Qin Lie’s approach at Crescent Lake had been aimed at Ning Yu’an all along; that was the only reason he had befriended him.

After understanding Qin Lie’s intentions and coming to his senses, Ning Jiang naturally cursed Qin Lie out and broke off all ties with him.

Qin Lie dropped the facade as well. He not only humiliated Ning Jiang but also threatened that if Ning Yu’an didn’t marry him, he would ensure Ning Jiang died a miserable death.

To this day, Ning Jiang remembered every single word Qin Lie had said.

”You insist on doing this the hard way. If I hadn’t taken a fancy to your sister, why would I have ever bothered with trash like you? You’re nothing but a parentless stray someone picked up. And you think you’re worthy of calling me brother? Don’t make me laugh!”

”You’re afflicted with the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse now, so you won’t live much longer anyway. Why not do one last good deed before you die? Persuade your sister to give in to me.”

”Let me tell you, in Baiquan Town, my Qin Family calls the shots. It’s your sister’s good fortune that I want to marry her. No woman I set my sights on can escape my grasp. I imagine the Ning Family would be more than happy to form a marriage alliance with my Qin Family. Hahahaha.”

Ning Jiang could never forget the arrogant way Qin Lie had laughed and walked away.

But the Ning Jiang of that time had been helpless. Ning Changfeng and Li Qingyun had already left for Golden Cauldron City, and his own strength was no match for Qin Lie. Besides, the Ning Family likely wouldn’t have helped him.

Sure enough, the very next day.

Someone from the Ning Family came to act as a persuader. It was Ning Yu’an’s uncle, Ning Changhan, who urged her to marry Qin Lie.

Ning Jiang would never forget Ning Yu’an’s unyielding response, how she’d sworn to die before obeying.

”I would rather die than marry him.”

Even more, Ning Jiang couldn’t forget the helplessness, sorrow, and even despair hidden deep within her beautiful eyes as she said those words.

When his first attempt failed, Qin Lie began to harass the two of them repeatedly.

The worst incident was when Qin Lie lost his patience and actually attacked and injured Ning Jiang.

Ning Changhan and the others were standing right there, watching coldly without interfering. In the end, Qin Lie only stopped after Ning Jiang had coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. He then gave Ning Yu’an a final ultimatum: three days to consider.

If she dared to refuse again, he would kill Ning Jiang.

After Ning Jiang was injured, Ning Yu’an cried with heartache.

Afterward, Ning Jiang and Ning Yu’an discussed it and decided to secretly leave the Ning Family and travel to the distant Luoyang City.

They left the Ning Family partly because of its indifference, but mostly because Qin Lie had forced their hand, leaving them with no other choice.

At this moment, Ning Jiang’s calm gaze swept over Qin Lie before finally landing on the people behind him.

Ning Jiang knew every one of them. They were his former friends!

After he’d met Qin Lie, he had treated him with sincerity and even introduced these friends to him.

Unfortunately, to his bitter disappointment, these friends had given him a taste of betrayal.

After he was afflicted by the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse, Qin Lie had even mobilized these people to take turns persuading him to convince Ning Yu’an to marry Qin Lie.

Ning Jiang understood, of course. These ”friends” all thought he wouldn’t live much longer and had no value, while Qin Lie’s status was prestigious. Befriending Qin Lie was the superior choice, so they committed such acts of betrayal.

’You treated them with sincerity, thinking you had made a group of close friends. You let your guard down around them and helped them at every turn, but it turns out they were just a bunch of despicable opportunists, willing to abandon all loyalty for personal gain.’

Ning Jiang looked up at the moon, murmuring inwardly. He was speaking to the deceived Ning Jiang of the past.

That Ning Jiang had seen them as bosom friends. He valued loyalty and friendship. Whenever they ran into trouble, he would always step up without hesitation to help them solve their problems.

Back then, that Ning Jiang had never complained or had any regrets. Sometimes, he didn’t even mind taking a loss for their sake.

Because he considered them friends!

But when he fell on hard times, these friends he had cherished so much didn’t lend him a hand. Instead, they kicked him while he was down, leaving his heart riddled with wounds, as if cut by a knife.

The feeling of being betrayed by friends was far more painful than the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse.

”Hahahaha! To think I’d run into you at this party tonight, Ning Yu’an!”

Qin Lie completely ignored Ning Jiang and let out a loud laugh. After Ning Yu’an disappeared, he had searched for her for a long time but found no trace.

Who would have thought he would see her here again? And she was even more beautiful, noble, and enchanting than before. His heart leaped in his chest.

”The heavens are truly smiling on me! Ning Yu’an, since you’re back, I definitely won’t let you get away this time.”

Qin Lie was gloating. He had always wanted to get close to Ning Yu’an, but she had always kept her distance, leaving him no opportunity.

Later, when Ning Yu’an and Ning Jiang vanished, he had been furious. Now that the person he yearned for day and night had reappeared before him, there was no way he would miss this chance.

”Ning Yu’an, stop being so stubborn. Marrying Young Master Qin is a good thing,” a man behind Qin Lie said. His name was Hou Zheng, once a friend of Ning Jiang.

”That’s right. Countless women in Baiquan Town would love to marry Young Master Qin. You and he are a match made in heaven,” another woman said. Her name was Qian Lan, and she had known Ning Jiang for four years.

”Ning Yu’an, don’t be ungrateful. For someone of Young Master Qin’s background to take an interest in you is your great fortune. If you refuse again, you’re just being foolish,” a third person said. His name was Yao Tong. He had the deepest friendship with Ning Jiang, having known him for eight years. Yet, this person with the deepest connection spoke the cruelest words.

Following that, the other two also chimed in, putting on an act of giving well-intentioned advice.

All five of them were Ning Jiang’s friends.

Yet right now, they didn’t even seem to see Ning Jiang, focused only on fawning over Qin Lie.

They had already broken ties with Ning Jiang after he was afflicted by the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse. Why would they care about his feelings now?

”Hahaha, Ning Yu’an, did you hear that? Marrying me is the wise choice,” Qin Lie laughed, utterly smug.

Ning Yu’an said nothing, her expression frosty.

A fire of rage burned within her. She was angry for Ning Jiang’s sake. These were the friends he had once cherished so deeply, yet look at their ugly faces now!

She was afraid that Ning Jiang would be hurt, that he would be saddened.

However, Ning Jiang just stood there, devoid of joy or sorrow, his calmness unsettling.

SHIING.

The ring of a sword sounded.

Ning Jiang slowly drew the Wind Chasing Sword.

Finally, he spoke. It was a murmur to his own heart, his indifferent voice devoid of emotion: ’Don’t be sad. I told you, I will shoulder all the grievances you suffered.’

He was speaking softly to that other Ning Jiang.

In that Ning Jiang’s heart, the one he hated most was not Lin Chaonan, the man who had inflicted the Black Jade Fire Poison Curse on him.

It was this pack of scoundrels before him, who had kicked him when he was down!

The sword in his hand trembled slightly, as if it could feel the injustice in Ning Jiang’s heart.

’This sword shall give voice to my heart!’

What is a Sword Cultivator?

To repay debts of gratitude and enmity with relish—that is a Sword Cultivator!

To kill decisively—that is a Sword Cultivator!

If the heart is troubled by injustice, sweep it away with the sword!

Ning Jiang took a step forward and vanished from everyone’s sight.

The next moment he appeared, he was already in front of Hou Zheng.

”Hou Zheng! When you wanted to buy a Martial Technique but were short on Primordial Stones, I was the one who lent you every last stone I had. I never even asked you to pay me back. Yet you repaid my kindness with betrayal!”

As Ning Jiang’s voice fell, he slashed out with his sword. ”This strike is the debt you owe me!”

SCHLICK.

A flash of sword light cut through the air.

”AHH!”

Hou Zheng let out a blood-curdling scream as one of his arms flew high into the air, blood gushing from the wound.

”Qian Lan! To practice your Sword Technique, you often sought my guidance. I considered you a friend and taught you everything I knew, holding nothing back. But you showed no gratitude and betrayed me. This strike is for the kindness you owe me!”