Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 451: Chapter 447: Sudden Change at Night

In the Six Eastern Provinces, Ning Jiang’s nerves were stretched taut nearly every day. He hadn’t had a single moment of relaxation, especially since the incident at the King’s Tomb.

In his quest to seize the Celestial Pill and rescue Ning Yu’an, his mind was strained to the absolute limit day and night.

But for a Martial Artist, this was not a good thing. Everything required a balance between tension and relaxation. Constant stress and pressure would, over time, lead to future complications.

Now, aboard the Chu Family’s great ship, Ning Jiang was still gravely injured, but thanks to the girl Chu Xiu’Er, he had a rare opportunity to relax.

’I’ll just treat this as a chance to unwind,’ Ning Jiang thought. ’I can also use the time to slowly heal my injuries and recover my Cultivation.’

His current Cultivation aura was only at the Spirit Realm. In the unfamiliar Meteor Sea Region, such a level of Cultivation wasn’t even enough for self-preservation.

In this world where the strong devoured the weak, the only thing one could truly rely on was their own Cultivation.

In the days that followed, Ning Jiang slowly recovered from his injuries while answering Chu Xiu’Er’s various questions about the Six Eastern Provinces.

The girl was quite clingy, like a curious kitten, filled with a yearning for the outside world.

Ning Jiang didn’t dislike this innocent child. He was quite patient, answering every question she asked.

Soon, the two of them grew quite close.

Night fell, and the sky grew dark.

The East Sea was much colder at night than during the day. A cold wind howled—WHOOSH—strong and urgent, whipping up massive waves on the sea’s surface.

However, the Chu Family’s ship was enormous. It could withstand gales and waves even ten times as strong.

On the massive, cast-steel deck, a bonfire blazed.

The flickering firelight illuminated Chu Xiu’Er. She held a branch, a fish skewered on its end. As it roasted, the fish’s juices made a SIZZLING sound, and a fragrant aroma wafted out.

Ning Jiang sat cross-legged to the side, a faint smile on his lips as he watched Chu Xiu’Er’s focused expression. The girl who had been clinging to him all day did have her quiet moments.

A short while later.

”Brother Ning, it’s ready! Quick, have a taste.”

After Chu Xiu’Er finished adding a few seasonings, she eagerly presented the grilled fish to Ning Jiang.

”For me?”

Ning Jiang was slightly taken aback.

In truth, once a Martial Artist stepped into the Spirit Realm, they could perform Qi Refining and Grain Avoidance. As long as they absorbed the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, they wouldn’t feel hungry and naturally had no need to eat.

It had been a very long time since Ning Jiang had eaten any food. He was like a Banished Immortal detached from the Human World, having no contact with earthly grains.

”Brother Ning, hurry and try it. Is it good?”

Chu Xiu’Er urged him again.

Looking at Chu Xiu’Er’s expectant and pleading gaze, Ning Jiang couldn’t bring himself to refuse. Besides, it was a token of her kindness.

He took the grilled fish and bit into it. The flesh was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the meat delicate and aromatic. The only drawback... was that it was a bit salty.

”Brother Ning, is it good?”

Chu Xiu’Er asked nervously, her big eyes wide.

”You’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Ning Jiang said with a smile. Hearing this, Chu Xiu’Er immediately pouted, looking aggrieved and as if she had taken a huge blow.

Amused, Ning Jiang patted her head. ”Courtesy demands reciprocity. Since I ate your fish, I’ll give you one in return.”

”You know how to grill fish too, Brother Ning? Is it good?”

Hearing Ning Jiang’s words, Chu Xiu’Er’s spirits immediately lifted, her eyes shining brightly.

”It’s delicious.”

Ning Jiang smiled and got right to it.

He held a branch, turning a fish over the flames. The fish’s skin gradually turned a golden brown. His technique was skillful, and compared to Chu Xiu’Er’s attempt just now, the difference in skill was obvious at a glance.

As he continuously added seasonings, an aroma more than ten times richer than before emanated from the fish.

”It smells so good.”

Chu Xiu’Er twitched her nose like a little puppy, staring at the fish without blinking. Her mouth was practically watering from the craving. ”Brother Ning, you’re amazing.”

Ning Jiang chuckled in amusement.

’If anyone from a hundred thousand years ago saw the great Legendary Venerable grilling fish for a little girl, who knows how many jaws would drop.’

”It’s done. Be careful, it’s hot.”

Finally, under Chu Xiu’Er’s eagerly expectant gaze, the grilled fish was ready.

After taking the fish, Chu Xiu’Er blew on it a couple of times before impatiently taking a bite.

”Mmm...”

The moment the fish entered her mouth, her eyes widened in surprise. ”Brother Ning, this fish is so delicious! This is absolutely the best grilled fish I’ve ever had!”

”When you’ve lived long enough, you pick up a few skills here and there.”

”Lived long enough? Brother Ning, you’re only a few years older than me. How is that ’living long enough’?”

Chu Xiu’Er muttered a few words but didn’t dwell on the issue, focusing instead on devouring Ning Jiang’s grilled fish.

This was no ordinary fish; it was quite heavy, weighing over ten pounds, but every last bit of it ended up in Chu Xiu’Er’s stomach.

”I want more...” Chu Xiu’Er rubbed her belly, looking as if she hadn’t had nearly enough.

”If you want more, I can teach you,” Ning Jiang said with a smile.

”Okay!” Chu Xiu’Er was overjoyed.

Afterward, while Ning Jiang taught Chu Xiu’Er how to grill fish, she put her chattering skills to use, pestering him with questions about the Six Eastern Provinces.

”Oh, right, Brother Ning, do you know about the Sword King Body? I heard my sister mention him.”

”Ling Tianxu? Did your sister meet him?”

”Mhm, my sister even challenged him, but unfortunately... she was defeated by him in a single move. My sister said he’s a heaven-sent prodigy, a natural-born King, and that among the younger generation of the Six Eastern Provinces, he’s number one. Is he really that amazing?”

”Amazing? I crushed him,” Ning Jiang said casually.

”Crushed him? Brother Ning, you’re such a braggart.” Chu Xiu’Er let out a PFFT of a laugh, her giggles like the chiming of silver bells.

”Would I lie to a little girl like you? Ling Tianxu, number one of the younger generation? If I claimed to be number two, who would dare claim to be number one?”

Ning Jiang lay down lazily on the deck, hands behind his head, and gazed up at the night sky.

He was in an incredibly relaxed mood, and since he had a good impression of Chu Xiu’Er, he spoke without any inhibitions.

”Xiu’Er, don’t listen to his nonsense.”

Just then, a displeased voice cut in. Chu Qingqing had walked over and overheard their conversation. ”The Sword King Body Ling Tianxu is a peerless figure, like a dragon among men. With his paltry Spirit Realm Cultivation, he couldn’t even block a single finger from the Sword King Body, yet he talks about crushing him. He truly doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth.”

”Sister, Brother Ning was just joking. Why are you getting so worked up over it? You’re so petty,” Chu Xiu’Er said unhappily, coming to Ning Jiang’s defense.

”There’s a limit to joking. How is that a joke? It’s clearly just an outrageous boast.” Chu Qingqing frowned at Ning Jiang, her face full of displeasure.

She had been defeated by Ling Tianxu with a single sword strike. For Ning Jiang to claim he could crush Ling Tianxu, wasn’t that an indirect way of belittling her?

’I should have Xiu’Er spend less time with him, so she isn’t led astray.’

Chu Qingqing thought to herself. Chu Xiu’Er was like a blank sheet of paper, and she didn’t want Ning Jiang to stain it with any unpleasant colors.

”Then just assume I was making an outrageous boast.”

Ning Jiang smiled faintly, too lazy to argue.

At this very moment, in his unprecedented state of relaxation, the three severely damaged Primordial Spirits in his mind were actually beginning to recover at a rapid pace...

BOOM!

Suddenly, the ship’s hull was rocked by a tremendous tremor. The immense force nearly capsized the entire vessel.

Chu Qingqing’s gaze shot toward the sea’s surface. When she saw what was there, her expression changed in an instant.

”Oh no, they’re here!”