“You…” A side of the teenager’s face was entirely swollen like a pig’s head. Somebody went over to help him up.

“Sister Xiner, why did you hit him?” asked Ning Hengqing.

Ning Xiner glared at Ning Hengqing before uttering, “If you dare badmouth my mother, do you think I wouldn’t hit you too?”

Ning Hengqing’s lips quivered; although he was arrogant, he did not dare act all high and mighty before Ning Xiner. Ning Xiner had already cultivated Divine Martial Body so even if he had Stage Eight Qi, it was not enough to go against her.

However, there were many descendants of the Marquise Jiange’s Residence here, so he would be shamed if he were taken aback by Ning Xiner’s threat. He jeered, “Everyone’s merely speaking the truth. Your elder brother truly is a useless person, so was it wrong for cousin Ning Xiao to have doubted his birth? Everyone was merely using their words, yet you were the one that attacked a member of your own family. Once you gain even higher Cultivation, will you perhaps kill your own people? Have you completely forgotten the family principles of Marquise Jiange’s Residence?”

“He did go overboard but there was no need to attack a member of your own family!”

“We’re at such disagreement internally, it’s no wonder someone dared to kill a descendant of Marquise Jiange’s Residence.”

“Her own brother truly is a useless person who can’t live up to expectations, yet she won’t let people rebuke him for his own good.”

…

Everyone started pointing fingers at Ning Xiner. Some called her arrogant, some said that she was misusing her own power, and some accused her of breaking family principles and should be dealt with by family law.

Although Ning Xiner possessed high Cultivation, she was still a fourteen-year-old girl. Under everyone’s criticisms, she felt isolated and helpless, like a small blade of grass weathering a giant thunderstorm that came at her from all directions.

She had been strong all these years for she knew if she stopped, these people would have her elder brother killed.

Things were exactly the same now. Faced with everyone’s criticisms, she bit her bottom lip tightly, her eyes glistening with tears that she tried not to let fall. “You’re all wrong! My brother isn’t useless!

“Shut up, all of you. What’s wrong with hitting someone? Whoever else runs their mouth will suffer a beating from me!

“Shut up, all of you!”

Ning Hengqing watched Ning Xiner, who was surrounded by the crowd, and a proud smile tugged at his lips.

Ning Xiaochuan was also watching Ning Xiner defend himself when he suddenly felt inexplicably moved. For the first time, he was truly seeing her as his younger sister. He gripped his fists tightly and gritted his teeth before he started swearing. “Who else dares to spout sh*t from their mouth? So what if I am useless? Am I sleeping with your wife or destroying your family? If you’re all so brave then come at me, why are you bullying a young lady?”

Everyone was dumbfounded, completely petrified in their stances, as thousands of eyes stared at Ning Xiaochuan.

Ning Xiner was also staring at her elder brother, her eyes flickering!

Ning Xiaochuan adjusted his collar before striding over to Ning Xiner’s side. He stared everyone down, his gaze sharp as he spoke, “Who’s useless? You lot are the true bunch of losers that only know how to cause internal strife. Can’t you see the three corpses on the ground? Have you lot ever wondered who killed them? Ever checked the wounds that caused their death? Ever wondered why they were killed? All you people do is bully my sister and myself because we have no parents. You see us both as orphans and think bullying us will be easy. Why not go after the enemy of the residence instead? You’re all too afraid to do anything because you’re all weak and cowardly; because you lot only know how to bully the weak and fear the strong! You’re all useless! Completely useless!”

Most of the people present were stunned at his outburst.

Ning Hengqing’s face went ashen and he laughed cynically. “Uncles have long examined their wounds and are currently inside the Conference Hall discussing it. Do you think a sick man like you should be worrying about that?”

Ning Xiaochuan replied, “If the uncles have eaten tonight, does that mean you won’t be eating anymore? If they go to the toilet tomorrow, does that mean you won’t be going? They still need to lead the troops into battle, does this mean you are going to stay behind, spending all your time thinking about ways to deal with a useless person like me?”

Ning Hengqing’s face alternated between a myriad of expressions. His Blood Qi almost burst his blood vessels before he exploded in anger and he seethed through gritted teeth, “Who do you think you are to dare criticize me, I’ll cripple you.”

Ning Hengqing’s palms exploded with a burst of blood-red Combat Qi as cold air rushed out of his body, causing his clothes to flutter without wind.

“Look at you! Look at you! Your shame and embarrassment have turned into anger! You know I have a weak body and can’t cultivate Combat Qi, yet you still want to act out against me. I might even think you’re trying to kill me in front of everyone! We’re part of the same family, why are you in such a rush to kill me? Ning Hengqing, you’re currently thinking of killing a descendant of the same family as you, who knows whether or not you’ll kill the Old Marquise in the future if he goes against you?” said Ning Xiaochuan.

“Who knows whether or not you’ll kill the Old Marquise in the future if he goes against you?” This statement alone was almost the same as accusing him of plotting a rebellion.

Ning Hengqing’s Combat Qi had already rushed out of his body, yet it was forced back into his body because of this single statement. Within him, his Qi and his Blood Qi circulated in reverse.

“Pfft!”

Ning Hengqing spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Ning Hengqing had been greatly injured by his Qi that had circulated in reverse. He glared venomously at Ning Xiaochuan before he collapsed to the floor.

Ning Xiaochuan stared at the blood that Ning Hengqing had spat out. He instinctively took two steps back with Ning Xiner in his grasp, afraid that the blood might get on him. He lightly rubbed the tip of his nose with a finger and said resentfully, “I already told you respect should be mutual, yet you ignored me.”

“Pfft!” Ning Hengqing spat out another mouthful of blood before he lost consciousness completely.

“Though you’re a powerhouse, you couldn’t even take what I said. I think your psychological strength has room for improvement!” said Ning Xiaochuan with a shake of his head.

Ning Xiner rolled her eyes and stopped herself from telling her elder brother that both his statements were not exactly bearable by the average person.

Everyone was once again shocked by what had just unfolded. They stared at Ning Xiaochuan in unison as if their gazes said, “Even a powerhouse with Stage Eight Qi managed to be angered by your words, causing his Blood Qi to flow in reverse and him to lose consciousness. You’re really awesome!”

“What’s the ruckus? Someone, bring Ning Hengqing to Elder Lin’s place for immediate healing.” Ning Qianwu had just exited the Conference Hall and had watched everything unfold.

His son had just been murdered, so his mood was beyond sour. He then had to see Ning Xiaochuan, seemingly worsening his mood further. Killing intent flashed in his eyes for a second before he said solemnly, “Our initial conclusion is that Ning Han and the two servants had died in the hands of the Bloodthirsty Devil Sect. For the next half a month, all residents of Marquise Jiange’s Residence aren’t allowed to leave as they please. Once the Old Marquise comes out, he’ll be making the decision.”

Ning Qianwu glanced at Ning Xiaochuan once more, his eyes glazing over coldly before he turned and entered the Conference Hall once more.

Outside the Conference Hall, everyone was in heated discussion once more. All the descendants of the Marquise Jiange’s residence talked about what had just happened; some were filled with anger while some were filled with worry.

“The Bloodthirsty Devil Sect dared to kill Marquise Jiange’s Residence’s descendants in this city. This is a direct provocation! War, we must go to war, we must destroy all their sub-divisions in the city completely as well.”

“The Bloodthirsty Devil Sect has a lot of influence and tons of disciples. The Path Masters of the Six Great Devilish Paths are all Martial Supremes, so going to war with them will benefit Marquise Jiange’s Residence in no way!”

“There’s no need for our residence to be so afraid of them. The Path Master of Asura’s¹ Devilish Path is a formidable person and yet the Old Marquise cut off their right leg with a single slice. Now he doesn’t dare come to the imperial city anymore.”

Ning Han’s death had caused a huge uproar in Marquise Jiange’s Residence, especially since this incident was related to the Bloodthirsty Devil Sect, terrifying many.

Ning Xiaochuan, of course, knew that this was not the doing of the Bloodthirsty Devil Sect, for it was he who had sucked them dry of their blood. However, he had to keep this secret to himself and could not reveal it to anyone.

He had originally planned to tell Ning Xiner the secret that he could cultivate Combat Qi after he became a Heart-nourishing Master. However, since this incident had happened, he decided to keep it a secret for now.

By the time Ning Xiaochuan and Ning Xiner returned to their courtyard, night had fallen for a while. The pair shared a dinner that a servant girl had sent over.

“Elder brother, what does ‘spout sh*t’ mean?

“Elder brother, where did you copy ‘we’re part of the same family, why are you in such a rush to kill me’ from?

“Elder brother, you were so fierce when you started scolding everyone! Ning Hengqing has Stage Eight Qi, yet you managed to make him spit blood due to your scolding. I’m sure you’ll become famous within Marquise Jiange’s Residence by tomorrow.”

Ning Xiner’s wide eyes bent into crescents as she pestered her elder brother with all kinds of questions.

“Haven’t I always been famous?” mused Ning Xiaochuan.

Ning Xiner pondered his question for a bit before she nodded her head and said, “I think so.”

“I’m full, I’m going back to my room to sleep.”

Ning Xiaochuan stood up and made his leave. He was in quite a hurry as the ten stalks of Heart-nourishing Herbs and the ten stalks of Blood-increasing Herbs had spent too much time in his sack while they were delayed at the Conference Hall. Now that he could finally get to refining them, he was eager to get to the large fortune waiting for him after the refining process. He might even be able to use this opportunity to advance into the realm of Stage Five Qi.

Once this thought occurred to him, he grew even more impatient!