Chapter 68: The Aristocratic Family

The entrance to the cave was not far from the top of the cliff. Ning Xiu waited until he was certain everyone above had left before climbing up. At the edge of the cliff, the seven corpses from the four major factions had already been taken care of by their respective groups, but the bloodstains on the ground remained shockingly vivid, bearing testament to the ferocity of the battle that had taken place.

Looking down, the itinerant martial artists were not so fortunate. Not only had their belongings been stripped clean, but their bodies were left exposed to the wild, abandoned without dignity.

Ning Xiu cast a glance, then withdrew his gaze and walked away into the distance.

As the Scarlet Immortal Fruit had to be consumed within twelve hours after ripening, Ning Xiu did not hurry back to the Bamboo Grove Society. Instead, he headed directly to a small town near Pine Breeze Ridge, found an inn, and settled in with the intention of digesting and absorbing the fruit first.

Night deepened; the stars grew brighter. Ning Xiu sat in his room, gazing at the completely crimson fruit in his hand, curious about the taste of this spirit fruit, rated three stars by his system.

As he bit into it, a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

A subtle fragrance spread in his mouth—not strong, but faint and slightly sweet.

If it had been a common treasure that enhanced internal strength, he would have felt pure spiritual energy coursing through his body at that moment. Yet after eating the Scarlet Immortal Fruit, Ning Xiu found that apart from the lingering aroma, his body underwent no obvious change.

But soon, he noticed something different.

The world around him suddenly seemed quieter. He could clearly hear voices and insect chirps from the street outside his window.

“Old Cheng, it’s so late and you’re still not heading home. Aren’t you afraid your wife will beat you?”

“Don’t kid me. I’m the master of my house, all right? Come on, let’s go drink.”

For an instant, Ning Xiu felt as if he had merged with heaven and earth. The sensation was wondrous, making him lose all sense of time passing.

Suddenly, a soft buzzing sounded in the room.

Night wind swirled; a cool breeze filled the space.

Ning Xiu opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat dazed at first, then gradually calm, finally turning into a heartfelt joy.

He was unsure if he had truly advanced to the so-called Grandmaster realm, but he found the world before him clearer than ever, able to hear more sounds and sense more things.

He was confident that if he were to encounter that female ghost again, the mental attack she had used before would have no effect on him now.

...

Headquarters of the Bamboo Grove Society, Thousand Bamboo Pavilion.

In the spacious council hall, all the senior members were present, led by Wei Junkun, except for Ning Xiu.

Just yesterday, after Wei Junkun returned from Pine Breeze Ridge, he had sent urgent summons to all the branch leaders and high-ranking members to gather.

Those who had accompanied Wei Junkun in the expedition knew the details, but the rest assumed another upheaval was about to strike the Society; some hadn’t even warmed their seats, truly frightened by the recent turmoil.

Anxious and uneasy, they arrived at headquarters, each taking their assigned place and quietly waiting for Wei Junkun to make his announcement.

Wei Junkun sat in the leader’s seat, his expression grave as he looked at those gathered. Just as he was about to speak, a voice rang out from outside the hall.

“Elder Ning has arrived!”

Before the words faded, Ning Xiu had already stepped into the hall.

At that moment, Wei Junkun’s face was a picture of complex emotions—joy, disappointment...

He quickly regained composure, hurried down from his seat, and led Ning Xiu toward the front of the hall.

“Elder Ning, you’re finally back. Where did you disappear to at Pine Breeze Ridge? We searched for you for days and found no trace. Thankfully, you’re safe,” Wei Junkun said.

“Thank you for your concern, Leader Wei.” Ning Xiu gently patted Wei Junkun’s hand, signaling him to release it, then continued, “I was suddenly faced with some urgent matters and had to leave without notice.”

“I heard Li Tiexin is missing as well?” Wei Junkun looked into Ning Xiu’s eyes and asked suddenly.

“Is that so?” Ning Xiu showed a hint of surprise. “This is the first I’ve heard of it. After leaving that night, I know nothing of what happened at Pine Breeze Ridge. On my way back today, I did hear a wandering martial artist mention some events from then.”

“What exactly happened, Leader Wei?” Ning Xiu’s sincere gaze prompted Wei Junkun, though he believed not a word. After all, someone who could single-handedly topple two major figures of the Society could hardly be considered innocent.

Yet disbelief aside, Wei Junkun showed no sign of it, instead offering polite words of concern to Ning Xiu.

For him, living amid lies had long become second nature.

...

“You’ve returned just in time; I was about to address this matter,” Wei Junkun glanced at Ning Xiu, then turned back to his leader’s seat.

“Close the doors.”

He looked at everyone, raising his right hand.

The Bamboo Grove Society disciples waiting outside obeyed, slowly shutting the doors.

A dull thud echoed, and instantly the air in the hall grew heavy.

Everyone sensed something was amiss with Wei Junkun’s expression. He had always worn a smile, but now his face was solemn to the point of being frightening.

“Those brothers who came back with me from Pine Breeze Ridge should already guess what I’m about to say,” Wei Junkun said in a deep voice, “You’ve all heard, to some extent, who truly rules Lingnan County behind the scenes.”

“Is there another mission from the Jia family?” someone whispered below.

“The Jia family—that name feels so distant. The last time I heard it was over a decade ago. Frankly, I’d rather never hear it again,” Su Lie said, his face dark.

“Protector Su, what’s going on? Who exactly are the Jia family?” The speaker was clearly a newcomer, not having experienced the events from more than ten years ago.

Ning Xiu, too, wished to ask.

“On the surface, Lingnan County is governed by the authorities, but the imperial court’s reach is limited; it cannot extend to every inch of the Great Qian Dynasty,” Wei Junkun declared loudly. “The true power in Lingnan County lies with the aristocratic families—the Jia family!”

The hall gradually fell silent, everyone’s face somber.

Aristocratic families—only at their level could one understand the true meaning of those words.

To ordinary folk like them, such families were akin to deities.

Only Ning Xiu was bewildered, unable to share the mood of those around him. Yet from Wei Junkun’s words and the reactions of others, he could tell that the aristocratic families were truly formidable entities.