In the courtyard.
"Excellent wine!!" Lu Qingshan quietly savored a small sip of the fine liquor, then opened his eyes and praised it.
Hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled.
"The Valley Master has personally come to visit and even healed my elder brother's paralyzed arm. Naturally, I must serve the best wine I have."
Lu Qingshan waved his hand. "It was just a casual visit and a small gesture. Nothing worth mentioning!"
"This kindness will be remembered in my heart!" Jiang Ning said, raising the bowl of fine wine in his hand. "I offer this bowl to the Valley Master!"
"One sip!" Lu Qingshan clinked his bowl against Jiang Ning's and said.
"Of course!" Jiang Ning replied.
In the next moment, both men took a sip. The clear, cold liquor spilled from the corners of their mouths, falling to the ground and emitting a faint chill.
"This wine..." After taking a sip, Lu Qingshan's face showed admiration. "This wine brings a chilling sensation that penetrates the body as if standing within a thousand-year-old ice layer. Drinking a bowl of this in the summer would be incredibly refreshing!"
Jiang Ning laughed. "Then next summer, I'll invite the Valley Master to taste this wine again!"
"Good!" Lu Qingshan nodded firmly.
Then, he praised again, "This wine is extraordinary. It seems to have the effect of transforming one's body and enhancing martial talent."
"Indeed, it does," Jiang Ning nodded slightly.
"Commander Jiang is truly generous! Such a treasure, and you're willing to share it!" Lu Qingshan said with approval.
Jiang Ning smiled.
At that moment, Lu Qingshan suddenly spoke, "I detect the scent of the Leopard Fetus Body Transformation Pill on Commander Jiang. You must have consumed it recently, right?"
"Correct!" Jiang Ning nodded, casually refilling Lu Qingshan's bowl and then his own.
"In that case, thank you, Commander Jiang, for dealing with that arrogant fool on behalf of my Medicine King Valley!" Lu Qingshan raised his bowl again and said, "To express my gratitude, I offer this bowl to you!"
Clink
The two porcelain bowls touched, producing a light sound.
Jiang Ning asked, "Valley Master Lu, aren't you upset that I kept those two Leopard Fetus Body Transformation Pills for myself?"
"Why would I be upset?" Lu Qingshan shook his head and smiled. "Commander Jiang dealt with that arrogant man on behalf of my Medicine King Valley. Anything obtained from him is rightfully your spoils of war. My Medicine King Valley should offer you a reward!"
"Valley Master is truly generous!" Jiang Ning praised.
At this moment, Jiang Ning fully understood that the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley had come with goodwill.
Otherwise, with Lu Qingshan's strength, there would be no need for him to speak in such a manner.
Against an ordinary fifth-rank expert, Jiang Ning felt he might still have a chance if he used all his means.
But a peak fifth-rank expert, according to the records, could slay a thousand soldiers with a single sword strike.
Such power was beyond mortal capability it was akin to a nuclear weapon.
Then, the two men raised their bowls filled with wine and drank them in one go.
As the wine entered his stomach, a wave of heat rose from Jiang Ning's head.
After finishing the bowl, Lu Qingshan set it down and said, "Commander Jiang, we seem to have hit it off today. How about we become friends?"
"Isn't sharing a drink already a sign of friendship?" Jiang Ning smiled.
"True!" Lu Qingshan pretended to be surprised, then smiled broadly. "I was overthinking it!"
Afterward, Jiang Ning refilled both their bowls.
Looking at the sparkling spots in the wine, Lu Qingshan suddenly said, "Commander Jiang, I heard that last evening, the young master of the Qinghe Count's family died 500 meters outside the Inspection Bureau. Is this true?"
Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. "It's true. Commander He was assassinated last evening."
"Tsk" Lu Qingshan inhaled sharply. "This is troublesome! The young master of the Qinghe Count's family died in Luoshui County. In a few days, there will be a major upheaval here!"
Then, Lu Qingshan looked at Jiang Ning. "Commander Jiang, you must be careful from now on!"
"Why?" Jiang Ning asked.
Lu Qingshan explained, "I heard that you had some friction with that young master. If the Qinghe Count's family comes to Luoshui County, they will surely list you as a suspect! Although everyone knows it couldn't have been you, the Qinghe Count's family, as descendants of a founding count, doesn't follow rules or evidence. They would rather kill a thousand innocents than let one guilty person go!"
"As long as they kill all the suspects, they can avenge the young master and preserve the Qinghe Count's family's dignity."
"Fortunately, you are a member of the Inspection Bureau. Even the Qinghe Count's family wouldn't dare to act recklessly against you."
"So in the coming days, it's best if you don't leave the city. Stay within the Inspection Bureau until this storm passes."
Jiang Ning cupped his hands in gratitude. "Thank you for the reminder, Valley Master. I understand."
After lunch, Jiang Ning saw Lu Qingshan off.
By the banks of the Luoshui River, Lu Qingshan and Gongsun Yu stood quietly, feeling the cold wind blowing from the lake.
The gray hair at Lu Qingshan's temples fluttered backward.
"Elder Gongsun, what do you think of Jiang Ning?" Lu Qingshan suddenly asked.
"This man is extraordinary. He didn't show the slightest hint of fear in front of the Valley Master," Gongsun Yu replied.
"You're seeing only the surface," Lu Qingshan shook his head. "Did you notice his brow?"
"What about his brow?" Gongsun Yu looked puzzled.
Lu Qingshan explained, "The slight protrusion on his brow indicates that his spiritual power has greatly improved in a short time, reaching a level comparable to mine."
"Comparable to the Valley Master?" Gongsun Yu's eyes widened in shock.
"Yes, comparable to me," Lu Qingshan nodded slightly.
"How is that possible?" Gongsun Yu looked incredulous.
Lu Qingshan said, "At his age, with such a clean past and experiences, his spiritual power has inexplicably grown to this level. Combined with his rapid improvement in strength, there's something unusual about his origins."
"What do you mean?" Gongsun Yu asked.
"I suspect he might be the reincarnation of an ancient being," Lu Qingshan said slowly.
"Is there such a thing as reincarnation?" Gongsun Yu was surprised.
"Yes," Lu Qingshan nodded firmly. "Not just in this generation. The founder of the Sword Pavilion in Bashu County was also the reincarnation of an ancient immortal."
"The leader of the Huangtian Sect, known as the second strongest in the world, is also said to be the reincarnation of an ancient immortal."
Hearing this, Gongsun Yu said, "So, according to the Valley Master, Commander Jiang might also be the reincarnation of such a figure?"
"Yes," Lu Qingshan nodded slightly. Then he added, "Do you remember yesterday's rain?"
"The rain in the evening?"
"Yes," Lu Qingshan nodded. "That rain was unusual. According to the weather, it shouldn't have rained at that time. That rain was likely man-made."
"And now it seems that rain might have been targeting that young master."
Gongsun Yu's eyes widened. "Are you saying that Jiang Ning might have summoned that rain? Could he be the real culprit behind He Jinyun's death?"
"It's possible," Lu Qingshan smiled. "But it's just a possibility, a guess of mine. If he is the reincarnation of an immortal, then summoning a rainstorm over Luoshui County would make sense."
On the other side, after seeing off Lu Qingshan, Jiang Ning sat alone in his courtyard, sipping hot tea.
Lu Qingshan's sudden visit had taken him by surprise.
"But it's a good thing! Lu Qingshan's visit showed goodwill, meaning the previous conflict with Medicine King Valley is now behind us. I no longer need to worry about threats from them."
"Moreover, he healed my elder brother's paralyzed arm, which is a great relief."
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning smiled warmly.
Over the past few days, he had known that his elder brother had been deeply troubled.
No one could remain optimistic after suddenly losing the use of an arm.
Originally, Jiang Ning had planned to wait until his strength and status improved before seeking a way to heal his brother's arm.
After all, the stronger one's power, the higher one's status, and the greater the chance of finding a solution.
Now, this matter had been resolved, lifting a weight off his heart. His elder brother's long-standing gloom could finally dissipate.
At that moment, Jiang Ning's expression sharpened.
"Someone's here."
In the next instant, his figure vanished from the spot.
At the main gate, Ye Qiu gently knocked on the door.
Just as the door, which had just been closed, opened again.
"Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning greeted.
"Brother Jiang!" Ye Qiu looked slightly surprised.
He had just knocked, and Jiang Ning had appeared at the door as if he had been waiting for him.
The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.
Impossible! If Jiang Ning could do that, it would be terrifying.
I might not even be his match anymore!
At that moment, Jiang Ning stepped aside. "Brother Ye, please come in."
Hearing this, Ye Qiu snapped out of his thoughts.
Under Jiang Ning's lead, the two walked toward the east courtyard.
"Brother Ye, what brings you here today?"
"Nothing major," Ye Qiu shook his head. "I just came to share some of my troubles."
"What's troubling you?"
Ye Qiu sighed. "It's about yesterday's incident. The young master of the Qinghe Count's family died mysteriously 500 meters outside the Inspection Bureau. The bureau chief had no choice but to assign me the task of investigating the culprit."
"You were there too, Brother Jiang. How am I supposed to investigate this?"
Hearing this, Jiang Ning's heart tightened.
Then he said, "It's indeed a difficult case. I've never seen anything like it."
"Exactly!" Ye Qiu sighed deeply.
By now, the two had reached Jiang Ning's east courtyard.
They sat in the courtyard and talked for a long time.
Half an hour later, Jiang Ning finally saw Ye Qiu out.
After closing the gate and returning to the courtyard, Jiang Ning's expression turned serious.
Ye Qiu's visit had been filled with subtle probing, clearly trying to test him.
If not for his preparedness and the experience of two lifetimes, he might not have handled it so smoothly.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning's heart grew heavy.
Even Ye Qiu suspected him, though there was no evidence.
But as his master Wang Jin had once said, do actions require evidence?
Evidence is merely a prerequisite for enforcing the law.
But for those in power, does the law still hold any binding force?
Rules are made by the strong.
Rules are only meant to constrain the weak, like a sheep pen.
The reason for building a sheep pen is to prevent the sheep from escaping. As for protecting the sheep from wolves, that's just a superficial excuse.
"Strength is my greatest reliance," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
With this in mind, Jiang Ning opened his right hand, revealing a golden box.
Earlier that morning, he had learned from Lin Qingyi that the seemingly strange blood inside the box was an extremely precious Bai Ling Blood.
Bai Ling Blood was created by extracting and refining the essence of a hundred beasts' blood. According to Lin Qingyi, it had an incredibly powerful effect and was a treasure for achieving the Blood-Exchange Grandmaster level.
On the market, a single drop of Bai Ling Blood was worth ten gold coins, or ten thousand taels of silver, and it was extremely rare.
The main reason for its value was its role in helping one become a Blood-Exchange Grandmaster.
In addition, Bai Ling Blood had another effect: it could purely enhance one's vital energy.
"No wonder my body felt such an intense craving when I smelled the Bai Ling Blood earlier," Jiang Ning realized.
Such a precious substance, with its unparalleled benefits for the body, naturally evoked a deep desire.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning glanced at the box and then in the direction of his elder brother and sister-in-law.
In the next moment, he expanded his spiritual field, enveloping Jiang Li.
"Elder Brother, I'm going to the deserted island in the lake."
Jiang Ning spoke, using his spiritual power to vibrate the air and transmit his voice to Jiang Li's ears.
After leaving this message, he turned and left.
Opening the golden box would release the whispers that had nearly overwhelmed him before.
In the courtyard, too close to his elder brother and sister-in-law, he feared the disturbances from the evil god statue might affect them. So, he chose to return to the deserted island for his cultivation.
On the lake's surface, Jiang Ning could now easily walk on water.
The explosive power from the Dragon Tendon level made the lake's surface feel no different from solid ground.
Each step he took on the water was as stable as stepping on land.
He wasn't surprised by this.
In his previous life, many experiments had shown that falling into water from a height of fifty meters was no different from hitting concrete.
With enough explosive force, walking on water was simple.
Soon, he arrived at the deserted island again.
Looking at the vast lake and feeling the cool breeze, Jiang Ning's mood lightened.
Then, he took out the golden box from his spatial ring.
"I wonder how much the Bai Ling Blood will enhance my vital energy? How much Source Energy will it give me?"
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning glanced at his status panel.
[Source Energy]: 241.43
He memorized this number.
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