By the Luo River.
Looking at the black-clad woman growing colder before him, Jiang Ning felt a heavy weight in his heart.
The brief conversation with the descending consciousness of the Black Lotus Matriarch had revealed a lot of information.
First and foremost, it was now clear that the Flesh and Blood God and the Black Lotus Matriarch were not unique cases.
From what the Black Lotus Matriarch had said, it was evident that the world's environment was changing, allowing these ancient remnants of divinity to awaken once more.
The key to this resurgence was the recovery of the world's spiritual essence.
Moreover, according to the Black Lotus Matriarch, she was not yet able to fully manifest herself in the human world.
But once the spiritual essence grew abundant enough, there would come a day when she, and others like her, could return.
The return of gods would undoubtedly plunge the already chaotic Great Xia into deeper turmoil.
At the same time, Jiang Ning now understood why the Black Lotus Cult had rebelled it was all to serve the needs of the Black Lotus Matriarch.
However, there was one thing that still puzzled him.
It was the abrupt shift in the Black Lotus Matriarch's attitude toward him.
When she first descended, she had called him a mere "wild god."
That was not surprising.
Just as he could sense divine presence, his godly authority allowed others like him to detect his divine aura.
It was a form of mutual recognition among divine beings.
What confused him was how, in mere moments, the Black Lotus Matriarch's manner of address had changed from condescension to reverence, calling him "Revered God."
This meant that, in her perception, he was not just another god like her, but rather a deity of much higher standing.
If it were merely the aura of his Flesh and Blood God authority, it wouldn't have been enough to cause such a drastic change in attitude.
The Black Lotus Matriarch gave him the impression of being far stronger than the Flesh and Blood God worshipped by the God-Worshiping Cult.
Whether she could descend upon her devotee from thousands of miles away...
Or the sheer scale of the rebellion she incited, which had shaken two provinces and seven counties...
Both were testaments to her immense power.
Realizing this, Jiang Ning felt an inexplicable unease.
Especially because of the words she had left him with before departing:
"When the spiritual essence of the world recovers further, allowing me to fully descend into the human realm, I shall personally visit to seek your forgiveness, Revered God."
This statement filled Jiang Ning with a deep sense of foreboding.
Today, the Black Lotus Matriarch had mistaken him for someone else a powerful deity who had already awakened and was walking the earth.
But once she truly descended into the mortal realm, would she still be mistaken?
By then, if she realized the truth and flew into a rage, he would be in grave danger.
Just how powerful were these gods?
Jiang Ning did not know.
But he did know that they were far from weak.
After all, in the ancient era when immortals and gods coexisted, mortals had no place at the table.
Only those who had ascended to immortality, divine beings, and great demons had the right to be seated among them.
If the Black Lotus Matriarch truly descended, even if she wasn't as powerful as the gods of antiquity, she would still be far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.
"This is going to be troublesome..." Jiang Ning muttered.
Then, rubbing his forehead in thought, he considered whether the Martial Saint of Great Xia could stand against such an entity.
"It might be worth looking into... That Martial Saint, who has suppressed the world for 800 years what level of power has he attained? Could he stand on equal footing with immortals and gods?"
"If he can... then perhaps one day, I, too, can reach that level. And when that day comes, I will no longer need to fear the Black Lotus Matriarch's arrival."
After sorting out his thoughts, Jiang Ning glanced once more at the lifeless body of the black-clad woman.
Then, picking her up, he leaped onto the frozen river.
In the next instant
Boom!
With a single stomp, he shattered the thick ice beneath him.
"A water burial at least it's somewhat dignified. After all, you were quite beautiful. It would be unfortunate if some degenerate found your body."
Leaving these words behind, Jiang Ning turned and left.
Outer City District.
Jiang Ning arrived once more.
It didn't take long before he spotted the remnants of the Black Mountain Army being hunted down and scattered.
"This fast?" His expression turned serious.
He had originally assumed that with the Black Mountain Riders' core forces eliminated, the remaining dozen or so elite riders would be swiftly dealt with by the county's defenses.
However, after just a few moments of observation, he realized he had overestimated Luo Shui County's standing forces.
The county's regular troops were struggling to eliminate the invading Black Mountain Riders and soldiers.
The main reason? Too many of the county's local martial artists had chosen to stay indoors, hiding in their homes rather than joining the fight.
"Good thing I didn't just go home straight away!"
Jiang Ning felt a sense of relief in his heart.
He was well aware that if these scattered rogue soldiers managed to blend into the homes of ordinary residents, countless tragedies would unfold.
If it came to that, he would bear some responsibility as well.
In the next moment, he drew a longbow.
Twang
The arrow sliced through the air.
Thud
The sound of the arrow piercing flesh was barely noticeable amid the chaos of the night.
Then
Under the bright moonlight illuminating the outer city district, Jiang Ning moved effortlessly across rooftops, as light as a swan in flight.
Twang
Twang
Twang
The bowstring in his hands trembled repeatedly, sending arrows streaking through the air.
Thud
Thud
Thud
The dull sound of arrows burrowing into flesh echoed continuously.
One by one, bodies collapsed to the ground.
Each fallen enemy had a single wound directly through the heart, penetrating cleanly from front to back.
Even those wearing chest armor found no difference; their protection was utterly useless.
Before long, as more and more Black Mountain soldiers fell, those engaged in the battle quickly took notice.
"It's Commander Jiang!!"
"These arrows must have come from Commander Jiang!!"
In an instant, a wave of exhilaration surged through the fighters, their morale soaring.
They had all witnessed Jiang Ning's prowess atop the city walls earlier how he, along with his bow, had forced the Black Mountain Riders into hiding.
Had it not been for an unexpected intervention the sudden appearance of a Black Lotus Cult saintess Jiang Ning's archery skills would have been enough to wipe out the remaining Black Mountain Riders within a few more breaths.
Even those riders who had hidden behind cover wouldn't have been spared.
Now, with such a formidable warrior joining the fray, the risks of the battle were drastically reduced, and their spirits rose with renewed vigor.
In less than the time it took to finish a cup of tea, under the keen vision of his Heaven's Eye, Jiang Ning had shot down every last Black Mountain soldier and rider still roaming the outer city.
With that, the unrest of this New Year's Eve night was completely quelled.
Jiang Ning then turned toward home.
"One man defending a city, exterminating more than thirty Black Mountain Riders and dozens of Black Mountain soldiers, saving Luo Shui County from disaster this should count as a major achievement, right?"
As he walked back, the thought brought a sense of satisfaction to his heart.
With such great merit under his name, rewards were surely inevitable unless someone dared to claim his credit.
But he didn't believe that was possible.
In Luo Shui County, who would have the audacity to steal his achievements?
Who would even have the capability?
A short while later
Jiang Ning arrived at the front door of his home.
Looking down at himself, he noticed that the long pursuit through the night had left his clothes slightly damp from the moisture in the air.
With a mere thought, the moisture on his clothes instantly evaporated into nothingness.
Knock, knock, knock
He rapped on the door.
"Who is it?" A cautious voice called from inside it was Jiang Li, his elder brother. At the same time, soft footsteps could be heard approaching.
"It's me, big brother," Jiang Ning replied.
The moment his voice sounded, footsteps in the courtyard became hurried and chaotic.
Not long after
The door swung open.
Standing before him were his elder brother Jiang Li, his sister-in-law Liu Wanwan, and their two children. Behind them, standing a little further back, was Lü Yi.
"Ah, Di!"
"Ah, Ning!"
"You're alright?" Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan spoke in unison.
Seeing their worried expressions, Jiang Ning smiled. "It's nothing just a minor issue. It's all settled now."
"That's a relief!" Jiang Li let out a long breath.
At that moment, Little Doubao stepped past the threshold and hugged Jiang Ning's leg, looking up at him with bright, watery eyes.
"Uncle, did you go fight the bad guys?"
Hearing this, Jiang Ning bent down, picked up Little Doubao, and playfully pinched her tiny nose.
"Yes, Uncle just went to fight the bad guys."
"Did Uncle get hurt?"
Hearing the concern in her voice, Jiang Ning chuckled.
"How could Uncle possibly get hurt?"
"What about the bad guys?" Little Doubao asked.
"They've all been taken care of by Uncle."
"Wow! So amazing!!"
Little Doubao stared at Jiang Ning in awe, clapping her little hands enthusiastically.
Seeing this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.
After that, the group entered the front courtyard, and Lü Yi closed the main gate behind them.
That night
The county town remained sleepless.
The news of the Black Mountain Army's attack on the city spread to all the major factions within the county in less than half an hour.
And all of them knew that the reason the city had avoided a greater catastrophe was thanks to Jiang Ning.
Canglang Martial Hall
"This kid…" Wang Jin shook his head, his face full of emotion. "Truly remarkable!"
"Indeed! Remarkable!" Sitting in front of him was a burly man clad in battle armor, wearing a similar expression of admiration.
Anyone present would immediately recognize this man he was none other than Wang Dutou, the head officer of the county's garrison and, until recently, the second most powerful figure in Luo Shui County.
Wang Dutou glanced at his elder brother.
"Brother, you're quite lucky to have taken in such an outstanding disciple."
"I truly am." Wang Jin nodded.
Then he let out a wry smile. "But his talent is too extraordinary. I can't expect him to take care of me in my old age anymore!"
"Do you still need to worry about that at this point?" Wang Dutou asked.
"You're right!" Wang Jin suddenly came to his senses and smiled. "With my internal cultivation reaching completion, my organs rejuvenating, and my martial arts advancing to a new level, I don't need to think about that anymore."
Xie Manor
When the head of the Xie family received the news, his hand trembled, and the fine wine and delicacies before him instantly lost their appeal.
"Second Brother, summon the elders immediately. We need to discuss an urgent matter!" he instructed the black-faced man beside him.
"Big Brother, what urgent matter?" The black-faced man looked puzzled.
"A matter of life and death for the Xie family!" the Xie family head replied gravely.
"What life-and-death matter?" The black-faced man remained confused.
"Second Brother, have you forgotten what I told you a few days ago?" The Xie family head sighed. "Previously, the Xie, Cao, and Liu families formed a three-way balance of power in Luo Shui County. Now that both the Cao and Liu families have been wiped out, do you think our Xie family can remain at ease?"
"Big Brother, are you saying that Jiang Ning might make a move against our Xie family as well?" The black-faced man's eyes widened.
"I don't know. No one knows except for him!" The Xie family head shook his head and continued, "But would you dare to gamble on it? I wouldn't! As the family head, I can't risk the lives of hundreds of our family members on the whims of Commander Jiang!
"He acted against the Cao family. He acted against the Liu family. Who's to say he won't act against the Xie family next?"
"But Big Brother, isn't there still Little Jiu?" The black-faced man immediately mentioned Xie Xiaojiu.
"Little Jiu?" The Xie family head shook his head again. "Second Brother, with Jiang Ning's status and strength, what kind of beautiful woman couldn't he have?"
"If you think a single Little Jiu is enough to make him turn a blind eye to our past actions, then you're being far too naive!"
"Think about it what reason did he use to go after the Liu family?"
"Our Xie family may have acted better than the Liu family over the years and avoided committing truly atrocious deeds, but our clan members are not all virtuous. Many of them have bullied and oppressed the common folk.
"Jiang Ning acted against the Liu family over the beggar incident. Can you guarantee that one day he won't find a reason to come for the Xie family?"
"If that day comes, our fate will be no different from the Liu family's."
"And by then, will regret be of any use?"
Hearing this, the black-faced man nodded heavily.
"Big Brother, I understand now. I'll go summon the elders immediately so we can discuss this matter."
Wanhua Pavilion
Lin Qingyi sat alone in her boudoir, drinking under the moonlight.
"At times like these, solitude does feel a bit lonely," she murmured, taking a small sip of her wine.
She then picked up a freshly delivered intelligence report from the table.
"This little brother Jiang Ning… he is fierce! His archery is truly extraordinary. If he were to join the military, earning military merit would be effortless for him."
"But the path he's chosen now isn't bad either."
"A newly established institution always offers greater opportunities."
"Besides, the Inspection Bureau reports directly to the Martial Saint Hall, which is even more beneficial to his martial cultivation."
"Shen Congyun had a keen eye back then he was able to see Jiang Ning's potential so early on."
As she drank under the moon, Lin Qingyi, dressed in a flowing azure gauze robe, murmured to herself.
A Night of Shock and Awe
That night, when the news spread that Jiang Ning had single-handedly crushed the Black Mountain Army's attack, all the major factions were left in utter shock.
No one had expected that the same young man who had once been forced to a dead end by the Cao family who had only survived thanks to the protection of Canglang Martial Hall would now possess such terrifying strength.
One man, defending an entire city.
A single bow, effortlessly neutralized an assault from over thirty Black Mountain cavalry, dissolving Luo Shui County's crisis into nothingness.
They all understood clearly.
Had Jiang Ning not been present in Luo Shui County tonight, had he not possessed such godlike archery skills
The thirty-four Black Mountain cavalry who had breached the outer city would have unleashed unimaginable terror.
Thirty-four warriors at the eighth rank of martial arts, clad in armor, wielding deadly weapons, mounted on warhorses battle-hardened veterans who had crawled out from mountains of corpses.
If they had broken through the inner city gates, charging into the heart of the county
They would have transformed into merciless killing machines.
Against them, even the county's top martial experts seventh-rank warriors would have been slaughtered in an instant.
A rampaging army within the city walls would have been a catastrophe for every faction.
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