Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint-Chapter 1384 - 234: Dispute, Wan Jianyi’s Invitation!_2

Chapter 1384: Chapter 234: Dispute, Wan Jianyi’s Invitation!_2

... 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Time passed.

As the bright moon slowly rose outside the window, the doors of the Linyuan Pavilion also opened.

"Thanks for the hospitality tonight, Your Highnesses!" Jiang Ning said with a smile, cupping his hands.

"Sorry we couldn’t let Lord Jiang enjoy the meal to the fullest tonight. We’ll treat Lord Jiang better next time!" the Third Prince said.

"It was enjoyable enough!" Jiang Ning smiled.

He calculated roughly that what he ate alone was enough to match what everyone else combined ate at the banquet.

Asking for more would be too greedy.

A moment later.

He bid farewell to the princes and walked home alone.

"Shiqi, I thought you would go see him off!" the Third Prince looked at Ji Mingyue, smiling faintly.

"It’s so late, I can’t just spend the night at his place!" Ji Mingyue shook her head.

"If Shiqi wants to, it’s not impossible!" the Fifth Prince Ji Mingyuan said with a light smile.

"Fifth Brother, you’re joking!" Ji Mingyue shook her head gently. "As a princess of the Imperial Family, I wouldn’t do something that would make people gossip and tarnish our family’s reputation."

"Oh, so Shiqi actually cares about the Imperial Family’s reputation? I thought Shiqi had long forgotten what shame means!" a young woman said from the side.

"Seventh Sister, your man abandoned you, and you’re becoming a resentful woman!" Ji Mingyue glanced over with an emotionless expression.

...

On the other side.

Jiang Ning saw a woman in blue attire standing ahead of him and slowly stopped.

"Senior Sister Li!" he said with a smile, "Long time no see!"

"Brother Jiang!" Li Qing looked at Jiang Ning, her expression complex.

She shook her head and said, "No, I should address you as Lord Envoy now; calling you Brother Jiang seems unqualified."

Jiang Ning smiled, "Senior Sister Li was my senior sister before, and she still is now. Calling me Lord Envoy is too formal; you can keep calling me Brother Jiang."

After he finished speaking, he added, "Senior Sister Li, how about taking a walk together?"

"Alright!" Li Qing nodded.

"It’s been over a year, and Brother Jiang hasn’t changed at all!" Li Qing said, walking with Jiang Ning and observing him with a complex look, "Still loves to smile."

"Senior Sister Li seems to be quite sentimental!" Jiang Ning replied.

"Away from home, going to Bashu to learn martial arts, a lot has happened in the past year!" Li Qing shook her head.

"Did someone bully you, Senior Sister?" Jiang Ning frowned.

Li Qing felt the air around them suddenly become heavy, her heart startled but then relieved.

Because she recalled Jiang Ning’s current power, ranking fourth on the Heavenly List.

This almost made Jiang Ning one of the strongest of the younger generation.

In the entire Thirty-six Prefectures of the Nine Provinces, only a few can match him.

"No one did!" Li Qing shook her head and continued, "My father has a good connection with an elder of the Bashu Sword Pavilion; no one dares to bully me with his protection there."

"Then why is Senior Sister so sentimental?" Jiang Ning asked.

"After leaving Luoshui County, I truly witnessed the vastness of the world and saw what martial arts prodigy really mean, which inevitably shook my heart!" Li Qing answered.

"Senior Sister, you should think like this!" Jiang Ning said, "We don’t need to compare ourselves to others, only to ourselves! As long as you’re stronger tomorrow than today, and the day after tomorrow than tomorrow, improving a bit each day, you will eventually look back to find those who walked beside you have been left behind."

"That’s something only Brother Jiang can achieve!" Li Qing shook her head with a smile, "Improving a little each day is impossible for me! Martial arts is like sailing against the current, if you don’t advance, you fall back! One day of slack, not to mention staying in place, would definitely mean regression!"

Hearing these words from Li Qing, Jiang Ning remained silent.

At that moment, he thought of his own opportunities; with his panel, once affirmed, always affirmed, never retreat.

Effort always yields reward.

Not to mention, various traits enhance his foundational talents continuously.

Just then.

A figure walked out from the alley ahead.

The newcomer carried an antiquated long sword on his back, arms crossed, with an unbothered expression.

"Brother Wan!" Li Qing called out.

Wan Jianyi glanced at Li Qing, then fixed his eyes on Jiang Ning.

"Is this Lord Envoy Jiang the person you wanted to see?"

"Yes, Brother Wan!" Li Qing nodded respectfully.

"I heard you and Jiang Ning were once schoolmates?" Wan Jianyi asked further.

"Yes, Brother Wan!" Li Qing nodded again.

As a disciple who stayed at the Bashu Sword Pavilion for over a year, she understood the significant status and influence Wan Jianyi holds there.

With no rivals, Wan Jianyi is set to be the next Sword Master of the Bashu Sword Pavilion.

In the millennium-long history of the Bashu Sword Pavilion, his talent in swordsmanship is among the top three.

He is the undoubted chieftain of the current era.

"Return to the base early!" Wan Jianyi said plainly, turning to leave.

After a couple of steps, he stopped and spoke without turning back, "Lord Envoy Jiang, I look forward to the martial examination in two days."

Leaving these words, he slowly walked into a side alley, his figure soon swallowed by the darkness.

"Brother Jiang, it’s about time I head back as well!" Li Qing said to Jiang Ning.

"Should I see you off, Senior Sister?" Jiang Ning asked.

"No need!" Li Qing shook her head and added, "This is the Royal Capital, under the Imperial City’s watch, quite safe!"

"Alright then!" Jiang Ning nodded, watching Li Qing leave.

A moment later.

Li Qing also vanished down an alley.

Watching her disappear, Jiang Ning shook his head, moved his body, and disappeared as well.

A moment later.

Li Qing appeared once more.

She looked at the now deserted street where Jiang Ning was, and sighed.

"Brother Jiang, you and I no longer belong to the same world!"

"Your companions are princesses of the Imperial Family, your friends are princes!"

"While I am but an ordinary person!"

At that moment, Li Qing’s eyes were filled with sadness and reminiscence.

...

At the National Master Mansion.

"Mr. Jiang!"

"Miss Qinghe!"

Seeing the young girl in a cyan floral dress appear before him, Jiang Ning smiled.

"Sir, where is the Seventeenth Princess?" Qinghe inquired, looking around.

"Of course, she returned to the Imperial Palace!" Jiang Ning stepped over the threshold.

"Oh, I thought the Seventeenth Princess would come back with you!" Qinghe said.

"What are you thinking?" Jiang Ning tapped her forehead with his finger.

Then continued, "Staying overnight elsewhere would damage the Imperial Family’s reputation!"

"True!" Qinghe nodded while closing the massive doors of the mansion.

As the heavy doors shut, the wind flowing through the crack into the mansion came to a halt.

"Sir, I’ll prepare the hangover tea for you first!" Qinghe lifted the lantern she had placed on the ground and said.

"No need!" Jiang Ning shook his head.

"How about the bathwater?" Qinghe asked.

"Also unnecessary!" Jiang Ning shook his head again.

"Alright then!" Qinghe nodded.

...

Returning to his courtyard, he glanced over his panel.

[Skill]: Taixu Yin Yang Sword (Mastered 10133/20000)

"Progress is over halfway; with the formidable effect of the Inner Realm, the Taixu Yin Yang Sword should reach the small success realm tonight!"

Thinking about this, a sense of anticipation filled his heart.

The Taixu Yin Yang Sword was the highest-grade martial arts skill he currently mastered.

If this swordsmanship reaches the small success realm, it will significantly enhance his strength.

With this thought, he glanced at the Source Energy Points section.

[Source Energy]: 138585

Close to 140,000 Source Energy Points, it should increase by several thousand more tomorrow.

In the next moment.

He closed the panel and sank his mind deep.

In an instant.

The universe turned upside down, the void shifted.

When his consciousness returned to clarity, above him hung a blazing sun.

Distant on all sides were surging mists of infinity.

He had once again arrived at his Inner World.

"Continue practicing sword!"

With a thought, as if creating something from the void, a long sword suddenly appeared in his hand.