The Sword Dynasty

“It can only be Jing Liuli?”

“But she appears to treat Ding Ning like a teacher.”

“One needs knowledge to learn in cultivation, not just their progress in vital energy cultivation and swordsmanship.”

On a corner turret not far from this street, Huang Zhenwei and the white-haired Mo Shoucheng finished watching the entire battle.

At Mo Shoucheng’s words, Huang Zhenwei felt a little ashamed. “Even in vital energy cultivation and swordsmanship, I cannot compare to Teacher at all.”

“I only walked earlier than you, but you walk faster than me.” Mo Shoucheng smiled.

“Will the empress allow him to continue like this?” Huang Zhenwei suddenly grew quiet and said slowly.

Mo Shoucheng glanced at him and said, “You know that Baili Suxue is protective. Even if the empress has thoughts, she will not make this matter unjust.”

Huang Zhenwei was silent.

Mo Shoucheng knew that he was not worried for Palace Attendant Rong and said after a small smile, “In reality, this has nothing to do with the empress and Min Mountain Sword Sect, only Ding Ning and Palace Attendant Rong. If Palace Attendant Rong does not agree to fight Ding Ning, no one can force her.”

“She is only a palace attendant, not some famed swordsman, not a general of the Qin. She does not have to care for her reputation.” Mo Shoucheng looked to the carriage Ding Ning was in and said coolly as he looked at Jing Liuli, “Also, she does not care about her reputation.”

“In fact, this is what I am worried about.” Huang Zhenwei lifted his head, his gaze worried. “The more difficult Palace Attendant Rong is to deal with, the more I worry that Ding Ning will do something over the line.”

Mo Shoucheng understood his thoughts and shook his head. “You cannot love talent too much, otherwise, you indulge them.”

Huang Zhenwei stilled. He suddenly realized that he had invisibly become too protective of the wineshop youth.

“We needed bravery when fighting the Han, Zhao and Wei dynasties. At the time, our country’s power did not greatly surpass multiple dynasties, so that person purposefully advocated for sword battles, and the stories of some swordsmen in order to stir reverence from ordinary people. This formed our present culture. But after the three dynasties were exterminated, that person actually wanted to restrict even sword fights.” Mo Shoucheng looked down and said softly with emotion, “But due to the sudden change, no one dared to mention that person’s intentions after his death.”

Huang Zhenwei looked in shock at this person. He had followed this old man for many years and never heard of him speak these words, or even express the intentions he was doing now.

“What should we do next?”

Jing Liuli did not even touch her sword in order to defeat an enemy powerful enough to look down on most Changling talents. But she had no pride in her expression as she drove the carriage.

Ding Ning’s answer was simple. “Return to Ink Garden.”

Amid the sound of hoofbeats and wheels on the road, Jing Liuli said, “Why are we returning to Ink Garden?”

Ding Ning let the curtain down so no one could see his figure. “The Xie Family’s first batch of Celestial Demon Vine and Wolf Poison Flower should have arrived.” He whispered.

Jing Liuli stopped asking. The carriage quickly turned left in the direction of Ink Garden.

**

Two carriages covered in heavy canvas were parked at the gates of Ink Garden. The pair of carriage drivers had dark faces and looked vicious. Yet, even under the scorching sun, they evinced respect. Under the sunlight, the sweat evaporated from their black robes, and gradually a layer of white salt formed.

When the carriage Jing Liuli drove appeared in their sight, the two drivers immediately had happy expressions when they learned Ding Ning was sitting inside. They jumped off their carriages. When Jing Liuli’s carriage was still about a hundred feet away, the two of them were bowing deeply.

As the two bowed, the horse in front of Jing Liuli suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness. The terrifying feeling caused it to immediately freeze. The carriage immediately stopped.

“Even as a carriage driver, you are the best carriage driver in Changling,” Ding Ning lifted the curtain and said to Jing Liuli. Then he bowed seriously to the two carriage drivers as he got off the carriage.

Seeing Ding return the greeting so respectfully, the respect in the drivers’ eyes grew.

The slightly older driver bowed again and said respectfully, “Inside are what our young master has sent. After today, it will be slightly more difficult to gather these things, and it may take longer until the next delivery.”

“How do you prepare to use these things?” Jing Liuli asked Ding Ning after the two carriage drivers lifted the heavy canvas and picked some breathable bamboo boxes to carry into the courtyard.

Ding Ning said, “Simmer in warm water for an hour to reduce the poison before using them.”

“All that?” Jing Liuli frowned slightly and then said after a moment of silence, “This is the effect of the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art?”

Ding Ning nodded and then looked seriously at Jing Liuli. “You may have hard work now, you have to constantly help me make medicine.”

Jing Liuli frowned again and said in disbelief, “Constantly?”

Ding Ning nodded again. “You should be able to boil three jars at the same time.”

Jing Liuli’s body trembled minutely, disbelief flashing through her eyes. But as she turned her head, she saw Ding Ning’s calm and certain expression.

The two carriage drivers piled the items at the gate of the innermost courtyard before leaving.

When Ding Ning opened the topmost bamboo box, Jing Liuli’s pupils unconsciously contracted.

She saw three two-feet tall charcoal stoves, and more than a dozen crude porcelain medicine jars. The three stoves were placed in a row near the wall of the courtyard.The charcoal fire quickly started to burn and the flames licked at the medicine jars placed on top.

The three medicine jars were almost completely filled with the two kinds of herbs. Water was added. As the jar was cooked slightly, thick green and red miasma spread, and shrouded the jars.

Seeing this miasma, Jing Liuli still could not help herself even though she knew Ding Ning was prepared. She turned to look at Ding Ning and said, “You should have read extensively, and you know that almost all the records say if you rely too heavily on material items in early stages of cultivation, too much medicine, too much meat or even too much fat, your body will be too unclean. In the end, you cannot merge with the pure primal energies of the universe at realm eight and so cannot reach that realm.”

“I am not sure whether these records are correct.”

Ding Ning looked meaningfully at Jing Liuli and said, “I just know if I do not do what puts me at ease, I will first put shackles on my own comprehension.”

Hearing Ding Ning’s words, Jing Liuli’s body inexplicably shook and she blurted out. “Great Ease.You know I cultivate the Great Ease Sword?”

She unconsciously felt this was not possible. Ding Ning’s words caused her to sense the meaning of a level that she had not been able to figure out all the time. The words touched her mind so greatly that she had uttered the words.