Chapter 328 - 335: He! He's different from you! (Third update)
Upon seeing the change on Hua Youyue’s face, a smile flitted across Ning Wuque’s face as he looked at her, yet said nothing further.
Hua Youyue’s expression calmed even further, but even Mo Xueling standing next to her could sense a faint murderous intent emanating from her.
“Ning Wuque, from our last battle, I failed to take your life. You’d better not push your luck!” Hua Youyue cautioned.
Ning Wuque shook slightly, as if in disbelief, and looked at Hua Youyue in surprise, “You intend to kill me?”
Hua Youyue said nothing further and turned to look at Yang Zhen, who was seemingly bored amongst the crowd. A smile flashed across her face as she said, “He is not like you all.”
Ning Wuque’s gaze fell solemnly on Hua Youyue. Suddenly, a bright smile bloomed on his face like a chrysanthemum, “You’re unlike any other woman I’ve met. You’re the most outstanding, unrivaled. You managed to raise your cultivation to the intermediate astral traveling stage in such a short time. I’m afraid if given more time, you would surpass me.”
Hua Youyue nodded, declaring, “Surpassing you is not my goal!”
“Then, what is your goal?” Ning Wuque asked, puzzled.
“My goal is not to be left too far behind by him,” Hua Youyue replied dismissively, causing everyone present to pause in confusion.
Including all the powerhouses from Ink Pool Peak and Beigu Institute, even the few practitioners at the Tribulation Crossing stage cast puzzled glances at Yang Zhen.
Ning Wuque suddenly burst into laughter, looking at Yang Zhen and saying, “I don’t understand. He’s just a Void Cultivation stage practitioner. He doesn’t ’ even qualify to enter the Beigu Institute. Why do you value him so much?”
Upon hearing this, Mo Xueling looked up at Ning Wuque, disappointment flashing across her face.
Before coming to Spiritual Studies Palace, they had an encounter with Ning Wuque. In their first meeting, Ning Wuque marveled at Hua Youyue and sought to get to know her. Unexpectedly, the two had a big fight over a disagreement. Although they parted ways shortly after, their battle spirit fully exploded, without determining a winner.
Now it seemed Ning Wuque hadn’t given up yet, and even directed his anger at Yang Zhen. In Mo Xueling’s view, Yang Zhen was too innocent, and Ning Wuque’s contempt for Yang Zhen also disappointed her.
Just as Hua Youyue said, Yang Zhen was not like the geniuses like Ning Wuque. Most importantly, in terms of talent, even Mo Xueling had never seen someone stronger than Yang Zhen, but it seemed that Yang Zhen wasn’t keen on cultivation. This baffled Mo Xueling; if Yang Zhen were devoted to the path, even Mo Xueling couldn’t imagine how extraordinary his talent would be.
You’d better not belittle him, or you’ll be humiliated,” Hua Youyue warned Ning Wuque.
With an odd look on his face, Ning Wuque stared at Mo Xueling and said in a deep voice, “Even you think highly of him. You must have known each other from before.”
At this point, Ning Wuque suddenly laughed out louder, turned to Hua Youyue, and said, “You shouldn’t, you shouldn’t belittle me like this. I’ve never submitted to anyone. Today, I want to see what virtues and abilities this Yang Dingtian has to earn both your admiration.”
With a hearty laugh, Ning Wuque strode out of the crowd and addressed the old Palace Master, “Palace Master, I, Ning Wuque, have a gift to offer!”
At Ning Wuque’s words, everyone drew a sharp breath, and all eyes landed on him.
“I didn’t expect Ning Wuque from Beigu Institute to show up now,” somebody remarked.
“Ning Wuque’s talents extend to both the literary and martial arts. I heard that when he first joined Beigu Institute, he received the master’s true teachings. Now, he is steps away from the Tribulation Crossing stage. Rumor has it, when he breaks through the Tribulation, he will receive personal protection from the master,” another person weighed in.
“What?” The crowd gasped in shock, staring incredulously at the young man in front of them, “If he could receive personal protection from the master, does that mean the tribulation he faces isn’t an ordinary tribulation?”
“That, we cannot know. But now that Ning Wuque has stepped forward, surely no one will come forward to present gifts,” another person speculated.
“Why is that?” someone asked, not understanding.
“Isn’t it clear? Ning Wuque is representing Beigu Institute. Whatever he brings out, who could possibly compete?”
“Hiss, such terror!”
A crowd was buzzing with talk, all straining their necks to look at Ning Wuque. Ning Wuque, however, stood alone in the midst of the crowd, not the least bit intimidated. On the contrary, he was full of with high spirits. With a gentle shake of his feather fan, a buzzing sound rang out, and suddenly, an ancient map appeared before everyone.
The ancient map came alive as it slowly unfolded, and a primitive aura faced everyone. Skills abounded on it, and countless inscriptions of heaven and earth shined brightly. The radiant spectacle left everyone in awe.
“This…is this…”
The old Palace Master suddenly stood up, involuntarily walking forward a few steps, and said excitedly, “This is the Half Mountain Map, it’s actually the Half Mountain Map. I didn’t expect that in my lifetime, I would actually see the majesty of the Half Mountain Map!”
What?
Everyone shook, staring at Ning Wuque in disbelief. Who would have thought that Ning Wuque’s gift would be the Half Mountain Map?
“What is the Half Mountain Map? Why do I feel such immense pressure from it?” Someone asked, puzzled, to the people around him.
Someone around explained, “The legendary Half Mountain Map is a treasure from the ascendant era, and it is naturally formed. It is said that only the Mountain and River Map, which has not appeared in the world for thousands of years, is slightly superior to it.”
A nearby practitioner in the Tribulation Crossing period nodded and said solemnly, “When the Half Mountain Map appears, there are no more mountains!”
“What does that mean?” Yang Zhen, who stood near the Tribulation Crossing practitioner, asked curiously, “I’m quite lost here!”
The practitioner in the Tribulation Crossing period glanced at Yang Zhen but didn’t look down on him, being disguised as a chef, and said, “The Half Mountain Map contains mountain inscriptions. It can condense a huge mountain in mid-air to attack enemies, it is very powerful.”
Yang Zhen, realizing the significance, said, “It’s a bit of a shame, though, this Half Mountain Map seems to be a remnant.”
“What?” The practitioner in the Tribulation Crossing period grimaced hearing this, “Don’t spout nonsense. How could the gift from the Beigu Institute be a…” Before the practitioner in the Tribulation Crossing period finished speaking, the old Palace Master suddenly sighed, tremblingly saying, “It is indeed a pity. This Half Mountain Map is incomplete. If I’m not mistaken, this appears to be only half of the Half Mountain Map?”
Ning Wuque laughed and said, “The Palace Master has great eyes; when I obtained it accidentally, I did not realize that it was only half of the map. It was under my master’s teaching that I realized that it was only half.”
“Even a half is good, even a half is good!” The old Palace Master laughed as she looked at Ning Wuque and said with gratification, “Ning, my young friend, your heart is in the right place. I’m very fond of this Half Mountain Map, and I will certainly reward you properly in the future!”
Ning Wuque modestly replied, “You’re too kind, Palace Master. I have heard that you have a fondness for ink treasures. Rather than let this Half Mountain Map gather dust while in my possession, I thought it better to present it to you as a gift. I dare not ask for any reward.”
“Excellent, excellent, truly excellent!” The old Palace Master laughed and nodded, seemingly more satisfied with Ning Wuque by the moment, “I doubt there will be anything today that could make me this excited.”
Upon hearing these words, everyone gasped, looking at Ning Wuque with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. With the Palace Master’s declaration out, Ning Wuque’s present was undoubtedly the most eye-catching of the day.
But to everyone’s surprise, Ning Wuque shook his head under their gazes and said to the Palace Master, “Palace Master, although the Half Mountain Map is good, it is still an incomplete item. Among those present today, there is one person who has managed to earn the favor of both the heir of Ink Pool Peak, Mo Lingnu, and the destiny-changing Flower Spirit Girl. Perhaps, he has a better gift to present to you!”
Boom !
Upon hearing Ning Wuque’s words, everyone present was shocked, looking around incredulously, trying to find the person Ning Wuque mentioned who could receive favour from both Lingnu and commanding flowers.
The old Palace Master was startled and asked in surprise, “Is it true? Who is the person?”
When Ning Wuque’s gaze landed on Yang Zhen, everyone was dumbfounded.
So was Yang Zhen, who was also looking around as if the person Ning Wuque mentioned was not him.
Everyone was astounded!