Chapter 40: An Intriguing Person

"Greetings, Young Miss," I said, cupping my hand with my fist in a gesture of respect.

"What can we do for you?" I asked, feigning a polite tone. I knew exactly who these people were. The ones in white and gold robes were from the Heaven Dao Sect, and judging by their company, the others must be of equal status.

The girl with striking blue eyes stepped forward, her gaze was laid back but inquisitive. "What happened here? Why was there an explosion?"

"We were attacked by a powerful monstrous beast at the Qi Manifestation realm," I explained vaguely. "In order to defend ourselves, we used a powerful runic tool given to us by our clan to kill it."

It was better they didn't find out the beast was at a high level of the Qi Manifestation realm. If I told them that, they would definitely get suspicious about how two people of our age managed to kill a beast that even they would find problematic.

Not to mention, these were definitely the cream of the crop of their sects; their cultivation levels were too high for their ages, or at least that's what my formations were telling me.

Luo Bing's blue eyes narrowed slightly, her expression unreadable. "A runic tool, you say? Quite the impressive item, you must be scions of a powerful local clan."

"Indeed, we are from Ning clan." I replied respectfully.

Ning Rong stepped forward, her posture mirroring mine. "Yes, our clan values our safety highly. The beast caught us off guard, and we had no choice but to use the tool."

Ling Tian of the Spirit Mountain Sect regarded us with a calm, assessing gaze. "Fortunate for you to have such a powerful tool at your disposal. Many would not be so lucky."

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. "It is. We were fortunate to have it with us. Without it, we would not have survived the encounter."

Lan Mei from the Heaven Dao Sect looked around the clearing, her eyes lingering on the remnants of the battle. "It's curious," she said softly. "A beast of that kind it's a devil mantis, isn't it?" She asserted ." There must be something nearby it was guarding."

Sun Li, another member of the Heaven Dao Sect, crossed his arms over his chest. "And the treasure? What can you tell us about that?"

My mind raced. "It's called the Heavenly Jewel Herb," I said carefully. "We discovered it during our fight with the beast. It appears to have been the creature's treasure."

"Jian Ming's sharp eyes flicked to the herb Ning Rong held. "A valuable find," he said, his tone cool. "One that could be contested."

"Perhaps," I conceded. "But we fought hard for it."

Jian Ming's lips curled into a sneer. "You think I am afraid of two peasants from the countryside? You better hand over the herb, and I will consider taking this girl as my concubine." He said it as if this was the greatest honor of Rong's life.

Anger flared within me. I turned around, ready to stop her from killing this bastard, but Rong's face remained serene. Her calmness in the face of such provocation was almost unsettling.

"I am a personal disciple of Elder Qian of the Heaven Dao Sect," she replied, her voice steady and clear. "Do you think you have enough ability to do that?"

The moment she said that, everyone who had been grinning a second ago had their smiles fall stiff. The air grew heavy with shock and realization. The casual arrogance on Jian Ming's face was wiped away, replaced by a look of disbelief and growing fear.

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It was no joke to be a personal disciple of someone of that status. Everyone present knew who Elder Qian was. He was one of the most famous cultivators on the continent, renowned for his immense power and his potential, which had yet to be fully realized.

As one of the strongest in his generation and a rising star among experts of his level, Elder Qian commanded immense respect and fear.

Elder Qian was not just any elder; he was a name that resonated deeply across the continent.

Known for his calm exterior but a fiery disposition, he was someone nobody wanted to mess with.

He had a reputation for holding grudges, and stories of his vengeance were legendary.

It was said that as a teenager, Elder Qian had once been chased by members of the Heavenly Sword Sect, along with his lover, for a Dao fruit.

This relentless pursuit resulted in the death of his lover, a loss that ignited a fire of retribution within him.

Elder Qian's vengeance was swift and brutal. He massacred every single member of the Heavenly Sword Sect involved in that chase, including an elder who held the same position as he did but was much older and at a higher cultivation level.

This elder was also the master of the person responsible for the entire debacle. The massacre left a deep scar between the Heaven Dao Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect, with Elder Qian's actions causing an irreversible shift in the power balance between the two sects.

His presence alone was enough to instill fear, as he was known for being fiercely protective of those he held dear.

The moment this crossed Jian Ming's mind, he paled a little. The legend of Elder Qian's vengeance and his role in the bloody history between the two sects was not something easily forgotten.

Jian Ming had heard the stories of how Elder Qian had single-handedly shifted the power dynamics between their sects, and his earlier arrogance was quickly replaced by a sense of dread.

The moment this crossed Jian Ming's mind, he paled a little. This elder was also responsible for so many grudges between their two sects.

Ling Tian who was silent all along spoke up. "Elder Qian's reputation precedes him. To be his personal disciple is a great honor."

Luo Bing, who had initially been indifferent about the situation, now wore a shocked expression.

She could hardly believe that they had randomly encountered the disciple of such a prominent figure in the middle of nowhere. It seemed almost too coincidental to be true.

If this person could indeed prove their identity, it meant that she would be obligated to protect them.

However, there was something peculiar, that Luo Bing couldn't shake off. Since meeting these two individuals, she hadn't sensed any fear or respect from them towards her, which was unusual.

Given her abilities and the qi pressure she was subtly releasing, they must have sensed her level, and yet this was not a reaction she was expecting. There was no way her unique ability wasn't functioning correctly.

Her ability had never failed her before, so why were these two individuals seemingly immune to her presence? It was perplexing and intriguing at the same time.

The fact that these two displayed neither fear nor respect was baffling. It raised questions about their true nature and the source of their confidence.

Luo Bing's mind raced with curiosity. Where was their confidence coming from? How could they remain so composed and unshaken in her presence, despite what they showed on outside? Her intrigue grew with each passing moment.

Even if that girl's confidence came from Elder Qian, what about that boy?

Luo Bing, her curiosity piqued, stepped forward. "If you are truly the personal disciple of Elder Qian, do you have any proof of your claim?"

Ning Rong’s calm expression didn't falter. She reached into her robe and pulled out a crystal plaque.

The plaque was made of a translucent, shimmering crystal and had intricate carvings etched into it. In its center, the word "Core" was written in blood-red ruby stone, glistening under the light.

The moment the plaque was exposed, it exuded a powerful qi pressure and a unique qi signature that resonated with immense authority and unmistakable authenticity.

Luo Bing's eyes widened slightly as she felt the formidable qi emanating from the plaque. It was the real deal, no doubt about it. The distinctive qi signature was one she had only felt once before, when she was in the presence of Elder Qian himself.

The atmosphere grew tense as the realization settled over the group.

Luo Bing spoke with a genial voice. "It seems your claim is genuine. You are indeed Elder Qian's personal disciple. In that case, I would like to invite you to come with us to the Heaven Dao Sect's camp in this sub-realm dungeon. It is not too far from here, and you will be safe with us."

Ning Feng, standing beside Ning Rong, maintained a neutral expression. "We appreciate the offer. Could you tell us how to reach it?"

Luo Bing nodded and took out a jade slip.

She transmitted a series of hand signs and specific directions into the slip and handed it to Ning Rong. "Use this jade slip. It contains the necessary hand signs and directions to find our camp. The plaque will also guide you. You can find us by following the instructions."

Jian Ming, who had been silent and sullen, stepped forward. His earlier arrogance was replaced by a nervous demeanor.

He avoided eye contact and spoke in a low voice. "I apologize for my earlier behavior.." Without waiting for a response, he turned and left quickly, his retreat almost hasty.

As Jian Ming disappeared into the forest, the tension in the clearing eased slightly. Luo Bing turned back to Ning Rong and Ning Feng. "We will await your arrival at the camp. If you need any assistance along the way, do not hesitate to use the jade slip to contact us."

Ning Rong nodded gracefully. "Thank you for your assistance. We will see you at the camp soon."

With that, Luo Bing and her companions from the Heaven Dao Sect made their way back through the forest, leaving Ning Rong and Ning Feng alone in the clearing. As the group disappeared from sight, Ning Feng turned to Ning Rong with a smirk.

"I didn't expect you let him off so easily, I thought you would jump on him impulsively and finish him off, I never thought you would use your brain for once." I jested to which she laughed but it wasn't an innocent laugh, her laugh sent shivers down my spine.

"Don't worry, I am a changed person now, I am not my 10 year old self now." She said with an eerie grin.

Changed, huh? She definitely has changed but I would still prefer that earlier version of her, she has become well... more like a real cultivator.

But that side of her is usually reserved for her enemies. In a way, she has channelled her violent temper rather wisely.

"Lets go and meet up with the rest, this time your master saved us a lot of trouble." I said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes," More like saved them from certain death."

I laughed but didn't retort .

As we turned into a blur and moved quickly through the forest, many different colorful formations blinked into existence and started to evaporate in a cloud of colourful dust.