97: Chapter 97 Miao Manman

In the Central District, in front of a secluded large courtyard, Elder Zheng had just stepped onto the front steps when a short, stocky dwarf wearing an apron pushed open the door to greet him.

"Dad, you're back."

Elder Zheng looked at his son. "A-Duo, what occasion is it today that you're personally cooking?"

Zheng Duo smiled and nodded. "Yes, we have an honored guest."

"Oh? Who's here?"

"It's President Qi, and he's brought the girl from the Miao family."

Hearing this, a flash of surprise and hesitation crossed Elder Zheng's eyes.

President Qi referred to Qi Guangzong, the Commander-in-Chief of the Song City National Defense Army, who had been his old friend for many years.

But the girl from the Miao family... was the granddaughter of the former Chief of the Military Department, Miao Yulin.

Although he also had a friendship with Miao Yulin, a few years ago, Miao Yulin had been convicted and imprisoned for contradicting the Emperor, eventually dying in prison. Immediately after, the Miao faction within the Military Department suffered a devastating blow; the purge had lasted for several years, and the repercussions hadn't fully passed even now.

For Qi Guangzong to bring her here at this time, it likely didn't portend anything good.

Elder Zheng sighed, but as soon as he entered the door, he immediately changed to a smiling face and called out loudly.

"Old Qi, what made you think of coming to my house to scrounge a meal today?"

"I'm telling you, you can scrounge a meal, but you can't do it for free!"

"Come, come, come, spar a few moves with me!"

Talking and laughing, he strode into the living room and saw a thin, refined old man and a strikingly beautiful girl already standing up from the sofa.

"Oh, whose family is this girl from? She's truly beautiful!"

Qi Guangzong chuckled. "Old Zheng, let me introduce you. This is Old Miao's granddaughter, Manman. Manman, Grandpa Zheng is at your First Specialized Academy's library; you should have seen him before, right?"

Miao Manman bowed slightly with a hint of awkwardness. "Hello, Grandpa Zheng."

"Hello, hello, please sit. Me, Old Qi, and your grandfather were all good friends. Being here is just like being at home, so don't be formal."

Elder Zheng ushered them to sit, poured some water for each of them, and then sat down, asking with a smile.

"I remember the first time your grandfather brought you here, you were only three or four years old. Time really flies; in the blink of an eye, you've grown so big and are about to graduate from the Martial Arts College. How is it? Are your studies going smoothly?"

"Yes, I graduate in two months."

Miao Manman gave a brief reply, seemingly unsure of what else to say, and could only turn her gaze toward Qi Guangzong.

Qi Guangzong took a sip of water. "Old Zheng, I didn't come here to scrounge a meal this time. Let's be direct; it's for this child."

"Manman is a natural Thunder Spirit Body, but up until now, she hasn't had a suitable cultivation method. In this regard, you're the know-it-all of Song City, so I can only come to you for help with this."

"With such a good talent, if her future is delayed because of this, both you and I would be failing the late Old Miao."

Hearing this, Elder Zheng stood up and paced back and forth in the living room without responding.

After a short wait, Qi Guangzong spoke again.

"We all know Old Miao died unjustly. Given our decades of friendship, it's bad enough we couldn't clear his name."

"But he only has this one granddaughter. Can we really not even handle such a small matter?"

"Stall all you want, but today I've thrown my dignity to the wind. You have to do this whether you want to or not."

Elder Zheng grimaced in annoyance. "Qi, what kind of talk is that? Am I stalling? Did I say I wouldn't do it?"

"But you also know, how can a lightning-attribute Wuque Method be easy to obtain? In the entire Dongyu Kingdom, excluding Yun Siye who died early in Sang City, the only one left who knows that stuff is the Thunder Leopard of Feng City, Xie Jin."

"Since you're so determined, why don't you go directly to Xie Jin and ask for it?"

Qi Guangzong waved his hand. "I never said it had to be a Wuque Method."

"You... what? You don't want a Wuque Method?" Elder Zheng looked dazed. "If you don't want a Wuque Method... why do you need to find me? Your army can easily produce several methods that can reach Blood Refining and Open Origin."

Qi Guangzong still shook his head. "You've misunderstood. Manman is a Thunder Spirit Body; she must practice a Wuque Method eventually, but not right now."

Elder Zheng sounded even more confused. "You've completely muddled me. What exactly do you mean? Explain clearly."

"It means... putting the lightning-attribute cultivation method aside for now. Let her first switch to a collateral cultivation method as a transition. Once she's in the army, I'll slowly find a way for her."

Elder Zheng's expression slowly darkened. "Switching to a collateral cultivation method means needing a Spirit Ring of another attribute. So what you want is... the Open-Ring Forbidden Method."

This time, Qi Guangzong nodded. "Yes."

"Yes my foot!" Elder Zheng flared up immediately.

"You old fossil, you usually look so dignified and sharp, how could you come up with such a stupid idea?"

"That is a forbidden method! Do you know why it's called a forbidden method? It's because countless people have died practicing it, and almost no one has ever succeeded! That's why it's called a forbidden method!"

"Do you want to practice Old Miao's only descendant to death?"

"Even if you want to, I don't have it here! When Ye Baiqiao left back then, the Open-Ring Forbidden Method was already taken by the High Priest. If you're so capable, go ask the High Priest for it yourself!"

Watching his old friend fly into a rage, Qi Guangzong remained unperturbed.

He just said calmly and with certainty, "You definitely have a copy."

"I don't!"

"You definitely do."

"I don't! And even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you."

Qi Guangzong smiled. "Old Zheng, besides being a forbidden method, the Open-Ring Forbidden Method is also a unique and wonderful technique in this world. It's hard to master, but it's not as if no one has mastered it."

"Not counting the Six Marshals himself, he has a disciple who mastered it, Governor Xu mastered it, and A-Duo mastered it. There are a few others I won't name one by one."

"You should know better than I do that for those with spirit bodies, the risk of cultivation is actually much smaller than for ordinary people. Manman is a genius; why can't she try?"

Elder Zheng became even more indignant, his finger trembling as he pointed at Qi Guangzong's nose.

"You, you, you—I'm warning you! Watch your words!"

"My A-Duo did practice it, but do you know what price he paid? His current appearance is the price!"

"Girl, are you willing to have your body distorted into that shape?"

"I am."

Elder Zheng, who was so agitated he was almost shaking, suddenly froze. "What did you say?"

Miao Manman's voice wasn't loud, but she repeated with exceptional firmness, "I said I am willing. Grandpa Zheng, the Miao family has already collapsed; I am the last hope. When the Sangyu Delegation comes in a few days, I want to seize this opportunity."

Elder Zheng frowned even deeper. "The Sangyu people... is there some powerful character among them? Is it worth doing this to yourself?"

Qi Guangzong hurriedly interjected, "You don't know yet? Guan Tai's grandson is in the delegation."

"What! The Guan family hasn't died out yet?"

Qi Guangzong smiled. "Back then, Guan Tai rebelled and declared himself emperor, first taking Sang City and then Song City. If the Six Marshals hadn't appeared out of nowhere, this Dongyu would have long ceased to belong to the Ye family. Guan Tai was beheaded by the Six Marshals, but he had a son who escaped and fathered an extraordinary grandson."

"So this Sangyu Delegation is likely far more than just a so-called exchange."

"Take a look at this list."

As Qi Guangzong spoke, he handed over a piece of paper. Elder Zheng took it and with just one glance, his brow furrowed.

"The Sangyu people... they really are restless."

After saying this, Elder Zheng finally asked Miao Manman very seriously.

"Although Old Miao met with an accident, His Majesty did not interfere with your family's engagement to Ye Qingzhou. Marrying into that family in the future might not be a bad way out. But if you ruin yourself through cultivation, then it's completely over."

"Also, even if you master the Open-Ring Forbidden Method, it doesn't guarantee you'll win. And even if you win, what exactly you'll gain is still an unknown. Have you thought through all of this?"

Miao Manman nodded earnestly. "Relying on anyone is never as good as relying on oneself. Don't you agree?"

This sentence left Elder Zheng silent for a long time.

After another moment, he let out a deep sigh.

"Old Qi, that person... have you already talked them around?"

Qi Guangzong nodded. "Yes."

Elder Zheng looked at Miao Manman and sighed again. "The young people nowadays, what has happened to them all? Go back for now; let me think of a way."