36: Go to Huashan

The next day, early morning.

Xiao Family Mansion, Listening Bamboo Pavilion.

As dawn broke, the courtyard was already bustling with shadows. More than a dozen Xiao Family servants held their breath, tiptoeing as they walked, fearing to disturb the two god-like figures in the courtyard.

On the table, a dazzling array of breakfast items had already been laid out.

Crystal Pork Terrine, Crab Roe Soup Dumplings, Emerald Siu Mai… In total, no less than twenty varieties, fragrant and steaming, just the smell alone made one's appetite stir.

Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Family Clan Chief, and his precious grandson, Xiao Huohuo, stood outside the door like two wooden stakes, respectfully with hands clasped, not even daring to breathe loudly.

That little ancestor from yesterday had returned to her room to rest after eating and drinking her fill.

However, the grandfather and grandson had not slept all night, their hearts tossed back and forth by a mix of excitement, apprehension, and exhilaration, almost causing them to pass away on the spot.

Immortal opportunity!

This was a heaven-sent immortal opportunity!

“Creak—”

The door opened.

A small head with an adorable topknot peeked out.

Lu Nuannuan was still half-asleep, rubbing her eyes and letting out a delicate little yawn. Her naive, just-woken-up appearance would soften anyone's heart.

But Xiao Zhan and Xiao Huohuo instantly straightened up, their backs as stiff as javelins, a shiver running through them.

“Junior greets Immortal Nanny!”

“Huohuo greets Immortal Nanny!”

Both spoke in unison, their postures extremely humble.

There was no other way; the terrifying, world-destroying pressure from yesterday had left too deep a psychological shadow on them!

“Mm… Good morning.”

Nanny was clearly not fully awake yet, responding indistinctly. Her small nose sniffed the air, and she was instantly drawn to the table full of delicacies.

“Wow! So fragrant!”

The little girl’s eyes lit up, and she instantly became wide awake, scurrying towards the table with her short legs.

Qin Jiu also walked out of the room and nodded slightly to the Xiao Family grandfather and grandson, as a greeting.

A whirlwind of eating ensued.

Nanny patted her round little belly, letting out a satisfied burp.

Her big, dark eyes darted around. Suddenly remembering something, she clapped her small hands together and said brightly:

“Oh right! Xiao Huohuo!”

“Is that ‘Hua Mountain Sword Tournament’ you mentioned yesterday fun? Who’s going? Is it true, like in the storybooks, that if you win, you become the strongest in the world?”

Nanny asked a barrage of questions, her small face full of curiosity.

Upon hearing this, Qin Jiu’s heart stirred, and he looked at Xiao Huohuo.

He was also quite interested in this pinnacle event of the mortal Martial Forest.

Seeing this, Xiao Huohuo dared not delay. He quickly wiped his mouth and poured out everything he knew, like beans from a bamboo tube.

“To… To answer Senior Sister, this Hua Mountain Sword Tournament is a grand event held every five years in our Great Song Martial Forest!”

“Its purpose is to determine the five strongest Grandmasters of the current era and to decide who is the ‘Strongest in the World’!”

In Xiao Huohuo’s eyes, there was a glimmer of longing and reverence.

“In today’s Martial Forest, the five recognized Great Grandmasters are known as the ‘Five Supremes’!”

“They are the Island Revered Master of Peach Blossom Island in the East Sea, ‘Eastern Heretic’ Huang Yaoshi, a man who is both righteous and evil, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and whose martial arts are even more profound!”

“The Manor Lord of White Camel Mountain Manor in the Western Regions, ‘Western Venom’ Ouyang Feng, whose Toad Skill is unparalleled in its might, and whose Spiritual Snake Staff Technique is even more unpredictable!”

“The Emperor of the Dali Duan Clan in the Southern Border, ‘Southern Emperor’ Duan Zhixing, famous throughout the world for his One Yang Finger, which is said to have been Cultivated to the Transcendent Realm!”

“And the Beggar Sect Leader, ‘Northern Beggar’ Hong Qigong, whose Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms are immensely powerful and shake the Martial Forest!”

“As well as the Quanzhen Sect Leader, ‘Central Divine’ Wang Chongyang, whose martial arts are unfathomable, and who is hailed as the head of the Five Supremes and the strongest practitioner in the world!”

At this point, Xiao Huohuo paused, lowering his voice slightly, with a hint of mystery.

“It is said that this tournament, besides competing for the empty title of ‘Strongest in the World,’ also has a huge prize!”

“Oh? What prize?” Qin Jiu couldn’t help but ask.

Xiao Huohuo took a deep breath and slowly uttered four words:

“The Nine Yin Manual!”

“Legend has it that this is the general outline of martial arts. Obtaining it allows one to glimpse the pinnacle of the Martial Dao, and even… there is hope of reaching the legendary Heavenly Human Realm!”

Upon hearing this, Qin Jiu suddenly understood.

So that’s it, just a Secret Manual that allows one to Cultivate to the Heavenly Human Realm.

Such things, in the Tai Xuan Immortal Sect, would probably be considered too rough even for Outer Sect Disciple to wipe their bottoms with.

He had completely lost interest in these mortal martial arts now.

But Nanny, upon hearing it, her eyes sparkled, and her small face turned flushed with excitement!

Strongest in the World!

It sounded so impressive!

“Fun! It must be fun!”

The little girl jumped off the chair, tugged at Qin Jiu’s sleeve, and shook him vigorously.

“Xiao Jiu, let’s go see, okay? Just go see!”

Qin Jiu showed a difficult expression.

Hua Mountain Sword Tournament, that was a place where Grandmasters gathered, a mixed bag. If anything went wrong…

He wasn't afraid of those martial artists; he was afraid that if his Senior Sister became unhappy, she might dismantle Hua Mountain.

“Senior Sister, this… I’m afraid it’s somewhat inappropriate. Master sent us down the mountain for experience, but he didn’t say to go to such a troublesome place.” Qin Jiu tried to persuade her.

“I don’t care, I don’t care!” Nanny pouted, her eyes instantly reddening, and golden tears seemed to be on the verge of falling from her watery big eyes. “I just want to go! If you don’t take me, I’ll… I’ll tell Master that you bullied me!”

Oh, this trick again.

Qin Jiu’s head instantly swelled, and he lost all temper.

He had come to understand that reasoning with this little ancestor was impossible.

Just then.

Xiao Huohuo, who had been silent, suddenly mustered all his courage and knelt down abruptly before Nanny and Qin Jiu!

“Immortal! I beg both Immortals, please take me with you!”

His voice trembled, but his eyes held a desperate resolve!

“Xiao knows that with my status, I am not qualified to travel with you two. But… but Xiao wants to witness it, to witness what kind of grandeur the Peak of the Martial Dao truly possesses!”

“Xiao is willing to serve both Immortals, bringing tea and water, without a second thought! I only ask… I only ask that the Immortals give Xiao this opportunity!”

He knew this might be the only chance in his life to get close to the pinnacle of the Martial Forest!

Seeing this, Qin Jiu became even more troubled.

Bringing one Senior Sister Nanny was already enough to make him nervous; if he added another “burden”...

However, he hadn't even had time to refuse.

“Okay, okay!”

Nanny, however, agreed without a second thought.

She ran in front of Xiao Huohuo, extended her small hand, helped him up, and said in a childish voice:

“Xiao Huohuo, you are a good person! If you want to go, then we’ll go together!”

In the little girl’s simple world, the logic was straightforward: anyone who treated her to food was a good person! And if a good person wanted to play together, then they should play together!

“Th-thank you, Immortal! Thank you, Immortal!”

Xiao Huohuo was so excited he was incoherent, almost crying again.

Qin Jiu rubbed his forehead, feeling utterly exhausted.

“Senior Sister, this matter… you really need to think twice!”

“Think twice about what!” Nanny waved her small hand, radiating dominance. “With this Senior Sister here, who would dare to bully us? Besides, my Master is the most powerful person in the world; if the sky falls, he’ll hold it up!”

Right, she brought up the Sect Master again.

Qin Jiu was completely helpless and could only nod in resignation.

“Since Senior Sister has decided, then… then let’s depart immediately.”

He just wanted to quickly take these two ancestors to Hua Mountain, watch the excitement, and then quickly return to the Sect, ending this heart-pounding journey.

“Depart!”

Nanny cheered, appearing more excited than anyone else.

She glanced at Xiao Huohuo, then at Qin Jiu, her big, dark eyes twinkling, as if she had thought of something fun.

“Xiao Jiu, Xiao Huohuo, stand still!”

“Ah?”

Qin Jiu and Xiao Huohuo were both stunned, not understanding why.

The next second!

Boom—!

A terrifying Qi, impossible to describe in words, suddenly erupted from Nanny’s small body!

Chaos Qi permeated, and the bluestone slabs beneath her feet instantly turned to dust!

Without giving the two any time to react!

Nanny extended her two fair, tender hands, one for each, and directly grabbed Qin Jiu’s and Xiao Huohuo’s arms.

“Let’s go!”

Accompanied by a clear, childish shout!

Three figures, like cannonballs fired from a barrel, shot into the sky!

They instantly transformed into a stream of light, barely discernible to the naked eye, tearing through the sky and streaking towards Hua Mountain, in the direction Xiao Huohuo had indicated!

“Ah ah ah ah ah—!”

High in the sky, only Qin Jiu’s and Xiao Huohuo’s screams, filled with extreme terror and shock, lingered, echoing for a long time above Xiangyang City.

Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Family Clan Chief, and the Elders behind him, stared blankly at the stream of light disappearing into the sky, each like a wooden sculpture struck by lightning.