Chapter 5 (1/2)

Establishing Prestige

Ning Fan, in his distinctive black and white clothing, leisurely walked out of the Si Fan Palace. Zhihe walked two steps behind him. Her hair was now tied with the style of a young woman as she wore a thick fox coat; her little hands were still red from the coldness.

“Brother Ning, are you not cold? Why are you wearing such thin clothing?”

Zhihe rubbed her hands together and asked with concern.

“Cold, but when you asked me like this, I am no longer cold. It is quite strange.”

Ning Fan turned around to tease her, causing Zhihe to blush.

Taking the opportunity to create the antidote, Ning Fan left the Si Fan Palace and took Zhihe along. They needed to groom their feelings since they were already husband and wife.

Otherwise, when Ning Fan truly dual cultivated with Zhihe, it would be hard for him to make a move.

A handsome young man along with the shy girl was a really good atmosphere, but it was ruined by the old monster.

The old monster walked in front of them and led the way for these two. Along the way, all of the evil cultivators viewed Ning Fan as a plague and quickly escaped in a hurry.

“Haha, you two can continue your intimate talk, just pretend I don’t exist. Young people, sigh, when the flower has bloomed, you need to pick it right away before it becomes withered… Haha…”

The old monster was excited instead of his usual gloomy face in the past. He was smiling like a chrysanthemum flower. Why? Because there was a chance for him to heal his veins completely.

All of the other evil cultivators were escaping when they saw his smile. From their impressions in the past, whenever he frowned was when he was actually happy. When he laughed, this was when he wanted to kill.

“Sigh, this boy is the new disciple of the city lord? It is over, he is dead for sure. He must have done something to make the city lord mad.”

Everyone was sympathetic and pitied Ning Fan.

Seven Apricot City’s southern area was a market. It sold many different dans, treasures, and spirit equipment. The northern area was the treasury and medicinal courtyard of the old monster.

This medicinal courtyard was named the Apricot Mansion. It used fire as bricks and was built in all four directions. The life essence for these medicinal grass were always rich throughout the four seasons. There was a formation array so people couldn’t enter, but sunlight was free to shine down. Outside of the Apricot Mansion was a black army of around four hundred people. Their shoulder armor had seven bloody apricot flowers embroidered on them.

The leader of the black army was a man around two zhang tall and had a Harmonious Spirit realm cultivation. Ning Fan had met this guy when they greeted the old monster a few days ago.

The man seeing the arrival of the old monster suddenly bowed while the rest of the four hundred black guards immediately kneeled down.

“Apricot Guard’s Commander Yuchi greets the city lord! Greets the… young lord…”

All of the guards were reluctant to kneel down in front of Ning Fan.

“No need for formalities, all of you scram for me… Wait, today I am in a good mood, you guys don’t need to scram. Come over here so that my disciple can take a good look.”

The old man laughed. This laugh in the eyes of the four hundred guards caused their spines to chill. However, they didn’t dare to go against the old monster’s order and quickly gathered into a circular and orderly formation as their hearts were restless.

It’s over! The city lord is laughing! He wants to kill people! Could he be blaming us for not protecting the Apricot Mansion well?!

This circular pattern was named the “Heaven and Earth Chaotic Apricot Formation”. They took a few breaths and neatly moved into the formation just as they would in their training.

This scene caused the old monster’s expression to be filled with pride. It was something that he hadn’t shown for the last forty years.

“Little Brat Ning, look at it, this is the Apricot Guard, one of my three guards! One Harmonious Spirit realm and four hundred fifth level Vein Opening realm cultivators. They could easily destroy a mortal country and destroy a second rate righteous sect. Little Brat Ning, go ahead and give an evaluation for my Apricot Guard!”

The chrysanthemum face of the old monster carried a showing-off expression. He didn’t know why he wanted to hear the praise of Ning Fan.

However, Yuchi and the four hundred Apricot Guards hearing the praise of this old monster were scared from being too loved. One had to know that they had went into numerous dangers for this old man in the last forty years, but he never praised them before.

They stopped shaking and being afraid and started to stand upright. They noticed that this old monster wanted to brag about his power to his new disciple. Since the old monster wanted some face, as his underlings, they had to help him gain some face!

Regarding the evaluation of Ning Fan, they didn’t care at all.

Mighty? Strong? Ruthless? Evil? In the end, these were all praises. They didn’t think that a first level Vein Opening cultivator like Ning Fan, in front of four hundred experts and the old monster, would say some harsh words.

“Since Master told me to evaluate you guys, I will say some simple words then…”

Ning Fan spoke with an emotionless tone while carefully gazing across the black formation.

He was just a Vein Opening cultivator, but as his gaze swept across the field, the four hundred Apricot Guards all actually felt a nervous sensation. It was as if an old monster was examining them.

This young lord was not as simple as the rumors…