Nine Nether Dragon Emperor

WHIRR!

In the Maple Forest, Wu Pianpian suddenly executed a turnaround strike.

"It's me!"

Behind her, Ning Xuan tilted his head, gripped his spear, and spoke, all in one smooth motion.

"Junior Brother, they've all disappeared!" Wu Pianpian asked urgently the moment she saw him.

Ning Xuan didn't reply, instead turning to look at Zhao Yuan, who had just appeared out of nowhere. Zhao Yuan scanned the area, let out a sigh of relief, and said, "Watch me!"

As his voice fell, a black Token materialized in his hand. It looked ordinary, with no energy fluctuations, but soon after he raised it high, three gusts of yin wind swept past. Qian Yourong and the other two women reappeared. Quick to react, Ning Xuan caught the unconscious Qian Yourong and held her close. Wu Pianpian, in turn, scooped up Little Bai and San Wu, one in each arm.

"Young Master Ning, let's get out of here!" This should have been the perfect time for Zhao Yuan to make a move, but his mind was clearly not on Ning Xuan's group. His voice was laced with urgency as he frantically looked around.

Ning Xuan didn't ask questions. He simply nodded and prepared to leave.

"Since you're here, you might as well stay."

An emotionless voice suddenly rang out. Zhao Yuan, at the very front, stiffened. The next moment, BOOM! He vanished on the spot.

Ning Xuan was stunned. Zhao Yuan's strength was the highest among all the commanders present. A single Token held such mighty power... so why did he act like he'd just seen the god of plagues?! Wait... was that a woman's voice?

Reacting, Ning Xuan immediately turned his head toward the source of the voice. Even for someone like him, constantly surrounded by beauties, his eyes lit up at the sight. There, under the largest maple tree, stood a woman in a white dress. Her face was deathly pale, and her disheveled black hair nearly touched the ground. Although she looked more like Sadako from *The Ring* than Sadako herself, her stunning beauty was undeniable.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" the woman couldn't help but ask, seeing a smile form on Ning Xuan's face.

Ning Xuan countered, "Why should I be?"

His reply left the woman at a loss for words.

"If you really want to scare someone, you should crawl out of that well over there. Remember to cover your face completely with your hair," Ning Xuan couldn't help but suggest, glancing at a nearby dry well.

The woman turned to look, then stubbornly replied, "I will not!"

Ning Xuan was taken aback.

"It's dirty!" she explained.

Is it my imagination, or did she just pout? This rendered Ning Xuan speechless. Lady, you're a ghost, and you're worried about getting dirty?!

He took another look. Whoa. The barefoot lady in the white dress was actually floating in mid-air.

"Alright, you win," Ning Xuan said, signaling Wu Pianpian with his eyes as he prepared to leave. "We've been busy all day and are quite dirty ourselves, so we won't bother you anymore."

This lady seems harmless, but she scared away a commander with just a single word. I doubt she's easy to deal with.

As he expected.

"Stop right there!"

The moment the icy, piercing voice rang out, Ning Xuan found he couldn't move. That wasn't all; his very blood began to congeal. He was initially worried about Qian Yourong, but a glance showed she was completely unaffected. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. However, that brief delay cost him the chance to circulate his Cultivation Technique. Now, even blinking had become a struggle.

This woman possesses such pure Yin energy!

"What have you done?!" Wu Pianpian's sharp cry came from the side. Despite her hands being full, she controlled her spear, sending it flying through the air to point at the woman in white.

"Men are worthless," the woman stated coldly. "Any man who sets foot in my forbidden land must die! Since you're a woman, I'll spare you. Put down your spear."

The woman had only to glance at Wu Pianpian for the spear to plummet toward the ground. It was only after Wu Pianpian forcefully made the spear rise again that the woman delivered her ultimatum.

At that very moment, the woman was startled. She had somehow heard Ning Xuan's voice in her mind.

"The beasts who bullied you are still inside. You don't dare to act against them, so why are you venting your anger on me?"

WHOOSH!

BOOM!

Two sounds rang out almost simultaneously. The first was the spear piercing the air. Ning Xuan being able to speak had momentarily weakened the woman's spiritual pressure, and Wu Pianpian had naturally seized the opportunity. The second was the explosive impact of a cutting maple leaf striking Ning Xuan.

Without the woman visibly moving, the spear froze mid-air, unable to advance another inch.

Meanwhile, an explosive sound erupted from Ning Xuan himself as his aura surged with incredible power.

After staring at Ning Xuan, dumbfounded for a moment, she snorted coldly. "Bully me? Are they even worthy?!"

Though she said that, her gaze toward Ning Xuan softened.

Then, she suddenly asked him, "Are you planning to follow that man to the Imprisonment Space?"

Ning Xuan nodded.

"It's not safe for them to follow you. Leave them here, and I will protect them."

Her words left Ning Xuan utterly confused. Just a moment ago she was screaming about killing me, and now she's offering to help? She changes her mind faster than you can flip a page. Do even ghosts have split personalities these days?! I don't get it. I really don't get it at all!

"What? You don't trust me? If I wanted to make a move, even if…"

Before the woman could finish, Ning Xuan nodded frantically. "I trust you, I trust you. Thank you, Miss."

"Hmph!" the woman gave a proud, coy snort.

"Um, I'm pretty important to them, and you wouldn't want to make them sad, would you? So… how about lending me a few treasures?" Ning Xuan's eyes twinkled as he tentatively asked.

The woman's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief. She had never seen someone so utterly shameless!

Even Wu Pianpian lowered her head in shame. This Junior Brother of mine is so embarrassing! The woman is a ghost, and he's still trying to fleece her! On top of that, he's blatantly using us as leverage while we're standing right here! His skin is just too thick!

"Scram!" The woman, infuriated, waved her sleeve, sending Ning Xuan flying.

「Outside Xiaoyao Town」

Zhao Yuan, who was on the run, was looking back toward the Happy Forest when the space behind him suddenly cracked open, and a figure stumbled out.

Zhao Yuan came to an abrupt halt, his face a mask of shock. "Ning… Young Master Ning, how did you do that?!"

Ning Xuan knew with a single glance that the man had misunderstood. With no intention of explaining, he straightened his clothes, waved his hand dismissively, and said, "She's just a little girl. I have a thousand ways to handle her."

As he spoke, he continued walking forward with an air of nonchalant ease.

Behind him, Zhao Yuan's eyes bulged, his gaze filled with pure admiration. As he jogged to catch up, he began to struggle internally. Maybe I should reconsider my plans for the Earth Spring Spirit Milk… There's no need to make an enemy of a young man like him!

Seeing that Ning Xuan was heading in the wrong direction, Zhao Yuan quickly rushed forward. With a servile smile and a slight stoop, he pointed the way. "Young Master Ning, this way, this way."

Ning Xuan glanced at him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Little Yuanzi, you're not bad. If I get the chance, I'll take you away from this godforsaken place."

"Thank you, Brother!"