Nine Nether Dragon Emperor

In an unnamed alley in Tian Shu City, the person ahead of Ning Xuan suddenly stopped walking.

Ning Xuan chuckled, not the least bit surprised. He stepped out and said, "Young Master Luo, didn’t your meridians completely shatter? How are you still hopping around, alive and well?"

The acquaintance was none other than Luo Ji. The man had actually gone easy on him at the last moment, staging the whole "shattered meridians" act. Even Tu Jingcheng was deceived. He really is something!

Luo Ji turned around, shaking his head in vehement denial. "Who could still be hopping around after having their meridians shattered? Mine weren’t shattered at all."

"Are you saying Tu Jingcheng knew you were lying and didn’t expose you?" Ning Xuan asked. "Do you even believe that yourself?"

Luo Ji stopped arguing. He sighed and said, "The Emperor has long been displeased with the Seven Kings. How could he possibly allow a disciple from one of their manors to become the empire’s Prince Consort? At this time, someone was desperately needed to step up, and then you appeared."

Ning Xuan’s mouth twitched. He had to admit, the possibility was extremely high. That false emperor needs a weapon! Someone with some strength, who doesn’t play by the rules and fears nothing... The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to slap himself. What were you thinking, jumping in like that? Now look where you are. You thought you were being clever, but you just got played.

"Spit it out. You lured me here, so what’s your purpose?" Ning Xuan was unwilling to get involved, but he still hoped to hear some good news from this man. If not...

Luo Ji countered with a question of his own. "If I can’t bring you good news, are you going to attack me?"

Ning Xuan turned the question back on him. "What do you think?"

"I’m no match for you," Luo Ji admitted. "But I do have a message for you. A young woman was captured not long ago."

Ning Xuan looked puzzled. What does that have to do with me? The only people I know here in Tian Shu are Jiang Chan, Cheng Dabao, and You Ruo. The three of them should be in Gouchen by now.

"She should be from Tianji," Luo Ji added.

Ning Xuan’s mouth twitched. He knew instantly who it was. Damn it! Qin Ruonan actually followed me here!

Observing Ning Xuan’s reaction, Luo Ji said quickly, "It seems you already know who she is."

"She wasn’t caught because she was looking for me, was she?"

"What do you think?" Luo Ji replied.

Ning Xuan suddenly smiled. "Then it’s nothing to worry about."

Now it was Luo Ji’s turn to be baffled. His confidante was captured, and he can still smile? Does he really think the Realm Lord’s Mansion’s Heavenly Prison is just for show, simply because he managed to escape?

"By the way, it’s not convenient for me to be seen, so please give this to her for me." While Luo Ji was still dumbstruck, Ning Xuan tossed something to him. Luo Ji caught it reflexively, utterly speechless. He had come to deliver a message, and now this guy was ordering him around without so much as a thank you.

"I—"

Before Luo Ji could finish, Ning Xuan cut him off. "Enough. No need to dawdle. Just go. I’m short on time."

Luo Ji almost spat blood from rage. Glancing at the item in his hand, he said irritably, "Do you take me for a blind man or something? At least try to hide it!"

He was so sarcastic because he could clearly see the words written on the corner of the piece of clothing Ning Xuan had given him.

"No worries. I trust your character," Ning Xuan said nonchalantly, and then promptly vanished from sight.

"Hey! You might trust my character, but I don’t!" Luo Ji yelled after him.

He looked down at the piece of fabric in his hand, from which more and more characters were becoming visible, and he felt an itch in his heart like a cat’s scratch. The revealed words were like a glimpse of a peerless beauty’s shoulder, tantalizing and half-hidden, tempting him to unfold the cloth and see everything at once.

In the end, however, Luo Ji resisted the urge. He even went as far as to actually deliver the item into Qin Ruonan’s hands.

But upon seeing Qin Ruonan’s dazed smile, he couldn’t help but ask, "What did he write?" Ning Xuan probably wrote some comforting words. I could learn a thing or two from him.

Qin Ruonan didn’t hide anything from him. "He asked me to scout a place."

"What?!" Luo Ji’s eyes widened, his voice rising an octave.

That Ning Xuan is truly inhuman! This woman came all this way to find him, only to be implicated because of him and thrown into the Heavenly Prison the moment she arrived. And what does he do? After finding out, not only does he not talk about rescuing her, he doesn’t even offer a single word of comfort. On top of that, he has the audacity to ask her to do something for him! Heartless! Absolutely heartless!

Luo Ji wanted to slap himself. If I’d known this, to hell with my principles! I should have read it! If I had, I would have destroyed it on the spot!

"That bastard Ning Xuan is too much! No, I have to go find him!" Luo Ji said, rising to his feet.

Unexpectedly, Qin Ruonan’s cold voice rang out, "Young Master, I’m grateful that you delivered the message. However, I advise you not to meddle in our affairs."

Luo Ji thought he had misheard. But when he turned and saw her expression, he knew there was nothing wrong with his ears. The realization left him completely dumbfounded. Damn it! What is going on? What kind of Magic Power does Ning Xuan possess to make such an exceptional woman so devoted to him?

Seeing that Luo Ji was practically frozen in shock, Qin Ruonan couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. She smiled and softened her tone. "We’re really fine. This is just a little game between us. Thank you for your concern. Oh, and could you do me a favor on your way out?"

Seeing her sincerity, Luo Ji nodded. "What is it?"

"The guards outside are working too hard. Please... persuade them for us."

Luo Ji was stunned for a moment, then nodded hastily. So Ning Xuan did have a plan! He has some conscience after all!

As soon as he stepped out, a jailer urged him, "Young Master Luo, please hurry up!" These guards were all Lu Yi’s men; otherwise, Luo Ji would never have been able to approach Qin Ruonan so easily. His sudden outburst earlier had given them quite a fright.

"My apologies," Luo Ji said. As he spoke, the jailers collapsed to the ground.

At the same time, inside the Heavenly Prison, Qin Ruonan had already freed herself.

Although Ning Xuan had never seen Qin Ruonan in action, he was certain she had a way to escape. After all, being a thief wasn’t an easy profession these days. Lock-picking was merely a basic skill. Since Qin Ruonan could steal the Divine Martial Battle Armor from the heavily guarded Tianji Alliance Army Headquarters, the so-called Heavenly Prison was naturally a piece of cake for her.

That was why, upon learning she was in the Heavenly Prison, Ning Xuan had immediately thought of using her skills to find a safe route to the Teleportation Array.

Qin Ruonan smiled because Ning Xuan acknowledged her capabilities. To her, that was far more meaningful than any words of comfort.

Thus, after slipping out of the Heavenly Prison, she immediately headed for the location Ning Xuan had told her about. Her target was an Inner City Teleportation Array, which was currently of little importance to the city’s defenders. Because of this, Qin Ruonan quickly reached her destination.