A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 267 Twists and Turns at the Inn
Having just encountered a minor ambush, the Tianshan Sect members once again became more vigilant, forming a battle formation as they advanced. Although their martial uncle was highly skilled, he couldn't withstand the sheer number of opponents. Given their reluctance to act rashly, their martial uncle might not be able to go all out.

“Miss Fu, your fourth martial uncle is very skilled in martial arts.” Cha Mulong said to Fu Tianjiao beside him, looking at Ni Qingfeng who was clearing the way ahead.

"Fourth Uncle has always been low-key, I didn't expect him to be so powerful. That Hall Master Shangguan is clearly afraid of Uncle, otherwise he wouldn't have given up temporarily. By the way, since this Dragon Pearl is yours, I'll give it back to you. It's like returning it to its rightful owner."

Fu Tianjiao glanced at the dragon pearl in Cha Mulong's hand, then looked away.

Cha Mulong was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. Seeing that Fu Tianjiao did not seem to be lying, he felt a strange sensation and then carefully kept the Dragon Pearl close to his body.

"Once we return to Tianshan, your master will definitely find a way to restore your memories. You don't need to think about too many things now."

"I'm just curious, it seems your Tianshan Sect knows something about me?"

Cha Mulong was also very perceptive. After spending the past few days together, he realized that the female knight-errant from Tianshan clearly knew some things, but she didn't explain them clearly, which really puzzled him.

“This matter is of great importance. How could I, a mere junior, bear such a responsibility? You need not doubt my Tianshan Sect. If you harbored ill intentions, you wouldn’t be here.”

“Miss Fu, that’s not what I meant, I just…”

Cha Mulong sensed the coldness in Fu Tianjiao's tone and became somewhat anxious. He wanted to explain, but didn't know how to say it.

"You really are something else. If it weren't for your senior sister protecting you, you'd still be fighting those wild beasts in the beast field. You really don't appreciate kindness."

Fu Tianxiang snorted coldly, spurred her horse, and quickly took a few steps forward to shift her position.

“I know, we’ll talk about everything when we get back to Tianshan. The journey won’t be too peaceful, so let’s be careful.”

After traveling for several days, the Tianshan Sect group crossed the yellow sand and arrived at a small town. Ni Qingfeng saw that everyone looked exhausted and that their food supplies were running low, so he immediately ordered them to stay in the town for a day.

Everyone smiled upon hearing this. The past few days of constant travel and intense mental stress had left them physically and mentally exhausted. They needed to rest properly, otherwise they would collapse before even returning to Tianshan.

"There's an inn up ahead, let's go there and rest for a bit."

Ni Qingfeng led the horse ahead, and the others dismounted and followed behind him. The group of more than ten people, dressed in the same clothes, were quite eye-catching. Those who recognized them immediately moved aside, as the Tianshan Sect had a certain reputation in the Western Regions.

"What are the people from the Tianshan Sect doing here? Hey Lao Wu, do you know that middle-aged Taoist priest?"

The burly, dark-faced man looked at an elderly man with a red face and short beard beside him.

Upon hearing this, the short-bearded old man stroked his beard and said, "This man is Ni Qingfeng of the Tianshan Sect, Xue Wanshan's fourth junior brother. I heard that he became famous in Pansha Town, forcing back the White-Headed Eagle, severely injuring the Living Yama, and even killing the Divine Fire Master with a single sword. Now his reputation is widespread, it's hard not to know him."

"So he's Ni Qingfeng. He doesn't look like much, but he must have some skills to kill the Divine Fire Master. So, Old Wu, are you interested in that Dragon Ball?"

A glint flashed in the eyes of the burly middle-aged man, and he whispered to the short-bearded old man.

"No rush, no rush."

The old man surnamed Wu watched the Tianshan Sect members gradually disappear into the distance, his eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly lost in thought. He then chuckled softly, turned, and left. The burly middle-aged man, seeing this, snorted coldly in his heart and followed the old man away.

"Four Seas Inn, what a grand gesture."

Ni Qingfeng looked at the magnificent five-story pavilion with its carved beams and painted rafters. The name "Sihai Inn" was rather ordinary, but the decoration was first-class. Not to mention anything else, just the four glass lanterns on the eaves alone were already quite valuable.

"Pei Duan, have the disciples pack their things. They will rest here tonight."

Ni Qingfeng gave an order to his junior brother Pei, who immediately obeyed and went to greet them. The group led their horses to the front of the inn and were about to send someone to say hello when a wealthy middle-aged man in fine clothes came out. He was all smiles and had a kind and amiable face. He was playing with a string of crystal beads in his hand, which refracted colorful light under the sunlight and looked particularly dazzling. Behind him were more than a dozen servants in green robes, standing on both sides.

"This must be Master Ni of the Tianshan Sect. I am Gu Zhen, the owner of the Sihai Inn."

Gu Zhen glanced casually at the others, then turned her gaze back to Ni Qingfeng.

"Greetings, Master Gu. May I ask what brings you here?" Ni Qingfeng asked calmly, observing the grand welcome.

"This is not the place to talk. Master Ni and all the heroes of the Tianshan Sect, please come into the inn first."

Gu Zhen turned around and instructed the servant behind him to take good care of the heroes' horses and use the best fodder.

Seeing this, Fu Tianjiao and the others looked at Ni Qingfeng, who nodded. They packed their bags, handed the reins to the servant in blue, and followed their uncle into the inn.

Looking at Gu Zhen's enthusiastic and eager appearance, Ni Qingfeng already knew what was going on. If the other party did not offend him, then the two sides would live in peace. If he did not know what was good for him, then he would not hesitate to kill him.

"Be careful in the inn, and don't fall into any traps."

Suddenly, Fu Tianjiao and the others heard Ni Qingfeng's voice in their ears, and they stopped abruptly, but then pretended to be nonchalant and continued walking.

Gu Zhen immediately had more than a dozen excellent guest rooms prepared and several tables of food and wine arranged. He then led Ni Qingfeng and the others to a spacious hall on the second floor.

"Master Gu, you can speak freely. As the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit. I am truly uneasy right now."

Seeing that all the disciples had taken their seats, Ni Qingfeng drank a cup of tea and spoke calmly to Gu Zhen.

“Master Ni is a man of few words, so I will speak frankly as well. I have heard that the Dragon Pearl has fallen into the hands of the Tianshan Sect, and I have a request to make.”

After Gu Zhen finished speaking, he immediately knelt down on one knee in front of Ni Qingfeng. Upon seeing this, the latter immediately helped him up with one hand and said in a deep voice, "What does Master Gu mean by this? Just say what you have to say. There is no need for such a grand ceremony. I am unworthy of such a gesture!"

"Such profound skill."

Gu Zhen was secretly surprised. She was a local tyrant, but Ni Qingfeng had just supported her with one hand, preventing her from kneeling down. This subtle move had truly given her a warning.

"I will speak frankly. My only son was born with a deficiency in his health and was bedridden from a young age. I have sought out many famous doctors and prescribed countless remedies. He has taken a lot of tonics, but I could only keep him alive until he was sixteen. Now he is on his deathbed, and I am heartbroken. I heard that the Dragon Pearl has the power to bring people back to life, so I had no choice but to do this. I only hope that you, Master Ni, can lend me a hand. I will reward you handsomely after this is done!"

After listening to Gu Zhen's words, Ni Qingfeng's face showed a look of dismay. He then said solemnly, "Master Gu, the Dragon Pearl is indeed here, but I was unaware that it could bring the dead back to life. This is truly astonishing. I wonder where Master Gu heard this from."

"To be honest, Master Ni, this was told to me by a wandering Taoist priest, and it happened several years ago..."

After hearing Gu Zhen's story, Ni Qingfeng sighed and immediately said, "If Master Gu trusts me, please send the young master to me tonight, and I will do my best to try."

"With Master Ni's words of advice, I am relieved. Please make yourselves at home. I will take my leave now."

Watching Gu Zhen leave, Ni Qingfeng's smile quickly faded. He glanced at Fu Tianjiao, who nodded, took out a silver needle, and pierced each of the delicious dishes on the table.

"Uncle-Master, the food is not poisonous."

"Well, let's rest for the night and set off again tomorrow. Tonight will probably be anything but peaceful. Have the disciples take turns on guard duty, and there must be no slackening!"

"Yes, uncle!"

Everyone quickly finished their meal and returned to their rooms to rest. After the moon rose, Ni Qingfeng, who was meditating, heard a knock on the door.

"Master Ni, I, Gu, have come as agreed."

"Please wait a moment, Master Gu."

Upon hearing Gu Zhen's voice, Ni Qingfeng's eyes narrowed slightly. He then got out of bed, opened the door, and saw that besides Gu Zhen, there were two other strong young men carrying a stretcher with a handsome young man lying on it. "Master Gu, please come in and talk."

Ni Qingfeng stepped aside, and Gu Zhen thanked him, letting the two men carry the stretcher into the room. After carefully placing it in the room, the two men immediately went out and closed the door. Ni Qingfeng listened to the footsteps gradually fading away, then turned around and looked at the young man on the bed. After carefully examining him, he said in a deep voice, "His breath is weak and his spirit is scattered. He will die in a month at most."

“Master Ni, your insight is truly remarkable. My son only has one month to live. I cannot bear to see my son die young. If he can survive for another year or two, I will be extremely grateful.”

Gu Zhen only has this one son. If he dies young, the family line will end, and all the wealth he has built over the years will be handed over to others. How could he be willing to do that? If he could exchange half of his family fortune for a year of his son's life, it would be worth it. Gu Zhen believes that his methods of "blocking" Ni Qingfeng this time were somewhat despicable, but for his only beloved son, he can do whatever he wants.

"Master Gu, your son's vital energy is severely depleted. He has been nourished by various precious medicinal herbs for many years, and he is now too weak to take such supplements. His body is extremely frail, and if he is not careful, he may not even live for a month. No wonder Master Gu has his eye on the Dragon Pearl."

"I, Gu, am also forced into this situation. I hope Master Ni can forgive me. Ming'er has never truly lived since he was a child, yet he is very sensible. As his father, I am truly heartbroken..."

Gu Zhen wiped away her tears with her sleeve, her voice choked with emotion.

“Master Gu is a kind father, and I am deeply moved. I will do my best to try. Master Gu may wait outside first.”

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master Ni."

After glancing at his still unconscious son, Gu Zhen bowed to Ni Qingfeng, turned and left the room, leaving only Ni Qingfeng and Gu Ming inside.

"Whether it's true or not, it's still a human life. Since I have the ability and happened to be there, I can't just stand by and watch someone die."

This congenital deficiency and depletion of vital energy would be very troublesome for others, but it was not so difficult for Ni Qingfeng, after all, a large part of his skills came from Gu Xu.

"The Dragon Balls are great, but they're not that easy to use. Without a great stroke of luck, forcing them to be used will only be like a moth drawn to a flame."

To take a recent example, Xie Qian, one of the Five Tigers of Western Xia, is a living example.

Ni Qingfeng glanced at Gu Ming on the bed, gave a soft shout, and with a flick of his right hand, a ball of emerald light appeared in his hand. Then, the emerald light shot into Gu Ming's body. The latter, who had been sleeping, suddenly opened his eyes wide, his face flushed red, his expression ferocious, and he roared like a wild beast.

He tore the silk quilt covering him with his bare hands and tried to get up. When Ni Qingfeng saw this, he immediately used his fingers to seal the vital points all over Gu Ming's body. The latter immediately stopped moving, but began to sweat, and soon his clothes were soaked through.

"It seems to be working."

This azure aura is the vital energy of heaven and earth. Although there is only a trace of it, it is more than enough to make up for Gu Ming's defects. This strange phenomenon is caused by the burgeoning of vitality.

Ni Qingfeng watched as Gu Ming's struggles slowed down and his breathing gradually stabilized. Finally, a fine blade of energy shot directly into Gu Ming's dantian. With just a gentle stir, the true energy that had been lingering in the dantian instantly vanished.

This true energy appears to have been supplied by Gu Zhen. If it weren't for this true energy supporting him at all times, Gu Ming wouldn't have been able to live to be sixteen.

As his inner energy was dispersed, Gu Ming's body trembled slightly, then he let out a long sigh, his brows relaxed, and he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, in his dantian, the vitality began to grow like a thriving seedling within his body. With this help, Gu Ming not only made up for his deficiency, but it would also greatly benefit his future martial arts training.

Withdrawing his hand, Ni Qingfeng exhaled a breath of stale air, tidied himself up, and then opened the door.

Outside the door, Gu Zhen heard the roars coming from inside and was extremely anxious. He was also in great pain. If even the Dragon Ball couldn't cure him, he really didn't know what to do.

Hearing the door open, Gu Zhen immediately rushed forward, his eyes fixed on Ni Qingfeng, and hurriedly asked, "Master Ni, I don't know..."

"I have finally lived up to your expectations."

A soft whisper was like heavenly music to Gu Zhen's ears. After thanking him quickly, Gu Zhen rushed into the room and came to the bedside. Looking at her son, whose face was slightly rosy, Gu Zhen burst into tears. After wiping away her tears, she checked his pulse and found that his breathing was long and deep. Although his vital energy was insufficient, he was like a newborn. With proper care, he would definitely recover to normal.

"Gu Zhen is deeply grateful to Hero Ni for saving his life. I could never repay such a debt. Please accept my deepest bow!"

Gu Zhen got up and knelt down in front of Ni Qingfeng. Ni Qingfeng immediately helped him up.

"Since I, Ni, have the opportunity to help, why not? This is also your son's good fortune. Heaven has not taken his life away, and your son will surely be blessed with great fortune in the future."

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhen suddenly had an idea. Ni Qingfeng had saved the child's life, and the Tianshan Sect was a prestigious and righteous sect. Wouldn't it be perfect if his son became Ni Qingfeng's disciple?

Although he had some reputation in the Western Regions, it was no match for the Tianshan Sect. Moreover, he had founded the Sihai Inn himself. If something happened to him, even if Ming'er was healthy, she would not be able to protect the foundation. Looking at the current situation in the martial arts world, the Zhongxin Hall's westward expansion was already taking shape. If he did not find a backer, the outcome would be obvious.

“Master Ni, I have a favor to ask, and I hope you will not take offense.”

"Please speak frankly, Master Gu. I am all ears."

"I, Gu, wish to have my son become a disciple of Master Ni. What does Master Ni think?"

Ni Qingfeng pondered upon hearing this. Seeing this, Gu Zhen added his support, saying, "Master Ni, you may not know this, but my son has never practiced martial arts. I don't expect him to become any kind of master. I just hope he can learn some martial arts to strengthen his body. I have heard that your sect is descended from the Taoist lineage. Taoist kung fu is the best for nourishing the spirit and strengthening the body, so it is the best choice."

"If Master Ni agrees, I am willing to offer seven thousand taels of silver annually, along with many other rare goods. What do you think, Master Ni?"

For his son and the foundation of the sect, Gu Zhen had gone to great lengths. Three thousand taels of silver was no small sum; it was enough to support the expenses of a mid-level sect for a year. And now was the time for the Tianshan Sect to expand. This time, Gu Zhen had unintentionally moved Ni Qingfeng.

"I am grateful for Brother Gu's kindness and agree to this. However, I still need to return to the mountain to report to my senior brother, the sect leader, about the matter of accepting disciples. If Brother Gu agrees, there will be a result in a month."

"Alright, thank you very much, Brother Ni."

"Your son is suffering from a deficiency of vital energy; he should take good care of himself for the next month."

Ni Qingfeng pondered for a long time before finally writing down a prescription to replenish vital energy and handing it to Gu Zhen. After taking a quick look, Gu Zhen's previously nonchalant expression suddenly became serious. This prescription was completely different from the previous one for replenishing vital energy; it could be said to be quite bold, but the method of using the medicine was even better.

"This gift is too much."

"Consider this an early apprenticeship gift, Brother Gu. It's best not to spread this recipe."

Although this prescription is nothing to Ni Qingfeng, it is extremely precious to some minor sects. If they use the medicine according to this prescription, although they may not become a first-class master, they still have a great chance of advancing to the second-class level.

"I understand, Brother Ni..."

Before Gu Zhen could finish speaking, Ni Qingfeng's expression changed slightly. He pointed out the window, and Gu Zhen immediately put away the prescription, nodded to Ni Qingfeng, and stood next to Gu Ming. Ni Qingfeng moved in an instant, and with a shattering sound, the window broke. Two dark figures hurriedly fled, but before they could get far, one of them was struck down by Ni Qingfeng's Shattering Palm and fell into the courtyard, its fate unknown.

Ni Qingfeng glanced at the fleeing shadowy figure, then landed beside the figure in the courtyard. With a sweep of his palm, the veil was lifted, revealing a withered, thin face under the moonlight. Ni Qingfeng did not recognize the person.

“Brother Ni, this is Liu Zifeng, the ‘Willow Immortal’ of the Nine Immortals Sect.”

Gu Zhen glanced at the corpse and revealed the person's origins.

"Nine Immortals Sect, no wonder."

Upon hearing the name Nine Immortals Sect, Ni Qingfeng suddenly realized that this sect was one of the top sects among the many smaller sects. It had risen to prominence in the last ten years or so, and its nine masters were collectively known as the Nine Immortals. This sect had been causing trouble in the Western Regions, acting recklessly and ruthlessly, and would stop at nothing to achieve its goals. This time, they must have obtained news of the Dragon Pearl, which was why they came to cause trouble for the Tianshan Sect, seeking fortune in danger.

"Brother Ni, please rest assured and leave this small matter to me."

Gu Zhen had already received Ni Qingfeng's promise and was already treating them as family. Although the Nine Immortals Sect was powerful, he was not without his own methods. If they continued to disregard the rules, he would make sure they never returned.

(End of this chapter)