Swallowing the Stars: The Wind Sword Master.

Chapter 9 The Forgotten Girlfriend

Ning Ze didn't hesitate any longer, quickly grabbed the phone, and clicked to answer.

A beautiful girl with a gentle temperament and delicate features appeared on the screen, with a desk behind her.

A faint smile played on her lips, a shallow dimple appeared on her fair face, and her large eyes held a hint of confusion.

This is the girlfriend he forgot—Shuyi.

Ning Ze awkwardly touched his nose. "Little darling, would you believe me if I said I'd been cultivating all day, falling asleep as soon as I lay down?"

Shu Yi nodded obediently. "I believe you." After a slight hesitation, she said with a half-smile, "But, if I said I couldn't fall asleep after lying down—would you believe me?"

Ning Ze broke out in a cold sweat. Did he say he would make a brief communication even when he went to the wilderness area?

But he really forgot.

On the first night of his journey, he was trodden by a crimson horned horse. He spent the entire night pondering the issues of combat and the system, and upon returning, he diligently cultivated.

There are no limits to absorbing cosmic energy; anyone would find it irresistible to have such a good thing!

Ignoring his embarrassed expression, Shu Yi looked away and said, "I heard... you've been back for a week?" She then put on a cute, curious expression.

The blame is quite obvious.

Ning Ze was filled with hatred. Now he knew that there was a spy in his own family.

On the very first day, Ning Qianqian, that little sly spy, asked him if he had forgotten something!

"Little darling, I'll go back to the wilderness area after the captain comes back. I'll come find you after I get back this time."

Shu Yi rolled her eyes cutely, then smiled sweetly and said, "Okay, be careful in the wilderness."

Ning Ze breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that she had forgiven him. His girlfriend had always been a reasonable person.

For martial artists, cultivation is still more important. Shu Yi can't be of much help, nor will she be a burden. In the past, the two of them only spent time together in their spare time, either sparring or practicing together.

Just as Ning Ze was about to speak, a sarcastic voice rang out from the other end of the phone.

"Oh dear~ Little darling~ Young Master Zhai is coming to see you tomorrow?"

"Um?"

Ning Ze's eyes widened, and he blurted out, "That bastard Zhai Yanke harassed you?"

Zhai Yanke was their classmate at their previous elite schools (including primary, middle and high school), and he was also the eldest son of the Qihang Group. After graduating from high school, they both entered Jiangnan University in the main urban area.

Zhai Yanke's Qihang Group is considered a top-tier conglomerate in Yangzhou District, primarily engaged in a range of businesses related to monster materials. With enough money, they can even hire high-ranking warriors, making their background extremely powerful.

There are very few children of war gods in the school, at least not in their year.

This background fostered Zhai Yanke's arrogant and conceited personality. But which child in a prestigious school doesn't have a martial artist in their family? At the very least, their families are composed of high-level warriors, or they come from families with general-level backgrounds, or they belong to large companies or corporations.

When Zhai Yanke entered primary school, he wanted to be the leader, but no one paid attention to him.

Martial artists are not like these young masters and children. Children are not so snobbish either. They won't play with him if they see him acting tough.

Having grown up surrounded by the company his family owned, he was also quite shrewd and decided to make an example of someone to deter others and establish his authority.

Kids are all about physical development.

He cleverly found Ning Ze, who was thin and looked rather well-behaved and cute.

However, Ning Hua had been targeting Ning Ze since childhood, and Ning Ze had accumulated a wealth of combat experience.

Without a doubt, Zhai Yanke was beaten to tears.

Ning Ze may look well-behaved and cute, but he's actually the best fighter in the class!

Zhai Yanke, of course, would not back down and even clamored to find someone to beat up Ning Ze.

The two had a feud since childhood.

When they reached junior high school, Zhai Yanke used his family's company to suppress Ning Ze's business. The martial arts community is very wide, and the Zhai family is not powerful enough to control everything, but Ning Ze's business will definitely be affected.

When Ning Ze and Shu Yi started dating in high school, Zhai Yanke began to stir things up and also pursued Shu Yi.

Ning Ze challenged him directly at the martial arts school, and the outcome was undoubtedly a victory for him.

Ning Ze gave Zhai Yanke a severe beating, which escalated the conflict to its peak.

Zhai Yanke couldn't beat Ning Ze, so he relentlessly harassed Ning Ze's girlfriend, even admitting he couldn't beat him to avoid getting beaten up.

Ning Ze was furious but had nowhere to vent his anger. Taking direct action was definitely out of the question; Zhai Yanke had bodyguards of general rank, and anyone who dared to act rashly would be asking for trouble.

Now that Ning Ze has left school, Zhai Yanke is harassing his girlfriend again, which makes Ning Ze furious.

Shu Yi smiled slightly and said, "It's okay, I can handle it. Just ignore him."

Ning Ze's face darkened. He wasn't afraid of thieves stealing, but he was afraid of thieves eyeing him.

How could he possibly tolerate this?

Cultivation is not just about living; what martial artists seek is a clear and unobstructed mind.

A girlfriend is a man's dignity; how can he tolerate being provoked?

What's the point of cultivating now!

Ning Ze said in a deep voice, "I'll come find you tomorrow. This bastard gets itchy if he doesn't get a beating in a while!"

Shu Yi's face lit up with a radiant smile, like a night-blooming cereus in full bloom.

She loved the way Ning Ze was worried about her.

"No need. You're going to the wilderness in a few days, so you should focus on your training. He's just a nuisance, ignore him."

Ning Ze let out a long breath to suppress his anger and smiled.

"I've missed you after a few days. Cultivation also needs a balance of work and rest. If I could replenish my energy, I would have even more motivation to cultivate."

Ning Ze gave a mischievous grin as he said this.

Shu Yi's face flushed slightly, her eyes darting away, and she whispered, "You're being inappropriate. I'm ignoring you." After a slight pause, she added, "What time are you coming tomorrow?"

Despite her reluctance to admit it, her shy demeanor was a huge test for Ning Ze.

A young man who has just come of age, who was focused on cultivation before, is fine, but now that he has not been seen for half a month, how can he bear it?

Ning Ze felt a bit dry in his mouth and a bit itchy on his tongue, and he was a little impatient.

He swallowed hard and said without thinking, "I'll take the earliest train. It only takes a little over an hour to get to the main city if I leave at seven o'clock."

"Okay, I'll wait for you to come over," Shu Yi said with a very happy smile.

As if remembering something, she added worriedly, "That guy also said he was coming to see me this morning. I heard Xinlan said he has also become a quasi-martial artist, and that he gained more than a thousand kilograms of strength after absorbing cosmic energy for the first time."

Seeing her hesitant expression, Ning Ze instantly understood that Zhai Yanke's initial increase in power should have been greater than his.

Ning Ze scoffed, then arrogantly said, "Become a quasi-martial artist? Waiting to participate in the martial artist combat assessment on August 1st?"

"With his meager strength, even if he became a martial artist, I could kill him with both hands!"

Shu Yi covered her mouth and laughed, then said reproachfully, "Yes, my Lord Ning is so amazing."

Ning Ze crossed his arms and nodded in agreement, saying with great satisfaction, "Little darling is so obedient, I love hearing that! Say it more."

Shu Yi rolled her eyes and laughed, "Alright, I won't disturb your cultivation anymore. See you tomorrow." She pouted, her red lips exuding allure.

The video ends.

Ning Ze rubbed his nose and muttered, "Little girl, you're seducing me and affecting my cultivation."

"I can't calm my mind, so I'll practice my sword for a while."

……

The next day.

A strange phenomenon occurred in the train carriages heading to the main city.

A young man wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt sat cross-legged on the ground instead of taking a seat.

He crossed his legs with the soles of his feet facing upwards, placed his hands on his lap with his palms facing upwards, and kept his back straight.

With his head held high, a handsome face was turned toward the roof of the car.

Ordinary people might find it strange, but if a martial artist saw it, they would immediately recognize it as the Five Hearts Towards Heaven cultivation method of genetic energy.

Some people even took pictures and posted them on social media, and many young girls openly peeked at the photos, just pretending to be shy.

Ning Ze seemed oblivious. Without the system, it might have been difficult for him to cultivate in such a noisy environment, but with the system's assistance, he could easily enter a state of cultivation as long as he wanted and no one interrupted him.

He didn't originally intend to cultivate, but rather to try and see if he could simplify the Five Hearts Towards Heaven posture to increase the speed of absorbing cosmic energy.

Unexpectedly, he entered a meditative state as soon as he started practicing.

He couldn't resist starting his habitual practice, ignoring the occasion.

Time passed slowly.

Until an announcement was made.

"Dear passengers, our next stop is Jiangnan Base City Main Urban Area, East Railway Station. Passengers disembarking, please prepare to check your belongings..."

Upon hearing this specific voice, Ning Ze slowly opened his eyes. What he saw was a face the size of a plate, with a black mole at the corner of its mouth.

He snapped out of his daze and shuddered involuntarily. He quickly jumped back and looked at the middle-aged man squatting on the ground. Three black lines appeared on his forehead, and his eyes were very wary.

"Sir, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Ning Ze's face twisted, as if he had just eaten a bitter melon. How could a grown man be so close to him!

"Are you really cultivating? Or are you cultivating for an hour at a time?" the middle-aged man asked, seemingly unrelated to the question.

Ning Ze, inwardly wary, shrugged and casually said, "I tried, I put in a lot of effort, but unfortunately, I didn't succeed."

The middle-aged man said with a half-smile, "Is that so?"

Ning Ze nodded slightly, then turned to look outside. Upon seeing the tenement building, he knew they were almost there.

Seeing that he didn't want to talk, the middle-aged man looked Ning Ze up and down suspiciously.

What brings you to the main urban area?

"I came here to see my girlfriend."

The two chatted for a few minutes, with Ning Ze responding indifferently.

Of course, he also noticed that the middle-aged man who had spoken to him was unusual. Judging from his aura, he was a very strong martial artist, at least stronger than his father.

But Ning Ze was not from an ordinary family; he was a general... He had seen far too many generals since he was a child.

"My name is Pu Nan, the head of the Thunder and Lightning Club in Changzhou District. What's your name, young man?"

Ning Ze's pupils contracted; he hadn't expected to actually encounter such a powerful figure. This person's status was equivalent to that of Wu Tong, the head of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy in Mingyue Residential Area.

Thunder Martial Arts School and Limit Martial Arts School are of equal status. The status of the two schools goes without saying. The headmaster of the school is like the supreme ruler of a region!

"Greetings, Headmaster. My name is Ning Ze. You should know my father; he is Ning Hua, the branch manager of Yangzhou District."

Maintain a humble yet assertive attitude, expressing respect while remaining calm within yourself.

Park Nam thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "The branch manager of Yangzhou District, Jin Huoxiong?"

Ning Ze felt a toothache; it was truly a case of everyone kicking someone when they're down, as his strength had declined and his reputation had plummeted.

He said righteously and sternly, "Sir, my father's nickname is 'Gilded Knife'."

"Oh?"

Park Nam raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "I'm sorry, I might have remembered it wrong." But he didn't look embarrassed at all.

He had never heard of the name "Gilded Blade" in the competition between the two martial arts schools. Ning Huayi, who worked at the Extreme Martial Arts School, was known by the nickname "Golden Fire Bear."

Ning Ze nodded slightly, then didn't want to say anything more.

Actually, this nickname isn't entirely wrong, considering it's been around for seven or eight years.

Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast. My good reputation didn't spread, but my nickname did, and everyone I met recognized me.

Park Nam didn't say anything this time either.

He originally thought Ning Ze was a genius because he saw that Ning Ze was focused on his cultivation, even in this kind of environment, and wanted to recruit him.

Now that both sides have revealed their identities, and there's no possibility of recruitment, he naturally won't say anything more. Strictly speaking, the two are even more like rival competing forces, so he has even less interest in chatting.

Before getting off the train, Ning Ze greeted him again. Regardless of the relationship between the two martial arts schools, this person was still a senior, and one should always show respect to the strong; this is the rule of martial arts!

I got into a taxi and got off at the gate of Jiangnan University.

Ning Ze immediately spotted Shu Yi standing at the door.

She was dressed in a simple white dress, her hands clasped in front of her, looking demure.

With her head held high and eyes craning for attention, a car drove by, her long skirt fluttering in the wind, highlighting her graceful figure, and her two scorpion braids waving in the breeze.

When Shu Yi saw Ning Ze waving incessantly from inside the taxi, she smiled brightly and skipped over to greet him, like a butterfly fluttering in the air.

"My baby is so beautiful."

Overjoyed, Ning Ze quickly got out of the car and hugged her, waving one hand behind his back to signal the driver to hurry up and leave!

The soft jade in my arms, exuding a faint fragrance of orchids, is so comfortable! For the sake of this beautiful moment, there is a perfectly good reason to cultivate diligently!

Shu Yi leaned against his chest and smiled sweetly, "How was it in the wilderness? Didn't we agree to be gone for half a month? Did something unexpected happen?"

Ning Ze turned his head and whispered in Jingzhi's ear, "Something unexpected happened."

Shu Yi immediately looked up and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Ning Ze smiled slightly and said earnestly, "I didn't even realize how much I missed you until we went to the wilderness."

Shu Yi pouted, gave a soft snort, and tried to push the person away. "And you're still talking!"

They've all forgotten about her!

They went to the wilderness area without sending a message.

You didn't even tell me you were coming back, making her worry and lose sleep for nothing!

Ning Ze quickly tightened his arms around him and begged for forgiveness: "I was wrong, I was wrong, let me hug you a little longer."

Shu Yi smiled, pursing her lips, and asked, "What did you do wrong?"

Ning Ze paused for a moment, then said seriously, "I didn't realize I was such a genius until we went to the wilderness. Perhaps we should get to know each other again. Ning Ze, a peerless genius, please take good care of me."

Shu Yi slapped his chest in an annoyance. "You're so shameless! Who calls themselves a genius?" she said, then added reproachfully, "So you want to get to know me again? Fine! Then you're out of girlfriends!"

Ning Ze pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes and warned, "Shu Yi, a genius like me, this time it's your turn to pursue me!"

"Don't chase!"

Shu Yi was both angry and amused. He made a mistake, refused to admit punishment, and even acted innocent! She turned and walked towards the school.

Ning Ze shamelessly ran over and hugged her. Shu Yi shook her shoulders but didn't break free, so she simply let him do as he pleased.

Ning Ze then took out a beautiful dark red handbag with a blooming rose printed on it.

"This is the first mid-level beast soldier-level monster, the Crimson Wildebeest, that I killed in the wilderness. I made two satchels from its hide, one for you and one for my mom."

"How do you like it?"

Shuyi smiled broadly and happily accepted it, saying, "I like it, it's very pretty." Then, a little surprised, she asked, "Didn't Qianqian have one?"

"Her? I made her a pair of winter gloves out of the tattered fur of a Shadow Cat Monster, with five sharp claws on her front paws. She can only wear them in winter."

Shu Yi nodded slightly. She knew that although the two siblings seemed to fight often, it was only on the surface. The two siblings had a very good relationship.

Her handbag was made from the pelt of the first monster she had hunted, making it very meaningful.

Ning Qianqian's gloves were obtained with great difficulty by Ning Ze. Even the fur was damaged, indicating that the battle must have been extremely fierce. The fact that he made gloves out of the fur and gave them away shows how much he cherished his sister.

Some friends may not like me writing about male-female relationships.

Actually, I didn't want to write this, but... it feels very strange for a normal man (not a time traveler) to never have a relationship during his high school years, never have a puberty, and never have a wife in his entire life.

The author tried his best to avoid writing awkward scenes. This character didn't have much screen time.

(End of this chapter)