Chapter 148: Those Who Understand the Times Are Heroes

Niu Dingtian's words just fell, and two bright pairs of eyes instantly stared at him, namely Fen Tian and Murong Miao Zhen beside him.

In Fen Tian's eyes there was some suspicion; regarding Niu Dingtian's martial skill details, she considered herself to have some understanding, and originally she wasn't necessarily much weaker than him.

Now, after just a little over a year, could Murong An know exactly how many jin and liang she is? That sounds like a far‑fetched tale.

Murong Miao Zhen was much more straightforward; when she turned to look at Niu Dingtian, contempt filled both eyes.

After all, she's also a bold girl who wields a spear and rides a horse; the grievance she felt earlier came fast and left fast.

Hearing Niu Dingtian brag and belittle his elder brother's skill beyond his depth, Murong Miao Zhen glanced at Fen Tian, then at Niu Dingtian, and with no mercy in her words mocked:

"A woman dares to face my big brother head‑on, unlike some people who only hide in the shadows and rely on crossbows to kill recklessly."

"If you have the guts, fight my big brother openly and squarely; hiding behind and spouting nonsense counts for what kind of skill!"

Hearing this, Niu Dingtian's eyes widened in surprise, as if looking at a fool, and he retorted: "If a crossbow can deal with the enemy, why must I act personally? What? Does your big brother still intend to fight the Golden Army's main force openly?"

Murong Miao Zhen's face froze instantly, leaving her speechless; after a while she fumed: "You're clearly twisting words!"

Niu Dingtian smiled lightly: "Miss Murong, do you know what treatment you would receive tonight if the two armies clashed?"

Murong Miao Zhen heard this, couldn't help but startle, but after thinking she didn't know how to answer.

Niu Dingtian glanced away and said coolly: "Of course you'd be stripped of your clothes and thrown onto my bed."

"Or onto a barracks."

Murong Miao Zhen's pretty face flushed scarlet, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she glared with apricot eyes, angrily shouting: "Pah! You… you… shameless!"

At this moment—

Still unable to vent her anger, she kicked a decisive, cutting‑off‑forever leg straight at Niu Dingtian.

Niu Dingtian dodged, suppressing the urge to slap her again, brushed a fragrant scent from his face, and expressionlessly said: "A woman captured by the enemy, especially a beautiful one, is dangerous the longer she stays."

"So you're lucky today; as a captive you've been with me for two days and remain unharmed. Miss Murong leads troops to kill enemies and is also a beautiful woman; don't always think of fighting openly. Otherwise, someday on a general's bed or a soldier's tent, you'll have to go there a few times."

"That kick just balanced us out; you missed because you're incompetent, but next time I won't argue."

Saying that, Niu Dingtian strode into the hall ahead.

Damn!

Saliva sprayed onto my face!

"Let's go; if nothing goes wrong, we'll soon see the great battle you want to watch."

Fen Tian whispered a word, showed no hesitation, and walked into the hall.

Now his career collapsed halfway, and he fell into confusion.

Compared with becoming the sect leader's wife of a man in his forties, she'd rather smash the pot and take one step at a time with the man inside.

Murong Miao Zhen's face flickered red and white; after a while, biting her lip, she lifted her slender legs and within a few steps arrived inside the hall.

Inside the main hall,

At this moment Niu Dingtian was reclining on a high‑positioned rosewood throne.

The chair was large enough to lie a person horizontally, and in front there was a rosewood square table.

Niu Dingtian leaned his back against one arm of the chair, his feet resting on the other arm, eyes closed, gently feeling the soft sword in his hand.

It was the Ziwei Soft Sword he had taken from the Sword Tomb a few days earlier.

A short while later,

Hearing footsteps gradually approach, fragrant breezes repeatedly assaulted his nose, Niu Dingtian slowly opened his eyes.

Then—

He met Fen Tian's rather strange gaze, and beside him Murong Miao Zhen's apricot eyes stared blankly at him.

"On my own turf, I do whatever feels comfortable," Niu Dingtian smiled, but still sat up straight.

Afterwards,

He lit the stove, boiled water, brewed tea.

Gradually,

Threads of tea fragrance drifted through the hall.

"Now you can rest assured," Niu Dingtian said with a smile, pushing a bowl of clear tea toward Fen Tian.

Then he pushed another bowl toward Murong Miao Zhen: "No matter what, after tonight Miss Murong may stay permanently in Xiangyang."

"Treat this place as your home; if you need anything just ask. As long as you don't intend to leave, I'll try to fulfill whatever I can."

Regarding the tall beauty with willow eyebrows, apricot eyes, red lips and white teeth before him, honestly Niu Dingtian felt great admiration.

Even without Murong An's factor, having such a great beauty circling around him daily would be delightful.

Of course, that kick earlier wasn't something everyone could dodge, just as she hadn't avoided his slap.

Yet regarding Niu Dingtian's enthusiasm, Murong Miao Zhen's mood seemed a bit low, as if the earlier words had struck her.

Niu Dingtian pondered briefly, and softly said: "The words may be crude, but the reasoning is the reasoning; the jianghu isn't just about fighting and killing, there are also conspiracies and tricks, and sometimes the cost of being open and aboveboard is too heavy."

"You haven't seen me act, yet you think my confidence tonight comes from dozens of Eight‑Ox Crossbows."

"If, as you think, I'm far from being your big brother's match, and I abandon the Eight‑Ox Crossbow to fight him openly, do you know what tonight's outcome would be?"

Saying that, Niu Dingtian looked at Murong Miao Zhen, waiting for her answer.

Murong Miao Zhen was stunned, instinctively shook her head.

Niu Dingtian smiled and pointed at himself, saying: "The result would be that I die, those three old men die, all the guards on the mountain die."

He then pointed at Fen Tian, saying: "And she will be taken by your big brother to be his woman, whether she wants it or not; in the end there will be a way to make her willing."

"These are the best outcomes; a worse one is that my family assets will be seized, my women taken, and then given to his subordinates."

"Miss Murong, can you imagine such a result? You've led troops into battle before, may lead them again; do you also want to be open and aboveboard?"

Murong Miao Zhen, hearing this, darted her gaze away, her face turning a deep red instantly.

Niu Dingtian chuckled lightly: "I used to think that as long as I'm strong enough, I can do anything openly and aboveboard, and any obstacle can be broken with a single force."

But later I learned that was called being rash, and speaking even more harshly would be called stupid; as long as you meet someone stronger than yourself, the final result is death.

So why expend great force when a little force can settle it? And why personally intervene when it can be resolved without lifting a hand?

Just like your elder brother—if he could sneakily kill you with a returning spear, take you back, then kill me, why would he risk facing me head-on under the threat of crossbow bolts?

At the end, Niu Dingtian slowly raised his head, his eyes calm and waveless, gazing toward the outside of the hall, and asked in a flat voice: "You say I'm right, Murong brother?"

Elder brother? Is it you?

Murong Miaozhen sprang to her feet and looked toward the outside of the hall, her excitement overflowing.

Fentian's eyes narrowed, and in an instant his whole body became alert.

But,

After a long while——

Outside the hall it remained utterly silent, not a sound stirring.

Fentian furrowed his brows slightly, looked at Niu Dingtian, and whispered: "You haven't made a mistake?"

Niu Dingtian did not reply, slowly drawing his Crape Myrtle Soft Sword; the blade was supple as a wave, thin as a cicada's wing, and in an instant the sword let out a low hum, a sword cry ringing through the main hall.

Your sister holds you in high esteem—don't let her down," Niu Dingtian's eyes flickered, he looked toward the outside of the hall and gave a cold snort: "If I weren't reluctant to damage this newly built house, the second door panel on the east side would already be smashed to pieces; Murong brother, do you really want me to step forward and invite you?"

Elder brother?" Murong Miaozhen, unable to disbelieve any longer, shifted her gaze slightly to look at the position of the door panel.

I didn't expect you to be so sharp." A cold voice suddenly sounded from outside the hall.

Immediately——

In the dim, hazy gloom, a figure clad in black robes, wielding a long sword, emerged from the threshold, carrying an unmistakable killing intent.

It was Murong An, having shed his straw raincoat and bamboo hat.

Murong An stepped forward expressionlessly, entering the main hall.

Elder brother!

Murong Miaozhen hurried over.

In response, Niu Dingtian did not obstruct; with a soft 'click', the soft sword returned to its sheath, and he calmly sized up Murong An.

At this moment, with his straw raincoat and bamboo hat gone, his face was clearer than when seen in the rain earlier, he was in his early forties.

Yet it was precisely this action of his that caused Murong An inside the hall to narrow his eyes, silently gathering his internal energy and becoming wary.

Although Murong An's martial arts were formidable, he was extremely cautious; otherwise he would not have remained unknown in the jianghu for so many years.

At this moment, the eight-ox crossbows outside the hall had all been withdrawn; he had searched for a long time but found no trace—where did Niu Dingtian get his confidence?

"Let's go back, elder brother!" Seeing the tense atmosphere in the hall, Murong Miaozhen bit her lip and suddenly grabbed Murong An's sword-wielding arm.

Seeing Niu Dingtian's air of certain victory, Murong Miaozhen felt utterly uncertain; yet, as he had just said, sometimes losing once means death.

Once the elder brother loses,

she won't be able to leave.

"Still not moving?" Niu Dingtian said lightly: "After the fight, hurry back to the north side to do honest work; I said I'd use my newly created sword technique to knock some sense into you, so I'll use sword technique—if I have to resort to any other martial art tonight, I'll consider it a loss."

Murong An gave a cold snort: "I originally wanted to spare your life, but you insist on courting death—who gave you the nerve to scheme against my little sister?"

Saying that, Murong An swung a palm, and in the blink of an eye sent Murong Miaozhen flying outside the hall; another palm sent the palace's main gate slowly closing.

Then, a flash of sword light from his hand shot swiftly toward Niu Dingtian.

Oh?

Niu Dingtian let out a soft 'yi', smiling as he watched the approaching figure.

He then gripped the sword hilt, the sheath leaning diagonally against the ground, and in the midst of flying stone chips his soft sword flashed out of its sheath instantly.

Clang!

A sword cry rang out, like a dragon's roar and a phoenix's cry, and he turned into a sky-filling sword shadow, charging toward Murong An.

Fast!

Ultimate speed!

Even though Niu Dingtian had not used a trace of internal energy, his lightness technique merely followed his steps, yet Murong An never imagined that at this moment Niu Dingtian's sword would possess such speed and ferocity.

Each strike and move he unleashed seemed to be firmly suppressing himself.

Finally, he resorted to his family's secret art: the Three-Union Finger and the Shifting Stars Transfer.

"Breaking Qi Style!" a bland, lightly shouted call came from inside the hall, sounding especially piercing in the dark night.

Before a hundred moves had passed,

within the sky-filling afterimage, a streak of scarlet blood suddenly appeared.

And the fight,

also came to an abrupt halt.

……

Outside the main hall of the Hall of the Dipper Mother,

Wind and rain darkened the sky, fine mist like smoke, amidst Murong Miaozhen's unease and anxiety, the palace's main gate was slowly opened.

Murong An, dressed in black, holding a long sword, staggered slightly as he stepped slowly out of the hall.

On his left shoulder, a crimson wound had appeared, drops of blood trickling steadily down his arm to the ground.

"Elder brother!" Murong Miaozhen's face turned pallid as she lunged forward, her voice already tinged with sobs.

"He won't die." Niu Dingtian said in a flat tone, his figure slowly emerging from behind, turning to look at Murong An beside him: "Murong brother, do you now understand your own weight?"

"As the saying goes, those who know the times are outstanding; if Murong brother has come to his senses, he should know what to do from now on. I don't spare you out of mercy, but merely because you've caused quite a stir within Jin State's borders."

"From now on, focus on doing what you ought to do; as for your sister, don't worry—I'll take good care of her in Fragrant Sun." (End of chapter)