Chapter 163: with translation of chapter title

Pfft!

A sharp hiss rang out, no scarlet blood visible, yet this fierce qi blade had already sliced off the withered palm from Eunuch Li's wrist in an instant.

Looking again, what should have been spurting bright blood instead solidified at the severed wrist at a speed visible to the naked eye, forming frost, and then waves of cold air rose.

Such icy force is obviously far stronger than whatever Eunuch Li had previously unleashed from his palm—by who knows how many times!

Moreover, the speed of this move was extremely fast; it seemed as if a cold light swept past in just an instant, leaving everyone staring blankly.

Chen Jin'er noticed the commotion and snapped her eyes open; the sight before her made her pupils contract sharply.

Is it him?

Could it be him?

After Huang Lao Xie came to his senses, his stern eyes showed some disbelief.

Three years have passed without seeing each other; could his skill have reached this level?

Thinking of how his daughter still clung shamelessly to that man, even the stiff, swollen skin mask could not hide the constant twitching of the muscles on his cheek.

Seeing this move, Hong Qi's face had already frozen; besides Niu Dingtian, who else could be in the woods? Compared to that, what are my three years of recovery and breakthrough?

Three years ago, when they fought, I lost after nearly a thousand moves; now, three years later, I fear I couldn't even block that single strike just now.

Compared to Hong Qi and Huang Lao Xie, Juexing beside them held his prayer beads, gazing toward the bamboo grove, his brows furrowed and his expression vacant.

After he wiped the blood from his mouth, his inner qi seemed to be pulled by some unknown force, suddenly becoming restless.

Eunuch Li's face turned ferocious; his narrow, gloomy eyes watched as his wrist instantly severed.

Besides his shock, he had braced for excruciating pain, but all he felt was numbness—utter numbness—as if that half of his arm no longer belonged to him.

When a chill began to rise from his severed wrist, he grew fearful, his eyes widening in terror.

"Three years without seeing each other, I never expected you, Eunuch, to still be thinking of me."

An utterly indifferent voice drifted from the bamboo grove, clearly carrying to everyone present.

The next moment—

There appeared a pale-faced youth in green robes, one hand gripping a sword, the other shouldering a saber, expressionless as he slowly emerged from the green bamboo grove and walked outward.

It was Niu Dingtian!

"Niu gege!"

"Sect leader!!"

"Uncle Niu!"

"Uncle Niu!"

Seeing Niu Dingtian appear, his pallid face made the hearts of Huang guniang, Han Xiao Ying, and Chen Jin'er clench tightly.

They immediately disregarded the severely injured old eunuch ahead and rushed straight over.

Now only Huang Lao Xie in the distance had a dark face, yet no one tried to stop them.

Huang guniang was the first to fling herself into his embrace, offering two soft bundles, her eyes full of worry and care: "Niu gege, what's wrong? Are you hurt? I'll go with my father to get the Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pill."

As she spoke, Niu Dingtian felt the softness in his arms quickly slip away; Huang guniang had already turned, preparing to find her father not far off.

"Rong'er, I'm fine." Niu Dingtian felt a warm surge of emotion in his heart and hastily spoke softly to stop her.

At this moment, the irritation in Huang Lao Xie's eyes could no longer be concealed; even if they left, father and daughter would surely have another argument.

Huang guniang, who would forsake her kin for her lover, could not, no matter what, let Old Huang lose face before so many people.

But if his own daughter's arm were bent outward like that, he swore he'd break that brat's legs completely!

"Really okay?" Chen Jin'er asked gently, furrowing her brows, her eyes full of pity.

From childhood on, Chen Jin'er had never seen Niu Dingtian so weak; most importantly, she clearly sensed that his emotions were somewhat low.

Recalling the mournful cries earlier in the bamboo grove and glancing at the pair of blade and sword in his hands, Chen Jin'er faintly understood.

Seeing Han Xiao Ying's eyes also filled with worry, as if she wanted to speak, Niu Dingtian glanced at the three girls, gave a light smile, and said: "Really fine, it's not convenient here; I'll tell you the details when we get back."

The three's conversation seemed as if no one else were around; although Niu Dingtian said so with his mouth, his heart was not as relaxed as his appearance.

Now that blade and sword are both formed, the slight trembling in his hands seems to herald that even the blade spirit and sword spirit have fully condensed, yet Niu Dingtian cannot find the excitement he imagined.

Zhang the lame, with whom he had spent half a year together, had just leapt into the sword furnace before his eyes without hesitation; in Niu Dingtian's heart it felt as if a shadow had fallen, impossible to dispel.

Hearing Niu Dingtian say that, the worries hanging in the hearts of Chen Jin'er, Huang guniang, and Han Xiao Ying eased somewhat.

Huang guniang furtively glanced at her angry father not far off, feeling somewhat guilty.

Just now, Old Huang's words may have been tough, but when it came to blocking, his hands were certainly not hesitant.

But after sticking out her tongue playfully, Huang guniang curiously eyed the blade and sword in Niu Dingtian's hands and chuckled: "Niu gege, as long as you're okay, is this what you spent half a year forging?"

"Mm," Niu Dingtian gave a slow nod and softly replied.

Feeling the tremors of the Dragon-Slaying Blade and Heaven-Supporting Sword, he didn't elaborate further; the gazes of those around already made him uncomfortable.

Compared to Chen Jin'er, Huang guniang, and Han Xiao Ying caring for Niu Dingtian's health, the rest of the martial world, from the moment he stepped out of the bamboo grove, fixed fiery gazes on his blade and sword without moving.

Niu Dingtian glanced around; his indifferent gaze swept over Juexing, Hong Qi, and the masked Ouyang Feng, finally settling on Eunuch Li not far away.

At this moment, Eunuch Li's severed right arm had condensed into frost, unable to muster the slightest inner force.

He wanted to flee, but he knew well the terror of Niu Dingtian; at this moment, the opponent could take his life with just the same move as before.

"Was this news released by you, Eunuch?" Niu Dingtian asked lightly.

As he spoke, without moving his feet, he bore the saber and gripped the sword, his form instantly flashing to Eunuch Li's front.

Only the imperial court could spread news through the jianghu in such a frenzy within just a few days.

Moreover, that old geezer had just named him explicitly, saying he was the one forging weapons inside.

Niu Dingtian never imagined that the bird emperor of Lin'an City had even investigated his origins.

If not for his martial arts being vastly different now, just tonight's visitors would already be enough to make him drink a pot.

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Li's heart involuntarily trembled; the nearby sword flashed without light, a biting cold that made his eyes unable to stare straight.

But after all, he was a slave accustomed to serving in the palace; whether out of concern for life and death or for the emperor's affairs, in the blink of an eye he wore an obsequious smile.

With his left hand trembling and shaking, Li Gonggong pulled a roll of yellow silk from his robe, bowed, and presented it with one hand; the wrinkles on his face had already bloomed into a chrysanthemum as he smiled: 'This slave dares not; it was those damned slaves below who acted on their own and spread the word.'

'This is an edict of posthumous ennoblement personally written by the emperor for Deputy Marshal Niu,' he chuckled, 'the emperor has ennobled Deputy Marshal Niu as the Marquis of Song Fu; this slave congratulates you, Little Marquis Niu!'

At this moment, Li Gonggong, in order to save his life, had become utterly humble, not mentioning the recent shouts of violence; this attitude could only be seen before the emperor and before the old ancestor in the palace.

Although the crowd was noisy and his identity as an imperial envoy had been revealed, killing him would be tantamount to openly raising a banner of rebellion; but since it was a matter of life and death, Li Gonggong dared not guarantee whether Niu Dingtian would consider the consequences.

According to the rules of the Great Song dynasty, a princely title ends with the holder and cannot be inherited.

Except for the Prince of Si Pu established by Emperor Shenzong, the Prince of An Ding, and the Prince of Si Xiu established by Emperor Xiaozong, which can be inherited without end, all other titles in the Great Song dynasty last only one generation.

But how many of you martial artists present could know such a thing? Could someone who only studied at a village school for two years in childhood know?

Thus, Li Gonggong directly addressed him as Little Marquis Niu to smooth things over and flatter him, fearing that if Niu Dingtian felt he gained no benefit and grew angry, he might turn against him.

But he never imagined that Niu Dingtian was not just the rustic jianghu figure he imagined, but a genuine seer of great ability.

Upon hearing Li Gonggong's address, Niu Dingtian's interest was indeed piqued, and the thought of swinging his sword to behead that eunuch dog was immediately abandoned.

It wasn't that he coveted the court's petty title; rather, if he could obtain a legitimate and honorable status now, and also leverage his cheap grandfather's good reputation, he wouldn't have to continue developing in a base and stunted way as he does now.

He had more confidence that he could quickly seize control of the Jing-Xiang-Fan region and its surroundings in a short time, thereby better resisting the Jin forces' southward invasion in the next two years, and even the later Mongol southward advance.

Thinking of this, Niu Dingtian still stared at the old eunuch before him with a blank expression, giving no response.

Seeing this, Li Gonggong's face turned ashen, his heart gradually sinking to the depths: 'Our family truly cannot escape death today?'

At that moment, Niu Dingtian gave a glance to the young woman in yellow who had already walked up beside him.

The young woman in yellow understood, immediately reaching out to take the yellow silk and slowly unfurling it before Niu Dingtian.

His gaze swept over it, yet Niu Dingtian remained expressionless, showing no joy or sorrow.

After looking, the young woman in yellow angrily gathered up the yellow silk, her face already showing some annoyance.

Just as she was about to speak, Niu Dingtian said lightly, 'I never expected the emperor to bestow a hereditary marquisate upon the Niu clan—what an honor to our ancestors; I will personally go to Lin'an City another day to give thanks.'

Since this eunuch, opening and closing his mouth, makes no mention of past grudges, and appears to have gained favor in others' eyes, there's no need to quibble further.

Having fallen into his hands, whether he lives or dies is entirely up to him.

However, this old eunuch, as the chief steward of the inner palace, certainly knows many secrets; before his death, any value he possesses must be squeezed out.

Saying this, Niu Dingtian suddenly swung the Heaven-Reliant Sword in his hand; the blade swept across and quickly struck several acupoints on Li Gonggong's body.

The next moment, Li Gonggong stood rigid in place, barely able to move an inch.

'Come here!' he shouted in a low voice, as Li Gonggong looked on in terror.

'Sect Leader!'

Niu Kui and Niu Ben, hearing the call, swiftly rushed to Niu Dingtian's front and bowed in salute.

Niu Kui fared somewhat better; he had been accompanying this place, blowing the bellows and striking iron for over three months, and had left only two months ago.

But Niu Ben, having hidden in a mountain hollow for three years without seeing the sect leader, was undoubtedly stirred with excitement.

Niu Dingtian looked at Li Gonggong with a blank face and said calmly, 'Take this eunuch back to Xiangyang City and treat him well; no idle persons are allowed to disturb him, and once his injuries heal he must accompany me to Lin'an City to give thanks.'

'Yes!'

Niu Kui and Niu Ben replied in unison.

Seeing the sect leader say no more, the two lifted Li Gonggong, one on each side, and began walking back.

Just then——

Beside them, the silent Juexing suddenly stepped forward, turning his prayer beads, and asked with a blank expression, 'Master Niu, do you still remember this poor monk?'

Niu Dingtian glanced at him with cold eyes, studied the emaciated face of Juexing for a moment, then chuckled lightly, 'What? Master Juexing, are you also here to seize my sword and blade?'

Saying this, Niu Dingtian drew the Dragon-Slaying Saber from his shoulder, presenting both blade and sword together so the old monk could see them clearly.

After three years apart, Juexing's presence suddenly felt strange to him—not merely a difference in words and deeds, which would have been hard to notice without close observation.

Somehow, when Juexing clearly saw the pair of blade and sword before him, his internal qi surged with agitation.

Noticing this, Niu Dingtian involuntarily narrowed his eyes slightly.

This old monk is odd.

Logically, his opponent should be only a peak grandmaster, yet the faint aura emanating from him gives him an inexplicable feeling—could this be what he had relied on just now?

Earlier, Niu Dingtian had been keeping watch on the movements outside the forest; he recalled that Juexing intended to gather both people and weapons, and also to bring the old eunuch back to the Shaolin Temple.

What has happened to the Shaolin Temple?

'Master Niu, do you still remember the unresolved karmic bond between us and Shaolin?' Juexing gazed at the blade and sword with utmost reverence, then fixed his eyes on Niu Dingtian, palms together, and said:

'This poor monk, having been ordered to descend the mountain, has come to ask Master Niu to go up the mountain to settle our karma, and also to fulfill my request.' (End of chapter)