Chapter 188: The More One Ponders, the More Terrifying

"Little girl, you should be covering your mouth and giggling by now, right?" Stepping out of the courtyard gate, Niu Dingtian halted and looked back, pondering to himself.

Among the several beauties around him now, only this one's thoughts may be entirely elsewhere, after all she was forcibly kept back then.

For a haughty, rouge‑coated mare like her, he won't indulge in soft coaxing; he must be stronger and tougher than her, and if needed, add a few poetic, tender words.

Affections also require a certain pattern; when Niu Dingtian discovered some poetry cheat sheets on the case, he already began to scheme in his mind.

Recalling the verses, Niu Dingtian stood in the lingering drizzle, unable to help but gently furrow his brows.

He condensed his sword intent into the tip of his brush, inscribing it between the lines, emulating Du Gu Qiu Bai's stone‑wall inscription.

Frankly, that painting scroll just now, for someone with an outstanding sword talent, is no less than an advanced martial arts manual.

But after finishing writing, he realized the task was truly difficult; his own handwriting fell far short of Du Gu Qiu Bai's, and their levels were naturally worlds apart.

"Could it be that he has surpassed the Innate Realm?" Niu Dingtian's eyes lingered, unintentionally entertaining a possibility.

After a long silence, Niu Dingtian let out a soft sigh and muttered, "Come to think of it, it's been ages since I last saw Da Lao Hei."

Recalling the Sword Tomb inscription, he couldn't help but think of the days he drank with the Divine Eagle; over half a year had passed without seeing it, and he missed it.

"The Battle of Xiangyang is near; having a Divine Eagle soaring across the heavens, ready to launch a bombing at any moment, sounds wonderful."

"Brother Eagle, brother Eagle, today is my joyous day; I must invite you to drink a few rounds."

Having made up his mind, Niu Dingtian smiled knowingly and headed toward Huang Lao Xie's and Yi Deng's residences.

He need not worry about the sect's affairs; his morning plan was to distribute the small pills.

Time waits for no one now; strong foes lie in wait, and strengthening one's own side is paramount.

…

Small courtyard, pavilion

In the red clay stove, the charcoal blaze burned brightly, making the tea kettle whistle; in the two blue‑and‑white tea cups on the table, wisps of fragrance rose and swirled.

Having just endured an escape, they were early in the morning here, sipping tea and chatting, watching rain strike the flowers before the pavilion; perhaps only Huang Lao Xie and Yi Deng could possess such a mindset.

Yet between their brows, clouds of sorrow lingered, each bearing a faint worry that would not dissipate.

Niu Dingtian walked slowly into the pavilion, chose an empty seat, took two jade bottles from his chest and placed them on the table, smiling, "Master and Uncle, having gone to the city, what do you think?"

Huang Lao Xie lightly sipped his tea, his stern face turning toward the pavilion's exterior, a trace of loneliness flashing in his eyes, and he remained silent.

Peach‑blossom shadows flying divine sword, azure‑sea tides pressing jade flute, under such power, what are these supreme skills? Yi Deng let out a light sigh, twirling his prayer beads with a wry smile, "Only after seeing them do you realize there are heavens beyond heaven, people beyond people; in comparison, the Five Top Martial Arts of the World are merely a laughable thing."

Niu Dingtian's sword‑shaped eyebrows, slanted into his temples, twitched; he chuckled, "Master Yi Deng, why belittle yourself?"

"Speaking of it, that person is an old demon from the previous dynasty; no one knows how many years he has lived. Since the Manichaeist sect's founding by Fang La, successive eminent masters have mostly met their end at his hands."

Speaking, Niu Dingtian took the tea kettle, poured himself a bowl, gently sipped the fragrant tea, feeling the aroma circulate on his teeth and palate.

After setting down the cup, his clear, luminous gaze flickered, and he added, "There are no outsiders here; I won't hide anything from you two."

"If it weren't for some remaining opportunity, such a master wouldn't be one I could handle at my age; it's not as easy as described in the secret passage."

"Fortunately, I've already severed his arm; if we meet again, it'll be easier for me."

Huang Lao Xie, hearing this, turned his head, glanced over, and hummed lightly, "How did you get involved?"

"First there was Eunuch Lin, then Shaolin Temple, now another old monster; how can I be at ease leaving Rong Er by your side?"

Upon hearing this, Niu Dingtian's faint smile wavered slightly; he couldn't refute Lao Taishan's words, so he merely sipped fragrant tea to mask his awkwardness.

But honestly, how could he know why Shaolin Temple sought him out?

Back then, the raid on the Sutra Repository was flawless, even Han Xiao Ying didn't know. On what grounds does Shaolin Temple forcibly pin the crime on him? Unless…

Recalling the situation on the third floor of the Sutra Repository, Niu Dingtian was suddenly jolted.

Could it truly be that the Buddha manifested?

Now, thinking of the scripture protectors and the Arhat Subduing Demon Skill, there is indeed an eerie vibe.

Back then, each attempt to break through the final barrier of that martial art made the breathing technique spin at extreme speed, a sense of gloom shrouding the heart.

Perhaps… the technique itself is flawed. Moreover, when he lived in Lin'an, forced breakthroughs gave that feeling, but later in Luoyang, while telling Han Xiao Ying a story, it occurred spontaneously without a master.

Finally, in Shaolin Temple's Sutra Repository, not only did it happen spontaneously, it nearly led to demonic obsession.

Hiss—thinking it over is terrifying; once he considered the pattern of its eruptions, Niu Dingtian's mind became unsettled.

"Young friend, young friend?"

Seeing Niu Dingtian absent‑minded, Yi Deng called gently twice, and Huang Lao Xie also looked over with slight surprise.

He only muttered a complaint, never expecting the youngster to take it to heart.

Niu Dingtian snapped back to reality; his mood was inevitably heavy, though it didn't show on his face.

Regardless of any oddities, this martial art is already fully complete; he should now focus on mastering the breathing method, and when the time is right, revisit the Sutra Repository.

He immediately smiled at Huang Lao Xie and Yi Deng, briefly recounted his night infiltration of the palace, Hong Qi's meddling, and the life‑and‑death chase, but regarding the raid on the Sutra Repository, he swore he would never admit it.

Come to think of it, had Hong Qi not exposed his hideout, perhaps these subsequent karmic troubles wouldn't have arisen.

After hearing Niu Dingtian's account, Huang Lao Xie's face gradually turned a steely blue.

Sure enough, he's a scoundrel!

Pretending to be an old poisoner was one thing, but he even dragged him in; if he weren't no longer a rival, he'd have given the youngster a good lesson! Yi Deng gave a rather helpless smile.

When Hong Qi came to mind, his complexion briefly tightened; he wanted to say something but didn't know how to begin, so he merely twirled his prayer beads and let out a long sigh.

He could not easily judge right or wrong in the matter.

From Niu Dingtian's perspective, without Hong Qi, perhaps these current troubles wouldn't exist.

From Hong Qi's viewpoint, his sense of chivalry would not allow him to remain indifferent to kidnapping; seeing the reactions of the two before him, Niu Dingtian understood and lifted the porcelain bottles, placing them before Huang Lao Xie and Yi Deng, and said with a smile:

"These are for Uncle and Master Yi Deng, five each; swallow them directly and cultivate to refine."

"This is…"

Yi Deng's face showed confusion.

Huang Lao Xie's expression also softened slightly; he lifted his gaze, his eyes also bearing a questioning tone.

The nourishing elixir—once Master Yideng tastes it, he'll know; be sure not to let outsiders find out.

The Awakening monk of Shaolin Temple is a bit odd; the two of you may not meet as opponents later, so you must quickly improve your strength.

If the youngster still has business, I'll excuse myself for now.

Niu Dingtian gave no lengthy explanation, only a few simple words before taking his leave.

Let's watch how Huang Lao Xie and Yideng break through; if the effect is notable, he doesn't mind raising the two to half‑step Precelestial.

As for advancing further, that cannot be achieved in one step by Spirit Spring water.

Leaving the two's courtyard, Niu Dingtian found Fentian; amid her dissatisfied complaints, he finally sealed her vermilion lips and small mouth with ten tiny pills.

After departing, Niu Dingtian intended to check on He Yuanjun and Mu Nianci, but halfway he turned back.

He Yuanjun is thin‑skinned, and the two have only met once; today there's no time to accompany the young lady to warm her feelings.

As for Mu Nianci, Niu Dingtian hasn't yet decided how to handle Yang Tiexin, so he'll discuss it tomorrow.

Thus, amid the misty rain, Niu Dingtian descended upon Jiugong Mountain.

A quarter hour later, he stood on a cliff thick with jungle, began to cultivate and shouted, his voice echoing endlessly through the valley:

"Old Black! Brother, I see you arrived!"

"Old Black! Brother, I see you arrived!"

……

PS: This chapter follows the new outline; forgive any minor contradictions. The earlier part has already been revised, with Shaolin Temple's basic changes completed this month. The wording has been simplified; swapping whole chapters is too labor‑intensive, and some narration was removed for plot. This month I can only guarantee an extra 60,000 words; after finishing revisions I'll focus on writing. (The added text after this is free of charge) (End of chapter)