Chapter 228

Just as he walked out of the small courtyard, maid Yun Ling came over from afar, swaying her waist like a water snake. Seeing Niu Dingtian, her pretty face lit up with joy, she hurried to his side and said crisply:

"Son-in-law, the ladies have prepared breakfast; Yun Ling was about to call you."

Niu Dingtian raised his eyes to Yun Ling, his gaze slowly descending to her slender waist, and asked: "Who taught you to walk like that?"

"Ah?" Yun Ling froze, then realized, her pretty face instantly turning red, she stammered:

"No, no, no one taught me..."

Niu Dingtian curled his right pinky, lightly tapping her cheeks on both sides, and smiled: "Walk properly; what would people think if they saw you like that?"

Having said that, he walked toward the dining hall, beckoning her to follow.

Yun Ling hurried after him, head down, feeling slightly wronged, and whispered: "It was the two maids in your study who said that, claiming the emperor and princes in the palace all like walking that way."

Niu Dingtian walked and said: "You're not suited for it; just stay as you were originally, and I still like you the way you used to be."

"Oh..."

Yun Ling let out an "oh" at his words, idly playing with the hair at her chest, feeling a bit disappointed yet also happy.

As they talked, they turned a corner at the eaves, and after a few more steps they entered the dining hall.

Besides his sister Sha Gu, who sat foolishly beside the table, the other ladies all brought in breakfast and utensils from outside.

Compared to last night's exhaustion and weakness, the women now radiated vitality, their jade faces showing allure; upon seeing their master, their beautiful eyes held both shyness and joy.

"Husband..."

"Husband..."

"Husband..."

The women bowed in turn.

As newlyweds, they all behaved gently and elegantly, more formal than usual.

Niu Dingtian stepped forward, ruffled his sister Sha Gu's head, and smiled at the ladies: "Why are you becoming so polite? Hurry up and sit to eat; we don't do this anymore."

Speaking, he pulled Chen Jin'er and Han Xiao Ying over, seating them on his left and right, and said: "Right, we're still missing two."

Only then did he notice that among the group, Bao Xiruo and Miss Huang were missing.

The remaining women took their seats in turn; He Yuanjun smiled gently and said: "Elder Sister Bao went to see Huazheng, Elder Sister Huang went to bring breakfast to Island Master Huang, and they said breakfast need not wait for them."

Niu Dingtian gave a slight nod; Miss Huang went to curry favor with her own father, and in the end it was still to help him persuade Old Mount Tai.

For the coming period, if he wants to live a leisurely life, he still needs a versatile person to come down from the mountain to assist him.

Just as he was about to pick up his chopsticks, Niu Dingtian seemed to suddenly recall something, looking at the maid Yun Ling behind Yan Huixi, and ordered: "Pack a portion of breakfast; the son-in-law will need it later."

"Yes, son-in-law..."

Yun Ling responded with an assent and hurried away.

Although the women were a little curious, they did not ask further, speaking softly while eating slowly and carefully.

Perhaps because they had shared beds in pairs last night, now, aside from the bedmates deliberately avoiding each other's glances and not daring to meet eyes, the conversation among the several women was actually harmonious.

After Niu Dingtian finished his porridge and set down his bowl and chopsticks, Yan Huixi opposite him took out a book from his bosom and handed it over, his face somewhat oddly saying: "This is entrusted to me by a eunuch in the palace to give to you, sir; he said the martial art is too precious to be handed to him directly."

Niu Dingtian took it, saw the characters on the cover, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

Opening the book's first page, he saw the general outline plainly written: "To cultivate divine art, draw the knife to castrate oneself. Refine elixirs, take medicines, inside and out united. The way of cultivating qi from ancient to modern times is nothing but visualization and guidance, the vast emptiness, heaven and earth separating clear and turbid to give birth to humanity."

Cultivating qi is nothing but refining the ethereal spirit to cleanse the turbid. Qi is the master of life; form is the body's function. Heaven and earth can be reversed; humans also have a way for male and female to interchange. This way must not be lightly transmitted. To cultivate this art, one must first nurture the heart, so that the heart gives rise to no lust or wickedness, transcending the material world…

"What a fine find; could the later Kuihua Treasure Canon not have been passed down from me?" Niu Dingtian stared at the opening eight characters, unable to help thinking.

The Sunflower Ancestor's martial arts: extreme yin gives birth to yang, yin-yang interchanging, producing the utmost yang and heat of sunflower true qi, which exactly matches the requirement of wielding the knife to castrate oneself.

At this moment, He Yuanjun and Fen Tian each also took out a book from their bosoms and handed them over, Fen Tian additionally attaching four Holy Fire Tokens.

Niu Dingtian received them in his hands, lifted his gaze, and saw they were precisely the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" and the "One Yang Finger".

He had long harbored the thought of exchanging the One Yang Finger with Yideng in his early years, but never got the chance to speak up, not expecting his own wife to bring it over.

Just as he was pondering—

Chen Jin'er beside him seemed to reflect, then said softly: "Sir, now that you hold the rank of princely duke, you ought to regulate your status."

Those below mostly wish for you to establish a government office and set up a military headquarters to show regulation. After all, our troops are now too numerous; if religious affairs and military administration remain mixed, the prince and the sect leader having different titles would damage dignity and be unfavorable to stability.

"That is exactly my plan." Niu Dingtian nodded, gathered the books and Holy Fire Tokens, lifted his gaze to Fen Tian, and said: "From now on, government and religion shall be separated, each operating independently; the Divine Sect shall remain as a protective force hidden behind the scenes. As for establishing a government office, we will convene the senior leadership in three days to discuss on Jiugong Mountain."

"Once the northern campaign arrangements are settled, I will delegate the task to those below; you also need not bother with these worldly matters—just stay with me on the mountain and diligently improve your martial arts."

Niu Dingtian felt that, with his current strength, many things need no longer be done personally by him.

What he ought to do is to act less, show himself less, strive to linger longer in this world, and spend more time with his several wives.

Having said this, Fen Tian assented softly, and the others likewise nodded slightly.

At this moment, his sister Sha Gu had also put down her bowl and chopsticks; Niu Dingtian affectionately rubbed her head again, greeted the women, then picked up the food box Yun Ling had brought and left the dining hall.

When he reached the doorway of the study, he saw Li Shuyi and Liu Xianfei standing left and right at the outer desk, teaching Mu Nianci to copy a character practice sheet.

Hearing the commotion outside, Mu Nianci lifted her head; Niu Dingtian, in the soft morning light, saw her expression of both surprise and joy, her face pale yet flushed, making one's heart throb.

Since he returned to Jiugong Mountain and decided on the grand wedding, Bao Xiruo went to Red Plum Village, and the courtyard where the study resides became Mu Nianci's dwelling.

Compared to her youthful inexperience two years prior, upon seeing the maiden again she had gained much maturity and own opinions, so much that even Niu Dingtian found it hard to persuade her to marry him together with Elder Sister Bao.

Given Elder Sister Bao's gentle disposition, Niu Dingtian could easily decide for himself; the elder sister would naturally obey.

But seeing Mu Nianci tightly biting her lips, eyes filled with resolute determination, he could only abandon the plan and settle her without name or status in the courtyard of the study.

"What made you want to practice copying the character sheet?" Niu Dingtian walked to the table, placed the food box upon it, and asked with a smile.

He waved at Li Shuyi and Liu Xianfei; after they withdrew, he sat beside the table, drew Mu Nianci onto his lap, and said softly: "Have something to eat first; I know that before the appointed time, Ci'er surely hasn't eaten yet." Having grown accustomed to Niu Dingtian's affection, Mu Nianci did not struggle, merely staring blankly at the food box on the table, suddenly becoming absentminded.

"What are you thinking about?" Niu Dingtian took the beauty's hand and asked softly.

Mu Nianci regained her composure, gently shook her head, and said softly: "Elder Brother Niu, would you like some lamb soup? I will make it for you tonight."

Somehow, she suddenly recalled the heavy snowfall five years ago, in that dilapidated tavern at the midsection of Taihang Mountain, where the utterly unacquainted Niu Dingtian had treated her to that bowl of lamb soup.

After that, during her leisure time, she also made it a few times for her father, and the taste was not bad.

Niu Dingtian heard this, instantly understood, and laughed: "No rush; we still need wild goats from Taihang Mountain. When I notify the brothers over there to send a few, Nianci will make goat soup for me, and I will roast goat skewers for Nianci."

Upon hearing these words, Mu Nianci felt a surge of sweetness in her heart, and her gloomy mood improved considerably.

Recalling the outright refusal a few days ago, she felt a bit uneasy again, lowered her head slightly, and whispered: "Brother Niu, are you really not angry with Nianci?"

Niu Dingtian stared for a moment, shook his head, and said: "This is the Mu Nianci I imagined; aside from Nianci leaving making me angry, I will respect any other thoughts you have."

"I never expected that back then I refused to marry, and Nianci scolded me for cohabiting without a matchmaker; now I want to marry, but Nianci is unwilling instead."

Mu Nianci pondered, then explained softly: "Although Brother Niu doesn't care about reputation, I don't want people to mock my father or Sister Bao. Although Father hasn't objected again, if I marry Brother Niu together with Sister Bao, he would surely feel worse than being stabbed."

"Perhaps Nianci was still young before, hadn't thought much, and felt that liking Brother Niu was enough. Now Nianci has grown up, thought too much, but actually still feels that liking Brother Niu is enough."

Although her words sounded like a tongue twister, Niu Dingtian understood: "As long as I like you, that's enough; anything else, whether present or not, doesn't matter."

Moved in his heart, he held Mu Nianci on his lap and said nothing more.

After the beauty finished her morning meal, Niu Dingtian did not leave but stayed the whole day in the study, studying martial arts manuals like the Kuihua Baodian while reviewing his troops' information, with Mu Nianci accompanying him at his side.

Over the past two years, although he was absent, the forces under his control developed extremely rapidly.

Not to mention the thousands of disciples in the sect, with Liang Ziyong cultivating large numbers of Bodhisattva Curved Snakes, even the ordinary soldiers under his command have had their bodies tempered with special elixirs, making their physiques extraordinarily strong, needless to say.

In the evening, Miss Huang, who had not seen Niu Dingtian all day, came to the small courtyard to look for him.

As a newlywed, she naturally wanted to be glued to her husband; seeing Niu Dingtian alone with Mu Nianci, she felt a twinge of jealousy but did not show it.

Recalling her elder sister Huai Xi's worry, she returned to the kitchen, personally followed the recipe, and cooked a medicinal meal to send over.

It's fine if he doesn't eat, but after eating, Niu Dingtian instantly felt his vital energy rise, his pores relaxed; looking at Mu Nianci bent over the desk copying calligraphy, he began to feel a little restless.

Thus, in the quiet of night, within the bright, clean, exquisite and luxurious side chamber, a gentle breeze seemed to stir the curtains on the bed, the tassels swaying incessantly.

A waft of fragrant powdery air silently permeated, making people feel anxious and flushed, faces red and ears hot.

The next morning.

Just as dawn broke, Mu Nianci, with disheveled hair and radiant complexion, pushed herself up, only to feel her whole body go limp, involuntarily furrowing her delicate brows.

Niu Dingtian leaned against the bedhead, embraced the beauty's round, smooth snowy shoulders, and a stream of true qi gently flowed from his palm, instantly dispelling the ache and weakness in Mu Nianci's body.

Gazing at the beauty's blush‑tinged cheek, Niu Dingtian slightly closed his eyes, and the scene of last night's tenderness seemed to surface in his heart.

After a while, Li Shuyi and Liu Xianfei entered the room carrying washbasins, and Mu Nianci instinctively slipped under the covers.

Niu Dingtian waved his hand and said: "Prepare hot water; this king wishes to bathe with my lady."

"Yes..."

The two replied softly and withdrew; not long after, they led two sturdy maids to fill the large tub in the side chamber with water.

After they left, Niu Dingtian rose from the bed, opened a hidden compartment, took out a ceramic jar, and poured its jade‑green liquid into the tub.

With just a wave of his hand, Mu Nianci on the bed slipped into his embrace; amid the lady's shyness, they both sank into the tub together.

"Just treat it as a medicinal bath; your cultivation is still too weak, so try to circulate your energy to absorb the medicinal potency."

Seeing Mu Nianci's expression shift from shy to startled, obviously noticing something odd about the bathwater, Niu Dingtian gently stroked the beauty's snowy back and said.

This is the capital that enables him to continue scraping by in this world; back in the Peach Blossom Cave, he even somewhat disdained this bathwater.

To shield heavenly secrets and avoid heavenly tribulations, he now needs to soak in it at least every half month to absorb its essence.

And the day it is exhausted will be the day he shatters the void and leaves this realm.

Two days later——

Niu Dingtian, as the Prince of Xiangyang, established his office, set up the Tiance Prefecture, and took charge of military and civil affairs within his territory.

Huang Yaoshi served as Chief Clerk, together with the vacant positions of Situ and Congshi Zhonglang, managing various affairs of the Tiance Prefecture.

Furthermore, he reorganized his troops, forming the Northern Expedition Army. Niu Ben served as Vanguard General, Liu Fengchun as Left General, Hu Zai xing as Right General, each commanding 100,000 Northern Expedition troops.

Niu Kui served as Rear General, commanding the water forces of Taihu and the Yangtze, as well as the armed forces between the Taihang Mountain Range and other major mountain ranges.

Niu Qing and Niu Xun served as Guard Generals, overseeing the Black Clothes Guard and other intelligence, as well as the elite forces.

As for the Divine Sect, they abolished all regional branches, selected those with extremely high martial talent, and formed the Five Elements Banner, the Five Scattered Persons, the Four Great Dharma Kings, and the Left and Right Envoys, as martial power, beginning to hide in the shadows.

As for Guo Jing and Yang Kang, younger relatives of Niu Dingtian, the former served as a Vanguard Colonel under Niu Ben, while the latter held the position of a Scattered Person within the Divine Sect.

In the second month after the political and religious reforms, the Jin State refused to ally with Xiangyang to resist the Mongols.

Not long after, Niu Dingtian issued a royal decree concerning the northern land's 'equal field' policy, and over 400,000 Northern Expedition troops set out simultaneously from Jingxiang, Taihu, and Taihang.

At the same time, experts of the Divine Sect were dispatched repeatedly to assassinate key figures and generals of the Jin and Mongol states.

In just half a year, the Northern Expedition Army consecutively captured Cai, Deng, Jingzhao, Henan, Xu, Xu Prefecture, etc., and laid siege to the Jin capital, Nanjing.

One evening, a fierce martial battle broke out outside Nanjing; under the siege of the Divine Sect's many experts, Ouyang Feng was killed, Murong An was deposed, more than ten Tantric masters suffered heavy losses, and they fled Nanjing.

Before dawn, when the sky was still dark, a column of fire rose amid explosions, Nanjing fell, and the Jin emperor fled north.

At once,

The martial world shook, the realm shook! (End of chapter)