The old man with a goatee laughed heartily as his precious saber swung down towards Nangong Feiyan, who had fallen to the ground.
At his age, the man was cunning and showed no mercy, especially towards a woman.
"My life is in danger!"
Nangong Feiyan watched the falling saber, her heart trembling. She knew her end was near. She wondered about her junior brother's situation.
Perhaps she would never see him again?
"You dare!"
Just as Nangong Feiyan resigned herself to death, a roar suddenly echoed through the side hall.
A blur of motion shot in from the doorway like an arrow, directly at the old man with the goatee.
*Bang!*
The old man with the goatee cried out in agony, feeling as if he had been hit by a truck. Blood, mixed with organ fragments, spewed from his mouth.
His precious saber landed several meters away, its blade bent and bearing the imprint of a fist.
"Junior brother!"
Nangong Feiyan opened her eyes and looked with surprise at Ning Beichen, who now stood before her.
"Senior sister, I apologize for being late. Rest assured, I will make anyone who bullies you pay the price!"
Ning Beichen's expression softened with concern as he saw Nangong Feiyan's injuries.
No one in this world would treat another well without reason.
Nangong Feiyan was merely a nominal disciple, with whom he had no prior interaction. Yet, she had been incredibly kind to him, her junior brother. She had come here specifically to help him find the Jiugong Ce.
Seeing Nangong Feiyan's wounds now, Ning Beichen's gaze turned deadly towards the old man with the goatee.
"Who… who are you?"
The old man's arm trembled as he looked at his bent saber, asking in terror.
"I'm your grandfather!"
Ning Beichen moved like a blur, his fist slamming towards the old man.
The old man with the goatee felt the terrifying power of Ning Beichen's punch and, in his extreme fear, quickly pulled out a shield to block.
*Bang!*
Ning Beichen's fist struck the shield, sending a massive force that flung the old man backward. This punch had nearly shattered his internal organs.
The old man with the goatee coughed several times, spitting out large mouthfuls of blood mixed with pieces of his lung. His hands trembled uncontrollably.
This shield was a treasure bestowed upon him by the Ruan family, far superior to any common metalwork. It was no exaggeration to say that it could withstand even a rocket-propelled grenade.
Yet, his shield had a noticeable dent from Ning Beichen's punch. If not for this shield, he would have surely died moments ago.
"Oh!"
Ning Beichen was surprised that the shield could withstand his punch.
He was a Grandmaster, and even though he hadn't used his full strength, not everything could block his attacks. Yet, this shield had managed to take one of his punches.
Although it was dented, it hadn't shattered, indicating its extraordinary quality.
Thinking this, Ning Beichen beckoned, and the shield in the old man's hand flew into his palm. He examined it from all angles.
"A good item!"
Not only could this shield defend against a Grandmaster's attack, but it could also dissipate some of the force. It was just that the old man's skill was too low to fully utilize its capabilities.
"Senior sister, this shield is excellent. Take it for self-defense."
Ning Beichen handed the disc-sized shield to Nangong Feiyan behind him, showing no hesitation or shame about taking someone's property.
Victory belonged to the conqueror; this was spoils of war.
"Junior brother, since the shield is so good, I don't need it. You keep it for yourself."
Nangong Feiyan said with deep emotion.
Her junior brother was so humble and even offered her such a valuable item.
Although she held the title of senior sister, she knew her status was far inferior to Ning Beichen's, like comparing heaven and earth.
"Senior sister, with my strength, this item is unnecessary. You should keep it for protection."
Ning Beichen pushed the shield into her hand, leaving no room for refusal.
"Then… thank you, junior brother."
Nangong Feiyan was overjoyed. This shield, though small, could block Ning Beichen's attack, proving it was no ordinary item.
"Senior sister, why are we being so formal? I'll settle this fellow first and avenge you."
Ning Beichen turned back to the old man with the goatee, his killing intent surging.
"Please… don't kill me. I am from the Ruan clan."
The old man with the goatee had just begun to threaten Ning Beichen with the Ruan clan when Ning Beichen's fist exploded his body.
"Hmph! You dare to harm my senior sister and expect to live? How naive."
Ning Beichen snorted coldly.
Seeing the old man with the goatee unable to withstand even a single blow from Ning Beichen, Nangong Feiyan felt both happiness and a touch of sadness.
Her junior brother now possessed great power, and her opportunities to protect and assist him were becoming fewer.
"By the way, junior brother, there are many gold, silver, and cultivation manuals here. Come and see."
Nangong Feiyan sighed briefly before quickly telling Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen nodded. However, when he, the King of Darkness, saw gold bricks piled like a pyramid and chests full of treasures, he too was dumbfounded.
Although he was not short of money, the sight of such immense wealth was still incredibly shocking.
He followed Ning Beichen to inspect the manuals in the chests. There were quite a number of them, enough to establish a sect. However, Ning Beichen found them rather unimpressive.
"What a shame, the Jiugong Ce is not here."
Ning Beichen said with some disappointment.
"Junior brother, perhaps the Jiugong Ce is not kept here but elsewhere. After all, it was a highly coveted item in its time."
Nangong Feiyan suggested.
"Senior sister is right. Let's continue searching."
Ning Beichen nodded, and he and Nangong Feiyan began searching the surroundings. The gold and treasures were not going anywhere.
"Junior brother, look, here is a throne."
Not long after, the two arrived in a grand hall. The hall itself was somewhat simple, but a throne at the far end was particularly striking.
"Senior sister, wait. I sense something is amiss here."
Just as Nangong Feiyan was about to approach the throne, Ning Beichen suddenly stopped her.
Nangong Feiyan halted and looked around, but she couldn't discern anything unusual about the place.
However, Ning Beichen had already gone to retrieve the corpse of the old man with the goatee.
Nangong Feiyan watched Ning Beichen's actions with confusion.
Ning Beichen threw the corpse of the old man with the goatee onto the steps of the throne. As the body landed, a *clatter* sounded, and countless sharp swords emerged from the ground at the base of the steps.