Chapter 61

"Unlike Yan Yan, I'm not so beautiful, so how could there be so many people who like me?" Ximen Ningning whispered.

"I don't believe it," Yang Dingtian said, "Your figure, your temperament, your gentleness, can make the best men fall in love. Moreover, the more I look at your face, the more beautiful it becomes, the more feminine it seems, like a cup of fragrant wine."

Ximen Ningning's face turned red, and she whispered, "Save your sweet words for Yan Yan."

"I'm just telling the truth," Yang Dingtian said, but he did not continue to ask about the reason for Ximen Ningning's single status.

After a moment of silence, Ximen Ningning whispered, "I'll tell you, but don't tell anyone else."

Yang Dingtian nodded.

"I'm very afraid of interacting with men. Just being close to a man makes all my pores close up, and I feel very uncomfortable from the inside out. Just thinking about breathing the same air as a man makes me feel uneasy," Ximen Ningning said.

Yang Dingtian was slightly surprised. He knew that Ningning had some kind of aversion to the opposite sex, but he didn't expect it to be so severe.

Then, Yang Dingtian couldn't help but say, "I, I'm a man too, so wouldn't it be hard for you to be close to me?"

"No," Ximen Ningning said, "I don't feel uncomfortable when I'm with you."

"Why?" Yang Dingtian asked, "I don't believe I'm that special."

"I don't know," Ximen Ningning said.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore," Ximen Ningning said, her face red. "Let's talk about Yang Shaobai. Don't underestimate him just because he's not as good as Yan Yan was five years ago. At seventeen, he's already an Eighth-Rank Mystic Warrior, a talent that is one in ten thousand. And the most important thing is, he achieved this after washing away his previous martial techniques and relearning the Chaos Heaven-Slaying Sword."

Yang Dingtian was immediately shocked. A seventeen-year-old Eighth-Rank Mystic Warrior was extremely rare, with fewer than five in the entire Western Continent. Yang Shaobai not only ranked among them but had also washed his cultivation method. Even with the use of the Li Xuan Pill, his Mystic Qi level would still have regressed. This Yang Shaobai was truly a prodigy.

Yang Dingtian immediately etched Yang Shaobai's name into his mind. Of course, the most important thing now was to go to the abandoned mine, kill the Gold-Eating Beast and the Ice Elemental Beast, and obtain the cores of these two elemental beasts.

...

By noon, the Piaoling Rayfish landed in a secluded valley, about a hundred miles from the border between Yunxiao City and the Northwest Qin Family's territory.

They couldn't ride flying beasts across the border; they had to switch to horses. Moreover, they had to change their appearances to avoid being recognized as Yang Dingtian, or they would be in mortal danger.

Ximen Ningning took out a box and opened it, revealing a pill and a mask as thin as a feather.

"This mask is made from the skin of a Shape-Shifting Beast. It's still alive. After you put on the mask, take this pill, and it will keep the mask active for three days," Ximen Ningning said.

Yang Dingtian put on the mask, and as soon as it touched his face, it seemed to come alive, gradually merging with his face. After taking the pill, the mask moved even faster, and within five minutes, it was completely integrated into Yang Dingtian's face.

Yang Dingtian took the crystal mirror Ximen Ningning handed him and was slightly surprised. This face was too handsome, even making Yang Dingtian a bit jealous.

Yang Dingtian said, "This face is too handsome, it might attract too much attention. How about we change to a more ordinary face?"

Ximen Ningning said, "This is the most realistic one. Shape-Shifting Masks are extremely rare."

Yang Dingtian touched the mask on his face, almost unable to feel its presence, as if it were really his own face.

"I've changed my face, what about you?" Yang Dingtian asked.

Ximen Ningning took out another box, containing various ointments. She used her delicate hands to apply the ointments to her face, altering her entire facial structure.

Under Yang Dingtian's amazed gaze, Ximen Ningning's face completely transformed into another one.

Although not as absolutely real as the Shape-Shifting Mask, it was still very difficult to spot any flaws, truly a masterful skill.

This new face was very charming, even a bit flirtatious.

"Turn around, I need to change my clothes," Ximen Ningning said softly after finishing her face.

Yang Dingtian turned around and immediately heard rustling sounds. Although he couldn't see, he could imagine the magical body, as Ximen Ningning had almost perfect curves.

"Done!" Ximen Ningning said.

Yang Dingtian turned around, and his eyes widened.

With this new appearance, she was completely transformed. A peach-red wrap dress made her incredibly charming and beautiful. Her not-so-big eyes were even more alluring, and her devilish figure perfectly embodied the definition of a fox spirit.

"My current identity is Qin Hongmian, the daughter of the Redstone Castle Lord. Although Redstone Castle is not large, it is a distant relative of the Northwest Qin Family, so it will be very convenient to enter their territory. This woman likes handsome men, so bringing you won't raise any suspicions," Ximen Ningning said.

Yang Dingtian, slightly embarrassed, said, "So, should we pretend to be very close?"

"Yes!" Ximen Ningning said, "Remember, your current identity is Qin Hongmian's new lover, and your name is Ning Que. Let's go. There's a town thirty miles from here. We'll rest there for a while and set out for the abandoned mine in the afternoon."

...

An hour later, the two arrived at the town.

This town was called Iron Sword Market, and the area within a hundred miles from here was under the control of Iron Sword Castle.

Iron Sword Castle was the largest vassal force of Yunxiao City. For hundreds of years, Iron Sword Castle had rebelled and surrendered repeatedly. Eight years ago, Ximen Wuya killed two successive Iron Sword Castle Lords, then sent the Black Blood Cavalry to eliminate all the enemies of Iron Sword Castle, and installed a puppet as the new Lord. Only then did Iron Sword Castle become a vassal of Yunxiao City again.

As soon as they entered Iron Sword Market, Ximen Ningning completely transformed. Her soft, delicate body clung to Yang Dingtian, cooing and pouting, acting affectionately as if there were no others around. Although Yang Dingtian knew she was acting, he still couldn't help but feel a sense of enchantment.

Entering the largest inn in Iron Sword Market, Yang Dingtian and Ximen Ningning immediately drew many gazes. Men looked at Ximen Ningning, and women looked at Yang Dingtian, all with very passionate eyes.

Ximen Ningning, playing the role of Qin Hongmian, was not the most beautiful, but her seductive aura and devilish figure were extremely attractive to men. Yang Dingtian, playing the role of Ning Que, was exceptionally handsome.

Ximen Ningning found the best seat, took out a silk handkerchief, and wiped the table and chair repeatedly. She then sat down, soft and boneless, next to Yang Dingtian. The waiter brought the menu, and Ximen Ningning, with her delicate fingers, lightly held the menu, pouting and glancing at the dish names, looking lazy and seductive.

"Damn, this woman is so damn seductive, I can't take it," a sword-wielding man said, swallowing his saliva. His three companions, all martial artists, also cast hot gazes at Ximen Ningning's seductive figure.

Ximen Ningning glanced at him disdainfully and said, "Country bumpkin!"

The man, enraged, stood up to charge over.

Ximen Ningning ignored him and said, "The food here is so bad, there's hardly anything worth eating. It's much worse than in our Qin City."

Upon hearing this, the man who was about to draw his sword changed his expression, put his sword back in the scabbard, and sat down sullenly. His three companions also retracted their gazes, no longer daring to look at Ximen Ningning's chest and buttocks so boldly.

Ximen Ningning pouted and, with her delicate fingers, ordered a few of the most expensive and exquisite dishes in the restaurant.

"Ning, endure a few more days of hardship. When we get home, you can eat whatever you want," Ximen Ningning said to Yang Dingtian in a coquettish voice.

...

"Did you hear? Yunxiao City is going to appoint a new city lord named Yang Dingtian. They say this waste is already in his twenties and has just passed the启蒙期 (Enlightenment Stage). He even learned the Pig-Slaughtering Sword Technique and went completely mad a few days ago," a man at a nearby table said.

"Doesn't that mean we'll have to follow the orders of a madman and a waste in the future?" another thin man with a lecherous look said, "Isn't Miss Ximen like a flower stuck in cow dung? She's as beautiful as Fairy Dongfang. Just a hug from her would make me lose my soul. What a waste, that madman doesn't know how to embrace or sleep with such a beauty."

Everyone present swallowed their saliva.

"Want to die? Keep talking," the man said coldly, "Miss Ximen and that waste are only nominal spouses. She has already been targeted by the young lord of the Northwest Qin Family. In a year and a half, when that waste dies, Miss Ximen will be the young lord's woman."

The thin man's face changed when he heard that Ximen Yan was the young lord's exclusive possession, fearing that his words would be overheard by others.

"Will our Iron Sword Castle rebel or not?" another man asked.

"Rebel? Rebel what?" the man said, "If that waste really becomes the city lord, I'll be the first to rebel. But do you know who will be the new city lord? The third son of the Northwest Qin Family's lord, Qin Shaobai, who is also the grandson of Elder Yang Yan of Yunxiao City. He has now changed his name to Yang Shaobai and will be re-enrolled in the Yunxiao City registry and the Yang family genealogy."

"That waste Yang Dingtian is dead for sure, he might not even live to see next year," the thin man said, "With the Northwest Qin Family on the outside and the Yang family on the inside, Yang Dingtian is doomed. We might hear of his death tomorrow."

"Tsk tsk..." the thin man continued, "What a good strategy. Then, the thousand miles of Yunxiao City's territory will all belong to the Northwest Qin Family. In the entire Western Continent, the Northwest Qin Family will be invincible."

"Talk like that, and you won't live to see tomorrow," the man said, "This is a big matter, we small people should just listen and not talk too much."

"Then what will happen to our Iron Sword Castle?" another man asked.

The man took a sip of wine and said, "Our Iron Sword Castle? The Lord has already made his choice, and you'll see it soon."

Hearing this, Yang Dingtian's brows furrowed. Even the small people of Iron Sword Castle knew about this, indicating that the news had already spread throughout the thousand miles of Yunxiao City. Everyone could see the Northwest Qin Family's ambition to吞并 (annex) Yunxiao City, yet Yang Yan and others turned a blind eye, allowing their ancestors' legacy to fall into enemy hands. If they really supported Yang Shaobai's ascension, it would be too despicable and foolish.

However, what was happening was closely related to Yang Dingtian, but also seemed unrelated. The only thing he could do was to become stronger as quickly as possible!

At this moment, not only the man's table but almost everyone in the restaurant was discussing this matter. Some people's words were extremely vulgar, especially about Ximen Yan's beauty and her virginity, making many men's eyes turn green.

"I heard that the young lord of the Northwest Qin Family is like a beast in bed, and many women have been played to the brink