Chapter 76

For the sake of the electric-type demon core, for the sake of breaking through, and for the great elimination battle in five days, Yang Dingtian had no choice but to go! The thousand-year-old nightingale at the Terror Manor was his only chance, despite its power being indescribable. Ningning smiled gently and said, "Alright, I'll go with you. However, we need to wait a few hours for me to rest and recover my mystic energy." At this moment, Yang Dingtian couldn't help but feel curious and asked, "Sister Ningning, what level is your mystic energy now?"

"It's stronger than Ximen Yan, but it can't compare to your two genius little wives," Ningning replied. "And in a real fight, I can't even beat an apprentice warrior."

The two genius little wives she referred to were naturally Ximen Yan and Dongfang Bingling, and Yang Dingtian couldn't help but smile bitterly.

...

In the next few hours, Ningning closed her eyes to rest, and Yang Dingtian also rested, taking another Miao Ling Pill, which completely healed his injuries. During this time, no one appeared around the mine, not even a demon beast.

As dawn approached, Ningning finished resting, her injuries were almost healed, and her mystic energy had partially recovered. She was very particular about cleanliness, so the first thing she did after resting was to find a place to bathe. She found a hot spring on the mountain, and she immediately stripped off her clothes, revealing her perfect, graceful body. Yang Dingtian was slightly taken aback, then turned around. A splash was heard behind him as Ningning jumped into the hot spring.

After both of them had bathed, washed their clothes, and dried them by the fire, they put them on. Yang Dingtian put on his mask and his white robe, once again becoming the handsome and suave Ning Que. Ximen Ningning also dressed up as Qin Hongmian.

At this point, the sky was slightly bright, and it was almost dawn. The two of them went down the mountain and rode their horses to the Terror Manor.

...

"Sister Ningning, I still have 45 pieces of Blood Black Gold buried in the mine. Is it safe?" Before mounting the horse, Yang Dingtian suddenly said.

Ningning frowned and said, "It's not safe. The Blood Black Gold is too attractive to the gold-eating beasts. If left for too long, even those far away might be attracted."

"But it's impossible to carry it to the Terror Manor. Not only is it nearly a thousand pounds, but it's a treasure of the world that would attract others' greed," Yang Dingtian said. "We can't send it back to Cloud Peak City first and then go to the Terror Manor; we might not have enough time."

Ningning's face showed some hesitation and uncertainty, then her beautiful eyes looked at Yang Dingtian, and she said softly, "Xiao Tian, there's a secret I can't tell you now, so I'm giving you something. Don't be surprised."

Then, Ningning gently pinched her index finger and input a small amount of mystic energy. Instantly, an ancient ring appeared on her white, slender finger. She gently handed the ring to Yang Dingtian and said softly, "Put the Blood Black Gold in this ring."

Yang Dingtian was shocked, took the ring, and immediately felt a thick and mysterious power. How could a thousand pounds of Blood Black Gold fit into this small ring? This world didn't have any spatial rings, as neither Dongfang Niemi nor any books mentioned them.

"This is a spatial storage ring, about three feet square, which can hold your 45 pieces of Blood Black Gold," Ningning said softly.

It was really a spatial ring, and Yang Dingtian was full of surprise. "Sister Ningning, this world doesn't have spatial rings, right?"

Ningning directly put the ring on Yang Dingtian's finger and said softly, "Sister has some secrets, and I'll tell you when the time is right, but I can't tell you now. Just use it."

Yang Dingtian said, "But this thing is so precious, how can you give it to me? I can store the 45 pieces of Blood Black Gold with you."

"It's a loan, and you can return it to me later," Ningning said softly.

Yang Dingtian gently touched the ring and couldn't help but ask, "Does Uncle Ximen and Yan Yan know about this ring?"

Ningning gently shook her head. Yang Dingtian was slightly taken aback. This made Ningning's identity a big secret, and she definitely wasn't an orphan adopted by Ximen Wuyuan. She must have a special purpose for coming to Cloud Peak City.

"Sister Ningning, I don't care about your true identity. I only know that you won't harm me, and you are the closest person to me," Yang Dingtian said.

"Good boy!" Ningning said softly, then gently touched Yang Dingtian's cheek.

Then, Yang Dingtian and Ningning entered the mine, dug out the bag of Blood Black Gold, and watched in amazement as Ningning put each piece of Blood Black Gold into the ring, making them disappear.

He didn't expect that this world really had spatial rings, which was somewhat illogical.

"Actually, the Blood Black Gold isn't stored in the ring but in a special space," Ningning explained softly. "The ring is just a medium to access that space."

"So, this ring is like a small portal," Yang Dingtian thought in surprise, and he became even more curious about the secrets behind this world.

"Sister Ningning, is there another spatial ring in this world?" Yang Dingtian couldn't help but ask.

Ningning shook her head and said, "I don't know, but I don't think there is."

After putting all 45 pieces of Blood Black Gold in, Ningning gently touched the ring, and it disappeared from Yang Dingtian's finger.

"To summon the ring, just touch it and input a small amount of mystic energy, then sense it with your mind," Ningning said.

Yang Dingtian tried it, and indeed, he easily summoned the spatial ring. He looked at Ningning and said, "I'll return it to Sister Ningning when we get back to Cloud Peak City."

"What's the rush?" Ningning said softly. "Wear it until you don't need it anymore. Although I can't give it to you, I can lend it to you indefinitely."

Then, Ningning's beautiful eyes looked at Yang Dingtian, and her voice became even softer. "Just like I can't marry you, but I can lend myself to you indefinitely."

Yang Dingtian felt a surge of emotion and wanted to say something but found himself speechless.

In this world, there were two women deeply entangled with him: Dongfang Bingling and Ximen Yan. Both were unparalleled beauties, the two most beautiful women in the world. Dongfang Bingling was chosen by his master, and Ximen Yan was chosen by Ximen Wuyuan. Although he had been moved as a man, these two beauties were not his own choice.

As for Ximen Ningning, although her appearance didn't match Yan Yan or Dongfang Bingling, her shyness, gentleness, innocence, mischief, tolerance, wisdom, and selflessness deeply moved Yang Dingtian. So, in a sense, Ximen Ningning was his own choice.

However, Yang Dingtian didn't feel he had the right to say this, so he didn't.

*****

Yang Dingtian and Ximen Ningning rode their horses to the southern Terror Manor as Ning Que and Qin Hongmian. They set out in the morning and traveled all day. As the sky darkened, they arrived at the notorious Terror Manor.

The Terror Manor was built deep in a black valley, surrounded by a crescent-shaped lava abyss, which was over a thousand meters wide. Only a three-meter-wide stone path led to the manor, making it impregnable.

At this moment, Yang Dingtian and Ningning were at the entrance of the three-meter-wide stone path, looking far into the Terror Manor, which was shrouded in a black mist, making it even more sinister and terrifying.

"Who are you?" Two warriors in black cloaks coldly shouted, their black crossbows aimed at Yang Dingtian and Ningning.

"I am Qin Hongmian, daughter of the Red Stone Castle Lord from the northwest Qin family," Ningning said haughtily.

The two warriors quickly put away their crossbows and bowed, saying, "Miss Qin, please wait a moment. I will inform the manor."

Then, one of the warriors whistled, and a crow flew over from nearby and landed on his hand. The warrior spoke to the crow in a language Yang Dingtian couldn't understand, and the crow flew off toward the Terror Manor.

...

After about ten minutes, a group of black-clothed warriors escorted a red-robed man out of the manor, walking toward Yang Dingtian and Ningning. A luxurious open carriage also accompanied them.

"Ou Mu of the Terror Manor, welcoming Miss Qin," the red-robed man bowed and said. "Your visit brings great honor to our Terror Manor. Please get in the carriage."

He was Ou Mu, the young master of the Terror Manor, who indeed looked quite handsome, with a light and frivolous demeanor, a sign of excessive indulgence in wine and women.

Ningning nodded at Ou Mu and stepped into the luxurious carriage with great arrogance.

"Enter the manor," Ou Mu ordered, and the group escorted Yang Dingtian and Ningning into the Terror Manor.

...

In the evening, Ou Mu held a banquet to entertain them, personally accompanying them. The Terror Manor was indeed a vassal of the northwest Qin family. Although Qin Hongmian was a distant branch of the Qin family, Ou Mu still went to great lengths to please her. The lecherous and lustful Ou Mu, apart from occasionally glancing at Ningning's alluring figure, mostly sat upright and proper.

However, strangely, Yang Dingtian and Ningning never saw any other important figures from the Terror Manor throughout the evening. From start to finish, only Ou Mu accompanied them, as if he didn't want them to meet anyone else from the manor or didn't want anyone else to know about them.

However, Ou Mu's behavior toward them was extremely fawning. Throughout the banquet, he almost constantly flattered them, praising the Qin family's lord, Qin Hongmian's beauty and nobility, and Ning Que's exceptional qualities.

Even though Yang Dingtian and Ningning were cold and unresponsive, he remained extremely attentive.

As the banquet neared its end, Ou Mu asked, "Mr. Ning, Miss Qin, is there anything I can do for you? If I can help, I will do so without hesitation."