I've Found Ning the Fool

The Demon Sect, the Sect Master's bedchamber.

Blood seeped across the plush carpet, the metallic stench thick in the air.

A stunning woman, her body covered in bruises, walked forward naked, clutching a dagger still wet with blood.

On the bed lay the lifeless body of a middle-aged man with an unkempt beard.

Stark naked, his eyes bulged as if refusing to close even in death.

A crimson river flowed from his slit throat, dripping down his arm onto the floor.

Ning Zhongyuan, the Sect Master of the Demon Sect, a martial artist at the peak of the Void Realm—had fallen!

The beautiful woman stepped outside, dagger in hand, her vacant gaze fixed on the sky.

Dark clouds gathered overhead, heavy with the promise of rain.

Outside, a tall young man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, waiting in silence.

At the sound of footsteps, he turned. Seeing the woman, the tension in his chest finally eased, and a sinister smile curled his lips.

"Ning Haotian..."

The moment she saw him, a flicker of life returned to Rou'er's hollow eyes.

Her composure shattered. Tears streamed down her face as the dagger slipped from her fingers, clattering against the stone tiles.

"You did well, Rou'er."

Ning Haotian reached out, tracing the bruises on her face with a gentle smile.

No matter how cautious Ning Zhongyuan had been, he never would have suspected that the woman who shared his bed night after night would be the one to poison him.

Rou'er threw herself into Ning Haotian's arms, trembling—whether from fear or exhilaration, she couldn’t tell. "I... I did it. I killed him..."

"Don’t worry. That old bastard will never hurt you again," Ning Haotian murmured, stroking the smooth skin of her back.

"Haotian..."

Rou'er looked up at him, eyes fluttering shut as she leaned in for a kiss.

But Ning Haotian suddenly gripped her chin, wiping away the white residue on her lips with a darkened expression.

"Whore. What have you been doing with this mouth?"

"I—"

Before she could answer, his iron grip snapped her neck.

Rou'er’s eyes bulged, her body collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

Dark bruises bloomed around her throat.

Ning Haotian stared at her corpse with disgust. "Disgusting."

He clapped his hands.

In an instant, a flood of armed warriors, who had been waiting outside, rushed into the chamber.

Seeing Ning Haotian unharmed, they sighed in relief.

Joy lit up every face—the Young Sect Master had succeeded!

"The treacherous witch Zhang Rou'er plotted for months, poisoning my father. I have executed her myself!"

Ning Haotian’s voice trembled with emotion, his eyes red. "Father... your vengeance is served. May you rest in peace!"

"May the Sect Master rest in peace!"

The warriors of the Demon Sect wept, their grief palpable.

---

"That Lin Chen is truly despicable."

"Right? The elders of Jade Mountain Sect were furious, swearing to sacrifice him to the heavens!"

"But the Azure Phoenix Pavilion isn’t to be trifled with now. Lin Chen single-handedly slaughtered Batu and over a dozen warriors—clearly, he’s at the peak of the Void Realm."

"Lin Chen’s nothing. Have you heard about the man who crashed the wedding in Rong City? Tsk tsk, his skills are terrifying!"

"Sounds like a myth to me. Three Void Realm peak experts, four late-stage Void Realm warriors—none could touch him. He even shattered the Heavenly Profound Sword Formation..."

A light drizzle pattered outside.

Inside the tavern, a group of wandering martial artists drank and gossiped.

Among them, two figures stood out.

One was a young man in his twenties, a black greatsword resting beside him. His messy curls and airy bangs gave him an odd mix of foolishness and arrogance.

This was none other than Ning Er of the Demon Sect!

The other was a boy no older than fifteen or sixteen, with short white hair and a dirty white robe. His delicate features were striking—but most eye-catching were the two tiny horns on his head.

Ning Er tore into a pork knuckle with gusto. "Brother Tu, eat up! There’s plenty!"

"Thanks, Brother Ning! You’re a true friend. I, Tu Langlang, swear brotherhood with you!"

The white-haired boy slurped down noodles with even more ferocity than Ning Er.

The other patrons stared at them in bewilderment.

These two were bottomless pits—in the blink of an eye, a tower of empty plates had piled up on their table.

"More wine!"

Ning Er bellowed.

The waiter didn’t dare hesitate, scurrying over with two jugs.

"Brother, bottoms up!"

"Bottoms up!"

They tipped the jugs back, gulping down the liquor in loud, messy swallows.

With a crash, they smashed the empty jugs on the floor, faces flushed with drunkenness.

Suddenly, Ning Er’s expression turned solemn. "Brother Tu, fate brought us together. Let’s swear an oath of brotherhood."

"I was just thinking the same!"

Tu Langlang wiped greasy hands on his pants and declared, "Big brother!"

"Little brother!"

"Big brother!"

"Little brother!"

"Big bro!"

"Second bro!"

Finally, they burst into uproarious laughter.

The onlookers watched them as if they were a pair of idiots.

"Shut up!"

From a corner of the tavern, Bai Xiu—who had been sprawled across a table—groggily opened his eyes at the noise.

The waiter, who had been waiting impatiently, brightened. "Sir, you’re awake! About the bill—"

Bai Xiu frowned, then closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

"Sir...?"

The waiter’s patience wore thin.

Yesterday, over four hundred people had stormed the tavern, feasted like kings, then fled without paying.

This man had been left behind, sleeping like the dead for two whole days.

Was he ever going to wake up?

"Little brother, you don’t seem like a commoner. How’d you end up wandering the streets?"

Ning Er studied Tu Langlang, who was still devouring food.

Tu Langlang belched, finally too full to continue. Wiping his mouth, he sighed. "My sister has all the money. We got separated."

Ning Er nodded sympathetically. "No wonder! But don’t worry—I’m Ning Er of the Demon Sect! The Sect Master is my father! Stick with me, and you’ll live like a king!"

The moment those words left his mouth, the entire tavern fell silent.

Every pair of eyes locked onto Ning Er, burning with intensity.

Tu Langlang gasped. "Brother, you’re even more impressive than I thought!"

Ning Er laughed heartily. "Ah, it’s nothing!"

The tavern remained eerily quiet. The patrons exchanged glances, hands slowly reaching for their weapons.

Tu Langlang frowned. "Big brother... don’t these people seem a little... off?"

Ning Er turned, scowling. "What the hell are you all staring at?!"

Just then, the waiter sprinted outside, pulling a flare from his robes. He yanked the cord—a streak of black smoke shot into the rainy sky.

With manic excitement, he shouted, "I found the idiot Ning Er!"

Ning Er: "..."