Chapter 70: The Ruthless Ning Liheng

The sky was overcast, as though it would rain again. Near the gates of Jiangning, city guards were rigorously inspecting everyone coming and going. Vegetable vendors entering the city were scrutinized with extreme care, and leaving the city was even harder. Though it had been more than ten days since Song Xian's assassination, the atmosphere near the city gates remained grim and tense.

A squad of soldiers approached in the distance, prompting her to slip into a nearby alley.

"...It's been nearly half a month. Things are slightly better now. A few days ago, they wouldn't even let a cockroach leave the city without inspecting it thoroughly. They caught three notorious bandits, so I suppose it could be considered an indirect service to the public... This won't last much longer. Jiangning is a major city, after all. If it continues, people will start complaining—it's already affecting business in the shops. What does a court official's life have to do with the common people? That Song Xian had a bad reputation to begin with... But even so, I still think running out like this is too risky. How's your injury?"

Inside the room, Ning Yi chattered away while working on an experiment. Lu Hongti stood not far from the workbench, watching him mix some solutions and light an alcohol lamp. She didn't respond to his inquiry about her injuries.

"What are you doing, exactly?"

As Ning Yi poured the solution into a cup and dropped a rusty iron rod into it, producing hissing fumes, she finally asked.

"Some chemical reactions. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing..."

"Chemical reactions?"

"Yes. We assume the world is made up of countless tiny atoms. Atoms are like..." He paused, gesturing at the table. "Let's say we magnify this table, over and over, until you can see the smallest individual particles that make it up. Those particles are atoms. There are different kinds of atoms, and they combine to form everything in the world. Depending on whether they attract or repel each other, chemical reactions occur."

"..."

"What?"

Ning Yi shrugged at her skeptical expression. She smiled faintly and said, "I don't believe you. How would you magnify it?"

"Well, there's a principle behind it. Let me show you something basic." Ning Yi reached for a small box on a nearby shelf, taking out an irregularly shaped piece of glass and handing her a booklet.

"This is a fragment of a glass lamp, sold in the market. It's hard to find one with an ideal convex shape, but it works for viewing. Look, do the characters appear larger?"

Glass, referred to as "liuli" in the market, was already available at the time, albeit different from the sodium-calcium glass in the West. Its transparency was quite high. Ning Yi wasn't planning to delve into this field just yet—otherwise, he might've tried to create a telescope. For now, he simply showed off a bit. Lu Hongti squinted and said, "Water droplets can also magnify, but I've never seen anything that magnifies more."

"If you understand the principle, you can magnify further. Investigating things is about discovering the principles behind them—gewu."

"But why have you scholars been investigating things for so long without finding anything that magnifies better than water droplets or ice crystals?"

"Uh..."

Ning Yi was momentarily speechless, and she chuckled. "So, what you're doing with these chemical reactions—is it some sort of alchemy to turn stones into gold?"

"When we truly understand it, anything is possible. Some chemical reactions are unstable. When triggered, they generate intense heat and expansion, leading to... a bang. Like the gunpowder over there on the shelf. If we could increase its power five or tenfold, what do you think we could do with it? Oh, and..." Ning Yi said, pulling the rusty iron rod from the cup and rinsing it with water. "See, the rust is gone."

"You boiled it and then washed it off with water," she replied flatly. Ning Yi rolled his eyes, and she chuckled.

"You're using trickery. I may not understand it, but I don't believe you."

"If you truly understood, I wouldn't bother explaining..." Ning Yi shook his head and sighed. "By the way, all martial arts experts have a flashy nickname. What's yours?"

"Lu Hongti."

"Just your name? That's boring. You need something cooler; otherwise, people will laugh at you. Look at Fang La, the rebel leader—he calls himself the 'Holy Duke.' It's so imposing that people flock to him as soon as he rebels. I think we should prepare for this. How about we call you 'Iron Fist Invincible Lu Hongti'... No, that doesn't fit. Since you're fast, maybe 'Northern Legs Through the Forest.' But these days, everyone's about patriotism and justice. How about 'Iron Sword of the Rivers and Mountains, Lu Hongti'? Is that too flashy? Or would you prefer something more low-key? Hey, come on, let's brainstorm..."

"Ridiculous."

Lu Hongti turned coldly, retreating to the inner room and closing the door behind her. Leaning on her sword, she stifled a laugh. After holding the smile back for a moment, she finally asked, "Why weren't you the least bit discouraged when I told you that you couldn't practice martial arts?"

"You didn't say I couldn't practice martial arts." Ning Yi appeared to be mixing another solution. "You said I couldn't learn your inner strength."

"Oh? You're that confident you'll find a way to learn inner strength?"

"I've looked into it a bit. Inner strength is essentially a breathing technique. While some extreme methods require starting from a young age, there must be techniques developed for adults too. Even if they're less effective than yours, there should be something usable. That much, I think I'm not wrong about."

After a long silence, she finally said, "So you truly want to learn? Do you think I'd teach you?"

"I don't know. How about this: you teach me martial arts, and in return, name a wish. If it's reasonable, I'll do my best to fulfill it."

"A merchant's bargain?"

"No, I'm not trying to take advantage of you. Let's just call it an equivalent exchange."

"Skills passed down through my sect, though perhaps not extraordinary, are not something I can casually trade with others. You saved my life, and I should repay you. If you have any tasks to entrust to me, feel free. But I will not teach you martial arts. I cannot see why a scholar like you would want to learn them. You're not going to the battlefield, nor do you plan to risk your life in combat. You're merely... curious, learning for amusement."

Her voice quickened as she continued, "You scholars speak of conquering thousands single-handedly and of saving the world with grand rhetoric. Yet among the countless scholars in this world, I see no sign of the salvation you preach. You have talent, yet you squander it on these trivial pursuits. Why not use your abilities to bring peace and prosperity to the people? To establish a foundation for the people and create enduring peace for the world... If it's an exchange you want, then if you can indeed bring peace to the world, I will trade anything with you. What do you say?"

Confucianism had dominated this world for over a millennium, and the Wu Dynasty particularly revered scholarship. Though this woman might not have read much, she had heard many such doctrines and understood their essence. Her words were likely not directed at Ning Yi specifically, and Ning Yi merely smiled. "Creating enduring peace for the world? That's too grand and vague a proposition. Your wish isn't exactly practical."

"Heh, then how about peace for one lifetime?"

"Even then, are you speaking of peace for the Wu Dynasty, the entire world, or just for the common people?"

"What if it's peace for the common people?"

"Not worth it. Spending so much time and effort—my whole life, even—I wouldn't achieve the level of a top martial artist. And with so many tasks to handle, I wouldn't have time to practice, so I'd probably struggle to even reach the level of a second-rate fighter..."

"Ha, what arrogance. You scholars are all the same—full of big talk," Lu Hongti said with a chuckle, likely assuming Ning Yi was joking. "The paths of literature and martial arts are different. I know many scholars with genuine skills, but their skills are of a different nature. You don't need to learn martial arts. You won't go to the battlefield, you won't fight for your life, and you lack the ruthlessness to kill. You might even hesitate to slaughter a chicken. Learning martial arts would only distract you and delay your original pursuits... I don't see any reason to teach you."

"Aw, just think it over," Ning Yi shrugged. "Besides, I can handle slaughtering a chicken."

There was still time, so Ning Yi was in no rush. Afterward, he shifted the conversation to something else, continuing with tales of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Lu Hongti, although slightly annoyed, couldn't entirely resist listening. She dreaded the thought of having to hear the same story again when the little maid came by tomorrow, but for now, she couldn't help indulging.

The next morning, footsteps echoed from the doorway, accompanied by the clucking of a hen. That rascal knocked on the door, calling out, "Come out, come out. I've got something to show you." When Lu Hongti emerged, she saw him holding a small bundle in one hand and clutching a live hen in the other. Pointing toward the stove, he said, "Could you heat some water? Thanks." It was clear he was preparing to demonstrate his "ruthlessness" in slaughtering a chicken. Lu Hongti couldn't help but laugh, exasperated. There was an air about this young man that made even his odd, unconventional, and rule-breaking actions seem entirely natural.

She went to start the fire and heat the water. As the wind chime outside tinkled softly, Ning Yi deftly slaughtered the hen, plucked its feathers, and cleaned it out. Then, he unwrapped the bundle, revealing an array of spices. After seasoning the chicken, he prepared to skewer it on an iron spit.

"I've received reliable news. In two days, the guards at the city gate will be withdrawn. The prefecture is at its limit. However, once the obvious defenses are gone, the covert ones will likely become even tighter. I don't know how your injuries are healing, but for now, it's been impossible to bring you anything good to eat. So, today, I'm treating you. When you wander the martial world in the future, you can't say that Ning Liheng the Blood-Handed Butcher didn't take care of you... Uh, though it's best if you don't mention me at all."

"Is that a self-given title?"

"What do you think? Doesn't it just reek of murderous intent?"

"Terrible."

"This chicken begs to differ. The title fits perfectly."

Ning Yi ignored her disdain and got to work preparing the chicken with spices, including cumin, then adjusted the stove. Lu Hongti remarked, "My injuries are about fifty percent healed. If I tried to leave now, it would still be risky. Once I'm fully recovered, though, I won't need to use the city gates. It'll be no trouble for me."

Ning Yi paused for a moment. "So... I still have some time to pry a martial arts manual out of you?"

"You're so infuriating..."

"Hehe." Ning Yi chuckled, not pressing further. Instead, he focused on grilling the chicken over the charcoal fire. The recipe was one developed by the chefs at Zhuji, and soon, the air was filled with a tantalizing aroma. Thunder rumbled outside, signaling an impending downpour. Ning Yi turned his head.

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask. Why did you kill Song Xian?"

Lu Hongti's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze like a cat bristling with its fur on end as she stared at Ning Yi...