Chapter Twenty Nine: Chance of Winning
The wolf pack dragged the cart forward in the wind and snow.
The wolf pack the Wuzhi queen dowager gave them had been raised with the secret method of the Wuzhi royalty. They were stronger than ordinary plain wolves, and were extremely intelligent, knowing where their destination was.
After a long time, Ding Ning’s breathing grew thicker. Not because of violent changes in his emotions, but because of true relaxation. From the start of hiding in Changling to now, being together with Zhangsun Qianxue in this empty place, he finally relaxed for a moment. When one relaxed after many years of nervousness and control, the relaxation of the mind brought along unimaginable tiredness. His breathing grew rougher, and he gradually fell asleep leaning on Zhangsun Qianxue.
The curtain was still open, but the wind and snow were not able to come close. The thick snow falling from the sky came near the cart and fell to the two sides in fear. The sword inside Zhangsun Qianxue’s body was the emperor of the wind and snow, the coldest thing in the world. With a thought, she could crush the wind and snow. Yet the coldness of such a sword had been warmed by a person with blood and flesh for many years.
After a long time, Ding Ning woke up.
He had never thought that he would sleep like this. He stilled. This was likely the warmest time he had experienced in many years. He did not bear to move.
During the time that he slept, Zhangsun Qianxue thought of many things. Her cold expression had warmed greatly, and the lines of her brow were more gentle.
By now, she had thought it through, and said calmly, “In the future, do not tell me any secrets regarding the Nine Death Silkworm.”
Ding Ning stilled slightly.
“The Nine Death Silkworm is most terrifying because no one knows its secrets. I do not want anyone to have a chance to learn its secrets from me.” Zhangsun Qianxue turned her head slightly, and looked at him from a close distance. Her gentle face was unspeakably stubborn. “I know that you do not have absolute confidence. Otherwise, you would not have been in such a hurry to get me to your side.”
“I was in such a hurry for you to see me because you are not like Lin Zhujiu and the others. They will listen to me, but you will not.” Ding Ning looked at her, and explained seriously. Then he nodded and said, “But you are right. I do not have absolute confidence in defeating Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu.”
“Since you now see her clearly, why do you still not have confidence?” Zhangsun Qianxue said with some disgust.
“She has grown very strong, and learned a lot, not just in cultivation.” Ding Ning looked at her, and said, “While she destroyed Ba Mountain Sword Field with her own hands, she learned many things from Ba Mountain Sword Field. For example, she will fight the Chu next. It will be chaotic and fast … She does not fear chaos, because she knows if she is fast enough, the people that can create chaos will not have the time to do many things.”
“So you are wary of Zheng Xiu more than Yuanwu.” Zhangsun Qianxue thought for a moment and said, “A person like her, if she reaches realm eight, will be more terrifying than Yuanwu.”
After a pause, Zhangsun Qianxue looked seriously at Ding Ning, her long eyelashes fluttering. She said, “Now, I am at your side. Paired cultivation will let you advance faster. You also have the Human Sovereign Jade Annulus… Honestly, will you reach realm eight faster, or will she?”
Ding Ning did not hesitate, and said, “Of course she will be faster.”
Zhangsun Qianxue suddenly became slightly angry. “She will be faster than me.”
“But as you said at the start, I now see her clearly.” Ding Ning looked at her. While his mood was slightly heavy, he could not help but laugh. He said, “I gave the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art to her hands.”
“Why did you do that? Just to get Shen Xuan’s help?” Zhangsun Qianxue could not understand. “Is a prison warden of the Great Floating Water Prison so important?”
Ding Ning said, “Shen Xuan is a special person, but of course he is not as important as the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art. But a person like Zheng Xiu will not be content like this. The strongest enemy in her eyes right now is not Ba Mountain Sword Field or the weak Nine Death Silkworm, but Yuanwu.”
Ding Ning paused, looked at her, and smiled. “Yuanwu is able to tolerate her now because he feels that she cannot pose a true threat to him. But with the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art in her hands, that day will come.”
“So overall, our chance of winning is greater.”
This conversation was close to their talks in the wine shop, so Ding Ning’s expression and tone grew more natural.
“Then where are we going now?” Zhangsun Qianxue’s feelings were slightly heavy, but when she heard his last words, she could not help but laugh as well. Her laugh was very reserved, elegant, and delicate. When she laughed, there likely was no princess in the world nobler than her.
“There are some enormous glaciers in the northwest of Donghu. The primal energies of the universe are thin, and cultivators have a hard time getting there. Previously, people from Spirit Void Sword Sect targeted An Baoshi. An Baoshi fled through the void realm. His corpse was discovered there. So the strongest sword in the legends of Spirit Void Sword Sect should be over there.” Ding Ning explained simply. Then he said, “I want to get that sword.”
Seeing Zhangsun Qianxue understand immediately, he added, “We can go see the monk who killed the Donghu Emperor along the way. With his help, and the fact your cultivation does not fear a place like that, it should not be a problem to get that sword.”
Hearing this, Zhangsun Qianxue felt satisfied for no reason. But she was too familiar with Ding Ning. What made her face heat up was she recalled that she and Ding Ning had lived together in Falling Parasol for many years. For ordinary people, they were not just husband and wife, but an old husband and wife.
“Since everything will go well, and we have a higher chance of winning, then why are you still so worried?” she felt he was worried, and asked.
“I got the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art before her, and the Chu Dynasty’s Human Sovereign Jade Annulus. I also have the help of your energy to help me cultivate. I am in the darkness, she is in the light. The ancestral mountain and the Lonely Mountain Sword Hoard are basically in my hands. Gu Huai is dead. Spirit Void Sword Sect is just half remaining. If I get the Great Punishment Sword and refine it into my lifebond sword, I will have an advantage in all aspects. But I am still worried.”
Ding Ning took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Up to now, she has not started to fight back… she is still going quietly on her original path. This does not appear to be like her method. If she has not yet started to fight back, then it means she still has something else. That is what I am most worried about.”
Ding Ning’s gaze fell to the snow in front of him. “She must have a pawn even more important than Gu Huai.”
Zhangsun Qianxue unconsciously helped Ding Ning think. But even when she got a headache, she could not think of a thing.
Translator Ramblings: Zhangsun Qianxue is very good at this acceptance and keep secret thing.
