The Dynasty of Cultivating Immortality

C18 – The Mayor Came to Visit

He had never encountered any of these weapons before, so he was unsure which one would suit him best.

Ni Huibo tested each weapon, gauging their heft before swinging them through the air. Ultimately, he found the light and sharp long sword to be the most fitting for his style.

Armed with the right sword, he set out to find a martial skill that matched his needs. He intended to dedicate the next two months to mastering it, aiming to give his all in the Ni family competition. If he couldn’t secure first place within his own family, how could he hope to avenge his father’s enemies?

Descending to the ground floor, Ni Huibo’s presence transformed the once tranquil pavilion into a hub of activity. The people there, familiar with his clash with Ni Situo, were taken aback to see him enter the Martial Hall and began to murmur among themselves. Even those who didn’t recognize Ni Huibo joined in, their voices growing louder by the minute.

“This is a place of practice, not for noise. Should you continue to disturb the peace, I will challenge you myself,” declared the third elder of the Ni family. At around fifty years of age, he held a book and surveyed the crowd with a stern gaze.

The chatter ceased instantly, and the pavilion returned to its former silence.

Ni Huibo nodded in thanks to the third elder, who responded with a warm smile.

Surveying the pavilion’s layout, Ni Huibo noted the various martial skills organized on the shelves. Ignoring the other volumes, he headed straight for the section on swords.

The array of books was overwhelming. The sheer number of sword techniques was a testament to the Ni family’s rich legacy.

Which one should he study? As Ni Huibo’s eyes scanned the shelves, a book tucked between them caught his eye. He picked it up and thumbed through it, his brow furrowing. The book posited that the more thoroughly one forgets the moves, the more potent the swordplay becomes.

But if he forgot all the techniques, how would he face his adversaries in combat?

Shaking his head, he was about to return the book when a sudden impulse seized him, and he swiftly drew his hand back.

This book!

Having decided, Ni Huibo immediately sat down cross-legged and delved into comprehending the book.

Engrossed in his reading, Ni Huibo was unaware that the Ni family was currently in turmoil due to someone’s arrival.

“The mayor is here?”

Ni Xianjian looked at the guard and repeated, “Are you certain?”

The guard quickly responded, “The mayor himself sent me to report.”

Ni Xianjian gestured for the guard to leave, then swiftly straightened his attire and went to the Ni family’s gate to greet the mayor.

He was quite puzzled at the moment.

Why would the mayor make an unexpected visit to the Ni family?

Could it be related to the stolen treasure Ni Situo mentioned, or perhaps due to the calligraphy Ni Huibo had written?

He would understand once he met the mayor.

Ni Xianjian hastened his pace and soon spotted a sprightly elder with a smile on his face, who said, “I hope you’re well.”

Having met the mayor a few times before, Ni Xianjian promptly bowed and greeted, “Hello!”

The elder chuckled and gestured dismissively, “No need for such formalities.”

Ni Xianjian quickly invited him in, “Mayor, please, come inside!” He also glanced behind the mayor, noting two individuals following him. One appeared to be in his sixties, showing signs of age, and was the deputy governor from the City Hall. The other, a man in his twenties, was Ni Situo’s colleague—Ji Fanwei.

Once in the main hall, Ni Xianjian ensured the mayor was comfortably seated before taking tea from a maid and placing it on the tea table next to the mayor. He said, “If there’s anything you need, you could have just sent for me. There was no need for you to come in person.”

The mayor stroked his beard and offered Ni Xianjian a smile, “Please, take a seat and relax. I’m not here on any pressing matters. I simply admired Ni Huibo’s calligraphy when I saw it a month ago and wished to discuss our thoughts on the art today.”

Taken aback, Ni Xianjian turned to summon Ni Huibo but caught sight of Ni Situo and immediately instructed, “Ni Situo, go fetch Ni Huibo and bring him to the hall at once.”

He turned to the maidservant standing nearby and instructed, “Go fetch the ink, paper, and inkstone from my room.”

Ni Situo was taken aback when he heard that the mayor had personally visited the Ni mansion. He saw it as an opportunity to make an impression on the mayor. But he was stunned by the mayor’s words. How could Ni Huibo possibly be a friend of the mayor?

Ni Situo was determined to unmask Ni Huibo!

Ni Xianjian wasn’t the only one shocked; Ji Fanwei was equally astonished upon hearing the news. Those whom the mayor referred to as friends were all formidable individuals.

It simply couldn’t be true!

Ni Situo searched Ni Huibo’s courtyard but found no trace of him. He wondered if Ni Huibo had fled upon hearing the news. As he was about to report back to the main hall, he overheard a conversation nearby.

“Is Ni Huibo really at the Martial Hall? The patriarch forbade him from going there.”

“I was at the Martial Hall this morning looking for a sword skill book when I saw Ni Huibo searching for one too. I was so startled I nearly dropped the book I was holding. After speaking with the Martial Hall guards, I learned that the patriarch has now permitted him to pursue cultivation.”

Upon hearing this, Ni Situo immediately interrupted the two and grabbed the informant. “Are you certain you saw him at the Martial Hall?”

The man quickly confirmed, “Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Ni Huibo was still selecting martial skills when I left.”

Without another word, Ni Situo sprinted towards the Martial Hall.

The informant glanced at the red, swollen marks on his hand and spat in the direction Ni Situo had run off, grumbling, “Does he think he can bully people just because of who he is?”

​The other person hastily covered his companion’s mouth, cautioning, “Don’t speak carelessly. Everyone in the Ni family is aware of Ni Situo’s temperament. He believes he’s the most gifted in the clan. Now that his brother, whom he deemed worthless, can compete with him, can you imagine how he must be feeling?”

“You’re right. He’s infuriated me!”

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