Top-tier Unruly Master

Chapter 2201: Chapter 2236: She Probably Likes You

Herr Rufeng’s eyes bugged out like two big bells. She seemed to hardly dare recognize the Ding Fan before her. She even circled around him twice, as if she were looking at some rare spiritual beast.

Ding Fan, however, had no idea what was going on. He looked at Herr Rufeng in complete puzzlement. He had no idea that Herr Ningshuang was actually the second-ranked player of Tianmu Sea, so even though he’d beaten her, he didn’t feel it was anything remarkable. In his heart he felt that Herr Ningshuang’s game wasn’t anything special at all—she was actually weaker than he was.

In Ding Fan’s mind, before he met Xia Mengqing he didn’t even know how to play. His skill at the game had been taught to him by Xia Mengqing before the battle at Wu Family Fortress began, so he had always thought his own play was terrible. At the very least, he had never once defeated Xia Mengqing. So to him, his skill was lousy, which meant Herr Ningshuang’s skill couldn’t be all that impressive either; in that case, what was there to be so shocked about when he beat her?

Seeing how Ding Fan clearly didn’t understand, Herr Rufeng explained to him, "Ding Fan, you really don’t know, do you? My sister is publicly acknowledged as the second-ranked player in Tianmu Sea. In Tianmu Sea, she’s only ever lost to one person, and that’s our Herr Family’s clan patriarch and Old Ancestor. Grandpa Wan Zhan and my auntie are both among my sister’s defeated opponents. But now look, the publicly acknowledged number-two player in Tianmu Sea just lost to you. If you can beat our Old Ancestor someday, then you’ll be the number one in Tianmu Sea."

"Is that so?"

Ding Fan still didn’t feel there was anything noteworthy about it. He was just thinking to himself that the people of Tianmu Sea really were weak at this game. With his level, she could be ranked second? Then the one ranked first probably wouldn’t be much better.

Herr Ningshuang didn’t care about such hollow fame. Instead, she asked Ding Fan curiously, "Ding Fan, your game is pretty good. Who’s your teacher?"

Ding Fan was very straightforward. He said to Herr Ningshuang, "A friend of mine taught me. But I’m not very good. I always lose to her. I’ve always felt that she’s the amazing one at this game—I’ve never beaten her even once."

"Uh!"

Herr Ningshuang and Herr Rufeng’s expressions both changed. From Ding Fan’s tone, he didn’t sound like he was bragging. In that case, how astounding must that friend’s skill be? By his description, even if Master Daozhen himself came in person, he probably wouldn’t be her match. Just think: Master Daozhen was an Old Demon who had been playing for nearly a thousand years. Some of his insights into Martial Arts had even come from the game. In Herr Ningshuang’s estimation, his skill at this game should be invincible in the Northern Wastelands.

Herr Ningshuang said excitedly to Ding Fan, "Ding Fan, where is that friend of yours? If she’s really as powerful as you say, I’ll immediately send people to bring her here. The clan patriarch and Old Ancestor might take her as a disciple and pass all his peerless arts down to her!"

Hearing Herr Ningshuang’s words, Ding Fan’s face darkened and grew very desolate. He said quietly, "You won’t be able to find her. She’s already left the Northern Wastelands. She was forcibly taken to Tongzhou."

The Herr sisters exchanged a glance; both of them thought of the same thing. They had both read Ding Fan’s file and knew he once had a girlfriend, and that woman possessed the Phoenix Rebirth constitution. She had been taken away by the Silver Condor Goddess of Jade Goshawk Palace, who had even killed quite a few Martial Artists from the Zhong Family’s subordinate families.

"I’m sorry, Ding Fan."

Herr Ningshuang apologized to Ding Fan. Ding Fan waved his hand, but his eyes had already turned toward the direction of Jade Goshawk Palace. Light flashed in his gaze, and his expression grew incomparably resolute. He said softly, "It’s nothing. I will personally go and bring her back. If the people of Jade Goshawk Palace dare to block me, I’ll overturn Jade Goshawk Palace itself. Whoever dares stand in my way, I’ll kill them."

Watching the light flicker in Ding Fan’s eyes and listening to his fervent words, Herr Ningshuang actually felt a trace of envy toward Xia Mengqing.

She lifted her head and followed Ding Fan’s gaze into the distance, murmuring softly, "Ding Fan, she must be an extraordinary woman, right? Is she beautiful?"

"Yes. In my heart, she’s the most perfect woman there is. Her looks are in no way inferior to yours. Her temperament is wonderful. I’ve never seen her lose her temper. Even when the enemy was at the gates, she kept smiling. She’s incredibly intelligent, with a million soldiers and stratagems in her breast. She’s the most beautiful and the wisest woman I’ve ever met. I owe her too much. Once I find her again, I’ll never let her suffer even the slightest grievance. If anyone dares to show her the least disrespect, I’ll fight them to the death."

"Uh!"

The two Herr sisters were stunned. In both their minds appeared the image of a stunningly beautiful woman, as if she were standing ahead of them, smiling at them. They were the proud daughters of Tianmu Sea, always looking down from on high, but at this moment, just from Ding Fan’s description, they felt they were in no way comparable to the peerless beauty in his mouth.

"What kind of remarkable woman must she be?"

Herr Ningshuang sighed inwardly, then looked at Ding Fan, only to see that he was so moved that the veins stood out on his forehead, tears glimmered in his eyes, and his fists were clenched tight, as if he were using all his strength. Seeing him like this, her heart shook violently.

People say heroes do not weep—only because they’ve never been touched to the core of their feelings.

Ding Fan had what he had today because he had fought his way up step by step from the very bottom. A man like him would never cry easily. He was not like those pampered young masters who sigh and moan without cause. Yet such a man was now shedding tears for a woman. That alone proved how great a place Xia Mengqing held in his heart. A man of such true feeling would truly be willing to give up everything for Xia Mengqing.

Once again, a wave of envy toward Xia Mengqing rose in Herr Ningshuang’s heart. With a man like Ding Fan, even though she was far away in Tongzhou, she would probably feel very comforted. Only a woman like that could be worthy of a man like Ding Fan.

Herr Ningshuang fell silent, and Ding Fan also said nothing. Herr Rufeng had been infected by the two of them; she too lowered her head at the side and kept quiet.

"Whoosh~~"

A quarter of an hour later, from the distance something came rushing toward them at great speed. The three of them snapped back to themselves at once. By now Ding Fan’s expression had basically returned to normal. He glanced at the Herr sisters somewhat embarrassedly, but didn’t say anything more.

In the distance, someone approached; it was Wu Qingxia. She came to stand before the three of them, first cupping her fists to salute Ding Fan, then turned to Herr Ningshuang and Herr Rufeng and said, "You two, Steward He is here, and he also brought Madam Yan’s message, saying... have you two girls caused enough trouble yet, when are you coming back?"

The Herr sisters both showed a wry smile on their faces; what was bound to come would come. If they still didn’t go back, Madam Yan would probably really get angry. Herr Ningshuang pondered for a moment, then said to Ding Fan, "Ding Fan, thank you for these past few days. We should be leaving!"

"Alright, I’ll see you two ladies off!"

Ding Fan’s crisp answer made Herr Ningshuang feel a bit uncomfortable. Her gaze swept over Ding Fan’s face as she wondered to herself, is this Ding Fan made of wood? They were about to leave, yet he didn’t show the slightest intention of asking them to stay. Does he not want to see the two sisters anymore? Or is their charm not enough to move his heart?

The more she thought about it, the more upset she felt. She stood up, called Herr Rufeng, and followed Wu Qingxia to Skull Fort. After meeting Steward He and greeting him, she directly led the two of them toward the dock, not saying a single word to Ding Fan along the way.

Ding Fan tried to make small talk a few times; Herr Ningshuang simply did not respond, which made Ding Fan scratch his head in secret. He had no idea how he had offended this Miss Herr; hadn’t everything been fine just now? How had her attitude flipped in the blink of an eye? Women, their thoughts really are hard to guess.

They reached the dock. Herr Ningshuang had Herr Rufeng take out the Chariot, then she and Steward He boarded together with Rufeng.

After waving farewell to Wu Qingxia, the Second Elder, and the others, Herr Ningshuang finally spoke to Ding Fan: "Ding Fan, I don’t think the Zhong Family will just let this go. If you don’t have anything pressing, why not go live and cultivate in Daozhen City? That’s our Herr Family’s territory; the Zhong Family wouldn’t dare act recklessly there."

Ding Fan cupped his fists to Herr Ningshuang and nodded. "Alright, I’ll think about that. Miss Ningshuang, Miss Rufeng, have a safe journey!"

Herr Ningshuang was inwardly furious. So that was their parting? Ding Fan didn’t show even a shred of reluctance to see them go, and actually wished the two of them a safe journey. Just how much did he want the sisters to leave quickly?

She tossed her head, a trace of coldness appearing on her face, said nothing more, and drove the Chariot soaring into the sky. It was obvious her mood was bad.

Watching the Chariot fly toward the horizon, Ding Fan scratched his head in confusion and muttered to himself, "What’s with her? Usually she didn’t seem like she had that kind of temper! She really can change just like that."

Along the way, Wu Qingxia had seen all of Herr Ningshuang’s reactions. Now she said to Ding Fan, "Island Master, you didn’t notice? Miss Ningshuang... she probably has taken a liking to you!"

"You’ve got to be joking. How could she possibly fancy me?"

Ding Fan shot Wu Qingxia a look, thinking she was joking with him. Who was Herr Ningshuang? A young lady of the Herr Family, at the Divine Realm Third Level mid-stage Realm, possessing a Seventh Grade Samurai warrior heritage, the blazing sun girl of Tianmu Sea—would she fancy a small fry like him?

He’d heard before that the two Herr sisters were to marry a Divine Realm Ninth Level Peak expert. He, Ding Fan, was only at the Divine Realm Second Level Peak. Even if he cultivated his way to the Divine Realm Ninth Level, by then they would all be old; by that time, those two sisters might already be mothers.

Herr Ningshuang could fancy him?

Ding Fan didn’t even dare let his thoughts drift in that direction. Shaking his head, he led Mu Gaosou toward Jingshan Castle. As for the Zhong Family threat Herr Ningshuang had mentioned, he didn’t take it to heart at all. The Zhong Family had just suffered a huge loss at his hands; if Zhong Zhiyong wanted to destroy his own clan, then he was welcome to come.

After returning to Jingshan Castle, Ding Fan sent people to summon the Second Elder and the others. He ordered them to dig two graves and bury Xia Ling and the members of the Skeleton Sect and Wu Family who had been killed by the Park Family. The two Herr sisters had been here before, so he hadn’t been able to do this. Now that they were gone, of course he had to see it done immediately.

The dead must be given their due. Once Xia Ling and the others had all been buried and the yellow earth heaped over their graves, Ding Fan dropped to his knees, kneeling on the ground, and swore to the heavens that he and the Zhong Family would not rest until one side perished, that one day he would annihilate the Zhong Family and avenge Xia Ling and the others.

Wu Qingxia and the Second Elder and the others of the Skeleton Sect and Wu Family were overjoyed to hear this. With Ding Fan holding such a firm resolve, their vengeance also had hope. Back then, it was precisely because of the Liew Family, a subordinate clan of the Zhong Family, that the Skeleton Sect and the Wu Family had been wiped out and forced to flee into Tianmu Sea.

...

After Xu Jianqiang returned to Moon Mist Island, he didn’t make any move to retaliate. Ding Fan actually didn’t care about him at all. Xu Guotao wasn’t an idiot; there was no way he’d dare come looking for trouble with Ding Fan. Ding Fan was still considered an honored guest of the Daozhen Family.

Ding Fan went to the Underground Palace in the mountains of Baisheng Island to cultivate. He gulped down the Medicine Pills given by the Ye Family as if they were free, and at this rate, he would advance in less than two months.

When he went to the Zhong Family Fortress, he was already at the Divine Realm Second Level Peak. Now he cultivated incessantly, all for the sake of advancing to the Divine Realm Third Level as soon as possible.

The whole Skull Island grew busy. Wu Qingxia and the Second Elder and the others could all sense it: the Skeleton Sect could do without anyone else, but it absolutely could not do without Ding Fan. If Ding Fan ever left, Skull Island would surely be wiped out to the last man; the surrounding major powers would never let them off.

This was not a good thing for them. Back then, hadn’t they pinned all their hopes on Wu Tongtian, only for the Skeleton Sect and the Wu Family to be annihilated? To avoid walking that same old path, the Second Elder and the others decided to cultivate a large number of powerhouses. With experts of their own, even if Ding Fan left one day, the Skeleton Sect would still be able to continue developing.