Chapter 4: One day, I will repay you a thousand and hundred times!

  The stalemate lasted only for a moment.

  In the end, considering many things, we must prioritize the bigger picture. The seven elders looked at Ning Chong and then at Ning Xingbi, sighed, and said: "Alright, I'll take charge, you all take a step back. In half a year's time, during the outer door disciple competition of our family, Ning Chong must participate; if he can enter the top five, this matter will be dropped; if not, then Ning Chong agrees to give up on the engagement. What do you think?"

  As soon as they heard this, Ning Xing and the others burst out laughing. Ning Chong was just a martial arts waste, let alone half a year, even if he were given ten years, he wouldn't amount to anything.

  So in the family competition half a year later, Ning Chong didn't even have a chance! The Seventh Elder's suggestion was just giving Ning Chong a little false hope.

  Ning Xingbi immediately said: "The seven elders are fair and strict, as the clan leader I naturally cannot make things too difficult for the younger generation, let's give him a chance, I agree!"

  The seven elders nodded with a serious expression and turned their heads to look at Ning Chong: "Ning Chong, what about you?"

  Ning Chong's face was stubborn, seemingly disagreeing, not giving in an inch. Qi Chang Lao sighed and said: "Ning Chong, you should understand your current situation, a rigid steel will easily break, a good steel knows how to bend..."

  Although Ning Chong was still silent, he clearly knew that as a useless martial arts practitioner, he wasn't worth the effort of the Seventh Elder and Ning Xingbi fighting over him. The fact that the Seventh Elder stood up for him and spoke on his behalf was already an act of great kindness.

  Now, the seven elders can only try their best, if he doesn't agree, Ning Xing will absolutely not let him leave this gate today.

  For a moment, Ning Chong only felt the anger and humiliation in his heart surge again, like a furnace burning fiercely in his chest, scorching his heart, painful to his very soul.

  Why did Ning Xingbi dare to frame and threaten himself so openly? Why was it that only one of the seven elders came out to help him? All this... was because he was a useless person, without any power.

  He fiercely dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands, and fresh blood flowed out. The pain and humiliation in his heart did not decrease by half a point. Ning Chong hated it extremely, but he was clearer than ever that there were only two choices - disagree, and immediately turn to ashes; agree, and still have half a year to fight desperately...

  "You may have won this time, old dog! I remember all the past grievances and today's humiliation! One day, I will return them to you a thousandfold!"

  He clenched his teeth and secretly vowed in his heart, finally choosing to temporarily bow his head and nod: "Alright, I agree!"

  The seven elders nodded, and then let everyone present be witnesses. After that, Ning Xingbi wore a victorious smile, swept a glance at Ning Chong and the seven elders, and led the crowd to leave the law enforcement hall first.

  "Thanks a lot, Seventh Elder, for lending a hand this time!"

  Out of the law enforcement hall, Ning Chong first thanked the seven elders.

  The old man sighed and shook his head, saying: "Alas... child, to be honest, I also hope you choose to give up on the engagement with Ning Tianxiang. Don't persist in this anymore... You should understand that you two are no longer people of the same world, and the distance between you is only growing further apart. Stubbornly insisting will only bring you suffering..."

  The seven elders' words were tactful, but Ning Chong would not fail to understand the meaning behind them. This was clearly a reminder to Ning Chong that he was a waste of space, while Ning Tianxiang was a genius; a waste and a genius would ultimately be people from two different worlds, and it was impossible for them to be together.

  Ning Chong's heart was firm, without any intention of retreating. He calmly said: "Thank you for the words of Qi Changlao, I am clear in my own mind. I bid farewell!"

  After bowing respectfully, Ning Chong turned around and walked away with big strides. His figure and back remained straight and unyielding, his footsteps firm.

  Watching Ning Chong's departing figure, the Seventh Elder shook his head and sighed again, muttering to himself: "This child's temper is really too stubborn... exactly like his father... I truly don't know if it's good fortune or bad..."

  ……

  Ning Chong walked all the way back to his residence, "Rain Bamboo Courtyard". As soon as he arrived at the entrance, he saw the old housekeeper, Qi Bo, looking anxious and searching around.

  Seeing Ning Chong return, Qi Bo was overjoyed and walked forward with his old steps: "Ah, young master, you're back! Where did you go last night? You worried everyone to death. If you didn't come back, we were going to look for you!"

  Seeing the old man's haggard face, a pair of eyes with faint red threads, obviously staying up all night, Ning Chong felt moved and guilty at the same time.

  Since the parents passed away, I myself became a useless person, and the family declined, no longer prosperous. The hundreds of servants in the Rain Bamboo Courtyard either left or scattered, leaving only a few extremely loyal old servants like Qi Bo behind.

  Especially Qi Bo. This old man has never been married until he is old, dedicating his whole life to himself and his family members. Even when his own family declined and became useless, the old man still accompanied him till now, taking good care of him with all his heart.

  In every aspect, this old man is just like his own grandfather.

  Ning Chong was moved in his heart, and he went forward to support Qi Bo, smiling: "Qi Bo, I'm fine, don't worry. You must not have slept last night, go and get a good rest, otherwise you'll exhaust yourself, it won't be good."

  "Hey, don't worry, young master hasn't had breakfast yet. I'll go prepare it for him first, then he can take a nap later. Haha, don't worry about me, old people sleep less, I'm not that tired."

  The old man insisted on preparing breakfast for Ning Chong before going to rest. Ning Chong was increasingly moved in his heart, and at the same time, he blamed himself more and more for making the old man worry, secretly deciding that from now on, he would not do such foolish things as getting drunk again.

  Only half a year away from the Family Outer Gate Disciple Grand Competition, time was pressing, and Ning Chong naturally didn't want to waste any more time. After hastily eating breakfast, he returned to the Heartbreak Cliff in the back mountain.

  Heartbreak Cliff is steep and the wind on the cliff is very strong, but it's usually quiet and deserted. Ning Chong has been playing with Xiang Er in Heartbreak Cliff and the nearby woods since childhood, and he's already familiar with this place.

  Since practicing martial arts, Ning Chong has chosen Heartbreak Cliff as his training ground. For over a decade, although the trees are sparse, it's unknown how much sweat he has shed on this cliff.

  Arriving at Heartbreak Cliff, Ning chose a small grove on the edge of the cliff with strong winds but safety. He was ready to start practicing martial arts. The purpose of doing so was to take advantage of the strong gusts of wind that came from time to time to enhance the stability of his movements and body during practice, in order to strengthen the effectiveness of his training.

  Ning Chong is preparing to start practicing, still the most basic things in martial arts, all of which come from a popular book "Martial Arts Enlightenment".

  "Wudang Primer" provides a detailed explanation of the basics and common sense of martial arts, including basic horse-riding steps, body methods, fist methods, sword methods, archery methods, knife methods and other fundamental martial arts content.

  These most basic things, Ning Chong had been practicing for over a decade without changing. It wasn't that he didn't want to advance further and learn higher-level martial arts, but because his martial arts progress was simply too slow, he hadn't even qualified to touch more advanced things, so he could only practice these basics.

  His legs parted, firmly planted on the ground, Ning Chong first formed a basic "horse stance". He clenched his fists, ready to throw a punch. Just then, he suddenly furrowed his brow, sensing an extremely eerie and terrible feeling...