Outside Dongling City.

In the vast snowfield.

Jiang Ning heard Xia Xuanyan’s words.

He instantly understood Xia Xuanyan’s true intentions.

He came this time not to make Jiang Ning join the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven, but for the inheritance of his talent and potential.

The higher a martial artist rises, the higher their life level becomes. Although having descendants becomes increasingly difficult, each descendant tends to be more outstanding.

With a remarkable paternal talent, coupled with the inheritance of bloodline and bone structure, even if the offspring cannot surpass the paternal talent and potential, they often possess a certain flair.

Receiving better teaching and richer resources might even allow the offspring to surpass the father.

He knew he had reached the realm of nine blood transfusions, the domain of Martial Arts Mythology.

His life and bloodline were said to transcend ordinary, entering sainthood.

His descendants would undoubtedly inherit part of his physique, bone structure, and bloodline.

And Xia Xuanyan’s interest was precisely in this.

Wanting him to seek survival, to peacefully nurture his descendants.

The thought flashed in his mind, firming his resolve.

Moreover, the information Xia Xuanyan revealed just now made his heart feel more at ease.

Because he still had plenty of time.

Now, taking one more step forward, he would reach the Perfection of the Great Grandmaster.

Then seeking to balance Essence, Qi, and Spirit perfectly, he could step into the First Grade Mixed Element Realm.

From here on, either through advancing the Martial Arts Realm or breaking through cultivation techniques, he could continue to increase his strength.

With his foundation constantly increasing, he believed he could someday achieve an immortal body, unfettered spirit, True Spirit unification, infinitely growing, infinitely reaching higher, and then touching that domain.

With the goal ahead, how could he choose this dead-end, to stay under others?

"Master Xia, I refuse!" Jiang Ning shook his head.

"I was right; a person like you wouldn’t bow easily," Xia Xuanyan said.

Jiang Ning smiled.

"So be it!" Xia Xuanyan said with a carefree expression and continued, "The offer I make today will always be valid! When you think it over, you can come find me! As for how to find me, I believe the Dongling Marquis will have a way!"

As he finished speaking.

Xia Xuanyan took a step forward, and his entire figure began to collapse and shrink, turning into a single point, then instantly disappearing before Jiang Ning.

At this moment, Jiang Ning’s gaze narrowed as he watched this scene.

Space manipulation abilities!

The thought crossed his mind, and his expression tightened.

Just from this, he could tell Xia Xuanyan’s power was unfathomable.

He also saw that the Xia Xuanyan who visited today was not the original body, but some sort of avatar created through other means.

In his eyes, it was akin to the Martial Saint Spirit Body technique.

Then, he turned and walked towards the carriage.

...

"Young Master!" Seeing Jiang Ning open the curtain, Lv Yi immediately spoke.

Jiang Ning nodded and waved his hand, causing several large bottles of Feeding Spirit Pills to appear on the table.

These pills were purchased by Lv Yi before departure for the horses.

Feeding Spirit Pills are refined using monster blood and flesh as the main ingredients.

One Feeding Spirit Pill is enough to keep a fine horse full of energy for a day.

Long-term use of these pills offers many benefits to beasts.

Before leaving Dongling City, he made various preparations, and Feeding Spirit Pills were one such item.

While traveling outside, with the cold freezing the land, the horses couldn’t find food supplies, so he conveniently bought some Feeding Spirit Pills for the horses.

Though these Feeding Spirit Pills are expensive, at one tael of gold per pill, with a bottle containing ten pills.

But now, for him, this price is nothing.

Because he had just taken nearly twenty thousand taels of gold from Wang Qintan.

Earlier, he counted and found it to be eighteen thousand forty-three taels of gold.

Both in precise and rounded amounts.

He calculated particularly carefully, and remembered particularly clearly.

With eighteen thousand forty-three taels of gold, six bottles of Feeding Spirit Pills, totaling sixty taels of gold, were barely a rounding error.

"Young Master, what’s this?" Lv Yi looked at Jiang Ning, puzzled.

"Take these Feeding Spirit Pills with you, feed each horse one pill each day! You two shouldn’t delay on the road, hurry to the Royal Capital Shangjing City," Jiang Ning said.

"What about you, Young Master?" Lv Yi understood the implication in Jiang Ning’s words and asked.

"I’ll return to the Royal Capital alone! I need to go to the Royal Capital to buy some items to assist my cultivation!" Jiang Ning said.

"Alright, you go then, Young Master! Zhong Ling and I can take care of each other!" Lv Yi nodded.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning slightly nodded.

He then looked toward Zhong Ling: "Do you have enough food stored in your space?"

"Plenty, Marquis!" Zhong Ling nodded repeatedly. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Enough charcoal?" Jiang Ning asked again.

"Enough, Marquis!" Zhong Ling nodded again.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning assuredly nodded.

Then he said, "Since it’s so, I’ll head out first! You two be careful on the road, if you encounter danger, remember to declare my identity."

As he said this, a flash of light appeared in Jiang Ning’s hand, and the Marquis seal and the Nine States Patrol Envoy Token appeared in his hand.

"You two take these, and officials at each prefecture will cooperate with you as if I were present myself!"

"Thank you, Young Master!"

"Thank you, Marquis!"

Lv Yi and Zhong Ling immediately thanked him.

"Since it’s so, I shall leave first now!" Jiang Ning spoke.

As he finished speaking, he added another sentence: "When you reach the Royal Capital, remember to come to the National Master Mansion!"

Leaving this final word, his figure had already disappeared from the two’s sight.

The heavy curtain sufficient to block the wind and snow fell heavily at this moment.

Meanwhile.