Chapter 141: Revenge Brooks No Delay

At this moment, Zhu Jie had completely forgotten that his boss, Yu Ming, had given orders that directly contradicted everything he was currently doing.

Yu Ming had instructed him to recruit as many capable supernatural beings as possible, rather than depleting their numbers. If Zhu Jie used his overbearing mental-type supernatural power the way he just did, a slight lack of control could easily turn his target into an absolute idiot.

Yet, Zhu Jie had long since forgotten that he was the one who initiated the attack, and instead found himself furious with Zhang Ning. Murderous intent raged across his face. Immediately afterward, he connected mentally with every single supernatural being he knew. However, just as he finished listening to their respectful or concerned replies, and before he could elaborate on the unforgivable crimes of that newly emerged supernatural being, all those connected to his consciousness heard his own desperate howl and terrified words: "You—how did you get over here?"

Trembling, Zhu Jie stared at Zhang Ning, who was suspended mid-air. Like a demon, Zhang Ning had appeared without warning inside his heavily concealed residence, rendering all his defensive installations utterly useless.

The child, who looked to be only about eight years old with an innocent face, wore a trace of helplessness as he said, "Why are you so surprised? You're the one who started it! That little trick of yours would most likely turn a normal person into an idiot... What, you do something like that, and you're not going to let anyone fight back?"

Zhang Ning meant every word sincerely, but to Zhu Jie's ears at that moment, it sounded entirely like a cold, life-disregarding child making excuses for his own assault!

Excuses!

Zhang Ning had no idea what was going through Zhu Jie's head. He waved his hand, and the plants inside the villa instantly betrayed their master, growing dozens of times their original size as they surged toward Zhu Jie!

Yet Zhu Jie could not even mount an effective counterattack. That was right—Zhu Jie rarely ever actually fought anyone. Now that his mental powers were useless against Zhang Ning, his performance was inferior even to that of a well-trained ordinary person!

How could his mental powers possibly be useless? His psychic abilities had always been infallible! Didn't those ant-like commoners simply collapse onto their knees in agony the moment he lifted a finger, utterly incapable of resistance? Why had everything reversed today?

Panicked, Zhu Jie had no choice but to resort once again to his only means of attack: mental power. Yet before this abruptly appeared newcomer, all those psychic waves vanished like clay oxen entering the sea, laughably powerless.

***

Returning home, Zhang Ning shrugged at his Master to signal that the matter was taken care of. He had handled it quite easily. Upon hearing earlier that if Master's light cluster had made contact with him, it could very well have impaired his intelligence, Zhang Ning had felt a chill run down his spine. What had he done to brush shoulders with the gates of hell yet again?

This was Zhang Ning's first time crossing paths with the supernatural beings of this world, only to encounter someone who viewed everyone else as valueless paramecia. Zhang Ning had immediately gone to dig up the man's records.

Sure enough, not only was Zhu Jie unfriendly toward fellow supernatural beings, but he treated ordinary people like mere grass and flowers—picking them to play with when he felt like it, and trampling them ruthlessly when he grew bored. Zhang Ning knew these files might carry a hint of leading bias, but he possessed his own judgment. The objective facts contained within them had reached a level Zhang Ning could no longer tolerate, and he immediately resolved to crush this guy once he grew stronger. He simply hadn't expected that his Master could make it happen right now.

During the next half-hour, Zhang Ning witnessed what it truly meant when Master made a move, leaving no room for doubt. He watched as Chu Hanyue lightly summoned purple flames to begin refining a magical artifact—using a technique Zhang Ning couldn't understand in the least. The "Tears of the Elves," which Zhang Ning had overused and brought to the brink of shattering, was restored to its pristine condition in moments. Not only that, but it was completely sublimated into an offensive spiritual weapon.

Wielding this lethal instrument, Zhang Ning prepared himself and immediately tore open the fabric of space using the dagger Uncle Xing had given him.

What followed next was textbook-level revenge served without delay, executing a hit straight through the digital network. Zhu Jie hadn't even been able to put up a fight, collapsing into Zhang Ning's hands just like the ordinary people he looked down upon the most.

Zhang Ning did not yet know what kind of standing or position this Zhu Jie held among the supernatural community, nor what kind of impact his actions would cause. He had simply taken the first step toward changing this world, exactly as he had planned beforehand.

Back in the villa, seeing his Master nod in affirmation, Zhang Ning had barely managed to let out a sigh of relief when Chu Hanyue, after making sure Zhang Ning had no hidden injuries, asked, "How did it feel to use the Dao of Space?"

Hearing his Master's question, Zhang Ning instantly drew a sharp breath.

He had been wondering just moments ago: as the epitome of a Master who never let his children out of his sight, how could he have suddenly been so relaxed about letting Zhang Ning go teach that fellow a lesson by himself? Although Master had protected him from afar with divine sense, it was still deeply suspicious.

So it turned out Master had still been plotting to let Zhang Ning experience a different kind of power, hoping to alter his mind about cultivating the Dao of Time. But that decision was truly the result of Zhang Ning's careful deliberation.

He already had a preliminary goal and plan. After that night in the farm courtyard, Zhang Ning had made up his mind—nothing could stop him! Cultivating the Dao of Time seemed to Zhang Ning the fastest path. He knew his own limitations; he was not one of those truly astonishing, heaven-defying talents. If he waited to悟 (comprehend) other Great Paths on his own, who knew how many years would pass? How could he ever hope to accomplish his goal?

His senior brothers could certainly afford to calmly select the Great Path most suited to them under Master's protection, spending decades or even centuries doing so. But for Zhang Ning, that consumed far too much time, and the ultimate path he found might not even suit him as well as the Dao of Time. Secondly, he didn't truly hold a deep obsession with becoming a supreme martial artist or reaching the peak of his own martial potential. Although he had arrived in an otherworldly realm where one could cultivate martial arts, and forging one's path through self-cultivation sounded exhilarating, Zhang Ning hadn't been raised absorbing those values since childhood, so he lacked any grand obsession with it.

Didn't his Eldest Senior Brother indulge in infrastructure-building for so many years, only to end up merely as a Martial Emperor? Yet everything his Eldest Brother did left achievements that benefited the present and merits that lasted for eternity.

On top of that, Zhang Ning was still counting on being able to help or even protect his Master and senior brothers in the future, as well as everyone he cared about. Given that the System—seemingly boundless in its magical capabilities—likely involved a massive conspiracy, Zhang Ning could neither afford not to use it, nor did he want to drag those around him into it. Therefore, he begged their forgiveness for not being able to tell the whole truth.

Since that was the case, Zhang Ning decided to cut through the mess with a sharp knife and state his decision to his Master, sparing Master the trouble of trying to subtly change his mind through various means. Bracing himself, Zhang Ning said, "Master, I know the Dao of Space is also wonderful, but I have still decided to cultivate the Dao of Time. After all..."

Zhang Ning clenched his fists. "That was the rule used by the very first man I saw when I came to the Azure Realm. He gave me food, clothing, a place to stay, taught me, and protected me. I... look up to him with reverence. I want to walk the path he once walked. If one day I can catch a glimpse of his back, or even stand by his side, I will have no other desires."

Zhang Ning cleverly bypassed the rational reasons behind his choice of the Dao of Time, highlighting only the emotional factors, so it wasn't strictly a lie.