Chapter Forty-Five: The Ten Thousand Great Mountains - Part Four

Meng Meng was nearly driven mad by Zhang Ning! She had braved untold dangers to reach this place, enduring hardships she’d rather not mention, all for the chance to sabotage Zhang Ning or, at the very least, teach him a lesson. Yet, against all expectations, Zhang Ning hadn’t offered a hand—hadn’t even touched her—so her opportunity slipped away entirely.

For the first time in her life, Meng Meng was witnessing a different kind of spectacle! How could someone so lacking in decorum be worthy of inheriting the legacy of a sacred land? The Myriad Phenomena Demon Lord, always hunting geese but finally pecked in the eye by one, had inexplicably taken Zhang Ning as his disciple! Not only did Zhang Ning refuse to rescue her, he even instructed the girl in how to jump from heights—a truly outrageous act! Scoundrel, lowlife, brute, little demon!

Meng Meng was so furious she nearly stomped her feet. If it weren’t for the fact that Zhang Ning was currently live-streaming, with countless viewers from the Azure Sky Realm watching, she might have revealed her identity, charging straight at him. Zhang Ning, meanwhile, regarded the lone, beautiful maiden standing there with utter calm, feeling not the slightest regret over missing a chance to take advantage.

The girl appeared gentle and innocent, yet carried a subtle aura of a mischievous witch—others might not notice, but Zhang Ning was highly attuned to such malice. Perhaps it was the years spent in the orphanage after losing his parents that had honed his instincts. The girl’s hostility was as conspicuous to Zhang Ning as a torch in the night. He wanted little to do with her and so devised this rotten scheme.

Seeing that Zhang Ning had no intention of rescuing her, the girl finally took matters into her own hands, painstakingly climbing down step by step, occasionally kicking at the molten rock to create footholds. This method was possible, though it relied heavily on luck; had she struck a brittle patch of lava, she would have met her end. As a result, Zhang Ning and the other viewers held their breath throughout her descent. Amazingly, she made it safely—truly a lucky goddess!

The lucky maiden bowed lightly before Zhang Ning and said, “Thank you for your assistance, sir. My name is Meng Meng, as in ‘life is but a dream.’”

Zhang Ning replied, “Very well, Miss Meng. My name is Zhang Ning—Zhang as in Zhang Ning, Ning as in Zhang Ning!”

Simultaneously, the barrage of comments exploded across the screen, with many viewers eagerly greeting the girl—a testament to the universal power of beauty. Even more expressed sympathy for her; not only did she climb down herself, she graciously offered thanks.

Meng Meng seemed embarrassed to ask for help, her cheeks tinged with red. “I am lost in this perilous place, sir. May I accompany you to safety?”

Zhang Ning’s lips curled into a slight smile. “I don’t mind guiding you for a while, but I won’t wait for you for too long… especially if you need to retrieve belongings.” As he spoke, he pointed to the cliff, and Meng Meng followed his gesture, nearly crying out in shock. There, hanging from a protruding rock, was her hairpin—a keepsake from her grandmother!

For a moment, Meng Meng was tempted to use her magical artifact to fly up and retrieve it, but she quickly realized this would expose her identity. Yet climbing back for it would waste precious time—what if Zhang Ning refused to wait? She couldn’t let him get off so easily! Was she truly going to leave it behind?

Tears welled in Meng Meng’s eyes. The keepsake was of utmost importance to her, but coming from a prestigious family, she had long heard tales of sacrificing everything for one’s goals. Unconsciously, she was about to forsake her grandmother’s keepsake for a purpose that wouldn’t even harm her adversary.

Zhang Ning had intended merely to test this little trickster and deliberately refrained from reminding her when she left the hairpin behind. Yet seeing her so aggrieved, nearly in tears, he felt a pang of sympathy—after all, she was just a girl.

He kept his compassion hidden and instead rolled his eyes dismissively. “Didn’t you ever fly a kite as a child?”

Meng Meng replied instinctively, “I did.”

“And when your kite got stuck in a tree, what did you do?”

Before Meng Meng could process his meaning, Zhang Ning picked up a stone, didn’t even aim, and threw it upward with force. The protruding lava rock shattered on impact, sending the hairpin tumbling down, now covered in soot.

The comments erupted in praise, suggesting Zhang Ning could achieve great things in the Tang Fortress with his skill in hidden weapons. Zhang Ning basked in the admiration, his spirits soaring, while Meng Meng was so angry she nearly drew her blade!

Meng Meng fumed silently: Zhang Ning, how dare you treat my grandmother’s keepsake so carelessly! Just wait, I won’t let you off easily—or else I’ll take your surname!

Two hours later

“So, Young Master Zhang, you’re streaming not for fame, but simply to chat with people?” Meng Meng asked curiously, trailing behind Zhang Ning.

“Yes, you could say that,” Zhang Ning replied, turning with a solemn expression.

Meng Meng ground her teeth in frustration: Hah, who would believe that?

Yet, having pretended ignorance of Zhang Ning’s identity and feigned unfamiliarity with live streaming, she could only nod with an innocent look, prompting a flurry of affectionate comments.

Zhang Ning glanced back, growing even more wary.

Earlier, after bringing the girl—who called herself Meng Meng—to a relatively safe clearing, he had considered calling Su Ye to escort her home. But Meng Meng claimed her family trial was incomplete and dared not return, insisting on traveling with him through the Ten-Thousand Mountains. Zhang Ning hesitated briefly, then nonchalantly agreed, warning her that if danger arose, he wouldn’t prioritize her safety and she must protect herself.

Meng Meng expressed complete understanding and gratitude. Throughout their journey, she never complained or showed fatigue, causing Zhang Ning to reassess her somewhat, though her subtle probing questions still prevented him from fully trusting her.

Even so, her skills were not particularly advanced, and Zhang Ning decided to keep her close for observation, since he had little experience fighting or risking his life against low-level warriors. Besides, traveling with a scheming beauty made for entertaining company.

Meng Meng, unaware she had been chosen as both sparring partner and amusement, believed her charm had won Zhang Ning over, even enduring the distaste to act coy several times.

Zhang Ning showed no particular reaction, but the enthusiasm of his viewers and the rising attention score from the system left him helpless before the gossip-loving nature of these otherworldly folk—he could only accept the points as they came.