Chapter 35: The Majesty of Snow Dragon Mountain

Ji Yichuan was both startled and overjoyed. The desperate shouts of the seven Zifu cultivators beside him meant nothing to him; his eyes were fixed only on the ground, on the corpses of Xu Li and Nong Zidao, and on Ji Ning standing beside them.

"How could this be? How... it's only been a moment." Ji Yichuan couldn't believe it. He had charged from a hundred zhang away—how brief a time was that? Xu Li, a Wanxiang Adept, was already dead.

A passage through the netherworld energy parted on its own.

From the distant mountainside, Ji Jiuhuo was rapidly approaching along this passage, his face full of joy. Ji Yichuan hadn't seen the slaughter that had just occurred, but the clan leader Ji Jiuhuo, through his faint sensing of the netherworld energy, had a vague impression—though not very clear—that Ji Ning had killed Xu Li with a single blow.

"In just a short half-hour, Ji Ning has undergone earth-shaking changes," Ji Jiuhuo thought, his heart bursting with delight. "This is truly a blessing for our Ji clan!"

"Granny Ying, Liu Xing, Liu Zhen, all of you come over. Xu Li of Snow Dragon Mountain is dead." Ji Jiuhuo sent a voice transmission as he hurried over.

At other locations.

Granny Ying and the others had been filled with panic, for they had heard Xu Li's shout: "Ji Ning, have you come to seek death?" This had filled them all with alarm. Hadn't Ji Ning left? Why had he returned? Or was Xu Li lying deliberately?

As they panicked, the clan leader's voice transmission arrived: "Xu Li of Snow Dragon Mountain is dead."

"Dead?"

"A Wanxiang Adept dead?"

Ji Liuzhen, Granny Ying, and the others were both overjoyed and utterly bewildered. How could a powerful Wanxiang Adept have died like this? They hurriedly made their way along the parted netherworld passage toward Ji Ning.

...

Soon.

Figures rapidly converged.

Ji Yichuan, Ji Jiuhuo, Granny Ying, Ji Liuzhen, the old servant Liu Xing, the white-robed white-haired man, and the Thunder Eagle.

"Uncle Bai." Ji Ning looked at the white-robed white-haired man before him, especially at his face, so similar to his father's, and exclaimed in surprise, "You've broken through?"

"I broke through with the help of the liquid elemental essence." Whitewater Hound nodded, his gaze full of affection as he looked at Ji Ning. "I never thought we would survive in the end. For so many years, I couldn't speak with you. I never imagined I could talk with you, Ning'er."

Ji Ning smiled.

"Where are Xu Li and Nong Zidao?" Ji Liuzhen looked around.

"Turned to ashes." Ji Yichuan also showed a rare smile.

Ji Ning had already burned them completely and collected their treasures. Pointing at the seven despairing Zifu cultivators, he said, "Clan leader, how should we deal with these seven? They are completely at our mercy, with no power to resist."

"These seven?" Clan leader Ji Jiuhuo glanced at them, then said, "Kill them all. Our Ji clan's enmity with Snow Dragon Mountain is already set; keeping them is useless."

"No!"

"Don't kill me! I'll trade treasures for my life!"

"You'll regret this! Your Ji clan will surely be annihilated under the wrath of Snow Dragon Mountain!"

"Go ahead and gloat. Your Ji clan will be wiped out within a day."

Some of the seven Zifu cultivators begged for mercy, others cursed.

Clan leader Ji Jiuhuo frowned, pointing at one middle-aged man and shouting, "What did you say? My Ji clan will be wiped out within a day?"

"Hahaha!" Lu Huang laughed arrogantly. "Do you know who you killed? You killed a Wanxiang Adept of Snow Dragon Mountain! A Wanxiang Adept is already considered a high-level member of our sect. Once they die, the sect will know immediately and will know the location of their death."

Ji Ning, Ji Jiuhuo, and the others all changed expression.

Indeed, there were many methods to determine location. For a large sect like Snow Dragon Mountain, it was normal to leave some means on each Wanxiang Adept.

"It doesn't matter if we Zifu cultivators die, but once Xu Li died, the sect will immediately send people here." Lu Huang looked at Ji Ning. "Ji Ning, you may be formidable, even monstrous. But before the entire Snow Dragon Mountain, you are doomed."

"Right! The death of an Adept is a major matter; the sect's elders will arrive within a day. You're dead for sure."

"You won't last until the envoy of the Grand Xia Dynasty arrives; our sect's elders will be here first."

The Zifu cultivators' arrogance visibly swelled.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, without any warning, a translucent shadow flashed, instantly piercing through the heads of the Zifu cultivators one by one. Blood splattered, and they all fell to the ground.

"So fast."

"No warning at all."

Ji Jiuhuo, Ji Liuzhen, and the others all changed expression. The technique Ji Ning had displayed had not the slightest ripple! After all, Ji Ning hadn't even infused his Yuan force into the Silent Extermination Demon Sword; he had controlled it purely with his divine will, so naturally there was no sign. The seven men, still in the midst of their desperate curses, had been slaughtered in a flash.

"Xu Li is dead." Ji Ning said solemnly, "The worst-case scenario is that Snow Dragon Mountain really does send a stronger one to investigate. We must prepare immediately."

"Wave after wave, with no end!" Ji Liuzhen gritted his teeth in anguish.

"Alas!" Clan leader Ji Jiuhuo also shook his head.

They had been overjoyed moments before, only to be doused with a bucket of cold water, their hearts chilled.

...

A million li away from Mount Yan, snow lay thick and the cold was perpetual. Mountain peaks stretched endlessly, some low, some towering into the clouds. This was the sect location of Snow Dragon Mountain, a powerful force within Anchan Commandery.

The Snow Dragon Mountain sect was divided into three factions, each led by a peak master who was a Soul-Nascent Daoist.

The three tallest and most majestic peaks were where the three Soul-Nascent Daoists resided. Surrounding them were many other peaks, territories of the numerous Wanxiang Adepts, and many Zifu cultivators followed the Wanxiang Adepts or even the Soul-Nascent Daoists, receiving instruction.

Within Snow Dragon Mountain, there was Cold Condensation Peak, upon which stood many palaces. In one main hall, a red-robed youth sat cross-legged on a jade bed.

Below, on either side, stood two maidservants, trembling and afraid to make a sound.

Cold Condensation Peak was among the foremost peaks in Snow Dragon Mountain. Its peak master, Xue Hongyi, was a true genius nurtured by the sect. He had entered the Xiantian stage at ten, the Zifu stage at sixteen, the Wanxiang stage at thirty-nine, and thirty years later, after undergoing many trials, he became a member of the Grand Xia Dynasty's Dragonwing Guard!

Within the Dragonwing Guard, he learned some even more powerful techniques, and his combat strength ranked among the top three of Snow Dragon Mountain's Wanxiang Adepts!

Even among Wanxiang Adepts, there was a vast difference in strength.

Xu Li and others were merely ordinary Wanxiang Adepts. But some exceptionally talented Wanxiang Adepts, having cultivated powerful spells, possessed formidable magic treasures, mastered mighty divine abilities, or controlled powerful puppets, could fight at a level nearly matching Soul-Nascent Daoists.

Among Zifu cultivators, there were brilliant ones and mediocre ones. Mediocre ones like Ji Jiuhuo, stronger ones like Dong Ziqi—both at the Zifu perfection stage, but Dong Ziqi could handle several Ji Jiuhuos. Even stronger ones like Tong Yu, thanks to his divine abilities, could single-handedly sweep through a group of Zifu cultivators.

And there were monstrous ones like Ji Ning, who killed Tong Yu as easily as slaughtering a chicken.

Among Wanxiang Adepts, strength also varied greatly. Xue Hongyi was one of the brilliant ones, with strength nearly matching a Soul-Nascent Daoist.

"Hongyi." A cold voice suddenly sounded in the red-robed youth's ear.

"Hmm?" The red-robed youth opened his eyes, showing a respectful expression. "Master."

"Your junior apprentice-brother Xu Li has just died, likely within Mount Yan territory." The cold voice continued, "Hongyi, make a trip to Mount Yan territory and investigate how your junior apprentice-brother Xu Li died. You are a Dragonwing Guard and can use the teleportation array to reach Mount Yan as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Master." The red-robed youth nodded.

He was an orphan taken in by his master, found lying in the snow as an infant, wrapped only in a red cotton jacket. Thus, his master had given him the surname 'Xue' and the given name 'Hongyi'. His bond with his master was like that of true father and son. However, both were taciturn and cold-natured.

"Whoosh."

A red cloud appeared beneath the red-robed youth, and in an instant, it whistled out of the main hall, vanishing at the horizon with astonishing speed.

...

Oxhorn Mountain.

The Ji clan members were discussing how to deal with the strong experts Snow Dragon Mountain would send.

"A large sect like Snow Dragon Mountain values its reputation above all. Our Ji clan, a small tribe, has killed so many of their disciples. They will not let this go." Ji Liuzhen said anxiously, "Now we can only hope that the envoy of the Grand Xia Dynasty arrives. Once the envoy arrives, under the protection of the Grand Xia Dynasty, Snow Dragon Mountain wouldn't dare to act even if they were bolder."

"But the strong experts from Snow Dragon Mountain can arrive within a day." Ji Jiuhuo frowned. "The Grand Xia Dynasty's envoy probably can't make it in time."

They all pondered.

"The only option is to flee." Granny Ying said hoarsely.

"Yes, flee." Ji Jiuhuo said, "We cannot resist head-on; we cannot let Ji Ning take such a risk. We flee now, escape far away, and make the Snow Dragon Mountain people spend more time investigating. If we can delay until the envoy arrives, we'll succeed."

"I'm afraid that if the Snow Dragon Mountain strong experts can't find us, they'll vent their anger on the ordinary clansmen." Ji Liuzhen said.

Ji Ning suddenly changed expression and turned to look into the distance.

"Hmm?" The others, seeing Ji Ning's expression change, also looked into the distance.

The surrounding netherworld energy was thin, so Ji Ning and the others could see far into the distance. Because Ji Ning's soul had reached the 'divine sense' level, it was extremely sensitive, and he sensed faint ripples in the distant high sky, which was why he looked.

In the distance...

A majestic, broad warboat was pressing through the air, flying forward with great momentum. On the warboat stood many armored warriors, their eyes gleaming with divine light and their bearing extraordinary. Surrounded by this group of warriors was a tall, thin young man dressed in black robes, wearing a tall crown, and with an impressive demeanor. Beside him, a man in armor flattered obsequiously.

On the warboat, two large banners fluttered in the wind.

One banner bore the characters 'Anchan'.

The other bore the characters 'Beishan'.

"Marquis Anchan of the Beishan clan." Ji Jiuhuo looked up at the massive warboat breaking through the air, at the banners on the boat, and murmured to himself.

"Marquis Anchan!" Ji Ning was also startled.

The vast land of Anchan Commandery was the fief of Marquis Anchan! The power of Marquis Anchan was thus unimaginable. Only the Dragonwing Guard could rival it, and especially in matters concerning the fief, even the Dragonwing Guard could not easily interfere with Marquis Anchan's administration.

"That's General Dong." Ji Liuzhen said. "The one standing next to that young man is General Dong."

The warboat broke through the air.

The fawning man 'General Dong' standing beside the black-robed young man shouted down, "Members of the Ji clan and Snow Dragon Mountain, come quickly to pay respects to the envoy of the Marquis Anchan's estate!"

His voice rolled like thunder, resounding through heaven and earth.

...