Chapter 23: Senior Brother Fire Saint

"What did you say?" Chen Jin stared at Luo Qing, his gaze terrifying. "Say it again!"

Luo Qing knew Chen Jin well and could guess his state of mind. She said solemnly, "I said... Senior Sister Jiulian has chosen a Dao companion. She chose someone else, not you."

Chen Jin's face turned pale, and his body swayed.

"Pitiful..." Luo Qing muttered to herself. Despite their years of friendship, she couldn't bear to keep Chen Jin in the dark. But she knew how devastating this news would be for him. "He pursued Senior Sister Jiulian for so many years without success, yet Junior Brother Ji Ning never chased her, and she was drawn to him."

Chen Jin shook his head. "Impossible. Jiulian is the future leader of the Dongyan clan. Her standards are incredibly high. Even with so many geniuses at the Black-White College, none caught her eye. How could she suddenly choose a Dao companion without a word?"

"His name is Ji Ning," Luo Qing said directly. "He's our junior brother, with the Dao title Beiming."

"Junior Brother Beiming?" Chen Jin was startled.

The Beiming True Man, Ji Ning, was quite famous in the Black-White College. During the debate hall battle when he first entered, it took the reincarnated immortal 'Yu Wei', the Fire Rainbow Immortal, to suppress this wild junior brother. But Chen Jin had been away on a Yinglong Guard mission at the time and hadn't seen Ji Ning.

Still, he knew...

To be so formidable upon entry, and to be accepted as the senior disciple of Immortal Diancai, this Ji Ning was among the most talented disciples of the Black-White College.

"Him?" Chen Jin couldn't help asking. "How is that possible? How long have they known each other? Jiulian, as the future leader of the Dongyan clan, is very cautious and thorough in her considerations. Even in choosing a Dao companion, she would be extremely careful. It's precisely this nature that made the immortals of the Dongyan clan accept her as the next leader. With such a personality, she wouldn't choose a Dao companion so quickly!"

Luo Qing nodded. "You know Senior Sister Jiulian well. Choosing a Dao companion affects one's entire life. She indeed wouldn't decide so quickly. But let me tell you... Senior Sister Jiulian has already stayed for a year at Ji Ning's secluded place, 'Yan Mountain, Serpentwing Lake'."

"Stayed a year at Ji Ning's place?" Chen Jin's expression changed.

No man could bear to have the woman he loved stay a year at another man's dwelling.

Even for cultivators, it was the same.

In fact, cultivators with pure Dao hearts could be even more obsessive than mortals.

"So what if she stayed a year?" Chen Jin suppressed his inner anger and said.

"I went with Senior Sister Jiulian at first. After three months, I left," Luo Qing said. "I'm a woman, and I could sense Senior Sister Jiulian's feelings. After just three months... she even showed shy and embarrassed expressions in front of me. Now a year has passed. I can't guess what's happening between Senior Sister Jiulian and Junior Brother Ji Ning!"

Chen Jin's face turned ashen.

He was stunned.

A wave of dizziness hit him, his mind in chaos.

Shy and embarrassed? Three months?

Now a year had passed?

What would happen? What could happen? Had they already...

"Impossible!" Chen Jin roared softly, then transformed into a streak of light and flew into the distance.

Watching Chen Jin break through the air, Luo Qing shook her head. "He lost his composure like that. The blow must be severe. I really didn't want to tell you, but telling you now gives you a chance to compete. If I told you a few years later, you might have no hope at all."

In terms of friendship, she, Jiulian, and Senior Brother 'Chen Jin' of Flowing Clouds had come to Anchan City together, so their bond was deep.

Between Ji Ning and Chen Jin...

She leaned more toward Chen Jin!

...

Chen Jin flew aimlessly in the air, his mind in utter chaos. "No, no, I can't go on like this... I must go to Ji Ning's secluded place, that place called Yan Mountain, Serpentwing Lake. Right now! Immediately! Go now!"

Anxiety, worry, and unease filled his chest.

"Flowing Clouds, come in." A voice suddenly sounded, carrying a Zen quality that instantly suppressed Chen Jin's agitation.

"Uncle Fire?" Chen Jin was startled, looking at the crimson-glowing mansion atop the peak ahead. It was the residence of 'Senior Brother Fire Saint', the leader among the third-generation disciples of the Black-White College.

"I was so troubled that I unconsciously came to Uncle Fire's place. It seems that deep down, I still consider this the place where I feel most at ease in the entire Black-White College." Chen Jin flew over and entered the mansion.

In a hall of the mansion.

A bald, handsome youth in a fiery red robe sat cross-legged, barefoot. He gave the impression of a flawless crystal, pure and clean, and he seemed like a flame, raising the temperature around him.

"Uncle Fire." Chen Jin entered.

Although Senior Brother Fire Saint was also a third-generation disciple, he was over a hundred years older than Chen Jin. When Chen Jin was still a child, Fire Saint was already a standout among the third-generation disciples. Because Fire Saint had a good relationship with Chen Jin's clan, the Chen clan, Chen Jin had called him 'Uncle Fire' since childhood.

Even after entering the Black-White College, he still addressed Fire Saint that way.

"I saw your aura was unstable, and your eyes were chaotic and wild. If this continues, your Dao heart will be damaged," Fire Saint said, shaking his head. "What exactly happened to you?"

"Uncle Fire, I, I..." Chen Jin found it hard to speak.

Fire Saint smiled calmly.

In terms of Dao heart and insights into the Dao, many Soul Refining cultivators couldn't match him. In terms of strength, some Soul Refining cultivators would even lose to him. Fire Saint was also preparing to break through to the Soul Refining stage in the next few years. Among the third-generation disciples of the Black-White College, only the Ragged True Man truly surpassed him. It wasn't that Fire Saint wasn't strong enough, but the Ragged True Man was truly monstrous.

Even the reincarnated immortals at the Wanxiang stage acknowledged the Ragged True Man's superiority.

The Ragged True Man was widely recognized as the number one among third-generation disciples.

But a monster like the Ragged True Man appeared only once in countless years and had the potential to become a Celestial Immortal. Fire Saint, who could defeat Soul Refining cultivators while at the Wanxiang stage, would have been the top third-generation disciple in any other era.

"Speak." Fire Saint's voice had a calming power.

Chen Jin nodded. "It's about Jiulian. Uncle Fire, you know that Jiulian and I grew up together. My father and her parents are old friends..." Calming down, Chen Jin recounted everything, but when he reached the later part, he couldn't help getting anxious again. "But now she's been at that Yan Mountain Serpentwing Lake for a year! That's Ji Ning's place. I, I..."

"Don't panic," Fire Saint said calmly. "Panicking won't help, so why panic? Your Dao heart still needs tempering. Matters of love are just one type of tribulation. If you get too deeply entangled, you'll likely stumble badly when facing the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations."

Chen Jin was jolted awake.

"I know you can't wait. So I'll accompany you on a trip to see what methods Junior Brother Ji Ning used to captivate that girl Jiulian," Fire Saint said with a smile.

"Uncle Fire, you'll come with me?" Chen Jin showed surprise.

Chen Jin had long joined the Yinglong Guard and was extremely powerful among the third-generation disciples of the Black-White College, just a step below the most monstrous ones. The reincarnated immortal Yu Wei was slightly stronger than him, but he could barely rank in the top ten.

This referred to actual combat strength.

Thus, Chen Jin's talent was very high, which was one of the things he was always confident about.

"Let's go."

Soon, two figures stood on a fiery cloud—Fire Saint and Chen Jin—and quickly broke through the air, departing.

...

Serpentwing Lake.

Now it was spring, with warm weather. A wooden boat drifted on Serpentwing Lake. Ji Ning lay inside the boat, sleeping soundly. There was another person in the boat: Jiulian, sitting inside.

Jiulian sat there, quietly watching the sleeping Ji Ning.

A year had passed...

They had become extremely familiar with each other, even sensing a mutual joy in their hearts. But choosing a Dao companion—both Jiulian and Ji Ning hesitated. Matters of Dao companions were of great importance. Jiulian was the next leader of the Dongyan clan, and Ji Ning, who had inherited the Water Mansion, had his sights set beyond this major world, aiming to roam the Three Realms and become a great power.

Both had great ambitions and firm Dao hearts.

Thus, neither would easily choose a Dao companion.

Yet, drifting on Serpentwing Lake and allowing Jiulian to be on the boat showed some of Ji Ning's inner thoughts.

"Is this really like sleeping in one's parents' arms?" Jiulian thought to herself.

Because Ji Ning liked lying in a small boat drifting on Serpentwing Lake, Jiulian had once asked Qiuye: "Why does your master often lie in a small boat drifting on Serpentwing Lake for an entire day?"

"My master's parents' ashes were scattered in Serpentwing Lake. Serpentwing Lake is like my master's parents," Qiuye said.

For some reason...

Jiulian's heart ached at that time.

"What if one had no parents?" Jiulian thought of her own parents, who were still alive, and her elders were immensely powerful.

"Ji Ning..." Jiulian couldn't help reaching out, gently touching Ji Ning's face.

Ji Ning continued sleeping.

Jiulian gently smoothed his hair, watching him silently, feeling an extraordinary peace of mind.

...

In the sky.

A fiery cloud flew rapidly. Two figures stood on the cloud, looking down. They saw a small boat drifting on the vast Serpentwing Lake below. In the boat, Ji Ning lay with his head resting against Jiulian, who sat beside him, smoothing his hair.

"Jiulian!" Chen Jin, standing on the fiery cloud, instantly had reddened eyes.