Chapter 32: Snowplume Daoist

"He didn't even leave a word?" Xu Fang and the other four Zifu cultivators from the Yanshan branch gnashed their teeth in anger. Just now, when they saw the characters on the beast hide, they could feel the sword intent rushing toward them, even making their legs go weak with fear. They understood that their cultivation level was too low to comprehend the profoundness of the sword intent contained in those characters.

If the high-level members of Snowdragon Mountain had seen the writing on this beast hide, they might have been able to infer Ji Ning's strength. But clearly, Ji Ning was very cautious and refused to give them the chance.

"I have delivered the young master's letter; I will not linger any longer." The Ji clan emissary turned directly and walked out openly.

Xu Fang and the others from the Yanshan branch could only watch helplessly as the emissary departed.

"What do we do?"

"Ji Ning of Serpentwing Lake has given us an ultimatum. What should we do?"

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear and unease. Seeing the characters on the beast hide, they knew... Ji Ning's strength had reached a level far beyond theirs; he could probably kill them with a single move. This vast gap in power put immense pressure on them.

"Regardless, Ji Ning of Serpentwing Lake can kill a Wanxiang Adept with ease. He's not someone we can deal with. We must report this to the sect."

"Yes, we must report to the sect."

"Third Brother, our Yanshan branch is too far from Snowdragon Mountain. In just ten days, we can't even make it back to Snowdragon Mountain, let alone report in detail."

Xu Fang and the other three looked at each other, their eyes filled with helplessness and bitterness.

Indeed.

Ji Ning had only given them ten days, but they were merely Zifu cultivators. They couldn't return to Snowdragon Mountain in ten days, so they couldn't let the Snowdragon Mountain sect know about Ji Ning's threatening letter.

"There's no other way. We can only use the message talismans." Xu Fang shook his head. "Although we can't let the sect know the details, we can at least make them understand the general situation."

"Yes, crush the message talismans."

"We have no choice but to crush them."

The four agreed.

The leader of the Yanshan branch of Snowdragon Mountain was Xuke the True Man. However, fearing Ji Ning, Xuke had fled back to the sect. Before leaving, he left three message talismans and instructed: "These three talismans are of different sizes. When you crush them, I will sense it. Crushing the smallest talisman means the Ji clan is about to attack! Crushing the middle talisman means Ji Ning is about to attack! Crushing the largest talisman means the Yanshan branch has been breached. Remember, only crush them in a true emergency."

The three talismans represented different levels of danger.

The Ji clan attacking?

That meant the situation wasn't too bad. After all, in terms of foundation, the Yanshan branch of Snowdragon Mountain wasn't really afraid of the Ji clan. But if Ji Ning attacked... that would be truly dire. No one in the Yanshan branch could withstand that monstrous existence, 'Ji Ning of Serpentwing Lake.'

Xu Fang flipped his hand, and three message talismans appeared in his palm.

They were of three different sizes.

"Ji Ning is about to make his move this time... we have no way out."

"We can only hope the sect sends high-level members to negotiate with Ji Ning."

They didn't really believe the sect would go to war with Ji Ning. After all, he was a disciple of the Black-White College, and behind him was an Immortal! Compared to the Black-White College, Snowdragon Mountain was far inferior. Although Snowdragon Mountain had good relations with the Anding Northmont clan, the Black-White College's sect was located within Anding City and had an extremely close relationship with the Anding Northmont clan.

To the Anding Northmont clan, the Black-White College was its right arm, while Snowdragon Mountain was merely a pawn and a lackey.

"Crack." Xu Fang crushed the second talisman, which was black.

...

Far away at Snowdragon Mountain, snow lay year-round, never melting for ten thousand years.

Among the various peaks of different heights, cultivators resided. On one very ordinary peak, the peak master was 'Xuke the True Man.'

Xuke the True Man had a fair, beardless face and appeared quite handsome.

He sat cross-legged on a jade bed, dressed in a white robe, eyes closed in meditation, relaxed and at ease.

Two attendants beside him waited, ready for any orders.

"Hmm?" Xuke's expression changed slightly. He flipped his hand, and a black message talisman appeared in his palm, now shattered.

The talismans came in pairs; when one broke, the other would break as well.

"This talisman is..." Xuke recalled briefly, then his expression changed. "It's the second talisman, meaning Ji Ning is about to attack the Yanshan branch!"

"Ji Ning, after lying low for nine years, he's finally making his move?" Xuke felt a pang of panic.

When the Xu clan had originally moved into the Yanshan territory, it was partly out of resentment—because Xu Li the True Man had died there—and partly to gain more territory for their clan. Little did they expect that shortly after they occupied it, news came that Ji Ning had joined the Black-White College. The Xu clan regretted it deeply, but they couldn't shake off the hot potato. Snowdragon Mountain's prestige absolutely forbade the Xu clan from retreating like that.

But as time passed, Ji Ning's fame grew ever greater!

Xuke the True Man was so frightened that he fled back to the sect, leaving only Xu Fang and the other three Zifu cultivators there. Even if all four Zifu cultivators died, it wouldn't be a great loss to the Xu clan.

"Ji Ning is finally making his move. What should we do now? Although our Xu clan has several Wanxiang Adepts, I'm afraid even if we join forces, we can't defeat this Ji Ning. He's a monstrous existence who can kill Dubo the True Man!" Xuke thought rapidly. "There's no other way. I have to go see my master."

Snowdragon Mountain had three Primal Daoists: Snowplume Daoist, Hanyang Daoist, and Blackdragon Daoist.

They occupied the three highest peaks, and Xuke the True Man's master was 'Snowplume Daoist.'

...

In elite-oriented sects like the Black-White College, second-generation Primal Daoists would be relatively polite when interacting with third-generation disciples and wouldn't put on airs. But in sects with a mixed bag of disciples, the stronger the cultivator, the greater the show.

As one of the three Primal Daoists of Snowdragon Mountain, Snowplume Daoist's ostentation was naturally astonishing.

"Xu Ke requests an audience."

"Xu Ke requests an audience."

First, the gatekeeper boy at the peak announced it, then one of the ninety-nine male and ninety-nine female Zifu cultivators relayed the message, and finally, a Wanxiang Adept serving as an attendant personally reported it.

"Master, Xu Ke requests an audience." A gray-robed man stood respectfully outside the meditation chamber and said.

"Granted." A calm voice came from within the chamber.

After layers of relayed messages, Xuke the True Man finally arrived at the door of the meditation chamber. Normally, only favored disciples were kept close by 'Snowplume Daoist.' Disciples like Xuke, who had no hope of breaking through to the Primal level, had long been sent away. They were only allowed to visit on important matters.

"Disciple pays respects to Master." Xuke the True Man knelt reverently outside the meditation chamber. Snow lay outside the chamber, and the white-robed Xuke kneeling in the pure white snow was quite a sight.

"Creak."

The door opened.

A handsome Daoist in a feathered robe walked out. His black hair hung loose, and his narrow eyes held a hint of a smile.

He was Snowplume Daoist, one of the three giants of Snowdragon Mountain!

Snowplume Daoist had a key common trait in accepting disciples: they had to be handsome. He himself was very fond of beauty, and his disciples were the same. Whether it was the kneeling Xuke or the gray-robed man beside him, both were exceptionally good-looking, with a pleasing aesthetic.

"What is it?" Snowplume Daoist said calmly.

"Reporting to Master." Xuke the True Man remained kneeling. "In the past, our Snowdragon Mountain's branch in Yanshan was nearly destroyed because of the Ji clan. At that time, I and some of my clansmen moved in and stabilized the branch's territory. But now, Ji Ning's power is overwhelming. The Ji clan, relying on Ji Ning's might, has no regard for Snowdragon Mountain. Today, I received news that Ji Ning is about to personally attack our Yanshan branch! Your disciple is truly at a loss, so I came to seek Master's guidance on how to deal with Ji Ning."

"Ji Ning?" Snowplume Daoist frowned slightly. "He's acting personally? How did you get the news? The distance from Yanshan to Snowdragon Mountain is quite far. I'm afraid the Yanshan branch has already been destroyed by now."

"That shouldn't be the case." Xuke the True Man said respectfully. "When I left Yanshan, I left three message talismans with my clansmen. Crushing different talismans conveys different messages! The talisman they crushed means Ji Ning is about to attack! As soon as they crushed it, I knew immediately, and I came straight to you, Master."

Snowplume Daoist nodded. "I've heard about the matter between the Yanshan branch and Ji Ning. This Ji Ning is far too arrogant. Snowdragon Mountain has been trying to avoid conflict, unwilling to make an enemy of him. Even when Xu Li and the others died back then... our Snowdragon Mountain just pretended it never happened. After all, strictly speaking, we were the ones who suffered losses."

"But he's still not satisfied? He wants to drive out our Yanshan branch?" Snowplume Daoist's eyes held a hint of murderous intent.

How could a Primal Daoist be a pushover?

"Hmph! No matter what, he's just a Wanxiang Adept. He has no right to bully Snowdragon Mountain like this!" Snowplume Daoist said coldly. "Come, let's go to Yanshan together."

Xuke the True Man and the gray-robed man were both shocked.

Master going personally?

They had originally speculated whether they would send an emissary to negotiate.

"Just a Wanxiang Adept." Snowplume Daoist said coldly. He was a cultivator who had trained for over a thousand years and had now reached Primal perfection! Although some extraordinary Wanxiang Adepts could fight Primal Daoists, Primal Daoists themselves were divided into 'early, middle, late, and perfection' stages.

How could he care about a Ji Ning?

"The Black-White College has a large number of Wanxiang Adepts. Their most talented disciples include several like Huo Sheng, and every few hundred years, a new batch of geniuses appears. But in the end, the Black-White College only has a few Immortals." Snowplume Daoist thought to himself. Becoming an Immortal was not easy. "Although Ji Ning is a genius, I'm afraid it will be hard for him to become an Immortal! Even if he does become an Immortal, we're both under the command of Marquis Anding. So what?"

"Let's go. Let's see just how talented and monstrous this Ji Ning is, daring to treat Snowdragon Mountain with such contempt." Snowplume Daoist said calmly.

"Yes." Xuke the True Man and the other man immediately bowed in acknowledgment.

Then, a large warship, carrying a group of subordinates, left Snowdragon Mountain in a grand procession.

...