Chapter 38: The Immortal Fate Assembly, Once Every Three Hundred Years

The gray-robed man was not particularly handsome, but he possessed a truly transcendent aura. In fact, as a reincarnated immortal, he had even mastered a complete 'Dao' early on, and generally much of his past-life memories would have awakened. Thus, his temperament was naturally influenced by his previous life, making him stand out conspicuously.

"Junior apprentice-brother Beiming," said Cangjiang the True Man with a smile to Ji Ning. "I've long heard of your fame, but I've been wandering outside and never had the chance to meet you. Just after returning, I heard that you repelled that Xueyu Daoist... truly remarkable, remarkable. Among the third-generation disciples of our Black-White College, in terms of cultivation speed, only Junior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei can compare to you."

"I cannot compare to Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning," Yu Wei quickly said.

"You're being modest, Junior Apprentice-Sister. You mastered the complete 'Dao of Cold' three years ago. Compared to the two of you, Gan Xie and I are truly ashamed," said Cangjiang the True Man.

"Senior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei, you comprehended a complete Dao so quickly. Only Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning can match you," added Bloodshadow Senior Apprentice-Brother with a smile.

Ji Ning was surprised.

It seemed...

That Senior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei had comprehended a complete Dao was known to quite a few people, at least to Senior Apprentice-Brothers Cangjiang and Bloodshadow.

Impressive! This Senior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei was not very old, probably only about ten years older than him. Yet she had already comprehended a complete Dao, and it was the 'Dao of Cold.' He remembered that when Yu Wei defeated him in the Dao Debate Hall, she had used fire techniques.

"Senior Apprentice-Sister, aren't you the Fire Rainbow Immortal? Are you more skilled in ice?" Ji Ning asked in surprise.

"She is skilled in both ice and fire," Cangjiang the True Man sighed. "Although both are reincarnated immortals, there are differences. Some are merely ordinary Earth Immortal or loose immortals, while others might be loose immortals who have cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years... Junior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei's past life must have been a remarkable loose immortal."

Yu Wei said helplessly, "We came to congratulate Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning, but you keep talking about me. Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning, we've arrived at your place... are we going to chat in midair? Not even a cup of wine?"

"Of course, of course," Ji Ning immediately led the way.

A large group of Black-White College disciples, chatting and laughing, arrived at Brightheart Island. On Brightheart Island, Qiuye had long arranged for servants to prepare. With so many Black-White College disciples, they could not be neglected.

...

After the fellow disciples stayed for two days, some returned first.

Junior Apprentice-Brother Mu Zishuo, Senior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei, Senior Apprentice-Brother Cangjiang, and Beishan Baiwei all stayed on for a few more days.

One day, under a clear, cloudless sky.

Ji Ning and his group were on a large boat on Serpentwing Lake, sitting scattered, drinking immortal wine and eating spirit fruits.

"Junior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei," Cangjiang the True Man said from across, "The Immortal Fate Assembly is still three years away. What are your plans for these three years?"

"Whatever comes," said the black-robed maiden Yu Wei, looking around. "I'll wander wherever, follow my heart. When the time comes, I'll go directly to the Grand Xia imperial capital."

"Then we wish the Fire Rainbow Immortal fame throughout the world," Beishan Baiwei said with a smile.

Mu Zishuo stared wide-eyed: "Wait, what are you talking about? What Immortal Fate Assembly? What Grand Xia imperial capital? Fame throughout the world? Senior Apprentice-Brother... do you know what they're talking about?"

Ji Ning shook his head in confusion: "What are you all talking about? I've never heard of it."

Beishan Baiwei said, "The Immortal Fate Assembly is a grand gathering established by the founding emperor of the Grand Xia Dynasty. Any cultivator below the Primordial Daoist realm can participate. It is truly a battle of the pinnacle geniuses. Our Grand Xia Dynasty rules over this major world, with three thousand six hundred commanderies under its command, as well as many overseas territories... countless genius monsters and reincarnated immortals will attend this grand gathering."

"A battle of geniuses?" Ji Ning was surprised.

"Yes, though it's called the Immortal Fate Assembly, it's essentially a battle of geniuses," Beishan Baiwei sighed. "Because participants must be below the Primordial Daoist realm, most are at the Wanxiang Adept stage. Wanxiang Adepts from various commanderies and overseas territories will compete... just thinking about it sends chills down the spine. Generally, those who dare to participate are at least comparable to Primordial Daoists!"

Ji Ning's expression turned serious.

He understood.

If it truly gathered geniuses from the entire major world, consider that in just one commandery, Anchan, the Black-White College alone had Slovenly True Man, Fire Saint, Cangjiang the True Man, Yu Wei, and several others. Within Anchan Commandery, there were also other sects, teachings, and major tribes that would produce some heaven-defying geniuses.

One commandery had dozens.

And the Grand Xia Dynasty had three thousand six hundred commanderies, plus overseas territories!

That meant that just those at the level of Fire Saint and Cangjiang the True Man numbered over a hundred thousand across the Grand Xia Dynasty!

"Without sufficient strength, going to participate is suicide," Beishan Baiwei said. "The reason you didn't know is that your strength wasn't enough before, and the Black-White College didn't inform you. After all, your repelling of Xueyu Daoist just happened recently."

Ji Ning nodded.

"Are you thinking of going?" Beishan Baiwei looked at Ji Ning.

"No rush," Ji Ning said.

"I also think there's no need for you to go now. After all, you've only been training for thirty years—far too short a time," Beishan Baiwei said. "You might as well stay at the Wanxiang level and train for another three hundred years, then go to the next Immortal Destiny Gathering. When you do go... I'm sure you'll astonish everyone. I know of some monstrous geniuses who deliberately held back for three hundred years before going, and some had even comprehended several complete Daos!"

Ji Ning was secretly stunned.

Comprehending several complete Daos?

"With such profound insights, why didn't they become Primal Daoists or Earth Immortals? Why hold back at the Wanxiang stage?" Ji Ning asked.

Mu Zishuo, standing nearby, quickly added, "Right, why hold back for so long? Is the Immortal Destiny Gathering really that attractive?"

"You don't understand," the nearby Cangjiang Zhenren spoke up.

Beishan Baiwei and Yu Wei both looked at Ji Ning and the others. Cangjiang Zhenren continued, "At the Immortal Destiny Gathering, the top three will each receive an Immortal-ranked magic treasure."

"An Immortal-ranked magic treasure?" Mu Zishuo exclaimed.

"Just an Immortal-ranked magic treasure shouldn't be that attractive," Ji Ning frowned. Someone who could comprehend several complete Daos in three hundred years was a truly monstrous genius. Once such a person became an Earth Immortal, obtaining an Immortal-ranked magic treasure shouldn't be too difficult.

"That's just the prize," the black-robed girl Yu Wei spoke up. "Participating in the Immortal Destiny Gathering is a chance to rise in one step. It allows the entire Grand Xia Dynasty to take notice of you. If you rank in the top ten, even some major tribes will send ten thousand catties of liquefied elemental essence or even more just to build a good relationship. One major tribe isn't much, but when all the forces add up... you'll be overwhelmed by the amount of liquefied elemental essence you receive."

"These are all secondary."

"The important thing is 'immortal destiny'," the black-robed girl looked at Ji Ning. "If you rank in the top ten at the Immortal Destiny Gathering, you might become a disciple of some truly great power. Once you study under such a great power, your chances of becoming a Celestial Immortal increase greatly."

"Great power?" Ji Ning quickly asked, "Where are these great powers from?"

Cangjiang Zhenren lowered his voice and said, "Perhaps they are the most supreme hidden existences in this major world, or perhaps they are powerful beings from outside this major world. In any case, they are definitely beyond Celestial Immortals! Let me tell you two one more thing... Over eighty percent of known Celestial Immortals first made their mark at the Immortal Destiny Gathering and were taken in as disciples by great powers."

"This is an opportunity—an opportunity for you to show yourselves, for some major figures in the Three Realms to see your talent," Cangjiang Zhenren looked at Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo. "Do you understand now? Do you understand why some geniuses deliberately hold back at the Wanxiang level for three hundred years, just to shine at the Immortal Destiny Gathering?"

Yu Wei also sighed, "What are we reincarnated immortals? Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals are nothing. Becoming a Celestial Immortal is true freedom and ease! But how hard is it to become a Celestial Immortal? In the entire history of the Black-White College, only one has succeeded. And the Immortal Destiny Gathering... that is the true 'opportunity'. Naturally, one must seize it."

Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo now fully understood.

Becoming a Celestial Immortal was hard!

If a great power from the Three Realms guided you, it would be much easier. For example, if Three Lives Daoist personally guided him, his path of immortality would naturally be much faster.

The Immortal Destiny Gathering... was a chance for some existences in the Three Realms to observe him.

"Beyond Celestial Immortal?" Mu Zishuo couldn't help asking, "I only know that Celestial Immortals are carefree immortals who have leaped out of the Three Realms. What is above Celestial Immortal called?"

Yu Wei and Cangjiang exchanged a glance.

Yu Wei slowly said, "True Immortal! Pure Yang True Immortal!"

"True Immortal?" Mu Zishuo murmured to himself.

"Comprehending a complete Dao is the prerequisite for becoming a Celestial Immortal," Yu Wei said. "And comprehending a complete Grand Dao is the prerequisite for becoming a True Immortal."

Mu Zishuo nodded slightly.

Ji Ning also nodded.

Both of them knew what a Grand Dao was. Ji Ning's Sword Dao was one of the Grand Daos, and Mu Zishuo's Puppetry Dao was also one of the Grand Daos! However, completely mastering the Puppetry Dao was even rarer and harder than the Sword Dao. It was said that some immortals were skilled in making puppets, but no one truly dared to claim complete mastery of the Puppetry Dao; there were no records of it even in legends.

"That's just a prerequisite. It doesn't mean that comprehending a Grand Dao guarantees becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal," Yu Wei sighed. "Just like those who comprehend three or five complete Daos still fail their tribulations and become Loose Immortals. Even if one comprehends a Grand Dao, after undergoing tribulations, one may not necessarily become a True Immortal."

"Do you two understand now? How formidable are existences beyond Celestial Immortal? Any one of them is extraordinary throughout the Three Realms. Even if chosen at the Immortal Destiny Gathering, one usually becomes just a nominal disciple. But don't underestimate being a nominal disciple—even being a gate-watching boy for such a great power is more honorable than being a prince of the Grand Xia royal clan," Cangjiang Zhenren also said.

Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo both nodded in agreement.

Such existences were already great powers in the Three Realms.

Ji Ning suddenly thought of the Water Mansion's master, Three Lives Daoist... He was a Chaos God, born with knowledge from the chaos, directly mastering a Grand Dao. Later, he comprehended many Grand Daos and even created the 'Star Picking Hand,' one of the top ten divine abilities since Pangu created the world.

"Master said that only when I become a God can I be considered his disciple. I wonder how Master's strength compares to a True Immortal," Ji Ning secretly mused.