Chapter 13 The Humble Xue Hongyi

Inside the secret chamber.

Ji Ning, Mu Zishuo, Yu Wei, Jiu Lian, Cangjiang Zhenren, as well as Baishui Ze and Xiao Qing, all looked at Xue Hongyi.

The temptation of an Immortal-ranked magic treasure was utterly astonishing. Even Cangjiang Zhenren, though a loose immortal in his past life, had never obtained an Immortal-ranked treasure... For the sake of such a treasure, destroying tribes and sects was a common occurrence.

"Better to kill him and exchange the Immortal-ranked treasure for liquid elemental at Tianbao Mountain, then split it among us," Cangjiang Zhenren transmitted, his eyes icy.

"Kill?"

"Kill or not?"

Everyone hesitated, with Cangjiang Zhenren being the most resolute.

Ji Ning and Xue Hongyi had never been on good terms; back then, Xue Hongyi had even tried to capture Ji Ning, only stopped by Beishan Baiwei. Ji Ning felt no qualms about killing Xue Hongyi... But they had come to this Celestial Immortal's estate together, and Shaoyan Nong had already issued a stern warning.

"What are you doing?" Xue Hongyi shouted. "Before we entered the Wujiang Immortal Estate, on that great ship, Young Master Shaoyan said we must not fight among ourselves!"

Xue Hongyi's heart was pounding. Though Shaoyan Nong had made threats, to him these five disciples of the Black-White College were surely more important. If they killed Xue Hongyi, Shaoyan Nong might not make trouble.

Ji Ning and the others exchanged glances.

Earlier, Shaoyan Nong had said: "We must work together when entering the Wujiang Immortal Estate and not fight among ourselves. If anyone acts recklessly, don't blame me, Shaoyan Nong, for being ruthless."

"What's there to fear? The five of us from the Black-White College are more important to Shaoyan Nong," Cangjiang Zhenren transmitted. "Kill Xue Hongyi, and Shaoyan Nong certainly won't cut off his own arm to deal with us."

"He won't deal with us now, but once he refines this Immortal estate and we're of no use to him, he will," Jiu Lian transmitted.

"Deal with us? We're not easy to deal with either. Besides, Jiu Lian, you're the next leader of the Dongyan clan. Shaoyan Nong wouldn't dare act recklessly. He's just a scion of the Shaoyan clan, only likely to become the next Feather God Duke, not the actual one. If he dares to target you, he might even lose his inheritance rights," Cangjiang Zhenren said.

"He won't target Sister Jiu Lian, but he will target us," Yu Wei transmitted. "If we don't kill Xue Hongyi, he has no excuse to strike at us, because he made a promise to us. But if we kill Xue Hongyi, he'll have an excuse."

Having an excuse was crucial.

Everything must be justified.

After all, behind Ji Ning and his group stood the Black-White College, the Dongyan clan, and other powerful forces.

If Ji Ning and the others were weak and without background, killing them would be simple. But because they had backgrounds, everything must be justified!

"We can't give him an excuse. That Fiendgod Xiangliu Fang is far stronger than us," Yu Wei said. "As for Xue Hongyi, we can deal with him after we leave."

"I agree with Senior Apprentice Sister Yu Wei," Ji Ning transmitted his stance.

Cangjiang Zhenren frowned. Among the five, they were the three strongest. With Ji Ning and Yu Wei opposed, he alone could defeat Xue Hongyi but not kill him.

"Hmph." Cangjiang Zhenren turned and left.

Ji Ning and the others exchanged glances and also walked out.

Only Xue Hongyi remained in the secret chamber, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Finally, Shaoyan Nong scared them off," Xue Hongyi thought. "Once I leave the Wujiang Immortal Estate, I'll stick close to Young Master Shaoyan, then seize the chance to use a Minor Teleportation Talisman and escape."

He knew escape would be risky.

But he had to gamble. For this Immortal-ranked treasure, he had to gamble!

Even now, he didn't trust the three Wanxiang Daoists from Snowdragon Mountain. On the path of cultivation, betraying one's master and ancestors was not uncommon, and killing disciples was even more frequent. For an Immortal-ranked treasure, anything was possible.

...

Ji Ning and the others dispersed to continue searching for treasures in the Treasure Hall. After all, this was a Celestial Immortal's treasure hall; any random treasure was worth more than the entire wealth of an average Wanxiang Adept.

They searched carefully for nearly half an hour.

Each of them had scoured the Treasure Hall, but they thought there might be things missed by others.

"I'm done searching, master. I got nothing, not a single treasure," Xiao Qing communicated telepathically from afar.

"Not a single treasure? That's too bad," Ji Ning teased.

"Ask Uncle Bai if he got anything," Xiao Qing communicated.

"Alright, I'll ask." Ji Ning then communicated with Baishui Ze. "Uncle Bai, have you finished searching?"

"Finished," Baishui Ze replied cheerfully. "Lucky find—a corpse left behind some treasures like a dharma robe. Not sure if it was a loose immortal or a Wanxiang demon. The treasures are good; I can't refine them, so they should be Earth-ranked."

Ji Ning was delighted.

The Treasure Hall, arguably the most important of the five halls in the Immortal estate, held the most treasures. Usually, powerful demons, even Wanxiang Daoists or loose immortals, guarded it.

Even loose immortals generally didn't have Immortal-ranked treasures, so it was hard to tell from the leftover treasures whether the owner was a loose immortal or a Wanxiang demon—only by refining the storage treasure could one know how many treasures were inside.

"Master, master, how about Uncle Bai? Did he also get nothing?" Xiao Qing pressed telepathically.

"Uncle Bai was luckier than you; he got treasures from a corpse."

"A corpse? How is he luckier than me? I'm a Greenwater Snake who has adventures as easily as eating, blessed with great fortune! How can Baishui Ze be luckier? Master, what about you? Did you also get nothing?"

"I got even more than Uncle Bai," Ji Ning replied.

"Even more? Impossible!"

...

In the largest hall of the Treasure Hall, Shaoyan Nong sat cross-legged on a jade bed, refining it, with Xiangliu Fang standing by.

Ji Ning and the others had all gathered there.

"This is the Treasure Hall, the main treasure storage of the Wujiang Immortal Estate, with the most treasures. It seems you've all had good hauls," Shaoyan Nong said, sitting high on the bed, smiling. "And I sensed a fluctuation earlier—an Immortal-ranked treasure must have appeared. I wonder who was so lucky."

Ji Ning and the others turned in unison to look at Xue Hongyi.

Xue Hongyi was startled.

"Oh, it's you, Xue Hongyi?" Shaoyan Nong raised an eyebrow. Earlier, trapped in the formation, Xue Hongyi had abandoned him and fled far away, which Shaoyan Nong still resented.

"Young Master Shaoyan, I wish to offer this Immortal-ranked treasure to you," Xue Hongyi said quickly. Facing Ji Ning and the others, he could threaten and fight, but Young Master Shaoyan was far too strong—his background and power completely crushed him. In terms of strength, that Fiendgod Xiangliu Fang could probably kill him in one move.

Ji Ning and the others looked on in surprise. Offer it to Young Master Shaoyan?

"Treasures should go to the virtuous!" Xue Hongyi said hurriedly. "I admit I lack virtue; such a treasure is a curse, not a blessing, for me. It's better to offer it to Young Master Shaoyan. For the esteemed Young Master Shaoyan, possessing such a treasure is only fitting."

Shaoyan Nong smiled.

He liked flatterers, especially when the flatterer was a fairly powerful genius. Ji Ning and the others, from the Black-White College, were proud and would never stoop to such flattery. But Xue Hongyi could lower his head and bend his waist, truly humble.

"I, on behalf of my clan, the Shaoyan clan, have said that any treasures you obtain are yours. I will not take them by force, nor will I demand you offer them," Shaoyan Nong said.

"This is not taking by force or offering... it's a normal trade," Xue Hongyi said quickly. "This Immortal-ranked treasure, the Green Silk Divine Flame Lamp, is of little use to me. I'd like to trade it with Young Master Shaoyan for some treasures. Just a few Earth-ranked treasures or the like would be enough."

"Don't overthink it."

Shaoyan Nong shook his head. "Regardless, I will not accept an Immortal-ranked treasure."

Xue Hongyi breathed a sigh of relief.

Having offered it so proactively and been refused, he felt at ease.

"This Xue Hongyi is quite perceptive," Shaoyan Nong thought. "I can't accept it now, or it would cool the hearts of Ji Ning and the others. They're still useful. Once I refine the Immortal estate... then I'll have Xue Hongyi offer it again. At most, I'll give him a few treasures in return."

...

After nearly an hour, Shaoyan Nong finally refined the jade bed.

"Haha, finally done." Shaoyan Nong stepped down from the jade bed, beaming.

"Young Master," Xiangliu Fang said, frowning. "Outside, the two strongest demon forces in the Immortal estate world are waiting. Once we go out, they'll likely attack us immediately."

"The two strongest demon forces?"

Ji Ning and the others were startled.

Were those the ten thousand demon soldiers forming giant waves and the Wujiang clan forming the giant Yaksha soldiers? Both could completely overpower the Fiendgod Xiangliu Fang. He could only rely on his astonishing recovery and escape techniques to flee; he couldn't fight head-on.

"I can save myself, but I'm not confident I can protect you, Young Master," Xiangliu Fang said worriedly.

"Oh?" Shaoyan Nong frowned. "You say they're waiting outside?"

"Yes, they've been waiting all along," Xiangliu Fang said grimly. "They've been trapped in this Immortal estate world for endless ages, generation after generation dreaming of leaving, of going to the vast Great Xia Dynasty. So they will stop at nothing to seize your Immortal estate key."

Shaoyan Nong nodded.

He understood the intense longing of those two demon forces—a longing for a broader world. They would do everything to deal with him.

"Troublesome." Shaoyan Nong gritted his teeth.

Ji Ning and the others also racked their brains for a solution.