Chapter 29: Ancestor Xuanji

In a quiet hall within the inner city of Ten Thousand Swords City.

"What, a tribe even more powerful than the Andong North Mountain clan?" Ji Jiuhuo, Ji Liuzhen, and Granny Shadow were all stunned.

"This is Immortal Duohe, and this is Immortal Wu Sui, both powerful loose immortals," Ji Ning said, having finished recounting the danger, and then introduced the two beside him.

"Loose immortals?"

Ji Jiuhuo and the others felt somewhat dazed. Two legendary, lofty loose immortals had come before them?

"They will lead thirty thousand demon soldiers to guard our Ten Thousand Swords City," Ji Ning said. "They all have Dao-soldier armor. Two loose immortals leading thirty thousand demon soldiers... even if several dozen loose immortals come, they can hold them off. They will protect our Ten Thousand Swords City for a thousand years, unless a celestial immortal or a being with combat power comparable to a celestial immortal attacks; otherwise, our city is safe."

Ji Jiuhuo, Ji Liuzhen, and Granny Shadow were also cultivators, and though still shaken, they quickly learned to accept it.

"You decide how to arrange the tribe," Ji Ning said. "You know this better than I do."

"Rest assured," Ji Liuzhen nodded. "With such a demon army stationed here, and this being a city of the Xia Dynasty, protected by the Yinglong Guard, anyone who dares attack will be wanted by the entire Xia Dynasty. No matter how powerful the Shaoyin clan is, they cannot afford to have a legendary celestial immortal become a wanted fugitive."

A celestial immortal was a legend.

It was uncertain whether the Andong North Mountain clan even had a celestial immortal. The Black-White College had produced countless loose immortals over endless ages, yet only one celestial immortal.

"Xiaoqing, Uncle Bai, stay here for now. This is a token," Ji Ning said, handing a token to Uncle Bai, who had taken human form. "Once you sense this token shatter, you can teleport directly to Serpentwing Lake to meet me. If it doesn't shatter, absolutely do not come."

"Mm." Xiaoqing and Uncle Bai both nodded; they wouldn't hold him back at a critical moment.

"Ning'er, be careful," Uncle Bai urged.

Ji Ning nodded with a smile.

"I'm leaving now. This time, I may not return for a long time," Ji Ning said, looking at Ji Jiuhuo, Ji Liuzhen, and Granny Shadow. "This disaster was brought upon the tribe by me. I will make amends in the future."

"Don't say that!" Ji Jiuhuo said in a low voice. "Remember, you must protect yourself. As long as you live, our Ji clan has hope of flourishing."

For a tribe to produce such a genius was entirely a matter of luck.

"I'm going." Ji Ning used a minor teleportation talisman, and with a whoosh, he vanished from the hall.

...

Above Brightheart Island on Serpentwing Lake, space rippled, and Ji Ning appeared.

"Qiuye."

As soon as Ji Ning landed, he sent a voice transmission to Qiuye. Soon, Qiuye appeared, wearing a light gray robe, looking at him with surprise: "Young master."

"Brightheart Island can no longer be stayed on. Quickly have everyone move away in batches to Ten Thousand Swords City. And you must go immediately," Ji Ning instructed.

Qiuye was startled: "What's wrong? What happened?"

Brightheart Island had long become her home; everything here had her effort invested.

"Don't ask. I don't have time to explain. Once you reach Ten Thousand Swords City and see Uncle Bai, you'll know. Now, arrange things quickly and leave immediately. This is a minor teleportation talisman; it can teleport you within ten thousand li. Use it to go directly to Ten Thousand Swords City," Ji Ning said, handing her a minor teleportation talisman.

Qiuye immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

In truth, even if the Shaoyin clan's celestial immortal personally came, he would first have to enter the Wujiang Immortal Estate, find the place where Shaoyin Nong was killed—the main hall of the Wujiang Palace—and then perform 'time reversal.' Even with time reversal, knowing the murderer was Ji Ning, it would still take time to uncover Ji Ning's background.

Everything takes time. In fact, it would be a while before that celestial immortal even reached Mount Yan.

Even if he came, that celestial immortal wouldn't know Qiuye or her relationship with Ji Ning, so there was no need for Qiuye to use the minor teleportation talisman. But Ji Ning was worried, afraid that if too much time passed, something might go wrong, so he had Qiuye use it.

"Whoosh."

After arranging a few stewards, Qiuye, at Ji Ning's insistence, had to use that minor teleportation talisman.

"Phew." Ji Ning let out a breath.

"Alright."

Ji Ning pushed open the door and entered his usual meditation room. After closing the door, with a thought, a massive bear's head phantom appeared in the room. The bear's head phantom directly swallowed Ji Ning, and he vanished from Serpentwing Lake, entering the Water Mansion in another space.

...

The Xia Dynasty's capital was the ruling center of this major world.

Here gathered a multitude of loose immortals and Primordial Daoists. All the major top tribes, sects, and schools had their outposts here! Even some ultra-powerful forces from other worlds would plant spies and agents here to investigate. It was a place of mixed breeds, with countless immortals like clouds, unfathomable!

In the Shaoyin clan's estate, covering a thousand li and luxuriously appointed, in a quiet study.

A man in a tall crown and gold robe sat at a desk reading various intelligence reports. He was the Shaoyin clan's current patriarch, the Feather God Duke.

"This Zhuanshui clan is becoming more and more excessive!" The gold-robed man frowned, muttering to himself.

"Patriarch, Patriarch." Suddenly a hurried voice came.

The gold-robed man's face immediately darkened. He disliked his subordinates being flustered and undignified. But this subordinate was his personal attendant and should know his rules. The study door was open, and a middle-aged man in blue rushed in, knelt, and said tearfully, "Patriarch, Young Master Shaoyin Nong, he... he..."

"Shaoyin Nong? What about him?" The gold-robed man frowned.

"He's dead!" The middle-aged servant said in panic and anxiety.

"What!" The gold-robed man stood up abruptly, shocked. "How did he die? How do you know he's dead? Don't speak carelessly without confirmation."

"His life tablet in the ancestral hall shattered!" The middle-aged servant cried out.

The gold-robed man stood in the study, silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Investigate. Issue orders: within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, quickly find out Shaoyin Nong's whereabouts."

"Yes." The servant quickly replied.

"Shaoyin Nong is dead? He should have gone to the Wujiang Immortal Estate. How could he die? Even if he couldn't refine the Wujiang Immortal Estate, he had a greater teleportation talisman and could teleport directly back to the Xia capital from the estate. Besides, he had that divine demon Xiangliu Fang with him." The gold-robed man pondered.

Shaoyin Nong was his junior and not particularly close to him; he even somewhat disliked Shaoyin Nong.

But Shaoyin Nong had the support of a celestial immortal!

In a tribe, the nominal patriarch had great power, but compared to the tribe's celestial immortal ancestors, he was far inferior. These celestial immortal ancestors, who had lived for countless eons, were the tribe's foundation. Every time a celestial immortal was born, the entire tribe celebrated. But when a celestial immortal ancestor fell, it was kept as secret as possible.

Thus, how many celestial immortals a tribe had was uncertain.

For example, the Andong North Mountain clan—did they have a living celestial immortal ancestor? It was a mystery.

How many celestial immortal ancestors the Shaoyin clan had alive was also a mystery.

Even the Feather God Duke himself knew of three celestial immortal ancestors living in seclusion within the tribe. Shaoyin Nong only knew of one. As for the exact number of celestial immortal ancestors in the tribe, even the Feather God Duke wasn't sure.

"Patriarch." The servant had returned and said respectfully, "Three days ago, Young Master Shaoyin Nong took the teleportation array to Andong Commandery and then went to the Wujiang Immortal Estate. The location of the Wujiang Immortal Estate is beyond my ability to investigate."

"Mm." The gold-robed man nodded. "I'm going out. For now, don't spread the news of Shaoyin Nong's death."

"Yes."

Soon, a celestial carriage pulled by nine golden flood dragons flew out of the Shaoyin clan estate, roaring away from the Xia capital into the azure void.

...

At the peak of a towering volcano, the celestial carriage pulled by nine golden flood dragons emerged from the void and then flew directly into the crater. The volcano's last eruption had been hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Flying down along the crater.

Deep below, they saw bubbling magma. In the center of the magma lay a majestic red-haired giant, lying in the magma as if in his own bathtub. His head rested against one wall of the rock, and his feet touched the other. His eyes were larger than the entire celestial carriage.

"Senior Bahuo." The gold-robed man stood on the carriage and called out.

"Oh?" The red-haired giant, who had been closing his eyes, opened them and looked at the gold-robed man. After a moment's thought, he said slowly, "You are Shaoyin Fujun, the current patriarch of the Shaoyin clan?"

"It is I." The gold-robed man was very humble.

Because he knew the identity of this divine demon. The divine demon's surname was 'Bahuo'; he was an extremely powerful warrior from a very strong divine demon tribe in the ancient divine demon era, a divine demon at the Return to Void stage! Although he was at the Return to Void stage, his true combat power was on par with a celestial immortal. To subdue this divine demon, a brilliant ancestor of the Shaoyin clan had once succeeded, but that ancestor had fallen countless ages ago.

"What is it?" The red-haired giant spoke.

"Are the three ancestors still in this major world?" The gold-robed man asked.

The red-haired giant said slowly, "Ancestor Chixin left this major world over ten thousand years ago. Where he went and when he will return are unknown. Ancestor Jingyu went to the Heavenly Court to visit friends several decades ago; he usually returns within a hundred years. Only Ancestor Xuanji is still in seclusion."

"Shaoyin Nong has just died. This is no small matter. I beg Senior Bahuo to inform Ancestor Xuanji," the gold-robed man said quickly.

"Shaoyin Nong? Your tribe's next patriarch?" The red-haired giant laughed. "Your next patriarch actually died—what a joke. I'll inform him for you."

Then the red-haired giant closed his eyes, then opened them: "Ancestor Xuanji will be here shortly."

Where Ancestor Xuanji was in seclusion was also a secret. Only a few trusted confidants of Ancestor Xuanji knew; even the Feather God Duke did not.

"Whoosh..."

Above the magma pool, specks of starlight suddenly appeared. The brilliant starlight connected with each other, forming a mysterious formation. A tall, thin old man with narrow eyes walked over, surrounded by endless starlight. At this moment, the entire surrounding world seemed to submit; this old man was the sole master of this piece of heaven and earth.

"Ancestor Xuanji." The gold-robed man quickly bowed respectfully.