Chapter 14: First Meeting with Wood Passed True Person

Around the nine peaks of Tianbao Mountain, Duobao Peak, floating clouds drifted, and on those clouds were formidable figures from all over, truly a mix of fish and dragons.

"Daoist Ji Ning." Yu Qi, dressed in purple, came to Ji Ning.

"Oh?" Ji Ning glanced at Yu Qi. Having sold so many treasures for two million six hundred thousand catties of liquid elemental essence, Ji Ning was quite satisfied. He smiled and said, "Daoist Yu Qi, come, let's have a few cups of wine."

"No need for wine." Yu Qi smiled and lowered his voice. "I came to tell you, Daoist Ji Ning, that the people from the Shaoyin clan have arrived."

"The Shaoyin clan has arrived?" Ji Ning's eyes lit up. "Where?"

"Yes, where?" Xiao Qing's eyes also gleamed.

Yu Qi was taken aback.

This man and snake before him seemed to see prey upon hearing of the Shaoyin clan.

"Over there." Yu Qi gestured with his eyes, glancing toward a distant peak. "See? That group just flying out from the peak, nine people including maidservants."

Ji Ning immediately followed Yu Qi's gaze and saw a group flying out. At the head was a middle-aged man with flowing hair and an extraordinary bearing, flanked by two youths, while the rest were guards, servants, and maids.

"Shaoyin Xiushui?" Ji Ning's pupils contracted.

After selling the treasures, Ji Ning had purchased a great deal of intelligence, including detailed information on the Shaoyin clan and the various powers in the Xia capital. In short, as long as the intelligence recorded some notable figures of the Shaoyin clan, Ji Ning had committed them to memory.

Shaoyin Xiushui was a returned void earth immortal! Nurtured by the Shaoyin clan, he had great hope of becoming a 'celestial immortal,' and his status was even comparable to that of Feather Duke, because in a clan, those with real hope of becoming a 'celestial immortal' generally did not handle trivial matters.

Even being a Feather Duke required handling many trivial matters and distractions.

"Recognized him?" Yu Qi chuckled softly. "This time, Shaoyin Xiushui is hosting a banquet for 'Wood Passed True Person' from the South Sea, along with his son Shaoyin Jun."

"Hosting Wood Passed True Person?" Ji Ning asked in confusion. "Shaoyin Xiushui is of high status; why would he specially host a mere Wanxiang True Person, and one from the South Sea at that?"

Yu Qi laughed. "Daoist Ji Ning, you wouldn't know this. The South Sea is vast beyond measure and hard to govern. Cultivators there are more chaotic and murderous, but such chaotic places also give birth to true peerless geniuses. Wood Passed True Person is among the very top of Wanxiang True Persons."

"The very top?" Ji Ning was startled.

The South Sea...

That endless ocean, with countless islands and countless cultivators, could rival many commanderies. To claim to be the very top among Wanxiang cultivators was too arrogant.

"Wood Passed True Person is one of the top candidates most likely to win first place in this Immortal Fate Convention." Yu Qi lowered his voice. "Three hundred years ago, Wood Passed True Person already had a record of killing a Primordial Daoist."

"Killing a Primordial Daoist three hundred years ago?" Ji Ning was greatly shocked.

"This Wood Passed... for the Immortal Fate Convention, he deliberately stayed at the Wanxiang stage for three hundred years?" Xiao Qing exclaimed. "I've heard there are such freaks, but I never thought I'd see one."

Fortunately, each cloud layer was shielded by formations, so sound could not travel out.

Ji Ning's heart tightened. Able to kill a Primordial Daoist three hundred years ago? How strong must he be now?

"This Wood Passed True Person is extremely famous." Yu Qi quickly added. "Over two hundred years ago, he cultivated a second true body."

"Second true body..." Ji Ning silently noted.

"Just a few decades ago, his second true body even cultivated to the returned void earth immortal stage!" Yu Qi said. "In the South Sea, he occupied a large island and often gave lectures, not avoiding either demons or humans... His long-term lectures spread his fame even further. Moreover, it is known that over six scattered immortals and earth immortals have died at his hands!"

Ji Ning, Uncle Bai, and Xiao Qing were all shocked.

"Madman! His true body is only at the Wanxiang stage, yet he dared to cultivate his second true body to returned void earth immortal?" Xiao Qing exclaimed. "Three hundred years—isn't he afraid of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations?"

"To be so reckless, he must be either a madman or a peerless prodigy." Ji Ning said.

Having the true body at Wanxiang while the second true body cultivated to returned void earth immortal was actually very dangerous.

Because once the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations descended, their power was related to one's strength. How terrifying were the 'Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations' for a returned void earth immortal? Such calamities would descend simultaneously on both the true body and the second true body. The second true body might withstand them, but the true body was too weak and might not survive.

"Wood Passed True Person's second true body broke through to returned void earth immortal a few decades ago; perhaps he had already passed the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations by then." Yu Qi smiled. "I don't believe his Wanxiang true body could withstand the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations of a returned void earth immortal."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded.

That should be the case.

"But this Woodpass Transcendent's level is indeed extremely high. He dares to give public lectures, and it's known that six loose immortals and earth immortals have died at his hands... In the Grand Xia capital, he's long been recognized as one of the candidates most likely to win first place." Yu Qi sighed. "He's already this formidable now. If his true self were to study under a major power of the Three Realms, cultivating higher techniques and stronger divine abilities and secret arts, his true self would definitely become far stronger than his second soul."

"Daoist Yu Qi." Ji Ning quickly said, "Regarding this Immortal Fortune Conference, there should be a collection of intelligence on the publicly acknowledged formidable figures, right?"

"Yes." Yu Qi nodded. "But only those with great fame. After all, the Grand Xia Dynasty is too vast; no one knows what monstrous geniuses might be hidden. For example, before you killed Shaoyin Nong, hardly anyone in the Grand Xia capital had heard your name."

"The Grand Xia Dynasty hides dragons and crouching tigers. Woodpass Transcendent is just one of the most promising; no one can say for sure whether an even more terrifying genius might suddenly emerge." Yu Qi sighed in admiration.

Ji Ning nodded: "I need all the intelligence on the Immortal Fortune Conference, especially information on the formidable Wanxiang Adepts."

"I'll send it over shortly." Yu Qi smiled, then withdrew.

Yu Qi left.

On the cloud, Ji Ning, Uncle Bai, and Xiaoqing all felt that the 'Immortal Fortune Conference' would not be easy to navigate.

"His second soul is already a returned void earth immortal, yet his true self shamelessly remains at the Wanxiang Adept stage." Xiaoqing said resentfully.

"He wants to take a truly formidable figure of the Three Realms as his master." Ji Ning laughed. "That's normal."

As the saying goes, the master leads you in, but cultivation depends on yourself.

Cultivation indeed depends on oneself, but at least you need a 'master' to lead you in. A good master makes all the difference. Although Ji Ning had never truly met Three Life Daoist, the 'Divine Ability Hall,' 'War God Hall,' and 'Star Hall' that Three Life Daoist arranged for him felt like personal guidance and instruction.

...

Elsewhere.

"It's been over a hundred years since we last parted in the South Sea. This time, you've come to the Grand Xia capital, haha..." Shaoyin Xiushui, with his long hair loose, sighed with a laugh. "Whenever I think of you displaying your might at the Immortal Fortune Conference, even attracting some major powers of the Three Realms to take you as a disciple, I can't help but feel jealous. I should have stayed in the Wanxiang Adept stage for a few more years."

Woodpass Transcendent appeared as a young boy, looking very simple and honest.

Yet this honest-looking youth had a far-reaching reputation in the South Sea. He roamed alone, built a great name, and even gave public lectures, revered by countless cultivators and demons.

"Daoist Xiushui, you don't know how uncomfortable it is to be stuck at the Wanxiang Adept stage." Woodpass Transcendent sighed. "My true self's foundation is much stronger than my second soul's. After all, my second soul only practices the qi-refining path, while my true self primarily trains in the divine demon body-tempering path. But I've held back from breaking through. Holding back for so long has instead become my inner demon. During the most recent Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, my second soul had reached 'Primordial Spirit Perfection,' and the inner demon was especially strong. Tempted by the inner demon, I nearly died."

Shaoyin Xiushui nodded: "Others only see your glory, see you about to shine at the Immortal Fortune Conference, but they don't see your three hundred years of forbearance, nor how terrifying the inner demon born from that three-hundred-year suppression is."

"Father." A handsome youth beside him called out.

Shaoyin Xiushui looked at his son.

"Should I endure for three hundred years?" the handsome youth asked.

"You? Even if you endured three hundred years, there's no hope. Just focus on cultivation. If you can become a returned void earth immortal, you should thank the heavens." Shaoyin Xiushui shook his head helplessly. His son's level wasn't even worth considering for the 'Immortal Fortune Conference.' Even he himself had chosen to give up back then. At the Immortal Fortune Conference, countless monstrous geniuses had been holding back, waiting for this chance to soar.

The handsome youth pouted.

While his father and Woodpass Transcendent talked, although he too had reached the Wanxiang stage, he was clearly a generation lower... Bored, he looked around. Suddenly, his gaze fell on a distant cloud. On that cloud sat a beast-skinned youth, a large snow-white dog, and a girl in green. The beast-skinned youth was even reading a book.

"He is?" The handsome youth's eyes widened. "Ji Ning?"

"Father, Father, look quickly." The handsome youth called out.

Shaoyin Xiushui frowned at his son. His son interrupting their conversation clearly displeased him.

"Look quickly! Ji Ning, the one who killed Shaoyin Nong." The handsome youth pointed in that direction.

Shaoyin Xiushui and Woodpass Transcendent both looked over.

With one glance, they saw the distant beast-skinned youth.

"His appearance, his clothes... and beside him, a Whitewater Marsh and a girl in green. Could it really be Ji Ning?" Shaoyin Xiushui frowned. The Shaoyin clan had been hunting Ji Ning, but such matters wouldn't involve 'Shaoyin Xiushui.' Yet deep down, he took pride in his clan and naturally couldn't tolerate anyone provoking it.

"Is it really him?" Shaoyin Xiushui murmured. "Daring to come to the Grand Xia capital, what exactly is this Ji Ning up to? Provoking my Shaoyin clan?"

Woodpass Transcendent also looked and laughed: "I've heard this Ji Ning is quite formidable. Could he be here for the Immortal Fortune Conference, just like me?"