Chapter 19: Rewards of the Immortal Destiny Assembly

Before long, sixteen more people appeared on the clouds, most of them in a sorry state, and many were severely wounded.

"Everyone's here."

The high-crowned attendant flicked his sleeve, and immediately, raindrops radiating colorful light descended upon the ninety-six people. The raindrops landed on their bodies and quickly merged into them, healing even the severely wounded completely. Even Ji Ning and the others, who had been fighting for so long that their divine power and yuan power were depleted, quickly recovered, which lifted their spirits.

"Remember, there are nearly a thousand Celestial Immortals in the main hall of the Tianmang Hall, along with His Majesty the Emperor and Pure Yang True Immortals from other parts of the Three Realms. You must not be careless, or if a True Immortal gets angry and takes your lives on the spot, don't say I didn't warn you." The high-crowned attendant's gaze swept over the ninety-six, but paused briefly on the Slovenly Adept, to whom he even offered a slight smile.

"Follow my orders. Move." The high-crowned attendant commanded.

He led the way.

Ji Ning and the other ninety-six followed, walking on the clouds. Soon they crossed the massive hall gate. The main hall of the Tianmang Hall had no roof, above which was the endless void.

"So many Celestial Immortals." Ji Ning saw at a glance the Celestial Immortals lining both sides, stretching all the way to the deepest part of the hall. There were indeed nearly a thousand of them.

"In Anchi Commandery, you couldn't even see a single Celestial Immortal patriarch, but today I see so many. I'm afraid the total number of Celestial Immortals in the Grand Xia Dynasty's world must be at least several thousand. No wonder the emperor of a major world can converse as an equal with the Heavenly Court's Jade Emperor." Ji Ning felt the fluctuations around him.

Although the fluctuations of the Celestial Immortal patriarchs were not deliberately released, they still oppressed Ji Ning, who was only a Wanxiang Adept.

"Hmph!" Xuanji Patriarch sat there, watching Ji Ning pass by. His narrow eyes flashed with a cold gleam, and he snorted, not hiding his hostility toward Ji Ning.

…

"Stop." The high-crowned attendant transmitted to Ji Ning and the other ninety-six.

Ji Ning and the others all halted.

Not far ahead were the eight Pure Yang True Immortals and the Grand Xia Emperor. Ji Ning and the others could tell that the eight near the Grand Xia Emperor emitted far more terrifying auras, and their tables, immortal wine, and immortal fruits were completely different from those of the other Celestial Immortals, so they could be distinguished at a glance.

"All Pure Yang True Immortals!" Ji Ning and the other ninety-six all felt a sense of looking up to them.

"Kneel." The high-crowned attendant transmitted the order.

Swish.

Ji Ning and the other ninety-six knelt in unison and said loudly, "We pay homage to Your Majesty."

The Grand Xia Emperor looked down from above. The eight True Immortals also fixed their gazes on the Slovenly Adept. To the nine Pure Yang True Immortals, including the Grand Xia Emperor, only the Slovenly Adept deserved their attention, for he was the disciple of the Xuanwu Emperor.

As for the others?

The Grand Xia Emperor and the other eight did not care much. It was only because of the turmoil in the Three Realms that they paid a bit more attention. In ordinary times, at the so-called Immortal Destiny Assembly, they wouldn't even bother to watch, and the Grand Xia Emperor wouldn't preside. The host would record the best battle scenes using the water-printing technique and send them to some powerful figures in the Three Realms. Occasionally, someone lucky might become a disciple of a True Immortal!

"It would be good if three or four of these ninety-six become Celestial Immortals. As for Pure Yang True Immortals? If this Immortal Destiny Assembly truly produces a future powerhouse of the Three Realms, it will probably be that disciple of the Xuanwu Emperor." That was what the Northern Land Immortal Elder and others thought, and even Lü Dongbin thought the same.

Two Pure Yang True Immortals emerging from ninety-six people?

That would be too incredible.

"Rise!" The Grand Xia Emperor spoke.

Only then did Ji Ning and the other ninety-six stand up, all cautious and restrained.

The Grand Xia Emperor looked down and said calmly, "You have passed the test of the Brightmoon Landscape World and undergone the most basic screening. From today, you ninety-six will be arranged to fight one-on-one. The loser is eliminated, the winner stays."

"From ninety-six, after one round of matches, forty-eight remain. These forty-eight will each receive a Dao-tier magic treasure."

The Grand Xia Emperor's voice resounded throughout the hall.

Swish.

The crowd below was shocked. Even the nearly thousand Celestial Immortals were astonished. Forty-eight people each receiving a Dao-tier magic treasure? In previous Immortal Destiny Assemblies, only the top three received Dao-tier magic treasures. This time, it was more than ten times that, a full forty-eight treasures.

"After two rounds of matches, twelve remain. These twelve will each receive ten million catties of liquefied elemental essence!" The Grand Xia Emperor said calmly.

Dead silence.

The nearly thousand Celestial Immortals were all stunned. Ji Ning and the other ninety-six were all shocked and envious. Even Ji Ning, who was quite wealthy, was envious. Ten million catties of liquefied elemental essence—even if he sold all the treasures from Shaoyin Nong and the Wu Jiang Immortal Estate, he would be far short of ten million catties. Ten million catties would make even a Celestial Immortal envious. Only the Grand Xia Emperor could be so generous.

"Why is His Majesty so generous? Ten million catties per person? Twelve people—how much liquefied elemental essence is that?"

"His Majesty has never been so generous in rewarding us."

The Celestial Immortals were shaken.

…

The Grand Xia Emperor continued very calmly, "After another round of matches, six remain. Then another round, three remain! These three… may go to the treasury of the Grand Xia Dynasty and choose any divine ability or secret art."

Any choice?

Ji Ning and the others were all fervent. The accumulation of a major world over endless years was far beyond that of the Black-White College. Even the divine abilities in the Yinglong Guard branch had made Ji Ning envious back then, let alone the Yinglong Guard headquarters. And the treasury of the Grand Xia Dynasty held even more than the Yinglong Guard headquarters!

"How can they choose freely? Divine abilities and secret arts are the foundation of a clan's strength." Even princes like Prince Qi and Prince Yan were shocked. "This is the foundation of our Xiamang clan. How can we let them choose freely? If they choose freely, they will definitely choose the strongest. How can the strongest divine abilities and secret arts be passed on to outsiders?"

But the leader of the Xiamang clan, the Grand Xia Emperor, had absolute authority.

"And by order of my master!" The Grand Xia Emperor said solemnly.

The Pure Yang True Immortals beside him—Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Lü Dongbin, the Northern Land Immortal Elder, and others—all tensed up.

"Among these final three… my master will choose one to become his nominal disciple. After they break through to become a Celestial Immortal, they will become his personal disciple." The Grand Xia Emperor's voice rang clearly through the hall. All the Celestial Immortals in the hall fell silent, and even the Pure Yang True Immortals quieted down.

The eight Pure Yang True Immortals were all shocked; they had not known this news before.

"What boldness. The Chidao Patriarch truly has boldness, intending to take a disciple at this Immortal Destiny Assembly." Lü Dongbin marveled inwardly. "But thinking about it, it makes sense. Among the dozens of major worlds under the Chidao Patriarch, the Grand Xia world ranks first in fortune. With the turmoil in the Three Realms and the surging undercurrents, the Six Paths of Reincarnation collapsed only decades ago. The first Immortal Destiny Assembly after the collapse is indeed most likely to produce future heroes of the Three Realms. It's worth taking a disciple."

"Will one of them become the Chidao Patriarch's disciple?"

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and the others all looked at Ji Ning's group.

"Clearly, that slovenly fat man is favored by the Xuanwu Emperor, who has already taught him the Xuanwu Grand Divine Ability. The Chidao Patriarch cannot disregard his status to snatch him away. Then among the other ninety-five, which one will be the Chidao Patriarch's disciple?" Everyone was guessing.

…

"Disciple of the Chidao Patriarch?"

The nearly thousand Celestial Immortals below all had red eyes.

They were all Celestial Immortals of the Grand Xia world, so naturally they were under the Chidao Patriarch. The Chidao Patriarch was exalted, a great power of the Three Realms, commanding dozens of major worlds, with Celestial Immortals as numerous as clouds. These Celestial Immortals were almost all nominal disciples, and many had never even spoken to the Chidao Patriarch!

They dreamed of becoming the Chidao Patriarch's personal disciple, but unfortunately, they had no chance.

At least among the nearly thousand Celestial Immortals present, none were the Chidao Patriarch's personal disciples.

"We can't become the Chidao Patriarch's personal disciples, but one of them will."

"That Slovenly Adept is the Xuanwu Emperor's personal disciple… and among the other ninety-five, there will be one who is the Chidao Patriarch's personal disciple."

"This is too, too crazy."

The Celestial Immortals present found it hard to accept.

A Dao Ancestor.

That was an existence who controlled the Heavenly Dao. Disciples they personally trained, with excellent aptitude, comprehension, and temperament, and with enough resources invested, could generally become Celestial Immortals. So being taken as a disciple by the Chidao Patriarch or the Xuanwu Emperor, even if they were currently weak as Wanxiang Adepts and only nominal disciples, they would definitely become personal disciples in the future.

…

While the eight Pure Yang True Immortals were surprised and the nearly thousand Celestial Immortals were envious and incredulous, Ji Ning and his group were all stunned. Many of them didn't know who the Grand Xia Emperor's master was! But the Grand Xia Emperor was the emperor of a major world, casually throwing out dozens of Dao-tier magic treasures—how formidable must his master be?

The Grand Xia Emperor could converse as an equal with the Heavenly Court's Jade Emperor; what about his master?

This group all deduced it, and they were both shocked and fervent.

A pie falling from the sky?

"Your battleground will be on the clouds outside the hall." The Grand Xia Emperor pointed outside. Whoosh—far away, on the clouds outside the hall, a sealing formation covering ten li appeared. "You will fight within that sealing formation. The battle ends only when one side dies or voluntarily admits defeat."

"First match: Cangwu Cangwu Jiu of the Cangwu clan versus Qi Long of the Ten Thousand Beasts Gate!" the Grand Xia Emperor announced. "The rest of you, rest on the side."

…

"Ji Ning, Little Slovenly, come here." Ji Ning immediately heard a call. Turning his head, he saw Prince Yan, behind whom were his cousin Yuchi Xi and Yu Wei. Ji Ning immediately went over. The Slovenly Adept also followed, since they were both from the Black-White College.

Others who had Celestial Immortal patriarchs from their sects or clans went to those Celestial Immortals.

Even those without a Celestial Immortal patriarch from their sect, as long as they could claim some connection, were called over by some Celestial Immortals.

"Xuan'er!" Xuanji Patriarch's narrow eyes were full of madness. He transmitted, "An opportunity like this is hard to find even after ten thousand reincarnations. You must fight with all your might to reach the top three! If you become the Chidao Patriarch's disciple, you will be the greatest contributor in the history of our Shaoyin clan, and even the Celestial Immortal patriarchs of our Shaoyin clan will obey your orders!"

Shaoyin Xuan couldn't help transmitting back, "Who is the Chidao Patriarch?"

"He is His Majesty's master!" Xuanji Patriarch said. "A true great power of the Three Realms, an existence whose single word can determine the rise or fall of our Shaoyin clan!"

…