Chapter 1 Returning Home

In the Great Xia world, within the territory of Anchan Commandery.

Ripples stirred above Yishe Lake. A plainly dressed youth leading a large snow-white dog appeared in midair, with a small green snake coiled around his arm.

"I'm back."

Ji Ning gazed down at Yishe Lake below and murmured to himself, "Back then I fled in disgrace, but now I've returned... No one will force me to leave again!"

This lake gave Ji Ning an unprecedented sense of closeness. If not for the overwhelming power of the Shaoyin clan back then, how could Ji Ning have been willing to leave?

"Swoosh."

With a single step, he was already on Mingxin Island at the center of Yishe Lake.

On Mingxin Island, many pavilions had been built, along with numerous servants and guards. Ji Ning walked silently along the muddy shore, taking it all in. His divine sense had already enveloped the entire island: "When I fled back then, Mingxin Island was destroyed by the Shaoyin clan. I didn't expect it to be rebuilt now, almost exactly as it was when I lived here. But it seems there's no one I recognize on the island."

"Qiuye is probably still at Wanjian City."

Ji Ning took a stroll around Mingxin Island, visiting the place where Qiuye once lived and the place where his father once lived. The servants and guards couldn't see Ji Ning at all.

This Yishe Lake Mingxin Island was Ji Ning's home. The feeling of coming home was wonderful.

"This time, no one will ever destroy Mingxin Island again," Ji Ning said softly. "Uncle Bai, I'll need to rely on you."

"I've figured out quite a few grand formations on Mount Fangcun, and some formation manuals also record some supreme grand formations. Although I haven't fully comprehended some of them, just following the steps to set them up is no problem," the Whitewater Hound behind Ji Ning also spoke. "Then we'll set up hundreds of layers of grand formations covering the entire Yanshan area, over a hundred thousand miles. Formations within formations—even Celestial Immortals won't dare to trespass."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded.

A powerful sect would have many terrifying formations at its home base.

Setting up formations first requires obtaining a powerful formation, and then purchasing enough treasures to set it up. Thus, sect grand formations are generally reinforced generation after generation by disciples. The longer a sect's history, the more complex its formations become, with many formations叠加 together, enough to make enemies fear!

Although Ji Ning and the Whitewater Hound's foundation was relatively shallow, they were disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage!

Formation manuals were not highly valued. The formation manual the Whitewater Hound obtained on the sixth floor of the Immortal Palace was already among the top in the Three Realms, so naturally he learned many powerful formations. Some he fully comprehended; for others, though he didn't understand them, he could still set them up step by step.

"Uncle Bai," Xiaoqing also said, "I've heard that some major sects occupy hundreds of thousands of miles, and their entire sect is shrouded in countless formations. Even successive generations of Sanxian and Celestial Immortals have set up formations. We can't be inferior to them."

"We are of the Mount Fangcun lineage. Our formations are surely far more profound than those of those major sects," Uncle Bai said confidently. "With enough treasures, I can make Yanshan as tight as an iron bucket."

"Mm, then we'll go to the Grand Xia capital to buy items for setting up formations. Uncle Bai, think carefully and make a shopping list," Ji Ning said.

"Alright, this time I'll set up some of the ultimate killing formations from the formation classics too."

...

A moment later, outside Wanjian City.

The gates of Wanjian City were wide open. Ji Ning, leading the large snow-white dog, walked straight through the city gates. The guards at the gate couldn't see them, so naturally they didn't stop them.

"So much has changed," Ji Ning said softly. "Back then, there were many mortals in Wanjian City, and many stalls set up. Now the whole layout has changed, and mortals are rarely seen."

Inside Wanjian City, many of the original residential houses had been torn down, and the entire city had undergone a major reconstruction!

It was built more splendidly!

Looking across the city, one saw more troops and more elegantly dressed men and women.

"I can't even recognize it. It feels like the entire Wanjian City has become one huge mansion," Uncle Bai also marveled.

"Whoosh—" Ji Ning swept his divine sense.

Inside the mansion, the two demon immortals, 'Duohe Immortal' and 'Wusui Immortal', who were leisurely drinking, suddenly changed expression. They felt an immensely powerful, overwhelming divine sense sweep past them! Just the divine sense alone surpassed that of ordinary Sanxian or Earth Immortals. Few Sanxian could have such terrifying divine sense.

"Not good," Duohe Immortal and Wusui Immortal were both alarmed. "An enemy."

"No."

Soon they showed puzzled expressions.

This divine sense seemed familiar...

"Fellow Daoist Ji Ning's?" They looked at each other, both showing disbelief, but upon careful recognition, the divine sense was indeed Ji Ning's, only stronger and more ethereal.

"Immortal Wusui, Immortal Duohe, come to the Beiming Hall later," Ji Ning transmitted.

"Alright," the two demon immortals replied.

...

In a secluded mansion within Wanjian City, Qiuye was watering flowers. Over the decades, she had lived alone, cultivating quietly, and had unknowingly broken through to the early Wanxiang stage. Although it was partly due to Ji Ning's help back then and the rich Ji clan scriptures, her comprehension was evidently quite good.

"Auntie," a young man walked in, excited, with a hint of attachment in his eyes. "Auntie, Auntie, my sword technique has reached the Unity of Heaven and Man realm."

"Oh?" Qiuye turned around, smiling at the young man. "Unity of Heaven and Man?"

"Mm, mm, when I went out to adventure this time, I had an epiphany while fighting a great demon and broke through. My sword technique reached Unity of Heaven and Man," the young man said excitedly. "Auntie, you said that when I reach Unity of Heaven and Man, you'd teach me a powerful sword technique."

Qiuye smiled.

Suddenly, Qiuye's body trembled, and a look of joy appeared in her eyes.

The young man was puzzled.

"Little Stone, go back first. Auntie has something to do," Qiuye said.

"But Auntie, you promised to teach me the sword technique..." the young man hesitated, reluctant.

"Go on, go back first," Qiuye said.

"Alright," the young man had no choice but to turn and leave.

After the young man left, the garden quieted down again. Qiuye anxiously looked around, searching for a familiar figure. Then, not far in front of her, a youth in animal skins appeared out of thin air.

"Young master!" Qiuye showed excitement. The young master was still the same as before, not aged at all. "Young master, you're back."

"Mm, I'm back," Ji Ning nodded gently.

"Will you leave again?" Qiuye asked.

"Not this time," Ji Ning said.

Tears glistened in Qiuye's eyes, and she nodded firmly: "Qiuye will take good care of the young master."

"I'm not used to being taken care of by others," Ji Ning said with a smile. "Come, let's go see Uncle Liuzhen and the others."

"Alright," Qiuye followed immediately.

...

Wanjian City, Beiming Hall.

The entire interior of Wanjian City had been completely rebuilt. Now the most important hall of the Ji clan was this 'Beiming Hall', named 'Beiming' naturally because Ji Ning's Daoist name was Beiming! Ever since news spread that Ji Ning had won first place in the Immortal Fortune Assembly, the entire Ji clan was thrilled and狂热. This was an unprecedented glory in the Ji clan's endless history!

Ji Ning had become the most dazzling existence in the Ji clan's history!

"Uncle Liuzhen, Granny Ying, Immortal Duohe, Immortal Wusui," Ji Ning said as he walked into Beiming Hall.

There were only these four people in the hall.

Clearly, the news of Ji Ning's return was too shocking. Some other important figures of the Ji clan hadn't come. The news of Ji Ning's return was still kept secret for now.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back," Granny Ying looked at Ji Ning, her eyes showing excitement and joy.

"What about the old chieftain and the others?" Ji Ning couldn't help asking.

"Big brother and A Xing both reached their lifespan limits and have passed away," Granny Ying sighed. "After they left, I guarded the Scripture Depository alone, waiting for my own limit. Who would have thought that by reading more scriptures, I would unknowingly break through."

Ji Ning sighed.

Old chieftain Ji Jiuhuo and old servant A Xing were both dead. Now the oldest one left was Granny Ying.

"But big brother and the others knew back then that you won first place in the Immortal Fortune Assembly," Granny Ying said excitedly. "They were all thrilled and proud. For our Ji clan to have a disciple become the most dazzling figure in the entire Grand Xia dynasty is our clan's endless glory. By the way, Ji Ning, after winning first place in the Immortal Fortune Assembly, you disappeared for over thirty years. Did you go study under some Celestial Immortal?"

Wusui Immortal beside her laughed: "First place in the Immortal Fortune Assembly—what a peerless genius. It's normal to be taken as a disciple by a Celestial Immortal, or even by a Pure Yang True Immortal or Heavenly God."

Wusui Immortal was of the 'Wujiang Celestial Immortal' lineage, so naturally he knew of True Immortals and Heavenly Gods.

"Yes, I went to study," Ji Ning nodded.

Having disappeared for over thirty years, Ji Ning naturally had to prepare an explanation.

The explanation was simple—he went to study!

As for with whom? Who was his master? That had to be kept secret! The more mysterious it was, the more it would make those with ulterior motives hesitate.

"If I'm not mistaken, Fellow Daoist Ji Ning is now a returned-to-vacuity Earth Immortal," Duohe Immortal said with a smile.

"Not only that, even Fellow Daoist Ji Ning's two spirit beasts are returned-to-vacuity Earth Immortals," Wusui Immortal added.

"What!"

Granny Ying, clan leader Ji Liuzhen, and Qiuye all stared at Ji Ning in shock.

That Ji Ning had become a returned-to-vacuity Earth Immortal, though surprising, was within their expectations, because they had long heard the news that 'Ji Ning's second avatar killed a Sanxian', and Ji Ning had gone to study under some powerful figure. So what was strange about him becoming a returned-to-vacuity Earth Immortal? But both spirit beasts also became returned-to-vacuity Earth Immortals?

"Yes," Ji Ning smiled and nodded, then added, "I see the Ji clan has changed a lot."

"With Princess Xiyue's help, the Shaoyin clan's forces here left long ago," Ji Liuzhen said, suppressing the shock in his heart. "Plus, with your fame from winning first place in the Immortal Fortune Assembly, who would dare provoke our Ji clan? Our clan hasn't expanded, only consolidated Yanshan. Over the decades, Yanshan has become as tight as an iron bucket."

Ji Ning nodded.

"The changes in our Ji clan aren't big; the changes in Anchan Commandery are the real deal," Ji Liuzhen sighed. "The entire Anchan Commandery is vastly different from when you left. Even the Marquis of Anchan has changed."

"The Marquis of Anchan changed?" Ji Ning was startled. "Who?"

Back then, the main contenders for the position of Marquis of Anchan were Beishan Yin and Beishan Heihu.

"The current Marquis of Anchan is Beishan Yin," Ji Liuzhen said.