Chapter 2 Ji Ning Returns

"Beishan Yin?" Ji Ning was startled.

"And Beishan Baiwei and his father Beishan Heihu?" Ji Ning pressed, "Are they still well?"

Struggles within such ancient tribes were brutal, and the losing side usually fared poorly.

"I know about the relationship between Beishan Baiwei and you, Ji Ning," said Ji Liuzhen. "So I kept an eye on this matter. Beishan Heihu and his son Beishan Baiwei still live in Anchan City, in the same Beishan Heihu estate. Though their power is not what it once was, at least they are safe."

Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he was astonished.

From what he knew, the struggle for the marquis position within the Anchan Hou Beishan clan was usually quite brutal. The losing side would typically have their estate confiscated, be expelled from Anchan City to some desolate place, or even be ordered to garrison a minor world and fight for the tribe, possibly dying there. He hadn't expected that after Beishan Yin became the Anchan Hou, his greatest rival, Beishan Heihu, could still remain safely in Anchan City.

After a short while, Ji Ning chatted a bit more and felt reassured, then said, "I need to go out for a while. I estimate I'll be back in ten days to half a month."

"Ji Ning," said Granny Shadow hoarsely, "things are chaotic outside now. Be careful when you're out."

"Chaotic?" Ji Ning was puzzled. "What chaos?"

Ji Liuzhen said, "Our Ji clan holds fast to Swallow Mountain and doesn't know much about the chaos outside, but we've heard that in the last twenty or thirty years, many tribes and sects in Anchan Commandery have been wiped out. The entire commandery is on edge. Of course, the tribes and sects that were destroyed were relatively weak—those without immortals. But there were quite a few forces comparable to the Snowdragon Mountain of old."

"What?" Ji Ning sensed something was wrong.

Forces comparable to Snowdragon Mountain were already considered major powers in Anchan Commandery.

Those with immortals stationed there were considered first-rate top-tier forces.

Above them were the eight great powers: the Black-White College, the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect, the Hundred Flowers Fairyland, the Saintly Celestial Sect, the Blood God Sect, the Lie Dragon Clan, the Mulan Clan, and the Donghe Clan.

At the very peak were the Anchan Beishan clan and the Yinglong Guard branch.

"Forces comparable to Snowdragon Mountain all have deep foundations; it's rare for even one to fall in a thousand years. How could a bunch be destroyed in just twenty or thirty years?" Ji Ning said.

"Our Ji clan holds fast to Swallow Mountain, so we're not too clear," said Ji Liuzhen.

Ji Ning frowned.

When he left Mount Fangcun this time, his master had said that the Three Realms were seething with undercurrents, and even his master might lose his life. Now, upon returning, he found that even a place like Anchan Commandery had begun to descend into chaos...

"Behind the chaos in Anchan Commandery, there must be some great secrets," Ji Ning mused. "I need to be even more cautious. Even my master is extremely careful; what is my meager strength?"

"Granny Shadow, Uncle Liuzhen," Ji Ning said, "Given the chaos in Anchan Commandery now, you've done the right thing. Our Ji clan should focus on consolidating Swallow Mountain. Well, I'll go out for a while and be back in ten days to half a month. Qiuye, you don't need to follow me. Wait for me here."

"Mm," Qiuye nodded.

"Immortal Duohe, Immortal Wu Sui, I'll rely on you to take care of our Ji clan," Ji Ning said.

"It's only right. Ji Ning, you saved our entire Immortal Estate妖族; doing this is the least we can do," Immortal Wu Sui quickly said.

"Our Immortal Estate妖族 is also in Swallow Mountain; we share glory and loss with the Ji clan," Immortal Duohe said warmly. Years ago, because of their clans, they had sworn the 'Thousand-Year Oath,' but now that Ji Ning and his two spirit beasts had become Return to Void Earth Immortals, their attitudes had changed.

...

Thousands of li from Anchan City, ripples appeared in the high sky, and a fur-clad youth appeared with a large snow-white dog.

The small green snake coiled around Ji Ning's arm raised its head and looked into the distance, excitedly saying, "Finally, we're at Anchan City! Haha, I, Xiaoqing, am now a Return to Void Earth Immortal. I'm a top expert in Anchan City, right!"

Swoosh!

Ji Ning rode a gust of wind and flew directly toward Anchan City.

"I'm back. I wonder if my master is at the Black-White College," Ji Ning thought. Soon he saw the distant Black-White College. Back then, Immortal Diancai had gone out to temper himself, and now nearly forty years had passed; he didn't know if he had returned.

Whoosh~~~

Ji Ning flew directly into the Black-White College.

...

Inside the Anchan Hou estate.

A large number of water mirrors hung in the air, with many cultivators monitoring them.

"Someone flew directly into Anchan City!" One of the water mirrors captured the scene, and a cultivator quickly noticed it. With his loud report, it was soon confirmed.

"A fur-clad youth, carrying a Skyblue Serpent and a Whitewater Marsh."

"This person should be the one who won first place in the Immortal Fortune Assembly over thirty years ago and then vanished—the Northmont真人 Ji Ning!"

"Intelligence on the Northmont真人 Ji Ning is top priority. Report it quickly!"

Soon, this intelligence was reported upward.

The Anchan Beishan clan kept strict surveillance over their fiefdom. At least in Anchan City, anyone who dared to fly would be clearly identified. Even across the vast lands of Anchan Commandery, if a violent fluctuation of primal energy occurred somewhere, it would be immediately detected.

For example, when the Fire Dragon Immortal broke through at Swallow Mountain years ago, the Anchan Hou Beishan clan immediately discovered it.

"Ji Ning?"

"Ji Ning, who disappeared for over thirty years after the Immortal Fortune Assembly?"

"Report this news to the ancestor immediately!"

"Yes."

The news continued upward.

Soon, this piece of news reached the 'Tuoshan Celestial Immortal.'

...

A hunchbacked old man leaning on a wooden staff, with white hair and long eyebrows, took a step and appeared in midair, walking directly toward the Black-White College.

"I heard that back then, the Evergreen Sword Immortal of the Lord of the Brightmoon's lineage wanted to take Ji Ning as a disciple, but Ji Ning didn't accept. Nor did he bow to any other immortals or celestial gods of that lineage... In fact, many immortals of the Lord of the Brightmoon's lineage don't even know where Ji Ning went," the Tuoshan Celestial Immortal mused.

Ji Ning's disappearance back then had caused quite a stir.

It was known that several Pure Yang True Immortals, including Lü Dongbin, had wanted to take Ji Ning as a disciple, with Lü Dongbin being the most enthusiastic. But the Grand Xia Emperor firmly refused, insisting that Ji Ning stay with the Lord of the Brightmoon's lineage.

But what happened afterward?

Many celestial immortals had been in the Tianmang Hall back then, so news had long spread. The celestial immortals under the Lord of the Brightmoon were all inquiring... and learned that 'the Evergreen Sword Immortal wanted to take Ji Ning as a disciple, but Ji Ning himself didn't agree and instead disappeared.'

No matter how they investigated, none of the immortals under the Lord of the Brightmoon had taken Ji Ning as a disciple. Everyone speculated that Ji Ning probably hadn't joined the Lord of the Brightmoon's lineage.

Where had Ji Ning gone?

Why didn't he bow to the Evergreen Sword Immortal?

Who had he bowed to? Or had he not taken a master at all and was cultivating alone?

This became a mystery!

"Having a good chat, are we?" The Tuoshan Celestial Immortal, leaning on his staff, arrived at the main hall of the Black-White College and stepped inside. His cloudy eyes under long brows swept over the crowd in the hall. More than ten immortals had gathered. Thirty years ago, the Black-White College didn't have this many immortals, but in the last twenty or thirty years, Anchan Commandery had been too chaotic, so the once-leisurely碧海道人 and other highly enlightened Primal Daoists had broken through one after another, reaching the Return to Void Earth Immortal realm.

"Senior Tuoshan."

All the immortals of the Black-White College bowed respectfully.

Ji Ning also bowed: "Senior Tuoshan."

"Ji Ning is back?" The Tuoshan Celestial Immortal nodded lightly, his eyes brightening. "In just over thirty years, you and your two spirit beasts have all entered the Return to Void Earth Immortal realm. Demon beasts cultivate much slower than humans. For both your spirit beasts to reach Return to Void Earth Immortal, it seems you've had quite an adventure in these thirty years."

The short old man, the Mad Immortal Wu, sighed emotionally: "We were just talking about this. Becoming a Return to Void Earth Immortal is no easy feat. Ji Ning and his two spirit beasts... that's three more Earth Immortals for our Black-White College. Naturally, all fellow disciples are overjoyed."

The Tuoshan Celestial Immortal nodded, then said, "Young friend Ji Ning, your sudden disappearance back then drew quite a bit of attention. May I ask where you've been these thirty years?"

Ji Ning smiled: "Just studying under a master."

"Studying under a master?" The Tuoshan Celestial Immortal's heart stirred, and he quickly asked, "May I ask who?"

"I'm afraid I can't say," Ji Ning said.

The Tuoshan Celestial Immortal smiled: "I won't press you, I won't press you." But he thought to himself, "It seems some other force in the Three Realms took Ji Ning away. Now Ji Ning won't reveal his master's name, probably to avoid trouble. But his master must be a formidable figure to dare do this."

The matter of Ji Ning taking a master was indeed interesting.

Another force taking Ji Ning as a disciple would somewhat offend the Lord of the Brightmoon's lineage.

But for Ji Ning himself, the Lord of the Brightmoon's lineage couldn't force him, because taking a disciple requires the disciple's willingness. Whether a True Immortal, Celestial God, or Lord of the Brightmoon, they all ask... 'Are you willing to take me as your master?' If Ji Ning was unwilling, no one would force him. But if Ji Ning willingly went with someone else and bowed to another master, the Grand Xia Emperor could only swallow his loss.

"If young friend Ji Ning has nothing to do, you can visit the Anchan Hou estate," the Tuoshan Celestial Immortal said with a smile.

"Certainly," Ji Ning said.

"Mm, I won't disturb your reunion with fellow disciples." The Tuoshan Celestial Immortal then turned, leaning on his staff, and drifted away.

Inside the hall.

"Ji Ning, Anchan Commandery is in chaos now, so be careful. Our Black-White College stands with the Anchan Hou Beishan clan, but we can't foolishly be their scapegoats," the Mad Immortal Wu said in a low voice. The other scattered immortals and Earth Immortals present also nodded, looking at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning and the Slovenly True Man were the two future pillars of their Black-White College. They didn't want Ji Ning to be used.

Ji Ning nodded: "I understand. By the way, is my master at the Black-White College?"

"Your master returned a few days ago and is in seclusion to calm his mind. He'll probably undergo his tribulation soon," said the Mad Immortal Wu.

"Tribulation?" Ji Ning was startled.

...