Chapter 24: Meeting the Seven Celestial Deities

Above Yishe Lake, Mount Yan, Anchan Commandery.

The golden sun hung high, illuminating the land, but thick snow covered the treetops and ground, and each breath brought a bellyful of cold.

Whoosh!

A young man stood in midair, gazing at Mingxin Island not far away.

Swish, swish, swish!!!

Suddenly, a dispirited gray-robed youth, a green-clad girl, and a large snow-white dog appeared out of thin air.

“Senior apprentice-brother?” The gray-robed youth, Mu Zishuo, stared at Ji Ning in disbelief.

“I told you the master was back, but you didn’t believe me. I’m the master’s spirit beast—how could I be wrong?” Xiaoqing rushed excitedly toward Ji Ning, then leaped and transformed into a green snake, coiling around his arm. Her little green head rubbed against his arm affectionately. “Master, I’ve been so worried all these years. You’re finally back.”

Ji Ning gently stroked the green snake with his right hand.

“It’s good that you’re back.” Uncle Bai didn’t say much, but his eyes were full of joy.

“Senior apprentice-brother, it’s all my fault…” Mu Zishuo looked at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning had actually been very worried about his junior apprentice-brother Mu Zishuo over the years, because before the war with the Shaoyin clan, his junior brother, who had been tortured for decades, had just lost his Dao-companion. And now, with Ji Ning himself afflicted by karmic fire and exiled to a deathland by the Shaoyin clan, his junior brother would probably blame himself terribly. Given his state, after so many years of guilt and remorse, Ji Ning feared something terrible might have happened.

Fortunately…

His junior brother had a few more white hairs, but at least he was still alive.

“This isn’t your fault. If anyone is to blame, it’s me for being too arrogant and underestimating the Shaoyin clan.” Ji Ning walked through the void and gently patted his junior brother’s shoulder. “Besides, the enmity between me and the Shaoyin clan runs deep. Don’t flatter yourself by taking it all on yourself.”

Mu Zishuo couldn’t help but smile.

“Master, where have you been all these years? We were all so worried.” Xiaoqing raised her head to look at Ji Ning. Mu Zishuo and Uncle Bai also looked at him.

“Back then, the Shaoyin clan exiled me to a deathland in the endless void outside the Three Realms,” Ji Ning said. “For over eighteen years, I was trapped there, only managing to get out today.”

“So you were just stuck in a deathland. I thought you’d gone through all sorts of twists and turns,” Xiaoqing remarked.

“Who have you told about my situation?” Ji Ning asked.

Uncle Bai spoke: “We only told Immortal Diancai. But because we’ve been living on Mingxin Island, Xiaoqing and Mu Zishuo couldn’t hide their grief and worry, and Qiuye noticed something was off, so she found out too. Also… your Dao-companion, Yu Wei. She already knew about your situation when she returned to the Grand Xia world; her master, Patriarch Lu, must have told her.”

Ji Ning frowned. He actually didn’t want Qiuye or Yu Wei to know, because they would surely worry.

“I’ll go see Sister Qiuye,” Ji Ning said.

“Go ahead,” Uncle Bai said. “Your room, study, and meditation chamber—Qiuye has spent time there every day for years. I can see that little girl’s heart is completely with you.”

Ji Ning nodded slightly. Then candlelight flickered in his eyes as he glanced toward Mingxin Island and saw Qiuye.

…

Inside the study.

Qiuye was gently wiping the desk with her hand. Actually, because of the formations, there was no dust in the study, but stroking the desk made her recall the times when she ground ink while Ji Ning wrote at the desk.

“Young master, when will you come back?” Tears glistened in Qiuye’s eyes as she looked at the chair—the one Ji Ning usually sat in.

It had been so long.

She had waited for so, so long. Even when the young master had gone to study the Dao for over thirty years, it hadn’t felt this long. Back then, she knew he was learning the Dao, but this time she knew her young master was in a desperate situation, possibly dying at any moment. This torment made every day feel as long and hard as a year.

When she was very young, she was sold as a slave, eventually entering the Ji clan and becoming a little maidservant, attending to Ji Ning personally.

From childhood, that babbling child was her sky, her earth.

If Chuncao still had her father and relatives to care about, Qiuye had long lost all her kin. She had only one family member… her young master.

Watching the young master grow from a babbling child step by step, gradually maturing, she followed him as he ventured into Dongshan Swamp… until Ji Ning embarked on the path of immortality and went to Anchan Commandery. She was no longer able to take care of him; following him would only be a burden. She had no complaints, willingly waiting silently on Mingxin Island for her young master’s return.

When the young master came back, that was her happiest day.

When he didn’t, she waited silently.

But this time…

The young master might never return.

“Creak.” Suddenly the study door opened, making Qiuye’s body tremble. She quickly turned to look.

At the doorway stood a young man, still wearing that beast-hide coat, still with the smile she knew best: “Sister Qiuye!”

“Young master!” Qiuye rushed forward excitedly, but when she reached Ji Ning, she hesitated.

But Ji Ning reached out and embraced her.

After holding her for a while, Qiuye’s emotions calmed down.

“Sister Qiuye, the snow outside is quite beautiful. Let’s go look at the snow,” Ji Ning said. Toward Sister Qiuye… Ji Ning’s feelings were special. Having grown up together, Sister Qiuye had attended to him. In his heart, she was like family, like kin, like parents or siblings.

With his parents gone, his only family left were Sister Qiuye and Uncle Bai.

Qiuye was his sister in his heart, his dearest sister.

Uncle Bai was an elder, a senior who silently cared for him.

Being intimate with other women would make Ji Ning cautious, but with Sister Qiuye, even an embrace was like that of siblings—warm and comforting.

“Snow?” Qiuye quickly nodded. “Yes, let’s go see the snow.”

…

Mingxin Island was Ji Ning’s home, and Qiuye naturally took good care of it. The island’s usual scenery was already very beautiful, and under the snow cover, it had a rare beauty.

Not until the sky began to darken toward evening did Ji Ning say, “Sister Qiuye, I need to go to Anchan City. I haven’t told my master or my senior apprentice-sister that I’m back.”

“Go ahead,” Qiuye said with a smile. “Your master and your Dao-companion have probably been worried all these years too.”

“Mm.” Ji Ning then rose directly on a cloud and flew into the sky.

Qiuye looked up at Ji Ning’s departing figure, her eyes full of contentment.

The young master was safe. Even if he wasn’t by her side, she felt at ease.

…

Inside the main hall of the Water Mansion.

The black-robed Ji Ning looked at the yellow-furred bear and the seven Celestial Deities before him.

“Senior Bear, it’s time you told me some things,” the black-robed Ji Ning said.

“I’m sure you’ve guessed some of it,” the bear nodded. “Let me introduce them first. These seven… were the seven Celestial Deities under my master, Sanzhao Daoist, back in the day.”

Seven Celestial Deities?

Though Ji Ning had known this, he couldn’t help but be awed. These weren’t the mass-produced warriors with obvious weaknesses from the Broken Horn World; they were true gods and demons born from heaven and earth, each immensely powerful.

“This is Jiuyā Celestial Deity,” the bear said, pointing to the bald old man. The bald old man grinned at Ji Ning: “Young master.”

“Don’t let this old fellow fool you; he’s the most cunning of us all,” said the seductive white-browed woman beside him.

“Calling me old fellow? Are you any younger?” the bald old man retorted.

The bear smiled and pointed to the woman: “This is Xuexie Celestial Deity, quite forthright.”

“Young master.” Xuexie Celestial Deity also looked at Ji Ning with a smile. “You need to cultivate quickly, and soon achieve Celestial Deityhood as your true self. Then we can roam the world with you.”

The bear then pointed to the gentle youth who seemed most harmless: “This is Jiushe Celestial Deity.”

“Jiushe Celestial Deity?” Ji Ning was stunned.

The Jiushe was a true divine beast, born when the ancient Pangu World was created, a true divine beast of extreme poison. That such a poisonous divine beast would take human form like this was surprising.

“And these two…” The bear pointed to the two most stalwart and towering men, one appearing狂暴 and the other阴冷, one with reddish skin and one with dark skin. “In ancient times, the Pangu World gave birth to a pair of gods and demons, twins born at the same time—one from the true fire of the scorching sun, the other from the true water of the cold moon. They always fight together, called Lieyang Celestial Deity and Xuanyue Celestial Deity.”

“Young master.” Both of them also looked at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning sighed inwardly.

These gods and demons had lived since ancient times, at least since the birth of the Pangu World, each with extraordinary origins.

“And this one.” The bear pointed to the child wearing a necklace. “He followed the master earliest when the ancient Pangu World was still desolate, and was the master’s adopted son, named Yuanguang Celestial Deity.”

“Back then, I wanted to learn Father’s Star Picking Hand, but unfortunately, I was already at the Return to Void godly demon level at birth and couldn’t even get started.” The child smiled at Ji Ning. “Father’s Star Picking Hand finally has a successor. You must cultivate well and become a Celestial Deity soon.”

The bear then pointed to the last one, Hongxue Celestial Deity: “You already know Hongxue Celestial Deity. He was the most valiant Celestial Deity under the master, and also the strongest. Among Celestial Deities and True Immortals, few are stronger than him.”

“I heard earlier too. Master said that Senior Hongxue is only one step away from becoming a True God or Patriarch,” Ji Ning said.

“That step is not so easy to take,” Hongxue Celestial Deity said, smiling at Ji Ning. “But Ji Ning, when I saw you last time, I worried you might not be able to command obedience in the future. Don’t be fooled by how polite they all seem now—they’re actually all very proud. But this time, in the Domain of Extinction… you endured karmic fire, reached the third level of heartforce, figured out a heartforce technique on your own, and even grasped a trace of Sword Force before your sword dao was complete. Even I have to admire you. The other six are convinced too. They’re just waiting for you to become a Celestial Deity. You heard them—they all called you ‘young master’ just now.”

…