Chapter 20: The Four Ancestors of the Source River

Floating Hua True Immortal, Withered Grass Immortal, and the others were frozen like sculptures in midair, unable even to blink. The divine power and pure yang法力 within their bodies seemed frozen, incapable of the slightest movement. This utter inability to move filled Floating Hua and the rest with sheer terror.

“It’s a Dao Ancestor.”

“It must be a Dao Ancestor.”

“Could it be that Ji Ning’s Brightheart Island actually has a Dao Ancestor?”

None of them had expected that their attack would hit such an iron wall. Their luck with the great teleportation had been good—they had landed directly on Brightheart Island, which was not large, and happened to be very close to Ji Ning. Even if they had landed farther away, the formations around Swallow Mountain’s Serpentwing Lake would not have been able to stop Floating Hua True Immortal, who was skilled in formations and had comprehended the Grand Dao of Space.

But now they realized it wasn’t good luck at all—it was the worst luck imaginable!

“Senior.” Ji Ning and Yu Wei quickly called out respectfully.

“Mm.” The old craftsman, carrying the large iron shears used for trimming flowers and plants, walked over slowly. Seeing Ji Ning and Yu Wei address him respectfully as senior, he nodded. “At least you know to respect the elderly.”

Ji Ning and Yu Wei were speechless.

A dignified Dao Ancestor, sometimes pretending to be a servant, sometimes putting on airs—it completely shattered their imagination of what a Dao Ancestor should be.

“You fellows hanging up in the sky.” The old craftsman looked up at the fifty-five frozen figures in the air and said, “You disturbed my sleep. Do you have anything to say before you die?”

As soon as he spoke,

Floating Hua True Immortal and the others in the air felt their mouths able to move.

“We had no intention of offending you, Senior.” Floating Hua True Immortal said respectfully.

“Senior, please let us leave.” Withered Grass Immortal’s voice was soft.

The Abyss Gate side all kept a low profile, but they soon calmed down. If it was a Dao Ancestor, he probably wouldn’t start a war lightly. The Dao Ancestors of the two camps were very restrained now. Meeting this Dao Ancestor might result in some mockery, but they should be able to survive.

For them, losing an avatar or incarnation was not a big deal; what mattered was that they carried important treasures, including several pure yang top-grade magic treasures. Otherwise, how could their avatars display such power? Especially Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal, who was truly enraged this time and had even brought an innate spirit-treasure.

“Looks like this crisis is over.” Ji Ning and Yu Wei both breathed a sigh of relief. But Ji Ning also knew that the Abyss Gate was powerful; even his master, Patriarch Subhuti, would not casually act against minor figures of the Abyss Gate. This Dao Ancestor, who enjoyed wandering the mortal world, probably wouldn’t act recklessly either.

“Ji Ning, lad.” The old craftsman suddenly spoke.

“Senior.” Ji Ning quickly responded.

“Tell me, should these people be killed or not?” The old craftsman looked at Ji Ning with a smile. “If you say they should be killed, I’ll kill them. If you say they shouldn’t, I’ll let them go. How about that?”

Ji Ning was startled.

The fifty-five Abyss Gate members in the air were also startled.

“Whether to kill or not is for you to decide, Senior.” Ji Ning quickly said. He wouldn’t be so foolish as to actually say “they should be killed.” If this Dao Ancestor was just joking and didn’t really want to start a conflict, then speaking recklessly would be disastrous.

“It seems you still have doubts.” The old craftsman sighed. “In the Three Realms, even if it were the Daoist leader’s precious darling Lü Dongbin, if I, old man, wanted to kill him, I would.”

Ji Ning was shocked.

Above, Floating Hua True Immortal, Withered Grass Immortal, Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal, Sanyang Heavenly God, Qishou Heavenly God, and Du Chou Immortal all changed expression drastically.

“Source Elder?”

“Source Elder?”

They all guessed it.

“Could it be Senior Source Elder?” Floating Hua True Immortal spoke. In the Three Realms, the only one who dared to kill Lü Dongbin and called himself “old man” was the always low-key and mysterious Source Elder.

“It is I, old man.” The old craftsman looked at them with a smile. “Do you still think I dare not kill you now?”

Floating Hua True Immortal and the others on the Abyss Gate side were all terrified and no longer calm. But they also grumbled inwardly—if you, Source Elder, want to kill, just kill; why drag it out with all this talk? The rumors were true; this Source Elder was indeed a crazy, senile old man.

“Source Elder?” Ji Ning and Yu Wei both showed surprise.

Yu Wei had learned from Lü Dongbin about some Dao Ancestors in the Three Realms.

Ji Ning, though he hadn’t deliberately studied all the True Gods and Dao Ancestors on Mount Fangcun, had heard discussions among the disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage about some of the most顶尖 True Gods and Dao Ancestors. ‘Source Daoist’ was often mentioned.

Source Elder was also a True God born from混沌, but his comprehension was far higher than Sanshou Daoist’s, and his status was much higher. He had long mastered the Heavenly Dao and become a Great Luo Dao Ancestor. After that, his strength improved unstoppably. He belonged neither to the Daoist nor Buddhist schools, forming his own school, and his strength was extraordinary. He was one of the truly top Dao Ancestors in the Three Realms, with two Dao Ancestors among his disciples. He also had three close friends, all powerful Dao Ancestors in the Three Realms.

He and those three friends were known in the Three Realms as the ‘Four Ancestors of the Source River.’ The Four Ancestors of the Source River were deeply bonded and acted together. They themselves were four powerful Dao Ancestors, and with their disciples and friends, they formed a very powerful force in the Three Realms.

And Source Elder was the strongest and the leader among the Four Ancestors of the Source River!

How strong was he?

No one knew. Some said Source Elder was slightly weaker than the two leaders of the Daoist and Buddhist schools. Others said Source Elder could match those two leaders. In short, he was a crazy but terrifyingly powerful old man.

“This is bad!” Floating Hua True Immortal and the others all felt bitter.

Now the Three Realms had two camps.

Patriarch Subhuti and others had long chosen their camp, but the Source River Four Ancestors faction remained neutral. Although in the end, no one could remain aloof from this war between the two camps, before the war truly broke out, both camps were trying to win over the Source River Four Ancestors. After all, they were too powerful—not ordinary Dao Ancestors. These four old fellows were all born as Chaos True Gods and were top among Dao Ancestors, especially Source Elder, who was one of the most formidable great beings in the Three Realms.

If Patriarch Subhuti dared to come kill them, the great beings behind the Abyss Gate would certainly intervene, as they were enemies.

But if Source Elder killed them, the great beings behind the Abyss Gate would never stop him, because they were always trying to win over the Source River Four Ancestors faction. How could they risk offending this old man?

“See, I wasn’t joking with you.” The old craftsman looked at Ji Ning with a smile. “I’ll ask you one more time: should they be killed or not? If you say they should be killed, I’ll kill them.”

This time Ji Ning didn’t hesitate. He nodded: “They should be killed.”

“Good.” The old craftsman nodded with satisfaction. “That’s more like it.”

“Senior!”

The Abyss Gate members in the air, frozen as if hung on a wall, were all terrified.

“Go.” The old craftsman casually tossed the large iron shears. The shears flew out. Though they were ordinary iron shears used for trimming flowers and plants, which might break if used to cut stone, they now flew toward the True Immortals and Heavenly Gods in the air. Even a Heavenly God’s avatar had an extremely tough divine body.

Snap!

As if cutting through paper, a Heavenly God’s body was cut in two, and then its aura vanished, dead beyond death.

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Floating Hua True Immortal, Withered Grass Immortal, Du Chou Immortal, and the others were terrified and anxious, even shouting “Senior,” but they were still snapped to death one by one. In a short while, all fifty-five Abyss Gate members in the air were dead. The large iron shears cut slowly, but no great being came to stop them.

Ji Ning’s eyes lit up.

What a relief!

These fellows had dared to attack his home base—killing them all was truly satisfying.

“Here, these Abyss Gate riffraff only sent avatars and incarnations, but they still brought some good stuff. There are three pure yang top-grade magic treasures, and even an innate spirit-treasure.” The old craftsman waved his hand, and the treasures left behind by the dead Abyss Gate members flew to the open space in front of Ji Ning and Yu Wei. “I, old man, don’t care for them. They’re yours.”

Ji Ning blinked.

Yu Wei was also stunned.

Yours?

What a thing to say!

Ji Ning had become a disciple of Patriarch Subhuti and, after great hardship and luck in the Crescent Moon Great World, had obtained an innate spirit-treasure, the Luohou Bow, which was already broken at the string. This Source Elder was even more generous than his own master!

“What, you won’t accept?” Source Elder glared.

“I accept, I accept.” Ji Ning was startled and quickly said, “How dare I refuse a gift from you, Senior?” He immediately put them away.

“That’s more like it. Be direct in everything, don’t be all shy like a girl.” Source Elder laughed. “I’ve been living on your Brightheart Island for a few months now.”

A few months?

Ji Ning was puzzled. This old craftsman should have been here all along.

“This old gardener was just possessed by me.” Source Elder said with a smile. “I stayed for a few months, and you only just returned to Brightheart Island. Mm, I watched you practice swordplay a few times. Your sword technique is good, but your heartforce mastery is even better.”

Watched me a few times?

Apart from this time, the old craftsman hadn’t been around. Oh, right, with Source Elder’s strength, even from far away, it would be easy for him to watch Ji Ning practice.

“But…” Source Elder said with confusion, “I find you very stupid.”

“Stupid?” Ji Ning was puzzled. This was the first time someone had called him stupid!

“You’ve applied heartforce to your sword-finger, but haven’t you thought about applying it to your legs, to your whole body? That way, when you use your escape technique or divine ability, your speed would greatly increase. Facing those so-called True Immortals and Heavenly Gods, your chances of escape would be much higher, instead of just standing there stupidly taking the hits.” Source Elder said.

Ji Ning shook his head: “Applying heartforce is no easy task. It took me eighteen years of pondering to figure out how to use it on my sword-finger.”

“It’s not easy because you don’t have a good teacher. Your master knows nothing about heartforce.” Source Elder smiled. “Look at my strength—how is it?”

“Senior’s strength is naturally formidable.” Ji Ning quickly said.

“Then why don’t you quickly become my disciple!” Source Elder puffed out his chest.

…