Chapter 10 Unfathomable

Time flowed silently like water, and in the blink of an eye, nearly five years had passed.

Wingsnake Lake, Heartbright Island.

Heartbright Island was the name Ji Ning had given to the island in the lake's center. Buildings stood one after another on the island, which had once been desolate but now resembled a paradise of beauty. At this time, between spring and summer, all kinds of flowers vied in splendor, and with the careful tending of some servants, it was exceptionally gorgeous.

"Sister Qiuye, Sister Qiuye!" A young man in blue was running and shouting.

Qiuye, who was sitting brewing tea, turned her head and smiled. "Qingshi, done with archery practice? Did Master Mengyu scold you?"

"This..." Qingshi rubbed his head helplessly. "How could I not be scolded? Every time we practice archery, Master Mengyu scolds me, and he often compares me to big brother. What kind of genius is big brother? How can I compare?"

"You must cherish this opportunity." Qiuye looked at Qingshi as if he were her own younger brother, speaking earnestly. "The young master also said that although Master Mengyu's dantian was broken, he has since focused more on archery... and now his archery has actually improved. Because Master Mengyu lives on Heartbright Island and the young master spoke on your behalf, he agreed to teach you. You must study well; it's a rare skill."

Qingshi nodded quickly. "I understand."

Qingshi was very happy living on Heartbright Island. Ji Ning treated him completely like a younger brother, and they addressed each other as brothers. From the way they addressed each other, one could see the closeness of their relationship. Normally, one would say 'elder brother' or 'big brother,' but only those who grew up together as children and were very close would call each other 'brother.'

"Mm." Qiuye smiled and nodded.

"Where is Brother Ji Ning?" Qingshi pressed. "Practicing swordsmanship?"

Qiuye smiled. "He's not practicing swordsmanship."

"Oh, then he's sleeping on Wingsnake Lake," Qingshi said with a smile. Having lived on Heartbright Island for nearly five years, he was very familiar with Ji Ning's habits. Nowadays, aside from practicing swordsmanship, Ji Ning would lie on a small boat on Wingsnake Lake, drifting with the current and sleeping.

"Yes, he's sleeping," Qiuye said, also turning to look at the boundless lake.

Qingshi couldn't help but say, "When I asked Brother Ji Ning why he always sleeps on Wingsnake Lake, he said he was cultivating. I don't understand—how is sleeping on Wingsnake Lake cultivation? But Brother Ji Ning's swordsmanship is getting more and more powerful. Two years ago, Commander Ji already admitted he was no match!"

"Yes, the young master's swordsmanship has become increasingly superb and unfathomable," Qiuye sighed. "I once saw the young master practicing his sword, and a large number of water birds flew over, gathered around him, and lingered for a long time, unwilling to leave."

"So miraculous?" Qingshi was amazed.

"Commander Ji used to spar with the young master once a year. After admitting defeat two years ago, he stopped coming. Unfortunately, the young master won't let me watch; I don't know what the scene was like when they fought." Qiuye had a trace of longing. In her eyes, Ji Yichuan's swordsmanship had long been legendary, and her young master's swordsmanship was now even more profound and unfathomable.

Ji Yichuan lived on Heartbright Island, but on the other side. He was usually aloof and proud, forbidding anyone from going there, and had no servants. Only Ji Ning could go in occasionally to accompany his father.

"I'm really curious—what level has Brother's swordsmanship reached?" Qingshi's eyes showed admiration.

"Look." Qiuye suddenly pointed toward the lake.

"Huh?" Qingshi also turned to look.

In the distance, a boat appeared faintly. Qingshi first showed joy, thinking it was Ji Ning's sleeping boat, but on closer look... it was a large boat, the ferry that often carried people between the island and the shore. After all, many people now lived on Heartbright Island—nearly a hundred servants—and large amounts of grain were frequently shipped to the island. Outsiders also came to visit, so there was a ferry.

On the ferry.

A group of young people were on the boat, chatting and laughing with each other.

"The clan leader ordered us to go pay respects to that Ji Ning," said a tall young man with a bare chest, a hint of resentment in his eyes. "We are from the Ji clan's main mansion, much stronger than the other four branches! The six of us are the strongest of the younger generation in the main mansion. Having us spar with this Ji Ning is one thing, but he said we should 'pay respects' and let Ji Ning 'instruct' us? And we have to be respectful?"

"Shut up." A handsome young man shouted, "The clan leader instructed that we must be respectful and address him as Young Master Ji Ning."

"Fine, fine, Young Master Ji Ning," the tall young man couldn't help saying. "That's us, but Ji Mo—you are the unparalleled genius of our main mansion's younger generation, entering the Xiantian realm at fifteen. You've already mastered our clan's ultimate technique, 'Ten Thousand Swords Melody.' That Ji Ning... although Young Master Ji Ning became Xiantian a few years earlier than you, at most we can spar. How can you go pay respects and let him instruct you?"

"Ji Mo." A woman in black said, "Tongzhan is right. Although no one dares to disobey the clan leader's orders openly, we are all unconvinced inside. We are the best of the main mansion's younger generation. That Ji Ning... Young Master Ji Ning is only from the western branch. No matter how talented, he's only a bit stronger than us. How can he be worthy of our respectful visit?"

"Enough."

The handsome young man's eyes were like water, sweeping over the others. The other five youths fell silent.

Ji Mo was the undisputed number one of the main mansion's younger generation. Moreover, he had followed Granny Ying since childhood, which made his status even more special... Many believed that Ji Mo would be the next master of the main mansion.

"You know, I follow Granny Ying," Ji Mo said slowly.

"Mm." The five youths showed admiration in their eyes.

Granny Ying...

In the entire Ji clan, two figures stood at the pinnacle: one was the clan leader, Ji Jiuhuo; the other was Granny Ying! Granny Ying was Ji Jiuhuo's younger sister, an old grandmother who had lived for nearly four hundred years. But without a doubt, she had also entered the Zifu Disciple realm three hundred years ago.

The two of them were the Ji clan's publicly known Zifu Disciples.

As for whether there were hidden Zifu Disciples, it was hard to say. A clan naturally had to conceal some trump cards, mixing truth with falsehood, to endure for long.

"Granny Ying personally taught me swordsmanship," Ji Mo said softly. "My swordsmanship compared to Granny Ying's is far inferior. Do you know why the six of us were sent by the clan leader to pay respects to Ji Ning at Wingsnake Lake?"

"I heard that the eastern, northern, and southern branches all sent younger generation disciples to pay respects to Young Master Ji Ning, so our main mansion also sent the six of us."

"Wrong."

Ji Mo shook his head gently.

"Our main mansion is the foundation of the Ji clan. The clan leader and Granny Ying are both from our main mansion," Ji Mo said. "Our main mansion also occupies the largest territory, and the number of Xiantian beings far exceeds that of the other four branches. Even the Red Armored Guards are stationed in our main mansion. Why would our main mansion imitate the other branches?"

"Then why?" They all looked at Ji Mo.

Ji Mo said softly, "Because a year ago, Granny Ying came to Wingsnake Lake."

"Granny Ying came to Wingsnake Lake?" The other five youths immediately had many thoughts in their minds.

Ji Mo said, "The clan leader once praised Young Master Ji Ning greatly, believing that he would surely become the number one in our Ji clan in the future. So Granny Ying came to Wingsnake Lake to see for herself what Ji Ning was capable of..."

"And then?"

"What did Granny Ying say?" The five youths eagerly looked at Ji Mo.

A peculiar look appeared in Ji Mo's eyes as he said slowly, "After Granny Ying returned, I pressed her on how I compared to Young Master Ji Ning. She only said it was hard to compare, hard to compare. I continued to ask what level Young Master Ji Ning's swordsmanship had reached, and Granny Ying only said one word—'unfathomable.'"

"Unfathomable!" The five youths were shocked. If Granny Ying said that, how terrifying must Ji Ning's swordsmanship be?

"Everyone, time to disembark," a boatman shouted loudly.

Only then did the six of them look. The ferry was about to dock. In the distance, buildings rose one after another, and the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful. They couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Ji Mo's eyes lit up. "This Ji Ning lives here?"