Chapter 14: The Black-White College

"By the way, Ji Ning, this book records all the slightly larger powers within our Anchan Commandery, and it's very detailed." Beishan Baiwei flipped his hand, and a huge book, a foot thick and shaped like a shield, appeared in his palm. There was not a single word on its cover. He directly handed it over.

Ji Ning looked at the shield-sized book before him and blinked. "This is too..."

"Don't forget how big our Anchan Commandery is!" Beishan Baiwei chuckled. "This book contains detailed records of every power, including the magic treasures and spells favored by the formidable cultivators in each."

"So detailed?" Ji Ning was taken aback. "I just want to choose a sect to join."

"I couldn't be bothered to make a selection, so I just grabbed a copy of the intelligence compendium on the major powers from my mansion." Beishan Baiwei smiled. "This one has a low classification level. If it were a highly classified intelligence compendium, there would be hundreds of volumes."

Ji Ning was speechless.

He only needed some reference to choose a sect, but Beishan Baiwei had directly taken out an intelligence compendium. No wonder the cover had no title.

"Take it first," Beishan Baiwei said.

Ji Ning accepted it.

Beishan Baiwei said, "Reading this intelligence compendium will take some time. Actually, given your current strength, Ji Ning, you should definitely join the most顶尖 powers in our Anchan Commandery. Aside from the Yinglong Guard and the Marquis of Anchan's estate, there are eight most顶尖 powers. Let me briefly explain them, and then you can cross-reference with the compendium to speed things up."

Ji Ning nodded.

"These eight most顶尖 powers are the three sects, three clans, and two cults." Beishan Baiwei said solemnly. "Each has an incomparably long history, deep foundations, and unfathomable depths. Although other powers might have immortals, compared to these eight, they lack in immortal strength, foundations, or longevity."

"The three sects are the Black-White College, the Split Heaven Sword Sect, and the Hundred Flowers Fairyland." Beishan Baiwei said. "These three sects far surpass other sects in our Anchan Commandery. Sects like Thousand Rivers Sect or North River Gate are much weaker."

"All three have great origins."

"The Split Heaven Sword Sect is the only one among the three that specializes in swordsmanship. It has many disciples, and its elites rise to the top by carving a bloody path through the crowd. They are all extremely skilled in battle." Beishan Baiwei said. "I won't go into detail; you'll understand soon enough."

Ji Ning nodded. "Tell me about the other two in detail."

"The Hundred Flowers Fairyland is a sect that only accepts female disciples. No matter how talented you are, Ji Ning, you can't enter." Beishan Baiwei smiled. "Its mountain gate is a separate space created by a great power, known as the Hundred Flowers Fairyland."

A separate space? His own water mansion was in another space.

"I don't plan to join the Split Heaven Sword Sect, and I can't enter the Hundred Flowers Fairyland. What about the Black-White College?" Ji Ning pressed.

"The Black-White College? Let's not talk about it for now!" Beishan Baiwei grinned.

"Why not?" Ji Ning grew anxious.

"I have my reasons." Beishan Baiwei said. "Let me tell you about the three clans among the eight powers: the Donghe, Lielong, and Mulan."

"The Lielong clan has a unique divine ability for archers that is not passed on to outsiders." Beishan Baiwei said. "This clan often produces powerful divine archers. Top-tier archers are extremely formidable—they can detect enemies with their divine sense from a thousand li or more, shoot an arrow from afar, severely wound or even kill the enemy, and flee if they fail."

Ji Ning's eyes lit up.

He himself had divine sense, which could cover just over a hundred li.

And his divine ability, 'Star Picking Hand,' could make his hands terrifyingly powerful, allowing him to hold a bow with one hand and draw the string with the other.

"The Donghe clan excels in water control. It's best not to fight them in an aquatic environment."

"The Mulan clan is the oldest of the three, comparable to our Anchan Beishan clan, having been established since the age of the gods and demons." Beishan Baiwei said. "The Mulan clan is skilled in crafting puppets. Many puppets in our Anchan Commandery come from them. Over the endless years, no one knows how many powerful puppets they have hidden. They are a force no one wants to provoke."

Ji Ning nodded.

The three sects and three clans—each was extraordinary.

"The two cults are the Heavenly Saint Cult and the Blood God Cult."

"The Heavenly Saint Cult acts with openness but also with arrogance." Beishan Baiwei said. "It has a very long history and is particularly mysterious."

"The Blood God Cult was founded sixty million years ago. It is evil and mad. Its members are often insane, committing great sins and being hunted by the Yinglong Guard."

"Hunted by the Yinglong Guard?" Ji Ning asked curiously.

Beishan Baiwei smiled. "Ji Ning, do you know about the concept of merit in this world?"

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded.

Of course he knew. Because of his merit, he had been assigned to the Heavenly Realm in the underworld. But due to turmoil in the underworld, he had entered the mortal world. If he hadn't reacted quickly, his soul would have scattered.

"Doing good brings merit; doing evil brings sin." Beishan Baiwei said. "The greater the merit, the more favored by heaven and earth, with increased luck. Those with great sin face terrible tribulations and reduced luck."

"Killing those with great sin brings great merit." Beishan Baiwei smiled. "The Yinglong Guard is the army of the Grand Xia Dynasty. When they are ordered to kill those burdened with great sin, the Grand Xia Dynasty's merit increases... This strengthens the dynasty's luck and foundation."

Ji Ning was astonished.

The Yinglong Guard hunted those with great sin for the sake of the Grand Xia Dynasty's luck? It seemed simple when explained, but he hadn't known before.

"Those with merit are surrounded by clear qi; those with sin are wrapped in turbid qi." Beishan Baiwei said. "Legend says that those with extremely high merit emit golden light, and those with extreme sin emit bloody light. But only those who have opened their heavenly eye can see it."

Ji Ning understood.

He had opened his heavenly eye. When he swept with his divine sense, he noticed a faint clear qi around himself—that must be merit. But he hadn't seen clear qi around others in his occasional scans, showing that reaching that level was not easy, let alone emitting golden light.

"How can one accumulate great merit?" Ji Ning asked.

"I only know that doing good brings merit and doing evil brings sin. I don't understand the rest." Beishan Baiwei said. "Merit and sin are determined by heaven; it's too complex. But cultivators must never casually slaughter mortals. Killing other cultivators is fine, but killing mortals brings great sin. My father warned me about this."

Ji Ning was startled. Killing mortals brought great sin?

"Thank you for the advice, Brother Baiwei." Ji Ning said gratefully.

"Once you join a sect, you'll quickly learn the taboos." Beishan Baiwei said. "Killing mortals is a taboo. Killing one or two is tolerable, but killing many brings trouble. The Bozi Shan you killed had killed too many mortals, so he was burdened with sin and hunted by the Yinglong Guard."

...

After the discussion, Ji Ning realized: "You've already told me about the seven powers: Heavenly Saint Cult, Blood God Cult, Donghe, Mulan, Lielong, Split Heaven Sword Sect, and Hundred Flowers Fairyland. What about the last one, the Black-White College?"

He was more concerned about the sects.

He didn't want to join the Split Heaven Sword Sect, couldn't enter the Hundred Flowers Fairyland, so only the Black-White College remained.

"Because the Black-White College is the strongest among the eight!" Beishan Baiwei looked at Ji Ning.

"Strongest?" Ji Ning grew curious.

"The other seven are comparable, all ancient with deep foundations." Beishan Baiwei's eyes shone. "But the Black-White College is the leader. It once produced a Celestial Immortal."

"A Celestial Immortal?" Ji Ning's blood boiled.

Heavens.

Although many powers in Anchan Commandery had immortals, they were Earth Immortals or Loose Immortals. He had never heard of any power having a Celestial Immortal.

"Yes, a Celestial Immortal." Beishan Baiwei said. "At its peak, the Black-White College was on par with our Anchan Beishan clan and the Yinglong Guard."

"After billions of years, that ancient Celestial Immortal is long gone, but the Black-White College remains the strongest of the eight." Beishan Baiwei smiled at Ji Ning. "And do you know? The mountain gates of the top three sects: the Split Heaven Sword Sect's gate covers a hundred thousand li, the Hundred Flowers Fairyland is in another space, but the Black-White College's gate is right inside Anchan City."

"Inside Anchan City?" Ji Ning couldn't believe it. "How big is Anchan City? And the gate of such a top sect?"

"Because the Black-White College, from immortals down to Zifu disciples, has only a few hundred people." Beishan Baiwei smiled. "The entire college has over a hundred Zifu cultivators, over two hundred Wanxiang Adepts, over thirty Primal Daoists, and some elusive immortals. It's said there are at least six immortals."

Ji Ning blinked.

What?

Over a hundred Zifu cultivators?

Over two hundred Wanxiang Adepts?

There were fewer Zifu cultivators than Wanxiang Adepts? And the number of Primal Daoists was absurdly high, with at least six immortals—more than the Split Heaven Sword Sect!

"Do you understand now?" Beishan Baiwei looked at Ji Ning. "The Black-White College has extremely few disciples, and entering is extremely difficult. Even before, when I thought highly of you, I only recommended you for the Split Heaven Sword Sect. But now that you've reached the Dao Domain level, you might be able to enter the Black-White College."

"At my level, I'm only 'might be able' to enter?" Ji Ning was curious.

"The Black-White College's fame is known even to the king of the Grand Xia Dynasty." Beishan Baiwei looked at Ji Ning. "Each year, they accept at most three to five disciples, sometimes none. Without exceptional talent, exceptional comprehension, and flawless foundations, you can't enter. Those who enter the Black-White College are prodigies from the many tribes within Anchan Commandery, and even powerful forces outside send geniuses to try to enter."