Chapter 9 The Yinglong Guard, Anchan Division

Before leaving, Ji Ning also visited the North Mountain Black Tiger Estate to bid farewell to his good friend North Mountain Bawei. North Mountain Bawei, knowing that Ji Ning was going out to roam and temper himself, exhorted him for a long time. He also knew how dangerous it was to undergo trials while wandering outside. But to become a true figure of renown on this land, one must go through brutal tempering.

On a stretch of wilderness outside Anchan City.

Crack, crack, crack, crack~~~

A green dragon puppet suspended in midair rapidly transformed, its body automatically unfolding, turning into a spacious dragon-headed ship.

Ji Ning looked up at the dragon-headed ship, then turned in amazement to Mu Zishuo beside him: "Junior brother Shuo, your puppet can even change shape? That's really impressive."

"You're a layman, you don't understand the art of puppetry at all. Changing shape is just a minor trick," Mu Zishuo said proudly. "Let's go. The Yinglong Guard's Anchan division is in the Red Dragon Mountains. Although it's not far from here... flying on a magic treasure oneself is still not as relaxing as letting the puppet fly on its own."

Ji Ning smiled and, together with the Whitewater Marsh, leaped onto the dragon-headed ship.

Standing at the bow of the dragon-headed ship, Mu Zishuo was filled with heroic spirit. The dragon-headed ship soon flew into the clouds, speeding along. Mu Zishuo added, "My puppet has a spirit-gathering talisman array built in. Flying at this speed doesn't consume any elemental energy at all. Just absorbing the natural energy of heaven and earth is enough."

"I've long heard Uncle-Master Qionghua praise you, saying how high your talent in the art of puppetry is. In the academy, we mostly discuss the Dao, and I've never had a chance to see your skill in this area. This time, when we join the Yinglong Guard... I'll have a good look," Ji Ning said with a smile.

"Just watch me," Mu Zishuo said, lifting his head, full of pride and confidence.

Ji Ning laughed heartily.

In the more than three years at the Black-White College, he had made many senior fellow apprentices, including those with whom he had good relations, like Senior Apprentice Sister Nine Lotus and Senior Apprentice Brother Bloodshadow. But among the group of fellow disciples, the one closest to Ji Ning's heart was still this junior brother Mu Zishuo, who had entered the academy together with him. Perhaps because Mu Zishuo was young, having been immersed in the art of puppetry since childhood, and lacking Ji Ning's memories of a past life, he was quite immature in dealing with the world.

Simply put, Mu Zishuo was more childlike!

He liked what he liked, and was angry when angry; he couldn't hide his feelings. Back when they first entered the academy, in the Dao Discussion Hall, after losing two matches in a row, Mu Zishuo was furious. If he had been a little more sophisticated, he wouldn't have let his emotions show so plainly. Strictly speaking... he was just too innocent.

Getting along with such a little junior brother was very easy for Ji Ning.

"We're here, the Red Dragon Mountains are here." Mu Zishuo's eyes lit up as he pointed into the distance.

Ji Ning looked into the distance. Through the clouds, he could see a continuous mountain range shaped like a dragon. The entire dragon-shaped range was covered in a fiery red color, looking from afar like a fiery red divine dragon! Its aura was also exceptionally terrifying, even more frightening than the aura of the great formation blessed by immortals of past ages at the Black-White College.

"No wonder it's one of the two most顶尖 forces in Anchan Commandery," Ji Ning exclaimed in admiration.

"The two strongest forces are Marquis Anchan of the North Mountain clan and this Yinglong Guard Anchan division," Mu Zishuo also marveled. "And just looking at this great formation from afar, it's definitely far superior to that of our Black-White College. Worthy of the Yinglong Guard. And this is just one division. Thinking that every commandery in the boundless lands ruled by the Grand Xia Dynasty has such a division sends chills down one's spine."

Ji Ning nodded: "Yes."

Marquis Anchan of the North Mountain clan—the entire Anchan Commandery was his fief. Having existed since the age of the gods and demons, he had naturally accumulated unimaginably profound strength.

As for the Yinglong Guard, on the surface its strength was already immense, and it could at any time receive support from other divisions, or even from the Yinglong Guard headquarters in the 'Grand Xia Dynasty royal capital'! Sending out a hundred or a thousand immortals was a trivial matter for the Yinglong Guard, which monitored the entire Grand Xia Dynasty.

"Precisely because it's so powerful, representing the Grand Xia Dynasty, that we want to become Yinglong Guards," Ji Ning said. "Let's go, we'll head over."

"Mm," Mu Zishuo nodded.

The dragon-headed ship immediately swooped down, flying straight toward the Red Dragon Mountains.

...

The entire Red Dragon Mountains were like a giant dragon, with the dragon's head position being the Guest-Welcoming Peak.

Ji Ning and the others swooped down on the puppet ship, landing directly on a flat area of Guest-Welcoming Peak. They put away the green dragon puppet, and Ji Ning, the Whitewater Marsh, and Mu Zishuo all landed. At that moment, two Zifu cultivators in fiery red armor walked over from a distance, coldly rebuking, "What business do you have at the Red Dragon Mountains?"

Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo both felt the other party's overbearing attitude, but since this was the Yinglong Guard's Anchan division, they couldn't act rashly.

"We have come to join the Yinglong Guard," Ji Ning said.

"Oh?" The two fiery-armored Zifu cultivators glanced at them. The tall, thin cultivator in the lead said coldly, "Then follow me."

Ji Ning, Mu Zishuo, and the Whitewater Marsh followed along.

Walking on the mountain path felt like walking on flat ground. On this Guest-Welcoming Peak, one could often see some fiery-armored Zifu cultivators.

"You two, listen carefully," the tall, thin cultivator leading the way said coldly as he walked. "There are many who want to join our Yinglong Guard. But before joining, you are not yet Yinglong Guards! So you must obediently follow the rules."

Mu Zishuo frowned.

Ji Ning remained calm.

"Remember, first, you are not Yinglong Guards, so within the Red Dragon Mountains, you are forbidden to engage in fighting. Violators will be killed without mercy!"

"Second, the only place you can go in the entire Red Dragon Mountains is this Guest-Welcoming Peak. If you trespass elsewhere, you will be killed without mercy!"

"Third, you must not damage the formations and restrictions on Guest-Welcoming Peak. Violators will also be killed without mercy."

Having said that, the tall, thin man didn't even look at Ji Ning and the others.

Mu Zishuo's face turned somewhat ugly. He transmitted, "Brother Ji Ning, the Yinglong Guard has too many rules, and they're too arrogant. We are, after all, disciples of the Black-White College, yet they treat us like this."

"Even if it were a disciple of the North Mountain clan of Marquis Anchan, it would be useless here," Ji Ning said. He had read the intelligence booklet and knew some of the Yinglong Guard's rules.

...

Ji Ning, Mu Zishuo, and the Whitewater Marsh followed along until they soon arrived at the back mountain of Guest-Welcoming Peak. On the back mountain, there were numerous wooden houses and stone houses scattered in various places.

"Look," the tall, thin cultivator said, pointing into the distance at the large number of wooden and stone houses. "Those houses are where people who want to join the Yinglong Guard live. These stone and wooden houses were also left by predecessors who came to join the Yinglong Guard in the past. Pick an empty one and stay there for now. When enough people have gathered, you can go to the Yushan Great Wasteland."

Having said that, the tall, thin cultivator turned and left, soon disappearing.

"Who is that guy, so arrogant?" Mu Zishuo muttered.

"He's a member of the Yinglong Guard Inner Guard reserve," Ji Ning said. He had had a lot of contact with North Mountain Bawei and knew more.

"Yinglong Guard Inner Guard?" Mu Zishuo was surprised. "The Yinglong Guard has an Inner Guard?"

Ji Ning nodded: "Of course. People like us who join the Yinglong Guard are very free. We usually wander around, only appearing when we need to carry out missions. But the Yinglong Guard also needs some long-term stationed guards or guards that are very trustworthy, so there is the Yinglong Guard Inner Guard!"

"The Yinglong Guard Inner Guard is like soldiers, with strict discipline and many rules. Not as free as us," Ji Ning said. "You know, the Yinglong Guard has a reserve army! Most Inner Guards are selected from the reserves."

"Oh!" Mu Zishuo suddenly understood.

"Although their freedom is limited, they are the most trusted by the Grand Xia Dynasty. They can learn more divine abilities and secret arts in the Yinglong Guard, and obtain a large number of treasures, etc. As for us, even if we become Yinglong Guards, we only get some benefits when we carry out missions," Ji Ning said. "There are gains and losses."

Mu Zishuo quickly nodded: "I don't want to be an Inner Guard. With all those rules, that's not cultivating immortality, that's suffering."

"Everyone has different choices," Ji Ning said with a smile and a sigh. "Those with high talent naturally have more choices... they can be free and unfettered. But those with slightly less talent naturally give up some things in exchange for top-tier techniques, secret arts, etc."

"Mm, that's true," Mu Zishuo said thoughtfully, nodding.

The two chatted as they walked forward.

Those stone and wooden houses were generally simple, with a small courtyard and a dwelling. Some were already occupied by cultivators.

"Let's take this one," Mu Zishuo said, pointing to a patch of overgrown grass ahead. He pointed into the distance, and a stream of light flew out. The light manifested on the ground, rapidly expanding and changing, soon forming a rather elegant courtyard.

"A puppet residence?" Ji Ning was surprised.

The art of puppetry was indeed mysterious. Whether chariots, warships, humans, beasts, residences, or even cities, all could be created through the art of puppetry.

"Who knows how long this roaming and tempering will take. In the wilderness, it's not safe. My personally crafted 'Wood Moon Residence' would take even a Wanxiang Adept a long time to break into," Mu Zishuo said proudly.

"Not bad, not bad," Ji Ning said with a smile as he stepped inside.

...

Thus, Ji Ning, Mu Zishuo, and the Whitewater Marsh all settled in this 'Wood Moon Residence'. As days passed, the cultivators in the nearby wooden and stone houses also noticed that a new person had moved in, living in a puppet residence. But no one said much; they just waited silently.

One morning, more than a month after Ji Ning and the others had arrived.

"Everyone!" A resonant voice, like thunder, instantly rang out in every stone and wooden house. Even the puppet residence made by Mu Zishuo could not block the sound. The voice exploded directly in the ears of Ji Ning, Mu Zishuo, and the Whitewater Marsh.

"It's time to go to the Yushan Great Wasteland."

The voice rolled on.

Ji Ning felt a tightness in his chest and his expression changed: "Such terrifying strength... to make me, at my current level, feel so irresistible, it should be an immortal." Although he was not confident against a Primal Daoist, he wouldn't have this feeling of utter helplessness. It should be an immortal.

Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo both came out. Mu Zishuo waved his hand, and the entire puppet object was put away.

At that moment, figures also emerged from the other stone and wooden houses, all of them people who wanted to join the Yinglong Guard.

...