Chapter 18: Wings

"Mm." Ji Ning casually flipped his hand, and a piece of gold with a greenish gleam appeared in it. He tossed it directly onto the black snake man's stall. "Here."

"Just this bit of gold?" The black snake man and the two men behind him were panicked, staring at the small, finger-sized piece of greenish gold. "Isn't it even pure gold?"

"Young master."

"Honored young master."

The three men kept calling out and begging. How could they explain to their tribe? The other tribal warriors were still waiting outside the city. Those warriors hadn't been willing to enter the city... because each person had to pay a sheepskin or its equivalent to enter.

"How foolish. That's Thunder Gold."

"I'll give you a hundred beast-head gold pieces for that Thunder Gold."

"Only a hundred beast-head gold pieces? For a piece of Thunder Gold like that, I'd give a hundred and sixty beast-head gold pieces. I'll have someone bring the gold right now!" The people nearby immediately started bidding. They were all figures of some status in West Prefecture City, either from families of innate lifeforms or powerful figures from tribes that had moved into the city. Their eyes were sharp.

The black snake man quickly grabbed the piece of Thunder Gold, clearly feeling that it was much heavier than gold. He exchanged glances with his two companions, both shocked and delighted.

"Thank you, young master."

"Thank you, great young master."

The three men quickly expressed their gratitude, moved.

"Now you know to thank him? Dripping Water Sword is a famous figure of great renown. His young master is of such status—why would he forcibly take your weapons? He casually tosses out a little something, and you're scared out of your wits." An old man in a fat fur robe spoke loudly, clearly intending for Ji Ning, who was not far away, to hear.

Ji Ning smiled. The set of three swords in one sheath vanished from his hand, stored into his crystal. Because the crystal's space was limited, Ji Ning only carried a few beast-head gold pieces with him, along with some valuable treasures.

...

Inside the hall.

Ji Yichuan still sat high in the main seat, with Yuchi Xue sitting to his left. Both slowly ate the food on the low tables before them.

Swoosh!

A figure rushed in—it was Ji Ning, returning from his stroll.

"Father, mother." Ji Ning quickly called out.

Ji Yichuan frowned. "When you're out shopping, don't you keep an eye on the time?"

Ji Ning obediently didn't dare to speak, quickly ran to his seat, knelt, and began to eat. The midday meal was quite abundant—plenty of meat, noodles, wine, and more. Ji Ning's appetite was enormous now, and the large amount of food and drink on his table was soon completely consumed by him.

Yuchi Xue watched her son devour everything like a whirlwind, smiling.

"Father, mother." Ji Ning remembered the set of three swords in one sheath he had bought today and quickly said, "Today while shopping, I encountered three tribal warriors. They must have come from a very remote area, enduring hardships to reach West Prefecture City, just to sell a divine weapon. So I... bought that divine weapon."

"A divine weapon?" Ji Yichuan, seated above, frowned. "The Ji clan's West Prefecture treasury has plenty of divine weapons. Didn't you already choose two divine weapons before? The weapons sold in the city are rarely good quality."

Because Ji Ning hadn't yet reached the Qi Refining innate stage, he couldn't use magic treasures, so he had gone to the clan treasury to select two sword-type divine weapons. Of course, during the cage battles, he only used ordinary weapons.

"Father, the two divine weapons I chose from the clan treasury are far inferior to the one I selected this time." Ji Ning said solemnly.

"Oh?" Ji Yichuan looked at his son.

"Actually, the divine weapon I bought is a set of damaged sword-type magic treasures." Ji Ning explained. "The mysterious patterns on it are completely broken, so it can only be used as a slightly sharper divine weapon. But it is indeed very sharp, far surpassing the divine weapons I chose from the treasury. Even with force, I can use it to pierce the Golden Dust Robe."

"Pierce the Golden Dust Robe?" Ji Yichuan showed surprise. "Let me see."

Ji Ning immediately extended his hand, and the ancient set of three swords in one sheath appeared. He quickly stood up and brought it to his father.

Ji Yichuan took it and examined it carefully, then drew out the three swords to inspect them. "The formation runes on the sword bodies are completely shattered, but sensing its aura... it is indeed a set of flying sword magic treasures! Unfortunately, it's a damaged treasure. Generally, damaged treasures have little value; at most, the material of the treasure itself can be smelted to extract a few materials."

Ji Ning nodded.

He had read many books and knew that damaged treasures had very low value, because the materials of a damaged treasure, having been refined and mixed together, could only yield a small amount of original materials even after smelting.

"Chi!" Ji Yichuan touched the sword edge with his finger, and a trace of blood seeped out, surprising him. "What a sharp sword. Without infusing true essence or yuan power, the sword itself is this sharp—I've never seen anything like it. Xue'er, take a look. Can you identify its origin?"

Yuchi Xue took it and examined it carefully. After a long while, she slowly shook her head. "I can't recognize it."

"Mother, before this flying sword treasure was damaged, was it a graded treasure?" Ji Ning pressed.

"Of course it was a graded treasure." Yuchi Xue nodded. "Even completely damaged, its sharpness rivals some ungraded treasures. When it was intact... it was certainly a graded treasure. But which grade it belongs to, I simply cannot tell. Probably no one in the entire Yanshan region can tell."

Ji Ning nodded. He understood this.

Generally, Qi Refining innate lifeforms used ungraded treasures, while Zifu cultivators used graded treasures. Refining treasures was even more difficult... No one in the entire Yanshan region was known to be able to personally refine treasures. Only in some immensely powerful tribes in the endlessly distant lands might there be experts capable of refining treasures.

"The Grand Xia Dynasty has been passed down since the era of gods and demons." Ji Yichuan tossed the set of three swords in one sheath back to his son. "It rules over endless territories with billions of years of history. Countless tribes have risen, declined, and perished, leaving behind countless treasures. Damaged treasures from battles are not uncommon. Our Ji clan has hundreds of such damaged treasures, most of unknown origin. This damaged treasure being so sharp is quite rare, and it suits you well."

Yuchi Xue added, "Ning'er, when you become a Qi Refining innate lifeform and infuse true essence into an ungraded treasure, its power might not even match this one!"

Ji Ning nodded.

Magic treasures are powerful because of their mystery and unpredictability.

Generally, Qi Refining innate lifeforms use all kinds of strange treasures. But the divine body refinement path... excels at close combat. They possess nearly indestructible bodies, great strength, speed, and recovery. So even when divine body refinement cultivators use treasures, they use close-combat weapons like swords, sabers, and spears.

"This set of three swords in one sheath will still suit me even after I become an innate lifeform." Ji Ning felt joy, thinking, "It will probably accompany me for a long time. I should give it a name... Mm, let's call it the Northmoon Sword!"

Ji Ning's sudden thought of 'Northmoon' actually had a reason.

Back then, his father Ji Yichuan left the Yanshan region, roaming the endless lands, even heading to the boundless northern sea. That vast sea was also called the 'Northmoon Sea'. There were many islands in the Northmoon Sea, where Ji Yichuan drifted and roamed, and there he met Yuchi Xue.

They traveled together, experienced life and death, fell in love, and then conceived.

It was because of the pregnancy that they left the dangerous Northmoon Sea to return to Yanshan. But along the way, they encountered many dangers, and Yuchi Xue was severely injured. This is why it was said that 'Ji Ning was injured while still in the womb'. Also, at a critical moment, the divine beast 'Whitewater Marsh' had carried Yuchi Xue on its back to escape.

So Ji Yichuan also said that Uncle Bai had a life-saving grace toward Ji Ning.

His parents met, fell in love, and conceived in the Northmoon.

The word 'Northmoon' naturally held special meaning for Ji Ning.

"Father, mother." Ji Ning said solemnly, "For this set of three swords in one sheath, I name it—the Northmoon Sword!"

...

While Ji Ning rejoiced in obtaining the Northmoon Sword, at a place called Winged Serpent Lake in the Yanshan region...

Winged Serpent Lake was vast, nearly boundless, stretching nearly a hundred li in length and width.

As the saying goes, deep mountains and large lakes harbor monsters.

This was true. This vast, mysterious lake undoubtedly harbored a great demon, with countless lesser demons inside. The great demon of this lake was called 'Winged Serpent', an old demon that had lived over a thousand years, with immense power. Born able to fly, it could also control water and poison—a fearsome demon of great renown.

Deep in the center of the lake was a small island, the lair of the Winged Serpent.

"Hmm~~" A massive black serpent coiled there, hundreds of meters long. Its two huge, scaly bone wings were spread wide, seeming to blot out the sky. Its crimson pupils stared at the trembling beasts before it, and a chilling cold emanated, frosting the ground around it.

Dense crowds of lesser demons, some kneeling, some lying prostrate, all trembled.

About a hundred demon beasts lay dead on the ground, covered in frost, completely frozen.

"Hmm~~" The enraged Winged Serpent let out roars.

Those lesser demons—various snakes, crabs, fish, and other hideous monsters—responded in low voices. Clearly, they were all terrified.

"Roar!" The Winged Serpent roared coldly.

Splash, splash, splash~~~

All the demons were relieved, quickly retreating. Many demon beasts left the island and entered the deep lake. Some demon beasts scattered around the island to guard it.

"Chi~~" The massive black serpent suddenly turned into mist, then condensed into a black-robed man.

"I, Wing, have ninety-two sons!" The black-robed man gritted his teeth. "Most died during growth; only sixteen survived! And only one has divine blood—my most beloved, Crimsonfang!"

Snakes are naturally lustful.

Although he himself had no divine blood, he had mated with many post-natal demon beasts, including post-natal divine beasts. For a demon who had cultivated for over a thousand years, capturing some post-natal divine beasts was easy. But divine beasts rarely conceived; among his children, only one had divine blood—Crimsonfang.

He was also his favorite. He believed that as long as Crimsonfang broke through to innate lifeform, he would have even greater power, with a future surpassing his own.

"Crimsonfang, I told you long ago, don't go out before becoming an innate lifeform. Humans may be delicious, but if you eat too many, the Ji clan will come to punish us." The black-robed man growled, in agony.

His spoiled child, Crimsonfang, had sneaked out and discovered that human flesh was indeed far more delicious than other demon beasts.

Crimsonfang, hiding it from his father, went out again and again to wreak havoc.

"I must bring my child back." The black-robed man immediately transformed into the massive Winged Serpent, his bone wings beating, and shot into the sky as a black shadow, disappearing into the clouds on the horizon.