Chapter 31: Ji Ning's Handwritten Letter

But since it was the New Year, Ji Jiuhuo and the others did not immediately disturb Ji Ning. They waited until the sixteenth day of the first lunar month before setting out for Serpentwing Lake.

Serpentwing Lake, Brightheart Island.

Inside the study.

Ji Ning stood before the desk, holding a brush and writing large characters. Beside him, Qiuye was grinding ink. 'Calligraphy' had become one of Ji Ning's favorite pastimes in recent years, and it was also one of his methods for training his heart and his sword.

Every stroke was like a flash of sword light crisscrossing.

Ji Ning's characters... exuded an overwhelming sword intent.

"The sword intent in the young master's calligraphy grows stronger and stronger," Qiuye marveled inwardly. "My swordsmanship was personally taught by the young master, and I am at the peak of the Xiantian stage. Yet just looking at these characters makes my heart tremble, leaving me utterly powerless to resist. In recent years, the young master's sword intent has become increasingly astonishing."

No one knew how powerful Ji Ning had become after nine years, but his occasional missions for the Yinglong Guard had already sent shockwaves through all sides.

The most famous battle was when Ji Ning slew 'Poison Dove Daoist.'

It was well known that cultivators who walked the path of evil, burdened by sin, generally possessed combat power far exceeding their peers. Poison Dove Daoist was among the most outstanding, able to escape from Primal Daoists, yet he could not escape from Ji Ning. This led the outside world to speculate... just what level of strength Ji Ning had reached.

Only Qiuye, who was closest to Ji Ning, had a more precise perception.

"The young master's calligraphy shows a continuous improvement in sword intent, progressing astonishingly. Even compared to three years ago, there has been a qualitative transformation, let alone nine years ago," Qiuye thought to herself.

"Alright."

Ji Ning put down the brush and said with a smile, "Qiuye, take this calligraphy and burn it."

"Yes, young master." Qiuye obediently complied. When Ji Ning had first asked her to burn his calligraphy, she had been reluctant, saying, "Young master, these are such wonderful characters. I can feel the surging sword intent within them. Leaving them in the tribe for future generations to study would be a good thing."

But Ji Ning had replied, "I write every day. Over many years, how much would accumulate? Besides, these are written casually on a whim, not worth keeping. I will leave one piece each year, stored in the tribe. The rest will all be burned."

After Ji Ning said this once, Qiuye never asked again.

"Young master, young master." A voice suddenly came from outside.

Ji Ning looked up.

Qiuye walked out and asked, "What is it?"

The maidservant who had come to report said, "The clan leader and the others have arrived and are waiting in the reception hall."

"Uncle Liuzhen?" Ji Ning smiled and instructed, "I'll be right there."

"Help me tidy up." Ji Ning glanced at Qiuye, who nodded. Some of Ji Ning's frequently used items... were always personally tidied by Qiuye, and ordinary maids were forbidden to touch them. Especially Ji Ning's calligraphy imbued with sword intent—even a Houtian martial artist could be scared to death by the sword intent radiating from the characters!

Ordinary Xiantian beings would be so frightened they would collapse on the spot. Qiuye, having studied under Ji Ning's lineage and being highly skilled in swordsmanship, still felt her heart palpitate.

...

The reception hall.

Ji Ning, dressed in animal skins, walked in with a smile. Seeing that the hall contained Ji Liuzhen, Ji Jiuhuo, Granny Ying, and the old servant A Xing, he laughed in surprise. "I thought it was just Uncle Liuzhen, but the old clan leader and you all have come. The four of you coming together must mean there's something important."

"There is something important," Ji Liuzhen nodded.

"Tell me, what is it?" Ji Ning sat down directly.

Ji Jiuhuo and Ji Liuzhen exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

Ji Liuzhen then said, "Ji Ning, as you know, ever since our Ji clan gained your help and our strength began to increase rapidly, we naturally started to expand."

Ji Ning nodded.

Any tribe, once powerful, would expand! He himself had gone to the 'Yinglong Guard branch' and exchanged merits for techniques that could be taught to the tribe. Some Qi Refining techniques were common even among slightly stronger tribes. But these techniques, which the Yinglong Guard branch allowed to be taught to tribes, required far more merits to exchange.

Ji Ning had undertaken several missions precisely for this purpose.

Apart from techniques, Ji Ning had also prepared liquid elemental essence, spirit pills, and so on. With his occasional personal guidance, the Ji clan now had over a dozen Zifu Disciples, three of whom had left the Swallow Mountain area to join sects.

"Clans like the Kou and Bianhe have had friendly relations with our Ji clan for many years," Ji Liuzhen sighed. "But when it comes to the prosperity and strength of the tribe, our Ji clan cannot afford to be soft-hearted. We asked them to voluntarily move out of Swallow Mountain."

Ji Ning nodded.

He knew about these matters and was not surprised.

Take the Dongyan clan, for example; their headquarters occupied a mountain range spanning hundreds of thousands of li, equivalent to over a hundred Swallow Mountains. Similarly, the Snowdragon Mountain occupied a large territory as its mountain gate. Of course, schools like the Black-White College pursued an elite path and did not need such large territories. But those were sects; the Black-White College could recruit talented disciples from outside.

For tribes, however, they trusted their own clan members more. As the tribe multiplied, they naturally needed larger territories.

"Now, throughout Swallow Mountain, only the Snowdragon Mountain branch has not moved," Ji Liuzhen continued. "All other forces have relocated one by one. The Snowdragon Mountain Swallow Mountain branch, relying on the backing of Snowdragon Mountain, ignores our Ji clan. They even publicly declared that if our Ji clan dares to invade, they will dare to kill. Clearly, they are ready for war at any time. Although our Ji clan has built up some foundation over the years, the Snowdragon Mountain branch has the continuous support of its sect. A real war... would be very difficult for our Ji clan."

Ji Ning understood and frowned. "This Swallow Mountain branch is so unyielding?"

"They calculated that our Ji clan wouldn't dare to fight them. They even sent an envoy to me, saying they would not expand but would not move either, with a very tough attitude," Ji Liuzhen gritted his teeth. "Hmph, back when our Ji clan was weak, Dongzi Qi led the Swallow Mountain branch and similarly pressured our Ji clan, even trying to destroy us. Now that they see you are not to be trifled with, they say they won't expand. It's not that they won't expand... it's that they don't have the strength to expand!"

When one is weak, saying one won't expand is just putting a good face on it.

Back when the Swallow Mountain branch was strong, weren't they gradually infiltrating and expanding their territory? From an outsider, they became the strongest force in Swallow Mountain.

"Ji Ning, what do you think our Ji clan should do now?" Ji Liuzhen looked at Ji Ning. "Our decision now will affect the entire clan. We dare not be careless."

"This Swallow Mountain branch is truly overestimating itself. A mere branch dares to act like this," Ji Ning frowned and said directly, "I will write a letter. Uncle Liuzhen, send someone to deliver it to the Swallow Mountain branch. Also, after the letter is rolled up, do not open it. I will set some restrictions on it."

"Alright," Ji Liuzhen nodded.

Ji Ning immediately took out a piece of beast-hide paper and wrote a letter.

Ji Jiuhuo, Granny Ying, Ji Liuzhen, and old servant A Xing watched from the side, and their expressions changed after reading it.

"This, isn't this too much?" Ji Jiuhuo worried.

"Don't worry," Ji Ning said calmly. "I really don't think much of Snowdragon Mountain."

Nine years had passed.

Ji Ning knew his own strength best.

In just four years, he had comprehended the first three stances of the 'Three-Foot Sword.' Now, after another nine years, and with the Water Mansion... Ji Ning had long since cleared the fourth floor of the War God Hall and chosen a treasure from the Treasure Hall. His strength now far surpassed what it was nine years ago.

"Storming Snowdragon Mountain? That is the foundation of their sect, hiding countless tricks. Even immortals dare not barge in recklessly. I am not strong enough for that yet. But outside, without the support of the mountain gate's many formations, I am truly not afraid of Snowdragon Mountain's Primal Daoists," Ji Ning thought to himself.

Snowdragon Mountain had backing—its backing was Anchan Northmont!

Forces within Anchan Commandery generally pledged allegiance to Anchan Northmont or to the Yinglong Guard branch (i.e., the Grand Xia Dynasty).

But Ji Ning also had backing!

He had a closer relationship with Anchan Northmont, and behind him was his master, the Immortal Diancai!

...

That evening.

Snowdragon City in Swallow Mountain—this was now the only city of the Snowdragon Mountain Swallow Mountain branch. As for the other two cities, when Dongzi Qi and others died, two vassal orders had fallen into the Ji clan's hands. With the vassal orders and the Ji clan's increased strength, they naturally took the other two cities easily.

But Snowdragon City remained like a nail stuck in Swallow Mountain.

"An envoy from the Ji clan?"

"Hmph, this insignificant Ji clan only rose to power because of that Ji Ning. How old is Ji Ning? Though his potential is astonishing, he might fall halfway. How many geniuses have died on the path of cultivation?" A silver-haired old man's face was ugly.

His name was 'Xu Fang,' the overseer of Snowdragon City.

The current Swallow Mountain branch was controlled by the Xu clan, a relatively powerful clan within Snowdragon Mountain. They had quite a few Wanxiang Adepts, but 'Xu Li Adept' had died. This enraged the Xu clan, and when the Snowdragon Mountain sect was preparing to send someone to the Swallow Mountain branch, the Xu clan volunteered.

But Ji Ning's progress was too astonishing. The true leader of the Xu clan within Snowdragon Mountain, 'Xu Ke Adept,' was so frightened that he returned to the sect, leaving only the Zifu Disciple 'Xu Fang' in charge.

After all, to Ji Ning, killing Wanxiang Adepts was like killing chickens. Naturally, Xu Ke Adept dared not take risks here. Only for major matters would Xu Fang send word to Xu Ke Adept in the sect.

"Xu Fang, this is a letter from our young master for you." A tall, sturdy old man said coldly.

In the great hall.

Xu Fang sat at the head, with three other Zifu Disciples beside him.

"Your young master?" Xu Fang, too startled to rebuke the man's rudeness, was alarmed by the words 'young master.' The young master who would send him a personal letter... could only be the legendary Ji Ning of Serpentwing Lake!

The other three Zifu Disciples in the hall were also frightened. They could sneer at Ji Liuzhen and the others, but they were terrified of the legendary Ji Ning of Serpentwing Lake.

"Catch it." The Ji clan elder directly tossed the letter over.

Xu Fang reached out to catch it, and the other three cultivators drew near.

They unrolled the rolled-up beast hide.

The sword intent emanating from the characters first made Xu Fang and the other three's hearts tremble, and their legs went weak.

"Xu clan of Swallow Mountain branch: I give you ten days to get out of Swallow Mountain. If you haven't moved by then, don't blame me for being merciless with my sword." A very casual sentence, yet it carried an overwhelming domineering force. The Ji clan and the Swallow Mountain branch had been bickering without any real action, but Ji Ning's letter left no room for negotiation.

Move within ten days, or face action!

"This, this..." Xu Fang's eyes bulged, and he roared, "This is utterly disregarding Snowdragon Mountain! Report to the sect immediately, report to the sect immediately!!!"

As soon as he spoke,

Whoosh~~~

The restrictions on the beast hide triggered the flames of heaven and earth, and the beast hide burst into flames, turning to ashes.