Chapter 32: Silent Blessings

In the dead of night, the cold wind howled, within the manor of the Shaoyan clan.

The current clan leader of the Shaoyan clan, 'Yushen Gong', sat in his study. He had lost the heart to flip through the book in his hands; his mind was preoccupied with only one thing—had the assassination of Ji Ning succeeded?

That evening, Zhuanshui Xiaolou had invited Ji Ning to a banquet at the Water Cloud Pavilion, and the Floating Cloud Immortal was to take the opportunity to assassinate Ji Ning. Yushen Gong was, of course, aware of this assassination plan, and he was now awaiting the outcome.

"Crack!"

Yushen Gong suddenly looked at the life tablet placed on the edge of the desk. It was the life tablet of the Floating Cloud Immortal, and it had now shattered.

"Floating Cloud is dead. It seems the assassination has been carried out, but I don't know if it succeeded." Yushen Gong took a deep breath. Whether the assassination succeeded or failed, Floating Cloud would die. If it succeeded, he would die and be reborn; if it failed, he would be utterly annihilated.

Time passed...

Yushen Gong silently waited for news.

After a long while.

"Clan leader." A servant in blue rushed in and said in a low voice, "News has arrived."

"Speak." Yushen Gong said calmly.

"The Floating Cloud Immortal attempted to assassinate Ji Ning at the Water Cloud Pavilion. He even successfully deployed the Blood Coil Sealing Heaven Formation. Within the formation, Floating Cloud and Ji Ning fought one-on-one, but then Ji Ning's second true body suddenly appeared and slew the Floating Cloud Immortal." The servant in blue reported.

Yushen Gong's expression turned grim. After a moment's hesitation, he frowned and said, "You say Ji Ning's second true body killed the Floating Cloud Immortal? His true body is only at the Wanxiang Adept level; could his second true body have already cultivated to become a Return to Void Earth Immortal?"

"His second true body should be at the Primal Daoist level," the servant said. "The information should be accurate."

Yushen Gong sat there in silent contemplation, and the servant dared not make a sound.

After pondering for a long time, Yushen Gong said coldly, "This Floating Cloud Immortal was a loose immortal of our Shaoyan clan, yet he acted so recklessly. Without our clan's permission, he dared to make his own decision to assassinate Ji Ning! This is a violation of clan rules. Announce publicly that Floating Cloud Immortal violated clan rules, has been expelled from the Shaoyan clan, and is no longer a member of our Shaoyan clan. Also, remove this Floating Cloud Immortal from the Shaoyan clan genealogy."

"Yes." The servant replied respectfully.

"Go." Yushen Gong waved his hand.

The servant quickly left.

Yushen Gong sat there silently for a long time. This news was not what he had wanted; it was arguably the worst possible news. Ji Ning had actually relied on his own strength to kill the Floating Cloud Immortal. Killing Ji Ning would now be truly difficult.

"Having cultivated for only thirty years, he is already this terrifying. He must be killed. But within the Grand Xia imperial capital, killing Ji Ning is as hard as reaching the heavens. We might have to wait until Ji Ning leaves the Grand Xia city. Then our Shaoyan clan can use all means to deal with him. But waiting for Ji Ning to leave the Grand Xia city—who knows when that will be." Yushen Gong pondered silently. "We can only hope that his true body is killed by other peerless geniuses at the Immortal Destiny Convention. The potential of the true body is far greater than that of the second true body. Once the true body dies, Ji Ning's threat will be greatly reduced."

Although the second true body was now stronger than Ji Ning's true body, there was no doubt that the true body had greater potential and a much more solid foundation.

"I'll go see Patriarch Xuanji." Yushen Gong actually felt some resentment.

Everything was because Patriarch Xuanji doted too much on Shaoyan Nong; otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many troubles.

"Once news of this battle spreads, the major tribes in the Grand Xia imperial capital will probably all know about Ji Ning. Our Shaoyan clan has lost a lot of face." Yushen Gong shook his head. Then he left the Grand Xia imperial capital alone in an immortal carriage to visit Patriarch Xuanji.

...

After Xiamang Hong and his imperial guards returned to the barracks, the news that Ji Ning's second true body had slain a loose immortal quickly spread throughout the camp. The imperial guards were the heavy troops guarding the Grand Xia imperial capital. Members of various tribes served as soldiers among them, so the news naturally spread quickly back to the major tribes.

The major tribes now truly recognized Ji Ning's strength. Previously, they had thought that this little fellow Ji Ning, who had only cultivated for thirty years, was an ignorant brat who had killed Shaoyan Nong and a Primal-level divine demon by relying on some strange treasures, and then used his immense wealth to buy a Peacock Plume.

Now they understood that Ji Ning was not ignorant of when to advance or retreat; rather, he indeed had sufficient confidence.

...

Anchan Commandery, the Black-White College.

Among those most concerned about Ji Ning, the first was undoubtedly the Black-White College. In the main hall of the college.

"Uncle-Master, why have you gathered us here?"

"Senior brother, what's the matter that requires us to rush here late at night?"

The first-generation disciples, immortals, and second-generation disciples, Primal Daoists, gathered in the hall all spoke up to ask.

"Hold on. Let me finish reading this intelligence report."

Abbot Bihai Daoist was holding an intelligence report sent from the Treasure Hill Pavilion and read aloud: "Tonight, at the Water Cloud Pavilion of the Zhuanshui clan in the Grand Xia imperial capital, Zhuanshui Xiaolou hosted a banquet for Ji Ning. Ji Ning brought his golden-armored imperial guards to the feast. Halfway through the banquet, the Floating Cloud Immortal suddenly appeared and first ambushed Ji Ning with the White Bone Annihilation Immortal Needles. Ji Ning was severely wounded but survived. The Floating Cloud Immortal then immediately deployed the 'Blood Coil Sealing Heaven Formation' to seal off the battlefield. Subsequently, Floating Cloud and Ji Ning fought alone. Ji Ning's second true body suddenly appeared. His second true body had reached the Primal Daoist perfection level. Then, using several hundred Heaven-ranked flying swords, he executed a sword formation technique and slew the Floating Cloud Immortal."

The hall fell silent.

Everyone was stunned, then burst into an uproar.

"Uncle-Master, did you read that correctly?"

"Is what you said true?"

"Ji Ning's second true body killed the Floating Cloud Immortal?"

They couldn't believe it. Many of them had watched Ji Ning enter the college. That little fellow who had only been at the Zifu Disciple level back then—just over ten years had passed, and now he was killing a loose immortal? Was that a joke?

"This intelligence came from the Treasure Hill Pavilion. Would they lie about such a thing?" Bihai Daoist looked at his fellow disciples.

"Thrilling, thrilling!" Wufeng Immortal exclaimed. "This is truly thrilling! Spread the news and let all the disciples of our Black-White College know!"

...

Some rejoiced, while others worried. The news of Ji Ning's battle spread throughout the Grand Xia imperial capital and also reached the ears of interested parties in many other commandery cities. Some were delighted, some amazed, some envious, some disdainful.

Shangshui Commandery, Dongyan Mountain Range.

Late at night, on one of the peaks of the Dongyan Mountain Range.

Jiujie sat alone at the edge of the peak. The cold winter night wind was like ice knives, but Jiujie let the wind blow as she sat there silently. Ever since she and Ji Ning had truly parted ways at the Wujiang Immortal Estate, Jiujie had taken to sitting alone in a quiet place during the dead of night, silently watching until the sun rose.

"Xiaoyun." Suddenly a voice sounded.

Jiujie turned her head to look.

A beautiful young woman walked over. It was Jiujie's mother.

Lian Mu looked at her daughter with a pang of heartache. Jiujie and she were very close. After returning from the Wujiang Immortal Estate, Jiujie had been very sad and had nowhere to confide. Lian Mu comforted her daughter, and Jiujie poured out the bitterness in her heart to her mother. Only then did Lian Mu learn that her daughter and that Ji Ning had almost completely come together.

"Xiaoyun, you still can't get over it?" Lian Mu sat down beside her, looking at her daughter.

"I got over it long ago," Jiujie said softly, shaking her head. "I just feel guilty."

"You still feel guilty, and you say you've gotten over it?" Lian Mu shook her head. "You don't need to feel guilty. This Ji Ning isn't worth your guilt. He comes from a small native tribe; what good upbringing could he have? He and you are from completely different worlds. You two could never come together or fit together."

"Enough." Jiujie said softly.

"You are to take charge of the entire Dongyan clan. Patriarch Dongyan trusts you immensely. You should pull yourself together. Right now, you can't forget this Ji Ning, but after a few hundred or thousand years, you'll find that he was just an ordinary passerby in your life, a little native. Forget him." Lian Mu urged.

Before Jiujie was born, Lian Mu and Lian Fu had lived a decent but ordinary life within the Dongyan clan.

But after Jiujie was born, she was trusted and cherished by Patriarch Dongyan, who groomed her and directly designated her as the next leader. Consequently, Lian Mu and Lian Fu's status also rose, and they held high positions and power within the Dongyan clan.

"He is not a little native," Jiujie said, looking at her mother. "He was once my Dao companion! And a true genius!"

"What use is being a genius? He might be killed by the Shaoyan clan at any moment," Lian Mu said angrily.

"Enough." Jiujie also grew angry.

Lian Mu suppressed her anger. After all, Jiujie was the next leader, so she and Lian Fu usually listened to their daughter. But when it came to that Ji Ning, Lian Mu was full of resentment. How noble was her daughter? How could she be with a little native of such background? That would be too degrading.

"Master, master." Suddenly a maidservant flew over on a flying sword, landing on the mountaintop with a whoosh.

"Hmm?" Jiujie looked at the maidservant.

"The Treasure Hill Pavilion sent an intelligence report concerning Young Master Ji Ning," the maidservant said hurriedly.

Jiujie waved her hand, and the intelligence scroll flew into her hand.

Lian Mu, standing by, said discontentedly, "You say you've gotten over it, but why are you always paying attention to news about him?"

"I've gotten over it. Why can't I pay attention to news about him?" Jiujie glanced at her mother, then opened the scroll and read it. A look of shock appeared on her face.

"Let me see. What could have happened? Was he killed by the Shaoyan clan?" Lian Mu took the scroll and read it.

After reading, Lian Mu was so startled that she stood up directly.

"He... he killed the Floating Cloud Immortal of the Shaoyan clan?" Lian Mu said in astonishment. "He's only been cultivating for thirty years. How... how..."

"I told you, he is a genius," Jiujie said softly. "Mother, please go back. Let me be alone for a while."

Lian Mu was also stunned by the news. She couldn't understand how a little fellow from a native tribe, even younger than her own daughter, could have killed a top-tier loose immortal.

In shock, Lian Mu obediently left. The maidservant also left.

Jiujie sat there silently.

"You're doing well; that puts my mind at ease. Ji Ning... live well." Jiujie only silently blessed him in her heart. She had chosen the path of becoming the leader of the Dongyan clan, and she would walk that path. As for Ji Ning? She could only silently bless him in her heart.

Because since their parting at the Wujiang Immortal Estate,

they had already become separate paths—you are you, and I am I...

...