Chapter 33: Xuanwu Emperor

In the depths of the void of the Three Realms, a world was carved out of chaos, containing endless surging seas.

Endless waters, islands scattered about, immortals and even celestial beings were common sights.

At the center of this world, on an island surrounded by the sea, stood magnificent palaces, filled with celestial maidens, divine soldiers, and divine generals. Above the highest palace hung a massive Taiji diagram, constantly emitting endless black and white light...

A black-haired elder sat cross-legged on a cloud bed, with the massive Taiji diagram directly above him.

“Hmm?” The black-haired elder opened his eyes.

“Child,” the black-haired elder said calmly.

A pair of young boys and girls, who had been waiting obediently below, responded. The boy in golden robes dutifully answered, “Patriarch.”

“Go, summon your Uncle Fuhai,” the black-haired elder commanded.

“Yes.” The golden-robed boy respectfully acknowledged. With a step, ripples appeared before him, and he vanished through the void.

…

Deep in the ocean of this world lay a water palace.

The golden-robed boy directly traversed the void to the seabed. As he passed, the waters parted, leading him to the emerald-green water palace. Before the palace stood numerous soldiers and generals, who moved to block him.

“Uncle Fuhai,” the golden-robed boy called out.

As the sound arose,

Inside the water palace, a tall, thin man in deep green armor, with eyes glowing with an eerie green light that made one’s heart tremble, sat opposite a white-robed scholar. The two were drinking and chatting merrily.

“It’s not that I won’t help you, but you know I’m under house arrest by my master… I can’t do much. Come, come, let’s not talk about such dreary things. Let’s drink.” The tall, thin man in deep green armor raised a large bowl and drank heartily, downing a pound or two of wine in one gulp.

“Hmm?” The tall, thin man in deep green armor suddenly changed expression and focused his mind.

Whoosh.

The golden-robed boy, who had been outside the water palace, was instantly teleported inside, appearing before him.

“Uncle Fuhai,” the golden-robed boy bowed respectfully.

“Why has my nephew come to my place?” the tall, thin man in deep green armor quickly asked. Though the golden-robed boy was merely a celestial immortal, he was always at the side of ‘Xuanwu Emperor,’ so he treated him with courtesy and dared not be negligent.

The white-robed scholar also stood up and quickly said, “Greetings, immortal boy.”

The golden-robed boy glanced at the white-robed scholar, nodded slightly, and then said, “Uncle Fuhai, I have come on the orders of the Patriarch. The Patriarch wishes to see you.”

“Oh.” Fuhai immediately replied, “Then let’s go now.”

Fuhai also said to the white-robed scholar, “My master has summoned me, I must…”

“Brother, attend to your affairs. I won’t linger here. I’ll go to the Heavenly Realm and see if I can find someone to help my poor child.” The white-robed scholar quickly said, then drifted away.

…

“Master!”

The tall, thin man in deep green armor said respectfully.

The black-haired elder sitting on the cloud bed nodded gently, smiling. “Fuhai, I have a task for you.”

“Master, please command,” Fuhai said respectfully.

“A hundred years ago, I took on a disciple in the ‘Great Xia World’ among the Three Thousand Great Worlds,” the black-haired elder said with a calm smile. “He is also your junior brother.”

“Junior brother?” Fuhai was stunned.

A hundred years ago?

His master taking a disciple was a major event, yet he had known nothing about it.

“His original name is Zhang Qi. He studied in a small sect called the Black-White College in the Great Xia World. He is now only a Wanxiang Adept, known by others as the Slacker Daoist,” the black-haired elder said with a smile. “This time, the Great Xia World held the Immortal Destiny Convention, and your junior brother participated. Now that the convention is over, go to the capital of the Great Xia World and bring your junior brother here… On this trip, you must not cause trouble. Simply bring your junior brother back.”

“Yes,” Fuhai replied respectfully.

“Go,” the black-haired elder nodded.

Fuhai respectfully withdrew and then left this world, heading for the Great Xia World.

…

Great Xia Dynasty World, Capital, Tianmang Hall Main Hall.

Ji Ning, Woodpass Daoist, and Blackstone Daoist stood respectfully, awaiting the Great Xia Emperor’s command.

“This Ji Ning is truly formidable.”

“Having cultivated for just over thirty years and winning first place in this Immortal Destiny Convention, he seems very likely to be chosen as a disciple by the Dao Ancestor.”

“Soon, His Majesty will send the water-seal recording the battle scenes to the Dao Ancestor.”

The nearly a thousand celestial immortals below were also discussing.

The Immortal Destiny Convention had ended, with Ji Ning first, Woodpass Daoist second, and Blackstone Daoist third. But now everyone was more concerned about… whom the Redbright Dao Ancestor would choose as a disciple! Being first in the Immortal Destiny Convention was merely a vain title; being a disciple of the Redbright Dao Ancestor was the real benefit.

“You three,” the Great Xia Emperor’s voice suddenly rang out.

Ji Ning and the others pricked up their ears to listen.

“I have recorded the scenes of your three battles using the water-seal technique. Now I will go to my master and present this water-seal to him, for him to decide.” The Great Xia Emperor’s voice continued. A white-robed Xia Emperor appeared to one side, identical in appearance to the main Xia Emperor, differing only in attire.

Swoosh!

The white-robed Xia Emperor took a step, reaching the void above, then tore through the void and left this great world.

Ji Ning and the others were extremely tense.

The white-robed Xia Emperor was clearly a second avatar or clone, going to see the Redbright Dao Ancestor. Now they awaited the Redbright Dao Ancestor’s choice.

Whom would he choose?

“My formations are stronger than my close combat. The Dao Ancestor’s insight is naturally extremely keen; he will surely recognize my mastery in formations,” Blackstone Daoist, ranked third, thought with complex emotions. “With my formation skills, the Dao Ancestor should choose me.”

“I took first place; I’ve done all I can. Now I just have to wait for the Redbright Dao Ancestor’s choice,” Ji Ning thought silently.

“It all depends on fate,” Woodpass Daoist also thought.

The Great Xia Emperor’s voice came again from above—

“My second avatar has gone to my master, but when my master will see me and choose a disciple is hard to say.” The Great Xia Emperor looked at the three anxiously waiting below. Clearly, for Ji Ning and the others, every second was agonizing. “As the top three of this Immortal Destiny Convention, you may each choose one divine ability from the Great Xia Treasury.”

“Prince Qi,” the Great Xia Emperor called.

“Your Majesty,” Prince Qi immediately stood and responded.

“Take them to the Great Xia Treasury and let them each choose a divine ability,” the Great Xia Emperor said.

Ji Ning and the others had no mood to choose divine abilities at that moment. Normally, being able to choose any divine ability from the Great Xia Dynasty’s treasury would have driven them wild with excitement. But now, waiting for the ‘Redbright Dao Ancestor’s’ choice kept their hearts suspended, with only one thought in mind.

Will I be chosen… Whom will the Redbright Dao Ancestor choose…

Choose me, choose me, choose me…

“Go. When my second avatar returns, I will inform you of my master’s final choice,” the Great Xia Emperor said.

“Yes,” Ji Ning, Woodpass, and Blackstone replied respectfully.

Then they followed Prince Qi along a side path and left.

The nearly a thousand celestial immortals and the eliminated Wanxiang Adept geniuses watched Ji Ning and the others leave with envy…

The Great Xia Emperor had already said that one of the three would be chosen as a disciple by the Dao Ancestor. The other two would also be taken as disciples by Pure Yang True Immortals! That meant that no matter what, Ji Ning and the others’ status had already leaped upward. How could those eliminated not be envious?

“Yu Wei, Slacker, do you think Ji Ning will be chosen by the Dao Ancestor?” Yuchi Xiyue was both excited and nervous. He was her most important relative; of course she longed for Ji Ning to rise to the top. If so, it would be much easier for Ji Ning to deal with the Bright Yang clan in the future.

“He will. The Dao Ancestor will choose him,” Yu Wei said, holding Yuchi Xiyue’s hand.

“Slacker?” Yuchi Xiyue looked at the Slacker Daoist.

The Slacker Daoist shook his head. “I don’t know the Redbright Dao Ancestor’s temperament, so it’s hard to say. But Junior Brother Ji Ning is first in this Immortal Destiny Convention and has cultivated for such a short time. He is indeed the most dazzling. It’s very likely the Redbright Dao Ancestor will choose him as a disciple. But no one can be absolutely sure about such things.”

Care leads to confusion.

Yu Wei and Yuchi Xiyue cared too much about Ji Ning.

“Even if he can’t become a disciple of the Redbright Dao Ancestor, he can still become a disciple of a Pure Yang True Immortal. Don’t be too nervous,” the Slacker Daoist sighed. “I wonder if I’ll have the luck to become a disciple of a Pure Yang True Immortal.”

“Senior Brother, you were also very dazzling in this Immortal Destiny Convention. There should be a Pure Yang True Immortal willing to take you as a disciple,” Yu Wei said.

“It’s not that simple. Pure Yang True Immortals don’t easily take disciples,” the Slacker Daoist said, though he held a glimmer of hope, he remained calm.

…

Suddenly, a powerful, majestic aura spread from outside the hall, and a voice rang out: “Xiamang, long time no see.”

Whoosh!

The nearly a thousand celestial immortals and the group of eliminated Wanxiang Adepts looked outward, all shocked and puzzled. Such a powerful aura and such bold speech must belong to an extraordinary figure.

“Hahaha…” Xia Emperor rose voluntarily.

The other eight Pure Yang True Immortals also stood up.

A tall, thin man in deep green armor strode in, his aura so powerful that it made the surrounding celestial immortals feel a chill in their hearts.

“It’s the Fuhai Great Sage.”

“Fuhai Heavenly God!”

“Fuhai Demon King!”

The nearly a thousand celestial immortals all thought to themselves.

Xia Emperor stood up and said with a smile, “Fuhai, indeed, it’s been a long time. Your exploits are still being talked about in the Three Realms.”

“Fuhai, have you come to pick up your junior brother?” Lü Dongbin said leisurely with a smile.

“Yes.” Fuhai was domineering, his eerie green eyes sweeping around as he directly called out, “Which one is Zhang Qi? Which one is the Slacker Daoist?”

The slacker fat man behind King Yan trembled in fear. What was going on?

…