Chapter 38: A Friend Comes from Afar

The Immortal Destiny Assembly had ended.

On the Heavenly Mang Hall, the true immortals and celestial gods began to depart.

"It's rare to get out, and now I have to go back." The Fuhai Celestial God opened his mouth, and the plates of delicacies on the table before him flew directly into his mouth. Then he patted his belly, contentedly saying, "Xiamang, Donghua, everyone, I'll take my little junior brother and leave first."

He then took the Ragged True Person by the hand.

Whoosh!

They rode clouds directly into the depths of the void and vanished.

"Disciple, it's time to go." Lü Dongbin looked at Yu Wei, who was with Ji Ning in the distance.

Yu Wei was talking with Ji Ning. Hearing Lü Dongbin's urging, she felt even more reluctant, and immediately hugged Ji Ning tightly.

Ji Ning also embraced Yu Wei.

He could feel Yu Wei's heart; she was a woman cold on the outside but hot on the inside. Since becoming Dao companions, he could feel the passion within her.

"Wait for me," Yu Wei whispered.

Ji Ning pressed his cheek against Yu Wei's, feeling her skin and warmth, and whispered back, "I will definitely wait for you, I swear."

"No need to swear." Yu Wei released Ji Ning, tears glistening in her eyes. "I believe you."

Then Yu Wei turned and ran toward Lü Dongbin.

"I've kept Master waiting," Yu Wei said quickly.

"Foolish child, foolish child." Lü Dongbin shook his head with a sigh. Then clouds appeared beneath their feet, and they rode the clouds swiftly into the void above.

Ji Ning looked up.

Yu Wei on the cloud also looked down.

They gazed at each other, but soon the clouds disappeared from sight.

This separation... when they would meet again in the future, no one knew what it would be like.

"Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei and Ji Ning are the most suitable for each other." Jiulian saw the look in Ji Ning and Yu Wei's eyes as they parted—a look filled with deep reluctance. "Their feelings run deeper than mine and Ji Ning's ever did. Ji Ning and I... our hearts were never so close."

...

"Let's go."

"We should go too."

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, the Northern Dipper Immortal, and others also drifted away one after another.

"Junior brother Mu Chuan, come with me to see Master." The Xia Emperor took Mu Chuan Zhenren and left.

The nearly thousand celestial immortals present began to leave one by one with their attendants. Ji Ning also left with Yuchi Xiyue and King Yan. Jiulian left with Dongyan Ancestor.

...

At King Qi's command, the contingents from the three thousand six hundred commanderies and the four seas in the imperial square began to depart in an orderly manner.

Ji Ning even flew back to the contingent from Anchan Commandery.

"Ji Ning!"

"Ji Ning! The first place in the Immortal Destiny Assembly!"

"Beiming Zhenren!" The Anchan Commandery contingent saw Ji Ning flying down from the sky and erupted in cheers.

They did not know about the matter of 'Dao Ancestor taking disciples'; they only knew that Ji Ning was the first in this Immortal Destiny Assembly! This was supreme glory, the pride of the entire Anchan Commandery.

"Master." Xiaoqing turned into a streak of light and flew straight to Ji Ning, then coiled around his arm.

"Ning'er." The Whitewater Hound also flew to Ji Ning's side.

"Xiaoqing, Uncle Bai." Ji Ning's heart, which had been somewhat pained by the temporary separation from Yu Wei, immediately warmed. At least Xiaoqing and Uncle Bai were always with him.

"Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, you're amazing!" Mu Zishuo shouted excitedly, "First in the Immortal Destiny Assembly! First! The Great Xia world has three thousand six hundred commanderies and countless islands in the four seas... You've only been cultivating for thirty-odd years and you took first place. You're incredible! I admire you the most now, senior apprentice-brother!"

"Congratulations, Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning." Cangjiang Zhenren and others also came over.

"Ji Ning." Beishan Baiwei also walked over, beaming. He punched Ji Ning in the chest. "You rascal, I tried to stop you from joining the Immortal Destiny Assembly back then. Looks like I underestimated you. Not only are you formidable, but you also won first place. You're a true celebrity in Anchan Commandery now, and your fame will surely spread throughout the entire Great Xia Dynasty."

Ji Ning just smiled.

If this Immortal Destiny Assembly had been an ordinary one, he would indeed have reason to rejoice.

But the most important thing about this assembly was the Dao Ancestor taking disciples. The empty title of 'first in the Immortal Destiny Assembly' was less important. Unfortunately, he had not been accepted as a disciple by the Dao Ancestor.

"Ji Ning, our Black-White College has gained great face this time." The Mad Immortal said with satisfaction, "You and Little Ragged both made it into the top six, and you even became first. Haha... Our Black-White College must record this well. Even a million years or a billion years from now, as long as our Black-White College exists, we will let future generations know of this. This is the pride of our Black-White College."

"Where's Senior apprentice-brother?"

"Where's Senior apprentice-brother Ragged?"

"And Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei? Where is she?" Everyone asked.

Ji Ning transmitted to the Mad Immortal: "Senior apprentice-brother was accepted as a disciple by the Dao Ancestor 'Black Tortoise Great Emperor,' and Yu Wei was accepted as a disciple by the Pure Yang True Immortal Lü Dongbin. They have both been taken away from this major world."

"What!" The Mad Immortal was shocked.

Black Tortoise Great Emperor?

Lü Dongbin?

As the longest-living loose immortal of the Black-White College, he had some contact with celestial immortals and had a vague understanding of the Three Realms. He knew what 'disciple of a Dao Ancestor' meant. That Lü Dongbin had taken Yu Wei as a disciple was also a huge matter for the Black-White College.

"I understand. You must not spread this," said the Mad Immortal.

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded.

"And you?" the Mad Immortal transmitted.

"I should become a disciple of a Pure Yang True Immortal," Ji Ning said. "The Xia Emperor told me to wait in the Great Xia imperial capital for three days for news."

...

After the Immortal Destiny Assembly ended and all the true immortals and celestial gods had left, a long time passed.

"Whoosh~~~" In the depths of the void above the Great Xia imperial capital.

A passage was torn open.

A white-robed youth with flowing hair leisurely strolled out of the passage and looked down. His gaze pierced through space, seeing the vast Great Xia imperial capital.

"Great Xia?" The white-robed youth nodded slightly. Soon he traversed the void and descended into the Great Xia imperial capital.

He walked leisurely.

Before long, he arrived outside King Yan's manor.

"Junior apprentice-brother." Outside the main gate of King Yan's manor, Ji Ning hugged Mu Zishuo, then released him and said solemnly, "Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei and I will both become disciples of Pure Yang True Immortals. Once the Xia Emperor notifies me, I believe I will soon leave the Great Xia world with the Pure Yang True Immortal. This departure may last decades or centuries. You and I, brothers, will meet again after many years."

Among his fellow disciples, Ji Ning had the deepest bond with Mu Zishuo.

They were true brothers through life and death.

"Senior apprentice-brother, you are following a Pure Yang True Immortal to pursue becoming a celestial immortal through tribulation. That's a good thing." Mu Zishuo's eyes reddened. "But I really hate to see you go."

"Haha, we brothers will meet again," Ji Ning said.

"Although you are following a Pure Yang True Immortal, don't get too cocky. I, Mu Zishuo, will also cultivate diligently. Don't let it happen that in the future, you, the first in the Immortal Destiny Assembly, end up inferior to me, Mu Zishuo. Haha, that would be a huge joke." Mu Zishuo laughed.

Ji Ning also laughed.

"Alright, I won't see you off! When you return to the Great Xia world, be sure to find me," Mu Zishuo said.

"I will, I will definitely find you," Ji Ning nodded.

"Mm." Mu Zishuo turned and mounted a green dragon, soaring into the sky. The other Black-White College disciples had already said their goodbyes outside the imperial city. Only Mu Zishuo, with whom he had the deepest bond, accompanied Ji Ning all the way to the gate of King Yan's manor.

Watching his junior apprentice-brother ride the dragon away, Ji Ning gazed for a long time, then turned and entered King Yan's manor with Xiaoqing and the Whitewater Hound.

"Hmm!"

The white-robed, long-haired youth, who had been silently watching from afar, shook his head. "It seems this Ji Ning is a man of deep feelings. Not bad, not bad."

With that, he sauntered toward King Yan's manor.

There were guards at the main gate of King Yan's manor, but as the white-robed, long-haired youth leisurely walked in, they acted as if they hadn't seen him at all.

"This manor's formation restrictions have some tricks to them. This newly ascended celestial immortal, King Yan... his strength is not bad." The white-robed, long-haired youth walked on, passing maids and guards, but no one noticed him. It was as if he were a void, nonexistent.

The manor was heavily guarded.

It also contained formation restrictions, no less than those of some major sects. Normally, if anyone entered, the manor's master, King Yan, would immediately detect them.

But the white-robed, long-haired youth walked straight in without anyone noticing him.

"Rustle rustle~~~" By the river stood an immortal mansion.

This was Ji Ning's residence.

"This Ji Ning is merely a Wanxiang Adept, but he's living quite well." The white-robed, long-haired youth walked to the gate of the immortal mansion and entered. None of the mansion's restrictions were triggered.

...

Inside the immortal mansion, Ji Ning, who had just returned, sat silently in a pavilion. Yu Wei's departure with her master Lü Dongbin left him with many concerns.

"Ji Ning, someone has entered your immortal mansion." The voice of the Yellow-haired Great Bear sounded in Ji Ning's mind.

"Entered the immortal mansion? I'm the master of the mansion, how could I not know?" Ji Ning's expression changed.

"Very powerful. I only sensed him faintly and dared not probe him." The Yellow-haired Great Bear said quickly, "This person is very strong, likely at the level of a true immortal or celestial god. Your immortal mansion is merely an ordinary cave-dwelling treasure, and the gate is wide open. How could it detect such an existence?"

Ji Ning was startled.

A true immortal or celestial god? That was on par with the Great Xia Emperor. Such beings were rare even in the Three Realms, truly powerful figures.

"Having won first place in the Immortal Destiny Assembly, instead of inviting friends to celebrate, you sit alone drinking melancholy wine? Strange, very strange." A frivolous voice sounded, and a white-robed, long-haired youth had already entered the spacious courtyard.

Ji Ning, who was in the pavilion, immediately stood up.

"Is it not a joy to have a friend come from afar?" The white-robed, long-haired youth smiled. "Young friend Ji Ning, I have traveled a long way to come here. Won't you offer me a cup of wine?"

"Senior, please."

Ji Ning waved his hand, and on the table before him appeared immortal wine and spirit fruits.

"Although the wine and fruits are a bit inferior, they are still passable." The white-robed, long-haired youth took a step and was already in the pavilion, sitting across from Ji Ning. He picked up the wine jug and took a few sips.

"Senior, what business do you have with this junior?" Ji Ning asked nervously.

...